To close the decade

A Poem

It is not the critic who counts;
not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles,
or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;
who strives valiantly;
who errs,
comes up short again and again,
because there is no effort without error and shortcoming;
but who does actually strive to do the deeds;
who knows the great enthusiasms,
the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause;
who at the best knows in the end
the triumph of high achievement,
and who at the worst, if he fails,
at least fails while daring greatly,
so that his place shall never be with those
cold and timid souls
who neither know victory nor defeat.

-Theodore Roosevelt

So 2009 draws to a close

Three years ago I pointed out to Penyffordd Community Council that we had a lot of speeding in Chester Rd. The clerk Nigel was directed to contact me with the instructions to tell me it was nothing to do with Penyffordd County Council.

This shows the sickness and arrogance of our local council, safety and environment nothing to do with Penyffordd Community Council they said.

So where are we now? In 2007 there were approximately 2000 cars a day speeding through the village. Three years later its still over 1000 with councillors having little interest in health and safety for our village centre.

I have been told I have done nothing for the village, its been said that they have done all they can.

The above two comments are totally out of order. Safety and environment do not have to be earned, Chester Rd residents pay their rates, FCC and NWP should do their jobs. I mention the fact that Rossett village have traffic sorted, this statement always falls on stoney ground.

Targets for 2010. To get North Wales Police and Flintshire County Council to help Chester Rd, Penyffordd to become a village centre instead of a race track.

Gladstone was a political giant

Link The Guardian

keywords: Hawarden

Arrive Alive in Pontblyddyn

Why won't Penyffordd County Councillors press AWSP to do their job?

It's nearly three years since I pointed out that there was a large problem with regards speeding.
Arrive Alive are never pressed over Chester Rd speeding.

WHY?

Why aren't North Wales Police pressed to control speeding?

What has Cllr Cindy Hinds or Cllr David Williams done?

Village environment does not matter at all.

Lots of questions and no answers.

keywords   gosafe.org 

Penyffordd Weather

Cold for the rest of the week. Chance of snow tonight and tomorrow. As a hot house flower it's not very encouraging. I have two computer boxes and a fast motherboard. Surely there must be hours of fun trying to get two reasonably fast computers out of the bits.

Penyffordd District Back Up Team

The sustenance and security team (Mummy's Boy and the Dark Destroyer)
reading the Sunday Papers.

Christmas Lunch 2009

Prawn Cocktail

Glazed carrots, braised red cabbage, gravy, chestnuts and sprouts, turkey

Roast Potatoes and Parsnips in Honey

Sweet which was stollen got delayed for a 3 hour dog walk around Pen Llan Y Gwr

Wikipedia Stollen

Presents

A book called Companion Gardening by the whacky Bob Flowerdew, an orchid, a CD called Blind Faith and a bottle of red wine. What I would really like is to live in a village centre instead of a race track. Will this happen in 2010?

Peace

Persistence

A happy Christmas to my readers. Who some of you are and why you look at the blog is a little mystery but who cares. (My log tells me of computers visiting and where they come from but little else)

I admire Paul Flynn MP and Tam Dalyell. They too are persistent the perfect role models. If Penyffordd councillors* think over a 1000 vehicles hammering through the village centre each day is fine they should resign in the new year. I will be as persistent as it takes to stop this daily violation of our village environment.

Quote Paul Flynn " When I won my award in Cardiff last week, I quoted Tam in a brief speech. I said that the look on the faces on my wife and staff when I mention Afghanistan is similar to look that came over the face of Tam Dalyell's wife when he mentioned the Belgrano for the 1,747th time."

And so it is with my wife Lisa when I mention speeding traffic through the village.

Link Paul Flynn MP

* Cllr Linda Vidamour the exception
Maybe Cllrs David William and Cindy Hinds think village environment an issue? For years PCC have messed around with daffodils whilst ignoring speeding traffic. Will they change?

Fun in the snow

C'mon lets have a game. Keep fingers well out of the way.

Hedley Greenslade RIP

Postscript: Comments are open if you wish to leave a comment please do. I have received an email from Hedley's son David thanking me for that which I have said below.

Died 23rd December 2009. I first remember Hedley when he played for Graesser RG football team at Sandycroft in the 1960's. Later I got to know him personally in the 70's as a member of Hawarden Golf Club. In the last few years I had become reaquainted with Hedley through golf on a Wednesday. This last 5 or 6 years Hedley had battled against cancer. Even this last year he still played 5 aside football and golf to a high standard. A courteous polite human being who will be sorely missed. Condolences to Sandra and family.

postscript. The tally grows, Archie Ferguson, Jeff Roberts, Mac Williams, Eddie Mansell, Geoff Atherton .......Men I have known from my youth.

