A View from England

Professor Brian Cox demonstrates why atoms are empty

2011-12-19T23:30:00.002Z

Did you watch "A Night With The Stars" on BBC2 last night?

Professor Brian Cox lectured a celebrity audience about some of the most challenging concepts in physics from the lecture theatre of the Royal Institution of Great Britain.

Here's a clip from the show:
The comedian Simon Pegg and physicist Jim Al-Khalili help him explain standing waves in a demonstration to show why atoms are so large and empty.

It was a brilliant show! If you missed it, be sure to catch in on iPlayer.

Prime Minister's Questions: 14 December 2011

2011-12-14T23:19:00.043Z

Watch today's Prime Minister's Questions - the last prime minister's questions of 2011:

Prime Minister, David Cameron, answered questions from MPs in the House of Commons on subjects including the Royal Bank of Scotland, unemployment and youth employment, the recent EU Council meeting and citizenship education.

The best line from today's PMQs was from David Cameron in response to Ed Milliband remarking about the tension between the Prime Minister and his deputy, Nick Clegg:

No one in this house is going to be surprised that Conservatives and Liberal Democrats don't always agree about Europe. But let me reassure him he shouldn't believe everything he reads in the papers. It's not that bad. It's not like we're brothers or anything.

It was certainly a rousing session. Cameron was on fire (doing really well). It has to be said that the Labour leader, Ed Milliband, looked very weak, indeed.

"What A Wonderful World" with David Attenborough

2011-12-09T14:44:00.000Z

JK Rowling testifies at Leveson Inquiry

2011-11-25T23:23:00.003Z

I've been watching bits of the Leveson Inquiry this week. I thought JK Rowling's testimony yesterday was particularly compelling.

This is an excerpt from the hearing yesterday. The author tells the Leveson Inquiry she found a note from a journalist inside her daughter's school bag and about the lengths she went to stop her children being photographed:

I think something drastic must be done to rein in journalists who pursue their stories by using detestable methods such as hacking phones and harrassing people (particularly regarding children) but I also believe in the freedom of the press. It's a difficult issue to sort out.

Have you watched any of the inquiry? What are your thoughts about the phone hacking and intrusion that's done by journalists and photographers?

A disguised Katherine Jenkins goes underground as a busker

2011-11-24T20:29:00.000Z

The mezzo soprano star treated commuters to an impromptu performance with a 45 minute busking session at Leicester Square station yesterday which included renditions of some of her biggest hits such as Time To Say Goodbye.

The busking stunt was for ES Magazine (the weekly from the London Evening Standard).

The Killing - the second series

2011-11-20T07:49:00.003Z

At last, BBC4 is airing the second series of The Killing. For those who don't know, The Killing is a fabulous Danish crime series. The first series was a huge hit in the UK so expectations are very high for the second series.

Did you watch the first two episodes last night? I did, and I thought it was a very good start to the new series. It's a shorter series than the first one (only ten episodes compared to twenty in the first series) so the storyline is moving along at a faster pace. I hope that means we won't have so many red herrings this time.

It's great to see Sofie Gråbøl back as Sarah Lund, the detective who spots vital clues that everyone else always seems to miss. Another character - Brix (Morten Suurballe) - is also back from the first series. And Sarah has a new partner, Ulrik Strange (Mikael Birkkjær). You gotta love the name,"Strange"!

This series is similar to the first one, because there is a strong political element. I kept looking for Troels (from the first series) to appear though. I really miss that character!

So, there are two murder victims already and their deaths may or may not be linked to members of an extremist group. I don't want to give too much away because you may not have watched the first two episodes yet.

Please feel free to discuss The Killing 2 by leaving a comment on this post. If you want to avoid spoilers, I suggest you avoid reading the comments.

If you missed an episode, you can catch up via iPlayer or watch the repeats on BBC4 on Wednesday, 10:30pm.

I would love to know what your thoughts are about the storyline so far. Has the second series grabbed you yet? What are your thoughts about Sarah's new partner?

And if you are a fan of the series, I'm sure you will enjoy watching this video:
Sofie Gråbøl interviewed (in English!) by Val McDermid on BBC2's The Culture Show on Friday 21st October 2011.

Follow Friday: Sept. 30, 2011

2011-09-30T16:27:00.004+01:00

My Follow Friday recommendations on Twitter today:

#FF @BenGoldacre "Nerd cheerleader, Bad Science person, stats geek, research fellow in epidemiology, procrastinator." http://www.badscience.net

#FF @CourtNewsUK News reports from the Old Bailey, London's Crown Courts and UK disciplinary hearings http://www.courtnewsuk.co.uk

#FF @LettersofNote Lovely - all about fascinating letters. Always worth reading. http://www.lettersofnote.com

#FF @PinewoodStudios The Pinewood Studios Group. Pinewood, Shepperton and Teddington Studios. http://www.pinewoodgroup.com

#FF The official Twitter channel of the Bank of England - the UK's central bank. @bankofengland

Downton Abbey - Series 2

2011-09-18T23:53:00.001+01:00

The fabulous period drama, Downton Abbey, is back with a new series, and it's superb!

The first series ended with Britain declaring war on Germany, and this series is about how they are all involved (either directly or indirectly) with fighting the Great War.

I won't give too much away in case you are planning to watch it on iPlayer or for those waiting to see it in other countries.

If you did watch it, please leave a comment. Did you think it was a good start to the second series?

Downton Abbey, ITV1, Sunday 9:00 PM

Twitter: @DowntonAbbey

Follow Friday: Sept. 2, 2011

2011-09-02T23:55:00.002+01:00

My recomendations for Follow Friday today:

#FF @meralhece Baroness Hussein-Ece, Lib Dem Member House of Lords. Equality & Human Rights Commission.

#FF @longreads The best long-form stories on the web.

#FF @HOMEGROWNdotORG DIY and living the Good Life. Grow, cook, can, preserve, brew, eat! http://www.homegrown.org/

Follow Friday: August 12, 2011

2011-08-12T22:49:00.000+01:00

My recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF Yachiyo, a fab friend in Japan: @youtomama0307

#FF @Dr_Black "Senior Research Associate in software engineering at UCL, tech + women in tech + Bletchley Park evangelist" Fascinating!

#FF Please follow @BritbyDescent and support the Campaign for Citizenship Equality http://t.co/b0SpxWq

#FF Always lots of interesting, useful tweets from Joan @HazelPennicott

#FF @DrChrisSteele Medical info and advice from the "Resident doctor, ITV's This Morning (21 yrs)" #health

#FF @mia_farrow because of her devotion to humanitarian issues. http://t.co/ftqh8tv

My new website/blog: Campaign for Citizenship Equality

2011-08-06T20:15:00.000+01:00

Please support my Campaign for Citizenship Equality.

I'm eligible for British citizenship by descent but refuse to apply because of unfair conditions.

I have set up a new website to address the ongoing inequality regarding the right to claim unconditional British citizenship by anyone with a British parent.

http://britishbydescent.wordpress.com/

and a blog

You can follow my campaign on Twitter too:

https://twitter.com/BritbyDescent

Follow Friday: August 5, 2011

2011-08-05T23:20:00.001+01:00

My recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @UKParlArchives "We look after the historic records of the UK House of Commons and House of Lords, 500 years of history..."

#FF @the99percent provides insights on productivity, organization, and leadership. http://t.co/fzCjHC6 #creativity #inspiration

#FF @CrimestoppersUK the UK charity that takes information about crime anonymously. http://t.co/ZnLOvVS

Follow Friday: July 29, 2011

2011-07-29T22:59:00.000+01:00

My recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @missamandalamb Channel 4's "A Place In The Sun" presenter Amanda Lamb

#FF @LearnGooglePlus Tips and info about how to use Google Plus

#FF @SmithsonianMag Official Twitter feed for Smithsonian magazine and Smithsonian.com. Updates on history, science, arts and culture

#FF @openplaques A project to collect and open up data about plaques and the people they commemorate. http://openplaques.org/

#FF @Jasmineharman and @jonnieirwin Presenters of "A Place in the Sun - Home or Away" http://bit.ly/qTRTN5

#FF @LondonSounds London sounds recorded from around the city. http://www.soundsurvey.org.uk/

#FF @TVAlisonGraham Columnist. Critic. Radio Times TV editor.

#FF @SAVEBrit SAVE Britain's Heritage campaigns for Britain's built heritage. http://www.savebritainsheritage.org/

#FF @foodcycle Young people collect surplus food, find a kitchen space, and cook it for people in need. http://www.foodcycle.org.uk/

Porcelain Unicorn: a powerful film in just 3 mins and 6 lines

2011-07-27T17:19:00.001+01:00

This is old news but the film is new to me so I'm sharing it now.

