WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Stanley]

Diabetes clinic this afternoon. Funny thing is that while they ask me questions about my life style, diet etc. I can't help wondering how good their diet, blood pressure or blood analysis is. I wonder if the nurse will ask me about erectile dysfunction this time. I was so pleased to have it questioned last time!

[Tardis]

The Operation Chariot memorial on the pier at Falmouth. Photo taken March 2014. Click the pic for greater detail.

Lisa's parents have just visited St Nazaire (last Wednesday) and sent me pictures of the submarine pens

and a quick edit to add the picture now that I've found one

I recommend the book too:

[Stanley]

'Start the Week' on R4 yesterday. Very good discussion of 'Creative commons' a growing economic movement which I now realise is far more important than I thought. Here's a LINK to the programme on the Future of Capitalism. Jeremy Rifkind was particularly interesting. Well worth listening to and it's available at the link.
The terrible event at the Leeds school where a 61 year old woman teacher was stabbed by a pupil and died. One news presenter let slip that there were multiple wounds which somehow makes it worse. Shocking because school is the place where you expect safety. No doubt we will hear more.
After the recent failures of trials connected with historical sex abuse I suspect the authorities are heaving a sigh of relief now that the first of the 'Yewtree' prosecutions has resulted in Max Clifford being found guilty. Somehow it's ironic that a man who has made a career out of 'kiss and tell' journalism has fallen foul of the law because one of his victims 'told'.

[David Whipp]

Ominous signs that the treacle miners may be returning to Lockfield Drive; evidence of test drilling for treacle (or gas)...

[Tardis]

Banksy's comment?

[Tardis]

A friend yesterday came under some fairly hostile trolling online and during our discussion she said:

Its fine seriously being female and ethnic it's unfortunately normal

Made me think, just what is normal and how a human being can adapt to survive such normality

[Stanley]

More care home abuse revelations uncovered by BBC Panorama programme.
See this LINK for the resignation of Patrick Mercer. I heard a very strange personal statement from him on the news last night. Very hard to tell whether he was apologising or just angry because he'd been found out. This means a by-election in Newark where the Tory majority is over 16,000 and Nigel Farage is considering standing for it. If he does and dents the Tory majority after what could be an exciting showing in the European elections on 22 May expect the Tory party to panic! Interesting times but totally surreal!
See this LINK for an account of a botched execution in Oklahoma where a prisoner suffered for 43 minutes before dying from a heart attack. Described as torture by observers and worth noting that the reason why the state was using untested drugs is because European companies which previously supplied the drugs have refused to do so on humanitarian grounds.

[Tizer]

A friend yesterday came under some fairly hostile trolling online and during our discussion she said:

Its fine seriously being female and ethnic it's unfortunately normal

Made me think, just what is normal and how a human being can adapt to survive such normality

Dame Julia Slingoe, head of the Met Office, has had to adapt to put up with hostility and abuse from climate change deniers. She's met some of them face to face and challenged them...they've usually been embarrassed and have apologised (but they are the easier ones to deal with compared with the anonymous types).

[Stanley]

See this LINK for a report on the arrest of Gerry Adams. These men have worked hard (and successfully) at re-inventing themselves but the past is still there and will not be denied eventual justice. Pity the same processes weren't available to track down the Black and Tans, in that respect we're doing a bit better! (LINK to information about the Black and Tans)
On a lighter note, a mutually beneficial visit from Ian. Nice to work together with others and get a good result all round.

[Stanley]

Two pieces grabbed me in today's BET. A good article about the clinic and the actions taken by local councillors to address the problems that have arisen. Built during WW2 as a temporary 'prefab' construction, it has served us well and I wish the councillors well in their efforts.
A nice piece about our own John Clayton who has published two new books (or rather one book in two volumes) on the archaeology of the region. I want them and have told him so! John has worked hard at this over the years, gained qualifications to support him and has walked more miles than you could poke a stick at.
LINK to John's website.

[Tizer]

Tell John that his prices on this web page: http://www.barrowfordpress.co.uk/page3.html are confusing. He gives a price of £15.75 for each book then at the bottom of the page quotes a discount of 20% for buying the two books together and gives the discounted price as £30. At first glance that doesn't make sense, a 20% discount on 2 x £15.75 would give £25.20. Then you read it more carefully and see that the individual prices don't include postage; the discounted price is on combined book price plus postage. It would be better if John made it clearer and allowed potential buyers to compare like with like - show them how much it costs, including postage, to buy one book and then how much it costs, including postage and with a 20% discount, to buy the two together.

[Stanley]

I've mailed him your post Tiz. He tells me he is delivering my two personally next week....

I tripped over this image while I was trawling my archive for mystery objects.

[Nolic]

Great news from Dan. He's just had a phone call from Merc Engineering in Barrowford offering him a permanent job as operations assistant. One very happy young man and two proud parents. Nolic

[Pluggy]

Deluge of voting propaganda through the letter box:,various shades of 'right' from outright Facism through to right of centre. (BNP, UKIP, Tory) and Mr Whipps 'Focus' printed with what smells like old engine oil adding its delightful aroma to the living room. It really gets me salivating to get out and vote (not).

I Think I'll go with Big Kev's 'It doesn't matter who you vote for, you always get the Government'.

No offence intended, David but you might want to spend a bit more on printing.

