Agenda 2019

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/10645974.Gridlock_chaos_hits_Weymouth/?ref=mr   Gridlock chaos hits Weymouth Crossing at the top of King Street Weymouth Esplanade The harbour crossroads outside Asda in Weymouth    When "intelligent traffic lights" with their associated spaghetti of white lines painted seemingly at random on the road surface, replaced the roundabouts back in 2010-11, many people predicted that they would only cause confusion and delay. Tragically, not only has this has been proved to be correct but at least two people have been killed, a number of people have been injured and there have been countless accidents and near misses particularly at the "Asda" junction. This is in addition to the general congestion reported in this article. Who ever drew up this "improved" traffic scheme for Weymouth and incidentally the surrounding approach roads, has created infinitely more problems than the scheme was...

  http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/10448604.Costs_soar_for_Weymouth_harbour_wall/   The cost of works will rise to more than £4.4 million and that is only the latest estimate.   Repair work continues at Weymouth ferry berth three    I have never been as optimistic about this repair project timescale and costs as Weymouth and Portland Borough Council seem to have been. Going back over some comments made by Condor Ferries since before the Olympic Games in 2012, it seems (reading between the lines), that they too did not share Weymouth's confidence that the repairs would be complete and operations from Weymouth would recommence in May of 2013. The date for the return of the ferry operator from Poole is now scheduled for July of this year, but it seems that even that date is questionable. The comment form Condor that "...The company is keen to return and will start sailings on July 17 – if the work is done." is a qualified one and does not seem particul...

  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/baroness-sue-campbell-we-have-wasted-the-olympic-legacy-8591206.html   Baroness Sue Campbell: 'We have wasted the Olympic legacy'      This was always going to be the case. This, with the numerous other examples of the waste of taxpayer money funding the Olympics, which were never more than an exercise in money making by the "corporate entertainments" industry, a number of sycophantic MP's and a collection of other public figures and "celebs" promoting themselves, has, as predicted by many, turned out to be a gigantic waste of £billions. Some athletes may have enjoyed the experience. Some of the public who managed to get seats may have enjoyed it. (Why were there so many empty seats in most of the stadiums ?) The vast majority of people however, small traders, visitors, general public etc gained no benefit from the Olympics at all. Just go to Weymouth as an example, and ask around. ...

  http://news.sky.com/story/966090/tory-mp-forced-to-say-sorry-over-olympic-gaffe  A Conservative MP has been forced to apologise I did not see the ceremony and therefore cannot comment on the "multi-cultural crap" remark. However, if that is what Aidan Burley thinks then so be it. The thought police of Downing Street and elsewhere have enough influence in this country already. Like the "Senior Source" in Downing Street said,  "We do not agree with him.". Fine, but that does not give you the right to demand an apology. Message to "Senior Source" and the others,from me. You may not agree with what I say (or think) but Hell will freeze over before I apologise for it. 

http://news.sky.com/story/961071/us-security-agents-at-heathrow-for-olympics US security agents are to be based at Heathrow and some other UK airports for the duration of the Olympic‬ Games. How many will be in uniform and how many in plain clothes? Why? No other nation would be allowed the same facilities.These "specialist agents", probably armed to the teeth, and probably containing a good number of CIA operatives, will do what American "security" people always do. A law unto themselves and responsible to no one. Yet another example of another British government kow-towing to  America in the very one sided "special relationship".

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ed-unveils-labours-new-signing-7936576.html Tony Blair last night announced he is to take on his first job in  British politics since leaving  Downing Street – advising Labour on its policy review. Mr Blair appeared alongside Mr. Miliband at the Emirates stadium, home to Arsenal Football Club in North London. During his speech, Milliband commented that,  ‘....... I want to thank Tony for what he did for our party and for our country,’ For "our" party, it should be remembered that Blair destroyed party democracy and replaced it with a dictatorship of a small cabal, abandoned principles upon which the Labour Party was created, presided over a mass decline in membership, perpetuated and expanded privatisation, and failed to advance the real aspirations of working people in Britain. For our Country, the reality is that Blair played second fiddle to Clinton and Bush in his drive to gain favour with the United S...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article- An article which demonstrates the depths of obscenity and distortion that media will sink to when demonising working people and those who represent them. It's Torquay not Bermuda. You hypocritical morons of the Daily Mail and many of your "comments" contributors, fail to see the irony of IMF/European leaders/G20/etc having lavish banquets and hot air exchanges in exotic locations at other p eople expense and a guy having a can of beer between seminars. Mail you really are the pits. Print this if you have the nerve. It's also posted on Facebook/Twitter/and my blog so people will read it anyway.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-    A very sad footnote to the item which I posted yesterday morning both on Facebook and "New Agenda" under the heading of "Can the Olympics work for Weymouth". The junction where this accident occurred is close to the Asda supermarket, and is in my view, the most confusing and dangerous junction on the new system. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.  

Where have all the parking bays gone?  Just a comment on parking. The promenade has had a number, actually most, of the parking bays on the left side when facing the Clock tower, removed and replaced by enlarged pavements containing tables, chairs and other bistro type adornments, as a front extension to the pubs, restaurants and hotels along that side of the road.Having "lost" at least 50 parking bays, many of which were "Blue Badge" I am still looking for the replacements. Incidentally, all the Blue Badge bays outside Marks and Spencer have now gone to be replaced by........................a Bus Stop !  

  http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2012 The Weymouth tower is an example of how the Olympics "will bring employment" to this country. The Tower, was built in sections in Hungary, shipped over to this country and assembled by Hungarian "technicians" on site after the foundation works at the sea end of Weymouth harbour had been completed by foreign workers sent specifically for that part of the project. Bring employment to the UK ? I do not think so. The rest of this story seems to be be centered more on wishful thinking rater than reality. The majority of people we have spoken to (and as we live just a few miles from the town, that is quite a few) are not overly impressed with the prospect of the Olympics and its legacy. The town is in fact dying with many retail outlets in the town centre now closed. The recent departure of Condor Ferries, the main employer in the town, due to "structural problems" with the ferry terminal quay has not helped. Not...

An open letter to Alan Duncan, Stella Creasy, Mark Oaten, Fraser Nelson and Victoria Coren, regarding last night's (31 st May 2012) Question Time on BBC Television.    At 24 minutes into the programme, a Mr Simon MacCausland asked “Would the UK be justified in banning Syrian delegation members with connections to the Assad regime, from the London 2012 Olympics?” The uprising in Syria has been on going for over a year and during that time, there have been numerous atrocities carried out across the country but, regardless of who carried out this latest atrocity in Houla, be it “armed gangs” as claimed by the Assad regime, or Assad's forces and militia as claimed by the opposition, this event in itself should be recognised as a crime against humanity and those responsible should be held to account. The debate and comments during the next 11 minutes was predominately centred on the barbarity of the Assad regime and what, if anything, could be done by the internationa...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-London-2012-Olympics  This problem has been predicted since "the games" were awarded to London, but its roots go back over decades. The provision of social housing (not to be confused with the myth of " low cost affordable homes"), has been abandoned by governme nt and local authorities alike, leaving the private rented sector very much to its own devices Paradoxically, in the present economic crisis, a programme of requiring all local authorities to provide a given number of social housing units would create employment and generate growth in other sectors and go some way to alleviate the housing crisis in the country. It is a pity for all of us that we have a government committed to the failed policy of austerity and cuts.