Category Archives: Uncategorized

Lib Dems supported the bedroom tax. Then opposed it. And now they support it again.

Pride's Purge

(not satire – it’s the Lib Dems!)

Today the Lib Dems voted to support the bedroom tax:

Betrayal as Lib Dems vote to keep hated Bedroom Tax (Dec 2014)

Which is not long after they pledged to oppose the bedroom tax:

Bedroom tax must be axed says Nick Clegg in dramatic Lib Dem U-turn (July 2014)

Which was not all that long after they originally voted to support the bedroom tax:

Liberal Democrats vote to uphold cruelty (Nov 2013)

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All of which means we’ve got yet another new word to add to the Lib Dem Concise Dictionary of Misleading Words and Phrases:

lib dem dictionary

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Please feel free to share. And comment.

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The Unelected

Petchary's Blog

“The Unelected.” That sounds like a movie or TV drama title, doesn’t it? “The Unforgiven.” “The Missing.” And so on.

Yesterday lunchtime, I was gathering my belongings and about to leave Gordon House as a parliamentary committee meeting drew to a close. Anti-corruption campaigner, former politician and University of the West Indies professor Trevor Munroe had just made a submission to the parliamentary Joint Select Committee examining draft legislation to establish a single anti-corruption agency with prosecutorial powers. I was honored to join a bright young group of volunteers and staff members from National Integrity Action (NIA), a non-profit lobby group focusing on corruption, transparency and accountability issues in government founded by Professor Munroe three years ago. NIA has been advocating for a single anti-corruption agency for some time now. The Committee held its first meeting in October, and has some way to go in its deliberations, I would say.

Senator Mark Golding, Minister of Justice, chairs the joint select parliamentary committee examining draft anti-corruption legislation. Senator…

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Mother, Madre, Mère, Mutter, Mãe, Μητέρα, Mama, Mor, майка, Moeder, 母亲, мат,Ibu,Ummi,.أمي. Anne ღツ

YA BAKİ ENTEL BAKİ

mum,semra,

semras-world4

Your Mother carried you inside of her womb for nine whole months, she felt sick for months with nausea, then she watched her feet swell and her skin stretch and tear. She struggled to climb stairs, she got breathless quickly and even a simple task like putting her shoes on was a huge struggle for her. She suffered many sleepless nights while you kicked and squirmed inside of her and while you demanded that she scoffed junk at 3am, she then went through excruciating pain to bring you into this world. She became your nurse, your chef, your maid, your chauffeur, your biggest fan, your teacher, your agony aunt and your best friend. She’s struggled for you, cried over you, fought for you, put herself second for you, hoped the best for you and has driven herself insane with worry for you but never has she asked for anything in…

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Letter from Esteban, prisoner from San Sebastián Bachajón

dorset chiapas solidarity


Letter from Esteban, prisoner from San Sebastián Bachajón

DECEMBER 2014

To civil society

To the independent media

To human rights defenders

To independent social organizations

To the pueblo creyente (believing people)

To the Indigenous National Congress

To the EZLN
estebanTHE PRISONER = ESTEBAN GOMEZ JIMENEZ

I have been imprisoned since 2012, they accuse me of an assault, carrying weapons, and murder, my arrest was in a village called (Pamala) when they found me cutting wood and took me to cereso no. 17 playas de Catazaja where I spent a year and 8 months, then I was moved to cereso no. 14 “EL AMATE” in Cintalapa de Figueroa, Chiapas.

Since I was detained there have been many violations of my human rights. Therefore I demand they grant my immediate freedom because I am innocent of these charges that are put against me, I hold the three levels of bad government responsible for any other injustice…

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Make a Wish #birthdays #poetry

penned in moon dust

happy birthdaySo many bright memories

when we were young

if I could  pull one string

memories would unravel and sing

Your favorite cake cut, 16 pieces

somehow shattered the moment

no one could understand

inside you cried

kaleidoscopic do they turn

island letters on soup can labels

and crushes on boys

such are a young girl’s toys

the merry-go-round up and downs

so many presents still to be wrapped

burning late Christmas Eve light

sharing dreams long into the night

 the stability you gave

 my life in chaos

much more than absurd

no one could love just hurt

I offer you a wish over many miles

you deserve candles

and  so much more

I’m bringing chocolate cake to your door

This poem is written for a good friend who put up with so many of my highs and lows (in life.)

Blessings to you Lorodd, you deserve the best.

Photography: Moondust Designs 2014. (The shot is a candle in front…

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The Partnership for Jamaica: Letter from the Environmental Sector to the Prime Minister

Petchary's Blog

Please find below a press release posted by the environmental sector, together with the text of the letter sent to Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, to be read out at today’s meeting of the Partnership for Jamaica (PFJ).

Environmental sector suspends attendance at Partnership for Jamaica meetings

Following sector-wide consultation and participation in two meetings with the Governance Committee of the Partnership for Jamaica (PFJ), the environmental sector has written to Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller suspending their participation in Partnership for Jamaica meetings.

The letter to the PM outlines the sector’s discomfort with the National Housing Trust/Outameni transactions and regards the handling of this matter as a breach of the Partnership Agreement, which emphasizes accountability and transparency.

“We have asked that our letter to the Prime Minister re read at tomorrow’s Council meeting of the PFJ, so it can be part of the record,” said Diana McCaulay, the environmental…

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