Philips launched a film competition in April, 2010 and on 21 Sept. 2010, Sir Ridley Scott announced "Porcelain Unicorn" from American director Keegan Wilcox had won the winning short film in Philips’ Tell It Your Way film-making contest.

The rules were simple. The three-minute film must use these six lines of dialogue and no more:

"What is that?"

"It's a unicorn"

"Never seen one up close before"

“Beautiful"

"Get away, get away"

"I'm sorry"

I can see why "Porcelain Unicorn" won the grand prize! This is a very powerful film:

A national day of mourning in Norway

2011-07-23T16:21:00.000+01:00

I'm shocked and saddened by the horrific news from Norway. My deepest sympathy to everyone touched by this tragedy.

Today we are all Norwegians.

Follow Friday: July 1, 2011

2011-07-01T23:49:00.000+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @brainpicker Curator of links to fascinating info.

#FF @PythonJones Terry Jones (from the famous Monty Python’s Flying Circus) Actor,comedian,film director, presenter, poet, writer, historian

#FF @QuiltingMuriel "I'm a champion quilter & baker. I'm 92." Fabulous tweets from a lovely lady!

#FF @TheyDrawandCook Wonderful artwork + great recipes! http://www.theydrawandcook.com/

Follow Friday: June 24, 2011

2011-06-24T23:33:00.000+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @UkNatArchives The National Archives is the official archive of the UK government, and is home to over 1,000 years of historical records

#FF @BeforeDinosaurs "I am seven years old. I blog about life before the dinosaurs." http://www.lifebeforethedinosaurs.com/

#FF @HowItWorksmag "The science and technology magazine that feeds minds" Fascinating tidbits of info!

West Wing Week: June 17- 23, 2011

2011-06-24T23:22:00.001+01:00

West Wing Week: 06/23/11 or "The Receding Tide"

This week, President Obama addressed the nation on his plan to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan, delivering on a promise he made to the American people in December of 2009. The President also traveled Fort Drum to meet with soldiers and their families, welcomed young elected officials to the White House, and talked to mayors from across the country about job creation and economic growth.

Follow Friday: June 17, 2011

2011-06-17T23:18:00.000+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @spacegovuk The official Twitter account of the UK Space Agency.

#FF @psychcentral Psychology and mental health information and support. http://psychcentral.com/

#FF @inner_spark Tanya helps people find their 'inner spark'. Her tweets are positive, inspirational and radiate joy.

#FF @lordsoftheblog is a dialogue between Members of the House of Lords and the public. http://lordsoftheblog.net/

#FF @LondonFire London Fire Brigade's official Twitter feed. http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/

West Wing Week: June 10 -16, 2011

2011-06-17T23:07:00.000+01:00

West Wing Week: 06/17/11 or "Where the Future Will Be Won"

This week, walk step-by-step with President Obama as he meets with his Jobs Council to discuss ideas that will improve America's competitiveness, tours a leading manufacturer of energy efficient lighting in North Carolina, travels to Puerto Rico, hosts a Father's Day event for military dad's and their kids, and more.

The Colonel's Review on 4th June 2011 including Prince William

2011-06-05T18:25:00.000+01:00

Some video clips from the processions before and after The Colonel's Review of Trooping the Colour on 4th June 2011:

This is the first rehearsal of Trooping the Colour on which the Duke of Cambridge (Prince William) has ridden.

An article in The Daily Mail shows photos of Prince William dressed in a red guardsman's uniform, taking part in the rehearsal of Trooping the Colour:

Just another soldier or the heir to the throne? Busby-wearing Prince William blends in during horseback drill

That poor dog - the Irish wolfhound mascot - didn't look at all happy taking part in the parade!

Follow Friday: June 3, 2011

2011-06-03T23:56:00.000+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @wildlife_uk "Rare and unusual wildlife sightings from around the UK!" http://www.wildlifesightings.co.uk/

#FF @InvasiveNotes "Sustainability, ecosystems invasive species,natural philosophy, history, politics & current events explained" Fab info!

#FF @lucianop "Exploring ways to use our minds efficiently." Follow for useful, inspiring tweets! Fab blog too: http://litemind.com/

#FF @amerimatryoshka About travel, history, and lots more. Fighter for UK Citizenship Equality (an issue we are fighting together).

#FF Welcome @GwynethPaltrow to Twitter!

#FF @SuzieMaxxedOut Follow Suzie for lots of friendly tweets about a variety of topics (books, movies, music, knitting, etc) Always upbeat.

#FF @Thames21 London's leading waterways charity http://www.thames21.org.uk/

#FF @Fab_after_Fifty "Passionate about making sure women over 50 make the best of their lives" Fab tweets! http://www.fabafterfifty.co.uk/

West Wing Week: May 27 - June 2, 2011

2011-06-03T23:55:00.000+01:00

West Wing Week: 06/02/11 or "One Step at a Time"

This week, President Obama traveled to Joplin, Missouri to see the devastation first hand. He finished his week-long trip to Europe in Poland and on Memorial Day, he visited Arlington National Cemetery.

Male names vs Female names in USA and UK

2011-06-03T23:43:00.000+01:00

I've been meaning to write about this topic for a while and was reminded of it again recently when I saw The King's Speech, and the speech therapist, Lionel Logue, calls one of his son's by his name, Laurie. I bet a lot of Americans wondered about that.

Some popular first names for boys in the UK are more likely to be first names for girls in the USA.

Here are a few examples:

Laurie - male name in UK (short for Laurence)
Laurie - female name in USA

Terry - male name in UK (short for Terrence)
Terry - female name in USA

Hilary - male name in UK,
Hilary - female name in USA

Ashley - male name in UK
Ashley - female name in USA

There are also lots of examples of names that are used for both male/female although the female version is usually more popular in the USA:

Cameron
Andy
Billy
Jamie
Alex
Charlie
Drew

Some names are quite common in the UK but not in the USA:

Gillian or Jillian is a popular name for girls in the UK
Jill is more common in the USA

I'm sure there are lots more examples that I haven't thought of. If you can think of others, please leave a comment.

Law & Order: UK - Lessons in British Justice (funny!)

2011-05-28T02:12:00.000+01:00

This short video is hilarious!

What has America learned from the curious and fascinating habits of British police and Crown prosecutors? Find out!

Law & Order: UK - Lessons in British Justice

Follow Friday: May 27, 2011

2011-05-27T23:57:00.001+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @whpresscorps Daily adventures with the White House Press Corps in their own words.

#FF @EHdovercastle Dover Castle,above the White Cliffs on Kent coastline http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/dover-castle/

#FF @NMMGreenwich The official National Maritime Museum Twitter account. Greenwich, London, UK http://www.nmm.ac.uk/

#FF @SarahTheDuchess Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York is an author, producer and advocate for women and children everywhere.

West Wing Week: May 20 - May 26, 2011

2011-05-27T21:24:00.000+01:00

West Wing Week "OCONUS III: A Homecoming of Sorts"

This week, President Obama embarked on a six-day trip to Europe, visiting Ireland, the United Kingdom, France and Poland to engage our allies in the region on a host of issues. While overseas, the President pledged support for those back home affected by devastating tornadoes in Missouri and across the Midwest. Before leaving, the President met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and went to the CIA Headquarters in Langley, VA. That's May 20th to the 26th, or "OCONUS (Outside the Continental United States) III: A Homecoming of Sorts.

The Obamas arrive at Buckingham Palace - Channel 4 News

2011-05-25T00:31:00.001+01:00

Michelle Obama: 'mom-in-chief' wins over the UK (via Channel 4 News)
As the US First Couple sweeps into town for a state visit, Channel 4 News looks at why the President's wife, Michelle Obama, is such a hit wherever she goes.

Amazing video of the Grimsvotn volcano eruption

2011-05-24T01:13:00.000+01:00

Incredible video of the Grimsvotn volcano in Iceland:

Volcanic Eruption in Grimsvotn, Iceland May 21 2011 from Jon Gustafsson on Vimeo.

Follow Friday: May 13, 2011

2011-05-13T20:40:00.001+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @victoryliving Frugality, sustainability. Cool site: http://www.victoryliving.co.uk/ "gardening, cooking, WWII-style thrifty living."

#FF @SelfridgesOcean "...promoting sustainable fishing and protection of the marine environment." #ProjectOcean

#FF Mariella Frostrup "Journalist, TV and radio presenter, campaigner" is on Twitter! @mariellaf1

#FF @TheElders "Independent global leaders working together for peace and human rights. Founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007."

