Sunday 5 October 2008

Reefers Digest Issue1

Welcome to Reefers Digest, an occasional foray into the outside world and the bizarre, newsworthy things happening in it. I apologise in advance for the ranting, but not for any objectionable content, that's the whole point! Follow the links to the full stories, and visit my Google News page for more news of note.

BBC nuclear bomb script released (BBC News Oct 2008)
I've been waiting years for these! I know it sounds morbid, but ever since I was 6 and was made to watch Threads at Primary School I've had a weird fascination with nuclear war. It scares the hell out of me, I still have nightmares about that film, but the idea of what really happens to people when the threads that hold a nation, a society together are all suddenly cut just sets me thinking.
The script was "written to reassure the public the BBC was still there" by the government and the BBC in the 7o's and was to be broadcast in the event of a nuclear attack.
It includes instructions to "stay calm and stay in your own homes".
Apparently there was debate over who would read the script, personally I think Patrick Allen, the voice of the Protect and Survive series (you can actually buy these now, yes I had a copy) would be perfect. Funnily enough, they used parts of his voice over in Treads.
I think everyone should have to watch that film at some point, it really makes you appreciate what little order and peace we have. I'm not saying I'd like to go back to the Cold War, rations, draconian punishments or National Service, I don't want any more kids with guns, but a bit of a shock wouldn't be a bad thing for some of the youngsters.
Take this lot:
Brick vandals run to ground (Catherine Smyth MEN 4/10/2008)
YOUNG yobs who hurled a brick at a passing coach picked the wrong target - and ended up being run to ground.
...the bus stopped at traffic lights on the East Lancs Road, near Lowton, Wigan.
The two schoolboy yobs threw a brick from a grass bank next to the road, damaging one of the vehicle's windows.
They tried to flee but were no match for club runners Richard Stott, Greg McDermott and Rod Graham, who together with Greg's son Andrew set off in hot pursuit
At least they were caught, though I don't hold out much hope for any sort of real punishment being meted out by our woefully inadequate and antiquated justice system.
Sadly there's a lot of it about as they say, but throwing rocks is just the start, apparently it's defenceless animals next.
Boy fed zoo reptiles to crocodile (BBC News Oct 2008)
This is a 7 year old! He climbed over a security fence and went unchecked for half an hour killing a total of 13 animals.
Reports say "he was seen hurling the animals over the security fence into the crocodile enclosure. He bludgeoned some of the animals to death with stones and hurled others over the two fences surrounding the crocodile enclosure.
At one point, he tried scaling the outer enclosure himself to get to "Terry", the 11ft (3.3m) saltwater crocodile. Zoo director Rex Neindorf said many of the animals were rare or mature and would be difficult to replace."

What? Where are his parents? Where are security or the keepers? What the hell is wrong with this child? Seems he can't be prosecuted because of his age but the Zoo may well sue his parents. How about they just put the little bugger back in with "Terry" and let them settle it.
I hate to mention it but this kind of violent behaviour, the killing and torturing of animals, is a classic early sign of a budding psychopath.
Seems this youngster could have a career in art though, at least in Manchester:
Row over dead animal art (Dean Kirby MEN 4/10/2008)
"ROAD kill is on the menu at a city centre café - all in the name of art. A squashed squirrel, flat-looking pheasant, stuffed badger and dozens of dead rabbits are all part of an exhibition at the Nexus art café, in Dale Street."
In a cafe? Surely that's not hygienic. I'm a vegetarian so obviously eating near that doesn't appeal to me but I would have thought having the corpse of a mutilated animal sewn to a couch next to you while you dine would put even the most hardened carnivore off his ham sandwich.
At least if you decide to see that show you know it will be there when you show up, unlike fans of Pete Doherty and his band Babyshambles. They turned up at the Ritz...Doherty didn't and man were the Mancs pissed off. Seems Doeherty cancelled less than two hours before the doors were due to open after charging £17.50 for tickets! Some had come from as far as Scotland queuing for hours. Joanna from Salford said: "When we got here the queue was already halfway down the street. By the time they told us the show was off there were hundreds of people here." (Doherty fails to show at Ritz Daniel Nolan MEN 4/10/2008)
Oh Dear, should have stuck with Ian Brown kids, he's the only coke-addled rock-monkey for me. Still, at least the crowd didn't get nasty, no name calling, unlike the Croatian Football Fans it seems.
Remember the World Cup qualifier with England in September? Heskey was booked for a foul on Niko Kovac and was blasted with racist abuse and monkey chants by the Croatian fans. Well Fifa has fined the Croatian Football Federation £15,000 saying "Racism has no place in football. Fifa is determined to continue broadcasting this message around the globe and deploying all of the means at its disposal to eliminate this form of discrimination." Croatia were given a small fine during Euro 2008 for racist abuse from their fans during their game against Turkey, so they had form)
Heskey said "You have to let the people above deal with that and I will carry on playing my game,"
Absolutely. Heskey plays for Wigan and we're proud to have him, and believe me I know how racist some Wiganers can be too. No place for that in my world nor in my Football.
I was really looking forward to the Match yesterday, Wigan vs Middlesbrough at the JJB. Given our 2-1 win against Man City I thought we had a good chance. The form was good, but I have to say after the controversial Zaki penalty I had to wonder if the gods would be with us.
We only had one injury concern with Lee Cattermole and his dodgy but 'Boro were looking at being without Robert Huth , Andrew Taylor and Gary O'Neil.
I was really hoping we could make this a run of 5 Premier League wins and move up to 10th in the table and for the first half it looked like it could happen. Cattermole was fit and ready for action (perhaps a bit too ready with 3 fouls for the game *ahem*), Hesky was powering about the pitch and we were keeping possession. No goals, bit worrying but not an unusual occurrence, Wigan have a tendency to "save it" for a final dramatic push. Second half, more of the same, 9 shots on target overall, still no goals and I'm thinking, "well, a draw will do, that's still points", but no, NO!! An 89th minute goal, set up by Downing and just jabbed in by Aliadiere was the cruel ending to yet another game we "should have won" but didn't. Liverpool away next week and we're in 13th. Arse!

