A Timely Reform by Ian Ridley

Blog & web site of Ian Ridley

April, 2010Archive for

Labour are “done in Harborough”

Monday, April 12th, 2010

Labour’s prospective candidate for Harborough appears to think that knocking on doors in Corby is a better use of his time that supporting his own campaign here.

A Tweet from the Labour PPC on Saturday read:

“Done in Harborough, now off to join @peterbowers, @Gavinlambert in Corby #labourdoorstep”

I cannot blame him given that they have come 3rd in every election since 1979.

On May 6th Harborough, Oadby & Wigston will elect a Lib Dem MP or a Tory MP. Labour appear to appreciate  this and are spending their time in a nearby marginal seat in Northamptonshire.

Hat-tip to Liberal England

A rare sighting of Mercury

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

I saw the planet Mercury for only the second time on Sunday evening. It’s a tricky planet to spot as it stays so close to the Sun on our sky and is only seen just after sunset or sunrise.

For the next week or so the brilliant “star” that is the planet Venus points the way. Venus can been seen low in the west just after sunset. At around 8.30pm or after you should be able to spot fainter Mercury to the right of Venus. A clear gap in the clouds is the main problem to seeing it.

3 Shuttle Flights left

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

photo - NASA/Ben Cooper

Discovery launched at 11.21am our time on Easter Banks Holiday Monday. It was the last night-time launch of a Space Shuttle and means there are just 3 flights left before the Shuttles are retired.

There are 3 women astronauts aboard Discovery. This means that there will be a record of 4 women in space at the same time. The 3 on discovery will join their collageu of the International Space Station (ISS) when Discovery docks with the ISS on Wednesday.

If you are up in the early hours you can see Discovery and the ISS as they cross the UK’s night sky. The best view is around 5.30 am on 14th April. More details at Heavens Above.