Comments for Brian Robson http://www.brianrobson.org.uk Sun, 30 Oct 2011 21:02:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 Comment on 16 years ago today: Quebec votes against Sovereignty. Time for a UK Clarity Act? by Brian Robson http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/2011/10/30/quebec-sovereignty-uk/comment-page-1/#comment-32747 Brian Robson Sun, 30 Oct 2011 21:02:29 +0000 http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/?p=2108#comment-32747 Glad you were able to get that off you chest, Tom. Any objections to a UK Clarity Act? Glad you were able to get that off you chest, Tom. Any objections to a UK Clarity Act?

]]> Comment on 16 years ago today: Quebec votes against Sovereignty. Time for a UK Clarity Act? by Tom Robinson http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/2011/10/30/quebec-sovereignty-uk/comment-page-1/#comment-32746 Tom Robinson Sun, 30 Oct 2011 19:09:28 +0000 http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/?p=2108#comment-32746 I am afraid that the Lib Dems lost all moral authority on this issue when they refused to support a referendum on Scottish independence in the 2007-2011 Holyrood parliament. They refused even to discuss a coalition with the SNP unless that party abandoned any attempt to hold a referendum. I will remind you that every opinion poll showed that a majority of Scots wanted such a referendum, including those who planned to vote no. So instead, given the opportunity, the Lib Dems have had a referendum on AV, a non-PR form of voting in which hardly anyone, anywhere , had the slightest interest. Your totally inept party is never going to recover in Scotland -the Labour and Tories may stage a comeback after Scottish independence, but the Lib Dems never will-being illiberal and undemocratic has done for them for all time. I am afraid that the Lib Dems lost all moral authority on this issue when they refused to support a referendum on Scottish independence in the 2007-2011 Holyrood parliament. They refused even to discuss a coalition with the SNP unless that party abandoned any attempt to hold a referendum.

I will remind you that every opinion poll showed that a majority of Scots wanted such a referendum, including those who planned to vote no.

So instead, given the opportunity, the Lib Dems have had a referendum on AV, a non-PR form of voting in which hardly anyone, anywhere , had the slightest interest.

Your totally inept party is never going to recover in Scotland -the Labour and Tories may stage a comeback after Scottish independence, but the Lib Dems never will-being illiberal and undemocratic has done for them for all time.

]]> Comment on Sofia? So-so… by William Summers http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/2011/06/13/sofia-so-so/comment-page-1/#comment-32473 William Summers Mon, 04 Jul 2011 15:14:01 +0000 http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/?p=2055#comment-32473 Glad to see you are still travelling! I am sorry to say I too was disappointed when I was there a few years ago. Partly these things are due to luck and circumstances (such as the water being off for a day in our hostel), but Sofia did seem to need a good lick of paint when I was there. Also there was that guy who kept coming up to us asking if we wanted girls/boys/strip clubs/drugs/to swap money. (Basically: "I want to rip you off, could you give me a clue as to the best way to go about it?"). And the drunk girl in the bar who had basic English but put two swear words into every sentence. Funny how some places just take you (like Vilnius, Budapest, Sarajevo, Tirana) and others don't. Glad to see you are still travelling! I am sorry to say I too was disappointed when I was there a few years ago. Partly these things are due to luck and circumstances (such as the water being off for a day in our hostel), but Sofia did seem to need a good lick of paint when I was there. Also there was that guy who kept coming up to us asking if we wanted girls/boys/strip clubs/drugs/to swap money. (Basically: “I want to rip you off, could you give me a clue as to the best way to go about it?”). And the drunk girl in the bar who had basic English but put two swear words into every sentence. Funny how some places just take you (like Vilnius, Budapest, Sarajevo, Tirana) and others don’t.

]]> Comment on Sofia? So-so… by Brian http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/2011/06/13/sofia-so-so/comment-page-1/#comment-32447 Brian Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:36:43 +0000 http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/?p=2055#comment-32447 Having done a bit more reading, it seems it's unfair to merely credit Zhikov's daughter with the 'idea' for the NDK. She was a member of the Politburo in her own right, and had a pretty interesting life, according to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyudmila_Zhivkova Having done a bit more reading, it seems it’s unfair to merely credit Zhikov’s daughter with the ‘idea’ for the NDK. She was a member of the Politburo in her own right, and had a pretty interesting life, according to Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyudmila_Zhivkova

]]> Comment on A capital success… by Jenny http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/2011/06/12/a-capital-success/comment-page-1/#comment-32443 Jenny Sun, 12 Jun 2011 19:35:27 +0000 http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/?p=2047#comment-32443 Well done Brian. What a great idea for a personal challenge. Well done Brian. What a great idea for a personal challenge.