The funeral is on 6th January 2010, 11.30 am St Mark's Church, Connah's Quay (the big one on the hill)

Further memories of Hedley.

Hedley was a perfectionist. I found him to be also very sensitive.  His golf bag used to tickle me. He had a row of four pencils perfectly sharpened. Hedley built a putting green next to his house. Its surface was as good as half the courses we played. Hedley was a practiser because he was a perfectionist. His golf swing a perfect precise mechanical motion. Not a violent flail as some of my other golfing friends have.

I found his memory prodigious. On a recent trip to Harlech he mentioned a game we had played that had happened 35 years previous.

On the minus side was his driving and navigation. He once turned up at Llanermynech when he was supposed to be playing Oswestry.

One of the final games he played was at Royal St Davids Harlech which is most fitting as it is one of the best courses in Wales. I picked up Alan Stubbs then we picked up Hedley. I knew the best most easy way to get to Harlech but on leaving Hedley's house he said go this way.

So off we go on an adventure. Instead of cruising along modern A roads we end up along single track roads with grass in the middle on the outskirts of Cerrigydriddion.
We end up battling to get there for our tee time which would have been easy on the A roads.


The trip itself was something special as Alan is a raconteur who has played football for Chester and worked for one of UK's largest banks at a high level.


On the way back Hedley and Alan swapped endless stories about football. Alan told us tales about the banking world and his time as a professional footballer . A perfect day out with perfect company.

keyword. Frank Accleton, golf professional, Rochdale, Hawarden

Seen Elsewhere

Link The Telegraph

My kind of people - Jonathan Dimbleby does Russia

Life in Russia - The final stage Siberia to Vladivostok.
A good program that gives a good view of Russian life. The series most excellent.

Finally he comes to his last stop: Vladivostok. Jonathan meets some students in a café. This far from Moscow, will they feel any different from the chic young people he met in St Petersburg some ten thousand miles ago? Not really. They want a strong Russia before they want a democratic one. As he looks out over the Pacific, Jonathan reflects on how charming and how different the Russians are from us.

Link BBC4

Car Accident on the Vounog

Accident car on the left in hedge.

Range Rover in hedge. Ambulance and NWP were called. Time as stated underneath.

Link The Leader

Hot Chillies

Greenhouse crop 22nd December.

Link Daily Mail

My kind of People - Sir Clement Freud

On BBC 4 tonight my favourite TV station. What a character, a full life, RIP.



Link
BBC 4
Wikipedia

Winter Solstice

Shortest day of light for the year. The garden in shade.
Postscript. Or was it?

Link Wikipedia

The Dogs in the snow

Lets have a game!

First Snow of the Winter

Snow in Penymynydd Rd, Penyffordd.

Lisa's Kitchen Chicken Pasta with Orange Salad

The Millstone Menu for Christmas - Penyffordd Wine Society Bash

THE MILLSTONE INN

HAWARDEN ROAD

PEN-Y FFORRD

CHESTER

CH4 0JE

TEL; 01244 548824

CHRISTMAS DINNER MENU

£17.95 per person

STARTERS

Parsnip, leek and sage soup served with a crusty roll

Home made pheasant, rosemary and red currant terrine served on a crisp

Endive salad with warm tomato chutney

Brie fritters served on a rocket salad with a cranberry salsa

Smoked salmon and battered king prawn cocktail on a baby gem salad served

with lemon toast

MAINS

Traditional roast turkey served with all the trimmings and cranberry sauce

8oz Sirloin served with fondant potatoes and creamed savoy cabbage with a red wine jus

Salmon fillet wrapped in parma ham served on grilled Mediterranean vegetables

with comfit tomatoes and a creamy tarragon sauce

Roquefort, cranberry and honey roasted parsnip filo parcel served on creamed leeks

and baton vegetables

SWEETS

Christmas pudding served with homemade brandy sauce

Home made winter berry and cointreau jelly served with a vanilla cream

Baileys and chocolate chip cheesecake

Mincemeat and apple filo tart served on crème’ anglais

Selection of cheeses served with a tomato chutney with crackers

Attentive and friendly staff, generous portions, the vegetables very good, the vegetarian option also very good.

Ice

So its 19.40 hrs it's pouring down with rain it's the going to plunge to -4 degrees C. So tomorrow is going to be rather slippy on paths and roads. Dave Faulkner Head of Roads FCC will be getting sorted on Monday in the papers if the dept are caught short with road salt. There was moaning last week that OAP paths were not getting done. I think it will be an ice skating rink tomorrow.

