UK survival rates among the worst in the world, according to a report from the charity Pancreatic Cancer Survival rates in the UK for people with pancreatic cancer are among the worst in the world, according to a report calling for earlier diagnosis and better treatment. Only 3% of those diagnosed in Britain will survive for five years – the worst outcome of any cancer – and only 20% will live for a year. Patients are more likely to survive in the US and most of mainland Europe, while in Australia and Canada, the chances of survival are double that of the UK. Pancreatic cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death here – after breast, lung, bowel and prostate cancer. The report says patients deserve better. In 80% of patients the cancer is not identified until they arrive in hospital as an emergency admission, by which time it is hard to treat them. Yet the report from the charity Pancreatic Cancer UK says more than half of all patients have been to see their GP five times or more in the previous four to six months. That suggests there is a common set of symptoms that should be identified and publicised to help GPs send these patients for appropriate tests. The report shows a wide variation around the country in the numbers who undergo surgery to remove the cancer. Up to 20% could receive surgery, but only 10% do. Survival rates vary according to where you live. Those suffering pancreatic cancer, says the report, entitled Study for Survival, have the least satisfactory health experience of any cancer patient. The reportsays more money is needed for research, pointing out that pancreatic cancer receives 1% of cancer research funding but causes 5% of cancer deaths. More than 8,000 people are diagnosed each year. Alex Ford, chief executive of Pancreatic Cancer UK, said the report was the first to identify clearly “the challenges and the immediate changes which are urgently required to help increase the UK’s poor survival rates and improve quality of life for those affected by pancreatic cancer”. The charity wants to double survival rates within five years. Prof Sir Mike Richards, national clinical director for cancer and end of life care, said: “We clearly have a long way to go before we can say with confidence that everyone diagnosed with pancreatic cancer has access to the best possible treatment and care available. This includes access to expert input from multidisciplinary teams located at specialist pancreatic cancer centres and one-to-one support from clinical nurse specialists (CNSs). “Pancreatic cancer is a challenging cancer, but we need to take this information and the opportunity it presents to improve survival and quality of life for everyone. Pancreatic cancer must not be written off as a hopeless cause.” Pancreas cancer Cancer Health Sarah Boseley guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …This morning Tammy Baldwin officially announced her candidacy for the Wisconsin Senate seat being vacated by Herb Kohl. If you haven’t already seen the announcement video, you should: Tammy already has the boots on the ground – now she needs capital. Will you join us in endorsing Tammy Baldwin by giving something to her campaign today? Because of her outstanding record in the House, Blue America immediately endorsed her Senate campaign– just minutes after her announcement. And this isn’t just a matter of a terrible alternative– a whole gang of conservatives vying for the seat. Tammy is a proven progressive leader who doesn’t hesitate to take the right stands, whether that means opposing Bush when he’s wrong… or opposing Obama when he’s wrong. She has been a consistent leader in ending the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan and she’s been a consistent leader in standing up for working families against the excesses of Big Business. Because she’s the first woman to have ever won a congressional seat from Wisconsin and the first openly gay person to campaign and win a House seat, Tammy is an historic figure. I imagine her presence in the Senate could be especially discomforting to right-wing hypocrites Lindsay Graham and Mitch McConnell, while she serves as a model for progressives across the country. If Wisconsin Democrats need an inspiring figure near the top of their ticket, they couldn’t hope for a better one than Tammy Baldwin! Wisconsin is the epicenter of the progressive grassroots movement, with organizing on the ground ready and able to take on the machine. Tammy is a known leader among them and they will work their hearts out for her. But they will need our help — the Koch Brothers aren’t going to abandon their stake in the state and the Republicans who serve them will do everything to prevent a Democrat seizing the seat. Over 400 Blue America donors have contributed to each of the Senate campaigns of Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Please consider giving that kind of enthusiastic support to Tammy Baldwin as well. It would be hard to imagine that there will be any other candidates on this page this year.
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Click here to view this media Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry delighted a conservative audience in South Carolina Monday with his simple stance on gun control legislation. “Honestly, the next question is so easy that I don’t even want to ask it,” event host Rep. Tim Scott (R-SC) told Perry. “Are you for gun control?” “I am actually for gun control,” Perry deadpanned. “Use both hands.” The Texas governor followed his joke by flashing a toothy grin and giving the audience a thumbs up.