]]> Comment on A capital success… by Julia Fletcher http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/2011/06/12/a-capital-success/comment-page-1/#comment-32442 Julia Fletcher Sun, 12 Jun 2011 18:19:58 +0000 http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/?p=2047#comment-32442 Brian, well done. Now that you have seen the world will you return to Lewisham?! Julia Brian, well done. Now that you have seen the world will you return to Lewisham?! Julia

]]> Comment on Capitals #26 & 27 : Sofia and Bucharest – any tips? by Nadia Ferri http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/2011/05/10/capitals-26-27-sofia-and-bucharest-any-tips/comment-page-1/#comment-32410 Nadia Ferri Thu, 12 May 2011 21:55:27 +0000 http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/?p=1990#comment-32410 Sorry about the italics - forgot to close my html tag there! Sorry about the italics – forgot to close my html tag there!

]]> Comment on Capitals #26 & 27 : Sofia and Bucharest – any tips? by Nadia Ferri http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/2011/05/10/capitals-26-27-sofia-and-bucharest-any-tips/comment-page-1/#comment-32409 Nadia Ferri Thu, 12 May 2011 21:54:36 +0000 http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/?p=1990#comment-32409 Hi Brian. Dave and I spent 24 hours in Bucharest as part of our honeymoon, although I'm not sure we experienced the city at its 'best'. We arrived on Easter Sunday, meaning everything was <i>inchis<i> (Romanian for 'closed') apart from a solitary Irish bar; not the best place to soak up the local culture! The eclectic architecture was probably the most striking thing for us - the fascinating mix of buildings tells the city's story in a very powerful way. I've added a few photos from our time in Bucharest on my Facebook profile if you want to have a look. The only other advice I can offer is... 1)Try to avoid tripping over the vast quantity of wires strewn across the partially bulldozed pavements. 2)The stray dog problem isn't anywhere near as bad as online forums would have you believe. 3)Ursus is a nice beer. Don't know whether you have already planned accommodation, but we stayed in the Hotel Christina and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. Hi Brian.

Dave and I spent 24 hours in Bucharest as part of our honeymoon, although I’m not sure we experienced the city at its ‘best’. We arrived on Easter Sunday, meaning everything was inchis (Romanian for ‘closed’) apart from a solitary Irish bar; not the best place to soak up the local culture!

The eclectic architecture was probably the most striking thing for us – the fascinating mix of buildings tells the city’s story in a very powerful way. I’ve added a few photos from our time in Bucharest on my Facebook profile if you want to have a look. The only other advice I can offer is…

1)Try to avoid tripping over the vast quantity of wires strewn across the partially bulldozed pavements.
2)The stray dog problem isn’t anywhere near as bad as online forums would have you believe.
3)Ursus is a nice beer.

Don’t know whether you have already planned accommodation, but we stayed in the Hotel Christina and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

]]> Comment on Capitals #26 & 27 : Sofia and Bucharest – any tips? by Brian http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/2011/05/10/capitals-26-27-sofia-and-bucharest-any-tips/comment-page-1/#comment-32407 Brian Wed, 11 May 2011 10:14:54 +0000 http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/?p=1990#comment-32407 Cheers Helen - enjoy your trip! Cheers Helen – enjoy your trip!

]]> Comment on Capitals #26 & 27 : Sofia and Bucharest – any tips? by Helen Hilton http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/2011/05/10/capitals-26-27-sofia-and-bucharest-any-tips/comment-page-1/#comment-32405 Helen Hilton Wed, 11 May 2011 08:50:49 +0000 http://www.brianrobson.org.uk/?p=1990#comment-32405 I'm off to Bucharest tomorrow so I will let you know what exciting things we find there! I’m off to Bucharest tomorrow so I will let you know what exciting things we find there!

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