The beginning of the end for Airbus Broughton

Link Daily Post

Young butcher’s out to make cut

Mike Lewis, 26, who works for Stephen Vaughan at S. A. Vaughan Butcher's in Penyffordd near Wrexham, is well on the way to completing a Foundation Modern Apprenticeship in retail butchery skills with a National Vocational Qualification at level two.

The full story in The Daily Post

There is no funding available

Just in case you believe this tripe follow the link.

Link The Daily Post

The End of Steelmaking in the UK

Shotton used to produce steel. As an apprentice at Hawker Siddeley I had the unforgettable experience of seeing a blast furnace in full operation. Roll on 35 years and see the skullduggery that is closing heavy industry in UK in the name of global warming. The heavy industry however miraculously increases elsewhere. The most excellent Christopher Booker in The Telegraph.

Joshua McNelly helps Lego build for the future

The Castle Alun School pupil of Holly Drive, Penyffordd, near Mold, was invited to join the recruiting team after his mum rung up the company to ask whether her son could apply for the job.

Link Flintshire Chronicle

The O and Alison

Alison Halford Blog December 2009.

Link Alison Halford

ps. The O does not stand for or..........

No funding boost for Penyffordd Post Office

Link The Flintshire Chronicle

Farmer's Tales

Where we walk the dogs are fields of sheep. Today we were talking to two of the farmers. One farmer has a field full of French sheep. He has invested considerable amounts of money. He has French sheep because that's what the market wants. The lambs produce a longer body with better meat.

The next field has a bunch of renegade Welsh sheep that are just left to roam and breed at leisure, the male lambs are never castrated. The fence is a bit weak between the two fields so the rogue male sheep (tups) break through the fence fertilising all the females with the wrong lambs and at the wrong time of year.

Such is life. It is possible to get compensation through the courts though.

Link Charollais Sheep

Dangerous Dogs

An American Pitbull, Lisa would like one of these but they are illegal to own in the UK. A walk around Liverpool or London might make you think different.
Wikipedia American Pit Bull

An English Bull Terrier (legal) , the most famous being "Bullseye" in Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist.
Wikipedia Bull Terriers

The two photos above of Rude ( name copied from Rude dog and the Dweebs) one of our dogs departed. Favourite pastimes swimming and large sticks. The rope to stop her swimming off. We lost the dog in this river for over an hour once. I had to wade into the sea at Newborough, Angelsey once in my underpants to retrieve the above dog who was not coming out of the water under any circumstances.

Dogs have been in the news these last few weeks. Falling down mine shafts, killing people deliberately or by accident. A woman in Conwy was swept to her death trying to rescue her dog in a swollen ditch. Carl Sargeant AM is calling for all dogs to be chipped. Our's have name tags and one is chipped. The chip moves around and is hard to find.

A drive around some suburbs of Liverpool on a Saturday afternoon reveals the extent to which Pit Bull Terriers have become "pets".

We have two English Bull Terriers. One young and one old, Trollie and Dollie. Trollie was going back to the bull terrier charity for the first three months such was his behaviour. They have had various skirmishes plus the Nokia phone and various shoes destroyed. What people do not realise and something to which I have not being paying attention lately to is they live by hierarchy. My inattention has caused issues in the hierarchy.

I am top dog, this is no ego issue on my behalf but fact. The young dog is number 2 in the hiearchy. Lisa and Dolly are below. Lisa is down the list because she treats the dogs as pets.

The dogs behaviour varies. First thing in the morning they will play fight which is very rough by our standards. This is not training to fight but this is how they are. Play fight involves pulling cheeks with the teeth and biting necks, ears or legs.. By evening Dolly gets upset if the young dog even looks at her. What I have to do is be careful how I deal with the old dog Dolly in front of Trollie the young male who is Number 2. Any preferential treatment to Dollie in front Trollie is duly noted and may lead to a fight at a future date.

This is an issue with children and dogs. Dogs put children in their hierarchy in my opinion. Favouritism and attention above station will be punished.

Dogs should never be left alone with children.

One day a week we go to a small holding. The owners have a Staffordshire Bull Terrier of a similar build and age to Trollie. Our dog runs around the fields for hours with other dog chasing and play fighting until he can no longer stand up. It takes him more than a day to recover.

