Category: Local (To Me !!!)

Morons set fire to bridge in latest attack on Waterlooville woodland


The original headline mentioned vandals. I think they are morons. To call them vandals is to give the 5th century tribesmen a bad name.

For many years now I have struggled to understand what sort of mentality you have to have to continually damage property, to prevent other people enjoying something such as the bridge in the Queens Inclosure that was recently burnt. The damage this time means that the bridge will have to be replaced.

I think moron is the correct term to use. The idiots that have carried out this damage obviously don’t have two brain cells to rub together.

Vandals set fire to bridge in latest attack on Waterlooville woodland – East Hampshire – The News.

Good Neighbours ?


The QA Hospital, Portsmouth, has a helipad that is used when someone is in need of emergency medical treatment. One might think this a good thing. Not so, say some fo the folks that live on the hill adjacent to the hospital.

The vocal minorities are complaining that the QA is planning to make the helipad available 24hrs a day. The poor disturbed souls say that the low flying helicopters scare their children and block out the sound of their televisions.

Presumably they can also hear the ambulance sirens as they arrive to deliver patients to the A & E department. Would they like the ambulances to stay away at night-time ?

Come on folks let’s get a sense of perspective. The helicopters probably only turn up once or twice a day at most and the noise they create as they pass overhead must last for no more that a couple of minutes each time.

And lets ask the obvious question. What would you prefer if you or a relative required emergency treatment following a car accident ? Let the helicopters land at QA or delay them access to that treatment by making them travel by road or perhaps flying them to some other hospital further away ?

Good Riddance To Bad Rubbish


So the EDL (English Defence League) decided to visit Portsmouth this weekend. Let us all hope that their wanderlust has been satisfied and they don’t bother to come back. We don’t need their sort and their beliefs being forced upon us. Where ever they go there is always hatred and violence at a cost to the peaceful law-abiding public. This time there were seven arrests so maybe Portsmouth got off lightly. Even so there were many police drafted in from other forces to bolster the local boys.Someone has to pay for that and it surely won’t be the EDL.

They call themselves the English Defence League. Who are they protecting ? It certainly isn’t me. When I see the news reports of their marches the only protection I feel I need is from them and their supporters.

So now that they have left Portsmouth I say Good Riddance To Bad Rubbish.

Did The Earth Move For You Baby ?


Personally I didn’t feel a thing.

Just goes to show we get everything the rest of the world gets. Just smaller, slower and less spectacular.

Earthquake strikes English Channel south of Portsmouth – East Hampshire – The News.

Mostly Autumn


For my birthday Gerry, my wife,  got tickets to go see Mostly Autumn at The Brook in Southampton. The show was last night and you certainly get your money’s worth.

Let me say straight away that I did enjoy the show. But, I think they are too big for The Brook. By that I mean that physically they are too big for the Brooks stage but also I think their sound needs a bigger venue to give some separation.

There are six members of the band and with all their equipment they looked cramped and with various members of the band leaving then returning to the  stage at different points during the show it was distracting as they had to squeeze through.

The description on the Brooks website has this to say about them….

“Their musical palette is diverse and while they draw on influences from the golden age of seventies’ rock, they have developed their own unique sound and style that both captures some of the essence of that heady era and yet looks forward into the future. 

 Bryan Josh is that rare beast – a hugely talented guitarist who knows how to play with feeling and for the song.  His soaring guitar, always drenched in pure emotion, at times recall the golden era of guitar heroes such as David Gilmour but never outstays its welcome, always leaving the listener wanting a little more. Lead vocalist Olivia Sparnenn is a true talent, the range and beauty of her voice is world class.  The magnificence of Iain Jennings on keyboards, complimented by a rock solid yet fluid rhythm section – Andy Smith (bass), Gavin Griffiths (drums), Liam Davison (rhythm guitar) and the delightful vocals and multi instruments of Anne-Marie Helder make Mostly Autumn a band that will enthrall you and awaken memories of what real music is really about.”

Certainly there is much about them to bring memories of the 70’s rushing back. I was reminded of early Hawkwind, Pink FLoyd and so much more if for no other reason than the soaring guitars of Bryan Josh and Liam Davison. At times their solos gave not so subtle references to Echoes and Shine On You Crazy Diamond, so much so that with your eyes closed you could be at a Floyd concert. Mix in the  ethereal flute playing of Anne-Marie Helder to give a hint of the Moody Blues and you begin to get some idea of where their music is based.

