Traffic, facebook and Crimble lights

5 December 2012

Dorktown's traffic problems are big news again.  The town centre is traffic free from 10am to 4pm.  Recently there have been a few incidents where pedestrians have been close to being injured by drivers driving through the town.  As I've said before once the bollards go down at 4pm only trucks making deliveries and blue badge holders are legally allowed in there.  However, that is ignored by many drivers who just drive in, park and run off to do whatever they want.  But there is a greater danger to my mind.  There is a one way system that is still in place and a lot of drivers ignore it altogether.  Cars are regularly seen being driven the wrong way along Queens Road and Abbey Street.  These prats are a greater danger to everyone in my view.  Anyway - one town councillor is trying to get the times changed for the bollards to be lowered as well as some of them to be left in place permanently.  He has support from other councillors but is getting nowhere with the county council who won't take him seriously.  Will it take a serious injury or even a death before they do so?  Let's hope not!

How well do you know your facebook account?  This is not a daft question folks.  Last night I was looking to find out how to send a private message to one of my friends and instead found a 'hidden' mailbox.  By hidden I mean one that didn't know was there.  There were five messages in there, the latest of which was dated in December last year.  I've had a read of them; one was a con from a man in Ghana trying to con me out of cash; two others were comments about Tom Clancy books and the last two were from people who had read comments I'd made on another group I read fairly regularly.  I've responded to one of them.  So there you go - so how well do you know your facebook account?

Jan didn't go to her bible study last night, she just didn't feel up to it.  As it turned out she wasn't the only one with most of the others in the group also crying off.  The host finally cancelled it because of the low number of those attending.  We sat and caught up on some of the recorded TV programmes we have waiting to be watched.  There's also quite a few films to watch as well; which reminds me of someone on telly saying that we want to go out because a there's nowt on telly but record the things that are on so we can go out.  All a bit daft really eh?  Mind you, using out Virgin +Box is a lot easier that when we used to do the same thing with a VCR - takes up a heck of a lot space once taken up with video tapes and the +Box also records what is recorded and notes what has been watched and what is waiting to be watched.  So much easier!

The town's Crimble Lights for this year have been replaced, like I said the other day.  From the little I've seen they are all white lights, which has done away with the traditional coloured lights.  My plans for this afternoon is to go  into town and get some shots of them as it gets dark.  Of course I shall have to wait for it to get the right time - and what better way to wait then sitting in the Willy White with a beer or ten and one of my new stories to work on ;-)))

So then, for today's photo, here's a shot of some of last year's Crimble lights ...

Funny time ... 

A primary teacher starts a new job at a school on Merseyside and, trying to make a good impression on her first day, explains to her class that she is a Liverpool fan.  She asks her students to raise their hands if they, too, are Liverpool fans. Everyone in the class raises their hand except one little girl.
The teacher looks at the girl with surprise and says: "Mary, why didn't you raise your hand?"
"Because I'm not a Liverpool fan," she replied.
The teacher, still shocked, asks: "Well, if you're not a Liverpool fan, then who are you a fan of?"
"I'm a Manchester United fan, and proud of it," Mary replied.
The teacher could not believe her ears. "Mary, why are you a United fan?"
"Because my mum and dad are from Manchester, and my mum is a United fan and my dad is a United fan, so I'm a United fan too!"
"Well," said the teacher, in an annoyed tone, "that's no reason for you to be a United fan. You don't have to be just like your parents all of the time.  What if your mum was a prostitute and your dad was a drug addict and car thief, what would you be then?"
"Then," Mary smiled, "I'd be a Liverpool fan."     

Investigation continues, Hussy death rate again, and an old radio show for kids

4 December 2012

Today is Tuesday - the day Jan goes to her bible study night.  It's nice to get the days straight init ;-)))

The front page of the News is about the police search for clues in the River Anchor, not far from the scene of the murder in town last week.  I wonder what they will pull out while they search?  The river runs right next to Sainsburys car park and over the years I've seen a number of their shopping trolley's in there.  Bikes seem to be end up in the fairly often too.  Of course the story doesn't tell us exactly what they are looking for, on that they are looking for 'clues'.  Ah well - I'll keep an eye on it anyway, there might be a story in for me.

