Malcolm Robinson

Top man!

At last, thanks sizsells!!!!!!!!!

I'm not that senile yet Cym! The 'body' was a red colour with an intermittent white light underneath. It wasn't the copper chopper, the noise would have been deafening. I would guess it was about 150-200m up and looked to be drifting in the wind. Someone must have set it up..............no takers?

Brian, I thought you only used brine as a cheat, like pink lint ham? As far as I know you just split the fish and hang them in the smoker?

About 8.00pm last night a red light with an intermittent white light below passed over Bedders. It came over the Hartlands and crossed over the Top End then went towards the Station and off. I looked at the wind direction and that was in the same direction and seeing there was no sound associated I presume it must have been some sort of 'balloon', but the lights............? I wonder is someone phoned the cops to say their son was trapped inside! As for a camera sadly no, by the time I got the tripod out and loaded the flash pan..........

No one else see that red UFO floating over Bedders last night?

Nobody in power has the balls to stand up to these people. Don't think that's quite right. I think what has happened is an overcompensation, imposed by the liberal PC brigade, and given our tendency as a culture towards masochism we now see positive discrimination being used more and more to show just how tolerant we are as a society. The fact that 2 wrongs never make a right is conveniently sidestepped. The great melting pot ideals of the 60's fails to take into consideration the, much needed, cultural differences we all have and will produce an homogenous introspective society which destroys the very fabric which made it attractive in the first place.

Already stripped out,shop fitters Monday?

Only by the judge in English courts, to give fairness to a trial, don't know how the Scottish system works. Interesting debate......

Pete, To answer your question first........ Racism......animosity towards other races and/or belief in racial superiority. Cultural differences are quite another thing and one which should be something to be proud of and promoted, if only to expand knowledge and gain insights into other ways of doings the things we take for granted. We are naturally gregarious and curious but at the same time we still hold a little reserve back just in case. Probably a genetic thing, flight or fight. Some people use that fear of differences to promote their own agendas and using skin colour or cultural differences I would call racism. It is a tribal thing and if we hadn't used our intelligence to overcome this conditioning the human race would still be very parochial and our modern world much different. Monsta, whats wrong with a big of bigotry if it sorts the country out? It can't because of what it produces. Once you go down that road you will end up at a place no right minded person would want to be at. I can understand your argument and I see the problem, and I guess immigration will become a lead matter in the soon to be election, but as long as we resolve the question with a degree of intelligence, open mindedness and fairness that will be something most people will back.

Thats the trouble with this sort of thing.....a little bit of credability wrapped up in a maelstrom of xenophobia and bigotry and hey presto some people think they have found the answer to all their problems!

What the Nick that has just been done for the racist's nature of their recruiting campaign?

Well seen you don't live here nowadays Pete. Front Street is an obstacle course at the moment; either that or they are training residents for the decathlon.

I have to be honest Malcolm, I have not got a clue who my MEP is. I voted against Europe in the seventies when Edward Heath held a reforendom on whether we should join or not. I am against Europe but that is no excuse why I should not know who my MEP is as I did vote in the last MEP election. Pete, And here's me thinking you were just a young whippersnapper! Voting in the seventies, I can now blame you for everything that has gone wrong with UK politics! As for the parking charges, the new Town Council have come out against any implementation. That's OK then!!!!!!!

Pete, I really do understand where you are coming from; nowadays it's more about popularism and almost celebrity rather than the essential differences between party philosophies, i.e., the bit which is supposed to offer you a choice. The normal hum drum of politics at base level is seen as too boring for mass appeal and so is almost disregarded by the national media in favour, as you say, of the slick PR sensitive guys who front the parties. The problem is that it is the political boiler rooms which effect people in their normal lives and without the close inspection and reporting which are needed, things get through which might not be seen by the majority as advantageous or even warranted. I also take your point about people 'knowing' their elected representatives; do you know your MEP, arguably even more important than a domestic MP with the Lisbon Treaty almost in operation!

I think we are getting confused; there is no UK political party where the 'great unwashed' get to vote for its leader. At the very best it is the party rank and file who do that so saying a 'normal' guy off the street can choose a party leader is just daft. Of course the public will identify a party with its leader but there are whole host organisations who are supposed to make policy for individual parties so we haven't got the presidential system just yet, or supposedly we haven't. Each party has clear rules of leader election in their constitutions the fact that sometimes it happens mid term says more about the reasons behind the timing than anything else. I don't really have a problem with that I have a problem with unelected people sitting in cabinet. I know there is an argument for, citing times of national emergency, but is that really the case at present? Yes there has just been a real national and international dilemma but there was a party in control with a mandate to control that situation, the fact is they ran away from their core creed and we now have a hybrid type of political executive. At the very least it shows the lack of regard the leadership hold their fellow party MP's in as they have felt it necessary to go outside of that body to fill seats in cabinet, to say nothing about how close to their hearts they hold their party's core beliefs!

I may not be the guy's greatest fan but at least he did stand in an election to get voted in as an MP and therefore eligible for their highest status. This other shower have been parachuted in without a vote being cast. This is not the way our democracy is supposed to work!

Pete, Lord V is a press hack nickname for Lord Hartlepool, AKA Mandleson. You know the guy he is one of a handfull of unelected poeple now sitting in cabinet running the country!

Pete, I am surprised they are still running with the guy but then if it is a choice between him and Lord Voldemort I suppose there is only one on!

Mrsvic, You been at the happy baccy or just one too many wine gums?

Sound political philosophising as ever Pete!

Time you came back for another one then Pete!

They already have their banners and have had for a couple of years so I am told. Just one mercuryg, and thats pints or aliens!

Security status: The British are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist threats in Islamabad and have raised their security level from "Miffed" to "Peeved." Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to "Irritated" or even "A Bit Cross." Brits have not been "A Bit Cross" since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies all but ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorised from "Tiresome" to a "Bloody Nuisance." The last time the British issued a "Bloody Nuisance" warning level was during the great fire of 1666. 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. It's not only the French who are on a heightened level of alert. Italy has 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 also 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, and the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels. The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy. Americans meanwhile are carrying out pre-emptive strikes, on all of their allies, just in case. New Zealand has also raised its security levels - from "baaa" to "BAAAA!". Due to continuing defence cutbacks (the airforce being a squadron of spotty teenagers flying paper aeroplanes and the navy some toy boats in the Prime Minister's bath), New Zealand only has one more level of escalation, which is "Shut, I hope Austrulia will come end riscue us". In the event of invasion, New Zealanders will be asked to gather together in a strategic defensive position called "Bondi". Australia, meanwhile, has raised its security level from "No worries" to "She'll be right, mate". Three more escalation levels remain, "Crikey!', "I think we'll need to cancel the barbie this weekend" and "The barbie is cancelled". There has not been a situation yet that has warranted the use of the final escalation level.