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Alex.Kane Or are banning books. Funny how it's conservatives across the West who want 'small government' but want to know what books are in libraries, what you do in your bedroom and what is between you and your doctor.

Alex.Kane

A good night-Tuesday-for film fans. Profile of the wonderful Alec Guinness: Sky Arts 36/Sky130/Virgin123 Double bill starting 9pm on Film4/Free14/Sky313/Virgin428

I was looking for something else and found this. I’d done stuff on and off for the Belfast News Letter for years but this was the first of a weekly column that ran until August 2021 and opened a lot of doors for me. But almost 21 years seemed like the right time to say goodbye : )

BREAKING: Mike Pence has just announced that he cannot in good conscience vote for Donald Trump. Retweet to make sure every American sees this clip.

WEDNESDAY 4-9-24 HEADLINES …… SHAMEFUL …… THOUSANDS OF STOLEN CHILDHOODS ……. 884 JUST LIKE HIM …… A DEVASTATING LEGACY OF ABUSE …… GRANDPA ‘KICKED TO DEATH BY KIDS’ …… DOG WALKER, 80 ‘KILLED BY CHILD IN PARK CLASH’ …… SHAM MAGUIRE ….. #BUYaNewspaper

So, who would have thunk it? Patel another one who vastly inflated her own popularity in the parliamentary party. Might have helped if her candidate launch hadn’t included such a woeful speech.

Two for Wednesday What: 10.40pm BBC1. Very good natured film with the wonderful Billy Connolly Dementia: 1.35am Talking Pictures TV. Francis Ford Coppola’s 1963 debut mainstream direction-a Roger Corman production-is utterly bonkers (and rarely shown).

A sensible and measured response from Glen Miller to Paul Gosling report (and good report too, Paul). It really is ok to learn from each other and help each other. holywelltrust.com/blog/6anyezal4…

A very well worthwhile-reading report from PivotalPPF At some point the Executive has to move from the asinine photo-opportunities and clichéd blah-blah press releases and agree a PfG which both addresses and makes the difficult decisions. pivotalppf.org/cmsfiles/Publi…

THURSDAY 5-9-24 HEADLINES …… GRENFELL: A DISASTER CAUSED BY ‘DISHONESTY AND GREED’ …… EVERYONE FAILED THEM ……. 72 KILLED BY: DISHONESTY INDIFFERENCE COMPLACENCY …… WILL THEY EVER GET JUSTICE? …… CARE HOME WORKER’S SON HAD BEEN DUE TO JOIN HER ….. #BuyANewspaper

This piece—about the absence of a PfG—was written a few weeks ago. Apparently a draft is to be agreed by the executive today and then presented to Assembly on Monday. I hope it’s going to be honest, prioritised, courageous and collective rather than silo

On the day that the draft PfG is due to be agreed this statement suggests there are still troubles ahead.

Yep, I was pissed off when I wrote it. And I’m still pissed off. I’m not looking for perfection, but it would be heartening to see some home-truth realities and a genuinely cooperative approach to the scale of our problems.

17 October - the Crescent Arts Centre will host BBC Politics Any Questions? BBC Radio 4's #bbcaq visits a different part of the UK every week with a panel of 4 speakers who answer questions from the audience. Tickets are limited so early booking is recommended! bit.ly/TCAnyQOct24

It’s surprising how many people have told me they’d like me to be more grumpy and pissed-off : )

One for Thursday. Michael Caine once said: “I’ve been in a lot of films and a few of them have actually been good.” This is one of them—with a towering central performance. I’ve always liked him; and not a lot of people know that : ) BBC4 10.45pm

I love trees (been climbing them since I was about 7) and I’m particularly fond of this sycamore at the Giant’s Ring. “If nothing is left but a single tree, then there is still hope.”

FRIDAY 6-9-24 HEADLINES ….. WOMAN MAULED BY TWO DOGS. ARMED COPS RESCUE VICTIM IN HER 60s …… £21m - AND A BELATED APOLOGY- FOR CHILD WHO SUFFERED BRAIN DAMAGE ….. BOUTCHER REMARKS ON ORANGE PARADES ‘NAIVE’ …… KINAHAN QUITS AS VETERANS’ CHAMPION ….#BuyANewspaper