Category: News

500,000 buttons and counting for Waterlooville school’s Holocaust project


I well remember seeing the 2004 movie “Paper Clips” that has so inspired these pupils and their button collection.

The movie is a documentary about the children of the Whitwell Middle School in Tennessee who try to collect 6 million paper clips representing the 6 million Jews killed by the Nazis. They did this whilst studying the Holocaust.

I wish the pupils of Oaklands Catholic School, in Waterlooville, well in their endeavour and hope that the additional publicity that I can gain for them through this post goes to help with their button collection.

500,000 buttons and counting for Waterlooville school’s Holocaust project – Education – Portsmouth News.

Diamond Days


Earlier today I was one of the many,waiting for HMS Diamond to kick off the Jubilee weekend. I joined the crowds all along the “hot walls” although I was stood on the beach. They may be called the “hot walls” but the weather had other ideas, being rather overcast. Nevertheless, there were quite a few folks down to watch and listen to HMS Diamond give and receive the salute. Meridian TV had their cameras on the Round Tower and Sky TV had their helicopter hovering over the harbour entrance. At some point I could hear bagpipes but never once did I see the source.

At this time Diamond was stationary, way over towards the Isle of Wight, while ferries and yachts hustled in and out of the harbour before all shipping movements were stopped. These two patrol craft came out to meet and escort Diamond in.

P275 - HMS Raider
P275 – HMS Raider
P279 - HMS Blazer
P279 – HMS Blazer

A number of tugs came out of the harbour, moved along parallel to the shore before turning about and coming to rest just off shore from where I was standing. These modern tugs can virtually turn on the spot and for a few minutes they pirouetted, performing a maritime ballet.

Tugs
Tugs

Eventually, the moment we had all been waiting for arrived. HMS Diamond made her way towards the harbour. The two patrol craft providing an escort. Two of the tugs also lined up, ready to salute HMS Diamond who had started her salute. In this photo you can just see the smoke created as she fired a broadside. I was rather hoping she was going to fire the 4.5″ gun on the bows but you can’t have everything.

HMS Diamond - Jubilee Salute
HMS Diamond – Jubilee Salute

Diamonds salute was answered by several shots fired by the folks at HMS Dolphin (Fort Blockhouse). That gun makes one hell of a bang and you can feel the shock wave as it hits you on its way across the water then again as it bounces off the “hot walls”. Once again the only visible indication is the smoke created by the firing.

Jubilee Salute from HMS Dolphin

As Diamond closed on the harbour entrance the tugs provided a salute of their own by creating water cascades.

Diamond Cascade
Diamond Cascade

As she was entering the narrows between the Round Tower and HMS Dolphin, a flight of helicopters in “diamond” formation overflew HMS Diamond along with an RAF Typhoon.

Diamond Flypast
Diamond Flypast

And finally the crew of HMS Diamond gave a rousing cheer easily heard by the watching crowds.

Cheers
Cheers

The end of the spectacle but a fitting start to the Queens Jubilee weekend.

Southsea Pier Safety – The Unbalanced View


How can you ban the general public from the pier on safety grounds but then still allow anglers access

Surely it is either safe or unsafe.

Or does the couple of quid charged to the anglers really make everything all right ?

Its time that some form of national funding was put in place to ensure the survival of the many piers around our coastline. They are part of our heritage. I would hate to see Southsea Pier go the same way that other piers, such as those of Brighton and Hastings Piers.

Southsea Pier has so far withstood the ravages of time and also Ken Russell’s attempt during the filming of the movie version of The Who’s Tommy.

Outcry as public barred from pier over safety fears – Local – Portsmouth News.

The Olympic Flame – I Don’t Get It


Am I the only person in Britain that doesn’t give a damn about the arrival of the Olympic Flame ?

Olympics fever was officially ignited in the UK today when the iconic flame started its 70-day nationwide tour.

Read more: http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2012/05/19/olympic-flame-starts-journey-to-midlands/#ixzz1vKcC6JVB

The only fever that I see anywhere is the media falling over itself to report that a flame has arrived in the UK.

So What ?

Anyone would think that we are a nation of pyromaniacs, to be aroused by the appearance of a flame.

What on earth do we need 8,000 torch bearers for ? Surely a simple Bic lighter could have been used at far less expense. Several million folks in this country carry one everyday.

Yes I know the olympics are approaching and I do understand that national pride is at stake and I will be as pleased as the next person if we win any medals. But that is the actual olympics.

I really can’t get excited about a flame and I really don’t want to see endless news reports about its progress around the country.

This countries press have reached new depths when they are reduced to reporting that the flame had its own seat allocated on the flight from Greece.

I’m more interested in the fact that the Princess Royal was seated 3 rows away from David Beckham. Presumably she wanted someone sat next to her with whom she could hold an intelligent conversation.

Farewell Donna


Donna Summer, famous for disco classics including I Feel Love and Love To Love You Baby, has died at the age of 63.

