UK Newswire Archive
Calais Xmass appeal
23-12-2010 11:35
It is exceptionally cold, but a white Christmas is not exactly the dream of migrants who are camping out with - 5 degrees or sleeping in derelict squats with no heating no electricity. For us, it should be time for action. The border is the problem.Evo's Highway: Development in Socialist South America
23-12-2010 09:08
It sounds like something the IMF would have funded during the regime of General Banzer: a super highway cutting across Bolivia, linking Brazil with Peru and Chile—and thus with East Asian markets, and in the process plowing straight through a vitally important nature reserve that also happens to be the home of three indigenous nations.Only 5% of those from poorest backgrounds make it to university
22-12-2010 22:24
As one of those "poorest" pupils who did make to university, i might be expected to think myself lucky...More wikileaks dynamite.
22-12-2010 21:38
"The WikiLeaks cables illustrate the deeply anti-democratic nature of diplomacy between the US and New Zealand. They also highlight the potentially explosive tensions that have built up in the Pacific region between the US and its allies, and China. The corporate media, however, has sought to downplay their significance. The New Zealand Herald editorial yesterday asserted that there was nothing damaging in the cables to either the current National government or the previous Labour government. The paper praised the Clark Cabinet's “consideration of Fonterra's interest in Iraq”, describing it as “sensible, practical diplomacy”. The editors were unconcerned that the reasons for New Zealand’s involvement in the Iraq war were kept secret and applauded “the fact that the US quietly restored military co-operation” from 2007."Animals need help now!
22-12-2010 20:18
help needed at animal sanctuary now!Bad Boy of the Week: Brum councillor Martin Mullaney
22-12-2010 19:59
Authorities in Birmingham have barely been out of the papers this year, such is their enthusiasm for public surveillance. This month is no exception.Cardiff Unemployed Disco: The Jobless Party in Wales
22-12-2010 19:50
A short report of the recent unemployed cultural convention in west CardiffLib Dem Conference..
22-12-2010 17:49
Sheffield Lib Dem Council leader Scriven sings for hotel chain promoEnglish Opencast Applications: A Review
22-12-2010 17:23
This article summarises known information about Opencast / Surface Mining Applicationsin England over the period 2009 / 10 by indication where Applications have been successful, where they have been rejected, where applications are currently 'live' and lastly where applications are likely to be made.
ENGLISH OPENCAST COAL SITES : REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS, 2009 -2010
I've been doing some research on this topic in light of the proposed 500 m Buffer Zone and this is my current list of sites that have recently gained planning permission, been rejected or are in the planning pipeline. If you can add to the list any information then please let me know This is for England only and I'm making no claims that it is complete - I discovered a new application whilst doing a quick search for this reply!! (Halton Lea Gate again)
RECENT APPROVALS
Brenkley Lane Northumberland and Newcastle, Banks Group, November 2009
Huntington Lane nr Telford, West Midlands, approved October 2009. Applicant was UK Coal. (After a Public Inquiry for Non Determination)
Butterwell Disposal Point, Northumberland, November 2010, Applicant UK Coal
RECENT REJECTIONS
Halton Lea Gate, Northumberland, Applicant HM Project Development, December 2009
Newton Lane, Leeds, Banks Group, November 2010 (after a Public Inquiry)
KNOWN PLANNING APPLICATIONS
Minorca, Leicestershire, Applicant UK Coal
Bradley, Co Durham, Applicant UK Coal
Lodge House Extension, Derbyshire, Applicant UK Coal
Hoodsclose, Northumberland, Applicant UK Coal
Shotton Extraction Extension, Northumberland, Banks
POSSIBLE FUTURE SITES 'IN THE PIPELINE' EITHER PRE SCOPING INQUIRY OR POST SCOPING INQUIRY ARE
Fernybeds, Northumberland, Applicant Banks Group.
Shortwood Farm, near Cossall, Nottinghamshire. Applicant UK Coal.
Halton Lea Gate (again), Northumberland HM Project Development
Steve Leary, December 2010
If you can add to this information or want any more detail on anyone of these sites then contact steve46leary@googlemail.com
Happy Christmas
22-12-2010 17:22
An important message from Nick Clegg to all of you out there on the streets.
Complaints needed
22-12-2010 17:22
Protest Against Tuition FeesThis news story is about Victoria Borwick encouraging demonstrators to make complaints against the Metropolitan police.
