Tag: The News

News Article Should Carry A Warning


I have just read the attached article regarding Colchicine, a drug that could, potentially, be used to treat patients with Covid-19.

https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/2021/02/05/a-drug-used-to-treat-gout-could-reduce-covid-hospital-stays-according-to-new-research/content.html

Whilst I am supportive, of any additional tools made available, in this worldwide fight with Covid-19, I believe the author of this article has been delinquent, in not warning of the risks associated with the use of Colchicine.

I don’t mean risks associated with the proper administration under medical supervision.

What I am more concerned about, is the potential for Joe Public to self medicate, should they, like me, have this medicine in their cupboards.

Colchicine is a drug, used to treat patients suffering from Gout. The article says that use of Colchicine could reduce Covid hospital stays. And whilst that may be true, what the article does not say is that Colchicine is not safe for long term use.

As a Gout sufferer I have been prescribed Colchicine. It was prescribed to suppress my first flare up of Gout, taken over a few days. Subsequently, it was used to ensure that a second flare up did not occur, as I started my daily regime of Allopurinol.

At that time, it was made very clear, by my GP, that Colchicine was to be treated with respect.

Since then, I  have held a small supply of Colchicine in reserve, should the Gout return. Thankfully, I have not had to resort to the emergency tablets, the Allopurinol is doing its job.

My sister, also a Gout sufferer, can attest to the diarrhoea side effect, caused by the higher dosages.

My point is that at the time of the initial prescription I was warned of the toxicity of Colchicine.

From the NHS Web site ….

What if I take too much?

Taking too many Colchicine tablets can be very dangerous. It could be fatal.

Symptoms of taking too much Colchicine can include:

● feeling or being sick (nausea or vomiting)

● stomach ache

● bloody diarrhoea

●signs of low blood pressure (such as feeling dizzy or lightheaded)

Come on “The News” do due diligence and balance optimism with a required caution. There are folks out there who may just try self medicating if they start to exhibit Covid symptoms.

Leader of the fight for Arctic Convoy medals is taken ill – Defence – Portsmouth News


I couldn’t say this any better than “Johnny Rotten Hates Stains”, the nom de plume of someone who has commented on the linked News article reporting the illness of Commander Eddie Grenfell, who has fought long and hard to get recognition for Arctic Convoy heroes.

This story is a very sad one, Mr Grenfell has had to wait all this time for some sort of official recognition and now his age is catching him up so he’s probably unlikely to ever hold this medal in his hand at the rate of pace things have moved,
Anyway, myself and many other’s awarded the Arctic guys a medal long ago, our medal is worth ten times what the official one will be as ours was given in proper recognition rather than a shut you up effort because people were making those that can’t venture out in todays snowfall yet alone face rough freezing sea for years at a time look like the weaklings they really are,

This country doesn’t deserve the Mr Grenfells of this world, it probably did at the time but as history and the record shows all this country has done has taken an almighty dump on these men as it has with the current forces by under equipping them in theater,

My message to a country that seems to think it can call upon us in times of trouble and ignore us all other times is up yours next time you start a war because you muppets couldn’t agree with another set of muppets from another country,

YOU FAILED MR GRENFELL AND ALL THE OTHER MEN THAT TOOK PART IN THE CONVOYS, THEY OWE YOU NOTHING, YOU OWE THEM EVERYTHING.

 

Leader of the fight for Arctic Convoy medals is taken ill – Defence – Portsmouth News.

Lets Take Our Cue From The Past


The News has recently published an interesting, if short, article reporting on days gone by. On the passing of the prison hulks that used to lie out in Portsmouth Harbour. Similar to HMS Victory these were ships that had seen better days. Ships such as HMS Briton, HMS Defense, HMS Leviathan, HMS Racoon and HMS Stirling Castle served as hulks until around 1850 when the practice of prison hulk usage stopped. Those prisoners being held on hulks in Portsmouth Harbour were moved to a prison within the walls of Portsmouth Dockyard.

It seems that prisoners held in the dockyard prison were once used for “public works”. The news mentions that when this practice ceased the prison was closed.

A prison was built within the dockyard walls in the north-eastern corner. By 1895 the convicts were no longer used for public works and in 1896 the prison, capable of holding 1,500 men, was closed for good.

It’s a shame that our governments haven’t seen fit to reinstate the practice of using prison inmates for carrying our public works as referenced here.

We, the tax payer, are already paying for their clothing, accommodation, entertainment, healthcare and three square meals a day. It seems only fair that prison inmates repay their debt to society by doing some work.

The namby pamby do-gooders in our society will say that they are being punished by having their liberty taken away. That may well be true. We keep hearing that prisoners don’t like their conditions, that some of them spend most of their time in a cell. Well here is a way to get them out and have them doing something for society. I’m not talking about hard labour, breaking up rocks or such like. We have a workforce locked up twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. We should use them. Set them to work getting rid of graffiti, clearing out silted up canals, picking up rubbish on our beaches. How about all these potholes in our roads, created by the last severe winter and, more recently, flooding. The local councils say they are overwhelmed and don’t have the money.

Well here is the workforce, provide the tools and materials and set them to work.

End of the prison hulks – Remember When – Portsmouth News.

Cowards !!!


What is this country coming too ?

There are mindless thugs out there who don’t think twice before attacking the elderly, the frail and the disabled

It makes me ashamed to think that there are such cowardly people walking the streets of this country, makes me ashamed to be English.

The News has recently reported this attack on a partially sighted man from Fareham.

Richard Twose, who is partially blind, was walking Bates near his home on Redlands Lane, Fareham, when he heard the dog yelp out in pain.

The 35-year-old told The News: ‘I’d been in the house all day so I felt guilty that I hadn’t walked Bates.

‘I decided to take him out for walk. That’s when I heard him yelp in pain.

‘I turned around and a split second later I was pushed into the fence and kicked in the stomach.’

There is no way that Richards attackers didn’t know that their victim was blind and the fact that they attacked his guide dog first says a lot about their mentality.

Someone out their knows who these cretins are. Do the right thing and hand them over to the police

Police are appealing for witnesses. If you can help, call PC John Cupper on 101.
Man and his guide dog beaten up in vicious unprovoked attack – Local – Portsmouth News.

Still on the subject of cowardly attacks, recently a man riding his mobility scooter was attacked …..

Thugs tried to rob a man riding a mobility scooter. The gang struck in Waterlooville, with one of the attackers brandishing a knife at the 61-year-old victim. But the disabled man punched the youth in the face before riding away to make his escape. The incident happened just before 4pm on Wednesday, November 21 at the junction of Mill Road and Novello Gardens.

Police said anyone with any information is asked to contact Det Con Smithers at Waterlooville Police Station on 101 or call the charity Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111 where information can be left anonymously.

I would never advocate vigilantism but a part of me hopes that the attackers of these two victims are identified, and that they get their just deserts. I say this because my fear is that the punishment that they will receive at the hands of the courts will never match the hurt and trauma meted out to their victims.

Copnor Road before the bridge was built – Remember When – Portsmouth News


Copnor Road before the bridge was built – Remember When – Portsmouth News.

The News carries on in its inimitable bumbling manner. The title of the article is in direct contradiction with the first sentence of the article.

Copnor railway bridge opened in 1908, three years before this picture of Copnor Road, Portsmouth, was taken.

I enjoy reading the many and various articles that they publish but I do wonder …. Does anyone at The News ever read what they publish ?

Why I Have No Sympathy For Evicted Ex-Soldier


This story has been run in “The News”, my local paper, four times to my knowledge. More space has been given to this story than any other “near homeless” family tale.

So I can only guess that either the family know someone at The News and are playing the sympathy vote for all its worth or this is a pretty pathetic attempt at attacking David Cameron and the government.

The issues here are pretty straightforward, as reported by The News ……

  1. Mark Hampson – Joined the army and gave 23 years service with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
    For this we, as a nation are truly grateful.
  2. Mark Hampson and his family have lived in the same army quarters for 18 years.
    This subsidised accomodation has enabled Hampson and his family to live a reasonably comfortable life with the MOD being responsible for the property maintenance and quite possibly, in those 23 years, providing a new upgraded kitchen and bathroom. I make the last comment based on my army-wife granddaughters experience after spending a short period of time in married quarters.
  3. Mark Hampson has survived a battle with cancer.
    For this he does have my sympathy. To be diagnosed with cancer is not easy and it can have adverse effects on friends and family too.
  4. Mark Hampson became a self-employed lorry driver. So he is fit enough to work.
  5. Mark Hampson – Left the army a year ago but only now does he realise he will lose his home.
    This is totally rubbish. He knew when he signed up for the married quarters that he would have to leave at some time. So he has had at least 18 years to prepare for leaving this house. You don’t just suddenly up and leave the army unless you are getting dishonorable discharge or you go AWOL . You have to give notice which starts a number of wheels into motion. If you are being medically discharged a lot more wheels are set in motion. The army does try to prepare soldiers for exit. Again, based on talking to my granddaughters husband who is currently going through the exit procedures for leaving the army. There is money available for re-training as preparation for life on civvy street.Oh and let’s not forget the following which I lifted straight off the Army website.

    After two years of Regular service you’ll have earned an Army pension that will be paid when you get to the age of 65. And if you serve for 12 years you’ll be entitled to a tax-free resettlement grant on retirement too. Anybody aged over 40 who has served for at least 18 years gets the right to claim an immediate pension and tax-free lump sum on leaving the Army, and a second lump sum when they turn 65.

    With 23 years in the army Hampson more than qualifies for pension and lump sum. Add to this any additional funds, if Mark Hampson is being medically discharged. In one of the four articles he is quoted as saying

    He applied to join the army’s security services but he said he was not deemed fit enough following his recovery from cancer.

In summary Mr Hampson has known for at least 18 years that MOD accommodation was not for life, that he would have to give up the house provided by the army.

He has known for sometime that he was leaving the army and did in fact leave a year ago. Since then it appears that he has done nothing to prepare for this moment. What has he done with the lump sum ? Has he used it as a deposit either for a mortgage or for rental accommodation ?

On the evidence presented by The News he is expecting the British Tax Payer to bail him out and apparently it is David Camerons responsibility

All this on the back of a pledge by the Prime Minister of the formation of a ‘heroes’ committee’ to give service personnel the support they need when leaving the forces.

The News reported this week how he has found it difficult to find accommodation through Chichester District Council’s housing scheme – despite assurances from Prime Minister David Cameron that former servicemen and women will be supported after leaving the armed forces.

The implication is that it is Camerons responsibility to hand him a council house or to allow him to remain in his current house.

He said: ‘It’s a bit of a shock that it’s happened so quickly. The stress of it is a bit worrying – we don’t know where to turn.

‘I’ve served my time and thought there might be a bit of advice and help to go forward.’

It hasn’t happened “quickly”, it isn’t a shock when you know it is going to happen. Even if you ignore the 18 year long awareness he has been ex-army for a year so knew he was on limited tenure in this house.

Mrs Hampson said they have been offered temporary accommodation but would have to re-home the family dogs – labradors Sasha and Mollie. She added: ‘We couldn’t get rid of the dogs, it would break us and Mark.

So they didn’t consider putting the dogs into kennels while they found permanent accomodation ?

And now that the eviction has happened and the family are living apart we are expected to be sympathetic. Well it’s not going to happen. This family have really made themselves homeless by lack of planning and an assumption that the government or the local council has a responsibility to look after them. Nothing reported by The News has shown this family to be anything other than a bunch of scroungers.

This is why I have no sympathy for this ex-soldier.

War veterans deserve so much more than this…- Defence – Portsmouth News.

War hero’s family writes to MP over eviction- Defence – Portsmouth News.

After 23 years of service veteran faces losing home- Defence – Portsmouth News.

Evicted ex-soldier apart from family – Defence – Portsmouth News.

Employment boost as Waterlooville business park plans are unveiled


I have been a tad busy with work for the last few weeks and have found it virtually impossible to get my head into blog mode let alone focus on local affairs. So I am sorry but this is old news but I wanted to bring it to your attention.

Finally, The News has discovered the planned development right here in Waterlooville. No not the enormous housing development known as WoW (West of Waterlooville). Even The News knows about that. No I’m referring to the development of the BAE site that I brought to your attention in my previous post

This is another of the Havant Borough Council / Portsmouth City Council/ East Hants Council job creation schemes. At least that’s what they say on paper. All of the proposed developments around Waterlooville are supposed to be creating jobs. But not one of them is being sponsored by any company that has signed up to move into the area and actually create those jobs.

The various councils will argue that you have to create the right conditions, prepare the environment to entice these erstwhile employers into the area. However, my fear is that what will be created will be empty commercial / industrial buildings.

We will have the new housing developments filled with a willing work force but no one to employ them. It is easier to build homes and to fill them than it is to get businesses started.

Just listen to the news regarding the economy and the apparent unwillingness of the banks to lend to businesses. To be quite honest I also wonder about the ability of folks to obtain mortgages to buy the new homes being built.

Employment boost as Waterlooville business park plans are unveiled – News – Portsmouth News.

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