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Tag Archives: Elections
The "NOTA = Tory government" Fallacy
September 7, 2016 Comments: 4
One of the most prevailing myths that comes up time and again when talking to people who oppose inclusion of a formal 'None of the Above' (NOTA) option on ballot papers, is the idea that it would somehow ensure a victory for the Tories every time if implemented in the UK.
This argument is flawed on a number of levels.
Firstly, and most importantly, it fails to acknowledge what NOTA represents. NOTA is the ability to formally withhold consent and reject all that is on offer at an election. It is essential to be able to do this in any true democracy. I have written at length about why NOTA is a democratic pre-requisite, how there is currently no similar formal mechanism in the UK and why NOTA is therefore achievable many times before. (If you disagree with any of these premises I would politely suggest that you follow the hyperlinks, to begin with, and re-examine your understanding of consent in relation to voting and democracy!).
Once it has been accepted that NOTA is 100% essential in any true democracy, it becomes impossible to argue against it without arguing against true democracy itself, no matter what form your opposition to it takes. Essentially, if you are truly pro-democracy, then you have to also be pro-NOTA, if both concepts are properly understood, even if you perceive its presence on the ballot box as unhelpful in terms of what you want to see happen at an election. To oppose NOTA and claim to be pro-democracy is, quite clearly, a contradiction in terms.
The second problem with the 'NOTA = Tory government' argument is that it assumes that the biggest problem with our system of government and electoral system is the prospect of it delivering a Tory government in the first place. It isn't.
The problem is neo-liberalism and the corporate oligarchy masquerading as democracy that it inevitably leads to. The differences between a future 'Blairite' New Labour government and a traditional Tory one would be negligible at best. If we've learned anything from Tony Blair's experiment it should be that.
The prospect of Jeremy Corbyn going into a general election, having successfully transformed the Labour party into something anti-neo-liberalism and genuinely progressive, certainly makes things interesting. If this occurred, many of the millions of politically engaged but disillusioned people in the UK, who would otherwise abstain, spoil their ballots in disgust or formally vote NOTA if they could, would undoubtedly vote Labour and probably swing the election. I can understand then, from that point of view, the logic of not having anything on the ballot that could take votes away from Corbyn and prevent this happening, even if the absence of NOTA remains completely undemocratic.
But how likely is that scenario really? Assuming Corbyn hangs on to the leadership and leads Labour into a general election, what are the chances, honestly, of him genuinely having transformed the Labour party by then, and by extension, the way that a UK government goes about its business?
The status quo in the UK has prevailed for the longest time. It is much more likely that his power as Prime Minister, in a system that will still be set up primarily to facilitate a corporate oligarchy masquerading as a democracy, would be severely limited at best. The extent to which the enemies of all that Corbyn represents, even within his own party, have gone to undermine him and prevent Labour from evolving thus far speaks volumes. It is reasonable to assume that they intend to persevere and ramp up their opposition the closer he gets to becoming Prime Minister – and beyond.
In a true democracy, of course, this would not matter. Those enemies would not have any power in the first place, having been filtered out by a democratic process that allows for true manifestation of the will of the people administered by community minded, qualified representatives only.
But the UK system is categorically NOT a true democracy. It will remain a corporate oligarchy masquerading as one, regardless of who is seen to be in power in Westminster, all the while the electoral system and the system of government it underpins are specifically designed with that in mind.
Just as likely, if not more so, as Corbyn getting into power only to find himself shackled to an immovable, fundamentally corrupted system, is the prospect of him being ousted one way or another before then and replaced with a 'business as usual' neo-liberal candidate, alienating all those who would otherwise have been compelled to vote expecting real change. At which point, we will all be back to square one.
It is not good enough to simply play along with apparent developments and hope for the best.
In order to fully democratise the UK system of government, or any corrupt system of government, the general public first need to remove powerful, vested interests from politics altogether and ensure that their elected representatives, who have the power to make and repeal legislation, are truly qualified, community spirited people only.
Many would say this is an impossible task and that some kind of compromise is in order. But this flies in the face of systems thinking. If a system is failing to deliver its officially stated purpose – in this case, truly democratic governance (we all know that isn't the aim, but that is how it is officially presented) – it must be made fit for purpose i.e. significantly reformed or replaced. Continuing to engage with the failing system as it is and expecting a different result is clearly madness.
The 'go to' reform that comes to mind at this point for most people in the UK is Proportional Representation (PR). I have spoken and written at length elsewhere about why I consider this to be a red herring. That is not to say that PR is not a desirable improvement or that the current First Past The Post (FPTP) system isn't deeply flawed. It is simply a question of what is, and isn't, achievable in the current corrupted paradigm.
Even with PR in place – unlikely to happen any time soon in my view – it would essentially be a compromise with an already totally corrupted system, rather than a way of getting to the root of the problem. The enemies of true democracy might be hampered by PR, but they certainly wouldn't be defeated.
The question, then, is what does get to the root of the problem? The answer (as I'm sure you were expecting!) is NOTA.
Because NOTA, if implemented properly, would be a way of completely undermining the control that various agents of oligarchy, both inside and outside Westminster, currently have.
The very prospect of a party or candidate coming second to more people rejecting everything on offer would, in time, organically level the playing field, as no party will want to take that risk. It would be far too damaging and embarrassing, they would have no choice but to understand and engage with NOTA voters and put forward appropriate candidates with appropriate policies and, crucially, mean what they say or face blanket rejection next time around at the ballot box.
For this reason, providing the option to formally reject all that is on offer to millions of non-voters, not to mention the millions more who tend to vote begrudgingly for the lesser of several evils at elections (including many Tory voters), in a way that would affect the result if a majority did so (by triggering by-elections and/or a re-run general election if NOTA ever 'won') would be a truly transformative step – and that's before anyone has even cast a vote. From there, all manner of further democratic reform would be that much more possible. Without it, it is difficult to see how or why anything will significantly change for the better.
Crucially, the reform of NOTA is achievable, as I alluded to earlier and have spoken about at length elsewhere. It remains, therefore, the logical starting point and leverage point for all reformists and progressives genuinely wanting to transform a corrupt system of corporate oligarchy into a true democracy.
The problem is not the Tories, or the 'Blairites' or even the fact that our electoral system favours two main parties over all others. The problem is this:
It matters not who is in power in a system of oligarchy masquerading as democracy, that system will always be working against the interests of most people and in the interests of rich and powerful elites, while having the gall to present itself as a paragon of democracy.
It is this corrupted system that needs to change, if a truly democratic and sustainable system of governance is ever to be achieved. And if it can't be changed, then it must be dismantled and replaced.
The question, then, is how? Logically speaking, the answer, to begin with, is NOTA.
Thanks for reading. Follow these links to find out more and get involved:
An Open Letter to Caroline Lucas MP
July 23, 2016 Comments: 2
Dear Caroline,
I am writing to you in my capacity as founder of the electoral reform campaign group NOTA UK, campaigning since 2010 for a formal 'None of the Above' (NOTA) option to be added to ballot papers for all future UK elections.
In my view, as much as Proportional Representation (PR) advocates are keen to downplay this, the recent defeat of your bill regarding scrapping First Past The Post (FPTP) in favour of PR shows that we are actually no closer to achieving this than we ever have been. Clearly, this is because it remains the case that the two pain parties will never give up their FPTP advantage as things stand.
In a system that is all about securing a majority of seats, as opposed to a majority of votes, PR is an ideal, not an essential democratic pre-requisite. NOTA, however, is 100% essential in any true democracy, representing as it does the all important ability to formally withhold consent and reject all that is on offer at an election in a formal, binding way.
As such, NOTA would be achievable with enough public understanding of this fact, and with enough people calling for it, because to argue against it is to argue against democracy itself, once both concepts are properly understood.
In my view, the EU referendum result, widely perceived as more of a general protest vote than a coherent rejection of the EU, clearly indicates that there is a demand for a NOTA option on ballot papers and that people would make use of one if they could. The very presence of such a thing would change everything. It wouldn't even have to attract the most votes and 'win' (triggering by-elections) to be effective, although clearly provisions for this eventuality would have to be put in place. Parties would be terrified of coming second to a body of people formally rejecting all that is on offer because it could destroy them. They would therefore have to adapt their policies and candidates accordingly and stand by them fully to attract genuine support. In such a climate, further reforms like PR would be that much more achievable.
Currently PR is nothing but a red herring. The real cause should be getting NOTA on ballot papers before the next general election because it is an achievable game changer. In our view, the sooner PR advocates wake up to this and get on board with NOTA UK's campaign the better.
As you know, the Green party recently adopted getting NOTA on ballot papers as party policy (although you call it Re-Open Nominations (RON) potentially confusing and muddying the issue – I would push for changing this to the more self-explanatory NOTA), but are not very vocal about it, focussing instead on unwinnable PR. In my humble opinion, this needs to change, urgently.
If the Green Party and all other PR advocates were to get fully behind our NOTA campaign and commit to educating the general public about the need for it, we could get NOTA in place in no time as a government concession to keep the peace. This, as you know, is how all giant leaps forward in politics are achieved, like votes for women and the creation of the welfare state. They were not benevolent gifts bestowed from on high, but necessary concessions to an increasingly aware and vocal public. So could it be with NOTA.
For this reason, I honestly believe that getting NOTA on ballot papers is the next logical step towards universal suffrage, followed closely by PR. But it has to be in that order, otherwise, to be blunt, we are all just pissing in the wind, for the reasons outlined above.
I would be more than happy to meet with you to discuss the matter further and/or act as a consultant to help formulate Green party policy with regard to NOTA. Much more information about our campaign can be found on our website: http://www.nota-uk.org
Feel free to contact me via any of the contact details below. I look forward to hearing from you.
Systems thinking, leverage points and the immovable logic of NOTA
If you can see the flaws in a broken or knowingly deceptive system, it makes literally no sense whatsoever to make use of that system as it is and expect the outcome to change.
All this can ever achieve is legitimisation of that system and assurance that the inevitable outcome it produces will persist unchallenged.
The only viable solution to that problem is to either replace the broken and/or deceptive system with one that actually does do what it is supposed to (or claims to) or fix whatever is preventing it from doing so.
In the case of most nation state's current electoral systems, by far the most significant and obvious flaw is that they claim to be democratic but in reality can only ever deliver oligarchy masquerading as democracy. If you doubt this, you should probably read up on the 2014 study jointly conducted by Princeton and Northwestern universities that proved beyond doubt that the United States is officially an oligarchy.
Among those who acknowledge it, this problem can seem largely insurmountable. But if you approach it the right way, this is far from the case.
Within faux-democratic electoral systems such as that of the US and the UK, the most glaring and most addressable problem is the total absence of a mechanism that enables voters to formally withhold consent and reject all that is on offer in a way that can actually effect the result if enough people choose to do so.
It is essential to be able to do this in any true democracy because, at its core, true democracy is about people consenting to be represented in government by whoever they collectively choose to elect. But consent is only measurable if it is possible to withhold consent. The act of consenting and endorsing candidates / parties (by voting) is formal and binding, so the act of withholding consent and rejecting must be formal and binding also in order to be valid. Not voting or ballot spoiling / 'writing in' are meaningless, informal acts that in no way equate to this.
The only way to do this properly is with a formal, binding 'None of the Above' (NOTA) option on ballot papers.
Because it is essential to be able to do this in a democracy, all the while the game of the powerful is to present oligarchy as democracy, NOTA is an achievable reform – or rather would be, if enough people understood it and were calling for it as the democratic pre-requisite that it is. To argue against NOTA, in those circumstances, would be to argue against a central pillar of democracy itself, thus allowing the facade to crumble.
Therefore, it follows that with enough pressure, NOTA could become a government concession to keep the peace and avoid all out, overt tyranny (notoriously costly, in many ways, and nigh on impossible to sustain), as opposed to voluntary, covert tyranny (the self-sustaining goal and inevitable outcome of oligarchy masquerading as democracy).
Once in place, with the prospect of blanket, formal rejection hanging over every party and candidate, NOTA would have the power to trigger further organic reform of any broken and/or deceptive electoral system it has infiltrated, towards one that is truly democratic.
But without this first step, nothing can ever change for the better in such systems as things stand.
From a systems thinking point of view, campaigning for and securing a formal, binding NOTA option on ballot papers in the first instance is literally the most logical and viable solution to the problem at hand. It is the most accessible leverage point at which meaningful intervention can occur. (More on systems thinking and leverage points here).
NOTA is not the be all and end all, but it remains the logical starting point for defeating oligarchy and kick-starting true democracy, once the true nature of that problem is fully understood. For this reason, it should be the priority of any and all progressives, reformers and true democrats at this time.
You can find out more and get involved with NOTA UK's campaign here: nota-uk.org
Response to George Monbiot's piece: "Neoliberalism – the ideology at the root of all our problems"
Today, The Guardian published an article from writer and activist George Monbiot seeking to demystify and critique neoliberalism, the prevailing economic doctrine of the last 50 years.
You can read it here. It's a very good piece. My only small gripe is that it doesn't fully explore one very important fact: that the system of government that ultimately prevails under neoliberalism will inevitably be oligarchy masquerading as democracy, and any electoral system underpinning such a system of government will inevitably become nothing more than a facilitator of oligarchy that actively prevents actual democracy occurring.
This is one of the most urgent problems we face as a species, not just in the UK and the US but around the world. Monbiot correctly states in his piece: "It's not enough to oppose a broken system. A coherent alternative has to be proposed." This is no more true than when applied to our broken electoral system and system of government (broken if one accepts that the goal of each is, and always should be, actual democracy).
And yet, last time I checked, George remains one of the 'you must go out and vote' crowd at general election time, even though, as acknowledged in his piece, people who don't engage at the ballot box "feel, often correctly, they have no voice or role to play in the political establishment".
How could you not feel that way, when you understand that the system is set up so as to ensure that only one of two establishment parties can ever form a government or call the shots in coalition, and each will always be answerable to the oligarchs, regardless of how progressive and well intentioned the new man or woman at the helm may personally feel inclined to be?
The reality is that as well as having an alternative to a broken system for when it dies, you also have to be actively trying to either put that system out of its misery or fix what is broken about it so that it becomes fit for purpose. If you simply engage with that system as it is and expect it to reform itself, you're going to be disappointed. Unfortunately, that is all that putting one's faith in the likes of Jeremy Corbyn or Bernie Sanders when they snap in to focus amounts to as things stand.
Most proposed reforms of our electoral systems either do little to address this problem or are completely unachievable all the while the only parties calling the shots have nothing at all to gain from implementing them. Proportional Representation in the UK for example. PR is not seen as a democratic pre-requisite but as an arguable democratic improvement. As such, calls for it can always be paid lip service to then roundly ignored by those who have the power to make it happen but nothing to gain from doing so. Why on earth would they do anything else?
Until such time as it is possible to formally reject all that is on offer at the ballot box in a binding manner, thus finally giving a voice to the disaffected silent majority who currently either don't vote at all or begrudgingly vote tactically for the lesser of several evils at elections, nothing is likely to change.
A formal, binding #NoneOfTheAbove option on ballot papers remains the logical, systemic starting point for democratising any corrupt system of government. Mainly, because it is achievable. It must be possible, in a supposedly democratic system built upon the idea of people consenting to be governed (by voting – a formal act), for people to withhold that consent formally if they so choose, and in a way that can affect the outcome if the majority do so. Ballot spoiling and abstaining are informal acts that in no way equate to this. #NOTA is the only thing that does. It can therefore be shown that NOTA is 100% essential in any system claiming to be truly democratic.
