convictions

An interesting day at the spin factory, with the resignation of Shadow Home Secretary David Davis because of the government win on the terrorist detention vote.

It looks like proper conviction politics, when a well regarded MP front bencher stands down and creates a by-election on a matter of principle. His point is about erosion of UK civil liberties and that the 42 day detention without charge becomes another example alongside cameras everywhere, the big DNA database and potentially a national identity card - "The database State", he called it. I see the Lib-Dems say they won't contest the seat when he restands for election in Hull. I wonder whether Cameron will offer Conservative party support for the election?

Its harder to read Gordon Brown's reaction to the outcome, with a win of the vote by 9 seats, despite a rebellion of his own back-benchers. There's still the House of Lords to traverse and possible scraps with the Judiciary. For Gordon this must be more about his leadership credibility as he counts the days to the summer recess.

Interestingly the small majority was finally swayed Gordon's way by the Ulster Democratic Party voters, who changed their mind just before the vote after a backstage session with Brown.

Everyone denies that there were any concessions towards the UDP. Certainly no money from central government to support the introduction of metered water in Northern Ireland. Certainly no concessions on the sell off at less than market rates of ex MoD security bases in Northern Ireland. Certainly no special treatment for Ian Paisley.

I'm sure Gordon wouldn't be using behind the scene tactics to force the vote his way at a time when his own credibility is on the line. He'd play it straight with his own conviction.

Wouldn't he?

hello viewers?

...as if.

hello campers

Continuing the mobility theme from yesterday, here's the latest version of rashbre mobile.

A trial run today of a popup tent for Glastonbury. This year, instead of tent poles and fibre glass thingies, its popup all the way. The tent in question is in a circular bag like a 95cm x 3cm pizza.

Unzip from the packet. Throw in the air and bazzong - an instant tent.

Don't get me wrong, I like proper backpack style tents too and have hiked around Europe with them, but for a festival moment, this has the advantage of instant deployment and only slightly longer take-down.

We trialled it today and had such fun we popped it into use three or four times. We wouldn't do that with a peggypole tent. Now, where's the wellies?

Okay, a popup tent demo from utube...[warning - these clips are quite addictive]

Technorati Tags: rashbre, mobile, glastonbury, popup, tent, camping, outwell

another me

I received notification today that I'm now part of the "me crowd". I can continue to be part of the mac crowd too, but when MobileMe arrives, apparently I'm already enrolled.

Of course, there's been rumours about this mail/calendar/contact/gallery integration service for a while, since the "me" domains were purchased by the company that looks after Apple's domain business.

I'll need to think about this one, because I try to keep my 'work' and 'play' computing separate.

I have a work phone and a play iPhone at the moment, so I wonder how tempting it will be to add 'work' Microsoft Exchange links when the iPhone 2 software appears next month?

I suppose .me gives me a way to have yet more identities if I want them. "We" shall see.

Technorati Tags: rashbre, mac, mobileme, iphone2, 3G, apple,

kite?

A leisurely cycle ride today around a few twisty lanes. Hardly a car in sight although the occasional waft of barbecues being prepared.

There's an area where I sometimes cycle which has a bit of a valley and occasionally I've seen a big bird of prey (big by London-ish standards) soaring around but never close enough to identify. It has a markedly large wingspan compared with most of the birds around here and is a kind of rich rusty brown colour with some white plumage.

Today it flew past quite close for a few seconds and I managed to make out the striking V shape of its tail, which makes me think its a kite - which I understand are quite rare in this part of the country. By the time I'd grabbed my camera from my backpack it had disappeared and although I briefly followed in the same direction I found myself in a field which had some sort of metal detector convention in progress.

Then, when I got home, I noticed a corner of another picture accidentally seems to have the same bird in it - and even another one at a much greater height.

Probably one of the worst photos I've published on here, but it gives me a challenge for another day!

tix

...but this is...

sitting pretty

So after the band, I spend an indulgent time sitting in a waterfront bar watching the world.

Sunshine, with boats and people bobbing by.

