Reproduced from the Dorset Echo First published Saturday 30 May 2015 updated 31 May 2015 Article by Liz Jackson Quacking effort as ducklings rescued from drain by using a recording of their mum. TWO ducklings had a daring adventure in Burton Bradstock after they lost their mother and fell down a manhole. Thanks to helpful members of the community, however, the story had a happy ending as they were eventually rescued. Mark Hyde, from Lancashire, said they raised the alarm after a duck came to the door of their holiday home last week on May 18 quacking for help. He said: “My wife and I were staying in Burton Bradstock for a week’s holiday and we were made aware of the impending tragedy by the mother duck quacking loudly at our cottage door. “We went out to investigate and saw the mother with eight ducklings which were o...
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http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/26/queens-speech-miliband Look at the alternative Queen’s speech and wonder what might have been. Polly Toynbee. What might have been? Lord Falconer. Prepared a Labour Queens speech The over riding problem with these "What might have been" articles is that history has shown us, time after time, that the proposals of governments as outlined in the Queens Speech are subsequently modified, abandoned or otherwise amended to suit the changing fortunes of the incumbent government. Where proposals are implemented, they are frequently the less controversial aspects of what is often a package designed more to appeal to popular perception than to the real needs o f society. Radical? No. Aspirational? No. Perhaps Polly Toynbee and Lord Falconer could respond to a few enquiries in respect of a Queens Speech. Where is the policy to end austerity and to restore the cuts already made by the Conservative d...
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/may/25/greek-pm-emergency-meeting-bailout-negotiation-team-tsipras-imf Greek PM convenes emergency meeting of his bailout negotiation team Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras The world should stop blaming the Greek people for the economic crisis faced by the EU in respect of Greek exit from the Eurozone. The culprits are the banks and financial institution, former corrupt and incompetent Greek governments financed and encouraged by Brussels and the European Central bank, the Germans seeking to gain by financial manipulation what they were unable to achieve by conquest and the sinister American backed IMF. It is the Greek people who have been paying the price with years of ever more severe austerity, cuts to living standards, job losses and reductions of almost 69% in wages, salaries and pensions. The ECB’s governing council (picture taken in February 2014) The way out of the mess created and perpetuated by...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/andy-burnham-claims-rent-for-flat-moments-away-from-another-he-already-owns-10273311.html Andy Burnham claims £17,000 a year in rent for London flat – despite owning another that's walking distance from Westminster Andy Burnham. Nose in the trough along with all the other career politicians. Andy Burnham has been claiming more than £17,000 a year in expenses to rent a flat in London despite owning another property a short walk from Westminster. Another of the "Westminster establishment" demonstrating how to milk the bottomless pit of tax payers(our)money with expense claims. This one even wants to become the leader of one of the parties, with the potential to become the Prime Minister. The career politicians of Westminster again show themselves to be no more than self serving opportunists, more interested in position, perks and personal kudos than ideals and principle. Interesting to note that Prescot...
http://www.presstv.com/Detail/2015/05/25/412714/Bolton-US-Sunni-state-Iraq-Syria Bolton says US should make new Sunni state out of Iraq, Syria Former ambassador to the UN John Bolton Having already screwed up the entire Middle East with half baked ideas and constant meddling since 1917, yet another piece of interference, this time from Boulton an American who got it all wrong about Iraq and who's expertise on foreign affairs seems restricted to a 45 square mile area around Waco. As hard and distasteful as it may prove to be, the sooner "western" politicians, advisers, pundits, retired generals and other experts take their noses out of the middle east and its inter related problems, then the sooner the people of the area will be able to reach their own solutions.
Inflated direct debit from consumers really is a nice little earner. EDF are really a bunch of wide boys who would be very much at home dressed in sharp suits, dark shirts, white ties and wearing spats on their shoes, selling stockings, perfume and other assorted nick knacks from an open suitcase, whilst looking around for the possible arrival of a bobby on the beat. They were insisting that I should pay more than the usual £96 per month direct debit which had been the norm for some months. I was on their "best tariff" they said. I switched supplier and have just had my tariff reduc ed to £33 (from £38) per month direct debit. We have the same or broadly similar consumption as in the past (the cottage is all electric) and even after the winter there seems to have been no change to the amount of electricity used. Either global warming has taken effect with our cottage is getting warmer and using less electricity to cook, or EDF have be...
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/may/23/is-globalisation-dead-borders-closing-banks-in-retreat#comments Borders are closing and banks are in retreat. Is globalisation dead? Anti-globalization protests "Borders are closing and banks are in retreat." Sounds good to me. "Globalisation" has brought only misery, despair and increasing poverty to millions while allowing corporations and a few individuals to become very rich and powerful. If globilisation is dying (or better still dead already) I shall not shed a tear but I will dance on its grave.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/snp-fury-as-hs2-finds-no-business-case-for-taking-fast-train-service-to-scotland-10272342.html SNP fury as HS2 finds 'no business case' for taking fast train service to Scotland High Speed Trains. Not going to Scotland anytime soon! I am not an HS2 supporter and personally would scrap the whole idea. However,having been practically promised the HS2 link into Scotland, it is very understandable why the SNP and presumably hundreds of thousands of people in Scotland, would be incensed at yet another "English renege" on an undertaking now clearly designed to promote a "No" vote in the Scottish independence referendum. How many more promises, undertakings, assurances made to the Scottish people during the campaign will be broken by Cameron and his wretched government over the coming months? More Scots now wishing they had voted "Yes" is hardly surprising.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/22/lib-dem-alistair-carmichael-admits-responsibility-anti-sturgeon-leak-mp-snp-leader-david-cameron?CMP=share_btn_fb Lib Dem Alistair Carmichael admits responsibility for anti-Sturgeon leak Nicola Sturgeon Alistair Carmichael. Lied for political advantage Why is it that the Guardian, Independent,vast swathes of the media, the obnoxious and rude Sarah Jane Mee, who is yet another of Sky News presenters with a biased and self opinionated attitude, and BBC "pundits", have such selective and distorted attitudes on this story? Sara Jane Mee. Rude and Self opinionated I am no great fan of Nicola Sturgeon, but I do get very angry with the distortion of fact to suit personal or corporate biased opinions. None of these reporters even acknowledge that Carmichael lied and leaked the lie to the Telegraph in order to gain political advantage. If we must have reports and commen...