If enough people understood this and were calling for it, NOTA would eventually become an inevitable government concession to keep the peace, just as votes for women and all manner of democratic advancements have before it. Then, and only then, with the prospect of mass public rejection and the power that comes with that, will it be possible for progressive politicians and parties to truly put the general population and society as a whole first, ahead of their corporate puppet masters. And only then will it be possible to put forward any meaningful opposition or alternative to the cult of neoliberalism.
The bottom line is this: Corbyn/Sanders or no Corbyn/Sanders – NOTA remains the leverage point at which we will start to truly turn things around. I look forward to George and others one day finally concurring with me on this and joining the movement.
You can find out more and get involved here.
#ResignCameron – And Other 'Rock & a Hard Place' Scenarios
Unfortunately, as entertaining as it all is, the only thing Cameron resigning over the Panama Papers 'revelations' will achieve is the ruination of his beloved legacy. A worthy karmic outcome, perhaps, but nothing more than a sacrificial scalp.
If we had a truly democratic system where an election could be called early if necessary (it can't, the Tory imposed Fixed Term Parliament act prohibits this) and there were truly progressive parties unshackled from the utterly corrupt world of high finance that can actually win under First Past The Post (there aren't, despite Corbyn's apparent 21st century credentials Labour is still crawling with Blairite/Thatcherite Cameron clones while FPTP renders all other parties largely cosmetic), then the PM's resignation would mean something.
As things stand, celebrating the knives out for Cameron, as satisfying as this is, is really just playing into the hands of those who would seek to oust him from within his own party and take over the reigns. Boris Johnson, IDS, Theresa May etc.
In other words, it's a sh*t sandwich, as always. Our faux-democracy is incapable of offering up anything else.
Until we are able to get big money and vested interests out of politics altogether and create a system of actual democracy, any apparently seismic changes are bound to be temporary and cosmetic in reality.
Regular viewers will know where this is headed…
The first logical step in creating such a system is to give people the power to utterly reject FORMALLY (currently impossible) all that is on offer at the ballot box. An official, binding #NoneOfTheAbove (NOTA) option, in other words. It is a democratic pre-requisite to be able to do this.
Alongside grass roots activism and self-education about the way things really are and how they really could/should be, #NOTA ought to be a top priority for all progressives, as it remains the systemic leverage point by which we can begin to build a truly democratic and representative system of governance. An also useful (in my view) switch to Proportional Representation (PR), despite recent signs of an opposition alliance forming to achieve it, remains an unlikely first step all the while the big two have a vested interest in the continuation of FPTP. NOTA, by contrast, would be achievable now if enough people understood it to be the 100% essential democratic check and balance that it is and were calling for it as such.
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A cross party alliance on Electoral Reform – minus NOTA?!
February 14, 2016 Comments: 2
Much is being made in alternative and more progressive mainstream media of the cross party electoral reform alliance that appears to be forming. Clearly, this has implications for our None of the Above (NOTA) campaign. So, in the spirit of solidarity and open debate, here's my thoughts on the matter.
I believe this alliance to be a long overdue step in the right direction. However, the focus of the alliance appears to be firmly on getting Proportional Representation in place by 2021 – after the next election.
As things stand, by 2020 the Conservatives will most likely have rigged the game even more in their favour via boundary changes and in doing so further cemented their position. As undemocratic and dishonest as this is, it is entirely possible to do this in our current system. As such, it is likely that the current government could remain in power, even in the face of widespread, nationwide opposition after the 2020 election.
The government of the day, even one with a weak majority, still always has a virtual monopoly on the power to pass legislation. Or not pass it, as the case may be. And in the case of PR, the fact remains that, as desirable as it may be, it can still always be argued by its opponents that it is a non-essential democratic 'optional extra' and that the current system is 'democratic enough', given that our parliamentary system hinges on seat share, not vote share, regardless of the voting system used.
All the while that is the case, I fail to see how PR is achievable. I keep reading that this cross party alliance will lead to PR, even if the government of the day is vehemently opposed to it. How so? I'm happy to be proved wrong on this. If there is a way, that the incumbent government would be powerless to stop, I'd very much like to know what it is.
Either way, a formal NOTA option remains achievable before 2020, with enough understanding and support for it, as it remains essential in any true democracy to be able to formally withhold consent, and is therefore impossible to argue against without arguing against democracy itself. For this reason, with or without PR, NOTA must be there. If, as I suspect, PR remains unachievable in reality, regardless of how much support there is for it (for the reasons stated above), then NOTA would remain the logical starting point.
With that in mind, it would make lots of sense in my view if this cross party alliance began looking into the need for NOTA and considered making it a stated goal alongside their long term plan for PR. I, and I'm sure others from NOTA UK, would be more than happy to advise and facilitate in this regard.
The Green Party of England & Wales is the only party currently who has acknowledged the need for NOTA and adopted an appropriate policy towards it. I believe this cross party alliance presents an opportunity for us to build on that progress and will be contacting members of the alliance in due course to see where they stand on the issue.
Getting NOTA on UK ballot papers now official Green Party policy!
November 24, 2015 Comments: 2
So – it took a while but the Green Party of England and Wales have now finally got back to me with full clarification of where they stand on the issue of NOTA. Here is the email in full:
"Dear Jamie,
Thanks for your email, which has been passed on to me in my capacity as
GPEW Policy Development Co-ordinator.
I'm pleased to confirm that the relevant policy chapter, Public
Administration https://policy.greenparty.org.uk/pa.html
was amended at our most recent conference and that section of text now
None of the Above/Re-open Nominations (RON) option
PA310 All ballot papers should allow electors to Re-Open Nominations
(RON) if they are not satisfied with voting for any of the nominated
candidates. Ballots lacking this option provide no valid way to register
non-consent in an election. If the RON option meets the threshold under
the rules of the election then nominations should be reopened and a
second election should take place for the position/s within a period of
two months. This process will continue until a winner is announced, with
the previous incumbent continuing in their role until a threshold is
met.
I appreciate the offer to work with us on improving this policy
position (and I do recognise that 'RON' and 'NOTA' are not the same
thing, as is implied by the current heading), but the reality is that
under our current policy process any member has the right to bring a
policy motion to conference, as long as three other members are prepared
to give it their support and it is posted on the pre-agenda forum of the
members' website by the stated deadline. No consultation outwith the
party is currently required.
I'm sure you will agree with me that this really isn't a satisfactory
situation as there are many campaigning organisations that have a lot to
offer us as we seek to improve our policies, and I hope that you'll be
heartened to hear that Policy Committee are working on a new policy
process which has far more emphasis on truly effective consultation.
This has to go to spring 2016 conference for approval – if it is adopted
we will then be in a position to up our game quite considerably in terms
of making it much more worthwhile for proposers of motions to engage in
genuinely meaningful consultation.
So, the fact that you did not hear back from Natalie or Caroline is a
reflection of the fact that they were both inundated with communications
from members of the public in the run-up to the election – and also
perhaps that they have no more power to change our policy than any other
individual member. Neither of them were involved in the Democratic
Reform motion which came to the Autumn 2015 conference.
If you are willing to be put in touch with the Democratic Reform Policy
Working Group I'd be happy to effect an introduction, and this would
then lead into work to improve our position on RON and NOTA along the
lines you suggest.
I look forward to your further thoughts.
Sam Riches
GPEW Policy Development Co-ordinator"
This is great news for our campaign as it means that a comparatively small, but nonetheless influential, mainstream party has:
a) recognised the need to be able to formally withhold consent at an election
b) adopted a baseline policy addressing this need and
c) stated that they are keen to work with NOTA UK to develop the policy going forward.
When the time is right we now intend to make the case for honing the policy so that it focuses specifically on getting a formal 'None of the Above' option on ballot papers and nothing else.
We feel that in any system, a clear, self-explanatory and unambiguous NOTA option is essential. It would function as RON in practice if ever evoked, but would not need to be explained to people not used to election terminology as RON would. For this reason, we feel NOTA is by far the better option when it comes to national elections as we believe that most people won't want to have to think about the mechanism and logistics of rejecting all that is on offer. They just want to be able to reject, formally and unambiguously, and to know that it counts for something. In that regard, NOTA trumps RON every time.
In light of the Green Party's endorsement of NOTA, we will of course be contacting all the other mainstream parties again in due course to try to clarify where they stand on this democracy defining issue.
Stay tuned. Onwards!
"Room for a View: Democracy as a Deliberative System" by Simon Burall of pro-democracy think tank Involve
While the NOTA UK electoral reform campaign inevitably regroups between elections, I highly recommend that all our supporters familiarise themselves with the work of pro-democracy think-tank Involve, in particular its recent publication "Room for a View: Democracy as a Deliberative System".
Among many other salient points, one argument it puts forward is that there is much more to a healthy, functioning, true democracy than voting in a general election every five years and that focussing alone on electoral reform is therefore not enough. I have always held this view myself, with the caveat that all the while an electoral system, the ultimate say that the public has over who is in power, is largely sewn up and monopolised by an anti-democratic elite, reforming it remains as high a priority as anything else, as whatever else is going on outside of that framework, the ultimate power to legislate and enforce policy can only ever remain in the same self-interested hands, negating any positive progress being made elsewhere.
The report also suggests that the focus within the electoral reform movement is not necessarily always correct when this wider context is taken into account. It has long been my contention that campaigning for desirable but not necessarily essential changes to the voting system as a whole (such as PR), in the context of a system where those monopolising it are the only ones with the power to change anything, is the definition of futility. Especially when there is a much more logically sound approach available.
A formal, binding 'None of the Above' (NOTA) option on ballot papers, by contrast, would be achievable once it is properly and widely understood as the democratic pre-requisite that it is, as to argue against it is to argue against a central pillar of democracy itself, namely consent and the concurrent need to be able to withhold it (which in the context of elections must be formal as consenting by voting is formal). Whatever else is going on outside of the electoral system, until such time as the electoral reform movement as a whole wakes up to this reality and refocusses its efforts on the only achievable reform with real potential to enable further reform, no meaningful progress is likely to be made in this area.
In my view, the kind of progressive, deliberative democracy that Involve's report outlines would have to incorporate a bona fide, binding NOTA option on ballot papers. With that in mind, I'll be reaching out to Involve in the coming weeks to see where they stand on the specific issue of getting NOTA on ballot papers as part of a broader effort to fully democratise the UK political system.
ERS Report: A Response to Andrew Rawnsley
May 31, 2015 Comments: 4
On 31st May 2015, The Guardian website published an article titled 'The real reason David Cameron is sitting on a Commons majority', written by the award-winning political commentator and critically-acclaimed broadcaster and author Andrew Rawnsley.
It is, in my view, the most accurate and honest assessment I have read of the political landscape in the UK both before and after the 2015 general election, in which the Conservatives were able to form a government with a tiny majority of 12 seats in parliament.
Rawnsley's article – which pre-empted and referenced a now published Electoral Reform Society (ERS) report on how and why the 2015 general election has produced the most disproportionate result in British election history – is excellent, not least of all because he concludes by laying bare the futility of pushing for Proportional Representation (PR) in a landscape where the only parties that can ever call the shots under First Past The Post (FPTP) have nothing to gain from introducing it.
The current system always delivers a majority of seats in parliament one way or another, so it can always be argued that it is democratic enough, even though it patently isn't. Calls for ditching FPTP in favour of PR can therefore always be ignored, all the while only beneficiaries of the current system are the ones in power. Which is always and forever, as things stand.
And yet, inexplicably, simply calling for PR remains the central strategy of the ERS and most other reformists at this time. It's maddening.
What Andrew sadly doesn't go on to discuss – and what the ERS seem unable to grasp – is that the way to achieve democratic reform in such a landscape is to go back to basics, figure out what else is missing and determine what is actually achievable. When you sit down and do this, the solution presents itself.
There is only one reform that would be achievable now with enough support for it. It is achievable because it represents a democratic pre-requisite, a mechanism that is essential in any system of government claiming to be a democracy, one that should have been there all along and that cannot be argued against without arguing against democracy itself, once it is properly understood.
It is the ability to formally withhold consent and reject all that is on offer at the ballot box. The key word there is formally. Consent is central to the concept of democracy but only measurable if it is possible to withhold it. In the context of elections, consenting (voting) is a formal act. The withholding of consent, therefore, must also be formal for it to be meaningful. But it is currently not possible to do this in the UK. Abstaining and ballot spoiling are ambiguous and informal acts that can never affect the result in any way, even if practised by a majority, so neither in any way provides this essential mechanism.
The only way to formally withhold consent at an election is by including an official None Of The Above (NOTA) option on ballot papers with formalised consequences for the result if a majority make use of it.
If this mechanism were in place, the very prospect of a party being beaten by more voters actively and visibly rejecting all that is on offer would force all parties to lift their game and compel them to represent more voters in the first place, organically cleaning up the whole process and levelling the playing field considerably. From there, the chances of further democratic reform towards PR would be greatly improved. Without NOTA in the first instance, how is PR or any other democratic reform ever going to occur? Seriously, how?! It can't. Not in the current landscape. NOTA, by contrast, would become inevitable if enough people were calling for it as the democratic pre-requisite that it is.
For this reason, NOTA remains the ground zero of electoral reform upon which all other democratic reform could be built. Far from being a 'cop out', it is the next giant leap on the road to universal suffrage.
Even the Political & Constitutional Reform Committee (PCRC) – now abolished by David Cameron – were beginning to understand and accept the significance of NOTA. Thanks to our lobbying and a sizeable positive response to its consultation on 'voter engagement', the PCRC felt compelled to recommend in its February 2015 report that the next government consult before May 2015 solely on inclusion of NOTA on ballot papers. This was due to the clear demand for it and the perceived positive impact that it would have on voter engagement.
Just because the PCRC is no more, there is no reason to give up on NOTA or any of its other recommendations. If anything, it is time to step up the fight. But we must be realistic and not waste our energies lobbying turkeys to vote for Christmas. For the reasons stated, NOTA is the achievable 'square one' for any and all democratic reform of the UK's system of government.
Electoral reformists like the ERS continue to ignore this game changing, logical starting point for democratic reform at their peril – and to the detriment of us all.
You can support NOTA UK's campaign for achievable electoral reform by signing our petition here and by following and subscribing to us via these social media links:
NOTA vs the Red Herring of PR
The 2015 UK general election saw a majority Conservative government elected with the support of less than a quarter of the voting age population, leading to renewed calls for a change from the First Past The Post (FPTP) voting system to a form of Proportional Representation (PR).
This is the new majority Conservative government's response to these calls for PR (click to enlarge):
The Electoral Reform Society can correct the false assertions as much as they like. The government's position is not going to change. This is why campaigning for PR as the catch all solution to the problems of our failing 'democracy' is the wrong approach.
NOTA UK's detractors have made similar false arguments against inclusion of a formal 'None Of The Above' (NOTA) option on ballot papers in the past. But when confronted with the irrefutable argument that NOTA is an essential pre-requisite in any system claiming to be a democracy, they literally have nothing to say. Because it is impossible to dress opposition to NOTA up as a pro-democracy argument, once its true significance is understood. Whereas PR can always be refuted in seemingly pro-democracy terms.
That's the difference.
For this reason, NOTA would be achievable as an unavoidable government concession with enough widespread understanding of and support for it. PR never will be all the while only entrenched beneficiaries of FPTP are in power – which is always and forever as things currently stand.
Once in place, by virtue of giving a potential voice to literally millions of currently silent and unrepresented voters, NOTA would level the playing field considerably and pave the way for further democratic reform.
Consequently, NOTA remains the ground zero of electoral reform upon which all other democratic progress could be built.
Get involved and help us spread the word here: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/inclusion-of-an-official-none-of-the-above-option-for-all-uk-elections-2