Why have dogs of this nature? They are Lisa's dogs not mine, she has always wanted English Bull Terriers. They are loyal and very protective and guard the house well. Also good for excercise I walk in excess of 20 miles a week.
Wikipedia Quote " Bull terriers are known to be courageous, scrappy, fun-loving, active, clownish and fearless. The Bull Terrier is a loyal and polite dog. They become very attached to their owners. The Bull Terrier thrives on firm, consistent leadership and affection and makes a fine family pet."

A tip if dogs are fighting. Don't go near the business end. Pull the dogs backlegs off the ground. You need someone else doing the same to the other dog (s). They do not need to be pulled apart with force as this may increase the vet's fees. I have used a car key in the past to lever open a terriers jaw that was locked on to another dog which was small. All good fun not..........

Yesterday we were on a mountain at the back of Llanfynydd talking to a local who has two 80 year old sheep dogs off the lead who were up for a fight with two healthy strong bull terriers on the lead. To be fair we were somewhere where few people go and we had a low sun behind us so he didn't see us to the last second, but there you go.

At the end of the day you have your hierarchy, rules and forethought and everything should be alright. Most dog issues are down the the owner...................

COMPETITION. It is illegal to own a pitbull in the UK. Below is a link to a site with pictures of 25 dogs only one of them is a pitbull. Try your luck to see if you can spot it.

Link Find the Pitbull

keyword North Wales Police

Traffic Speed Data for Chester Rd Penyffordd

cc Chief Constable Mark Polin

After 2 years of failed FOIE's and a constant barrage of emails I am to be allowed to look at the data on computers at Flintshire County Council. I expect to be able to look at unedited data not the 85th percentile variety which takes the worst speeding off the top.

FCC hold two sets of traffic data for Chester Rd, May 07 for 10 days and Summer 08 for a similar time. Data held includes exact number of vehicles, exact time and their exact speeds.
Daily traffic volume in 07 was near 2800 a day with over 50% speeding in my opinion.

I am told there may be an opportunity to have a copy of data. We shall see.
One would have thought that Penyffordd Councillors would have been keen to get hold of this data so they have ammunition when making representations to North Wales Police and Flintshire County Council with regards policing and calming.

This has not been the case.

Cllr Cindy Hinds extracted a "spun" commentary on the data from FCC.
Cllr David Williams has had Dave Faulkner Head of Highways FCC out for a site meeting.
Cllr Cindy Hinds raised the possibility of a mini roundabout.
Cllr Linda Vidamour has pressed NWP on a regular basis and has raised the matter with FCC.

What about the other councillors?
What about Cllr Colin " we have done all we can" Bithell? Secret agent for Flintshire Highways?
What about Cllr Tom Jones? So called wise head of the village.
Why aren't Penyffordd Junior School governors on the case, over a 1000 speeders each day on a major route to school? Health and Safety. Que !!!

Chester Rd is the middle of the village a major route to a primary school, used by OAP's for the Post Office.

Why does it have to be an unpoliced race track?

We have Arrive Alive putting down Chester Rd as a 28mph average. Why are councillors not challenging this?

I do not know everything. Committee agendas lie covered up in the glass case at the post office, only the first page showing. Penyffordd Community Council meetings and agendas should be shown on the Penyffordd Community Website in the public domain, they are not. The Penyffordd Community Council little more than a joke its functionality 5%. Cllr David Williams' county report dated July 09.............................

Many questions, few answers.

My thanks to Cllr Arnold Woolley Council Leader of Flintshire County Council who has kept a watchful eye on speeding matters Penyffordd. I think without the efforts of our council leader I would not be going to Shire Hall to see the data.

keywords   gosafe.org 

I see Sarah Palin and myself have similar views on climate change.

Sarah of course will have the best in the business advising on letter content. Have a read of the comments to see how this subject gets to people.

Quote
"As congressman Mike Pense says:

In the worst recession in 26 years, in the midst of an academic scandal and questionable science revealed in Climategate and in the absence of a national consensus about policies that would bear upon the category known as climate change, we gather here to say, Mr. President, don?t make promises in Copenhagen that we cant keep,? he said."

Ditto UK.

Link Comment is Free Sarah Palin

20mph speed limit zones 'reduce road casualties by 20%'

Read The Daily Mail.
Since we only have near misses one supposes our near misses will go down.

"Controversial 20mph speed limit zones reduce road injuries by more than 40 per cent, researchers claim.Figures for collisions, injuries and deaths on London streets between 1986 and 2006 were analysed."

Yes! Promotion for Carl Sargeant AM

Story here Walesonline

Carl is the new Local Government and Social Justice Minister.

Postscript: I call him Carl because he has has been in receipt of approximately 250 emails from myself over the last 2.5 years with regards speeding in the village.