Summer first entered the  music business, as a backing singer for Three Dog Night, whilst still in her early 20’s. She then went on, as a solo artist, to release the many singles that were to provide the sound track to the 70’s and 80’s.

She won five Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards and charted three multi-platinum albums.

My favourite track, by far, was State of Independence and shows that she was more than just a disco artist.

 

Goodbye Donald


Donald “Duck” Dunn, bass guitarist with Booker T and the MGs, has died in Tokyo aged 70.

Although he is best known for his work with the “MGs” his playing style was much sought after and in later years he worked with the likes of Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart.

Dunn, still working,  was in Japan for a series of concerts.

News of his death was posted on the Facebook site of his friend and fellow musician Steve Cropper, who was on the same tour. Cropper said Dunn died in his sleep.

“Today I lost my best friend, the World has lost the best guy and bass player to ever live,” Cropper wrote on Twitter.

The “MGs” were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and Dunn received a lifetime achievement Grammy award in 2007.

The Duck will be sadly missed.

Let’s have a bit of give and take and respect each other


From a recent article in The News.

DRIVERS have criticised cyclists for not using a designated cycleway – arguing it is a safety hazard and causes traffic jams.

Motorists say traffic queues are building up on Hambledon Road between Waterlooville and Denmead as cars wait to overtake cyclists.

What a weird article this is with suggestions that cyclist are responsible for traffic congestion in and around Waterlooville.

According to this article the main complainant, leastways the only one that is quoted, is a Ms McGeady, of Linda Grove, Cowplain.
She is quoted as saying

‘Drivers have to take their life into their own hands, zooming round bikes and worrying people coming in the other direction.

Well Ms McGeady, I have news for you. Your not supposed to “zoom” round cyclists. You are supposed to drive around them with due care, giving plenty of room. You are supposed to leave plenty of time for your journey so that you don’t have to “zoom” around.

‘The other day there was a little old guy who was cycling almost in the gutter and there was a queue of cars trying to get round him.

‘Everyone was winding down their windows and asking him to use the cycleway.’

I will be 60 this year and when I was a youngster we had it drummed into us that you should not ride your bike on the pavement. From the sounds of it this “little old guy” was of a similar vintage and he too, probably, has it ingrained in his psyche.

I have personal experience of using this road to get to and from my place of work over the last 30 years. I too have experienced hold ups on this road. However, my experience has been that it is motorists that are causing the hold ups.

Not because they are driving badly.

This road has seen a steady rise in the volume of traffic over the last 30 years that I have been using it. The housing developments in and around Denmead are contributors to that increase. At peak times the traffic can build up very quickly, especially if there are vehicles slowing down to make turns. For example a single car waiting to turn across the traffic to enter Soake Road, Closewood Road or Sunnymead Drive will quickly cause the traffic to build up.

Of course the new traffic lights are a contributor and when the new housing developments are complete the additional traffic volume will far exceed any hold ups by cyclists.

Ms McGeady made a complaint to Hampshire County Council after seeing a cyclist on a racing bike on the road.

She said: ‘There was a cyclist with a very expensive racing bike and the full kit.

‘He was not using the cycleway. You have to say why?’

No, Ms McGeady, you don’t have to say “why ?”.

As John Holland, chairman of Portsmouth Cycle Forum, says

‘A cyclist has a right to be on any highway, apart from a motorway, just like a horse and cart has.

‘A vehicle is there by licence.

and the most sensible comment from John Holland

‘If you are driving down a road and there is a cyclist and you have to slow down, by how long does it delay your journey? Twenty seconds, five seconds?

‘Let’s have a bit of give and take and respect each other.’

Safety warning as cyclists steer clear of new cyclepath – Transport – Portsmouth News.

LoL – Oh Dear


What has how Cameron signs off his emails got to do with the Leveson enquiry ?

I thought the enquiry was supposed to be looking into the culture, practices and ethics of the British press following the News International phone hacking scandal.

Yet much is made of how Prime Minister Cameron signs off his emails to Rebekah Brookes.

The persistent questions on this subject reduces the enquiry to the level of a typical puerile article in The Sun. Titillation for titillation sake but no real news content.

Lets’s keep the questions on track.

Development Benefits – Really


The residents of Sarisbury Green have my sympathy.

The planners are doing it again. Selling the “benefits” of a new development assuming that the locals are gullible enough to be distracted from the reality.

Miller Homes and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) have submitted plans to Fareham Borough Council to build 168 homes and 40 sheltered housing units on the old Coldeast Hospital site in Sarisbury Green.

The plans also include the restoration and extension of the existing Mansion House, which would become a hotel, and a project for Brook Lane Lodge to become a house again.

A swimming pool, sports pitches, a cemetery, allotments and a new community building with changing facilities also form part of the plans.

Anyone who travels through this area on a regular basis will know that the traffic levels are already horrendous. The local roads feed the A27 which in turn feed two major junctions of the M27. Junction 9 to the East with the notorious Segensworth / Whitely road network and Junction 8 to the West.

