a good meal

Went out with friends last night for a second visit to The Harrow Inn at Ightham. Very good meal in a relaxing atmosphere. I started with a 'Kent smokie' followed by a prawn curry. The restaurant is not difficult to find but it is tucked off the A25 and at the moment the turning off the A25 to it is blocked by work on the replacement of water pipes but there is a sign, the turning before, directing you to the pub.
I would recommend it for a meal although not cheap, about £30 per head.
Today, will see The Observer publish the first of its lead up articles to our internet event, about Murdoch's MySpace going into China, http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,,2083984,00.html and mentioning our event!

dependency on technology!

Today was an example of how dependent we are on technology. At around lunchtime we had a loss of power closely followed by an inability to pump water and therefore flush toilets! Rumour has it that a building had collapsed somewhere close by which had cut the power, but at the time of writing i still don't know that as fact.
We soon had our dependency reiterated, all contact information and telephone numbers on the pc, the inability to send and receive e mails or type! I hope it wasn't a foretaste of what will happen on 6 June for our internet event!
Starting to get acceptances for 6 June which is exciting and i hope that we will fill the auditorium with a good mix of politicians, ngos working on freedom of expression and internet repression in particular, student and other activists, bloggers, a few company representatives and civil servants.

'some people think the internet is a bad thing'

Nick and i were really pleased by the end of last week with the great mix of speakers we have for our 'some people think the internet is a bad thing' event on the evening of 6 june see the following link for more details, including a trailer for the event by clark boyd bbc technology correspondent who has kindly agreed to chair the event http://www.amnesty.org.uk/events_details.asp?ID=405
It's certainly proving good fun in pulling together the event and we are getting good help from Amnesty Offices in the US and Europe who are hosting several 'live' contributers to the event in addition to those who've pre-recorded their contribution and are appearing 'live' in London.
If you have the opportunity to listen in it will be webcast live on the evening of 6 June at http://www.amnesty.org.uk/webcast
Most interesting has been picking up the spread of media coverage on the issue of 'internet repression and censorship' from around the world. We hope in the near future to add a 'news hub' to the campaign's website http://irrepressible.info/
If you haven't signed up to the campaign already, please do so, and join over 66,000 people.

goodbye Bliar

At last having waited for what seems years, the day has finally come and Bliar has formally announced when he's going. That gives me two significant calendar dates in the coming months - 27 June for Bliar's departure and 1 July no more smoking whenever i eat out - hooray!
I think the aspect that i found harder and harder to bear with Bliar was the religious zealotry. His view that if he sincerely believed something to be right then that was all that mattered, the rest of us were supposed to fall in line and accept his decision, became harder and harder to take.
He also has an unfortunate smirk which makes it seem as though he's saying i've 'screwed you lot again and you are too dumb to notice'! That smirk mixed with the unfortunate smile of Cherie make them appear to be two of the most insincere people in public life that i can think of.
As for Brown, according to people i have known in the Treasury over recent years, he is archetypal 'dour management man' intolerant of those who don't agree with him and very dismissive of those who are not in his very tight and closed team of associates. Will he be able to appear to have any humanity and be able to communicate effectively remains to be seen.
He will find himself faced by Bliar 2, otherwise known as Eton Boy/Cameron.

the lincolnshire countryside

Sunday saw us go up with friends to a 'scandinavian type house' on a golf course in lincolnshire at belton woods. We went via a delightful 'gastropub' at clipsham in rutland called 'the olive branch' http://www.beechhouseclipsham.co.uk/editorials.asp?d=2&c=17 it also has a b&b opposite 'the beech house'.
The food was excellent, once we had got over the small problem of having booked 'the olive branch' in huddersfield, west yorkshire! Fortunately they managed to fit us in!
Today saw some rain for the first time for several weeks but my friends managed a round of golf, which unfortunately i was unable to join them in playing as i damaged my left elbow whilst practicising for the first time for 15+years! Serves me right!
Anyway it was pleasant to walk the course with Keith and Roger, who both enjoyed themselves. Roger played particularly well, with Keith also hitting some good shots and a poor tree on one occasion, when he found his ball very close to the tree's trunk!
Ali and the others are staying up until thursday.