[Thomo]

What David thinks I imagine is based upon what he sees around him. I know what I see on this site, and for the better part I ignore it. There are now a few members left who have a balanced view of a wide range of topics, and can come up with some interesting debate. There are some however who are turning this site into one sided we are right, or left!, and everyone else is wrong scenario. This has ceased to be one guy from Barlick, and is rapidly becoming one belief from anywhere. In short, it has less to do with this old town, and more to do with a select number of those who have the privilege of abiding here.

[David Whipp]

You only have one leaflet to smell, Pluggy (whatever takes your fancy...), I've got thousands of the beggars! Though, thanks to a good team of deliverers, they're all through the letterboxes now.

For the connoisseur, the ink isn't old engine oil, but 'Carbon Black, Petroleum Solvent, Sorbitan Oleate, Glycerol and Water'.

We haven't got any Ashcroft brass to get glossy; even our cheap and cheerful Ricoh costs enough.

We aim to please though; I'll endeavour to add a scratch and sniff panel in the 300th edition...

[Pluggy]

I've no beef with the content of Mr Whipps publication, only its smell,it was not intended to be bundled into the 3 'right' publications. The Liberal Democrats can hardly be classified as 'right' under anyone's definition.

Maybe David's efficient delivery is the problem, the leaflets are too fresh off the press. I've noticed its smell has subsided since it arrived.

The first 2 ingredients of the Ink are major constituents of old engine oil so maybe I'm not too far away......

[Stanley]

The snooker semi final last night.... Hard match play snooker that went right to the wire.

[David Whipp]

News that gas levels are so high in our street that Transco are going to dig it up in the next few weeks and put a new main in.

[Thomo]

In the last 7 days we have seen wild birds coming back here from their winter habitats, Swifts, House Martins and Coal Tits. We have also seen several birds passing through, Goldfinches and Long Tailed Tits. Last Sunday at dusk there was a large Owl sat on the roof of the Fosters Arms and today, in the garden, a rare visitor, a Bullfinch. Things like this make life feel worthwhile, this is nature at its finest. These creatures have been here as long as mankind, and have to work hard to survive. They are fortunate in respect of the fact that they can to a degree control their own existence, whereas we have to abide by laws that are decided by they whom believe that they know better. Not being totally au fait and comfortable with the popular can lead to being labelled unfairly. Being concerned about immigration levels can make one a racist, not embracing what some choose to do with their relationships, can be seen as homophobic, the list is endless. Across the "Pond" the American giant of doubtful wisdom is becoming ever more vocal about the Ukraine, how many times have they got us into something that neither they nor us can bring to satisfactory conclusion. Ah well, its time to make dinner, traditional and wholesome!

[plaques]

There are some however who are turning this site into one sided we are right, or left!, and everyone else is wrong scenario.

Thomo. I think I can see what you’re driving at. As an analogy, for over 30 years I took the Sunday Times because it generally had a balanced view with articles far and against particular topics. Gradually it became more and more right wing, Murdock’s influence I think. Reluctantly I had to drop it.
Unfortunately, it appears that everything has grown more extreme with very little middle ground debate. The end consequence is that making a stand against something becomes more strident. Your last post for instance

Across the "Pond" the American giant of doubtful wisdom is becoming ever more vocal about the Ukraine, how many times have they got us into something that neither they nor us can bring to satisfactory conclusion.

. I would agree with you entirely, but would others think this was an extreme view.
I would encourage everybody who doesn't agree with myself or anybody else on this site for that matter to say what they feel. That way you would get a more balance view.

[Stanley]

P. you're right. Murdoch uses his media to put forward his extreme right wing views and it spoiled the Times. Not because they're right wing but because on the whole the views are verging on barking mad!

[Thomo]

I always begin to feel uncomfortable when the Americans start talking about making a military presence somewhere. This time Mr Kerry was suggesting putting Nato troops into the Western areas around the Ukraine to put pressure on Russia, they have already moved thousands more US troops into Europe. A substantial amount of energy for Europe comes from Russia, if this supply was terminated it would be bad news for Europe, but would not affect America at all. It is far from clear just who is behind the trouble in the Ukraine, and until such time as clarity reveals their identity and purpose, uncle Sam needs to be very careful.

[Tizer]

Thomo, you must be the first person on OGFB to have managed to put owls, long-tailed tits and a bullfinch into the same post as comments on immigration and homophobia! Talking of the mighty USA, have a look at this current BBC article: `Dien Bien Phu: Did the US offer France an A-bomb?'. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-27243803

Pluggy, if David's publication contains `Carbon Black and Petroleum Solvent' perhaps it should be marked as `Unfit for human consumption'.

[Pluggy]

Mr Whipps publication 'Focus' has been a part of Barlick life for many many years. Its a lot more fit for Human consumption (despite being printed with smelly ink) than much of the political propaganda landing on my mat.

Is it just me, or is right of centre anti Europe parties campaigning to become MEPs hypocritical ?. It sucks in my book. "We don't stand a snowballs chance in hell of becoming part of the solution, so lets become part of the problem" is what it smacks of to me. I don't advocate leaving Europe, but I disagree with a lot of what Brussels come up with. Its the lesser of two evils from where I stand.

I've come to the conclusion that the Assad Regime in Syria is probably the lesser of two evils. My jury is still out on where I stand on Ukraine, It strikes me that the Yanks and Putin are missing the Cold War......

One things for certain, disposing Saddam Hussain and 10 years of War in Iraq got the world a fat lot of nowhere. The same can be said for Afghanistan.

It says a lot about America when a Gun shop owner had his life threatened when he wanted to sell a smart gun that couldn't be fired if it was stolen from the person wearing its safety catch watch.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/thr ... story.html