Continue reading …Awwww. Focus on the Family’s advocacy group CitizenLink is coming up short on donations this year. They’ve sent out a cry for help to their members in an effort to raise $2.3 million in the next 30 days. Via The Gazette : CitizenLink this week sent an email to constituents pleading for $2.3 million in 30 days to avoid a budget shortfall. If the money is not raised, “our ability to act on your behalf will be severely, and perhaps irreparably, hurt,” wrote Tom Minnery, CitizenLink executive director. “The threat is still very real,” Minnery writes. “If we don’t stay vigilant, last year’s victories can AND WILL be taken from us!” Like most nonprofits, CitizenLink has experienced a dramatic drop in donations in recent years. In fiscal 2009, donations were $6.5 million, according to CitizenLink financial records. A year later, donations fell to $5 million. In the run-up to the November 2010 midterm elections, the organization received a sharp increase in donations. But since then, Minnery said Wednesday, giving has fallen off to a worrying degree. CitizenLink’s 2011 fiscal budget is $5.8 million. The $2.3 million shortfall needs to be balanced by Sept. 30. Hmmm, let’s see if I can do the math. For the fiscal year ending 9/30/2009: $6.5 million. For 9/30/2010: $5 million. For 9/30/2011, with less than 30 days left, they’re short $2.3 million for a $5.8 million budget which means their giving is off by about 50 percent. Minnery has promised to cut back programs rather than lay people off. What programs have they been actively promoting? According to their 2010 financial disclosures, they spent $700,000 to fund the fight to keep Proposition 8 in force via the California Family Council Foundation, as well as funding all sorts of action against legislative issues. $75,000 went to Coloradans for Liberty. Here’s their empty website . Pretty hefty cost for a one-page site, eh? Oh, wait. I did find a little more on their site, thanks to the Google. It looks as though they’re funding a ballot initiative to add a “religious liberty amendment” to the Colorado state constitution, similar to other amendments they’re promoting in Florida and North Dakota, among others. Also according to those disclosures, CitizenLink ran about $1.5 million in the red last year. If they’ve got a shortfall this year, here’s the strategy: As for CitizenLink’s money woes, Minnery said that if the budget is not met by Sept. 30, none of his 46 staffers will be laid off. Instead, CitizenLink will cut back on its projects. From his lips to God’s ears. [h/t Right Wing Watch ]
Continue reading …Awwww. Focus on the Family’s advocacy group CitizenLink is coming up short on donations this year. They’ve sent out a cry for help to their members in an effort to raise $2.3 million in the next 30 days. Via The Gazette : CitizenLink this week sent an email to constituents pleading for $2.3 million in 30 days to avoid a budget shortfall. If the money is not raised, “our ability to act on your behalf will be severely, and perhaps irreparably, hurt,” wrote Tom Minnery, CitizenLink executive director. “The threat is still very real,” Minnery writes. “If we don’t stay vigilant, last year’s victories can AND WILL be taken from us!” Like most nonprofits, CitizenLink has experienced a dramatic drop in donations in recent years. In fiscal 2009, donations were $6.5 million, according to CitizenLink financial records. A year later, donations fell to $5 million. In the run-up to the November 2010 midterm elections, the organization received a sharp increase in donations. But since then, Minnery said Wednesday, giving has fallen off to a worrying degree. CitizenLink’s 2011 fiscal budget is $5.8 million. The $2.3 million shortfall needs to be balanced by Sept. 30. Hmmm, let’s see if I can do the math. For the fiscal year ending 9/30/2009: $6.5 million. For 9/30/2010: $5 million. For 9/30/2011, with less than 30 days left, they’re short $2.3 million for a $5.8 million budget which means their giving is off by about 50 percent. Minnery has promised to cut back programs rather than lay people off. What programs have they been actively promoting? According to their 2010 financial disclosures, they spent $700,000 to fund the fight to keep Proposition 8 in force via the California Family Council Foundation, as well as funding all sorts of action against legislative issues. $75,000 went to Coloradans for Liberty. Here’s their empty website . Pretty hefty cost for a one-page site, eh? Oh, wait. I did find a little more on their site, thanks to the Google. It looks as though they’re funding a ballot initiative to add a “religious liberty amendment” to the Colorado state constitution, similar to other amendments they’re promoting in Florida and North Dakota, among others. Also according to those disclosures, CitizenLink ran about $1.5 million in the red last year. If they’ve got a shortfall this year, here’s the strategy: As for CitizenLink’s money woes, Minnery said that if the budget is not met by Sept. 30, none of his 46 staffers will be laid off. Instead, CitizenLink will cut back on its projects. From his lips to God’s ears. [h/t Right Wing Watch ]