#FF @landshare Connecting people who want to grow their own food to space where they can grow it. http://www.landshare.net/

#FF @eol Encyclopedia of Life "A web page for every species." http://www.eol.org/ Simply amazing!

#FF @UKSCBlogcom "The UKSCblog.com is a blog dedicated to the UK Supreme Court."

#FF @domsdads Robert is a head chef in an oxford college, devoted family man, proud father of 6 yr son Dominic. Always friendly & cheerful.

#FF @SawbonesHex Friendly tweets by Colin Baker - writer, actor (the sixth Doctor Who). Living the Good Life in Buckinghamshire.

West Wing Week: May 6 - 12, 2011

2011-05-13T20:15:00.000+01:00

West Wing Week: 5/13/11 or "On the Border"

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

This week the President talks clean energy and gas prices in Indiana, focuses on fixing our broken immigration system in Texas, and honors Top Cops here in the Rose Garden.

Follow Friday: May 6, 2011

2011-05-06T23:52:00.001+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:
#FF @ProjectBritain Interesting facts & information about culture and life in Britain, including calendar events, special days and festivals

#FF @EnglishHeritage promotes England's spectacular historic places in England, from buildings to battlefields.

#FF @bletchleypark "once Britain's best kept secret, now a heritage site and vibrant tourist attraction." http://www.bletchleypark.org.uk/

West Wing Week: April 29 - May 5, 2011

2011-05-06T19:04:00.001+01:00

West Wing Week: "A Good Day For America"

This week, the President announced the death of Osama bin Laden, visited New York City to honor the victims of 9/11 and their families, made sure the federal government was doing its part in the states devastated by storms and much more.

Stephen Fry: why you should vote YES to AV on the 5th May

2011-05-03T11:54:00.002+01:00

Stephen Fry's brief and to the point explanation of the clear benefits of the Alternative Vote and why voting YES will bring the change that is well overdue for this country.

(Featuring animation by Shaun Askew) http://www.holistic-hamster.com/

Yes to fairer votes - YES to AV - Alternative Vote
http://www.yestofairervotes.org/

The day after the Royal Wedding - recap by Channel 4 News

2011-04-30T20:02:00.001+01:00

Channel 4 News presents a recap of the events after the Royal Wedding:

William and Kate Royal Wedding honeymoon delayed as official pictures are revealed.

The wedding guests had bacon butties (bacon sandwiches) for breakfast after a night of partying.

Kate Middleton's bridal bouquet was laid at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior inside Westminster Abbey.

The cartwheeling verger is shown and the identity of the "Dancing Policeman" on the Mall is revealed.

The bride's family returned to their home in Berkshire.

The Royal Wedding of Prince William & Catherine Middleton

2011-04-29T23:29:00.004+01:00

The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton was the event today, and what a perfect success it was too! The weather even cooperated - it was very cloudy at first and looked like it might rain but the sun came out.

I didn't go into London today because I dislike huge crowds and figured I'd see more on the TV at home but after watching how festive the atmosphere was in London, I wish I had gone after all. It must have been a faboulous experience.

Crowds gather outside Clarence House to celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton

I'm not a royalist but I definitely got caught up in all the hype by the media so I made a point of watching the whole wedding, and I must say that I enjoyed every minute! I also tweeted about the event as I watched it and that added to the fun. Twitter is a real bonus for events such as this!

I loved watching as guests arrived, followed gradually by members of the royal family and finally the members of the wedding party. I thought Prince Harry and Prince William looked very handsome indeed in their military uniforms. Prince William wore the red tunic of the Irish Guards. I thought it was sweet how Harry looked more nervous than William did!

The bride's sister, Pippa, as bridesmaid, looked stunning in a white dress, and she was accompanied by four sweet little flower girls and two charming young pageboys:

Lady Louise Windsor, seven, the daughter of Edward and Sophie, the Count and Countess of Wessex; Eliza Lopes, three, the child of the Duchess of Cornwall's daughter Laura and her husband Harry Lopes; Grace van Cutsem, also three, is William's goddaughter - the daughter of his close friends Rose Astor and Hugh van Cutsem; the Hon Margarita Armstrong-Jones, eight, daughter of Viscount and Viscountess Linley; William (Billy) Lowther-Pinkerton, ten, the son of William's private secretary, Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton; and Tom Pettifer, eight, the son of William's former nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke and her husband Charles Pettifer.

When the bride arrived with her father, we were finally able to see her wedding dress. It was beautiful and Catherine looked very elegant and radiant as she walked down the long aisle with her father.

The ceremony itself was beautiful and very moving. I was surprised by how emotional I felt as I watched. Mind you, I'm that way at weddings anyway.

By the way, it was announced today that after their marriage, Prince William and Catherine Middleton will become The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

I think one of the highlights of today's event was their carriage ride back to Buckingham Palace. All the pageantry is what makes this sort of event, the envy of the world.

Another highlight was the kiss on the balcony, which they did, not just once, but twice, to the delight of the huge crowd waiting to see them.

The traditonal fly-past at Buckingham Palace was impressive too. The aircraft participating in the fly-past were a Lancaster, a Spitfire and the Hurricane followed by two Typhoon and two Tornado fighters. Very cool.

A short while later, after the balcony appearance, William and Catherine left Buckingham Palace for Clarence House, with Prince William driving an open top Aston Martin (owned by his father) while Catherine waved to onlookers. The car was decorated with balloons and L plates and balloons trailing and it said JUST WED on the numberplate. Brilliant!

This is an interesting bit of trivia I learned via twitter:
The last time a future monarch of England married a commoner was in 1660.

I thought the whole event was a joy to watch. I love all the British pomp and pageantry. Very dignified and also quite magnificent. And I don't believe in fate but William and Catherine do seem very well-matched indeed and her new status definitely suits her. She looked regal even before she married William!

Did you watch the Royal Wedding? What did you think about it?

My view is that there is so much sad news in the world, that this spectacle was pure escapism - a fairytale come true. And it's good for bringing in loads of tourists to London so the tourism business must be very happy indeed!

West Wing Week: April 22 - 28, 2011

2011-04-29T23:22:00.000+01:00

West Wing Week: "Final Adjustments"

This week, the President celebrated Easter, worked on short term and long term ways to get away from high gas prices, pledged support for Alabama and other states in the South hit by devastating storms and announced new key members of his National Security team.

Follow Friday: April 29, 2011

2011-04-29T23:15:00.000+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF Westminster Abbey's official twitter stream @wabbey. "A living church, a royal peculiar, home to the unique pageant of british history"

#FF @GrenGdsBand "...the oldest of all of the bands in the British Army, formed in 1685 in the reign of King Charles II"

#FF @HolgerEhling Journalist, writer & broadcaster

#FF @anglotopia "...for people who love Britain - whether it's British TV, Culture, History or Travel - we cover it all."

#FF @Silviettasmile Silvia is a lovely young Italian lady who likes to tweet about TV shows, movies and British things. Friendly,fun tweets!

Follow Friday is an easy way for you to recommend other people to follow on Twitter. You simply tweet the names of Twitter users you like (preferably include a reason) and tag it with the hashtag: #followfriday or #FF.

Happy St George's Day!

2011-04-23T10:53:00.002+01:00

Today is Saint George's Day, an annual event that takes place on 23rd April to celebrate the patron saint of England.

These are some of the events happening today to celebrate St George's Day:

Celebrate St Georges Day at Trafalgar Square with a fresh and varied selection of English music. 12.30pm - 6pm FREE
St George's Day Concert, Trafalgar Square

Head to the V&A for a range of free events for St Georges Day at the Museum of Childhood.

Free afternoon talk (at 4 pm) at the National Gallery about the famous painting of St George and the Dragon (which is permanently housed at the National Gallery) by Paolo Uccello and the legend of the patron saint of England.

and some more events around England
England: the best St George's Day events, 2011 (via the Telegraph)

Classic English recipes, from traditional puds to brilliant bangers and mash, to help you celebrate St George's Day. (via BBCgoodfood.com)

Top Ten Patriotic Pubs For St George’s Day (via Londonist)

To all my English readers: enjoy celebrating England's national day!

Happy St George's Day!

Edited to add: I was puzzling over why the special Google Doodle to honour St George's Day has suddenly disappeared (it was there at 1:00 am this morning) and mentioned this on twitter. One of my followers provided this surprising information:

"this year it isn't st Georges day til 2 May cos it clashes with Easter" and she kindly provided a link about it: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/saints/george_1.shtml
Saint George's Day is April 23. In 2011 because this day falls on Holy Saturday, it will move to May 2.

