Leave our NHS alone!

38 degrees, an internet campaigning organisation, have just passed their £300,000 total to start a poster campaign to attack the NHS bill that the government are still trying to push through Parliament.

The campaigning poster reads:

“Dear Mr Cameron: You’re making a big mistake with the NHS.

Please, please listen to us.” Dr Brigid Sheppard.

The billboard campaign launched today.

More than 130 huge billboards are going up in London, with more to follow in high streets across the country.

Over 20,000 38 Degrees members have chipped in over £300,000 to make this happen.

Hopefully the extent of this campaign will make the government see how unpopular and ill advised this bill has proven.

Blinded by Brother and Bones

I found myself at The Borderline to watch a rather longer and more sultry set by MOYA.

Her accompanist on this occasion was Tom Figgins and he did a lovely job.

However tonight's main event were something of note.

Brother and Bones was introduced to me as a cross between Mumford and Sons and Kings of Leon.

I disagree, they put me in mind more of more classic 1960s folk rocked up in a sensory explosion.

These guys are tight as, it's scary to think how much they've been practising.

More than just a pretty face

Do not be fooled by the Aragon look alike front man, this isn't just a group of pretty boys.

Some tracks can err on the more generic folk rock end, but as a whole it was a blinding set, I haven't stamped my foot so hard in a long time.

To older listeners they may prove on the derivative side, but they certainly know how to rock a joint, the atmosphere for both acts buzzed like a randy bee.

Ok nerd, speak

I went to the festivalof the spoken nerd the other night.

I was told it would be geek comedy, I wasn't really sure what to expect.

The spoken nerd wasn't really comedy in the traditional sense, it was more an excited collection of cool old toys and pretty funny indie style songs.

I did laugh, I did enjoy myself, but it put me more in mind of fringe theatre than Live at the Apollo.

We were invited into a world of silly cuteness, that reminded me mostly of what it was like to be seven in a good science lesson.

Star Turn

I was invited onto the stage twice thanks mainly to the place that I was sitting.

It was not too embarassing and quite fun, but I did feel thoroughly stupid.

I don't know, all these clever people.

Tiffany

The normal style comedian called Tiffany that they had on was less of a highlight, she warmed up but you could feel her nerves and she often misjudged her audience.

But I would definitely go again it was a great giggle and left me returning home with an spring in my wintery step.

Nerd on, spoken nerd, nerd on.

A modern angel

I find myself at The Bedford, a beautiful local pub with an amazing Sunday roast, but I digress.

I'm here to see MOYA, a new up and coming artists with eclectic class: all fedora, long skirts and crocheted tops, and I hate doing clothes descriptions.

MOYA's set is paired down and acoustic with only one accompanist playing keyboard and guitar.

Her set starts with Heroine, truly a song to break the heart, delivered in a fragile yet soulful voice that almost whispers at points, while still packing a soul styled punch.

The set casts a spell, at times more jazzy, but always captivating.

All comes to a close with the song Walk Away and I find that's the last thing that I want to do.

It is only left to raise a glass to MOYA and her warm ringing tones.

Posh food pithy prices

In these 'times of austerity' I find I'm rooting through toptable again in search of reasonably priced gastronomic explosions.

There are a dizzing array of eateries offering offers, but somehow I'm not inspired.

Maybe it's the cold limiting my food choice to 'somewhere near by', or maybe it's the fact I haven't gone out for a posh meal in so long that I've forgotten what to look for.

Toptable is amazing, I really rate it as a site and a concept, but it does have it's pitfalls.

You can't literally click on a street and say: "there, tell me about the food options just there".

But then maybe this is the problem with the internet world, we've become so used to options on a mouse click that if it isn't spelt out for us in big red letters within the first 10 seconds we lose interest and give up.

We no longer walk the streets with our eyes and ears open looking for what new things the world has to offer, instead we stare at computer screens, get irrate and go nowhere.

Well I'm going somewhere, because the house gets dull, y'know.

I'm off to The Three Stags, where it's warm, friendly and tasty.

Viva la local!

One of the true heroines

I posted some time ago about Aung San Suu Kyi's release.

And today was heartened to find this story posted on my facebook wall.

It is amazing to hear her speak and not just read an interview.

Although the guardian interview by the wonderful Polly Toynbee that I read of hers was very thought provoking, also.

I love the positivity that she has and the strength and confidence she has in her thoughts and feelings.

Truly, an inspiration.

When will the British press learn to handle terrorism sensitively?

Ok, the title here is a little incendiary and there are some papers that manage not to use the words 'Gotcha' when referring to death and destruction, but some of the reaction to Bin Laden's death has been as looney as Muslim fundamentalists themselves are preported to be.

I am not supporting the repression of women or the destruction of western civilization, but neither do I really want to gloat about anyone's death, no matter how evil they are supposed to be.

Plus I'm sick of hearing reasoning that throws all Muslims into the same category.

We can not talk of how Muslims are anymore than we can talk about how Christians are.

Both religions are broad and encompass many different views and levels of strict adherence.

I certainly do not consider any of the Muslims I know to be in any way akin to Bin Laden, because they are not and to even loosely suggest that they are is wrong and stupid.

As for the Bin Laden killing, vengence is a dangerous thing and rarely brings a positive result.

The White House seem capable of being considered, why not the media at large.