Friday, December 28, 2018
Sunday, December 23, 2018
Why a no-deal Brexit is still on the cards.
- Bluff, blackmail and brinkwomanship: why a no-deal Brexit is still on the cards | Andrew Rawnsley | Opinion | The Guardian
Don’t panic! Don’t panic! You need not spoil your Christmas by worrying that Britain is walking the Brexit tightrope without a safety net because the defence secretary, Gavin Williamson, has announced that the armed forces are on standby.
Standing by to do what exactly? That is not clear. Penny Mordaunt, the international development secretary, is redeploying civil servants with expertise in disaster management to no-deal emergency planning. And Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has declared himself the world’s biggest purchaser of fridges so that the NHS has somewhere to keep stockpiles of critical medicines. He recently told colleagues that, in the event of a bad Brexit, he could not guarantee that people would not lose their lives. Choose Brexit – and you may die. They certainly didn’t put that on the side of their campaign bus.
The obvious thing to say, but worth emphasising nevertheless, is that those who willed this Brexit nightmare on our country did not reveal that it would require such costly and alarming measures. They sold it as liberation day, not doomsday. Do you recall Boris Johnson and his gang telling us that leaving the EU could mean putting troops on the street, establishing a “war room” in the NHS, emergency airlifts of medicines, leafleting every household with advice on how to cope with food shortages and deploying those with experience of dealing with the aftermath of tornadoes, epidemics and tsunamis? No, me neither. It was supposed to be a piece of cherry-topped cake, not a humiliating national calamity.
Don’t panic! Don’t panic! You need not spoil your Christmas by worrying that Britain is walking the Brexit tightrope without a safety net because the defence secretary, Gavin Williamson, has announced that the armed forces are on standby.
Standing by to do what exactly? That is not clear. Penny Mordaunt, the international development secretary, is redeploying civil servants with expertise in disaster management to no-deal emergency planning. And Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has declared himself the world’s biggest purchaser of fridges so that the NHS has somewhere to keep stockpiles of critical medicines. He recently told colleagues that, in the event of a bad Brexit, he could not guarantee that people would not lose their lives. Choose Brexit – and you may die. They certainly didn’t put that on the side of their campaign bus.
The obvious thing to say, but worth emphasising nevertheless, is that those who willed this Brexit nightmare on our country did not reveal that it would require such costly and alarming measures. They sold it as liberation day, not doomsday. Do you recall Boris Johnson and his gang telling us that leaving the EU could mean putting troops on the street, establishing a “war room” in the NHS, emergency airlifts of medicines, leafleting every household with advice on how to cope with food shortages and deploying those with experience of dealing with the aftermath of tornadoes, epidemics and tsunamis? No, me neither. It was supposed to be a piece of cherry-topped cake, not a humiliating national calamity.
Tuesday, December 11, 2018
My friend Maia.
My friend Maia on Vimeo: "Maia Helles, a Russian ballet dancer "
Shot in Fire Island, New York, this film (4min. 23 sec) captures the secrets of eternal youth as Maia Helles, a Russian ballet dancer turns 95 but still remains resolutely independent, healthy and as fit as a forty year old.
Made by Julia Warr, artist and film maker who met Maia on a plane 4 years ago and became utterly convinced by the benefits of her daily exercise routine, which Maia perfected together with her Mother, over 60 years ago, long before exercise classes were ever invented. Set to the music of Lola Perrin.(2011)
Maïa Leah Abileah Aaron Helles
(November 27, 1916, Geneva, Switzerland - September 4, 2016, New York City)
Lover of beauty,
Dancer,
Teacher,
Mother,
Friend.
One of the first homeowners in Fire Island Pines, Maia's life was an epic stretching from her early childhood in British Palestine, through ballet school in Paris, dance with Col. Basile's Ballets Russe and at the Radio City Music Hall, study at Edwin Piscator's drama school in New York (with her good friend Elaine Stritch, and fellow students Marlon Brando, Tony Curtis and Bea Arthur). For many years, she taught movement classes based on a system developed by her mother; her students spanned generations. Maïa adored art, music and dance - for years, she was a faithful standing-room attendee at the Metropolitan Opera, as well as a fan of Edith Piaf, Ella Fitzgerald and many young artists. She found and kept friends she met on the street and the subway.