I'm shocked! It's not as if today's event clashes with Easter Sunday. How many people even know about "Holy Saturday"? I think moving England's national day to a different date is totally ridiculous! Furthermore, that decision doesn't seem to have reached most of England (thankfully!) since there are still plenty of events happening across England to celebrate today. Quite right too!

What do you think about this decision to move the date for St George's Day to May 2nd?

Follow Friday: April 22, 2011

2011-04-22T19:26:00.001+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @KindOffensive The Kindness Offensive is the worlds largest performer of Random Acts of Kindness http://thekindnessoffensive.com/

#FF @USUKrelations "Promoting and discussing the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom."

#inspirational #FF @tedtalks The official feed for daily TEDTalks http://www.ted.com/ TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading.

#FF @TweetSmarter Tweets useful tips and tools for using Twitter and the latest Twitter news. Very helpful!

Follow Friday is an easy way for you to recommend other people to follow on Twitter. You simply tweet the names of Twitter users you like (preferably include a reason) and tag it with the hashtag: #followfriday or #FF.

West Wing Week: April 15 - 21, 2011

2011-04-22T19:18:00.000+01:00

West Wing Week:
"My Old Number, 23"

This week, President Obama held townhalls in Northern Virginia, California, and Nevada, to speak directly to the American people about his vision for reducing our debt and bringing down our deficit based on the values of shared responsibility and shared prosperity

Royal Mail launches Royal Wedding stamp collection

2011-04-21T23:05:00.002+01:00

Royal Mail launches commemorative wedding stamps
Royal Mail has launched a special sheet of stamps to commemorate the forthcoming Royal Wedding of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton.
link via the official Royal Wedding website

The official Royal Wedding stamp collection [link via Royal Mail]

Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment inspection

2011-04-19T18:28:00.000+01:00

Video clips from The Major General's Inspection of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment in Hyde Park, London on 19 April 2011:

They certainly had perfect weather for this today. It was more like summer than spring, with a temperature of 76F today!

Watch this video! Christian the lion

2011-04-17T22:20:00.000+01:00

This is a true story. This video is about Christian the pet lion - and his eventual release into the wild ... and the emotional reunion with his former owners:

I've seen this video many times and it makes me cry everytime. It's just so beautiful to watch.

The T-Mobile Royal Wedding (with fab lookalikes!)

2011-04-15T20:35:00.000+01:00

Watch the wedding entrance dance to top all wedding entrance dances. T-Mobile's Royal Wedding Dance celebrates the marriage of William and Kate with the help of a host of royal look alikes and music from East 17!

T-Mobile wishes William and Kate a long and happy marriage.

So funny! I love it.

Follow Friday: April 15, 2011

2011-04-15T20:30:00.001+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @PompeyDockyard about Portsmouth Historic Dockyard http://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/ home to famous historic ships

#FF @NHM_London Natural History Museum in London "Join us for updates on our science, collections and all our activities."

#FF @stillsafe Follow for useful tweets and retweets "to help prevent your problems & provide your solutions"

#FF @gardening_leave Charity offering horticultural therapy in walled gardens to ex-Servicemen and women http://gardeningleave.org/

#FF @USUKrelations "Promoting and discussing the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom."

Follow Friday is an easy way for you to recommend other people to follow on Twitter. You simply tweet the names of Twitter users you like (preferably include a reason) and tag it with the hashtag: #followfriday or #FF.

West Wing Week: April 8 -14, 2011

2011-04-15T20:22:00.000+01:00

West Wing Week:

"Open for Business"

This week, with the threat of a government shutdown averted, President Obama focused on fiscal responsibility and balancing the need to cut spending and the deficit while continuing to support education, clean energy, and other investments needed to win the future. The Amir of Qatar also visited the White House.

Action for Happiness campaign launched today

2011-04-12T23:14:00.002+01:00

Action for Happiness, is a new charity aiming to help create a happier society - by enabling people to make positive changes in their personal lives, homes, workplaces and communities.

Ten keys to happier living:

Giving - Do things for others
Relating - Connect with people
Exercising - Take care of your body
Appreciating - Notice the world around
Trying Out - Keep learning new things

Direction - Have goals to look forward to
Resilience - Find ways to bounce back
Emotion - Take a positive approach
Acceptance - Be comfortable with who you are
Meaning - Be part of something bigger

The first five relate to how we interact with the outside world in our daily activities. The second five come more from inside us and depend on our attitude to life.

http://www.actionforhappiness.org/

What do you think of this campaign? Do you think it's a good idea, and that it will help to create a happier society?

Follow Friday: April 8, 2011

2011-04-08T22:13:00.000+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @Moneywiseonline the UK's leading personal finance magazine. Useful info, advice and tips about saving money.

#FF @BBCWomansHour "Daily Radio 4 programme, celebrating, informing and entertaining women." Tweets about programmes.

#FF @hedgehogsociety British Hedgehog Preservation Society http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/

#FF @ukyankeedotcom info for Americans Living in or Moving to the UK http://www.uk-yankee.com/

#FF @zsllondonzoo "London's wildest day out! 750 species of animal right in the heart of London." http://www.zsl.org/

#FF @ObamaFoodorama From Eddie Gehman Kohan, editor of ObamaFoodorama.com, about White House food initiatives.

Follow Friday is an easy way for you to recommend other people to follow on Twitter. You simply tweet the names of Twitter users you like (preferably include a reason) and tag it with the hashtag: #followfriday or #FF.

West Wing Week: April 1 - 7, 2011

2011-04-08T14:43:00.000+01:00

West Wing Week:

"Windmills? Call Them Wind Turbines!"

This week, President Obama focused on securing our nation's clean energy future, making stops at facilities in Maryland and Pennsylvania; met with Congressional leadership, hoping to avoid a government shutdown in the face of budget disagreements; and kept his eye on foreign policy, discussing world events with foreign heads of state.

via The White House Blog

The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant

2011-04-07T23:47:00.003+01:00

The website for the launch of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant celebrations (for Her Majesty's sixty years of service) is now live.

There will be a spectacular flotilla of up to a thousand boats on the River Thames, Sunday 3 June 2012 in preparation for Her Majesty The Queen to lead the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant.

It will be the largest flotilla assembled on the river for 350 years!

Royal River Pageant

Register your vessel if you would like to take part in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant.

http://www.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/

The Hoxton £1 room sale: 14 April

2011-04-07T23:28:00.000+01:00

It’s time again for The Hoxton Hotel £1 room sale

The £1 sale starts at 12 noon (UK time) on the 14th of April.

On offer:

500 rooms at £1 available from 1st May 2011 – 31st July 2011

(you are only allowed to book one room, for one night at a £1 charge)

Hoxton Hotel in the City of London

Good Luck - this sale is extremely popular!

Please note:

I have no connection with The Hoxton Hotel. I just like to share information about a great deal such as this one!

Vintage film clips: England 1924 and 1926

2011-04-07T23:01:00.000+01:00

This brief video is so cool. It's a vintage colour film of a charming scene in the picturesque village of Cockington, Devon, England (1924)

and another brief video. This one is Hyde Park, London (1926)

This extract comes from Claude Friese-Greene's 'The Open Road' - originally filmed in 1925/6 and now re-edited and digitally restored by the BFI National Archive.

The rather haphazard journey from Land's End to John O'Groats creates a series of moving picture postcards.

For more information about 'The Open Road' see http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/openroad/

You can watch the whole of 'The Open Road' and 1000 other complete films and TV programmes from the BFI National Archive free of charge at the new BFI Mediatheque - http://www.bfi.org.uk/mediatheque

Happy Birthday Doris Day!

2011-04-03T20:39:00.001+01:00

Doris Day is 89 today! I love all her movies, especially when she sings. She has such a beautiful voice.

I loved her in The Man Who Knew Too Much with Jimmy Stewart, when she sings 'Que Sera Sera'

and she sings "The Windy City" and shows her talent for dancing as well as singing in the movie, Calamity Jane:

What are your favourite Doris Day movies?

Happy Mothering Sunday!

2011-04-03T19:58:00.000+01:00

Happy Mothering Sunday to all the mums in the UK

Today is Mothering Sunday in the UK. It's not the same as Mother's Day in the USA (which is celebrated on the second Sunday in May) because it started as a religious holiday here and it is still connected to Easter. Mothering Sunday always falls on the 4th Sunday in Lent in the UK.

It's noticeable though that the greeting cards and adverts here are increasingly referring to "Mothering Sunday" as "Mother's Day" here in the UK.

I've selected two clips to show in honour of mother's everywhere. The first one is a montage of scenes with Sally Field as Nora the devoted mother in the (excellent!) TV show, "Brothers and Sisters":

and a trailer from a movie called Mother, starring Debbie Reynolds:

Fab Follows on Twitter: April 2, 2011

2011-04-02T23:33:00.000+01:00

I didn't do Follow Friday on Twitter yesterday so I did Fab Follows today.

