Did you go?

Back in July I suggested readers went to see Wishbone Ash on their tour (37th year!).

Ickle bruvver and I went to a packed Lemon Tree on Saturday and they just get better and better with age - just like me! Rock and Roll on the next tour.

FoxIE Tunes?

Those of you viewing this in Internet Explorer (why?) may be interested in the Beta (works well as far as I can tell so far in IE7) for Foxy Tunes, the add-on much loved by Firefox users that accesses various media players direct into your browser.

You can try it out here.

Think Pink

It is reported that authorities in eastern India are painting a crime-infested town pink in the hope that an image makeover will lift the sagging morale of residents who are fed up with the decline in law and order.

With the city's two million residents complaining about poor quality of life and depression due to crime, officials said they had decided to paint the city pink ahead of the Hindu festival of light, Diwali, on October 21.

I'm thinking Burberry check would be nice!

Muzzle Puzzle

Please view this blog entry from (W) PC Bloggs.

My own view is why stop there, for instance all Reading FC players should be issued with carpet slippers along with elbow and knee pads! (Cech this out.)

It's happening already.

Mankind's future will be split between a beautiful 'genetic elite' and an underclass of 'goblin' creatures, an expert has predicted.

The full article can be read here, but I noted the following quotes within...

1. "After that, things could get ugly, with the possible emergence of genetic 'haves' and 'have-nots'."
2. "Social skills could be lost, along with emotions such as love, sympathy, trust and respect."

and wondered if it's not already happening i.e. The Chavs and Chav nots.

Dr Oliver Curry, who has spent two months studying the ascent and descent of Man over the next 100 millennia, thinks the upper class will be tall, slim, healthy, attractive, intelligent, and creative. But he forecasts an underclass evolved into dim-witted, ugly and squat people, the report said.

Which group will you be/are you* in?

* - delete as appropriate.

Another take on the subject can be read here

Predictions included:

• Physical appearance, driven by indicators of health, youth and fertility, will improve.

• Men will exhibit symmetrical facial features, look athletic, and have squarer jaws, deeper voices and bigger penises.

• Women will develop lighter skin, large clear eyes, pert breasts, glossy hair, even features and smooth hairless skin.

• Racial differences will be ironed out by interbreeding, producing a uniform race of coffee-coloured people.

• Improved nutrition and medical science will see people growing taller and fitter, while life-spans are extended to 120 years.

Something there for everyone!

But, and there's always a but... here's what he predicts humans will look like (admittedly in 10,000 years)

Copyright theft?

Just a few days have passed since my plan to speed up Response Policing was revealed publicly and guess what ... those lot over in Englandshire have tried to steal my thunder.

I quote from the Beeb's article


Police have played down reports that spy planes could be flown high above the streets of Merseyside as a way to fight anti-social behaviour. Merseyside Police's new anti-social behaviour (ASB) task force is exploring a number of technology-driven ideas.

Toytown's own scallies Sly and Gobbo were quoted as saying, whilst up to their usual mischief, "Goodness me, look it's the ASB ASU, better foxtrot oscar back to the Dark Woods and hole up until the coast's clear. Mr Plod is really sneaky with all his new fangled toys, but we heard it was Noddy's idea first."

n.b. Thanks go to ickle bruvver for finding this article about possible drawbacks. I particularly liked the designer's comment, "It was spectacular, everything I hoped it would be, apart from actually flying."

Black Friday

Thankfully I'm now on holiday. Time for bed and a long peaceful sleep!

You can do it if you......

On the day that the Standards Watchdog reported on NHS Trusts in England, I found this gem reported.

And it isn't the first time - see here.

His actions wouldn't be held against him?

Associated Press reports from Duluth, Minnesota, that a Chicago man apologized for spreading his faeces around a courtroom during his trial on drug charges.

Vandale Amos Willis, 28, apologized Wednesday before being sentenced to more than 10 years in prison. Willis was convicted earlier of importation of a controlled substance, cocaine, and two other charges.

"Im going to take full responsibility for everything I did in Duluth," Willis told the court. "I want to apologize for everything I did in court. I'm sorry, your honour."

He asked Judge David Sullivan to put him on probation. Sullivan told Willis his actions wouldn't be held against him, but there was no reason to depart from sentencing guidelines.

"his actions wouldn't be held against him"...................bleedin' well should have been, should have thrown it right back at him!

Death-row prisoner gets pregnant in solitary!

