Quote Of the Day

On homeopathy:

9.38am: Robert Wilson says it's an old business and popular in France.

Phil Willis: "So is prostitution."

Thanks, Everyone

Down in Rochford District we form the opposition but there's only five of us, sometimes it can be a little lonely, particularly when you're the only Lib Dem on a committee!

However one of the advantages of being in the Lib Dems, as opposed to being,say, independents , is that we can get advice and help from other experienced Liberal Democrats elsewhere (and although we are in a party we don’t have anyone whipping us into line either, unlike the ‘other lot’).

As an example, our group wanted some advice on what policies work best on certain parking issues. So we sent out an email today to other Lib Dems in Essex. We got our first (really useful) reply from Colchester after just 9 minutes, another, detailed , response from Chelmsford after 24 minutes, one from Basildon after 38 minutes and then one from Colchester Lib Dem MP Bob Russell after 54 minutes …. and the replies are still coming in.

We’re really glad for all this support ( and particularly impressed by Bob Russell)

Thanks, everyone…

"If A Man Were Walking Down Broadway Wearing This Product, Would People Notice?"

My favourite You-Tube treasure-trove at the moment is a collection of recordings of the American TV programme "What's My Line " from the 1950s. Some feature people who are simply celebrities, others feature 'ordinary' people in unusual occupations.

This edition of "What;s My Line" was made 50 years ago last week and is reviewed here. (yes, nowadays 50-year-old TV gets in-depth reviews on the net!)

The guest here is a conventional looking chap who makes apparel for some very special people....

After watching this what I wanted to know was how he started off doing this in 1934?

So I found him in Wikipedia
Russell Colley began in 1934 making a pressurused suit for a pilot on his wife's sewing machine. He got due recognition for his work when the Mercury astronauts flew in his suits.

In the programme someone calls Colley 'a manly man' - however he had an artistic streak; according to Wikipedia he originally wanted to design women's clothing and also painted water colours and made jewellery....

Colley had a 'good innings', dying in 1996, aged about 96.