WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Bodger]

I wonder how many joined with the promise of spare wives ?

[Wendyf]

What attracted my attention was the fact that I have turned green and been granted super powers previously unknown to womankind

[PanBiker]

As far as I am aware all women are multi-taskers so it should not be a great problem Wendy, I'm sure you will soon get the hang of the new role. Welcome to the "greenies"

[Nolic]

Something that will definitely interest Panny.

Haworth turned on the 1940's charm to welcome guests..... but did a bit of the Basil Fawlty!! Nolic

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... dford.html

[PanBiker]

Every 1940's re-enactment event that I have ever visited over the last 8 or 9 years always has a complete cross section of people depicting both allied and former axis forces. Some of the organising committees from some events do restrict the participation of those depicting axis forces. The Pickering event restricts those depicting axis forces to Grosmont. Pickering itself is normally "garrisoned" by those in allied garb. A lot really depends on what facilities are available in the area that the events are taking part.

The cliff-tops above Whitby during their 1940's weekends usually has a complete encampment of German infantry re-enactors with 100% authentic equipment, tentage and weapons. They camp for the full weekend as a living history exhibit using all the field catering equipment and are totally self sufficient.

There are dozens of similar groups around the country who do the same, depicting all and every faction of military and civilian wartime life that you could think of. I saw a Japanese guy dressed as a Kamikaze pilot and a Japanese woman as victim of Hiroshima this year also, both sides of the coin you may say. There is an entire family of Mum, Dad, and three children (4 -10 years) who re-enact a bombed out family shoving what remains of their possessions around in a pram dressed in pyjamas and dressing gowns.

The vast majority of those that take part see what they are doing as living history, many invest huge amounts of money in "getting it right". I know that some of the re-enactment groups insist on their members being checked for items that are not contemporary with the period they are depicting before they turn out on the street. The guy from Colne who depicts a French Gendarme with a dog, (there is a name for the section of police he represents but I can't remember it). In conjunction with his genuine uniform, he even has the correct breed of dog.

I think what was wrong here is that the Bradford councillor or whoever did not do their homework properly before taking their twinned visitors to Haworth. The event has been running long enough for anyone with a modicum of nous to be able to find out what you are likely to see at a typical 1940's weekend.

Stories of inept councillors will not necessarily sell as many papers though will they?

[Stanley]

Wendy, don't forget that there have been people in the past who said the moderators were the Mafia! My version is that we are litter-pickers keeping the site's streets clean.
Well done Comrade for spotting the clip and of course Ian is right, the 1940s re-enactments seek to reflect the reality and while I'll admit that seeing people wearing Nazi uniforms sends my back hairs up surely this is part of what it is all about? If we sanitise the events by banning 'anything we don't like' where do we stop? In cas anyone has forgotten we did our share of nasty things during the war but the bottom line is that we were at war with, and opposed to, the facets depicted by those who re-create the enemy. The Daily Mail, particularly their web site is a strange beast, they rail against certain aspects of society but exploit them on the web site. Double standards and I don't trust their reporting.
Bit of a cock-up in Egypt. The Supreme Court declares the recent elections void and also reinstates members of the old regime as possible candidates in any new election. Conspiracy theories abound with suspicions the military are behind it all. And we thought we had problems!

[Stanley]

Nick Wallenda crossing Niagara falls on a tightrope.
The council climbing down after banning the taking of pics in the school dining room after a schoolgirl's blog went viral. Sensible decision.....

[Wendyf]

My Mum, 91 and struggling with her sight due to macular degeneration, went to the optician the other week to see if they could improve things with a stronger prescription for her specs. As usual when they did the pressure test for glaucoma they found it slightly high. I don't know how many times she has been referred to an eye specialist for the same problem, but each time it's been "nothing to worry about" after a stressful and lengthy visit to the local hospital.
This time, after the optician has written to her doctor, she has received a letter from the surgery not with a date for an appointment, but all about "choice" and "freedom" to book her own appointment to see a specialist. She can do it by text, on the internet or if she must, by phone. She has a reference number, she has a password which she must remember at all times (on a separate sheet) the information mustn't be used by any other person but her. Her choice is just one hospital.
She can't see well enough to read her letter never mind understand all the business about reference numbers and passwords...no wonder she is in a total panic about what to do. What sort of world is it when the surgery she has been attending for over 40 years send her a letter like that???
( I did offer to book her an appointment online...she really doesn't want to go. I offered to phone the surgery and give them a piece of my mind for sending her the letter...but they might just offer to make an appointment for her.....)

[Sunray10]

Wendy that's dreadful. My mother is in the same position as your mum. She keeps being fobbed off by hospital eye clinic and local health centre. Optician writes to doctor, doctor dosen't receive this letter etc etc. You know the rest, you just don't get any where with these people. My mother is 90 and she too cannot see much let alone read letters and she wouldn't be able to go on the internet to try and sort it all out. What do you do ??