#FabFollow Sarah-Jayne @grattongirl "Author & Screenwriter. Top Twitter Influencer!" Friendly, fun and interesting tweets. :)

#FabFollow @SeriousSunshine Janet's tweets and RTs are about a wide variety of subjects. Always worth reading. Enjoy.

#FabFollow @ShimmerMisfits delightful tweets by author, Karen Gammons. Prince Andy and the Misfits, Shadow Man is her first published novel.

#FabFollow The incomparable Gywneth Paltrow @_goop

#FabFollow Bruna @beezan "writer of romantic fiction, journo, photographer. Loves to travel the world." Friendly, thoughtful tweets.

Follow Friday is an easy way for you to recommend other people to follow on Twitter. You simply tweet the names of Twitter users you like (preferably include a reason) and tag it with the hashtag: #followfriday or #FF

Alternatively, you can recommend people on another day and simply use the hashtag #FabFollow like I did today.

Yes to Fairer Votes campaign: Alternative Vote System

2011-04-02T21:22:00.000+01:00

Britain needs a better way of electing its MPs. On May 5th 2011 we have that chance.

YES! To Fairer Votes is the campaign for a ‘yes’ vote for the upcoming referendum to adopt the Alternative Vote system for elections to the House of Commons.Launch of the Yes to Fairer Votes campaign

Today we launched our campaign for a Yes Vote on May 5th. Together with Eddie Izzard, Kriss Akabusi, Martin Bell and our other Vice Chairs, and with action in 100 towns and cities all across the UK our campaign for a Yes vote on May the 5th has taken off.

Alternative Vote System : What it is and why you need to vote on May 5th for AV

From today, England is the only UK country still charging for prescriptions

2011-04-01T22:22:00.001+01:00

England now only place in UK with prescription charges

Scotland has today joined Northern Ireland and Wales in scrapping fees for prescriptions.
(link via telegraph.co.uk)

It's worth noting that Scotland scrapped all prescription charges on the same day that prices of prescriptions in England have increased by 20p to £7.40.

What the heck? Why are the three other nations in the UK able to offer free prescriptions and the English the only ones forced to pay for prescriptions?

West Wing Week: March 25 - March 31, 2011

2011-04-01T18:16:00.000+01:00

West Wing Week:

"Under the Big Blue Whale"

This week, President Obama focused on the situation in Libya, monitoring conditions on the ground and keeping Congress and the American people informed as the mission transitions from U.S. to NATO command. Education month also continued, with the President making stops at a multicultural high school in Washington, D.C., and dropping in on a science fair in New York City.

via The White House blog

The Killing: Did you watch the whole series? Discuss here

2011-03-27T12:21:00.003+01:00

I have been addicted to watching The Killing on BBC 4 on Saturday nights and last night was the final two episodes of this brilliant Danish series. So now we know who killed Nanna Birk Larsen.

I feel like I've been on a rollercoaster ride with my emotions. I was eager to find out who the murderer was, but at the same time I feel bereft now that the series is finished. It was like reading a book that you never want to end.

There were so many suspects! Did you figure out who the murderer was or were you confused by all the red herrings (like I was)?

I have to say that in my opinion, the whole series was the best dramatic series, ever! It had everything - the convoluted story has been so compelling, and all the actors were superb. I was totally hooked from the very first episode.

However, saying that, I'm not sure the ending was as satisfying as I was expecting it to be. There were so many unanswered questions! I'm still puzzling over details that don't make sense to me. What about the flat? And the car that was from Troel's department?

I am eager to discuss the series now with others who watched it too. Please share your thoughts about the ending in the comments.

Spoiler Alert:
If you haven't watched this series yet, don't read the comments!

Related post:
The Killing: Compelling Danish crime thriller on BBC4

Did you change your clocks? We're on BST (British Summer Time)

2011-03-27T11:52:00.000+01:00

Your clocks should have been moved forward one hour today!

The time changed officially at 1:00am today (Sunday 27 March) as we switch from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to British Summer Time (BST).

It will be nice to have more daylight at the end of the day but I still wish we could leave the clocks alone. What are your thoughts about it?

MPs can use Twitter in House of Commons

2011-03-25T21:33:00.000Z

MPs should be able to use Twitter in Commons, committee says
(link via guardian.co.uk)

Hmm. I love Twitter but this sounds like a very bad idea to me. I wonder how MPs will be able to focus on parliamentary debates if they are on Twitter at the same time. Members of Parliament are expected (and paid) to attend the House of Commons to work, not to sit and read tweets or write tweets.

Thoughts?

West Wing Week: March 18 - March 24, 2011

2011-03-25T13:09:00.000Z

West Wing Week: "OCONUS II - Mamalluca"

This week, President Obama remained focused on Libya, receiving secure communications from his national security team as the first family visited Latin America. The President made stops in Brazil, Chile, and El Salvador to promote American exports and economic cooperation among the neighbors in our hemisphere.

RIP Elizabeth Taylor

2011-03-23T23:00:00.002Z

Dame Elizabeth Taylor died today at the age of 79. She was one of the last great movie stars, a stunning beauty, and known for her work as an advocate for HIV/AIDS research.

This is a lovely short tribute narrated by Paul Newman that aired on the Turner Classic Movies channel.

One of my favourite movies, National Velvet, starred Elizabeth Taylor when she was just 12 years old:

Suddenly, Last Summer is another unforgettable movie. Elizabeth Taylor is memerizing:

Happy 5th Birthday Twitter!

2011-03-21T23:02:00.002Z

Twitter is five years old today.

Happy Birthday Twitter!

If you haven't tried Twitter yet, you don't know what you are missing! I've made new friends, found out about news before it's reported by media, discovered new websites/links, recipes, health tips, been informed by political analysis, signed petitions and spread news about petitions/campaigns, conversed with celebrities, learned more about hobbies that interest me (writing, knitting, gardening, birding), discussed and analyzed tv shows while they are broadcast, movie reviews, book reviews, and well the list goes on and on...

What are your thoughts about Twitter?

Follow Friday: March 18, 2011

2011-03-18T15:44:00.001Z

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @PacificFleet The U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet is the world’s largest fleet command, encompassing 100 million square miles

#FF @periodicvideos tweets about "Quirky and cool videos about real science!" http://periodicvideos.blogspot.com/ Fab way to learn science!

#FF @FoodiePatootie Corene Caley is "...dedicated to culinary appreciation, food education, nutrition & adventurous eating." Fab blog too!

#FF @arkarthick for his useful tweets and retweets. Always friendly, with a contagious positive attitude! A real twitter star!

Follow Friday is an easy way for you to recommend other people to follow on Twitter. You simply tweet the names of Twitter users you like (preferably include a reason) and tag it with the hashtag: #followfriday or #FF.

You can see all my Follow Friday's here:

http://brilliantbritain.blogspot.com/search/label/FollowFriday

West Wing Week: March 11 - March 17, 2011

2011-03-18T11:08:00.000Z

West Wing Week: "Punching Above Your Weight"

via The White House Blog

President Obama: Standing with Japan

2011-03-18T02:30:00.000Z

President Obama provides an update on the situation in Japan following earthquakes and a tsunami and says the United States is committed to providing support and helping Japan recover and rebuild. March 17, 2011.

Happy St Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T21:21:00.001Z

St Patrick is Ireland's Patron Saint

Today, 17 March is the national day of Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland.

St Patrick's Day information via History.com

St. Patrick's Day - information website

To all my Irish readers:

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Amazing Tsunami video shows rescue of stranded people

2011-03-17T20:41:00.000Z

Via Channel 4 News:

Eyewitness footage of the tsunami striking northern Japan and the subsequent scramble to rescue men, women and children from the flooded streets:

A Message from George Takei on the Japan Quake and Tsunami

2011-03-16T18:37:00.001Z

George Takei on the Japan Quake and Tsunami: Gaman

Actor George Takei asks for the world's help for victims of the quake and tsunami in northern Japan. Please donate at www.redcross.org www.savethechildren.org or www.doctorswithoutborders.org.

Royal Wedding Procession Route in 3D via GoogleEarth

2011-03-15T18:40:00.000Z

This is very cool!

Via GoogleEarthweb:

Royal Wedding Procession Route in 3D
To celebrate the royal wedding of Prince William of Wales and Catherine Middleton on April 29, 2011, we have launched 3D buildings and trees for central London. This tour will show you Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and many other famous places along the route the couple will take to and from their wedding.

