Topics

As the New Year approaches I would like to send my best wishes to all who have contributed recently, along with myself, to encourage Brian to keep the forum going.  Whilst wishing for a better 2015 I have an underlying sense that things will be turbulent and tricky in the next year and having this place where sensible commentary and exchange of thoughts and ideas can take place is a valuable resource. If ,like me, your Christmas has been dominated by the nasty flu bug doing the rounds which has laid most of my extended family low over the festive period then lets hope that all recover quickly. 

Be seeing you .

In the interests of stimulating some debate that might kick start this forum back to life ......
The Chancellors autumn statement has led to some commentators forecasting that public spending is on a trajectory that will see it reduced to levels not seen since the 1930's .- (but will our taxes reduce accordingly ?). Locally we are continuing to see cutbacks in front line services that affect vulnerable people young and old so at what point does enough become enough and what do we do about it if anything ? Clearly the deficit needs reducing but are we willing to see the quality of life in West Berkshire reduce as well ? As I have got older I have increasingly valued the relative safety and quality of community  here compared to many other places I have visited  and lived in, both home and abroad. Are we as a community willing to see this go and if not what other solutions are there to taxpayer funded services? It seems like these are questions we will soon have to put our collective minds to if the pundits are right and the really painful cuts are still to come - but definitely on their way . What say you?
http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/2014/young-people-face-168000-cuts-to-vital-services

Went to the above on Sunday and spent a very enjoyable day at what turned out to be a fantastic event. Highlights included a demonstration of wartime dancing styles, masses of motorbikes and classic vehicles of all descriptions, static helicopter displays, parachute display, fly past  by bi planes, tri planes, Spitfire and Mustang and best of all a Flying Fortress which was absolutely awesome. Plenty of music as well - what an amazing voice Alexandra Burke has ! It was good to watch the football as well although the sun shone so brightly it will take me ages to loose the pink tinge. All in all a splendid day with the added bonus of the truly outstanding surroundings of the castle and grounds. I know this was to celebrate the centenary of the 1st World War but it would make a fantastic annual event.  We can but hope that Lord and Lady Carnarvon think so too.

After yesterdays downpours I finally plucked up courage today to stroll around the food festival and really enjoyed the great atmosphere. Sadly advancing age and a need to control the waistline stopped me from sampling the delights on offer at the many stalls but I did enjoy the mouth watering aromas and sights at least. Talking to a couple of visitors from Windsor they remarked on how improved Newbury is and how vibrant it seemed compared to a few years ago. I hope all the traders did good business and found better customers than me! Congratulations to whoever organized the event -  Newbury is definitely trying hard this year to be exciting and different as a shopping destination and when the weather co-operates it is certainly succeeding. I must dig the exercise bike out of the garage so that I can be a little more self indulgent if they hold this again ! ;D

I know a sink hole had closed part of Enborne  Road but now it seems to be closed as far down as Buckingham Road as well. Is anyone aware what is the cause ? Seems very strange although I noticed several drivers ignore the diversion and road closed signs and weave their way around them.  Me - I just did as the signs recommended and changed my route. Just the way I was brought up I guess. :)

Is it just me or has the phasing of traffic lights at roundabouts now been set to cause stops at several instances as you try to make progress around them ? On a journey around Newbury today I seem to have caught red stop lights on numerous occasions.  The roundabout where the old hospital used to be seems to have a new set of lights right on the junction as well mirroring a set directly opposite which seems designed to block the roundabout completely when on red as traffic can't exit. I may just have been unlucky today ( I don't drive around locally much) but what do others think? With fuel costs so high it seems wasteful to keep the old jalopy stopped for no good reason.
:-\

Just wanted to say a big thank you to all involved in making the crafty raft race a very enjoyable day out , with plenty of sunshine to add to the occasion for a change ! I thought some of the music in the park particularly good to listen to (those old rock and roll riffs still hit the mark) and it was great to see so many smiling faces as people enjoyed all that was going on.  Lets hope the weather is as good next year.

As a person who habitually walks most places whenever possible it has become clear lately that there is a growing problem of dog mess fouling the footpaths of the town and surrounding streets. Not the fault of the dogs themselves, but of the irresponsible owners who fail to clear up after them, it would seem that we need wardens (if they exist) to start issuing penalty notices and fines to the anti-social miscreants responsible for their pets actions . If there are no wardens left perhaps the civil enforcement officers could take on the responsibility and help return our pavements from being animal toilets to their proper role ? Perhaps even better they could also photograph the offenders so they could be named and shamed so that the majority of responsible pet owners can be distanced from the antisocial minority. Together with a few stiff fines to help swell our local coffers we could also insist they take a pet ownership and responsibility course or perhaps a community service order requiring them to go around and clean up after others pets ? Whatever the solution shame on them for their appalling attitude to civic responsibility.

I seem to remember that there used to be forum poster who some time back predicted that we could be heading for a mini ice age caused by a new maunder minimum event. Was much derided at the time over his postings on all kinds of topics but it may be that he was more switched on than he was given credit for. Drove a Maserati I seem to remember. Kudos.

Reading the local news re flooding and peoples desperate attempts to protect their properties this evening I had a Jeremy Clarkson moment and wondered if we could somehow mobilize the fit unemployed to assist in the flood prevention effort filling and deploying sandbags and other barriers ? Surely the opportunity to assist desperate families and individuals struggling to protect their hard earned property and possessions would gladden the hearts of those who would otherwise be idle - purely as a token of their thanks for the benefits they receive from the collective tax take ?    Sadly probably just one of my many idle musings that will never come to pass.  ;) ;D

Walking down Northbrook  Street today I had to dodge and weave around multiple obstructions in my path making for very erratic progress in order to avoid colliding with other shoppers. A new coffee shop in particular seems to have taken up a large slice of the pavement with outside seating (forcing pedestrians to walk in the traffic lanes at the unrestricted times) and compared to the uncluttered thoroughfares of the new Parkway Northbrook Street is looking more and more like an obstacle course. Bad enough that we have to suffer chuggers without these self inflicted impediments to progress. Time to engage brains and re-think in my opinion. What do others think ? 

Great to see the forum back.  :)