As Britain's big freeze continues, politicians, transport bosses and meteorologists are wrestling with a big dilemma over how to keep people safely on the move.
Some suggest we should get used to severe winter weather after a second bout this year and invest heavily in more robust transport options, while others say that is money badly spent.
Car buyers are also struggling with the same question, with interest in 4x4s increasing over the last few weeks, but there can be big sacrifices to make on emissions, and therefore tax, fuel consumption and insurance costs for an occasional need.
Thankfully, there is a sensible option that gives drivers enhanced driving ability in poor conditions and is affordable, economical and comfortable in every-day use. It is the Peugeot 3008 Crossover fitted with Peugeot's innovative Grip Control.
Grip Control consists of an intelligent traction control system and special Mud & Snow 'All Weather' tyres, a compromise between full Winter Compound tyres and Summer Compound tyres. Grip Control automatically improves the vehicle's traction on difficult surfaces such as snow, mud, dirt tracks and wet grass.
The system works with the vehicle's ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) to maintain the best possible traction from both front wheels. It has five selectable operating modes which can be chosen by the driver from a dedicated control mounted on the centre console.
In Standard mode, the vehicle's ESP system is calibrated for typical grip levels found on normal road surfaces, where there are low levels of wheel slip.
Snow mode adapts the system to gain the best traction from each of the front wheels when the car is pulling away. As the car increases speed, the system constantly tweaks the traction control to maintain acceleration in the face of variable grip conditions. The system returns to Standard once you are over 31 mph.
All-terrain mode copes with mud, dirt tracks and wet grass by allowing a high level of slip on the least stable wheel when pulling away to remove excess mud and improve grip. At the same time, the wheel with the strongest grip level is given as much torque as possible. As the system is electronically controlled the torque offset between the front wheels can be as much as 100 %, well beyond normal limits for a limited slip differential. As the car gains speed, the system continually optimises wheel slip to give the driver the best possible control over the vehicle up to 50 mph.
Sand mode allows slight wheel slip on both drive wheels simultaneously, to allow the vehicle to make headway and reduce the risk of getting stuck in the sand. Here again, the control provided by this mode is superior to that of a limited slip differential (LSD). In this mode, Standard mode kicks in automatically above a speed of 75 mph.
There is also an ESP Off setting, which disconnects ESP and Grip Control up to 31 mph, giving full control to the driver. Above this speed, "ESP Standard" mode is selected automatically.
Peugeot's Grip Control option also includes the standard fitment of 215/60 R16 Michelin Latitude Tour HP "Mud & Snow" tyres, which are suitable for off-road use. These tyres have special 'StabiliGrip' blades within the tread pattern that can lock together to maintain good tread contact with the driven terrain, whatever challenges it poses.
Grip Control gives the Peugeot 3008 Crossover a great all-round ability in snow, mud and sand, as well as providing excellent towing and carrying capabilities for outdoor activities in better weather, making it a genuine car for all seasons.
And, when the weather changes the system has none of the disadvantages with regards to increased weight and emissions of a standard mechanical 4x4 system.
Peugeot's Grip Control is available as standard on the Peugeot 3008 SR Crossover and as a £470.00 option on the Peugeot 3008 Sport and Exclusive HDi 112 & HDi 150 Crossover models.