Thursday 2 October 2008

Not Again!

Secret Service Screw Up Again and Loose More Classified Data
(BBC News, 2nd October 2008)
A handheld MI5 computer thought to contain information about fighting terrorism has been stolen from a house in Greater Manchester.
The palmtop device was stolen on Sunday night by a burglar who got in through an open window of the house.

Well done people, it makes me feel so safe and secure knowing you're there, thank you MI5.

Policing By The Community

Teenager raped in market
Manchester Evening News 3rd October 2008
A RAPIST has attacked a teenager in a market. The victim was standing in Longsight Market, on Dickenson Road, when the rapist put his hand over her mouth and pulled her to the ground. Detectives have now issued CCTV footage of a man they want to question about the attack, which happened at 10.20pm on August 25.
One of us knows who he is, watch the footage and lets get this predator before it happens again.

Yes Bwoy!!


Oleg Walks Free! Graffiti artist spared jail
(Anita Howells, Manchester Evening News 30th September 2008)
A BANK worker who caused tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage by spraying graffiti on trains and buildings has been spared jail.
Joseph Halstead, 22, from Rusholme, daubed his signature - he signed himself Oleg - on property in Halifax, Leeds and Bristol.


and he's a local, I used to live round the corner from this guy, *hah*

A man once said to me, "you can tag anything if it holds still long enough."
I told him, "if it has to hold still, old man, you're too slow."

Saturday 19 July 2008

Busted Part II

It appears the increased Police presence on Oxford Road is just for show. Caramac was mugged on his way home from our house the other night. He'd been to a cash machine, the best lit and most frequented one on Oxford Road to avoid attention. He was walking on down Oxford Road, under the bridge after the Palace, where the Thirsty Scholar is, and 5 guys, ballied up, surrounded him, the one in front with a knife and demanded his money. They must have been watching him, waited in the shadow of the bridge for the every-3-minutes police patrol to pass, and for a lull in the *crowds* of people. I say they were watching because they said "Yo, give us that money now!", they asked for the money not his wallet. Caramac being a smart guy gave it to them, kept his stash, phone, keys, wallet and didn't get knifed, good for him. Where the Fuck where the police??? Oh, did I mention The Caramac Daddy happens to be black?

Thursday 10 July 2008

Busted!

Wow! It is too easy to forget we live not just in Manchester (Or Gunchester as the media like to call it) but right on the edge of Mosside, then you're having your tea and you hear gunshots, or armed cars pull up outside a house down the street and haul the occupants away. It's scary because I watch the kids playing in that street everyday, this *is* a good area but you can't keep all the bad out, not when it's so close to your doorstep.

Take this example, I was stopped by the police on the way home from shopping the other day, just a random check for drugs and weapons in cars, sounds serious but in the city center they often do a blitz and usually grab a few names and heads in the process. Anyway, I didn't have my licence and insurance with me so I had to go to the station the next day to show them.

Now, i was in and out no problems, but as I was stopped at the traffic lights, not more than 600yards from the Police Station and old lady crossing in front of me was grabbed by 3 boys. This was broad daylight, with stopped cars and people watching and these kids, who couldn't have been more than 14 tried to take her bag and her trolley! I couldn't believe it. The man in the car in front called to her and shouted at the boys, scaring them off before they could get anything and my husband jumped out of the car and ran after them through the estate. Considering he has epilepsy was still covered in cuts from a fall the day before I was worried but he was determined to get them. He ran into 2 plain clothes Police officers in the chase and they joined in but we didn't catch them. As I was giving the police a description I still couldn't believe it, little G-boy wanna-be's, no morals, no empathy, disgusting.

The thing that really made me sad though was this; My immediate reaction, and my husbands was to help in any way, I would never walk past a person in trouble or hurt without offering what ever I could. Strangely the spot where the old lady was attacked was almost the exact same spot where he had fallen the day before. He had a minor seizure with his epilepsy and fell, breaking his nose and cutting his face, he was covered in blood and I had to walk him back to our flat, supporting him. He's nearly a full head taller than me and a big guy, I'm a UK10 and 5'6'', clearly a difficult task, and yet not one person stopped or offered to help, pleanty stared, some looked disgusted obviously assuming he'd been in a fight, but nobody asked if he was OK.

It makes me wonder if some people are just not human.