Rachel Allinson of the Coldeast Action Group, appears to be resigned to the development.

‘We don’t believe that we can stop it. Our view now is to minimise the impact that it will have and try and make it as few dwellings as possible and make sure that there is adequate green space.’

Well I wish you good luck with that. The powers that be seem to be hell-bent on covering every last bit of green in the south of England. The “Western Wards” has been in the spotlight for many years. Solent City just keeps creeping closer and closer.

The council, typically, are viewing this development through the obligatory rose-tinted planning goggles.

Councillor Sean Woodward, leader of the council, said: ‘Overall, there is tremendous support for the community benefits. We have been working to achieve this for the past 20 years.

‘Without doubt there will have to be some amendments to the housing side. There is understandable concern in terms of the impact on traffic, schools and doctors.’

Those rose-tinted goggles obviously come with special ear plugs which prevent the wearer from hearing any dissenting comments.

The traffic is going to be horrendous, as it is already – Politics – Portsmouth News.

Headteacher in Forest of Dean vows to shop parents over pupils web use, including social networking


Paul Woodward is to be applauded. His is a voice in the wilderness.

A primary school head has threatened to shop parents to social services if they allow his pupils to use Facebook and other networking sites.

Paul Woodward is concerned that youngsters who use the sites risk being exposed to porn and online grooming.

He has warned parents that persistently letting children flout Facebook’s 13-plus age rule could warrant investigation by child protection teams.

He estimates that at least 60 per cent of the 270-plus children at his school in the Forest of Dean have access to social networking sites.

Reporting parents to social services is, on the face of it, a bit extreme. However, where the parents have been informed and they take no action then I think he is justified.

Mr Woodward, a branch secretary for the National Association of Head Teachers, the country’s biggest heads’ union, yesterday demanded a ban on children setting up social media accounts – because of the risk of accessing inappropriate material.

Unfortunately a ban would be a waste of time. How on earth could this be policed. The only way to stop the underaged from gaining access is to enforce some kind of  control based round a credit card or some other kind of ID that can be validated on line.I believe that Facebook themselves would not want to do this unless they could actually charge a nominal fee for the  for the privilege.
Of course there will always be the kid that steals, sorry, borrows his parents card to bypass these controls.Just take a look at how six-year-old  Jake Sadler ran up a bill totalling nearly £1,000 while playing a game on his parents’ iPad.
Then there are the parents who are either too stupid to recognise the risks or choose to give in to their kids pestering for a quiet life.
Mr Woodward should also be a tad cautious before tagging parents as persistent offenders.
There are many kids out there who routinely create more than one facebook account. There is the one they keep for parents and family access. Strange that they don’t seem to access this account from one week to the next and they only have a few “friends”. Strange that their mobile is constantly pinging and buzzing as they chat with their “friends”. I have first hand experience of this having stumbled on my granddaughters facebook presence on which she has over 2500 “friends”. This is despite the fact that she has been on the receiving end of the dark side of Facebook and claimed to have ditched her Facebook account. Her public, to the family, Facebook account only has a few hundred “friends”.

Many parents lack awareness of the potential dangers to children from the variety of links and ‘apps’ that can be accessed through Facebook and other sites, he warned.

As soon as his school becomes aware a child has a Facebook account it contacts the company to get the profile blocked.

Now this is an action which I think deserves more support. I wonder how quickly the likes of Facebook are at shutting down these accounts. In the past they have been somewhat reticent.
Many of the comments received for this article on the MailOnline website have derided Woodward’s stance.

This is too far. He is a head teacher and should stick to teaching not snooping. I thought we wanted an end to big government and its snooping or is only when it serves us that we agree with it.

This is not snooping. This is trying to protect our children.
When I was a pupil my parents had an expectation that the school, to which they had entrusted me  for five days of the week, would provide me with the same protection that they did for the rest of the week. Nowadays there is an apparent expectation that teachers are only there to teach the subject matter.

Maybe he should concentrate on teaching rather than parenting! Interesting how DM have two opposing articles written from the same perspective.. Anyway, if he cares about children being exposed to the horrors of Facebook why not do that old-fashioned thing and TEACH about the dangers rather than sit in some sort of arrogant pious judgement of others.

Teach them about the dangers, that’s a laugh. Our schools are doing such a grand job of teaching about the dangers of drugs, getting pregnant and so forth lets put the responsibility on them to teach about the dangers of the Facebook and the internet.
I’m not criticizing the schools. I think they have an impossible task and they don’t get the support of the parents.
No I think that Mr Woodward has the right approach. Keep on shopping the underage kids to Facebook. Keep on warning the parents.
Ultimately it’s the parents responsibility but when they don’t step up to the mark then thank god for people like Paul Woodward.

Headteacher in Forest of Dean vows to shop parents over pupils¿ web use, including social networking | Mail Online.