The Local Government Association has compiled a list of words and phrases which council staff should avoid if they are to communicate effectively. Here is the full list:
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Incompetech.com is a wonderful website that offers hundreds of original music tracks for free use. Most are released under a Creative Commons licence (a few are now in the public domain) and the only stipulation is that you must include a credit for the composer: Kevin MacLeod.

It isn’t a lot to ask. But still some people can’t be bothered.

Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, is one of a list of people who have used a track, but give no credit. Her video Capitol Cat Cam, which uses the music track ‘Scheming Weasel’, has been watched on YouTube more than 325,000 times.

In his blog, Kevin MacLeod puts a brave face on the situation. But I say it is absolutely disgraceful that even people in government show this blatant disregard for creative people and their work. They should set an example.

I hope this won’t deter Mr MacLeod. Some of us appreciate his generosity and music.

Last night’s Channel 4 News featured an extraordinary live interview with a Catholic anti-condom campaigner.

It’s obvious that condoms do prevent the spread of HIV. That has been proved in the gay community. In some US cities (more…)

An exclusive video clip that has never been published before.

It’s the evening of Monday 26th August 1991 and Manchester’s second ‘Carnival of Fun’ weekend is coming to a close. Of course, this is the forerunner of the current Manchester Pride.

In those days before the ‘no-money-left-for-charity’ scandal of 1999, the event attracted the support of some big names. Princess Diana sent a telegram wishing every success in 1991 and there was a buzz that someone important might make a surprise appearance on the final night. (more…)