Reuters report that a death-row inmate held in solitary confinement in Vietnam for almost a year is pregnant and is seeking a pardon to give birth, a newspaper reported on Thursday. The Lao Dong (Labour)(ed. sic) newspaper quoted a police doctor as saying tests in September confirmed that convicted heroin trafficker Nguyen Thi Oanh, 39, was then 11 weeks pregnant. The report said it was the first time that a death-row prisoner had become pregnant in Vietnam and that police were investigating how it had happened. (ed. doh!) Oanh's husband was serving a jail sentence at another prison in another province, the newspaper said. Oanh was due to face a firing squad this year after losing her appeal against the death sentence she received last year for possession of a billion dong ($63,000) worth of heroin. Trafficking more than 600 grams of heroin in Vietnam is punishable by death or life imprisonment.

Wonder what she'll use for pain relief?

Shell shocked

The Beeb reports that a woman fears she could lose sight in one of her eyes after being struck by an egg thrown from a passing car in Aberdeen.

What possible explanation can there be for this other than being egged (sic) on by the other clowns in the car. Not exactly clever or brave of them. You could call them chickens.

I couldn't possibly suggest the return of the stocks and public flinging of rotten veg and ......

Get well soon hen!

A more dangerous job than mine!

I have to admit there are more dangerous jobs than mine (sic).

I think it's time for this mannie to retire.

p.s. It's not the sort of harvest I'd expect in Insch.

Doing a fantastic job?

The following article comes from the Press & Journal

An Aberdeen community leader has claimed the new speed restrictions in the city centre are simply not working.

Rosemount and Mile-End Community Council chairman Bill Cormie blasted Aberdeen City Council for introducing the new 20mph speed limit and then "washing their hands of it".

He felt it is unfair of the council to leave the police to deal with it as they already have enough to do.

Grampian Police revealed last night that they have yet to charge a single person relating to the new restrictions in the centre of town.

Mr Cormie insisted drivers have not been sticking to the new limits, however.

He said: "The whole town centre speed limit is a joke.

"All we have to show for the new legislation is road paint and signs, because drivers have certainly not slowed down.

"I just don't think the council thought the whole thing through properly.

"It is all very well bringing in new limits in the centre, but the police do not have the resources. They already have enough worries and they are doing a fantastic job in Aberdeen.

"It seems to me that the council have pushed through these new restrictions and then just washed their hands of them."

Police said the lowered speed limit would be enforced fully.

Superintendent Harry Thorburn said: "Reducing speed by just a few miles per hour markedly reduces the severity of injury in pedestrian road collisions and that is why we are welcoming the move."

Aberdeen City Council reiterated their desire to slow traffic in the city centre.

A spokesman said: "The council disagrees with Mr Cormie's view because this is a valuable measure and a move to improve safety.

"Thousands of people visit Aberdeen city centre every day and these lower limits make it safer for them because it reduces the risk of serious injury.

"The move was supported by Grampian Police who are also keen to curb speed in the centre of the city."

Mr Cormie feels the limit is not suitable, however.

He added: "I was on a bus this week and the driver went from Union Terrace and down Schoolhill and he was doing at least 30mph.

"It seems there is nobody enforcing it, so nobody is sticking to it.

"I feel 20mph speed limits should be kept solely for streets near schools. Aberdeen is now in a situation where drivers don't know whether they are coming or going because of all the different speed limits."

Aberdeen became the first city in Scotland to introduce a 20mph speed limit in its city centre in July this year.

Worries? I'd like to commend Mr Cormie for his kind thoughts!

Striking Forces?

The ever wonderful spdk blog from our Police colleagues in Mangalore ran this blog entry about problems they are having as described here. I am interested to know what "striking forces" are? Not getting their 3% either?

Air Support

New plan(e) to get response times down.

Now where's my wingman?

I get around

Me and my mate after our weekly audience with Her Majesty at Buck Hoose.

Spiders on Drugs

This link to a piece of research is another great find on the web (sic) by Sergeant Says.

Make sure you check out the link to mental state thereon.

As for Sergeant Says article, I think Foamy has some straightforward advice here.

Tell it like it is

San Francisco Police Officer Nick Birco was killed July 26, 2006 when his police car was struck by a stolen van occupied by suspects who had just comitted an armed robbery and were being pursued by SFPD units.

This video is of a press conference given by a member of the SFPD brass.

Response?

Please have a look at this article in the Police Federation (England and Wales) Magazine.

It is an 'official' account of various views of response policing and then ask WHY are the Police having to fight for a 3% pay increase.

Mass Murderer?

"Teddy bear is a killer"

Just goes to prove you can't judge a book by its cover.

Yellow Peril

Sergeant Says: To park or not to park

Saw this myself on Skynews (where you can also see the video) and what's more amusing ... the painter spoke to the Traffic Wardens - a fraudulent scheme?

Ethnic games tainted by cross-dressing cheats!

You have to read this article to see that cultural and ethnic assimilation has its problems worldwide!

I would have hated having to take this 'turn' in respect of the inter-racial violence and LGBT issues - the additional forms would have taken months to complete!