text:
Anthony Comstock (* 7. März 1844 in New Canaan in Connecticut; † 21. September 1915) war zunächst oberster Postinspektor und später ein viktorianischen Moralvorstellungen verbundener Politiker in den USA.

Biografie

Comstock kam in New Canaan in Connecticut zur Welt. Er diente auf Seiten der Union im amerikanischen Bürgerkrieg und arbeitete anschließend beim YMCA in New York City. Kurz vor und nach der Präsidentschaftswahl 1872 trug er in großem Maße dazu bei, dass die Kandidatin Victoria Woodhull wegen Versendung obszöner Artikel in ihrer Zeitschrift Woodhull & Claflin's Weekly mehrmals kurzzeitig inhaftiert wurde.

1873 begründete er die New York Society for the Suppression of Vice (Gesellschaft zur Unterdrückung des Lasters), die die Abbildung einer Bücherverbrennung auf ihrem Siegel führte. Es gelang Comstock im selben Jahr, einen Kongressbeschluss für die sogenannten Comstock-Gesetze zu erwirken, die obszöne Materialien von Literatur bis zu Verhütungsmitteln vom Postversand ausschlossen.

George Bernard Shaw machte den bereits 1895 in der New York Times geprägten Ausdruck Comstockerei (Comstockery) bekannt. Comstock hatte die New Yorker Polizei auf Shaws Theaterstück Frau Warrens Gewerbe (Originaltitel: Mrs Warren's Profession, 1894) aufmerksam gemacht. Shaw bezeichnete Comstockerei als einen Dauerwitz zulasten der USA:  Comstock bezeichnete Shaw umgekehrt als "irischen Schlammhändler". Comstocks Begriff, was als obszön zu bezeichnen sei, war recht breit und verhinderte gelegentlich auch den Versand von Werken der Anatomie an Medizinstudenten.

Comstock war Ziel bedeutender Kontroversen und unter anderem auch persönlicher wie körperlicher Attacken. Er erhielt Unterstützung unter anderem von kirchlichen Gruppen. Anerkennung fand er durch sein radikales Vorgehen gegen Korruption. Es gelang ihm, die Louisiana State Lottery Company aufgrund von Korruptionsvorwürfen zu schließen, die bis dato die einzige staatliche Glücksspielstelle in den USA gewesen war. Indirekt gehen damit die heutigen Indianerkasinos auf Comstock zurück, weil die US-Ureinwohner von den Glücksspielverboten ausgenommen sind.

Nachwirken
Comstock soll unter anderem 15 Tonnen Bücher, knapp 150 Tonnen Bleidruckvorlagen und über 4.000.000 Bilder vernichtet haben. Comstock behauptete von sich selbst, 4000 Verhaftungen und 15 Selbstmorde verursacht zu haben.

Bekannt wurde unter anderem der Fall der esoterischen Autorin und Frauenrechtlerin Ida Craddock (1857–1902), deren Abschiedsbrief vor ihrem Selbstmord vor allem Comstock gewidmet war, den sie nicht zu Unrecht als persönliche Nemesis empfand. Comstocks Konflikte mit Emma Goldman und Margaret Sanger wurden mehrfach verarbeitet. Er wurde vom späteren FBI-Chef J. Edgar Hoover zum Vorbild genommen. Bereits 1927 erschien eine erste Biographie Comstocks. Das Buch Anthony Comstock: Roundsman Of The Lord (dt. Milchmann oder auch Pfarrknecht des Herrn) wurde von Heywood Broun und Margaret Leech und der Algonquin Round Table veröffentlicht.