I'll admit to some blackberrying when I first sat down, but then I decided that I needed a little down time and awarded myself the chance to chill out somewhere pleasant before the hike back to London.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is pretty positive about Norway and the 'crinkly bits' and sure enough its a pretty country, especially on a beautiful sunny day. The snap is from the plane's window.

strong arm of the law

I finished my work with a little time to spare, so instead of heading back to the airport, I asked the taxi to take me back to the harbour.

As luck would have it, there was a rock band playing, so what could I do but stop and listen?

It was a bluesy and pretty good band of Norwegians all in a kind of black get-up. Hmm, then I noticed the checkerboard around their legs. And then I noticed the insignia on their shoulders. It was the local police force blues band - de Politie? no they were (I think) called "Strong arm of the law" (My Norwegian language skills are minimal). See the two Politie fans taking a few minutes from their patrol duties!

And the band rocked.

Look carefully in the video and you can see behind the stage, where a huge cruise ship is parked in the harbour. I stayed for the whole enjoyable set, before seeking a lazy cafe along the waterfront.

here is a brief rashbrecam extract

or the end of voodoo chile

norwegian pizzas are expensive

Headed to Stavanger, Norway this afternoon which seems to be about ten degrees hotter than London. When I've been here before, its had a kind of bleak North Sea climate with mists and rain, so this is quite a pleasant experience and I managed a quick stroll armed with a small camera.

They were clearing up from some kind of rock concert in the main area near to the harbour and getting ready for an ecology related open air exhibition. A rather large cruise ship named Aida was stopping by, so with the combination of events, the whole place was lazily filled with all manner of tourists.

Stavanger appears to be quite small, but has plenty of cafes and bars and is the staging post for people involved with the North Sea oil industry, so as well as the high traffic heliport, there's a big and interesting museum dedicated to the oil industry.

All this contributes to the throughput of people, which increases the urban style street entertainment possibilities.

I spotted this group of four umbrella wielding performance artists doing a circuit, as well as stopping suddenly in poses for the tourists to catch.

And later, a homage to Banksy, on the side of a warehouse near to the quay. I wonder if its linked to the one in Hoxton in a manner similar to the giant tectroscope that links London's City Hall to Manhattan's Brooklyn Bridge?

And if so, where do you have to look?

My pictures today (except the two older London ones) are uploaded straight from the camera to flickr because (a) I'm Mac-less and (b) I set myself an eight o'clock cutoff this evening and am now enjoying the evening sunshine and a delicious if astonishingly expensive, pizza.

Maybe I've got the conversion rate wrong?

coinage

High coinage utilization today; sandwich, parking, tall latte to go, taxi, standard. A very wobbly route around part of London, featuring the City, the South Bank, Park Lane and Paddington at different times. A certain amount of oystering included.

A lunchtime meeting with no lunch. Hence the late sandwich.

Norway next.

hilary delighted at obama's result

The end of the first stage of the caucus race is now in sight. Like the Lewis Carroll story, the rules are not that obvious and it seems to finish at the will of the contestants.

I'm not sure what happens next because it sounds as if the grandees of the party can overturn any result they don't like and if necessary there's still a couple of previously defunct State results that could be reactivated.

Its particularly interesting that Florida can again claim special circumstances, although they've moved on from chads this time around.

I'll post this ahead of the result. Obama seems to have most of the cards although I expect Hilary will stay in play somehow or other; there has to be further leverage available. Unless the Americans want to double down and opt for the McCain war developments.

pivotal?

I see our premier Gordon has been visiting Sunderland today, to look at the factory where Nissan cars are assembled. I gather the plan is to build a next generation car in the factory, which is good for UK jobs, although the car itself didn't appear to get named during the visit.

I doubt whether it will look as 'next generation' as the prototype Pivo above from Nissan with its special wibbly parking wheels and its robotic talking companion. Although I suppose if the new car looks too much like an SUV gas guzzler, then maybe there will be some further explaining to do, perhaps to the robo-friend?

Then again, they always say that low angles flatter a car profile, I gather the new car is a similar size to the outgoing Micra. Will we be seeing low angle photos of Gordon next? or maybe a robot companion?