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Online discount firm valued at $25bn puts plans for share offering on hold, executives tell Wall Street Journal Groupon, the online discount firm, is reportedly close to ditching plans to go public in one of the biggest share offerings to date from the new generation of technology firms. The Chicago-based company was scheduled to begin a roadshow next week, visiting potential investors ahead of what was one of the most hotly anticipated digital flotations. The firm had been valued at as much as $25bn. But according to reports those plans have been put on ice. The company did not return calls for comment, but executives told the Wall Street Journal that recent stock market gyrations had led to the decision to put the initial public offering (IPO) on hold. The leaking of a controversial email in which founder Andrew Mason blasted Groupon’s growing army of critics appears also to have caused trouble for the firm by angering financial regulators. Three-year-old Groupon offers daily deals for local businesses, and is, by some measures, the fastest growing company of all time. Google offered $6bn for the firm last year, only to be rejected as the valuation soared, driven up by its phenomenal growth rate and investors’ increasingly frenzied appetite for new dotcom firms. But as Groupon prepared the IPO, which had been expected as early as this month, criticism of the firm’s accounting and long-term prospects grew. The company was running out of cash, facing mounting competition from Amazon and others, and failing to make the grade in China, according to various reports. Mason fired back at critics in an internal email that was immediately leaked to AllThingsD , the tech site owned by the Wall Street Journal. The leak appears to have broken US financial rules that limit what executives in a firm planning an IPO can say ahead of the flotation. Sucharita Mulpuru, a Forrester research analyst and long-time critic of Groupon, called the decision “catastrophic”. “This has got to be the botch-up of the century,” she said. “What most surprises me is that they have done this to themselves. They seem to have come undone, Icarus-like, because they flew too close to the sun – and not because they were asking for too much money,” she said. Mulpuru said pressure would continue to mount on Groupon, and its chances of bringing an IPO or flotation in the near future were fading fast. “It’s all to do with timing,” she said. “It’s all about what this company could be. Every day that goes by is another day that they have to hit their numbers. This is not a business that is humming along smoothly. The pressures on it look great.” Mason founded Groupon in November 2008, and by last October the firm had 35 million registered users. But it has also burned through mountains of cash even as sales soared, losing $180m last year and a further $102.7m in the second quarter of this year alone. Scrapping the sale would be the biggest setback to date in the new dotcom boom. Companies including LinkedIn, the business-focused social network, and Zynga, the gamemaker behind FarmVille and CityVille, have all successfully gone public, while Facebook is planning what is expected to be the biggest IPO in the sector next year. But Groupon would have been the largest social media IPO to date, making Mason a multi-billionaire. Groupon IPOs United States Stock markets Dominic Rushe guardian.co.uk
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It’s the most important day in the history of music! Or it’s when a musician gets a prize while other people have something to eat. Either way, we’ll be liveblogging the life out of it 10.22pm: And the real winner is … PJ Harvey! For the fabulous Let England Shake! “Thank you for the recognition of my work!” she says, before mentioning how it’s nice to be here in person considering she ended up watching the Pentagon burn from her hotel window last time she won the prize (as discussed previously, she won it on September 11, 2001). 10.22pm: And the winner is … England! They beat Wales by a goal to nil … oh, sorry, wrong liveblog … 10.20pm: Jools went away. Now he’s back again. Before he reveals the winner, there’s a bit of a recap … 10.18pm: Jools Holland is onstage. He has an envelope. I’m getting that sense of dread again that the laptop will suddenly die. Ah, nostalgia. 