Maïa embraced her long life with joy, curiosity and love.
- https://www.facebook.com/102245773168899/photos/a.102377396489070/1163769010349898/?type=3&theater
Courtesy of Frederick Hecker.
Shot in Fire Island, New York, this film (4min. 23 sec) captures the secrets of eternal youth as Maia Helles, a Russian ballet dancer turns 95 but still remains resolutely independent, healthy and as fit as a forty year old.
Made by Julia Warr, artist and film maker who met Maia on a plane 4 years ago and became utterly convinced by the benefits of her daily exercise routine, which Maia perfected together with her Mother, over 60 years ago, long before exercise classes were ever invented. Set to the music of Lola Perrin.(2011)
Maïa Leah Abileah Aaron Helles
(November 27, 1916, Geneva, Switzerland - September 4, 2016, New York City)
Lover of beauty,
Dancer,
Teacher,
Mother,
Friend.
One of the first homeowners in Fire Island Pines, Maia's life was an epic stretching from her early childhood in British Palestine, through ballet school in Paris, dance with Col. Basile's Ballets Russe and at the Radio City Music Hall, study at Edwin Piscator's drama school in New York (with her good friend Elaine Stritch, and fellow students Marlon Brando, Tony Curtis and Bea Arthur). For many years, she taught movement classes based on a system developed by her mother; her students spanned generations. Maïa adored art, music and dance - for years, she was a faithful standing-room attendee at the Metropolitan Opera, as well as a fan of Edith Piaf, Ella Fitzgerald and many young artists. She found and kept friends she met on the street and the subway.
Maïa embraced her long life with joy, curiosity and love.
- https://www.facebook.com/102245773168899/photos/a.102377396489070/1163769010349898/?type=3&theater
Courtesy of Frederick Hecker.
Friday, December 7, 2018
Lord Heseltine’s speech to the House of Lords.
- Watch Lord Heseltine’s rousing speech to the House of Lords on Brexit | Latest Brexit news and top stories - The New European
My Lords, this debate has repeated arguments that most of us have used over many years but I do not intend to go back over any arguments that I have expressed. They remain in my mind as convincing as they have been throughout my political life.
I have to say that, of the many speeches and moments of memory in this debate, my noble friend Lord Howard proclaiming that he is not a rebel will long live in my memory. He provided the explanation that he had rebelled against his party on only three occasions. If I had risen in my place to say that I am not a rebel the place would have dissolved into hysterical laughter, but I have rebelled against my party on only three occasions.
The first was when they wanted to resist the race relations legislation of the former Prime Minister, Mr Callaghan. I revolted and the Tory party changed its mind. I revolted against the poll tax. I brought the poll tax to an end. The poll tax went and the Tory party won a subsequent general election. It is perfectly true that I defied a three-line Whip in this House over the issue of a meaningful vote. I was hauled out of my dinner with my wife in Wiltons in Jermyn Street for the poor old Chief Whip to axe me from the job that I was doing in government at the time. I say to my noble friend Lord Howard: “Be careful where you go tonight”.
My Lords, this debate has repeated arguments that most of us have used over many years but I do not intend to go back over any arguments that I have expressed. They remain in my mind as convincing as they have been throughout my political life.
I have to say that, of the many speeches and moments of memory in this debate, my noble friend Lord Howard proclaiming that he is not a rebel will long live in my memory. He provided the explanation that he had rebelled against his party on only three occasions. If I had risen in my place to say that I am not a rebel the place would have dissolved into hysterical laughter, but I have rebelled against my party on only three occasions.
The first was when they wanted to resist the race relations legislation of the former Prime Minister, Mr Callaghan. I revolted and the Tory party changed its mind. I revolted against the poll tax. I brought the poll tax to an end. The poll tax went and the Tory party won a subsequent general election. It is perfectly true that I defied a three-line Whip in this House over the issue of a meaningful vote. I was hauled out of my dinner with my wife in Wiltons in Jermyn Street for the poor old Chief Whip to axe me from the job that I was doing in government at the time. I say to my noble friend Lord Howard: “Be careful where you go tonight”.
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