Clarkester

So "Political Mud-slinging" is childish is it? You should tell that to Dave, Ed, that other one and the purple fella... Pfftt... Childish indeed... They live for political mud-slinging! Me? I'm voting Green.

It'll never happen! He's too lucky/connected/slippery to let it. Awful, awful man... Worse even than Milk Snatcher!

Ubique, I understand what you are saying completely, but the actions of this chap were completely out of order. There is a huge difference between a dog going up and having a sniff at another dog and one that is going to act in an aggressive manner. The young man in question threatened my wife that he was going to kick our dogs in the throat and head, which by the way are a Springer and a Cocker Spaniel - not exactly the most aggressive of canine breeds. The springer is too scared of other dogs to even go near most, and the cocker just wants to play with everything. Then, when he squared up to the friend of my wife and threatened to 'put him in the ground?' Seriously, there is looking after your dog and there is acting like a complete lunatic. The lad in question was seen later roaming the streets near the old Whitecross School, without dog by now, looking in people's houses, I'm not saying he was up to anything suspicious, but his actions are not those of a normal person, surely?

Hi Twowheelsgood. Yep, I made sure she reported it first thing. We're going to speak to the other chap later to see if he has done anything, and to check he is okay. Thanks.

This morning (Thursday 12th March 2015) my wife was walking our two dogs in the old Whitecross School field off Baggally Street with another dog walker. Across the field was a young-ish male (Mid 20s, dark hair, tall, wearing a light blue hoody) walking a Springer Spaniel puppy. As dogs do, a couple went over to say a doggy hello to the Springer pup. Upon which the chap walking it became very agitated and started gesticulating wildly to my wife and the other walker. His behaviour rapidly escalated and he began threatening to kick the dogs in the throat if they didn't get them away NOW! My wife and her friend pointed out that it was an open field where lots of people let their dogs run around, to which he accused the chap with my wife of letting his dogs attack his puppy. Which, I can vouch is extremely unlikely as the dogs in question are the most placid dogs you could meet. The chap with my wife pointed out that this wasn't true, to which the young man threatened "To put him in the ground!" At this point my wife and her friend decided to make a hasty retreat and leave, to which the young man continued to gesticulate wildly at them, shouting "Oi! Where you going? Eh?" My wife was left extremely upset and shaken by this experience as you can imagine. I thought it might be an idea to warn other readers to be aware.

£2000 reward for what is essentially an old wooden bowl? I'm getting my chisels out later, I'll make one like the one at The Crown. The one they have has as much claim to be the holy grail as this Nanteos Cup does. Personally I'm not sure how it can be seriously claimed that Jesus drank from it at the last supper when it only dates back to the late middle ages...

Ubique... In a word: "No!" You can't force people to vote, that would be just as wrong as refusing sections of society the ability to vote. Surely it is our democratic right as free(ish) citizens to have the choice as to whether we use our vote or not? I will admit, that if a person declines to vote in an election, then somebody is elected that they dislike intently, they have no real right to complain about it. But you can't go down the route of forcing people to vote. And anyway, what is the point of voting at this present time? The choices are of one grey, bland personality-bypassed liar, or another grey, bland personality-bypassed liar, or another grey, bland personality-bypassed liar, or a bunch of half-crazed veiled racists... What a choice...

The outdoor gym near Moor Farm has been open for a fair while now. Still no litter bin though... But some thoughtful people regularly tie a black bag to where the Flood Warning sign was. Not any longer though, it got ripped out. Local youths being over exuberant I'm sure... Along with the regular damaging of some of the equipment, and now this. The sign being pulled off it's stand completely. Yes, just youthful exuberance. Still, there is a new play park just outside Trinity School, perhaps they will move on and slowly destroy that now instead. I'm trying to work out the thought processes here... Kids make a nuisance of themselves, causing damage to things allegedly because they have nothing to do or nowhere to go. An outdoor gym is created for them to have something to do, somewhere to go... so some of them decide to set about slowly destroying it, I don't really understand what goes on in the mind of people like that. Can anyone enlighten me?

Thanks Dippy. Another thing... Why, pray tell, are they happy to pose now? Where were they last year for the last big charitable event? Or the year before?? I'll have a guess... They were tucked up safe out of the way, knowing that they could do as little for the population as they could get away with. But this year? Hmm, something important to them is happening in May, so they need to be seen to be "out there" and "caring for their constituents" It's all a little bit sad if you ask me. The thing is though, they'll, on the most part, get away with it! Which is worse, because it makes us, the public, look like we're the stupid ones!

Hold on there Chris... Nobody is criticizing the British Heart Foundation here, it's the lame, jump on the bandwagon, just realease the same generic press release that all the politicians are happy to trot out. Seemingly (in their opinion at least) safe in the thought that only their constituents will ever see it. Those days have gone though, haven't they? They all just come across as being lazy now and doing anything to get themselves noticed in the run-up to an election...

