Monthly Archives: October 2025

October 31, 2025 · 8:18 am

#HeadlineTherapy “Developer puts up 100ft  Union Jack after Council Row”

Thank you to the Online BBC News Team for this inspiring gem.

This story reminded me of a tragic(for architectural  and historical reasons purely) of our local Council’s argument with a developer who bought a beautiful building called ” The Mechanics Institute” probably over thirty years ago for a lowly sum and then proceeded ,despite the building being “listed” ,to let it deteriorate and go to ruin. I don’t think the developer ever had the money to ” turn the building into a hotel” and actually saw the value of the land for house building once the building was in such a state it had to be demolished.

So this story about a developer using a small union jack on the side of a building he owned to advertise a “Fly the Flag Campaign” on a former Council building which presumably the developer had bought from the Council struck a chord.

The developer was outraged when the Council asked him to remove the said Union Jack Flag .He responded by putting a Union Jack that completely covered the frontage of the five story building and the Council have said that they will not take any further action as the flag ” does not breach any planning rules”, and actually the Council feel that it can be considered as part of the National Remembrance period to remember our War Dead. Yes, the Union Jack represents the whole of the United Kingdom (or does it? * see below) and does seem an appropriate way to remember those that have died, and I’m sure the Council did not intend not to include Wales.

They will however pursue the developer for advertising a “Fly the Flag “”Website address on the building as this is deemed an unauthorised advertisement.

I can’t imagine if there are any tenants in the building how they will see out of it? Perhaps that is what the developer is upset about, he is not making any money out of the building and indeed it is costing him money. Why not use it to advertise his cause of ” Fly the Flag”. Has he got shares in British Airways?

For those of us who feel that flags are dangerous, I would say no. Flags are open to interpretation and anyone stupid enough in medieval times to run in front of load of marauders waving one, well they became part of history, respected perhaps , but not survivors. Unlike those who followed behind and picked up the pieces, tended the wounded and learned to live in Peace with each other . Flags are icons but they do not solve anything.

I like the Union Jack and the Cornish Flag, St David’s Flag (Gold and Black) I’ve always had a penchant for the St Andrews Cross and as I’m Irish the St Patrick’s Cross. * Apologies to Wales who aren’t included in the Union Jack , because when it was devised, Wales was regarded as part of England. Hence there is no Gold or Black in the Union Jack. Sounds like a recipe for a contentious , alcohol fuelled pub brawl.

So I won’t be joining “Fly the Flag Campaign” , not because I don’t like flags, they are colourful Icons, but in truth their origin’s can be contentious.

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October 30, 2025 · 8:47 am

What I believe is that you should believe.

What’s something you believe everyone should know.

Believe in something, always think that hope is not a bad thing and that tunnels do have lights that you can switch on. Also there are electricians who can fix things.

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October 30, 2025 · 7:14 am

#HeadlineTherapy

Inn bans arrogant camper van visitors

Disclaimer:Yes ,I know Camper Van owners  are on the whole a lovely bunch, particularly the ones with small retro vans and the VW owners who are a pretty handy bunch having got used to their pride and joy breaking down regularly on the motorway……but….

Maybe it’s a brand thing, have you seen the size of some of those up market Pilote campervans.They’re just a large living room ,bedroom ,bathroom and kitchen stuck on a set of double axle wheels.

Very often bought for an early retirement plan, to travel to Europe and live somewhere cheap,the novelty soon wears off and the cost of diesel becomes prohibitive.

So it’s  tour  Britain  time, and things just aren’t as fine and dandy as they were a year ago when they originally set off.

The loving couple are at each other’s throats, the weather is rubbish and neither  wants to do any of the chores to do with maintenance and hygiene.The shower has broken, silted up from all the hard water.

Add to that the price of pitches have trebled and there is a  charge for waste disposal. So you find this nice hotel which is quiet off season and they allow you to park up.

Only one problem, though they want your custom for drinks and meals ,they don’t have all the facilities of a proper campsite.No septic tank,just a nearby river.You are stuck, the toilet is about to overflow,there are accusations of  laziness and good for nothing.

Your last bit of cash has been spent on a pub meal with no drinks as you have a stash of cheap wine from your last trip to France.You drank too much of it last night and your wife was sick on the Hotel’s patio and sitting area.You blame the food.

Still there are burgers and sausages in the freezer compartment of the fridge,which as you have no electricity and need to save your diesel for the trip home,you need to use up.This has another benefit both of you need to sober up for the journey home.Stodgey food will help.

The good lady cheers up and finds a nice spot behind the hotel protected from the breeze and starts their extravagant gas barbecue, which thankfully still has some gas left in the bottle.

The burgers are half cooked and the sausages cremated when a young man comes running towards the lady at speed, pointing at the hotels own gas storage area.There is panic in his face and then the manager appears.

