News you might have missed: October 2015

From the EU referendum to Uber, and from women entrepreneurs to Adele...

Here's the news you might have missed in October...

Politics

Vince Cable’s “After the Storm – The World Economy & Britain’s Economic Future”

http://www.libdemvoice.org/vince-cables-after-the-storm-the-world-economy-britains-economic-future-47766.html

Something to add to my xmas list

Theresa May's immigration speech is dangerous and factually wrong

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/11913927/Theresa-Mays-immigration-speech-is-dangerous-and-factually-wrong.html

Shock --> The Telegraph attacks Teresa May Justifiably so in my opinion

It's Theresa May - not immigrants - who's really damaging Britain
http://www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2015/10/06/it-s-theresa-may-not-immigrants-who-is-really-damaging-brita

"Put simply without immigration our debts would be bigger, our NHS would have far fewer staff and we would have an even greater deficit."

I agree with Tim

Why the EU out campaign should be worried about science
http://www.theguardian.com/science/political-science/2015/oct/09/why-the-eu-out-campaign-should-be-worried-about-science?CMP=share_btn_fb

Vote "Remain"

Nigel Farage faces investigation over use of EU money

http://peterblack.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/nigel-farage-faces-investigation-over.html

Couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke…

UK pulls out of £5.9m Saudi jail deal
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34518706?SThisFB

The right decision

Student general election impact below expectations
http://wonkhe.com/blogs/student-general-election-impact-below-expectations/

Some interesting points about the lack of impact of student voters

Uber's High Court victory could spell the beginning of the end for London cabbies
http://www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2015/10/16/uber-s-high-court-victory-could-spell-the-beginning-of-the-e
Looks inevitable

‘The Mayor Is A F—ing Addict!’
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/10/rob-ford-book-drugs-alcohol-213259

An amazing account of working with Rob Ford, former Mayor of Toronto

Heart on the left, head on the right: the contradictions inside the SNP
http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/devolution/2015/10/heart-left-head-right-contradictions-inside-snp

Interesting...

“In any other country, the SNP would be on the right: it’s just that the peculiarities of Scottish politics mean they’re viewed as being on the left,”

The minister in charge of the legal highs bill doesn’t understand his own legislation
http://www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2015/10/20/the-minister-in-charge-of-the-legal-highs-bill-doesn-t-under

Breaking news: Minister doesn't know what he is talking about shock!

Camila Batmanghelidjh’s dubious psychotherapy credentials
http://unsafespaces.com/2015/10/21/camila-batmanghelidjhs-dubious-psychotherapy-credentials/

The downside of "psychotherapist" not being a protected title is that anyone can claim to be one...

Chancellor reminds House of Lords that ‘accidents will happen’
http://newsthump.com/2015/10/27/chancellor-reminds-house-of-lords-that-accidents-will-happen/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=socialnetwork

LOL “They’re entitled to their opinion, and of course I’ll listen,” said the Chancellor, stroking an enormous white cat in a darkened room."

Emperor Palpatine Elected To The City Council In Odessa
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/10/27/emperor-palpatine-elected-city-council-odessa_n_8399638.html

What the actual...

US warns Britain: If you leave EU you face barriers to trading with America
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/oct/29/us-warns-britain-it-could-face-trade-barriers-if-it-leaves-eu?CMP=share_btn_fb

Confirmation that a Brexit would damage our economy

How science helped to swing the Canadian election
http://www.theguardian.com/science/political-science/2015/oct/21/how-science-helped-to-swing-the-canadian-election
If only that happened in the UK…

Poppers ‘should be exempt’ from crackdown on legal highs, MPs say
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/10/23/poppers-should-be-exempt-from-crackdown-on-legal-highs-mps-say/
I doubt the government will listen…

The Conservatives deserve little sympathy for their defeat on tax credits
http://www.economist.com/blogs/bagehot/2015/10/oh-lord?fsrc=rss
Totes agree

LGBT

Lloyd's of London chief tops LGBT executive power list
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34577438?SThisFB

As ever, I look at these lists and feel like an underachiever...