10.14pm: Ok everyone! I’m still standing and they’re about to announce the winner! When I say “about” I do, of course, mean “after some waffle” 10.09pm: @Gummibarchen asks why I didn’t bring a hip flask with me. I wondered this myself at first, imagining how a nice 12 year old Caol Ila would take the edge off things. Then I remembered that Guardian reporter Lexy Topping has been smuggling me glasses of red wine up here for the last two hours. I’m now on my fifth, which is almost certainly why this live blog is threatening to go completely off the rails. Have I really been liveblogging this past hour about a Pret sandwich? And can I stay sober long enough to bring you the results of the Mercury prize? I’m shhhure i willl be jussht finne and PJ HaVeh Shhould winnn 9.53pm: Whoever wins, it probably won’t just be because they’ve made the best album but also that the time is right and it will create a good story in the press (sorry to burst anyone’s bubble, but this is normally how these things work). @JackSkeleton makes a very good point below: “PJ Harvey will win; it’s the right narrative… the whole 10 years 9/11 thing, the anti war album, etc. (plus she’s a critical darling who can’t give away the album – the record company needs a boost)” He’s referring to the fact she first won this prize exactly a decade ago, and that this was overshadowed by the atrocities of September 11th. We’re currently dealing with the after effects of the failed military campaigns that Harvey documents throughout Let England Shake. It does feel like this would make for the best “story” which is no doubt part of the reason why she’s the favourite to win. 9.44pm: Our new music community man Adam Boult has been in touch. “Hi Tim, hope you’re enjoying you’re Pret sandwich!” he says. Why you cheeky little … oh, hang on, calm down Tim, he’s actually just emailing to let me know the results of our Facebook poll on who should win the Mercury Prize. The world is not against you. There is no need to hurl the laptop over the balcony onto Ghostpoet’s feta and pea tart in despair. So here we go … King Creosote & Jon Hopkins – 34% PJ Harvey – 24% Metronomy – 14% Anna Calvi – 7% James Blake – 5% Ghostpoet – 5% Elbow – 4% Katy B – 4% Everything Everything – 2% Gwilym Simcock – 0.5% Adele – 0.5% Tinie Tempah – No votes In the spirit of full disclosure, Adam notes that Everything Everything and Adele were left off the poll for the first few hours. Er, sorry about that. Tinie Tempah, however, was up as an available option for the whole time 
9.33pm: “Is there a vegetarian main course option?” asks @ollib. Man, this is really why I first set my heart on music journalism. I will, of course, investigate. 9.27pm: “Hate to break it to you Tim,” says @TommerS down in the comments, “But 6music beat you to the mark on the menu this year – Matt Everett mentioned those warm feta and pea tarts hours ago. At least you can count yourself a trend setter!” Gutted. But do you want to know the really sad thing? This year I managed to get hold of the menu almost as soon as I got here but I didn’t want to “blow my load” so to speak by announcing it too early. So I saved it for the chasm of nothingness that is this meal. That’s what has become of my career. And who knew I had competition! I will have to bear this all in mind for next year. Oh Lord, please don’t let me be live blogging this meal again next year. 8.58pm: So here’s what everyone down below is eating tonight. Drum roll please … Warm feta, pea and asparagus tart, broad bean, tomato and mint dressing, pea shoots Grilled sea bream, stir-fried vegetables with lemongrass and ginger, champ potatoes, oriental jus, sliced spring onion and red chilli Grand Marnier creme brulee, caramelised oranges, lemon sorbet Coffee and petits fours “Oriental jus”? Really? Did punk happen so that Everything Everything could sit here and eat something smeared with oriental jus? 8.56pm: “If Blake is covering Napalm Death, can we get Adele covering Arch Enemy?” says @HeartofFire. How long can we spin this one out? Oh hang on, there’s no need … I HAVE LOCATED A MENU 8.43pm: It’s my favourite time of year! Live blogging while a bunch of suits enjoy a three course meal! It was hard enough the first time , whereas by the second time I was reduced to recycling the same old jokes and hoping nobody noticed. This time, I really don’t know how we’re going to get through this together. But, er, in case you’re even thinking about going elsewhere for an hour, let me inform you that England are beating Wales by a goal to nil and George Osbourne is still messing up the economy. Literally nothing else of any note is happening in the world so you might as well stick here with me. 8.35pm: Guy Garvey is talking about how he’s had a “couple of whiskys”. He’s full of praise for the Mercurys and comes armed with a load of generally heartwarming sentiments. Hate to break it to you Guy, but if you win the Mercury this year I will eat my white head dress and swallow my autoharp for pudding. Build A Rocket Boys might delight the faithful but it doesn’t go anywhere the band haven’t been before. To be honest, I was surprised to see it up for nomination. Surely SBTRKT or Wild Beasts would have made a better, bolder choice? 