WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[David Whipp]

Yes, good coverage for Stan's story.

Meanwhile, Barlick has reached the finals of the Great British High Street initiative, together with streets in Brighton and York in our category!

Email from the organisers reads:

Congratulations on being shortlisted in this year’s Great British High Street Awards.

I am pleased to say that we have today announced the 21 finalists in the attached press notice: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/high ... -the-shops .

There is likely to be strong media pick up and do please start celebrating your success and promoting your achievements through local and regional press, and through social media, as you see fit.

[Stanley]

Re War Story: further mail from Ed to say if I have anything else like it I should send it directly to him. Of course, I'm not daft, any editor of a local paper who has a source of good free copy will grab it, they are so understaffed that it's too good to miss. But, it is still an offer and 5,000 words published across the series is exposure for ideas and views....
Tiz, why waste time to 'spare a thought' for people stupid enough to fall for these scams? As Barnum said, "there's one born every minute".
A video has been released which seems to show the beheading of the Manchester taxi driver.... Frank Gardiner, the well respected BBC correspondent says that he thinks IS may have gone too far. He reckons it is an indication of desperation and it could be an end game. I hope he is right.

[David Whipp]

Coverage of Barlick getting through to the final 3 in the Great British High Street Awards!

[Stanley]

It will do much more good than that chancer Mary Portass ever achieved. I always thought there was more 'jumping on the bandwagon' and seeking personal publicity in that campaign than good solid PR and reporting.
The big re-shuffle going on in F1. Drivers moving from team to team and Honda coming in next year as an engine supplier. Interesting times if you are into F1.

[Stanley]

See THIS REPORT for news of the resumption of the search for the Malaysian airliner off the coast of Western Australia after a hiatus while other ships mapped the sea bed.
Today is Jack's day for his annual inoculations. We will visit his friend Mrs Marsh at dinnertime.

[Stanley]

The fact I forgot to go to the vets! We have another appointment today after a grovelling apology!
The identification of the body in the wood in London as the man suspected of murdering Alice Gross. A gruesome end to a terrible episode.
The woman found dead who was outed by Sky News as a troll.

[Cathy]

Just spent 5mins looking for Wildlife Topic, search came up with nothing so I will put this on here.

Boxing Kangaroos in a suburban street today on our NSW Central Coast trying to show each other who is boss.
Short video on yahoo.com/7news. lol

[Thomo]

For weeks now we have been getting calls every day, and at worst eight tines a day from 0800 - 2100. Cue pleading sickly Asian voice begging us to take part in a brief survey. I have tried to be polite, I have explained that I am not interested and that this is an ex directory number. And it's not just us, my 88 year old Sister and my ex Wife on Anglesey are fed up with them as well. Apart from not being interested I would not trust them in any respect, so they are wasting their time and creating anger. The last one and the second today was told Navy Fashion where to put her survey.

[Stanley]

The spam telephone messagers are very active, that's why I don't answer the phone after noon. Just hang up on them, saves time.
Saw Mars Marsh yesterday and spent another £42 on Jack. Weight exactly the same as last year and he's pronounced perfectly fit. I told her that there was a rumour about that she was retiring but she asked me to spread the word that it is another vet at Barlick who has left. She has retired from her post at Craven College but is definitely carrying on as a vet in Barlick. Good, she's a good vet and a lovely lady!

[Stanley]

I heard a piece on World Service about young people from Kosovo going out to fight with IS in Syria. All those interviewed were of the opinion that a major factor was the fact that youth unemployment is over 50%. They said that these young people had been made so disaffected because they had no prospects at home and IS looked like an attractive alternative. I can understand that, the law of 'unintended consequence' is alive and well. How far does this apply over here? Not just in volunteering in Syria but in other fields as well. We have too many young people who see no prospect of good jobs with a living wage, especially in the ethnic minorities. This is a time bomb and in the end society will pay. Remember the pit closures? I don't think that anyone foresaw that one of the consequences in the pit villages would be a spike in heroin usage. It was a cheaper way to oblivion than alcohol.

[Stanley]

I don't ache after yesterday’s exertions.... Wonderful!

[Bruff]

''youth unemployment is over 50%..................young people.... so disaffected because they had no prospects at home...''

It's well-kown that poverty, poverty of opportunity, poverty of education leads to all sorts of consequences of varying degrees of terribleness. It's been studied and known for years. Unfortunately, it requires among other things a significant degree of Government and other public intervention to deal with this and the consensus these past 30-odd years is that Government keeps out the way. Better to blame the folk themselves and engage in other finger-pointing exercises, and presentational distortions (by which I mean by way of example, implying the extremely rare examples of gross fecklessness are represenative of the norm). An approach I must admit that works very well in ensuring nothing very much will change, for that it's disreputable.