Perhaps he can make local government more varied and dynamic especially Penyffordd Community Council (average age 96.5) which needs a big change, Cllr Linda Vidamour excluded.

Also here Daily Post

Promotion for Carl Sargeant AM?

Quote from Glyn Davies who is a Prospective Conservative Candidate for Montgomeryshire

This would leave room for the splendid Carl Sargeant, as a nod in the direction of North Wales. I should also make reference to Carl's outstanding ability.

Carl as Minister for Sport perhaps.

Link Glyn Davies

Lisa's Kitchen

Baked Salmon with corn on the cob, baked potato and broccoli

Chicken Pasta with tomato and basil sauce with an orange and olive salad

Corn beef hash with cauliflower and broccoli

Arnold Woolley Council Leader Flintshire County Council

Flintshire County Council setup The Independent Alliance

Arnold Woolley's Biography

Another Flintshire Community fed up with rat runs

RESIDENTS in a Flintshire town are calling for urgent action to install traffic calming measures in their busy street.

People living in Henrietta Street, Shotton, have been campaigning for more than 30 years to get speed bumps installed in a bid to slow motorists down.

Link The Leader

postscript. What are County Cllr David Williams, County Cllr Cindy Hinds and Penyffordd Community Council doing for Chester Rd?

Houses sold in Penyffordd November 2009

• 37, Hazel Drive, Penyffordd, CH4 0NF - Sold for £202,500 on 01-10-2009
• 27, Penymynydd Road, Penyffordd, CH4 0LE - Sold for £105,000 on 24-08-2000
• 86, Vounog Hill, Penyffordd, CH4 0EZ - Sold for £195,000 on 13-08-2009

2 Penymynydd Rd, Penyffordd also sold price presently unknown. Was for Sale £120,000.
House sold within a month of market offering.

House sales are increasing.

You can search house sales totally free of charge by going to OurProperty.co.uk.

Chester Rd environment the way forward

Link Walesonline

More work for Airbus

Link Walesonline

Alison Halford - COUNCILLOR CAPERS December 1st- 5th.

"After a cheery performance from the Saltney schools and much hand clapping to keep the circulation going, it was all inside the Social Club for a glass of much awaited mulled wine. The Chain Gang hovered in anticipation of a warming drink but sadly the Christmas goblins must have supped the lot as it was no longer on offer we were informed by an apologetic deputy mayor."

Link Alison Halford

A letter in The Leader re Man Made Global Warming

Things have been a bit quiet in Penyffordd ( from my point of view bar speeding). So I have decided to take on the world. CBM Howie Williams will be required to keep order.
The Global Warmers will be quivering with rage. I await the flack. Today its been announced that we have just had the warmest decade ever. Elsewhere you can find scientists saying we have had global cooling for the last ten years.
Take your pick.

Thank you Leader for publishing the letter.

The unedited version, I do go on a bit)

Dear Leader

A letter for consideration

Last week The Leader allowed climate change scientist Dr Tom Rippeth from Northop to expound his views on man made global warming as he sees it. Tom insists that CO2 gasses will lead to the end of civilisation if not reduced substantially.

This is how I see it Tom.

Over a 1000 email exchanges between climate scientists from East Anglia University which is a world authority on man made global warming have been leaked onto the Internet.

The original East Anglia University data on which a lot of global warming science is based was altered to suit the pro man made warming stance then the original data was thrown away so their work cannot be validated.

Email exchanges between scientists talk about altering sets of data to fit their positions.

Email exchanges of sabotaging peer reviews of those who do not accept the mantra that man made global warming is a concrete fact.

Email exchanges talk about plots to deny funding to those scientists who do not agree with man made global warming

Recently in the media there has been propaganda showing the President of the Maldives holding a cabinet meeting underwater as their islands are disappearing. The example is used by many scientists and politicians as a fact that global warming is happening now.

A former lead reviewer for the IPCC, Nils-Axel Mörner who was head of Geodynamics at Stockholm University has stated that The Maldives Islands in relation to sea levels have NOT altered significantly in relation to the centuries 17th, 19th and 20th.

Nils-Axel Mörner has been a sea-level specialist for 40 years.

It is a fact that the Earth was a lot warmer a 1000 years ago before our Industrial Revolutions. The leaked emails from East Anglia University show that the Emperor is not wearing any clothes and we should not be conned into paying unnecessary taxes for a scenario that is being fixed by scientists instead of being proven.

