Trudy’s "Inside Out" story

I’ve written about the bravery of Trudy Lapinskis before. Well tomorrow tonight, those living in the East will be able to hear her courageous story on BBC1′s “Inside Out” programme at 7.30pm. I spoke to Trudy this week and for the first time I have known her, she admitted to being in pain following a recent operation, yet she still hardly complains, despite the...
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Tom Paine, Blogpower’s finest philanthropist

Within two days of writing about Gordon Brown’s refusal to waive the airport tax for a visit by young children from Chernobyl, Blogpower’s finest philanthropist, Tom Paine, has kindly paid this money himself. He has paid £960 out of his own pocket – an extraordinary gesture of compassion and goodwill. I’m sure his namesake would be very...
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Climate change, the questions

I am attending a major debate on climate change at the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge tomorrow. I will be meeting David Buckland who runs the Cape Farewell project. He has spent the past seven years trying to capture public attention on climate change by leading expeditions to the sub-zero wild and beautiful Arctic on his 100-year old Dutch schooner ship. There are still many...
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Council staff trained as law enforcers

I am a non-smoker, but there was a time when I was a fag-ash Lil and would puff away on 20 or more Rothman’s a day, even the odd Gaulois, until my constant coughing and hacking forced me to quit.  I feel so much better for it too, but I have no objection if others choose to fritter away several hundreds of pounds a year on the weed. However, their choice of smoking venues...
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