This is a link to a video on a major newspaper website.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/dec/22/kettling-video...chdog
Incidentally better footage was put on indymedia London
http://london.indymedia.org/videos/6692
But the point of this posting is to call out to anybody who was at the last student demo in London. I know many from Bristol attended because I read the reports.
This news story is about Victoria Borwick encouraging demonstrators to make complaints against the Metropolitan police.
Borwick is the chair of the Met’s civil liberties panel. I never knew there was such a body, seems like an oxymoron to me but she and many others have a point. All the time these type of tactics continue then the risk of someone being killed again increases.
Anyone who’s been on a march where kettling is used will know how out of order the cops are. It is most defiantly a tact used to distract media reports from what the issues are that brought about the protest in the first place.
So come on – get your complaints in there – and see you on the next demo!
Palestine Today 12 22 2010
22-12-2010 17:01
Review of Opencast Coal Site Applications in England
22-12-2010 16:39
This article summarises known information about Opencast / Surface mining in England over the period 2009 / 10 by indication where Applications have been successful, where they have been rejected, where applications are currently 'live' and lastly where applications are likely to be made.Protest 2010: Into the Spectacle
22-12-2010 15:59
The use of agent provocateurs at the London Student Demonstrations 2010, and the key photo ops that came out of it. The Hammer Gang, and others, not only attacked innocent demonstrators with hammers, but lead 1] right-wing newspaper photo-ops 2] a campaign of entrapment. Time to fight back!The 'Foxification' of British News
22-12-2010 15:12
Call out for solidarity actions against Shell
22-12-2010 14:46
Any day now Shell will find out whether it will be able to continue with the dangerous Corrib Gas Project in Co. Mayo, IrelandRemember the dispute over council call centres?
22-12-2010 14:22
The truth: they're on their knees even by their own statisticsRemember the debate on here as to whether there were 'parked vacancies' in the call centres, and the existing staff were being overloaded, and subject to stress that was proven to lead to mental health problems?
The initial thread, which i can't find any more
then here:
http://bristol.indymedia.org/article/695140?condense_co...false
Here's the answer, from the council's website:
http://www.bristol.gov.uk/ccm/content/Advice-Benefits/B...us.en
Anyone who has ever worked in a call centre knows what these figures mean: in a word, crisis.
38 days ON AVERAGE to make a decision on new claims, only 73% in 7 days or under (a crap target in the first place)
29 days ON AVERAGE to update a claim, only a third updated within the generous target of 14 days.
So, if you're benefits went up because you were working less hours or taken a pay cut - wait a month to get the money you need to compensate.
Or, if you're benefits went down because you were earning more, the council will overpay you for a month then send you a shitty letter about how you've taken too much and you have to pay it back NOW.
Only 12% of calls answered in 50 seconds. Again, anyone who's worked in a call centre knows the story behind that number: the bosses have given up trying to get anywhere near it.
The bosses decide to let people wait longer on hold (or gamble on the callback service being within an hour of when the predicted time), take a totally unacceptable time to process claims, and then boast they only make a mistake on 4 out of every 100!
No wonder people are pissed off with the service they are getting. And who gets the grief from them? The managers who made the decisions, or the supervisors who enforce them? No chance, you can't 'escalate' a call unless you have the bailiffs at the door.
The people who get the grief are the poor frontline staff, who i have always found to be really helpful in the circumstances. They get the stress from claimants stressed out by bad service. They get stress from their supervisors refusing to take escalation calls. They get stress from the constant mountain of calls to take, and the cuts in 'down time' that that means. All this stress, in a job that is already recognised as one with a high risk of staff developing poor mental health.
And why don't we get the staff 'whislteblowing' on here? Because the council has made it clear that anyone who talks gets disciplined or sacked.
ALL THIS IN OUR NAME. All approved by councillors (unless they want to come on here and make it clear they don't?)
At least the customer service points work well - so why have they just closed a load of them?
Gaza: Two Years after The Horror!
22-12-2010 14:13
This week marks the second anniversary of the horror inflicted on the people of the Gaza Strip. Nothing has changed! Gaza has returned to its pre-invasion state of siege, confronted with the usual international indifference. Two years after the Israeli assault that lasted 22 long days and dark nights, during which its brave people were left alone to face one of the strongest armies in the world, Gaza no longer makes the news. Its people die slowly, its children are malnourished, its water contaminated, and yet it is deprived even of a word of sympathy from the President the United States and the leaders of Europe.
Newcastle: HSBC 2 Defence Campaign launched for men arrested in anti-cuts demos
22-12-2010 12:50