Breakfast is ruined, everything has to be turned off and nasty words are exchanged. It doesn’t help that the manager looks foreign and despite the couple’s original wish to travel and see the World, they retort that he should go back to where he came from.The kitchen? He replies politely.

The Camper door is slammed and as they drive away an open rubbish bag thrown from the window .Which of course is blown to all four corners of the hotel car park.

So that ,my friend, is how the dream of the open road  sometimes goes.

Beware….

#HeadlineTherapy

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October 30, 2025 · 3:01 am

#HeadlineTherapy

Chancellor Rachel Reeves admits breaking housing rules by renting out home.

Our gallant Labour Representative and Top Economist(according to her) has admitted to renting her house in Southwark in London for £3200 /month because she is entitled to a free house next door to No 10 and omitting to get the licence required by Southwark Council.She has apologised and blamed the letting agency.

How sad and how funny.

Our Labour Politicians have a distinct and unhealthy interest in rental property and the concept of Social Housing is fine when it’s them that’s benefiting, but for you or me to need support or help on the housing front,then we are thrown to  the wolves of the Private Rental Sector, where it seems our political representatives enjoy a guaranteed second income.

Mrs Reeves for the moment is protected by the old boys network headed by Sir Laurie Magnus who was appointed as an Independent Advisor in 2022,is a Baronet and has a career in investment banking to recommend him as a top Ethical bloke.Please don’t laugh.

Sir Laurie determined the former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner had broken the Ministerial Code by not paying enough Stamp Duty and has cleared Mrs Reeves , because she admitted her error once the Daily Mail had reported it and did so quickly once she was found out. Perhaps Angela Rayner was not so quick off the  mark?

It doesn’t matter, Rachel Reeves  has the top job running the economy,but still has time to set up rental agreements for her “spare house”.

Dear Rachel do you know that we have a homeless problem in the UK, that Social Housing is in dire straits, that we need homes for eighteen year olds who are about to come out of the “care sector ” and have nowhere to go.

Did you really need that extra £3200 /month , or could you have done something better with your “spare house”.Seeing as you have a lot of Public subsidised perks and a nice Government salary.Did that even cross your mind? Bet it didn’t cross Sir Laurie or Sir Keir’s mind either.

Please leave a comment if you think Rachel could have done better and if you think the Ethics Committee might be a bit biased.

Thank you for reading…

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October 29, 2025 · 6:22 am

#HeadlineTherapy

Two popular candy bars recalled over potential “life-threatening” ingredient days before Halloween.

I cannot confirm or deny the brand of candy bar they are talking about as I’m unwilling to press the button to “read for free with ads and cookies”, because actually my life does not depend on me knowing what type of candy bar it is. I haven’t bought any yet.

Assuming they are successful at withdrawing them from the shelves, why worry? Which,(ever the optimist) I think they will be. For those who have bought them; well I hope you are subscribers to the Independent or visit your supermarket regularly and read the “Danger Product Withdrawal Posters ” Anyway, I haven’t bought or am likely to buy any Halloween Candy . I might make some for fun.

For those of you, however, who have invested in Halloween Candy and are now concerned, well isn’t that just the spirit of Halloween eh? Those bright orange pumpkin shaped gobstoppers , with purple eyes , I mean where’s the fun without a bit of danger. The purple chocolate and the strands of white plastic like shards in the shape of a skeleton. The added excitement that your candy bar might be laced with arsenic (easily detected) or perhaps asbestos ( for a slow lingering, law suit ridden death).

Perhaps this Headline is just a ruse to add an extra layer of creepy fun to Halloween. Then maybe they are deadly serious. Beware!

PS If you are an existing subscriber to the Independent and find out what the Candy Bar is , please let me know in the comments. Just for creepy curiosity sake.

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October 29, 2025 · 12:33 am

#HeadlineTherapy

Urgent Alert Issued to Anyone who uses Gmail after 183 million passwords leaked.

The hackers have done their worse

To these Global Businesses they are a curse,

Or was it just a human blip

When someone at Google let their coffee slip

The keyboard sopping

And lots of mopping,

Unbeknown  a button pressed,

In truth we’ll never know the rest

To secrecy all employees sign up

Never admit  it was a plastic cup

They didn’t just release your private data,

But also caused an  imbalance  at the Earth’s

equator,

Millions panic to remember their password

While the earth’s ocean soaks up the  disposable 

plastic crud

How many disposable coffee cups do Google

employees use?

This password nonsense is just a ruse.

We’ll never know what really happened,

Just we  owe our planet a decent  stipend

To stop this very pointless waste

And remember ceramic cups make for better

taste

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October 28, 2025 · 8:39 am

#HeadlineTherapy

It seems the first thing I do when I get up in the morning is check the News Headlines on my phone. Increasingly I’m beginning to think this is incredibly bad for me and now I realise my reactions to this bombardment must be managed. So each day I will take a Headline and create a piece of writing from it.