Arrgghh! It's happening all over! Verinda Sharma MP (Labour): “Charities are an essential part of the UK medical research environment and the science budget is vital to supporting their research. “By funding the day-to-day running of science facilities, the next government will ensure that researchers can concentrate on finding the next life saving cure. “If we are to prevent and treat devastating conditions like cardiovascular disease in places like Ealing Southall, we need continued investment in pioneering research and to guarantee the future of the science budget.†Mid-Dorset and North Poole MP Annette Brooke: Mrs Brooke said: “Charities are an essential part of the UK medical research environment and the science budget is vital to supporting their research. “By funding the day-to-day running of science facilities the next government will ensure that researchers can concentrate on finding the next life-saving cure.†Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith: Julian said: “Charities are an essential part of the UK medical research environment and I am proud that the Government has protected the science budget supporting their vital research. “If we are to prevent and treat devastating conditions like cardiovascular disease, we need continued investment in pioneering research and, for as long as I am in Parliament, that is something I will fight for.†I could go on... These MP's.... Haven't got an original bone in their bodies...

I must point out that I didn't mean that everybody that is labelled 'vexatious' is, but... some are. Apologies all, I'll shut up now!

Whilst I agree with Flamboyant to some degree, there are some people that will continue to request, demand, argue etc even after they have had their original query answered in a fair and correct manner. But... Because they didn't like the answer they were given, they are not prepared to accept it, and will request, demand, argue etc again, but with more intensity and more feeling of being denied their version of the truth. And so it begins again. It's not always the people being asked that are the awkward part of the exchange.

And what, pray tell is wrong with clumping someone upside the head with a stumpy, leather covered stick? Or do they lack range? Always used to be good enough. Ooh... As the average height of yonder policeman officers has decreased, so their non-lethal weaponry has increased. Big copper = teeny truncheon. Copper slightly less big = extending baton. Copper height decreases some more = long hitting stick... Now Tasers... They've missed a step surely? There was room for maybe a lump of wood with a nail in it first, before going down the electrification route?

We seem to be veering slightly off topic... I can understand the home-owners frustration at having, allegedly, other households rubbish bags dumped in their garden, but come on, fly tipping? Really? Seems a bit of a stretch to come to that conclusion. And as for comparing it to the unsightly mess left at Sherborne Close? That's even more "out there." It seems to me that the bin men have done local residents a favour by keeping the pavements clear of bags. If they got the wrong person's house, I'm sure that is only because that's the house that the bags were left at, should they have ripped them open and looked for something with an address on it? In some people's eyes the poor bin men can't do anything right. I for one think they do a great job, maybe I'm just lucky...

Nice words. Well said Dippy...

This is, potentially, fantastic news. But what an effort to get there. I'm sure something horrific will be pulled out of the hat to tease us with...

Perhaps this is where they are getting their ideas from now? Quick! Somebody have some more good ideas!! Don't let Bobby47 join in, or they'll be having mass excavations for lost villages in the wrong places!

Good for you Bobby47! You tell 'em. Do you want my rubbish too?

So? Everybody knows that bypass can get ridiculously jam-packed at rush-hour. Surely reducing what is on the road is the best idea. Have a line into goods yards at Rotherwas... Bingo... potentially hundreds less lorries going to and from the estate. Yes, things need unloading from the trains... New transport companies can spring up to move from trains to industrial units. People can catch the train to Rotherwas if there is a good timetable... <BOOM!> hundreds less cars going to and from the estate... The downside is where, exactly?

It's far from a stupid idea, in fact it is a marvellous idea. Trains running to, and stopping at Rotherwas? Brilliant. Make it so! If freight can go there to even better. Get some lorries off the roads. Bulmers should re-open their line too... Although it does seem to have been built on slightly.

I planted some bulbs once. 60w bayonet they were... Didn't grow of course, but it looked like Mr Mole down the garden had had an idea...

I thought I saw a councillor last night when I took the dogs out for their late-night sniff-a-bout... I began to enquire about various issues... Street lighting, that waste incinerator thing, the link road etc. Quite frankly I was ignored. Turns out it was just a badger... Badgers... Less rare than real-life councillors... Fact!

I don't blame them TwoWheels! I was once emptying one bin into another bin, down the bottom of the garden, when a gust of what I can only describe as 'wind' blew up an empty Kit Kat Chunky (Peanut Butter variety) wrapper. In the resulting confusion, the swirling wrapper struck me thricely on the noggin. Suffice to say, from that moment on, I always, always now wear my motorcycle helmet whenever I empty one bin into another bin at the bottom of the garden. You just don't know when a moment like what happened to me will happen again. I know what you're thinking... You're thinking "That wouldn't happen to me, I don't even like Kit Kat Chunky (Peanut Butter Flavour)" But what if you had a visitor that had eaten a Kit Kat Chunky (Peanut Butter flavour) and that visitor had put the empty wrapper in the bin you were about to empty into another bin at the bottom of your garden? What then?

I'm thinking of opening a shop selling cheap tat too... I'm going to call it: "Clarkesters 98p Emporium" Yeah, you heard it right Pound Land! I'm going to under cut you by 2p!! All I need is: A shop... Some tat to sell... And a couple of rolls of 2p's... Sorted!