Catch These Bastards


http://www.hampshire.police.uk/internet/news-and-appeals/2016/january/14012016-robbery-waterlooville-44160019000

We are appealing for witnesses after an 84-year-old man was assaulted and then robbed in his own home by three men in Hazelton Way, Cowplain at around 6pm yesterday, January 13.

It has been reported that one man entered his house by breaking in the back door while he was in his lounge watching television and sleeping.

The man has then tried to confuse the elderly gentleman by telling him to look at the damage and asking for £50.

Two other men then arrive and assault the elderly man, knocking him to the floor, before stealing his wallet.

Man 1 is described as:

White
Aged mid 20s 
Short dark wavy hair 
5 ft 6 in 
Medium build 
Clean shaven 
Wearing a dark-coloured clothing and footwear

Man 2 is described as:

White 
Aged mid 20s
Muscular stocky build 
Clean Shaven 
Dark curly hair 
Local accent 
Wearing a black army style jacket and dark trousers and heavy boots

Man 3 is described as:

White
Aged mid 20s
5 ft 8 in 
Slight build 
Dark hair
Wearing a dark bobble hat

Detective Constable Barry Martin from the Eastern Investigations Team said: “We are appealing to anyone who saw these males in the vicinity of Hazelton Way on Wednesday or anyone who recognises these descriptions.

“This is a despicable crime committed by three men who targeted an elderly man in his home. If anyone has any information about this incident please call 101 and quote 44160019000.”

RMS Number: 44160019000

Too Close For Comfort


For the second time in only a couple of weeks we have had a significant fire fairly close to us. This time the fire was just 2.3km away and the smoke from the fire  was being blown just slightly west of us. Multiple fire fighting aircraft  were buzzing directly overhead.

Here are some photos that I took this afternoon.

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Fire Smoke – Viewed from Thornlie
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Fire Smoke – Rising from beyond school buildings. Source is apparently the other side of Garden St.
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Fire Fighters Dropping Water – Detail from previous photo.

According to the DFES, more than fifty career Fire and Rescue Service and Bush Fire Service firefighters from six brigades were on the scene. They were supported by three helicopters and two bi-plane water bombers

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Bell 214B Big Lifter – Operated by  McDermott Aviation
Bell 214B Big Lifter > 214B-1
Bell 214B Big Lifter  – Operated by McDermott Aviation

This area is known as Forest Lakes. Most of the housing estates incorporate ponds and lakes.

Filling Up - Bell 214B Big Lifter - Operated by McDermott Aviation
Filling Up – Bell 214B Big Lifter – Operated by McDermott Aviation

The water bombers, at least the helicopters, make good use of nearby lakes to replenish their tanks.

We All Got Wet - Bell 214B Big Lifter - Operated by McDermott Aviation
We All Got Wet – Bell 214B Big Lifter – Operated by McDermott Aviation

We had a ringside seat for one such refill.

Dunn Aviation Air Tractor AT-802A (Water Bomber)
Dunn Aviation Air Tractor AT-802A (Water Bomber)

Thankfully this fire did not take any lives.

 

Mystery Birds


The following photo’s are of birds that are visiting the garden here in WA. I have no idea what species they are but offer them up for your delectation.

Should anyone be able to identify the species, please let me know.

Roadkill


 

Having seen all manner of roadkill alongside the roads during our perambulations in WA. To be confronted with this directly outside our motel room door, I rather hoped this was not some kind of omen.5J7A2613_edited

Je suis Charlie


One year on from the terrorist atrocity in Paris, I came across this on a wall in Denmark, WA.

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Enter a caption

 

 

FAT 49


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FAT 49 – Lookin & Soundin Good

Can’t believe that these guys went to step back away from their own vehicle just because I was taking this photo.

Apparently she doesn’t like the car and makes him park it well away from her place of work.

What’s not to like ? Just wish I’d asked him what it was. Anyone out there has any idea, please let me know.

UK should ‘degender’ passports, says Maria Miller – BBC News


http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-35214487

This is the stupidest suggestion I have ever heard.

At a time when identity is hardly ever far from the news headlines.

I agree that the UK Driving Licence does not require gender. After all, it only indicates authorisation to operate a motor vehicle. Now, if you expand the license to be an identity card then I believe gender is pertinent. We won’t be going down that path, will we? The whining civil libertarians have seen to that.

However, the UK passport is a whole different kettle of fish. The passport is an identity device. And, until biometric data is used as part of personal identification then I believe gender is important.

How does a border control operator know if the passport in their hands, carrying the name Jo Bloggs,  actually belongs to Josef Bloggs or Joshephine Bloggs.

This isn’t about gender categorisation, segregation or even

transgender discrimination

, to quote Ms Miller. It’s about security and personal identity, providing our law enforcement and border control personnel with as many tools as possible. It is foolhardy to keep on going down the path where all controls are diluted for fear of upsetting a minority. I am all for equality, but not at the expense of common sense.

If there is such a problem for the, relatively small, transgender population, then surely the right thing, for the government, to do is introduce a new category. It could be as simple as
M = Male, F = Female & T = Transgendered.

I know that something that is so simple in my head, will turn into a “mares nest” at the hands of HMG.

I don’t know about you but in these terrorised times I want tighter controls. I don’t want our security services distracted by anything that is described by Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron as

something this small

Beachside BBQ


Spent yesterday evening down by the shore at North Coogee, a coastal, western suburb of Perth, WA.

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South Fremantle Power Station

Close by is the derelict site of the South Fremantle Power Station which closed in September 1985, after 34 years service. Originally coal-fired, later converted to oil. After closure its four chimney stacks were demolished. Seems odd that after thirty years this site has not been cleared.

We had been invited to join my grandson and his partner for a BBQ with some of their friends. This was our first ever, al fresco, BBQ.

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Looking North – North Coogee

The actual BBQ site was a small park separated from the sea by the ubiquitous sand dunes.

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North Coogee – View past Port Coogee, towards Woodman Point

The park is part of the C.Y. O’Connor Reserve and had been the venue for a very large party on New Years Eve. There were huge piles of rubbish everywhere, and the public conveniences were not very, convenient that is. In fact they were indescribable.

This did not put us off the BBQ and we had a great time with some tasty food, a few beers and a relaxing time spent talking with some new acquaintances.

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It’s Pimms O’clock = Cheers !!

At around 20:00 we were treated to a superb sunset…

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Sunset – North Coogee, WA

A great evening.