Following on from the story about the high death rate at the Hussy, the chief executive Kevin McGee claims fixing the problem will not a quick fix.  He claims that the high death rate has been an on-going problem for many years, even with the high standard of care being given at the hospital.  So where is the problem then?  Is it the high number of ex-miners in the area suffering from coal related illness?  Is it to do with the high number of smokers that are still here in the town?  Is it to do with the poor diet of so many of towns folk here on town and the high obesity rate?  It could of course be all of these plus a lot of other items that I don't know about.  Whatever, I have a feeling the death rate will not come down all that much for a long time to come.

Are you old enough to remember listening to Children's Favourites on the radio?  I do but I can't remember the name of the presenter although Uncle Max rings a bell.  I Love to Go a Wondering, The Laughing Policeman, and so many more off songs like that used to be heard on every show.  The one I liked was Dem Bones, Dem bones, Dem Dry Bones; remember that one.  Well, yesterday I did a Google search for it and here are the lyrics for it ...

The toe bone connected to the heel bone,
The heel bone connected to the foot bone,
The foot bone connected to the leg bone,
The leg bone connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone connected to the back bone,
The back bone connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone connected to the head bone,
Oh, hear the word of the Lord!

Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk aroun'
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk aroun'
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk aroun'
Oh, hear the word of the Lord.

The head bone connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone connected to the back bone,
The back bone connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone connected to the leg bone,
The leg bone connected to the foot bone,
The foot bone connected to the heel bone,
The heel bone connected to the toe bone,
Oh, hear the word of the Lord!

(Writer and Copyright owner Unknown)

I bet you can't get the tune out your head now ;-))) 

Sorry, no bone photos I'm afraid, but I do have this ... 

a trace fossil of a plant millions of years old that I found near to Aysgarth Falls in the Yorkshire Dales.

And for a funny I offer ...

  

1st woman: Hi! My name is Wanda.
2nd woman: Hi! I'm Sylvia. How'd you die?
1st woman: I froze to death.
2nd woman: How horrible!
1st woman: It wasn't so bad. After I quit shaking from the cold, I began to get warm & sleepy, and finally died a peaceful death. What about you?
2nd woman: I died of a massive heart attack. I suspected that my husband was cheating, so I came home early to catch him in the act. But instead,
I found him all by himself in the den watching TV.
1st woman: So, what happened?
2nd woman: I was so sure there was another woman there somewhere that I started running all over the house looking. I ran up into the attic and Searched, and down into the basement. Then I went through every closet and checked under all the beds. I kept this up until I had looked Everywhere, and finally I became so exhausted that I just keeled over with a heart attack and died.
1st woman: Too bad you didn't look in the freezer---we'd both still be alive!    

What day is it; too much to do and speed cameras

3 December 2012

IT IS MONDAY - NOT TUESDAY; IT IS MONDAY, NOT TUESDAY; IT IS ...  I'm sure you get the idea from that.  I had made a suggestion for dinner this evening and then started to wonder whether it was worth while doing it seeing as Jan is going out tonight - bible study night.  But that happens on TUESDAY, not MONDAY!!!  I think I have it straight now ;-)))

So, it's cold here in Dorktown today, but sunny also.  I'm tempted to go out and get some photos but I have so much to do already; like sorting out the photos I already have waiting in the camera for processing; like having five novels started; like get some housework done; like catching up with my reading - a hard task anyway seeing as I am slow reader.  Going out to get more photos when I haven't dealt with the last set is just getting me further behind!  I'll decided after lunch ;-)))

Parking within the town centre has been an issue ever since it was pedestrianised.  Barriers were installed a good few years ago now and are raised between 10am and 4pm.  After 4pm only blue badge holders, security vans and trucks delivering to shops are allowed in there.  But when the barriers go down at 4 o'clock there's usually a queue of cars waiting to drive in there.  Very few of them meet the criteria for entry.  The council now run traffic wardens who patrol the areas every so often.  I've yet to see then in town but they must be going in at some time because the claim is that over 2000 tickets have been issued. 

Along similar lines, it is claimed that most speeding cameras have been turned off across the country.  A loud chorus of anger was on going over them wasn't there?  Do you remember it?  The claim was that they were just a cash raising measure for the councils and cops.  If that was right, then why have they been turned off now?  The operators say they cost more to run than was gained from them.  Hmmmmmmm ...

Now, if they really wanted to raise a lot of cash easily then they should consider put cameras on all traffic lights and pedestrian crossing.  There is hardly a light change when some moron is trying to beat them and goes over the junction at the last minute on when the lights are on red.  Now that one would raise a lot of dosh!