Colin Hughes

Penyffordd District

postcript. An enquiry has been set up to look at the emails written about in the above letter
Link The BBC

links

http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/5595813/why-the-maldives-arent-sinking.thtml

http://penyffordd-district.blogspot.com/2009/11/more-global-warming-madness.html

http://www.sundayexpress.co.uk/posts/view/143154/The-great-global-warming-con-

http://penyffordd-district.blogspot.com/2009/11/global-warming-con-found-out.html

450 Peer-Reviewed Papers Supporting Skepticism of "Man-Made" Global Warming

Peer Reviewed Papers

The Skeptics Handbook

Peer Review and Open Science

How some "academics" try to silence AGW skeptics, ctd

We are all comrades now.

Matt Wright pushes the roll out of 20 mph zones

in The Daily Post

Where are Penyffordd Community Council with the above? Two and half years ago it was agreed at a meeting I attended with Cllr Colin Bithell and Charles Hughes of FCC that Penyffordd Junior School would apply for funding that was available at the WAG. This required Flintshire County Council Ofiicers filling out forms after visiting the headmistress.

Nothing happened quietly dropped?

I am of the opinion that since then Cllr Cindy Hinds has been to the school and had the appropriate forms filled in.

With recent changes in guidelines from the WAG 20 mph zones have become a better reality perhaps PCC have started to act?

It's very frustrating that council business such as meeting agenda and minutes are not held on line on their website. Cllr David Williams needs to make decisions about the current state of Penyffordd Community Council website.

I have been taken to task

My comments about Penyffordd Community Council ignoring speeding in Chester Rd out of order they say.

I have been told they have made representations.

These representations have so far been ignored as far as Chester Rd is concerned. Neighbourhood policing has failed us.

All I see each day is constant speeding I feel very angry, I feel the rage.

I am told that speeding and illegal use of roads is being tackled.

All I see is constant speeding traffic, Chester Rd is used as a very speedy short cut. Others in Chester Rd are unhappy but they are old and frail.

I am told there will be change, after three years you will excuse me for not holding my breath........

Trains to return to Penyffordd?

An article in The Leader

Hen Draig says
"Why build a new line to Wrexham? Just link Mold to the existing line at Penyffordd for Wrexham or Merseyside. Then continue the line from Penyffordd to Higher Kinnerton, Broughton, Broughton retail park, Airbus and into Chester. Most of the trackbed is still there, why not use it?"

Link
The Leader
http://www.reopenthemoldrailway.co.uk/

postscript: Nothing quite a few compulsory purchase orders can't fix. A house is currently being built in Higher Kinnerton I believe that it is on the old line.

An email from Alun Griffiths contractor for A55 Warren Bank

Today I have received an email from Alun Griffiths himself over the issue of possible sub contract vehicles taking short cuts through our village instead of using the bypass. It is my view that subcontractor lorries are using the village as a short cut.

I intend to meet the company next week on behalf of Chester Rd residents. Previous blogs suggest we are being left to fend for ourselves by Penyffordd Community Council. Alun Griffiths have promised to take punitive action against any sub contractor using Chester Rd as a short cut.

Chester Rd thanks Alun Griffiths for their positive action to protect Chester Rd environment.

Link

http://www.alungriffiths.co.uk/default.asp?contentID=579

The street they will not mention.

I have had an email from County Councillor Cindy Hinds to say that North Wales Police are very busy in the village with regards speeding traffic.

But not Chester Rd.

Chester Rd has the support of Mark Tami MP, Carl Sargeant AM and Flintshire County Council Leader Arnold Woolley.

Penyffordd Community Council where are you? Why do you continue to sit on your hands with regards safety of children in Chester Rd, Penyffordd?

Is it not time for mass resignations?

Global Warming - Why the Maldives are NOTsinking

Link The Spectator

Chester Rd accident

cc Chief Constable Mark Polin

Your child or grandchild smashed against the wall? School children walk past
this point every school day.

Three years on and much foot dragging. A major route to school with over a 1000 speeding cars each day. Arrive Alive will go anywhere except Chester Rd Penyffordd.

I saw Hugh Jones Road Safety Officer for Flintshire County Council in Coed Talon doing speed checks next to a gatso speed camera today. You couldn't make it up.

Meanwhile Penyffordd Councillors (average age 68 and half) , Flintshire County Council and North Wales Police sit on their hands placing children's lives at risk in Chester Rd Penyffordd.

A 1000+ speeders a day councillors.

Bulls

Never had much interest in cattle. Being a walker with a dog where cattle roam has altered this.
Morton the farmer where we walk informs us they are off the fields for winter.
Our confrontations with cattle this year disturbing. The Bull Terriers Dollie and Trollie thought it a right laugh............................


