No doubt you’ve heard of anti-vaxers but just in case, this is what Wikipedia says: Vaccine hesitancy, also known as anti-vaccination or anti-vax, is a reluctance or refusal to be vaccinated or to have one's children vaccinated against contagious diseases despite the availability of vaccination services. It is identified by the World Health Organization as … Continue reading Anti-maskers
The New European
I am continuing my peregrinations into the printed media. On a periodic basis, though not as regularly as I would like, I have been visiting my local newsagent or supermarket to buy a newspaper. I have not gone for the same paper, instead buying those which I have not bought before or in a … Continue reading The New European
Free speech
I defend anyone’s right to free speech just as I defend anyone’s right to think what they like. To take the opposite approach, in my view, is to go down the road to control and totalitarianism. I accept, however, that this means that people are going to say and think things that are abhorrent, disgusting … Continue reading Free speech
Democratic free press
In a recent blog I put forward the idea that, in this country, we pride ourselves that we have a free press and that it fulfills the important role of holding governments and other institutions to account. We convince ourselves that our free press is the cornerstone of our political system. In the mother of … Continue reading Democratic free press
What does freedom mean?
This is another blog arising from the book ‘The world until yesterday’ by Jared Diamond. It is a great book and I would highly recommend that you read it if you have any interest in the development of humanity. Freedom is a subject that also interests me. It is a difficult concept to define. It … Continue reading What does freedom mean?
Unfolding plans 175 – Lest we forget
There is some irony that on the day we remember the glorious dead of conflicts around the world that there is a conference in Malta to try and stem the flow of migrants into Europe. On the day that we are to remember those who have fallen defending our way of life, who have been … Continue reading Unfolding plans 175 – Lest we forget
Unfolding plans 172 – World Paper Free Day
It’s World Paper Free Day today. I hope you’re enjoying it. I hope you didn’t send a card! I didn’t know there was such a thing until a couple of weeks ago but I put it in my diary and here it is. I’ve long been an advocate of getting away from paper at work. … Continue reading Unfolding plans 172 – World Paper Free Day
Unfolding plans 170 – free from location
I thought the traffic was bad through the Team Valley but having travelled to Manchester yesterday I'm thinking I've been getting away with it lightly. Lee and I were making our way to a Local Government Strategy Forum at the Worsley Park Marriott Hotel and Country Club just north of the city. The drive down … Continue reading Unfolding plans 170 – free from location
Unfolding plans 145 – Video kills
Video was never my medium. It just doesn’t work for me. I fluff my lines and get all tongue tied. I’m more nervous on video than with any other format. I don’t know why, perhaps it is the permanence of it all. I think I get hung up on how I’m coming across rather than … Continue reading Unfolding plans 145 – Video kills
Unfolding plans 139 – we need fewer rules
First break all the rules. That is what the book said. If this is a rule then should we break it? First stick to all the rules? It’s all a bit confusing. There are too many rules, too many regulations. I can’t be expected to know them all yet every time we are faced with … Continue reading Unfolding plans 139 – we need fewer rules