2012 London Olympics: 500 day countdown. Tickets on sale today!

2011-03-15T18:33:00.000Z

Tickets for the 2012 London Olympics go on sale today!

2012 London Olympics ticket sales going 'very well'
People have until 26 April to apply for some of the 6.6 million tickets which went on sale 500 days before the event.

A bit of bad luck with the countdown clock - it stopped!:
London 2012 countdown clock stops in Trafalgar Square

Many of the Olympic events will be pricey so this list is useful:
What to see at the London 2012 Olympic Games for £20

[links via BBC News]

London 2012 Olympics

Twitter List: Japan

2011-03-14T23:38:00.023Z

I've started to collect a list of sources in Japan for news and information regarding the situation. I will update it regularly.

japantimes - The Japan Times: News and features from the most widely read English-language newspaper in Japan

jt_kamiya - Setsuko Kamiya: Reporter at The Japan Times.

jt_nakata - Hiroko Nakata: The Japan Times staff writer/editor.

reijiyoshida_JT - Reiji Yoshida: Staff writer/editor at The Japan Times : politics, biz, general news.

kzinagata - kazuaki nagata: Reporter at The Japan Times.

JPN_PMO - This is the official English twitter account of Prime Minister’s Office of Japan.

norishikata - Noriyuki SHIKATA: Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Public Relations, Director of Global Communications at Prime Minister's Office of Japan

AmbassadorRoos - John V. Roos: John V. Roos and his family arrived in Japan in 2009. These are his impressions, in English and in Japanese, of his experiences as U.S. Ambassador to Japan.

DailyYomiuri - The Daily Yomiuri: News from The Daily Yomiuri, the English-language sister publication of Japan's largest daily newspaper, The Yomiuri Shimbun.

japanobserver - The Japan Observer: Daily Japanese news links selected by Timothy J. Phelan, editor of thejapanobserver.com and Professor of Japanese Studies at Miyagi University, Japan.

HirokoTabuchi - Hiroko Tabuchi: Tokyo-based biz, econ & tech reporter for The New York Times

TomokoHosaka - Tomoko A. Hosaka: Journalizing Japan for The Associated Press - biz, econ, tech, politics, culture.

yurikageyama - Yuri Kageyama: Correspondent for The Associated Press AP Business Writer based in Tokyo AP

sanchanta - Mariko Sanchanta: Deputy bureau chief of the Wall Street Journal in Tokyo.

daiwaka - Daisuke Wakabayashi: I cover the Japanese tech industry for the Wall Street Journal in Tokyo

AkikoFujita - Akiko Fujita: ABC News Reporter in Tokyo

KyungLahCNN - Kyung Lah: CNN Correspondent

martyn_williams - Martyn Williams: Multimedia Ed & Tokyo bureau chief at IDG News Service. Cover Japan for PC World, Macworld etc.

kenmogi - Ken Mogi: The Qualia Journal

survivingnjapan - Ashley: an American living in Shizuoka, Japan

tokyotimes - Lee Chapman: an Englishman living in Tokyo since 1998

gakuranman - Michael Gakuran

Matt_Alt - Matt Alt: Full time writer and translator

TokyoReporter - Tokyo Reporter: News, features, and photography from Tokyo

tokyodiaries - Nick Roberts: Anthropologist/Qual Researcher on sabbatical in Tokyo

TimeOutTokyo - magazine, city guide Japan earthquake live report, News, emergency information, live reaction

Tokyographer - Anthony Tatekawa: Freelance photographer living in Tokyo for several years.

Japan: Earthquake and tsunami

2011-03-12T18:35:00.009Z

Yesterday's devastating earthquake (which measured 8.9 on the Richter scale) and tsunami that hit Japan is an immense catastrophe on a scale that's hard to comprehend. Indeed, the earthquake was so powerful that it moved the main island of Japan by 8 feet (2.4 meters) and shifted the Earth on its axis. [link via CNN]

This afternoon, it was reported that nearly 9,500 people are unaccounted for in the town of Minamisanriku. The town is located near the epicenter of Friday's earthquake.

Channel 4 News has a shocking video from Japanese TV that shows the dramatic damage to the port town of Minamisanriku. The before and after scenes are hard to watch - the town is completely destroyed:

Also, one of Japan's nuclear power plants (Fukushima Number 1) was badly damaged in Friday's massive earthquake. Thousands were evacuated from the area near the nuclear reactor. World watches nervously as Japan struggles with nuclear reactors. [link via CNN] Very worrying indeed!

Japan has requested help from the UK in the aid effort and British aid supplies and rescue experts are being sent to Japan. [link via BBC News]

My heart goes out to everyone in Japan and my condolences to those who lost loved ones in the earthquake and the tsunami.

How you can help: Japan Tsunami Appeal - British Red Cross

Google has opened a crisis response page with useful links for earthquake victims: 2011 Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami.
___________________________________________________________
15 March, 2011 Edited to add links to current information about radiation risk from the nuclear plant accident:

Radiation exposure: a quick guide to what each level means
(via guardian.co.uk)

IAEA provides latest information on the Japanese nuclear accident and status at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant [via International Atomic Energy Agency]

Japan's Current Nuclear Situation: A realistic View - Tokyography's Blog

Q&A: Take proper steps to avoid exposure to fallout
[via The Japan Times]

Radiation exposure: The fast facts about thyroid cancer and other health risks [TIME.com]
_________________________
Related post from my blog:
Twitter List: Japan for news and information regarding the current situation.

Follow Friday: March 11, 2011

2011-03-11T23:48:00.001Z

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @fromABroad Laine is a British Mum in AZ, Editor of Thoughts From A Broad.Sharing stories of Inspiring women,Ecofriendly & thrifty ideas

#FF @paulstpancras "Teacher, media relations, constitutional advisor, husband and father, friend." Informative tweets & RTs.

#FF @_MissChicago_ Stephanie is "An expat in England who occasionally misses Chicago." She's also a lawyer - and a lovely, thoughtful lady.

Follow Friday is an easy way for you to recommend other people to follow on Twitter. You simply tweet the names of Twitter users you like (preferably include a reason) and tag it with the hashtag: #followfriday or #FF.

You can see all my Follow Friday's here:
http://brilliantbritain.blogspot.com/search/label/FollowFriday

West Wing Week: March 4 - March 10, 2011

2011-03-11T10:07:00.014Z

West Wing Week: "Law School in 15 Seconds"

This week, President Obama focused on education, visiting some innovative classrooms in Miami and Boston, and dropping in on a US History class in Alexandria, Virginia with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

via The White House Blog

British mothers still not equal to British fathers!

2011-03-08T23:15:00.004Z

So today is the 100th International Women's Day, and we still have an ongoing inequality in the UK regarding the right for British mothers to pass on their citizenship to their children.

The UK government has always given this right to the children of all (married) British fathers automatically but not always to the children of British mothers. My mother is English and therefore I should be eligible for British citizenship but up until recently this right was denied.

Last year (13 January 2010), the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 came into force which meant I was finally granted the right to claim British citzenship. Incredibly, it was only "a right to register as a British citizen" and I would also have to pay £540 to claim my British citizenship! This was absolutely outrageous since anyone born in the same circumstances after 1983, or at anytime to a (married) UK father, could simply complete a passport application without the need to register and without any fee.

I considered this path to citizenship to be unaccepable and I did not take up the offer to attain my British citizenship in this unfair way. There was a public outcry (quite rightly) from myself and many others about this blatant discrimination. Consequently, the law was amended in November 2010 and the application fee (which had actually gone up to £550 during the year!) was removed.

However, we still have to register and need to pay an administrative fee of £80 to cover the cost of a citizenship ceremony.*

As the law stands now the following two cases are exceptions to automatic British citizenship:

Children born abroad before 1983 to British female citizens
Children born before 2006 to unmarried British male citizens (and in fact they are even denied the right to register)

While it's true that the £550 application fee has been removed, it's completely unacceptable that we must provide two references and fill out a form intended for immigrants, not to mention pay £80 and attend a citizenship ceremony. I find these "conditions" before I can qualify for my claim to British citizenship, insulting to my mother as well as to myself.

We still don't have 100% parity with the children of British father's! If my father had been British, citizenship would be automatic - no registration required, no fee at all and no ceremony!

It's unjustified discrimination.

*Registration and the citizenship ceremony is meant for those without a British parent. In other words, for foreigners who wish to become UK citizens.

International Women’s Day 2011

2011-03-08T19:01:00.001Z

International Women’s Day (IWD) takes place on March 8, every year. This year is special because the event is celebrating its 100th birthday.