Here is Glyn Davis Conservative Candidate for the next general election for Powys. (Montgomeryshire)

Quotes " Downside of the breed is that they are a bit 'frisky'. Always best to give bulls a wide berth, and the females can completely lose it, running through fences and jumping over high walls. I think the Limousin is a beautiful animal."

"But everyone should be wary of any breed of bull. They can pick up the scent of a female 'in season' from a big distance away if downwind, and when aroused are always dangerous. Hope that's been an introduction to those of you who know nothing about our bovine friends."

Glyn forgets IMHO the biggest danger a cow and her calf.

The Limousin

Link Bulls

Mark Isherwood AM in trouble?

Link Peter Black

Wales has a new Leader

In
The Post

Also

Walesonline

and

Paul Flynn MP

Among those expected to feature in the reshuffle with promotion is deputy regeneration minister Leighton Andrews, the Rhondda AM who led his campaign team.

Others in the team who could be rewarded include Alyn and Deeside AM and chief whip Carl Sargeant, Wrexham AM Lesley Griffiths and Mid and West Wales AM Alun Davies.

The New First Minister

New Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones AM

Now where's his email address?

Link here

County Councillor Blogs

I think county councillors and forward looking community councillors should have blogs or websites where meaningful debate can be had. Here is a Conservative one, there are 12 councillor blogs inside. I'll put some Labour, Lib Dem and Plaid Cymru one's down when I find them.

1. http://chrisblakeley.com/
2. http://suetaylor2008.wordpress.com/

Local Government happenings

Anyone out there who has an interest in local government might like to take a look at the link below. The site discusses local government from a Conservative perspective.

Link http://conservativehome.blogs.com/localgovernment/

Penyffordd Community Council Meeting

on Wednesday at 6.30 pm. Will speeding on Chester Rd be mentioned or will it continue to be swept under the carpet?

More Global Warming madness

James Delingpole in The Telegraph. The comments section particularly illuminating on the ways that the pro global warming scientists are altering data to fit their own agendas.

and more
http://green-agenda.com/science.html

and some more
Neil Hamilton

Quote of the Day - Golf

Professional Lee Westwood on Rory McIlroy

"What's he got going for him? 20 years old. Millionaire already. Hits it miles. Nice looking girlfriend. Drives a Lamborghini. Yeah, it's hard, isn't it?"

Restaurant Watch Glasfryn Mold

We have been treated to the evening. I personally have not been before. It's next to Shire Hall and Theatre Clwyd. The place is large. No meet and greet. Wait around for the table we have reserved.
Surroundings nice, a family atmosphere. Staff are friendly and attentive. No musac or video.

Food. We order main courses. Mine Haddock in beer batter with chips minus marrowfat peas which are a personal nightmare.
Mike orders steak au poivre with chips.
Lisa orders macaronie cheese with tomatoes and cauliflower.

Lisa and Mike have empty plates. Mine is fine excepting the batter which is not too good on the inside - undercooked.

Sweets. Mike has hot waffles with butter scotch sauce. Lisa had pecan chocolate tart with rasberry sauce and whiskey cream. Lisa says the whiskey was missing from the cream but tasted very good.

Coffee's to finish - cappuccino- first class.

The bill - I know not..............

Would we go again definitely yes.

A big thank you to Mike who is undergoing an emotional turmoil (divorce) with dignity.
I think he is a reincarnation of St Michael.

Link
The Glasfryn
Glasfryn

Counterfeit, which one or both?

One in every forty one pound coins is counterfeit. The story is in The MailOnline. The answer to the question is at the bottom of the article.

The Global Warming Con Found Out

here

You may notice a certain flippancy with FOIE requests.
The same I have experienced with Flintshire County Council.

Stats and Climate Change

The comments section particularly lively.
Rhoda Klapp the best.

The Devil's Kitchen
You stray from the page directed at your own risk.
The Devil does not mince words

Climate Skeptic

Climategate

Chilli Peppers in the Winter Sun

Chilli pepper plants are perrenials not annuals. If kept away from frost even if the leaves drop off they will grow again next year. The chilli peppers were the most succesful crop this year. Tonight's curry sent me grasping for the glass of water just as if in an Indian Restaurant. We used to go out for curries with a certain Tim Hinks-Edwards and wife Sheila. Tim always has the hottest curry in the house. We used to go and watch live bands in pubs, some were very good.