8.27pm: The violins are out in full force. Not for Everything Everything, obvs – I’m talking about the fact that I’ve accepted another year without a posh meal and have opened my bag of ready salted crisps. Ready salted! I couldn’t even get my act together for some prawn cocktail … 8.25pm: It’s time for some Everything Everything. They’re not playing MY KZ, UR BF. Seeing as that is possibly their only decent song, it seems something of an oversight. 8.26pm: “I’d quite enjoy James Blake covering Napalm Death. This should happen.” says @TheLuckyC down below the line. Stick with me pal, I can make stuff like that happen. Actually, who am I trying to kid? I can’t even find a spot at the Mercurys where I get served a hot meal Adele is onstage now, by the way. She’s doing a good “poorly” voice, but soon snaps out of it. Apparently she’s “fucking gutted” she couldn’t play tonight. Despite my criticism of her music, I’m the first to accept she’s a great pop star and has more charisma than the rest of the nominees rolled together. 8.17pm: The main debate in the comments section seems to be whether anyone should be allowed to win the Mercury twice. Opinion seems to be split between “If PJ Harvey wins, it’s fine … if Elbow wins, it should be banned”. At least, that’s the opinion in my head. Now we’ve got a film to watch of poorly Adele playing Rolling In The Deep on Jools Holland. If she wins the Mercury I might have to campaign against the idea of anyone being allowed to win it full stop. I mean, what would be the point? It’s sold bucket loads already, it’s made zero artistic strides forward and it’s got that bloody awful ballad on it that makes people cry for some inexplicable reason whenever a contestant sings it on X Factor. 8.13pm: In the comments section there’s a late surge of comments from the likes of @coolbritannia and @monsta that say Anna Calvi for the win. As with Katy B, Ghostpoet, King Creosote/Jon Hopkins and PJ Harvey, this would suit me just fine. And from what I saw of her shoes tonight, she has done absolutely nothing to dissuade me from this view. 8.04pm: James Blake thanks everyone and is quite polite. And now for yet another nominee who would be quite deserving of this award – Ghostpoet. Both his Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam and James Blake’s self-titled album seemed to have “Mercury prize” written all over them when they first came out. That caused a bit of a backlash in Blake’s case – almost as if it had been written his record with the express intention of winning a Mercury. But Ghostpoet isn’t well-known enough yet for any kind of backlash. Let’s hope Mike Skinner’s Favourite New MC (TM) wins and gets to experience the delight of idiot journalists like me saying he was “better before he won the Mercury” 7.57pm: Katy B is playing Katy On A Mission. She’s another one I’d quite like to see win – On A Mission is a great summer dance album, although I do find it mildly terrifying that it makes me nostalgic for the 90s. Talking of which here’s Mr Shy himself, James Blake, tearing the audience a new arsehole with, er, a muted rendition of Wilhelm Scream. Actually, hold the sarcasm, it has some synths and cymbals in the mix too. Napalm Death won’t be sleeping easily tonight. 7.47pm: Over 50 comments already and we haven’t even reached the most exciting bit of the night yet. I am, of course, referring not to the bit where Jools Holland reveals the winner but to the bit where I reveal the menu. Every year I’ve covered the Mercurys there seems to be an obsession with what musical types scoff at these bashes, possibly because it’s always fancy and posh. And that’s just not right in these credit crunched times. They should be dining on a Pret sandwich like me. Who’s up for getting a campaign going? 