Despite insistance from British Airports Authority that we need a new runway at Heathrow, air travel demand continues to fall. British Airways has announced that over one hundred workers at Gatwick have will be laid off.BA plans to operate 15 per cent fewer departures at Gatwick next summerInstead of trying to expand chaotic Heathrow and create more pollution, how about moving some British Airways flights back to Gatwick and improving access to that airport, including installing Oyster Card ... Read Full Story
Last night was Guy Fawkes Night, and our guinea pigs, Holly and Maisie were scared by the loud noises from fireworks nearby.We managed to calm them down by putting Chris Evans' Radio 2 show on for them to listen to, and they were quite happy.Any pet owners with worried animals might like to try putting the radio on -quietly, animals' ears are often sensitive - for an hour or two to distract them from loud fireworks.The radio should be a good half-metre or so away from the animals as w... Read Full Story
The Thai information ministry intends to create a national firewall blocking websites critical of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.Guardian link. Read Full Story
Iceland's central bank has increased interest rates by a massive 6 percentage points to 18pc, just two weeks after it had eased policy to soften the impact of the country's financial meltdown. More.Iceland's prime minister Geir Haarde is confident that financial aid will arrive from other Nordic states.Kreppanomics: a report in The Economist on the financial crisis in Iceland. Read Full Story
IMF chief and former French finance minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn is being investigated over alleged abuse of power involving a a subordinate.More. Read Full Story
Alfred Hermida reports on the launch of College Scholarships' third annual blogging scholarship for US citizens or permanent residents.Eligable blogs must "contain unique and interesting information about you and/or things you are passionate about" and their writers must be attending full-time post-secondary education in America.Blogs must be submitted by October 30th.More at College Scholarships. Read Full Story
To celebrate The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra's 120th anniversary, the BBC, in association with the RCO and Dutch public broadcaster AVRO is offering ten free downloads until 24 November 2008.A new download will be released each day until 24 October.The list of downloads is here. So far only 1-3 have been uploaded to the Radio 4 site. 1. Franz Schubert - Symphony no. 8 ‘Unfinished’ 2. Ludwig van Beethoven - Symphony no. 2 3. Felix Mendelssohn - Symphony no. 4 ‘Italian’ 4. César F... Read Full Story
Picking up a copy of the latest Private Eye yesterday, I noticed a letter from Jim Callaghan on the letters page.No, ex Prime Ministers aren't writing in from beyond the grave, this Jim Callaghan is the director of legal and regulatory affairs at Ryanair.The letter accuses Private Eye of breaching Ryanair's trademark, and says they will not initiate legal proceedings if the Eye donate £1000 to the charity ORBIS Ireland.It does astonish me that Mr Callaghan is being so heavy handed.Pri... Read Full Story
Gordon Brown still has the power to surprise.Peter Mandelson is expected to be made Business Secretary with a seat in the House of Lords, according to BBC News.I wonder if he'll score a resignation hat-trick. Read Full Story
English teacher Michele Ledda has alerted me to a petition he has started to protest the censoring of Carol Ann Duffy's Education For Leisure.You can also regard Michele's comments about the censorship at the Institute of Ideas Education Forum Opinion Blog and the Manifesto Club.I urge you to sign the petition. Read Full Story