Zitat
 Ludwig Marcuse: "Viele Comstocks der letzten hundertundfünfzig Jahre versuchte man in Schach zu halten, indem man ihnen das magische Wort 'Kunst' entgegenstreckte – wie dem Teufel das Kruzifix."

Widerhall in der Populärkultur
 Nennung in The Alienist von Caleb Carr
 Nennung in F. Scott Fitzgeralds Roman The Beautiful and Damned
 James Branch Cabells The Judging of Jurgen entstand als Antwort auf eine Zensurmaßnahme Comstocks
 Marge Piercys Roman Sex Wars stellt Comstocks als einen Hauptcharakter dar
 Cameoauftritt in Jack Finneys Roman Time and Again
 Comstock Films, eine Filmproduktion für erotische Dokumentationen, wurde nach Anthony Comstock benannt
 Figur in George Orwells Roman Keep the Aspidistra Flying von 1936
 filmisches Porträt (durch Rod Steiger) in dem Fernsehfilm Choices of the Heart: The Margaret Sanger Story
 Antagonist in Annalee Newitz Roman The Future of Another Timeline

Veröffentlichungen
 Frauds Exposed (1880)
 Traps for the Young (1883)
 Gambling Outrages (1887)
 Morals Versus Art (1887)

Literatur
 Anna Bates: Weeder in the Garden of the Lord. Anthony Comstock's Life and Career.  Lanham, Maryland, University Press of America, 1995, ISBN 0-7618-0076-X (englisch).
 Nicola Beisel: Imperiled Innocents. Anthony Comstock and Family Reproduction in Victorian America. Princeton University Press, Princeton 1997, ISBN 0-691-02779-X (englisch).
 Helen Horowitz: Rereading Sex. Battles over Sexual Knowledge and Suppression in Nineteenth Century America.  Knopf, New York, NY 2002, ISBN 0-375-40192-X (englisch).
 Ludwig Marcuse: Anthony Comstock, eine Kreuzung aus Barnum und McCarthy. In: Ders.: Obszön – Geschichte einer Entrüstung. S. 165 ff.
 Amy Sohn: The Man Who Hated Women: Sex, Censorship, and Civil Liberties in the Gilded Age. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York 2021, ISBN 978-1-250-17481-9 (englisch).
 Andrea Tone: Devices and Desires. A History of Contraceptives in America.  Hill and Wang, New York, NY 2001, ISBN 0-8090-3817-X (englisch).
 Amy Werbel: Lust on Trial : Censorship and the Rise of American Obscenity in the Age of Anthony Comstock. Columbia University Press, New York 2018, ISBN 978-0-231-54703-1.

Weblinks
 Anthony Comstocks Gesetze
 Comstockery, Contraception, and the Family: The Remarkable Achievements of an Anti-Vice Crusader
 Biographie

Einzelnachweise

Mitglied der Demokratischen Partei (Vereinigte Staaten)
US-Amerikaner
Geboren 1844
Gestorben 1915
Mann

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Babysitter Sonya Lee® and her baskets of adorable puppies and kittens add even more fun and discovery to your Little People® busy day. They're the perfect addition to any of the Little People® play sets (sold separately and subject to availability).
Includes: Sonya Lee, Basket of Puppies and Basket of Kittens.


By two separate decisions rendered on 26 October 2016, the EU General Court rejected applications to register as EU trade marks the word sign CAFFÈ NERO and a figurative sign containing the same words.
Registration was sought for classes 30 and 35, which relate to tea, coffees, biscuits and confectionery, and retail store services and retail services connected with coffee respectively. The applications were rejected.
Caffè Nero argued that the term "caffè nero" has no meaning either in Italian or in Italian coffee culture. Coffee is, in fact, referred to by using a specific name, not by reference to its colour.
The EU General court rejected the argument and stated that the public concerned would immediately perceive, without further reflection, that the goods are or contain black coffee or taste like that, and that the services relate to the sale and promotion of those goods.
It was thus decided that the marks applied for would be perceived as a direct and obvious reference to the nature of the goods and of the services relating to the goods. The court ruled that the marks were devoid of any distinctive character and added that the public may be even deceived into thinking they relate only to black coffee even if, in actual fact, this was not the case.
When applying to the EUIPO applicants must consider carefully how a mark is likely to be understood in the language of a member state and avoid words that are merely descriptive and are not distinctive.
For queries in relation to commercial matters, please contact the partner at Hunters having responsibility for your legal matters, or for new enquiries please contact Cécile de Lagarde or another member of our Business Services Team.


Hawaiʻi Public Radio Week coincides with the start of a historic program realignment on HPR's two stations. On February 14, for the first time, HPR-1 and HPR-2 will broadcast two separate and distinct formats. The group of frequencies collectively known as "HPR-1," which have long carried the popular drive-time news magazines from National Public Radio, will focus on news and information programming, augmented by local and national talk shows, as well as entertainment, jazz, blues, and world music. Alternatively, HPR-2 has been dubbed "your home for classical music" and, as of the 14th, will provide an uninterrupted classical music environment 24 hours a day. Detailed program schedules may be found at hawaiipublicradio.org.
The realigned schedules have provided HPR a variety of new programming opportunities. Flagship programs "Morning Edition" (on HPR-1) and "Morning Café/Morning Concert" (on HPR-2) have each been extended by half an hour. New programs have been added, including the widely syndicated midday news program from WBUR and NPR "Here and Now" (HPR-1), as well as a new HPR-produced music program "Classical Pacific" (HPR-2), which will feature the orchestras, opera companies, and classical artists of the Pacific region. The entire suite of local talk programs, from the public affairs/arts and culture show "The Conversation" to the showcase of Hawai'i's tech industry "Bytemarks Café," will enjoy encore broadcasts in order to make them accessible to more radio listeners.
The mobile application was developed by Public Media Apps and, besides live streaming, gives on-demand access to individual stories and programs (including some no longer carried on HPR). The app also includes a donation link which gives the user the option to immediately connect to the station via phone or online form.
Programming and re-branding decisions were made after analysis of data made available to HPR from National Public Radio, audience measurement services, a membership survey conducted by Hawai'i research and consultancy firm SMS, and multiple "town hall" meetings with station constituents. The logo was designed by Noa Emberson of Onward Creative.
The station has a corps of "phone concierges" available to answer listeners' questions about the program realignment. Special hours for these phone lines at (808) 955-8821 are listed at hawaiipublicradio.org. Comments and questions may also be submitted online at bit.ly/hprrealign.


Kurt Gidley has revealed he seeked advice from his brother Matt before making the switch to Warrington Wolves.
The 33 year-old has put pen to paper on a one year deal with the Wolves, with the option of extending it further into 2017.
Gidley is one of eight new faces at the Halliwell Jones stadium, with Warrington looking to improve on their 6th place finish in Super League.
The Australian revealed that he had spoken with Matt, who had a succesful spell at St Helens between 2007-10, about the benefits over making the move to England.
"I'd spoken to Matt right through his time at St Helens, I'm great mates with Danny Buderus, who spent three years with Leeds, and with Joey, who came over here and spent time with Warrington," Gidley told the St Helens reporter.
"They are three guys who I always go to to seek some advice from in all different parts of life, and I know I'll get an honest answer from them.
Gidley is in new surroundings for the first time in his career, having spent his whole time in the NRL with Newcastle Knights. At 33 years of age, Gidley insists that he isn't over here for one last pay packet.
"My mindset is the complete opposite. I had a great career at Newcastle but I was ready for a change – I grew up there and played my whole career there," he said.