7.42pm: Metronomy thank everyone and sounds a bit polite. Everyone thanks everyone and sounds a bit polite. Makes you long for the time Klaxons won and took to the stage quite clearly gak’d out of their tiny minds waffling on about alien invasions and whatnot, doesn’t it? (er, there appears to be no YouTube link to this … I’m guessing their label weren’t best pleased) 7.38pm: Metronomy are on, doing their squiffy electro-indie thing. The English Riviera is a decent enough record, but I can’t really see the prize going to an indie band this year. Over the last few Mercurys we’ve had the XX, Klaxons, Arctic Monkeys and Elbow all winning. Same goes for Everything Everything, I’m afraid. Now sit back and watch me be hopelessly wrong … 7.33pm: I think the Peej probably will win, but I’d be equally happy to see these guys scoop it – King Creosote and Jon Hopkins are onstage now playing from their fragile, ambient folk record Diamond Mine. Would make a good “surprise” choice I think. 7.26pm: White frock. Head dress. Autoharp. Yep, I’ve certainly come sporting a strong look tonight. Embarrassingly, though, PJ Harvey’s come in the exact same outfit . She’s singing The Words That Maketh Murder and sounds awesome. Everyone wants her to win and I have to agree it would be a good choice – Let England Shake being a phenomenal piece of music. 7.20pm: Adele wasn’t the only one to skip red carpet duties tonight. Apparently James Blake gave the journos a wide berth too for the less medical reason of being “too shy”. Just what we all look for in a pop star, I’m sure you’ll agree. Elbow had no such difficulties and Guy Garvey charmed the aforementioned Mr Cochrane with the news that, whenever he feels down, he likes nothing better than to watch YouTube footage of his band winning the prize back in 2008 for Seldom Seen Kid. Ah, the silly sentimental sod. There’s a short break now before the next artist arrives … 7.19pm: “England are going to win tonight, 3 – 1″ says @TonyMoretti down in comment land below. And with that comes the sound of the eight readers still bothering to read this live blog saying “Bloody hell, I forgot England were playing!” and legging it to find a TV. For what it’s worth, I predict England will win too – a diving header from PJ Harvey after a nicely timed cross by Gwilym Simcock. Or something. Talking of which, The Simcock is onstage (the stage I can see!) now and playing some piano. In fact, he’s not just hitting the keys – he’s turned the inside into a kind of beatbox and is smacking the strings and wood. Well that certainly made people pay attention to the “token jazz” guy. 7.13pm: If you’re sat there thinking that this live blog seems slightly “distanced” from the real action, relax. I can see Anna Calvi’s feet quite clearly from beneath the big chandelier. She’s wearing black shoes. 7.11pm: Tinie’s medley was, well, it was a medley wasn’t it? Sounded a bit flat to tell the truth. He was wearing a red suit jacket, though, which makes him more extravagantly dressed than most people here. They’ve just gone through all the nominees to a range of cheers of differing volume. Amazingly Gwilym Simcock got the biggest roar by a mile. Could he win it? Let’s hope not because, unlike the claim I made in my hilarious joke earlier, I literally know dick-all about him. Anna Calvi is on. She’s playing Desire which has to be one of the best songs on all the albums up for nomination tonight. 7.03pm: Jools Holland is waffling on somewhere on one of the stages I can’t really see. Whatever Jools, the Guardian’s Rebecca Nicholson is here and she has even more hot goss from her own time on the red carpet. Apparently Metronomy revealed EXCLUSIVELY TO HER their own victory celebrations should they win – and it’s better than drinking a can of orange fizzy drink. They are planning a sexy group snog, in fact. Whatever one of those is. Right, that’s your lot. Tinie Tempah is onstage – the other stage I can’t see – playing a medley and it requires my full critical concentration. 6.52pm: I’ve got Greg Cochrane from BBC Radio One with me here who has some “hot goss” from the red carpet. Apparently Adele is resting her voice after cancelling part of her tour due to a chest cold – that means she won’t be playing tonight, and she skipped the red carpet bit too. Almost worth having a chest cold to avoid being asked what her favourite colour is over and over again by ‘sleb journos if you ask me. It also appears Tinie Tempah is following in the footsteps of Dizzee. In more ways than one – like the Rascal himself last year, Tinie is juggling tonight’s awards show with the GQ Man of the Year ceremony which is happening over the road. Also like last year, my invite to the latter event seems to have been lost in the post. And finally … if Ghostpoet wins he’s going to celebrate by drinking a can of Tango. You read it here first. And probably wish you hadn’t bothered. 