2 March 2010 (Tuesday) - Banned (!)

I see that my rant yesterday about licensing of dogs attracted two comments. One from Guy, with which I agree, and one from Anonymous, with which I don’t. But that’s fine – we are all entitled to our opinions, and I like being told that I’m wrong because it reminds me that sometimes (only occasionally, mind) I can be wrong. Seriously though, being told I’m wrong makes me think. And today I’ve pondered this response from Anonymous (wish I knew who you are!) and I’m sorry, but I disagree. If the pikey element want a dog, but don’t want to do the paperwork, then I honestly believe they will do what they please.

Perhaps I have bad experiences of the police force, but in the past I have had pikeys having a bare knuckle fight in my front garden. I phoned the police, who never came out. My son’s girlfriend had her car broken into. I phoned the police who flatly refused to investigate. I really can’t see the local plods showing any interest in unlicensed mutts.


Somewhere over the winter I’ve managed to misplace my laser pointer. I’m going to need one at the next astro club. Although I could borrow one so I can wave it around whilst giving my talk, they are very useful for the practical astronomy session after the talks. I’ve found that if I point out various stars and things with a laser, the “normal people” all think I know what I’m talking about.

I ordered the laser on eBay on Sunday evening, and it was on the doormat when I came home from work this evening. Two days to deliver the thing. I was impressed!


Some three years ago I posted my first pub review on Beer in the Evening. Since then I’ve posted reviews of my experiences of one hundred and eighty four pubs. But over the last few months I’ve formed more and more reservations about them. On January 21 I blogged about my unhappiness with the website. Just lately they’ve reactivated the pop-ups, done absolutely nothing to curb the racist rantings of some of the reviewers and taken over six months to add suggested pubs. It’s over a year since I pointed out that the town of St Leonards on Sea has been duplicated. And it’s no secret that the hard core of their supporters have left the web site and gone over to a rival concern. Last night I dared to voice my concerns on the Beer in the Evening forum, and I was told that if I didn’t shut my trap I’d be kicked off the website.

I came home this evening to see that I could no longer access the forum. However, being an I.T. genius it didn’t take me long to figure out a way back on. The chap who runs the website has posted: “Not something I really wanted to do today, but we just removed two members this morning. I did say there would be no further warnings. Abusive posts towards us or the site will NOT be tolerated.

A shame he didn’t actually read what I’d actually written. He can’t now, as he’s deleted it. Personally I would have thought my offer to do unpaid work for him on a regular basis wasn’t abusive. Perhaps he was confusing me with the people who were more forthright in pointing out his failures. Many of whom have been in touch last night (ironically) via the Beer in the Evening instant messaging system or today via the Facebook group. All admiring my getting kicked off the forum.

Interestingly I see the 180+ pub reviews I’ve done for him haven’t been deleted, nor have I been removed from the Facebook group. Bovvered….?


1 comment:

  1. Ref: To my reply dog licence there might been a slight element of sarcasm, as I’m well aware the police would turn a blind I eye to the more unsocial element of society.

    ReplyDelete