Richard Broughton

[Big Kev]

http://www.lancashire.police.uk/about-u ... h-of-woman

[Stanley]

Richard... well said and I agree entirely. Remember the great debate after the riots and looting after the killing of the suspected drug dealer?
Kev, well spotted and worrying when something like that happens so closed to home. It's never serious when it is at arm's length.
I had good news in that Granddaughter Jess has passed her Master's degree exam, has a job at one of the hospitals near Ribchester (is it Brockholes?) and is at the moment in Kenya on holiday with her boyfriend Mo visiting his parents....
Saw Billy Parsons on the Town Square. He's 91 and looks wonderful! I told him that he is my next target! He said he'd seen Eric Parker driving his car in the town, good news as the last time I heard he was poorly, he's getting near his sell by date as well!

[LizG]

Goose Egg.jpg

How fantastic is this egg? It's a goose egg in a box with very large duck eggs to give some perspective. It is the equivalent of 3 eggs and I used it for a cake. I'd never even seen one before.

My friend has several geese that have all just started laying again so she donated one. I wonder what they are liked boiled. You'd have to use a tea cup instead of an egg cup.

[Cathy]

Wow, isn't nature wonderful! What a clever goose.

[PanBiker]

Someone has been arrested for trying to steal the Eric statue from Morecambe sea front.

Lancaster Guardian Article

[Stanley]

I saw that report as well, glad the attempt was foiled but how did someone get away with even trying under the CCTV?
Liz, goose eggs are great for baking, very rich and yolks a good colour as well. My butcher has them occasionally, duck and bantam eggs as well.
Lewis getting the first pole at Sochi the new Russian track.

[Bodger]

Re goose eggs, the last one i had was in Crow Edge at the Pratty Flowers / Prince of Wales pub, they had them pickled in a jar, the son in law and myself had one each before heaing off for lunch at the Strines Inn, est. 1275, for lunch the son in law had a mammoth mixed gril, he can eat two taters more tha a pig !
http://thestrinesinn.webs.com/ It is a dog friendly establishment, well worth a visit , or was ?

Main Meals

Giant Yorkshire Pudding served with your choice of beef, pork or sausages on a bed of fresh vegetables, roast potatoes and gravy

Giant Yorkshire Pudding (V) served with your choice of cheese or parsley sauce on a bed of fresh vegetables and roast potatoes

Liver & Onions served with fresh vegetables, roast potatoes and gravy

Home Made Chilli served in a giant Yorkshire pudding

Mammoth Mixed Grill steak, pork chop, lamb chop, gammon, liver, kidney and sausage with egg, mushrooms and chips

Pie of the Day in a shortcrust pastry served with fresh vegetables, roast potatoes and gravy

Home Made Lasagne Verdi served with side salad and garlic bread

Butter Bean Stew (V) served in a giant Yorkshire pudding

Macaroni Cheese (V) served with side salad and garlic bread

Broccoli Cream Cheese Bake (V) served with side salad and garlic bread

Vegetable Lasagne (V) served with side salad and garlic bread

Catch of the Day served with peas, salad and new potatoes

[Tripps]

New venue for a Grand Prix race - Sochi. Eyes of the world on Russia. Best not to be invading your neighbour at the same time, I suppose.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered thousands of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border to return to their usual bases, according to his spokesman."

[Stanley]

Russia is a puzzle isn't it.... Grand Prix was almost boring yesterday, Lewis was unstoppable especially as Rosberg completely lost his head on the first turn after the start, late braking on Lewis, losing it completely and going straight on almost taking Hamilton out. Flat spotted all his tyres and had to pit immediately and playing catch up for the whole race. I don't think Toto Wolff would be impressed by Rosberg risking the team's Constructor's Championship for purely personal reasons, I suspect there was a meaningful conversation after the race. This was played down by the commentators but noticeable that Hamilton kept well away from Rosberg after the finish. He behaved like the spoiled brat he is.
Had a nice day in all and another today with more shed pottering. Cleaners come tomorrow! Amazing how the months fly by.

[Big Kev]

The latest addition to the family. My grandson, Joshua, born on Septemer 30th 2014 came for a visit

[LizG]

Congratulations Big Kev. He's beautiful.

[Stanley]

He looks like a serious lad....

[Big Kev]

He was giving everyone a good frowning