6.46pm: Ok, we’re here at last. Sat on our perch in a novel position that manages to obscure the view of not one, but two of the three stages artists will be performing on tonight. That’s some skill. Early chatter both here and below the line seems to be in favour of PJ Harvey winning for the second time (she scooped it in 2001 with Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea). @Lauritas comments: “I suppose PJ Harvey has already won the prize before. But on artistic merit? Just for that black feather hat, surely she should win? Oh, that and the brazenly bonkers appearance on the Andrew Marr show.” Lauritas is, of course, referring to THIS (hope you liked it Gordy) 5.04pm: It’s Mercury prize time again! Those annual awards where the nation’s music fans unite to say “It’s a totally pointless industry ceremony dishing out an arbitrary prize” before banging on about what a disgrace it is that *insert triumphant band here* won it when it really should have gone to *insert less triumphant but more obscure band here*. And so on and so forth. There is, as always, a spot reserved on some wobbly stool on the balcony for your humble Guardian blogger. And there is, as always, a luxurious chair or two reserved on a table below for the not-so-humble Guardian blagger. Not that I’m bitter. Oh no. Join us from 7pm when the ceremony starts. There should be live songs and stuff. And let us know, to quote directly from the tome of learning that was Keane’s debut album, your hopes and fears for tonight: who would you love to see win? And who do you think is going to win? Here’s a quick recap of the nominees … Adele – 21 Anna Calvi – Anna Calvi Elbow – Build a Rocket Boys! Everything Everything – Man Alive Ghostpoet – Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam Gwilym Simcock – Good Days at Schloss Elmau James Blake – James Blake Katy B – On a Mission King Creosote and Jon Hopkins – Diamond Mine Metronomy – The English Riviera PJ Harvey – Let England Shake Tinie Tempah – Disc-Overy Better still, you can listen to them all on this page handily compiled by, er, us. And you can watch a fair few of them play live in our studio too. Oh, and as for my prediction? Well, surely it’s going to go to Gwilym Simcock with his classically trained piano-jazz, the only doubt being whether or not the Mercury panel can afford to dish out the prize to yet another jazz nominee? As for the others … sorry, not done any research on that lot. I’ve put all my chips in with Simcock. If he doesn’t walk away with this I’m buggered … Mercury prize 2011 Mercury prize Pop and rock Jazz PJ Harvey Adele Everything Everything Metronomy Tinie Tempah Ghostpoet Gwilym Simcock Katy B Anna Calvi James Blake Elbow King Creosote Awards and prizes Tim Jonze guardian.co.uk
The Blue America PAC was founded in time for the 2006 midterm elections, in which a host of progressive candidates were elected, including candidates backed by Blue America, from John Hall (NY), Paul Hodes (NH), Joe Sestak (PA) and Bruce Braley (IA) to current senators Ben Cardin (MD), Amy Klobuchar (MN), Jon Tester (MT) and Kirsten Gillibrand (NY). Our top pick in 2006, Donna Edwards, was defeated but went on to win in 2008, and was reelected in 2010. Many of our candidates from 2006 and 2008 were defeated for reelection in the tsunami of 2010 when voters told Democrats to get their act together and differentiate themselves from Republicans by standing up for working families. The voters helped them along that path by defeating more than two dozen conservative Blue Dogs, over half of their aisle-crossing caucus. Unfortunately excellent Blue America-backed incumbents like Alan Grayson, Carol Shea-Porter, John Hall, Mark Schauer and Mary Jo Kilroy were swept up in the wave. In this cycle we'll be using what we've learned since 2006 to help more progressives to overcome the massive financial advantage corporately backed conservatives always have over candidates who fight for ordinary families instead of special interests. The beginning of the process is to help recruit solid progressives in a slew of races where Republicans narrowly managed to get into office in the midst of a national discontent that wasn't kind to Democratic incumbents. You'll be able to keep abreast of developments along these lines at the three blogs that work together to keep this PAC going, Crooks and Liars , Digby's Hullabaloo and DownWithTyranny . Blue America doesn't work in safe districts where our help isn't needed. We look for tough races where a little encouragement, some financial help and some advice could go a long way, especially with candidates unlikely to get much help from the DCCC or the DSCC. Blue America ’12 has raised $45683.98 from 1011 donors. Donate: $ (amount distributed equally among all candidates) Your Total Donation $0.00
