Not very impressive and we deserve better!

Not a particularly good week for the North Wales Police then! Firstly two officers are shown as thuggish animal abusers and now this!

Scary to think who could have access to a Taser!


nick

There but for the grace of whichever God you believe in.

You won’t find many Police Officers who haven’t experienced the sadness of attending the scene of a suicide. It is something that despite the bullish bravado amongst colleagues at the time, did invariably come home with you afterwards. One in particular, an exhaust fume suicide, stays in my mind for its remoteness and for the contents of a note left upon the car dashboard. Compounding the tragedy is that the family and friends who are left with the grief never get the chance to say that they value the person’s life more highly than the deceased did at the time. Worse still, in many cases they were never told of the problems that were allowed to overtake their loved ones lives and often how, with help, they could swiftly have been rectified.

Consequently I find the Debbie Purdy case incredibly sad. Debbie is clearly making her own choice based entirely on the tragic and very real medical circumstances she now finds herself in. If she is determined to pursue her intentions in Switzerland and she is fully supported by her husband Omar, isn’t it preferable to be comforted and supported by him at the end and not alone like those I’ve witnessed? And I’d rather see him return home to grieve without the fear of arrest and prosecution.


nick

Anarchy at Radio 2, er...where's Jimmy Young?

When he has someone interesting as a guest on his BBC 1 television programme, Ross can't keep his mouth shut and allow us the benefit of hearing them talk. In the last few weeks I've endured his inane twaddle because I simply wanted to hear the likes of Sir Roger Moore and Tony Curtis recount interesting anecdotes from their careers. They each could have said so much more if the vacuous Ross allowed them to flow.

In this appalling Andrew Sachs episode, there is clearly an offence committed under the Telecommunications Act and I'm surprised that the Metropolitan Police have not yet been seen to initiate an investigation. If they were a pair of teenagers making similar harassment calls, they'd have long since been in custody and a file would be on its way to the CPS as I write. It is a sad indictment of our times that the cult of personality appears to diminish the role that the law plays in the lives of us 'mere mortals' who abide by it.

An even bigger surprise for me was that such programmes were broadcast by Radio 2. Strewth, the last time I tuned in I heard Jimmy Young read out a recipe for Corned Beef Hash!

At least the furore has reduced Ross to silence though. No doubt fearful of the retribution of the 1000 journos he once valued himself against!


nick

Sorry Juande, but it was me having a shave!

Like most football fans, I am superstitious about certain things relating to the beautiful game. So it was last evening when I decided that the beard I've been sporting since the first week in August may be partly responsible for the current predicament Tottenham find themselves in. Could it really just be co-incidental that we've not won a game in the Premiership for as long as I've not been shaving?

So sorry Juande, just 4 hours after I removed my beard you're out the door, albeit with a very handsome pay off. As for today's home game with Bolton..........no we couldn't, could we?


nick

World Series 2008

It may sound like sour grapes because ....well yes it is sour grapes! Good luck to the Rays tonight in Game 1, do them for the Dodgers who were so cruelly defeated in the National League Championship Series by the Phillies.....and denied me the chance to crow that we saw them in WS year!!


nick

Survive the Zombie Outbreak

This interactive movie game is excellent fun, though please be aware that there is violence and bad language, so probably not suitable for everyone. Great for passing some bored time though!

www.survivetheoutbreak.com


nick

A foul stench and a large bosom

The current Icelandic dislike for all things British sparks a couple of memories to my mind of what we could be missing in the future.

Some years ago, a bucket shop sold me 2 airline tickets to New York with the then cheapest operator, Icelandair. Unfortunately that resulted in us spending a weary 12 hours in the impressively modern Keflavik airport. A rapidly arranged bus trip to placate angry travellers meant we drove across a barren landscape to the Blue Lagoon . Our Icelandic guide assured us that the foul stench of sulphur in the air was exactly what attracted the weekenders to picnic at the site and the fluorescent blue waters were especially beneficial for the health. I'll live the rest of my days happy in the knowledge that I won't return.

My best man Ray Jones also experienced Icelanders close up, as a Naval veteran of the Cod War. He subsequently received a medal for his part in it. Wearing said medal for a visit to North Wales by Prince Charles, the following conversation occurred:

Charles "For what did you receive your award?"
RJ "Cod War, 1975 sir"
Charles "Did you see much action?"
RJ "Er...well an Icelandic woman with a large bosom lifted her jumper and flashed me from the deck of a fish factory ship"

A smiling Prince of Wales then walked away. Pretty much what we should do once we've got our money back!


nick

Why are they allowed to starve to death?

Simply heartbreaking scenes from Zimbabwe on the ITV news this evening. There are 5 million people looking down the barrel of death from starvation today despite President Mugabe partially relaxing a three-month-old ban on food distribution by aid agencies six weeks ago. Restrictive regulations still handicap the delivery of relief severely.