According to BBC Midlands Today, the Hussy Hospital has been highlighted for the 3rd year running over its high mortality rate.  Currently there is yet another Norovirus outbreak being tackled.  I've always felt that I'm not the only person in town to be concerned about conditions there.  I was right too.  A letter to the News printed today makes some very good points about the place; things like the number of hand wash/sterilising solution points being used yet nothing is done about how much dirt we take in there on our footwear and clothes.  Another issue he didn't raise is that of the lack of personal hygiene that seems to be fairly high here in Dorktown, and not just from the public either; I've come across some very smelly doctors working in A&E!  All of it adds to how the hospital works - or doesn't work.

Jan just got me all excited there for a minute.  I saw her with her binoculars up looking at the birds out the back.  I do the same too when I'm not busy on my 'puter.  "Ron, I've got a firecreast on the tree," she says.  I rush round to have a look and just got my bins on it when it flew off to the tree about 20 yards off.  A firecreast would be a life tick for us.  But they fairly rare really so we now think it was a goldcreast instead.  It's still a good bird for an urban garden though!  And a year tick too ;-)))

So now it's photo time ... 

A nuthatch ... another nice one we would love to see out back.

And today's funny ... 

The Reverend John Duff was the priest in a small town in Ireland. One day he was walking down the high street when he noticed a young lady of his
congregation sitting in a pub drinking beer. The Reverend wasn't happy. He walked through the open door of the pub and sat down next to the woman.
Miss Fitzgerald", he said sternly. "This is no place for a member of my congregation. Why don't you let me take you home?"
Sure," she said with a slur, obviously very drunk.  When Miss Fitzgerald stood up from the bar, she began to weave back and forth.  The Reverend realized that she'd had far too much to drink and grabbed her arms to steady her. When he did, they both lost their balance and tumbled to the floor.
After rolling around for a few moments, the Reverend wound up on top of
Miss Fitzgerald, her skirt hiked up to her waist.

The pub landlord looked over and said,"Oi mate, we won't have any of that carrying on in this pub."
The Reverend looked up at the landlord and said, "But you don't understand, I'm Pastor Duff."
The landlord nodded and said, "Ohhhh well, if you're dat far in, you might as well finish 'er off."                

A quiet Sunday, another puppy and a leaky mask

2 December 2012

Since we moved home we haven't had a Sunday paper delivered.  At times I miss not having one, other times it doesn't bother me.  Today I'm missing it.  However, the nearest newsagent is too far for me to walk, and considering that the car is well frost over, it's not worth freezing me dingle-dangles off to go to get one.  So I shall just have to make do won't I?

Pip-pup is still doing very well.  Last night was a good night seeing as she slept all night without waking us - well, Jan really; I'm normally not disturbed by very much at all once I'm asleep.  Jan however, was getting very drained by her and needed a good night's sleep.  She did disturb me twice though when my face mask for the CPAP machine began to leak.  No idea why it happens some nights and not others though.

One of our neighbours also has a puppy, a white and tan Jack Russell.  Aggie is a lovely little dog, very friendly but very active.  Her owners are starting to really struggle with her though.  It's sad when that happens.  Part of the problem sits on the wife's shoulders seeing as her hubby is disabled from having a stroke some time ago.  Caring for a disabled hubby and then adding a puppy into the mix hasn't helped.  I hope they can get over the problems and not have to re-home Aggie.

It's another short one today so here's a photo, and being Sunday what better shot can I offer that a church ... 

some of the stained glass of Coventry parish Church.

And a 'blonde' funny for today ...      

A girl came skipping home from school one day.
"Mommy, Mommy," she yelled "we were counting today and all the other kids could only count to 4, but I counted to 10. See? 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10!
Very good, said her Mother.
Is it because I'm blonde? "Yes, it's because your blonde," said the Mommy.
The next day the girl came skipping home from school. " Mommy, Mommy," she yelled, "we were saying the alphabet today, all all the other kids could only say it to D, but I said it to G. See? A,B,C,D,E,F,G!
"Very Good," said her Mother.
Is it because I'm blonde, Mommy?
"Yes it's because your blond!
The following day the girl came skipping home from school. "Mommy, Mommy," she yelled, "we were in Gym class today, and when we showered all the other girls had flat chests, but I have these!" She lifted her tank top to reveal a pair of 36C's.
"Very good," said her embarrassed mother.
"Is it because I'm blonde, Mommy?"
"No Honey, it's because you're 24."