The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[Mrk]

The Tory ‘rally’ that wasn’t: these photos reveal how modern campaigning works
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2015/04/how-election-campaigning-works/

Reminds me of this:

 

[Bruce Wayne]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22682466

"Within 20 years, reductions in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes, dementia, ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and cancer because of increased physical activity would lead to savings of roughly £17 billion (in 2010 prices) for the NHS"

Plus this

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2014/02february/pages/cycling-safety-a-special-report.aspx#benefits

 

[daylightrobber]

Reminds me of this:

Which when you look at it wasn't nearly as bad as employing Andy Coulson In The Press Office.

 

[Durham Toffee]

A recent picture taken when Cameron visited a school as part of his campaign. He is reading a book to a group of school children when this happens...

Some of the caption suggestions have already been hilarious.

"So, yes, as you can see on page 174, we intend to rigorously test 4 year old children and 10 year old children and possibly make the really stupid ones keep resitting their tests until they are forced to pass or face a life of constant and assured failure..."

CAPTION COMPETITION:

 

[Mrk]

Which when you look at it wasn't nearly as bad as employing Andy Coulson In The Press Office.

They've all employed some very dodgy people in that office, to be fair.

 

[daylightrobber]

They've all employed some very dodgy people in that office, to be fair.

Aye, they have indeed.

 

[edge]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22682466

"Within 20 years, reductions in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes, dementia, ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and cancer because of increased physical activity would lead to savings of roughly £17 billion (in 2010 prices) for the NHS"

Plus this

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2014/02february/pages/cycling-safety-a-special-report.aspx#benefits

i wish they would do a lot more to make using a bike safe on roads to commute, keep fit.
Its about the only exercise i would stick to , but my bottle goes on the road, nobody seems to take you into account.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

i wish they would do a lot more to make using a bike safe on roads to commute, keep fit.
Its about the only exercise i would stick to , but my bottle goes on the road, nobody seems to take you into account.

Aye, it can be hairy, but I suppose after a while you both get used to it, but also gain a better understanding of how to position yourself safely. I was knocked off several times when I first came to London, but (touch wood) haven't had a spill now for several years.

What's the cycling infrastructure like up your way? Do you have bike lanes and all that?

 

[Clint Planet]

Piece about foodbanks in the BMJ

http://www.bmj.com/content/350/bmj.h1775

Key messages

• Expansion of food banks across the United Kingdom is unprecedented—the number of local authorities with food banks operated by the Trussell Trust has risen from 29 in 2009-10 to 251 in 2013-14
  
  
• This rise is associated with cuts to local authority spending and central welfare spending
  
  
• Highest levels of food bank use have occurred where there have been the highest rates of sanctioning, unemployment, and cuts in central welfare spending
  
  
• There is a need for strategic approach to address food insecurity in the UK, which should include monitoring and addressing the root social and economic drivers of this problem
  

 

[edge]

Aye, it can be hairy, but I suppose after a while you both get used to it, but also gain a better understanding of how to position yourself safely. I was knocked off several times when I first came to London, but (touch wood) haven't had a spill now for several years.

What's the cycling infrastructure like up your way? Do you have bike lanes and all that?

no many Bruce, think the council tried a few years back but seems to have given up, havnt seen any new ones for a while.
Must be goverment cuts

 

[Clint Planet]

Honestly can we trust the USA with open access to our markets? I do not fully believe we would have full open access to theirs.

Paraphrase... don't stand in the way of an American wanting to make a Buck!

Everything we know, all the experience we have of the USA, how it deals with external markets and the amoral, anti-competitive ways that multinationals operate screams at us not to trust them.

 

[Clint Planet]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22682466

"Within 20 years, reductions in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes, dementia, ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and cancer because of increased physical activity would lead to savings of roughly £17 billion (in 2010 prices) for the NHS"

Plus this

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2014/02february/pages/cycling-safety-a-special-report.aspx#benefits

What do these have to do with the election?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

no many Bruce, think the council tried a few years back but seems to have given up, havnt seen any new ones for a while.
Must be goverment cuts

That is a shame. I guess in London so few (relatively) have cars that there is a greater incentive to provide alternative means of getting about. So many cycle to work here, it's great to see. Where I grew up (Isle of Wight), the numbers are much less, despite it being an infinitely nicer place to ride.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

What do these have to do with the election?

Stevens says he needs to find £18bn in savings in the NHS, so I thought it relevant in that context. Of course, none of the politicians are highlighting the virtues of a healthier lifestyle, but that doesn't make it any less important (imo).

 

[Clint Planet]

Stevens says he needs to find £18bn in savings in the NHS, so I thought it relevant in that context. Of course, none of the politicians are highlighting the virtues of a healthier lifestyle, but that doesn't make it any less important (imo).

Right. For the record, I cycle four miles to work every day.