“Dessert Shop closes in Town Centre as New Store Moves In”

I remember walking through town about three years ago and there were very few retail outlets that were familiar, all the “brand” names had gone, but I noticed small delicatessen style independents, which looked very appealing and who sold cream cakes and beautifully decorated sponge cakes which looked delicious and very appealing to the eye. The presentation, preparation and hygiene( I assume, I did look for a five star environmental health sign but don’t remember seeing one); was I think impeccable.

I could see a problem though, who was going to buy them and who would make a trip especially into a derelict town centre to buy these delectable sweets , yet not have access to all the shops that you would normally associate with a Town Centre.

The above Headline brought the memories of that sortie into the town centre flooding back. The dessert shop would be replaced by another Phone Shop, an independent retailer who specialises in technology. Just what the Town Centre needs another Phone Shop. I suppose the good news the businesses are owned by the same man, and obviously the “cakes” didn’t work out so he’s moving back to what he built his orignal business with and feels will be more profitable.

It struck me how do these business’s afford the Business Rates, or perhaps small business’s get special rates? Whatever, Marks and Spencer’s didn’t think it was worth their while to stick around. However, a little technology shop that supplies whatever technology is needed by the people that use the Town Centre most of whom are now very much economically challenged. Is this a perfect match, I’m not so sure.

I suppose in some ways it’s just another form of “sugar” to titillate those who are deemed to be economically challenged.

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October 28, 2025 · 7:49 am

Laird of The Lamp

You have three magic genie wishes, what are you asking for?
A young boy, called Rab, many years ago, lived  on a croft, that his family worked; way up in a remote  mountainous region of Scotland called the Highlands.
The family did not have much money and if any of the sheep they farmed were ill or died then they would very often have to do without.
Rab worked hard looking after the sheep and in winter,would sleep in the small barn with them to protect them from the cold and the wolves and bears that would eat them given a chance.
One night,while laying out some dried moss to sleep on.Rab noticed something shiny underneath the fresh moss that he had recently gathered from outside.
Earlier on, while taking in  the moss and drying it he had mumbled to himself wishing  that his family could have a bit of luck,instead of facing hardship all the time.
He dug his hands deeper into the moss and picked up the object.It was a tin lamp.
“Not much value in that he thought,it’s a pretty object.My mum  might find it of use or we could sell it to one of our neighbours.I wish it was gold.”
The Lamp changed into gold,but Rab couldn’t tell the difference,to him it was just a dirty old lamp.He laid it to one side and completed his chores which meant feeding and watering the sheep in the barn.
The carrots and turnips that he had for feed,were well passed their best and he felt sorry for the sheep.
“Oh if only I had some decent food,not these rotten carrots and turnips”. Rab said to himself.
It was then he noticed a bag in the corner of the barn,it was full of corn that the sheep loved.Rab was puzzled,but thought his dad must have bought it at the market for winter feed and forgot to tell him.
He supplemented the meagre carrots and turnips with the corn.
After,the sheep were fed and watered Rab settled down for the night on his bed of dried moss and slept soundly.
Unbeknown to Rab,the lamp contained the Laird of The Lamp,who by now had granted three wishes to the boy and  could now  escape from the lamp in which he had been trapped by a spirit for being an evil and  greedy Laird of his people.
The Laird looked down at the boy as he slept and was very grateful to Rab.The Laird had needed to grant three simple wishes to someone who was near the lamp and true of heart and not greedy. Rab had done so and the Laird was free.
From that day, Rab’s family had better luck and they began to make their way in the world.They sold the gold lamp and eventually were able to buy their own land and live on it happily for many generations.
The family  knew of the  Laird nearby who had returned weary from battle and had settled in the area.
He had been a great help to many people and things had improved since his arrival.He was fair and intelligent and offered good advice with everyday problems
No one knew his real story,not even Rab, only the Laird knew what turned him from being a Bad Laird to a Good one.

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October 25, 2025 · 6:39 pm

A Moon with Moon icing

Why pay to go to the moon when you can decorate a cake and make it look like the surface of the moon? And you can put the moon in the background for added atmosphere and it’s edible and delicious.

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October 25, 2025 · 12:32 am

To be or not to be a Plumber

An apprenticeship for five long years

With sweat and effort and many tears

To not qualify would have been a bummer

Not being able to call myself a “Plumber”

But now the Government must intervene

And I must now be an Engineer of Energy Clean

And pass exams that cost me very dear.

To install heat pumps that don’t work I fear,

This is microeconomics gone totally  mad

For my future I feel very sad

I am a plumber! and so was my dad.

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