[Stanley]

Wendy, I have an idea that there is a mechanism whereby you can be recognised as an advocate for your mother and so be able to deal with the matter for her. I have been arguing for years against this spurious concept of 'choice'. I don't want it, I want a service that works! There was an article in Private Eye this week about problems like this which are arising as the latest reforms are put in place, particularly where practices have taken advice from, or even been taken over by, commercial organisations out to make a fast buck. I know it's bad news but I think you have to protest to the practice and make a nuisance of yourself on your mother's behalf. Keeping quiet won't cut it.

[cloghopper]

If it hasn't already been spotted, a petition to make the purchase of BMD certificate copies for family history projects cheaper.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/1792

HTH
cloggy

[Wendyf]

Sunray, it isn't easy dealing with elderly mothers is it, never mind the NHS as well. My Mum's need to maintain control of her life has got stronger recently, tiny but determined, she isn't someone you can tell what to do!
She is terrified of hospitals, has absolutely no patience for waiting around in waiting rooms, and taking her to one of these appointments is a nightmare!
I will let the practice know what I think, but it will have to wait till next week now, as she didn't want me to bring the letter away with me yesterday (she lives in Leeds).

[Tizer]

Wendy, Ray, we have similar problems with my 93-year-old father. He's fit both mentally and physically and wants to be independent - also he doesn't see why he should continue taking drugs (e.g. cholesterol-lowering tablets) and go for repeat check-ups (for a skin cancer problem). We try to help but ultimately it's his life and if he wants to ignore the medics and spend his time now in peace and quiet we've got to respect his decision. There will be people who say we don't take care of him properly but they don't know the full inside story.

When my mother was in her final days (heart attacks and stroke) a `geriatric specialist' found she had a lump on her breast and insisted on doing something about it. My mother didn't want it at all, she was in a bad state and was already saying she wanted to go to sleep and never wake up. She didn't need to be told she might have cancer. We supported her decision not to let them do anything about the lump. She died shortly afterwards but at least she didn't have to put up with spending the last days being treated for cancer.

[Stanley]

Tiz, a classic case of treating the cancer and not the patient.
The courier firm wh has failed me will be getting more attention than they want!

[Stanley]

A visit from an intelligent and active volunteer at Bancroft Engine house who had heard that I was a source. I'm putting together a file of Bancroft pics for him and he knows what other resources I have which could be of use to them. I don't think he was bored......

[Stanley]

The courier finally delivered my printer.... I can now get back to a normal life as I am no longer a prisoner of Yodel!
I watched some of Royal Ascot and reflected that while the beautiful people were enjoying themselves dressed up to the nines and spending money as though it was going out of fashion mothers all over the country were worrying about what they could afford to give their children for tea. All right I am an old dinosaur but at least I was thinking about those who were not so lucky.....

[EileenDavid]

The grey skies after the beautiful blue of yesterday mustn't look back though. Stanley did you see the article on Michael Cain who says due to having lived on both sides of the poor and the rich and famous under stands and therefore he has put his Rolex watch away and is wearing a cheap one and downgraded from his Rolls to a Lexus. That's poverty eh! Eileen

[Tardis]

Andrew Stephenson talking to Vince the Cable about getting Rolls Royce to bring back Fan Blade manufacture from Singapore. I presume there will be news in the paper later

[Stanley]

Eileen, have you ever come across the song sung by Ray Stevens, 'Would Jesus wear a Rolex?' I watched some of Ascot again yesterday, a man put £100,000 on a horse which won at 4-5 so he only won £80,000. My heart bleeds for them.....
Doctors are coming under attack this morning. Everyone seems to have forgotten that they are protesting against the second pension cut despite the Treasury saying that there was no need for it as the measures already in place ensured that the pension pay out would fall in coming years. Personally I think that doctors deserve a good wage, if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

[EileenDavid]

I agree that doctor's should be paid a good salary but don't think that they should get commission on drugs prescribed. It seems to me they are underpaid in comparison to footballers, actors etc. Eileen

[Wendyf]

I have a split in my wellies.

[Tizer]

A fuss in the news over foreign workers and immigrants in the UK. Arguments over whether there are too many or not. If there's a problem it's one of distribution rather than total numbers, with some places having concentrations and others having none. One man saying on the news that he doesn't go in his local pub any more because "it's been taken over by Poles and they all look at you as if you are an intruder into their pub". Where I live in Somerset you don't see any Asians or Africans, yet a small local town has a concentration of Poles, a shop selling everything Polish and the small Tesco supermarket has a section devoted to Polish foods. When the recession started the shop closed and the Poles disappeared...now they are all back again. At least I don't know of any local pubs becoming `Poles only'!

[Stanley]

Remember me doing the article on Stan? We have quite a large Polish community but they are largely assimilated and no problems. One of the bnig problems in agricultural areas is of course that locals won't do the job.
Wendy, that is really, really important! Get down to Pates at Gisburn today......

[Wendyf]

Lindley Pate were taken over by Guy Machinery last year Stanley, I don't know if they still have the agricultural supplies store there. I know they were auctioning off all the stock. Colin tells me there is a stall on Skipton Market that sells Dunlop wellies, so he is going to get me a pair this morning. I'm going to need them!

[EileenDavid]

Wendy's article on Skipton Market. Being here in Brittany really miss the market and of course the pork pies. Eileen