text:
Making America Great Again | Without Government
Added by Carol Miller on August 6, 2018.
Tags: Limited Goverrnment, Richard Colman
By Richard Colman
Thirty to forty years ago, America seemed to be facing inevitable decline.
Around 1979 to 1981, there was inflation, unemployment, high interest rates, and a lackluster stock market.
American companies like General Motors were not making quality cars. Japan, it seemed, was going to take over the world's economy, especially in auto manufacturing and electronics.
Then, in the 1980's and beyond, America's self-confidence improved. The nation went from a feeling of malaise and inadequacy to a belief that America was a country that could get the job done and keep its people free.
On August 2, 2018, something important happened. Apple Inc., located in Cupertino, California, became, in the words of The Wall Street Journal, " . . .the first U.S. company to surpass $1 trillion in market value . . ." Apple, the Journal said, " . . . is the world's most valuable public company . . ."
Apple succeeded by offering consumers such exciting products as the iPhone, the iPod, and the iPad. Earlier, Apple was known for making computers for personal use.
And, along with Apple, other science and technology companies grew, in recent decades, into economic behemoths. Their names of these companies are Amazon; Facebook; Google; Microsoft, and Intel. (The full list is much longer.)
How did this rise of new, dynamic companies occur? The answer can be found in something unique about America. This great nation offers its people personal freedom and individual opportunity. No other place in the world can offer what America can.
Instead of the government's running everything and squelching freedom, individuals in America have consistently had liberty. Think of names like Thomas Edison; Alexander Graham Bell; the Wright Brothers; Samuel F.B. Morse; Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Jeff Bezos. And let's not forget the names of such Founding Fathers as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. (There is not enough space here to list all of America's great people.)
In the twentieth century, two American presidents saw the connection between American vitality and keeping the corrosive forces of government intervention in check.
One was President Ronald Reagan. The other was President Bill Clinton.
In his first inaugural address as president, Reagan said, " . . . government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." Reagan went on to say, "We're not, as some would have us believe, doomed to an inevitable decline."
Bill Clinton, in his 1996 State of the Union address, said, "The era of big government is over." During his presidency, America produced four balanced federal budgets in a row. The Dow Jones Industrial Average went from 3,000 to almost 12,000.
During Reagan's and Clinton's years as presidents, America boomed as never before. Reagan was president from 1981 to 1989. Clinton served a Commander in Chief from 1993 to 2001.
America has its problems. Prices keep rising. Not enough people can find work that pays well. The educational system in many parts of the country is failing. There is excessive violence against people and private property.
But despite these difficulties, American still has its freedoms — freedoms guaranteed in the nation's Constitution. Americans should never forget that they have freedom of speech, assembly, and worship. Also crucial is freedom of the press.
Losing freedoms will lead to America's decline. Keeping America free will ensure the nation's present and future greatness.
Let's hope that freedom, in America, will last forever.
Richard Colman is the founder and president of Biomed Inc., a biotechnology, publishing, and informatics company. He is a biochemist and earned masters and doctoral degrees from the University of California at Berkeley. He lives in Orinda, California.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Hyslop Congratulates Linlithgow Photographers on Press Awards
23Oct 2017 by admin
Local Linlithgow MSP, Fiona Hyslop has congratulated Andrew West and David Johnstone on their achievements at the Scottish Press Awards 2017. Andrew won second prize in the reportage category for his pictures of Linlithgow Marches Day and David Johnstone came first in the Politics 1st Category.
The pictures were displayed for the Festival of Politics at the weekend and will remain at Holyrood until January.
"I am very pleased to see two Linlithgow photographers gaining national recognition for their work. Marches Day in Linlithgow brings the whole town together and it is great to see the spirit and character captures in Andrew West's magnificent photographs at the Scottish Parliament.
"All the winning images including the photographs taken by Andrew West and David Johnstone are displayed in the public area of the Scottish Parliament and are available to go and see until the end of January, I would highly recommend a visit to see the display in person."


When it comes to the question of your baby's comfort and well being, you just cannot compromise. So is about buying bassinets. Bassinets are the place where you will keep your little angel while sleeping, so it has to be soft, safe, and fabulously comfortable.
There is no exception that you will buy the best product for your baby but before that you need to know what the experts' bassinets recommendations are. Let's explore.
No matter if you have thought about wooden, plastic, or metal bassinets, safety is of paramount importance for the bassinets you will purchase. Different types of bassinets are available in market but you need to check the models which are safe for the baby's stay on it.
So before you purchase a bassinet you must check its safety features like if there are lockable wheels or wheels with brakes, strong construction, and slide proof for equal weight distribution. Also you should check for the gaps in its construction so the baby cannot trap his toe or finger in them.
Surely, you want to see you baby to sleep peacefully in front of your eyes. That's why you will surely prefer the bassinet to be portable enough so that you can take it from one room to another easily.You should check the portability of the baby bed to that extent so that you can take it outdoor easily.
Little babies are extremely cute no doubt, but they are expert in making messy situations with their unpredictable leaks. If anything happens with your baby, you have to clean the bassinet properly before placing the baby again there to sleep. So it has to be 100% wash friendly and quick dry product. Also you must have the provision to replace the bed affixed there if by chance the bed gets damaged or your baby fails to enjoy the comfort of the bed fixed there.
For the new moms finding all the baby gears at night can be a daunting task, but if you have a small underneath shelf or two mega pockets in the bassinet, you can keep all the essentials for your instant access. At the time off purchase the model, you much check its storage provision, which can be a stress reliever for you at least for the first few months.
Check if you can rock the item so that your baby can sleep with pleasure and comfort. Some models come with the option of playing music for the baby's entertainment, which can be an additional advantage of using it.
Wide varieties of bassinets are available in market but unfortunately all models are not sturdy enough. Apparently all models may look safe and well-built but don't go on its look. Check a few features that will come handy at the time of use.
According to real life moms' bassinet recommendation, depth enabled items are better option for baby sleep at night. The depth reduces the risk of baby's falling down, which can be extremely dangerous.
Bassinets that are built with flat bed or less depth cannot provide complete security for the kid sleeping there. Before purchasing a bassinet for your newborn, always check its depth and the stability of the bassinet. It will ensure your complete peace of mind.
A canopy attached to the bassinet may look good but aesthetic look is not the only functionality. It helps in providing a shade against light at night so that the baby can sleep comfortably without any photo stimulation. It works as a good shade in case you take it outdoor.
For these functionalities, fixed canopy is a wonderful option whereas frilled or draped canopies may make the baby suffocating because of their dense drapes and heavy texture. So, hard canopies are better for bassinet no doubt although frilly canopies look better. Now choice is entirely yours!
Babies grow out quickly so bassinet, whatever is its price, will turn useless after few months. So check the budget before you buy. You must check the features narrated here but the most suitable one should be within your budget.
These are the basic points you need to remember at the time of buying a bassinet for your newborn. It is always good to count on existing users' bassinet recommendation, so that your purchase can be suitable, comfortable, and cost efficient in terms of its functionality.
After all it is all about the comfort of your baby where you have never thought of any compromise. Based on the suggestions while you will start your online search, we wish you a happy shopping experience for buying your baby's bassinet.


Popular with local dog walkers, this is a great break from the autoroute for drivers, dogs and everyone. The paths are wide and easy to follow, and the forest is a delight.
If you're staying in the area, this is a walk to come back to - there are many different routes to explore once you get to the 'crossroads' in the forest at the end of the first long path.


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rbST Free: Does not contain the artificial growth hormone rbST (according to the FDA, no significant difference has been shown between milk derived from rbST treated and non-rbST treated cows). Since 1918. Ultra-pasteurized. Farmer owned cooperative guaranteed quality. It's how we measure ourselves. Every scoop, cup, dip, tablespoon and dash. It's farmers owning the company. It's cows loving their farmers. It's rbST free milk. It's the thickest sour cream, the cookingest butter and the best cottage cheese in the world. It's your cooking the most tantalizing, mesmerizing, freakishly great tasting food in your life. It's farm meets delicious. It's farmalicious. Thank you for choosing Darigold. Half and half, equally amazing. It should be called best and best. Half and half is half amazing and half even more amazing. It takes the plain and ordinary and makes it deliciously extraordinary. It's creamy and creamy, mixed with dreamy and dreamy. We're always rolling out great recipes. See what we're cookin' up at www.Darigold.com/recipes. Facts from the Farm: Cows spots are like fingerprints. No two cows have the same spot pattern. Whoa! Whys this Half & Half last so long? Fresher - longer - better, that's our half & half motto. This half & half is ultra-pasteurized (UP) and simply means that is was heated to a higher temperature making it stay fresh longer than regular jug half & half. Enjoy! Grade A. Homogenized. www.Darigold.com. A gluten free product. Facebook. Pinterest. Twitter. You love cows? You want mooooore cool activities? Like us on Facebook.
Ultra pasteurized. Grade A. Homogenized. USDA Organic. Oregon Tilth Certified Organic. Lactose free. We never use: antibiotics; GMOs; toxic pesticides; synthetic hormones. Organic is always non GMO. We give our animals the greenest pastures and they give you delicious cream. Pasture-Raised with Love: In a way, cows are like kids - the more time outside, the better. Our farmers send their cows out into lush, organic pastures for fresh air, exercise and grazing (weather permitting, of course). Stir in Some Lactose Free Love: Wake up your morning brew and enrich your favorite recipes with our delicious lactose free half & half. It's a wholesome mix of organic milk and cream from the pastures of our family farms. Then, we simply add a natural enzyme to break down the lactose and do the work some digestive systems can't. Just stir it in to add rich flavor and lush texture to your coffee, sauces or desserts. Always Handled with Care: Cows are part of our family and respect for animals is part of how we do business. Our 57 quality checks ensure your cream arrives tasting as fresh as can be. You wouldn't put them on your table, so we never use antibiotics, synthetic hormones, toxic pesticides or GMOs. From Our Family to Yours: Like you, we care about how food is grown, how it tastes and how healthy it is for all living things. In your backyards and all across the country, we are your neighbors, a national cooperative of real farmers growing real food the right way. Find an OV farm near you at: ov.coop/farmer. From our family farms to you, distributed by our farmer-owned cooperative, Organic Valley, La Farge, WI 54639. Try our other delicious organic products: butter, cream, half & half, eggs, cheese and soy. Thank you for choosing our products and sharing in the organic movement. Become an OV farm friend at www.organicvalley.coop. Our cows are social and so are we! Facebook. Twitter. Pinterest.
A blend of almond milk & coconut milk. 50% more calcium than dairy milk (Silk Almond Coconut Blend: 45% DV calcium; 2% reduced fat dairy milk: 30% DV calcium. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 26. Data consistent with typical 2% reduced fat dairy milk). Dairy, gluten & soy-free. 50 calories per serving. Taste buds, prepare for take-off. Almond and coconut, together at last - love it for the flavor and so much more: 50 calories per serving; 50% more calcium than dairy milk (Silk Almond Coconut Blend: 45% DV calcium; 2% reduced fat dairy milk: 30% DV calcium. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 26. Data consistent with typical 2% reduced fat dairy milk). Go ahead and give it a whirl. Visit silk.com for recipes and inspiration! Silk is sur to please your palate. Put a little love in your day. Discover the perfect balance of almond and coconut flavors. In a glass, over cereal or in a smoothie, it's pure bliss guaranteed. And if you don't agree, we'll give your money back. Promise. Visit Silk.com/LoveIt or call 888-820-9283 for a full refund. Limit two refunds per household per year. Proof of purchase may be required. Love it guarantee or your money back. Honest to goodness - a promise from Silk. For more than 15 years, we've brought you simple, delicious food. And the philosophy behind it is simple, too: Start with ingredients that are grown responsibly and keep them as close to nature as we can. Today more than ever, we want you to know exactly what that means. No artificial colors. No artificial flavors. Dairy-free. No high-fructose corn syrup. Responsibly produced. It's free! Silk Almond Coconut Blend is free of dairy, soy, gluten, lactose, cholesterol, eggs, casein, MSG and worries. Silk employs stringent allergen quality control procedures in all of our manufacturing facilities. To learn more, visit us at Silk.com/Allergens. Recyclable. Facilities may not exist in your area. Visit Silk.com/Recycle to see if recyclable in your area.
Think about your drink, fat free half & half. Q: what is Darigold fat free half & half? A: Darigold fat free half & half is a real dairy product. It's 100% oil free and the main ingredient is milk. It's a new product from Darigold made especially for people who want to cut fat and calories from their diet without sacrificing taste. Q: Can Darigold fat free half & half be substituted for traditional half & half? A: yes. Darigold fat free half & half tastes rich and creamy like traditional half & half, and can be used in your coffee or on your cereal. Q: What about cooking and baking? A: Darigold fat free half & half will perform well in most of your favorite recipes. In case you're looking for something new, we've created some quick and easy to prepare dishes just for this product. You can find the recipes on our web site. Kosher dairy. Grade a, ultra pasteurized, homogenized. Farmer owned.
Fortified with vitamins & calcium. 11 g protein. Cooked just right. Did you know EdenSoy is eco friendly? It begins on USA organic family farms where all the soybeans are grown using no harmful chemicals. Organic farming builds living healthy soil. After making EdenSoy the hulls and mash go to organic farms for feed. What's left over goes back to the bean growers as fertilizer. EdenSoy needs no refrigeration in shipping or storage, meaning far fewer green house gases. Please recycle. Earth friendly. Eden's meticulous tracking and audited records guarantee this food's purity. OCIA Certified Organic. The Extras in EdenSoy: Vitamin B12: Rare in the vegetable kingdom essential to good health. Beta Carotene: The antioxidant that becomes Vitamin A when metabolized. Vitamin E: A powerful antioxidant: ours is derived from soybeans. Vitamin D2: The vegetable kingdom version for good Calcium assimilation. Calcium: The mineral for teeth, bones, muscle and nerve functions. Only whole bean soy protein. Tested GEO free. Naturally occurring isoflavones 69mg/serving. No refined sugar. Dairy and lactose free. Heart healthy (Diets low In saturated fat and cholesterol that include 25 grams of soy protein a day may reduce the risk of heart disease. One serving of EdenSoy extra original provides 11 grams of soy protein). Organically grown double certified.
Unpasteurized soybean paste. New look! USDA organic. Non-BPA packaging. Naturally aged by the Amano family, traditional master Miso makers for 3 generations. Using techniques brought from Japan, our mellow miso is handmade and fermented up to 16 weeks. Mellow Miso is not pasteurized - a slight swelling of the tub may occur. No preservatives or coloring added. Vegetarian. Certified organic by Quality Assurance International (QAI). Questions or comments? Call 800-434-4246 or visit www.westbrae.com. No preservatives or coloring added. Product of Canada.
Coconut Dream Original Enriched Coconut Drink. New. Gluten free. 3x more Calcium than the leading brand+. All natural, made with real coconut. Vitamins A, D, B12 & Calcium. MCFAs support metabolism*. +Coconut Dream contains 300mg Calcium per serving. The other leading brand contains 100mg Calcium per serving. See nutrition information for saturated fat content. *Comprised of 3.8g Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFAs) per serving - a form of fatty acid which is more readily metabolized than long chain fatty acids. About this box... This shelf-stable packaging protects flavor, nutritional value and maintains freshness and quality without preservatives or refrigeration! And it stores conveniently in your pantry, unopened, up to one year! For more environmental information on shelf-stable packaging, please visit www.tetrapakusa.com/environment. Creamy & Delicious. Coconut Dream is a dairy free dream come true - all natural, lactose free, made from real coconut, and enriched with Vitamins A, D, & B12, and 3x more Calcium than the leading brand.+ It's a natural source of energy providing 3.8g Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFAs) per serving. MCFAs are more readily metabolized than long chain fatty acids, and ultimately support metabolism.* Coconut Dream's creamy, refreshing flavor makes it a great alternative for your favorite recipes. It's delicious and nutritious-so pour it over your cereal, chill it and enjoy it by the glass, or mix it with fruit or other ingredients to create a delicious, energizing smoothie. Questions or comments Call 800-434-4246. www.TasteTheDream.com. Try our other delicious non-dairy products: Almond Dream Vanilla Almond Drink. Soy Dream Original Soy Milk. Rice Dream Original Rice Drink. Benefits: 3x more calcium than the leading brand+ (see nutrition information for saturated fat content). 3.8g Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFAs) - which are more readily metabolized than long chain fatty acids, supporting metabolism*. A natural source of energy. Made from real coconut. Enriched with Vitamins A, D & B12 and Calcium. All natural - no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. Lactose and dairy free. Non-genetically engineered. Gluten free. For information on the Dream family of products and for delicious recipe ideas, please visit our website at www.TasteTheDream.com. Tetra Brik. Aseptic. Tera Pak. www.tetrapakusa.com.