The band has a huge library of original songs  with over a dozen CDs and DVDs released. Last nights show featured a selection of songs from all of them spread over two sets each about an hour-long. The last was then followed by two, or was it three encore songs followed by the group taking their bows as Supertramp blasted out over the PA . All of their songs are original, this is no covers band.

The strongest songs of the night, for me, were “And When the War is Over…”, “Ice” and “Evergreen”. The vocals are shared between most of the band members but the lead is shared between Bryan Josh and Olivia Sparnenn.

My recommendation is, if they are performing near you, go and see them. You won’t be disappointed and they are well worth the money. In the meantime, take a look at the recordings available on YouTube

Thank you Gerry for a splendid evening. We won’t mention what you did at the petrol station.

View From The Conservatory


Well what a day it has been today. At least, from a weather perspective. We have had sunshine, rain, thunder and lightning. At one time we had a lightning strike so close that everything went red for me. I’m guessing it is like shining a powerful torch through your hand. Only in this case it was my eyeballs that were illuminated. The thunder-clap followed almost immediately. A couple of miles away they weren’t quite so lucky as a house in Havant was struck (See Here).  It was my wife’s birthday today so we have been quite busy with texts, phone calls and family visiting. So loads of cards, a couple of nice flower displays and plenty of cake. On a different subject I had another of those cold calls from abroad. I have started to take a different approach. Rather than berate them about the fact that I am registered with the TPS I now keep asking questions. Who do you work for ?, What is the name of the company that you work for ? Who pays your wages ? and so forth. I won’t answer any of their questions till they give me a company name. So far they just hang up, but not before they have squirmed like crazy. They don’t seem to want to give out which company they are actually working for. Always they imply that you requested that they call. Today I was told that I had complained that my broadband connection was running slow. The other day we were told that my wife had called during the Thursday afternoon, which was an out-and-out lie, as we were stood on the roadside talking to police officers. Somewhere along the A40 west of Oxford. And my wife had left her mobi at home and I’m pretty sure she didn’t use the landline. Don’t think the wire reaches that far. Aah wait a minute. Of course. We have digital cordless handsets. She must have used one of those. Amazing the range they have these days… over 80 miles is impressive don’t you think.

Thugs who walked free after beating Pompey fan are now jailed


When this was first reported I said the law was an ass and it seems that not all who work within the legal system are as stupid.

Today the Attorney General, Dominic Grieve QC, argued their sentences were ‘unduly lenient’. As a result, Birmingham City fans Philip Bancroft and Adam Daly are each starting three-and-half-year sentences.  Personally I don’t think its long enough especially when  Bancroft and Daly had previous convictions for violence. Bancroft was jailed for GBH in 1997.

While I am really pleased that justice is being done I am also angry and frustrated that there are idiots, such as Judge William Andreae-Jones , working within our legal system that haven’t even got common sense let alone the enhanced sense of what is right that we pay them for.

How must our police officers feel. The frustration levels must be through the roof.

Thugs who walked free after beating Pompey fan are now jailed – East Hampshire – The News.

Council Leader Has Got His Head In A Very Dark Place


Councillor Sean Woodward the leader of Fareham Borough Council claims that the infrastructure will be put in place to support the 7000 new homes being proposed for land north of Fareham. Well to put it bluntly, he’s got his head up his arse.

Who is going to fund putting the infrastructure in place ahead of the houses being built ? Roads, utilities, shops, schools, surgeries, the list goes on.

Where are the jobs to sustain an influx of 7000 families ? The government can’t even magic that number of jobs into existence at a national level. How on earth does Cllr. Woodward think he can do that locally ?

The linked article mentions the proposed business park to be established at HMS Daedalus. That’s geographically the opposite side of Fareham and Gosport. The Gosport / Lee on Solent area is already a nightmare to get to during peak times. How much worse is it going to get with the residents of a new village (town ??) trying to cross the general Fareham area to get to work ?

The M27 and its feeder roads must be one of the busiest road networks in the country.

I am so glad that I work from home as much as I do. Unfortunately I still have a number of years to go before I can retire and make that a permanent situation.

The future as seen with the warped eyes of Cllr. Woodward is anything but rosy. Solent City creeps steadily closer.

Council leader says 7,000 home town is needed – Blue Day news – The News.

Overseas


Off to the Isle of Wight today. We are going to visit Osbourne House having spent many years looking at it from across the Solent. We have always said we wanted to visit and finally we got our bums in gear and are going today.

It’s all a bit of an adventure as we are taking the car for the first time. We have been to the island several times in the past. Crossed by Catamaran and also by Hovercraft as well as the normal ferry.

Just hope the weather behaves. Lets hope  the Isle of Wight lives up to its reputation and has better weather than the mainland.