You may have noticed that Google created an International Women's Day Doodle today. When you click on the image, it shows a page about how women can celebrate by attending a bridge event, or by checking in virtually:

Another interesting video was made by We Are Equals to mark International Women's Day. EQUALS is a partnership of leading charities brought together by Annie Lennox to celebrate the centenary of International Women's Day.

The thought-provoking video stars the James Bond actor, Daniel Craig:

Related blog posts:
100th anniversary of International Women’s Day
British mothers still not equal to British fathers!

100th anniversary of International Women’s Day

2011-03-08T18:18:00.000Z

The Journey of Women's Rights: 1911-2011

Follow Friday: March 4, 2011

2011-03-04T18:39:00.000Z

Here are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF Three Fab Famous Females! @Diane_Keaton @JimmyJindo (Annette O'Toole) and last but not least @jenniferehle Lovely ladies to follow! :)

I don't follow every celebrity on Twitter but these three are definitely worth a follow!

From Southwark to the London 2012 Olympic Park in 4 minutes!

2011-03-04T17:35:00.001Z

This is a fun video to watch:
From Southwark to the London 2012 Olympic Park in 4 minutes!!

West Wing Week: Feb 25 - March 3, 2011

2011-03-04T13:44:00.011Z

West Wing Week:"Green Eggs and Governors"

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. It was a busy week on the 18 acres, with President Obama welcoming the nation's governors, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, and Mexican President Felipe Calderón to the White House. The First Lady and Education Secretary Arne Duncan also kicked off Education Month at the Library of Congress.

via The White House Blog

Happy St David's Day!

2011-03-01T12:18:00.003Z

St David, or Dewi Sant, as he is known in the Welsh language, is the Patron Saint of Wales. Happy St David's Day!

Did you notice the Google Doodle today? It's in honour of St David's Day. The second 'g' in the word Google is covered in a Welsh hat plus lace and a shawl tied with a daffodil, the national flower of Wales.

A daffodil or leek (Welsh national emblem) is worn by most Welsh people on St David's Day.

About Saint David's Day (from Wikipedia)

Via BBC: St David's Day recipes

To all my Welsh readers: I hope you enjoy celebrating today!

Dydd Gwyl Dewi hapus!

The King's Speech ruled at the Academy Awards!

2011-02-28T21:00:00.007Z

The King's Speech won the top awards at last night's Academy Awards!

Best Picture, Best Director - Tom Hooper , Best Original Screenplay - David Seidler and Best Actor - Colin Firth

Colin Firth Oscar 2011 Acceptance Spech:

Tom Hooper -Best Director 83rd Academy Awards [Oscar Awards 2011]

Actor Colin Firth, star of The King's Speech and A Single Man, discusses his childhood, films and career in this Life in Pictures interview via BAFTA
http://bcove.me/v2fuhu9z

Congratulations to all the winners last night but especially to Colin Firth and Tom Hooper and David Seidler. Well done!!

It's a shame the Academy Awards show isn't broadcast on terrestrial tv here. I did see a bit of the show via streaming on the internet but it didn't work very well. I learned most of what was happening on the show via Twitter. It was actually quite entertaining to read some of the funny tweets about the show!

What did you think of the show? Were you pleased with the results?

Related posts:
The King's Speech - movie review
BAFTA: The King's Speech won seven awards!

Prince William and Kate Middleton, return 'home' to St Andrews, Scotland

2011-02-26T02:25:00.002Z

Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton have put in another official Royal appearance, on Friday at the University of St Andrews in Scotland.

On Thursday, the royal couple launched the new RNLI's lifeboat 'Hereford Endeavour' in Anglesey, Wales at Lifeboat Station : Trearddur Bay

The visit to St Andrews was a return 'home' because Prince William and Kate Middleton met and fell in love at St Andrews University. They returned to the University of St Andrews to launch its 600th Anniversary on 25 February 2011.

ITN exclusive footage of Kate Middleton chatting with the public at St Andrews University:

Royal Mail launches stamps celebrating UK stage musicals

2011-02-25T15:10:00.000Z

From BBC News (yesterday):
Royal Mail has launched a new set of stamps celebrating seven decades of UK stage musicals.

Watch a video from RoyalMailStamps:
Royal Mail Musicals stamps set to rock you!

Royal Mail celebrates over seven decades of popular UK stage musicals on a new set of stamps issued today.

To launch the stamps, Royal Mail caught up with Brian May and Roger Taylor from Queen, plus stars from Billy Elliot, We Will Rock You and Billy Elliot.

West Wing Week: Feb 18 - Feb 24

2011-02-25T13:35:00.012Z

West Wing Week: "Don't Bump My Atoms"

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. This week, President Obama held events in Oregon and Ohio focused on winning the future through investments in innovation and small business, and convened his Council on Jobs and Competitiveness at the White House.

via The White House Blog

Study that claims exercise & therapy help ME/CFS

2011-02-19T20:57:00.001Z

I've just read the news articles that were published yesterday about the latest claims regarding treatment for people suffering with ME/CFS:

Study finds therapy and exercise best for ME
The biggest-ever study of treatments for ME, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, has found that more people recover if they are helped to try to do more than they think they can – rather than adapting to a life of limited activity.
(link via The Guardian)

The results of this "study" makes me very angry. I have a son with ME/CFS. He gets much worse with exercise, not better!

Articles like this only serve to make it easier for the general public to dismiss this very real medical condition by providing the false notion that anyone with ME/CFS can simply "think" themselves better and that a bit of exercise and fresh air will help. It's simply not true.

It's worth reading the comments that follow the article in The Guardian and the comments in all the other newspapers it was published in. Please note the numerous (and many very angry) comments from people who suffer with ME/CFS or know someone who does!

Please read this:
ME Association press statement about the results of the PACE study

and if you don't know what ME/CFS is, please read this:

Information about Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) via NHS Choices:

CFS is also known as ME, which stands for myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) causes long-term tiredness (fatigue) that affects everyday life. It does not go away with sleep or rest.

If you suffer from ME/CFS, or know someone who does, please leave a comment. I'd be very interested to know your thoughts about this latest study.

Follow Friday: Feb 18, 2011

2011-02-18T21:20:00.001Z

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @Jainamel Melody tweets about music (fan of Duran Duran and spacehotel), animals, bowling, and lots of friendly chat. Lovely lady! :)

#FF @SongBirdSOS about birds/animals/nature/environment Fab site too: http://www.songbird-survival.org.uk/index.html

#FF @NakedScientists Fun & fascinating info about science! Science Radio and Naked Science Podcasts http://www.thenakedscientists.com/

#FF @Placepot Lots of fab tweets and retweets from Wayne about "Birding, bees/keeping, nature & rescuing cats. Photography. Wellbeing."

#FF @I_W_M The Imperial War Museum "Telling the story of those who have lived, fought and died in conflict, from 1914 to the present day."

#FF @krupali for her lovely life-affirming and heartwarming tweets. She will make you smile - and inspire you to do more (read her bio!).

Follow Friday is an easy way for you to recommend other people to follow on Twitter. You simply tweet the names of Twitter users you like (preferably include a reason) and tag it with the hashtag: #followfriday or #FF.

West Wing Week: Feb 11 - Feb 17

2011-02-18T13:24:00.006Z

West Wing Week: "Goodbye, Gibbs"

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. This week, President Obama released his federal budget, discussing the need to take responsibility for our deficits while investing in education, to prepare our children to be competitive in the global economy and win the future. He also responded to the situation in Egypt, chatted with some Boy Scouts, and honored some of our greatest Americans.

The Archers: The Duchess of Cornwall visits Ambridge

2011-02-16T23:35:00.023Z

So did you listen to The Archers today?

It was a special episode with Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall making a cameo appearance on-air.

If you've never listened to The Archers, it's never too late to start!

The Archers is a very popular long-running British soap opera broadcast on BBC Radio 4. Recently, the show celebrated their 60th anniversary with a special episode that was supposed to shock everyone in Ambridge (the fictional English village) to the core. Well, it probably did shock the characters but, in my opinion, the episode had been so over-hyped that I thought it was a bit of a damp squib.

Anyway, The Archers is an entertaining radio show and I enjoy listening to it fairly regularly. I'm not a true addict though because I don't listen to every single episode.

Here's a fun introduction to The Archers by Stephen Fry:
About The Archers in three minutes

Brit Awards 2011

2011-02-16T20:17:00.001Z

The BRIT Awards 2011

Did you watch The Brit Awards on ITV last night? What did you think of the show? Were you happy with the winners? I was very pleased that Mumford & Sons won British Album of the Year. They are a fab group!

Tinie Tempah, the UK rap star, won two Brit awards: for best British breakthrough act and best single for his hit 'Pass Out'.

Justin Bieber was named best international breakthrough act.

