Best Google Review ever

After this morning's fantastic Tweet from South West Trains:

We are currently not able to run trains through Feltham as there is a fight on the platform with possible trespassers on the line.
— South West Trains (@SW_Trains) August 23, 2013

For some reason this made me think about the secure training centre, HMP Feltham. Plenty has been written about how online reviews on the likes of Trip Advisor can make or break hotels and restaurants.  I then saw this, contender for best Google Review ever: 



"If you are young, and are travelling Europe, this comes a close second to the Youth Hostel Association. Although slightly outside London, its ideal for Heathrow airport (a short bus ride), and local amenities are good. Accomodation is pleasant with garden views, but meals are served communally, and peppered by remarks like, "you gonna eat that, mate?". Shower-time take you back to the days of Eton, and Rugby............ Like many cheap hostelries, you have to see "The Beak" who will decide if you are free to continue your European Tour, or whether you are given a free airline ticket back to your home country....usually Australia."

I apologise to my Australian cousins and anyone else for the casual racism, that aside, it made me chuckle.

Food is too important to gamble with

I love a bit of technology and I love a bit of politics, I especially love it when the two combine. Therefore my interest peaked today when I saw the World Development Movement's new take on one of my old favourite Nokia games, Snake.

This highlights the world trading market in food commodities and how fluctuations in food prices caused by this speculation can lead to both poverty and hunger. Rising food prices have been a problem over the last five years in the UK together with the developing world, where food price inflation has outpaced stagnant wages. Higher food prices hits the poorest hardest because food takes up a larger proportion of their spending than the better off.

On 4 September the EU will be meeting to discuss regulating these markets, it will be interesting to see how much they are able to get through. Click the image below to play the game and add your name to the list of those supporting regulation and stabilisation of food markets: