Could this ever happen in Ulverston?

A news story about what happened when Tesco opened a store in this area of Brostol.

For me, this is a question that is crucial to the future of Ulverston.

What are your views?

An email from a friend

You may already have seen this, but if not I think it's something most of us will feel strongly about.

Have a look at this:

http://www.38degrees.org.uk/Save-our-NHS

The government is proposing plans to break up and privatise our NHS. We all know that the NHS is a vital public service that provides free health care to millions of people, and that it needs to be protected. Together we can make the government change its mind about these plans.

I've just signed a petition to stop the government from privatising our NHS. The more of us who take part, the stronger the message will be - click here to email your MP:

http://www.38degrees.org.uk/Save-our-NHS

When does and aquantance become a friend?

This is something that has been puzzling me recently?

I have lots of acquaintances, I believe, but few friends.

Is a friend, an acquaintance  who you can be unreasonably nasty to and still comes back for more.

Someone you can tease about their sensitive areas?

Someone who drops in regularly unannounced and vice verse?

How would you describe a friend?

.

Here's something you may want to do

Frequent a pub for the evening and get that brain working in a fun loving atmosphere.

Stan Laurel,

8 o'clock Tuesday Evening

Playing Chess

All ages and abilities welcome.

We had a couple of challenging games from an eleven year old last night.

Beware: the offcomers are taking the place over.

Commenters from Nowhere

I received this comment from Pete T.

It's so typical of the Knowhere group that spend their time slagging people off in their tarantula infested den that belongs nowhere.

"The" Hoad , (someone's name), that says it all. 

Our town is being overrun by offcomers, ever so enchanted by the people and the place, yet without the brains or wit to realise that their presence is changing what they liked about it in the first place.

I suggest you all pack up and bugger off back where you came from, visit for two weeks a year and maybe, just maybe we may get back to the nice, quiet, unspoiled place we once were.

Someone who has lived here longer than some of them have been alive is still seen as an "offcomer".

How about coming out of the shadows with your silly names and instead become real people we can have a conversation with in the street.

Time to face up to reality.

"the nice, quiet, unspoiled place we once were" is fantasy land.

Ulverston is changing and in some respects for the worse:

there are fewer pubs around.

What positive proposals do you have to make?

Get involved with people who have fresh ideas and contributions.

Do something yourselves.

Stop skulking evilly in the background.

You're like wood lice who can't bear the light of day.

So Pete T. and the rest of the negatively anonymous commenters, who are you ?

This, makes me chuckle, even though I'm half French

Alerts to Terror Threats in 2011 Europe - attributed to John Cleese

The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist threats and have therefore raised their security level from "Miffed" to "Peeved." Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to "Irritated" or even "A Bit Cross." The English have not been "A Bit Cross" since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies nearly ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorized from "Tiresome" to "A Bloody Nuisance." The last time the British issued a "Bloody Nuisance" warning level was in 1588, when threatened by the Spanish Armada.

The Scots have raised their threat level from "Pissed Off" to "Let's Get the Bastards." They don't have any other levels. This is the reason they have been used on the front line of the British army for the last 300 years.

The French Government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from "Run" to "Hide." The only two higher levels in France are "Collaborate" and "Surrender." The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France's white flag factory, effectively paralysing the country's military capability.

The Italians have increased the alert level from "Shout Loudly and Excitedly" to "Elaborate Military Posturing." Two more levels remain: "Ineffective Combat Operations" and "Change Sides."

The Germans have increased their alert state from "Disdainful Arrogance" to "Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs." They also have two higher levels: "Invade a Neighbour" and "Lose."

Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual; the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels.

The Australians, meanwhile, have raised their security level from "No worries" to "She'll be Alright, Mate." Two more escalation levels remain: "Crikey! Might need to cancel the barbie this weekend!" and "The barbie is cancelled." So far no situation has ever warranted use of the final escalation level.

The attitude here in Ulverston , does so reflect the depiction of the English .

When will anyone desert their TV or on the part of the Knowhere Rabble, their computers, to even glance at our dying market and the future of our shops and community life ?

When will Ralph Spours turn a hair and admit we have problems. When will the Town Council do more than talk.

Where are the Scots in our midst?

I know one who fits the description well.

BTW I'm descended from to the rebel protestant Huguenots.

Today's market

Looks like we've the making of a talented acrobatic group here

The ultimate on pseudo political speak from Lansley

"Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has said he is "sorry" for failing to communicate his plans for the NHS in England."

This is the message we read

But he didn't say this.

"He said: "I am sorry if what I'm setting out to do hasn't communicated itself." "

In other words it's what was set out that was at fault because it "hasn't communicated itself", as though 'it' has a responsible life of its own.

Naughty misbehaving words that didn't do their job. "It's your fault: not mine"
It's important to my career to distance myself from others (my words) that fail me.

It would be too politically damaging if he said in plain English:

"I got it wrong"

No wonder we get fed up listening to 'clever' politicians talking the drivel that expensive speech writers produce for them.

Is there anyone that disagrees that AV is good?

I can't believe there is anyone who stops and thinks that will be persuaded by the glossy presentation in favour of first past the post.

One argument is that we would get a hung parliament - well we've got one now.

In my view the Coalition is a lot better than raw Conservatism .

True it's doing the Liberals no favours in their credibility but at least Cameron is being shackeled a little by the likes of Cable and Farron.

Had AV been in effect at the last election then the Liberals would have had a greater number of MPs and could have teamed up with Labour with little fear from the Conservatives.

We would then have had policies that would have been supported by the majority of people.

AV allows the candidate to win that has the majority support if your first choice doesn't get 50% of the vote.

During the last election for SLDC and excellent candidate who had done a great job in her first term as a Lib Dem councillor, Jane Carson, was voted off by a Conservative because the Green Party in my view foolishly ran their own candidate.

Had AV been in operation the Greens would most likely have voted for Carson as second choice and she would have been returned. After all she stood up for practically everything they wanted.

AV though not perfect as a democratic tool is far better at representing the majority view and can be expected to involve the public far more in elections.

Our faith in politicians is in dire need of being improved.

We've got the technology in place to do it at little cost, surely we should use it.