A Day in the Life (of Newham Youth)

This is an excellent snapshot of a day in the life of young people in our borough.  Made by members of Newham Youth Council and introduced by film director Danny Boyle. Very professional looking production with sharp observations, some great shots of Newham and a thoughtful twist at the end.

Newham timelapse of the Olympic Park

Excellent youtube video of the changing landscape following the building of the Stratford International Station; Westfields Shopping centre, 2012 Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre and Olympic Village.

Mike Law playing the Hokey Pokey for the first time

(Warning this is a Newham thingy). I've been sent this very sweet YouTube link of Newham ex-Tory, Mike Law, when he first played the "Hokey Pokey" at a young age (no skinhead haircut for sure).

Big Bad Mikey (BBM) has recently closed his blog (blaming me) then reopened it (blaming me) then closed it again to the "uninvited" (me and ?). Now he has reopened it again, but hasn't posted anything (yet). Will he close it again? (and take his ball away?).

Who knows :)

Bella Ciao Syria

On Thursday I went to my Labour Party ward meeting. Afterwards I was speaking to a longstanding member who I hadn't realised was originally from Syria. He spoke about his distress about the massacres and slaughter that is happening in his homeland. Every day he receives emails and graphic videos with shocking images and news. At my request he sent me information and a link to a Google News Group on Syria.

I clicked on its Youtube links and was pretty horrified at what I saw. Dozens of different amateur videos showing countless people being shot, dying and dead in large pools of blood. Crying relatives and friends risking their own lives to pick up up bodies and the wounded being shot at themselves. Shaky Pictures of unidentified gunmen with telescopic rifles on the roof tops of tower blocks. Tanks firing at crowds of fleeing and unarmed civilians. Warning: this link is very, very graphic. Mainstream media just cannot show these pictures. Simply and utterly dreadful. Words (for once) fail me.

Hat-tip for Youtube video above to TheTollundWoman (not graphic)