The full list of winners of the 2010 Brit Awards:

British Male Solo Artist - Plan B
British Female Solo Artist - Laura Marling
British Breakthrough Act - Tinie Tempah
British Group - Take That
British Single - Tinie Tempah
British Album of the Year - Mumford and Sons
International Male Solo Artist - Cee Lo Green
International Female Solo Artist - Rihanna
International Breakthrough Act - Justin Bieber
International Group - Arcade Fire
International Album - Arcade Fire
Critics’ Choice - Jessie J
British Producer - Markus Dravs

It was the first time the ceremony was held at the O2 Arena.

Mumford and Sons (an English folk rock band) who won 'British Album of the Year' for their album 'Sigh No More', sang "Timshel" at the awards show:

I thought the highlight of the show was when Adele sang ‘Someone Like You’

BRIT Awards 2011

National Nest Box Week 14-21 February

2011-02-14T16:55:00.001Z

National Nest Box Week 14-21 February

National Nest Box Week starts today. This is when the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) encourages everyone to put up nest boxes in their local area.

National Nest Box Week - all the information you need with links for ideas on how you can take part.

The British Trust for Ornithology publishes a free Information Pack with advice on making and buying nest boxes, siting them, how many to use, reducing the risk from predators, cleaning and maintenance. For your free copy fill in your details on the form or call the BTO on 0800 072 0130.

BAFTA: The King's Speech won seven awards!

2011-02-13T23:30:00.008Z

2011 Orange British Academy Film Awards BAFTA

I'm so pleased that The King's Speech won seven awards, including best film and best British film - and Colin Firth won best leading actor!

Colin Firth's charming acceptance speech:

The King's Speech won Baftas for:
Best Film, Outstanding British Film, Leading Actor - Colin Firth, Supporting Actress - Helena Bonham Carter, Supporting Actor - Geoffrey Rush, Original Music, and Original Screenplay - David Seidler

I was a bit surprised that Tom Hooper didn't win Best Director for The King's Speech. That award went to David Fincher for The Social Network.

Other highlights of the awards ceremony included Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema in 2011 - The Harry Potter Films. Stephen Fry presented the award after making a lovely and very witty speech.

The show ended with a touching tribute to the actor Sir Christopher Lee, honouring him with the Academy Fellowship, a lifetime achievement award, which is the highest honour the Academy can bestow.

Orange British Academy Film Awards 2011

I thought the BAFTA show was very entertaining and enjoyed watching it. Did you watch it? What did you think of the winners? Were you pleased or disappointed with any of the results?

I haven't seen many of the nominated films but I do know that The King's Speech is superb and I think it deserved to win in the categories that it did. If you haven't seen it yet, do go. I promise you won't be disappointed!

Plans to sell England's public forests are under review

2011-02-12T19:01:00.002Z

Ministers halt some forest sales after public outcry

The government has put on hold plans to sell off some English forests - but the main scheme could still go ahead.

[link via BBC News]

This is good news however the delay is regarding only the planned sale of 15% of state-owned forests in England. There is still widespread concern about the remaining 85% of the public forests.

Consultation: Future of the public forest estate prepared by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Forestry Commission.

Forestry Commission - The future of the Public Forest Estate in England

If you are concerned, you can sign the petition via The Woodland Trust to support the Save England’s ancient forests campaign.

Save England's Forests

A New Egypt! Power to the people!

2011-02-12T16:34:00.001Z

Like most everyone else around the world, I was glued to watching and reading the news reports from Egypt yesterday. It was an incredible moment when the announcement came that Hosni Mubarak had resigned from the presidency. We were watching history in the making.

After 18 incredible days of a peaceful rebellion, the determination and bravery of the protesters in Tahir Square in Cairo had finally paid off. It's an amazing example of "people power" and they did it without resorting to violence. Huge kudos to the Egyptian people.

It's true that the military will be taking control at first. Al Arabiya (the Arabic- language television news channel) reported - via Twitter - that the Egypt army will suspend parliament, sack the cabinet, and head of constitutional court will lead with military council. Also, the latest news reported today is that Egypt is committed to all national and international agreements.

The whole world will be watching Egypt as a new government is formed and there is a transition to democracy.

Wael Ghonim, the Head of Marketing of Google Middle East and North Africa, delivered this important message to Egyptians via his Twitter account yesterday:

A call to all well-educated Egyptians around the world. Come back ASAP to build our nation.

The world is changing. The power of the people has brought down a dictator by organizing a successful and peaceful revolution.

Congratulations Egypt!

West Wing Week: Feb 4 - Feb 10

2011-02-11T13:07:00.001Z

West Wing Week: "The New Electrification"

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. This week, President Obama focused on the second part of his State of the Union goals of out-innovating, out-building, and out-competing the rest of the world, putting forward plans to build up the nation's infrastructure, investing in things like high speed rail, and expanding broadband access so all of America's families will be equipped to win the future. The Prime Minister of Canada also dropped by.

via The White House Blog

The Killing: Compelling Danish crime thriller on BBC4

2011-02-06T18:39:00.009Z

Have you been watching The Killing on BBC4 on Saturday nights? If not, you have been missing a cracking new series! Last night, episodes 5 and 6 were aired.

There are twenty episodes in total (spanning the course of a 20-day murder investigation) but the BBC is showing two episodes every Saturday. And the good news is that it's not too late to start watching the series, thanks to the BBC iPlayer (if you are in the UK). The series also helps viewers catch-up by showing clips from previous episodes at the beginning of each episode.

The Killing is an intense Danish crime thriller about Inspector Sarah Lund with the Copenhagen Police department. On the day Sarah is working her last shift before a planned move to Sweden with her boyfriend, Bengt, she is forced to lead a high-profile investigation, along with detective Jan Meyer (Søren Malling), into the murder of 19-year old Nanna Birk Larsen.

The series makes for very compelling viewing. Each episode is another day in the investigation and there are plenty of twists and turns in the plot as well as numerous suspects. It's a very powerful drama. Yes, the theme of murder is dark and depressing, however the storyline advances little by little just as in a real investigation and it hooks the viewer into wanting to know more. The characters are all very believable so it's easy to get wrapped up in the story.

All the actors in this brilliant series are superb. Sofie Grabol is outstanding as Detective Sarah Lund. She's amazing to watch as she portrays the detective with an obsession for her work. It's almost possible to see her mind working as she examines each detail in the case. She's a fantastic actress!

The acting by Ann Eleonora Jørgensen as Pernille Birk Larsen, the mother of the murdered teenager, is simply astounding. The raw emotion she shows in every scene is mesmerizing. I forget she's acting because every nuance of her performance is so realistic. Bjarne Henriksen as her husband, Theis, is also excellent. Together, they create a very believable married couple who are coping with the grief of losing a daughter.

The political intrigue is yet another fascinating element to this story. Lars Mikkelsen as Troels Hartmann who is campaigning to be the mayor of Copenhagen, is very watchable indeed.

I love the way all the different threads of the story weave together, and the way it makes the viewer think about the clues and ponder about each possible suspect. And there are so many suspects!

The Killing was originally released in Denmark as "Forbrydelsen" ("The Crime") and was aired in Denmark in 2007. A second series was aired in Denmark in 2009, and a third series is being made which is due to be aired in Denmark in 2012. I'm hoping the BBC will decide to broadcast the second and third series too! [Edited to add: The BBC has confirmed that it has bought the second series and will show it later this year!]

An American remake is being produced but I really don't know why it's necessary. This drama has everything and the original is perfect as it is.

Highly recommended.

The Killing BBC 4, Saturday, 9:00 - 10:55pm
In Danish with English subtitles
(repeated on Wednesdays at 11pm)

The Killing 2007 - English Trailer Season One

Full cast list (via IMDb)

27 March, 2011
Edited to add:I have started another post about this brilliant series now that it has ended. We can discuss the show there and analyze the plot.Please post your thoughts about the ending to the series on this post:

The Killing: Did you watch the whole series? Discuss here

Follow Friday: Feb 4, 2011

2011-02-04T19:31:00.001Z

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @DonkeyPR about rescued donkeys at the largest Donkey Sanctuary in the world. Also fun to watch #Donkeycam http://bit.ly/b43ZtL Lovely!

#FF @jenniferehle Homeschooling mum of two, vegan and famous actress (recent role in The King's Speech). Thoughtful tweets.

#FF @greenroofsuk "biodiversity professional, green roof campaigner/designer,public speaker, ecosystems services & green roof trainer" Fab!

Follow Friday is an easy way for you to recommend other people to follow on Twitter. You simply tweet the names of Twitter users you like (preferably include a reason) and tag it with the hashtag: #followfriday or #FF.