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England met a side who were supposed to be far removed from them, yet these teams could have been locked together. The Wales substitute Robert Earnshaw missed the target entirely when he ought to have equalised from close range in the 76th minute after a free-kick had been knocked back to him by Darcy Blake. England’s goal from Ashley Young was therefore the winner that keeps the side on track to edge out Montenegro in the Euro 2012 qualifiers. England were placid for much of the first half but probably understood that superior ability would tell sooner or later. It did so in the 35th minute when Stewart Downing went past Joe Ledley on the right and cut the ball back for Young to score with a low shot at the near post. The move was effective in its plainness and Fabio Capello’s team had perhaps been patient rather than listless until then because they were sure their superior technique would tell. The outlook of the visitors was entirely different. Failure brought a type of liberation to Wales. They arrived with nothing to play for and a great deal to enjoy. Gary Speed’s team were generally the brighter side before the interval, relishing each pass that took them to the England penalty area. Indeed it was as well for the hosts then that an attacker with Craig Bellamy’s edge was suspended. England were relatively subdued and that was odd when the need for full points was marked if Montenegro’s prospects of winning the group were not to be revived. Capello obviously did not suppose that gambles had to be taken. Theo Walcott was not even on the bench, despite the fact that his hamstring strain is said to be slight. Scott Parker was demoted to the bench, with Tottenham Hotspur’s new signing a booking away from missing the game in Skopje. Following the win over Bulgaria, James Milner and Frank Lampard came into the starting XI. The latter was a focus for discussion when he was limited to 10 minutes’ involvement when he came off the bench last week. If there was any notion that he could hone the shooting technique left to rust in Sofia it would have been born of the starkness of Wales’s weakness. It would be patronising to pretend that a great rivalry had resumed. Wales, with its small population, has never had the means to challenge England regularly. There have been great players but seldom a depth of footballers equipped to keep the side to the fore for long. England had won 65 of the 100 encounters before this occasion and lost just 14 times. Capello, like every other manager, has to work hard in the effort to ensure intensity from his squad on a low-key occasion. It must have been with a sense of relief that he highlighted the sometimes devastating impact that the Wales midfielder Gareth Bale can have. Even so, the manager would have assumed that the points could be collected without fuss. This should be an ideal moment. His players have had some match practice but they are still bright-eyed since the opening of the Champions League proper is still a week away. Calculations of that sort would only rile members of the Wales squad whose schedule will be somewhat different. Speed’s charges were entitled to an enhanced sense of their worth, having just outdone England by defeating Montenegro at home. Capello’s side had been held to a goalless draw by those opponents at Wembley, yet it has not seemed so ruinous a result. The England manager would surely have used the interval to remind his men that the one-goal advantage was too small a lead to be trusted. Wales, indeed, continued to be stimulated by the occasion. Capello, for his part, could at least be glad that the reserves of energy are greater now that some younger players are prominently featured. Yet there was no cause for Wales to quake and it was England who looked alarmed when a move ended with the right-back, Chris Smalling, conceding a corner. The home crowd jeered when Bale twisted and battled before using space he had made to fire high but there would have been a trace of relief in the derision since the potential danger was clear. England seemed to respond and in the 61st minute Barry set up Lampard for an attempt that went over the bar. The Chelsea midfielder would have wished to reassert himself before his replacement by Parker a dozen minutes later, but Wales would not behave as if they were members of his retinue. When England next had an opening, the centre-half Gary Cahill wheeled and connected inexpertly to loft the ball over. Capello was in no hurry to turn to his substitutes, perhaps indicating that forwards such as Jermain Defoe and Andy Carroll do not convince him completely. The manager might also have reckoned that there was too little of the adroitness that had led to the England goal. It would have been clear to Capello, as well, that Wales were showing that a fixture with historic overtones can still be a genuine contest. Euro 2012 qualifiers England Wales Kevin McCarra guardian.co.uk
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