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Maritime News - 2013 Nov 6
Transocean's Latest Rig Fleet Update
Transocean inform that the total value of new contracts since the September 18, 2013 Fleet Update Summary is approximately US$2.0-billion. The company has been awarded a five-year drilling contract for a newbuild dynamically positioned ultra-deepwater drillship by Chevron U.S.A. Inc. Shipyard delivery is scheduled for the second quarter of 2016. After customer acceptance, the contract is expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2016 at a dayrate of $599…
US Coast Guard, Australia Customs, Sign Maritime Awareness MOU
The U.S. Coast Guard and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service have signed a memorandum of understanding to highlight common missions, interests and capabilities, along with opportunities for collaboration for mutual benefit. The MOU is intended to benefit the U.S. and Australia partnership by strengthening maritime cooperation through the sharing of information needed for maritime domain awareness activities.
HII & Northrop Grumman Awarded Navy Contracts
In the latest announcement of US Department of Defense, Navy, contracts, Huntington Ingalls Inc. and Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. Huntington Ingalls Inc., Newport News…
SE Asian FPDA 'Bersama Lima' Naval Exercises Begin
Exercise Bersama Lima 2013, a Five-Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) activity involving Australia, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand, kicks off 7, November 2013. Commander Australian Contingent, Wing Commander Louis Nuttycombe, said the exercise was designed to share operational methods between the FPDA militaries and provides an opportunity to enhance relationships and interoperability with our security partners.
Thailand Hi-Speed Ferry by Incat Crowther Launched
Incat Crowther announce the launch of 'Maehaad', a 453 passenger 32m Catamaran Ferry constructed by Dolphin Chumphon Marine in Thailand for operators Lomprayah. Maehaad is the sixth vessel designed by Incat Crowther for Lomprayah High Speed Ferries, and follows on from the 29m catamaran ferries Thongslah and Koh Prab. The success of these two vessels has led to a growth in the Lomprayah's operation.
Keppel Wins US$1-Billion Transocean Jackup Rig Order
Keppel FELS Limited has secured a repeat order from a subsidiary of Transocean Ltd. (Transocean) to build 5 KFELS Super B Class jackup rigs for US$1.1 billion. The rigs are scheduled to be delivered progressively from 1Q 2016 to 3Q 2017. In addition, Transocean has options to build up to another five similar jackup rigs with Keppel FELS. Tailored to suit Transocean's requirements, the KFELS Super B Class rigs are designed to operate in 400 feet water depth and drill to 35,000 feet.
Delta Rigging Makes Start on New Houston Facility
Delta Rigging & Tools recently held a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the start of construction on a 27,000-square-foot multipurpose building located on 3.7 acres of land in Pasadena, Texas. Representatives from Capital Commercial Investments, Tomorrow Planning, Investment & Development Ventures, & Structura participated in the ceremony, along with some of the Delta Rigging & Tools' employees and executives.
WWH Q3 2013 Results Impacted by Weak Shipping Market
Reduced volumes of high and heavy cargo and seasonally lower demand for maritime services negatively affected Wilh. Wilhelmsen Holding ASA (WWH) total income and result in the third quarter of 2013. Current activity level for group entities is expected to continue. Operating profit for the third quarter of 2013 was USD 96 million (USD 260 million) based on a total income of USD 873 million (USD 1 075 million).
Shell's Niger Delta Oil Spill Data Allegedly Manipulated
Shell has manipulated oil spill investigations in Nigeria, with the company's claims on oil pollution in the region deeply suspect and often untrue, claim Amnesty International and the Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD). Hundreds of oil spills occur in Nigeria every year, causing significant harm to the environment, destroying livelihoods and placing human health at serious risk.
Matson Enters Private Placement Agreement
Matson, Inc., a U.S. carrier in the Pacific, announced that it has entered into a private placement agreement pursuant to which Matson will issue $100 million of 30-year senior unsecured notes.
Matson, Aker Ink Shipbuilding Deal
Matson Signs Contract With Aker Philadelphia Shipyard For Two New "Aloha Class" Containerships, First Ship To Be Named The Daniel K. Inouye. Matson, Inc., a U.S. carrier in the Pacific, announced today that its subsidiary, Matson Navigation Company, Inc., has signed a contract with Aker Philadelphia Shipyard Inc. (APSI) to build two new 3,600 TEU containerships for an aggregate price of $418 million.
Ingalls Authenticates the Keel of New Destroyer
Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division authenticated the keel of the company's 29th Arleigh Burke-class aegis guided-missile (DDG 51) destroyer, John Finn (DDG 113), on Monday. Laura Stavridis, ship's sponsor and wife of retired Adm. James Stavridis, the former Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, attended with her husband. "It's great having Mrs. Stavridis here to see her ship and meet some of the shipbuilders," said George Nungesser, Ingalls' DDG 51 program manager.
New Marine Specific Fuel Additives Website Launched
Power Service Products, a producer of diesel fuel additives, launched a website for boat owners at home or at sea: MarineDieselAdditives.com. By EPA mandate, boat owners are required to use Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel, where the sulfur content has been lowered to no more than 15 parts per million (ppm) from its previous maximum allowable content of 500 ppm. ULSD burns cleaner than higher sulfur fuels…
BAE Systems Restructures Naval Sector
BAE Systems has reached agreement in principle with HM Government on measures to enable the implementation of a restructuring of its U.K. naval ships business. The agreement will result in the restructuring of the contract for the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier program, provision of additional shipbuilding work prior to the start of the Type 26 Global Combat Ships program and rationalization of the U.K. naval ship business to match future capacity requirements.
Original 1971 Oil Pollution Compensation Fund Closes
Several years ago, the 1971 Fund was replaced by the two subsequent Funds that pay higher compensations to the victims of oil pollution. It was an international innovation when a global, solidary scheme on compensation for the victims of oil pollution caused by tankers was established with the 1971 Fund. It has proven to be such a great success that the system has been improved twice, and the model has been copied for other types of pollution from ships.
Black Elk Failures behind Offshore Platform Explosion
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) released its panel investigation report into the November 16, 2012 explosion and fire that occurred on a platform operated by Black Elk Energy Offshore Operations. The explosion and fire resulted in the tragic deaths of Ellroy Corporal, Jerome Malagapo and Avelino Tajonera, serious injuries to others and the discharge of pollutants into the Gulf of Mexico.
VT Halter Drydock Open Ahead of Schedule
VT Halter Marine Inc. (VT Halter Marine), a subsidiary of VT Systems, Inc. (VT Systems), announced its newest facility, a 12,000 MT Floating Drydock, is now open for business and already has its first customers. The dock, measuring 546 ft.. in length, 105 ft. in breath and with a depth of 46 ft., is part of an overall expansion plan at the south yard in Pascagoula. This is where VT Halter Marine is adding a repair facility for semi-submersible drilling rigs and Panamax-size ships.
U.S., Australia Partner for Maritime Border Protection
The U.S. Coast Guard and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to highlight common missions, interests and capabilities, along with opportunities for collaboration for mutual benefit, Tuesday. The MOU will benefit the U.S. and Australia partnership by strengthening maritime cooperation through the sharing of information needed for maritime domain awareness activities.
Coast Guard Receives New Response Boat
Members of Coast Guard Station Tybee Island held a ceremony at the station Tuesday to recognize the arrival of their newest response boat. Along with the Station Tybee Island crew, members from Coast Guard Sector Charleston, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, the mayor of Savannah, Ga., the pro tempore mayor of Tybee and representatives from local agencies attended the ceremony. Following the official proceedings, guests were invited to go aboard the Response Boat-Medium and view the new vessel.
Today in U.S. Naval History: November 6
Today in U.S. 1851 - U.S. Navy expedition under command of Lt. William Lewis Herndon, on a mission to explore the valley of the Amazon and its tributaries, reaches Iquitos in the jungle region of the upper Amazon after their departure from Lima, Peru. 1941 - On Neutrality Patrol, USS Omaha (CL-4) and USS Somers (DD-381) intercept the German blockade runner Odenwald disguised as U.S. freighter, board her after the German crew abandoned the ship…


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Interview: Joy Autumn's 'Midnight' Cuts Deep into Hollywood Culture
Photo Credit: Nicole Carnarius
Joy Autumn is an L.A. based indie singer-songwriter speaking and singing out about the misogyny in the Hollywood music scene.
Her new EP, Midnight addresses both her disillusionment with the city's culture, but also her hope for progress for women in the industry. I had the privilege of talking to Joy about Midnight and her experience in the toxic Hollywood culture.
How did the EP come together? What were the steps leading up to your "this is it" moment?
I'm from a small town and I moved to LA super naive. I had an indie record contract and got dropped right away. I found myself participating in what a lot of artists do — thinking oh crap this isn't what I thought it would be. I found myself going to these industry parties and meeting these men offspring of celebrities, etc. — thinking they would start my career and ended up in this really sexist, toxic culture. That is when I wrote the first song, "Searching for You" which is really about searching for myself in that Toxic Hollywood culture. From there, it came together really quickly. I called it Midnight, alluding to the Hollywood club culture.
What is this environment — the parties and club scene — like for women?
These parties were filled with a lot of young aspiring singers and actresses and people in the entertainment industry with no resources trying to meet people in the industry, with this idea that if you suck up to these men that don't care about you and treat you poorly, they will help you make it when that isn't their intention. I wrote Midnight before the #MeToo movement and now all of that is going on which is an exciting change, but I don't really see those changes in the music community here in L.A., partly because there aren't enough female producers.
You write about your disillusionment with Hollywood as a young female artist and being surrounded by men. What would you say are some of the main challenges you faced thus far?
I think the main challenge is being taken seriously. All my female friends agree it is our biggest concern. I've probably worked with at least 25 male producers — most of that music never saw the light of day. They would talk down to me. "How many Grammys have you won, Joy?" The mistreatment of women is so normalized in LA, to be honest I didn't realize some of the stuff that was said to me was problematic until the #MeToo movement, because before that it seems so normal. I thought I had to put up with it. Most of the time when I'm working on music I'm the only woman in the room — across the board, in all fields, you're going to have a male producer, a male engineer, a male booker. The more women we can get involved in all aspects of the music industry the better the experience.
Even though the album has a sort of quiet melancholy about it, it ends on a hopeful note with "Brave". What makes you hopeful about the industry? Are there changes happening that excite you?
You're right, the album is dark, but I'm actually a very bubbly person. I use music as a sort of therapy. But the one thing that is so hopeful is that the dialogue is there. Even since I've moved to LA I've seen things changing — women are just really fed up. We did a women's night on Wednesday with a moderator and we did it as a benefit for the Time's Up legal defense. It's becoming way more okay for us to vocalize what we feel is wrong — it isn't radical. I'm feeling positive about that, but also excited about the amount of female artists I'm meeting — I took a class in production and there were a lot of women in the class. I think we are going to see a change in who is creating music. I think the #MeToo movement will trickle into music. I don't want the next generation to experience what me and my peers have, and we know we are having a better experience than the women before us. I see things getting better as women get more comfortable vocalizing.
Finally, who is a woman that is inspiring you right now?
My older sister. She has a chronic illness but she never gives up and speaks on behalf of people who go through so much, it really puts things in perspective. Talk about a community that doesn't really have a voice!
It was a pleasure talking to Joy. She is a wise, confident, talented woman who people should be keeping their eye on. You can check Joy out on tour, and keep up with her as she works on new music. She is a force to be reckoned with, that is for sure.
Follow Joy Autumn on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Emma Ragusa is a Copy Editor for The Rational Creature.
Singer Takes her Feminism from the Soccer Field to her Music
End of Summer Playlist
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Family firm Moody Logistics has increased its workforce and is planning an expansion after a 20% surge in sales.
The Cramlington-based transport company has taken on two new sales staff at its base in Cramlington in Northumberland, after orders came flooding in from existing and new clients.
Investments have also been made in two new vehicles to handle the extra workload.
Business development director Caroline Moody said: "Sales have been strong for some time, but the 20% jump gave us a great opportunity to be able to offer more jobs to the local area.
The Government-backed Growth Accelerator scheme helps businesses plan for expansion by offering mentoring and advice about investment and opportunities.
Now directors at the business, which employs 30 staff, plan to reward employees as the company grows.
Mrs Moody said: "Our staff have played a major part in the history of the company since 1947.
"As the front line troops of Moody Logistics, they are very much our brand and are continuously trained to ensure they give the highest level of customer service.
"We place a very high value on every one of them – whether they are part-time or full time – and this year we are very proud to be able to give a variety of bonuses. Everyone gets something and that is important to us.
"We are a third generation firm and, from the beginning, have made sure we reward our staff in any we can. At Christmas time we have a get together where we present a trophy to our Driver of the Year, which is voted for by the staff. We also recognise drivers with awards when they achieve a full year driving with no accidents, and no tachograph errors and full attendance and service awards are given to staff throughout the business.
"We see it as an investment in the future of the company, so the chance to share our profits with them is about as good as it gets for us.
"Our staff have a sense of pride in the business, just as my grandfather David did after he founded D. Moody (Haulage) Ltd back in 1947.
"He had been in the RAF and the red and grey livery on our 18 vehicles reflects those roots.
In 1997 Moody Logistics was the first transport and logistics firm in the region to be awarded an Investor in People award and has held it ever since.