Mugabe's shenanigans in Zimbabwe are designed to detract the world from seeing what he's doing to its people. They are starving and for some bizarre reason the west still stands by and allows it to deteriorate to disaster proportions. Starving teachers in the rural Masvingo central constituency have resorted to eating porridge meant for primary school children as hunger blights the province. Inflation when last measured in July, runs at 231,000,000%. If there was food to buy, no-one could afford it anyway. Life expectancy for females is just 34 years.

Over the weekend, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon bemoaned the deadlock between President Robert Mugabe and the opposition over the formation of a power-sharing government to tackle Zimbabwe's deepening crisis. Yesterday ex SA President Thabo Mbeki flew into the country to try and save the power sharing deal he brokered last month. It's a shame neither grasp the opportunity to kickstart a humanitarian effort to save lives as well.


nick

Bizarrely this funny is true for US investors!

If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in Delta Airlines one year ago, you will have $49.00 today. If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in AIG one year ago, you will have $33.00 today. If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in Lehman Brothers one year ago, you will have $0.00 today.

But, if you had purchased $1,000 worth of beer one year ago, drank all the beer, then turned in the aluminium cans for the recycling refund, you will have received $214.00. Based on the above, the best current investment plan would seem to be drink heavily & recycle.


nick

Debt can be beaten!

I received an email on Monday from Esther who was the producer of the television programme we did in 2006. She'd found some photographs of my mother and was checking my address to return them. Bizarrely, it was the 3rd anniversary of her death.

In replying to her, I pointed out that all the points of concern raised in the programme had turned out to be proved correct. It didn't take a clairvoyant to foresee the crunch was going to come and I am saddened by the stories we are hearing daily of businesses in trouble. The British Chambers of Commerce has warned that Britain is already in a recession, which is worsening and could see unemployment rise by 350,000 by next year. Money thrown around like confetti by irresponsible lenders was always going to need repaying and those who lose their employment status may find it even harder to keep their heads above water.

The most important things I can say to anyone experiencing the trauma of spiralling debt is seek proper help and don't put it off until tomorrow. When we were filming, I was so saddened to learn that there were scores of people like my mother who kept their debt a secret from their partners & family. Realising you're not alone or unique is a major step towards dealing with the problem, so don't feel embarrassed or ashamed of seeking help. The people who can help you do their work daily. They don't judge and they certainly don't condemn. And remember, avoid anyone who offers advice, but who charges for it! No legitimate source of help seeks to sink you further into debt for their benefit!


nick

Will we have 10 points by Christmas?

Hopefully over the next few weeks funnies like this one will wither away. In the meantime, thank you so very much Messrs Levy, Ramos, Comolli and all the under achievers (they know who they are!) for ensuring that life as a Tottenham fan remains the most uncomfortable roller coaster ride ever!


nick

Here's a clue to the rise in Road Rage incidents

First up I have to admit I am anything but a petrolhead. I unashamedly drive an old style A class Mercedes. It don't do fast!

Yesterday we went down to Cardiff to see Sarah, but what a nightmare journey both ways. I thought we'd go down via the M5/M50 route, great idea until we passed Whitchurch and then at least 3 lots of road works with extensive queuing and that was before the M54. One lot even had the dreaded 'Convoy' system in operation, 10mph for miles though heaven knows why because there wasn't one single worker in the vicinity. That route just kept the misery up as the M50 was reduced to a 40mph contraflow with 'average speed' cameras out to compound the frustration. The queuing in Cardiff is simply soul destroying. I have the utmost sympathy for our citizens who live in London, Birmingham, Glasgow..........ah just enter the city/town of your choice!

Simply relieved to leave the city, on the homeward route I took a left turn at Ross on Wye and within minutes was held up at roadworks. Further along that route we suffered a very lengthy delay as a crew were out road marking at 10pm!

Today I needed to attend a Crossroads meeting in Wrexham. It's only 5 miles away. Roadworks at Marchwiel, roadworks at Hightown, roadworks in Ruthin Road. It took me 30 minutes! I can't be the only driver in this country who despairs at having to negotiate temporary traffic lights (God I hate Lux) just to find the only obstruction in the carriageway is......the equipment waiting to dig up the road!

Now I can almost hear the apologists from my local Council whining out the excuses. 'Oh Nick you're being a bit harsh here, the roads need repairing and at least we're doing the work'. Well how about building them properly in the first place instead of always opting for the cheapest tender. You know, like in the saying 'you pay peanuts etc'.

I'm not being 'holier than thou', but I have never had a speeding ticket. I drive within the speed limit because I feel it's safer and I've been to a lot of accidents to know how life shattering the consequences of excess speed can be. However, I would like to travel at my lawful speed in an unhindered manner. It isn't much to ask, is it? I paid £170 on Monday to tax my car. It doesn't seem much of a bargain!!


nick