Do you think of Scotland as a gay vacation hotspot?
http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/do-you-think-of-scotland-as-a-gay-vacation-hotspot/
Yes…

Coming Out and Competition - A Gay Man's Retrospective
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/tamal-ray/tamal-bake-off-coming-out_b_8416634.html
On masculinity and Bake Off…

Education

Sajid Javid’s blueprint for BIS heightens fears for research funding http://www.theguardian.com/science/political-science/2015/oct/01/sajid-javids-blueprint-for-bis-heightens-fears-for-research-funding?CMP=share_btn_fb

Change is coming to BIS and English HE

Meeting the equality challenge in a changing environment
http://wonkhe.com/blogs/meeting-the-equality-challenge-in-a-changing-environment/

More change to HE in England

Students awarded £100,000 over rat-infested housing
http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/oct/16/ucl-students-100000-compensation-strike-demolition-rat-accomodation
In University accommodation!!!

AC Grayling says end 'closed shop' for new universities
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-34638283?SThisFB

It is right that there are some threshold requirements before an organisation can award their own degrees

Glasgow Caledonian University New York campus has no degree students
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-34654279?SThisFB

Approvals take time...

Is Scotland's university shake-up meddling or modernising?

http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/2015/oct/21/is-scotlands-university-shake-up-meddling-or-modernising

Sounds like a bit of both…

Jo Johnson: your proposals for HE will not yield the competitiveness you seek
http://wonkhe.com/blogs/jo-johnson-your-proposals-for-he-will-not-yield-the-competitiveness-you-seek/
A detailed challenge to the Minister’s thinking

Science

Samsung TVs appear less energy efficient in real life than in tests
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/01/samsung-tvs-appear-more-energy-efficient-in-tests-than-in-real-life?CMP=share_btn_fb

First it was VW cars, now Samsung TVs are under suspicion

How to be a data scientist at a non-profit
http://mathbabe.org/2015/09/30/guest-post-how-to-be-a-data-scientist-at-a-non-profit/

Data scientists work for good causes as well as big business...

5 Women Entrepreneurs You Probably Don't Know About--but Should
http://www.inc.com/kimberly-weisul/you-really-should-know-about-these-five-amazing-women.html

First-born children ‘up to 20% more likely to develop short-sightedness’
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/oct/08/first-born-children-up-to-20-more-likely-to-develop-short-sightedness

I didn’t stand a chance… ;-)

Entertainment

Stephen Fry steps down as QI host
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-34528586?SThisFB

End of an era

3 New Promo Teasers for STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
http://geektyrant.com/news/3-new-promo-teasers-for-star-wars-the-force-awakens

Looks better than the Phantom Menace (so far)...

Absolutely Fabulous movie starts shooting with Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news/a674421/absolutely-fabulous-movie-starts-shooting-with-jennifer-saunders-and-joanna-lumley.html

Can't wait!

Adele - Hello
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQHsXMglC9A&feature=share

The new Adele single is awesome, with a moody sad ABBA-style video to go with it too.

X Factor vs Strictly Come Dancing 2015: Everything you need to know about the BBC and ITV's ratings battle
http://beta.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/the-x-factor/feature/a667220/x-factor-vs-strictly-come-dancing-2015-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-bbc-and-itvs-ratings-battle/

X Factor is losing the ratings war...

Adele to film BBC One special with Graham Norton
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-34638507?SThisFB

The promotional tour continues...

The search is on for the new Milk Tray Man. Could it be you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-RiQaw5OBs&feature=share

Unfortunately I won't be in the country during the casting session... ;-)

And finally…

What Do These Gay Slang Terms Mean?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgnZ_gOM_BY&feature=share

I hadn't heard of some of these but then again I'm not american...

Lessons from going to the gym
http://viewfromtheshire.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/lessons-from-going-to-gym.html

I made a little list: Things I have learnt from going to the gym this year

An American Was Shocked When His Facebook Observations About England Went Massively Viral

http://www.buzzfeed.com/alanwhite/everything-comes-with-chips?utm_term=.afkwVNJkWy

"Cake is one of the major food groups" True

Are You A Fluent Scottish Twitter Speaker
http://www.buzzfeed.com/hilarywardle/scottish-twitter-quiz?utm_term=.fjxWvlJR4w

12/12! I have picked up a few phrases over the years...

A Model Completely Destroyed The Runway At A Fashion Show And It Was Everything
http://www.buzzfeed.com/nickguillory/this-runway-model-completely-dominated-a-fashion-show-and-it?utm_term=.yflVJypE24

You better werk...

Britain brought to standstill by Gin shortage
http://newsthump.com/2015/10/28/britain-brought-to-standstill-by-gin-shortage/

Not mentioning any names...