One band we used to watch with the very bubbly Diane Hallows were The Jalapenos
Link The Jalapenos Band

Health note. Chilli peppers have many vitamins and substances that are good for you. They do however have to treated with caution as some are very very hot.

postscript. I am informed by Lisa that tea had three Hungarian wax chillies in it.

Link Chilli Picture Gallery

A letter in The leader - Traffic Calming

The un edited version. I think the edited bits were made to fit it in, although I can go on a bit. Thank you Leader.

Hi Leader

A letter for consideration.

On behalf of Chester Rd residents I would like to thank The Leader and Carl Sargeant AM for continuing support with regards the cessation of speeding in our community.

I understand that Flintshire County Council are currently discussing with neighbouring councils what measures to put in place. May I recommend a site visit to Rossett, Rhosllanerchrugog and Cefn Mawr. There you will find excellent and varied measures that have been put into place by Wrexham Council to slow down vehicles in community centres. I and many others hope Flintshire County Council will develop plans to protect community environments that are daily the subject of unnecessary noise and danger in line with WAG policy and EU directives.

Colin Hughes

Penyffordd

Penyffordd Neighbourhood Forum

is on Wednesday (tomorrow) 18.00 hrs at The Penyffordd British Legion. If you have a problem that requires police help please go.

£75 fine for dog fouling in Penyffordd

read in The Leader

CBM Howie Williams making the difference

I've copied this from the NWP website page for Penyffordd. I hope he doesn't mind.

Update

Howie Says
Incidents in this particular area have improved although there have been one or two which are being investigated. You will notice that there has been a significant increase in police activity in the village of late, this is due to one or two individuals who for reasons only known to themselves believe it is their God given right to make other peoples lives a misery. Please be assured we are doing everything we can to bring these individuals to justice and I personally will not rest until this is the case. Increased police presence has been seen in this area. For those members of the community who wish to know more about upcoming police intentions please speak with PC 1469 Howie Williams

Link North Wales Police Penyffordd Ward

Carl Sargeant AM calls for urgent cuts in speed limits

In The Leader. I would say I have sent well over 200 emails to Carl Sargeant on this subject. Carl welcomes the Welsh Assembly Governments new guide lines. Carl includes Chester Rd, Penyffordd and the A5104 at Treuddyn. I live on one road and use the other road daily.
It is now a discussion of road rules, cash and North Wales Police.

I have sent an email to Carl thanking him for the Chester Rd mention.

Why shops in villages,towns and cities are closing

This is Amazon's warehouse the size of eight football pitches. We pay them well over £100 per month in listing fees and sales fees. This is the future of retailing. Shops will continue to close.
Amazon do not just do books. The list of items they sell is considerable. Border Books who have a large retail site at Cheshire Oaks which is nice to visit for a Starbucks coffee hangs on the edge of existence this week. No money and falling sales. Maybe no more coffee's.

Link The Guardian

Postscript Told you so. BBC News

And then there were eight

or may be 7.

Link Hoe Hoe Hoe

Beware of the Brotherhood

One like's to think these goings on are in the past.
North Wales Police do not shine either.

Link Andy Sutton Whistle Blower

keywords: masonic:

The vision for a community centre

Home Zones

82. Another measure which reduces speed, increases safety and improves the quality of life is the home zone. It usually consists of redesigning streets to make them places for people rather than traffic; speeds are reduced to 10 mph.[140] Home zones have been very effective in Denmark, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands in reducing speeds, increasing pedestrian safety and creating an agreeable ambience for those walking, playing or chatting in the street.[141] In the UK too the initial evidence is that home zones are proving to be a success. In the first of the Government's pilot zones at Northmoor Manchester average speeds have fallen to 9.8 mph as a result of "a combination of traffic calming, staggered parking to break up driver's sight lines and good design".

Link House of Commons

A Coeliac's Delight with the Great and the Good

Dave and Jeanette for dinner. Dave has coeliac complaint so all food was gluten free. If Dave steers free of gluten his complaint should go in a couple of years.

Garlic Chive Mushrooms with Stuffed Pepperdew Peppers top right

Lettuce with hummus, cucumber and tomato

Garlic marinated courgette parcels

Smoked Salmon Canapes

Chicken parcels wrapped in smokey bacon served with
dauphinoise potatoes, Mexican street salad

The starters as mentioned above

All gone. Trollie the guard dog let out of his cage. Standing between Dave and the Dutchess.
"What nothing left!"

Dave Morris was a test pilot for Hawker Siddeley and British Aerospace. A very modest unassuming person. When he had his pilot's license he could do aerobatics in a Tiger Moth. When Arnold Palmer the American Professional Golfer played at The Open at Birkdale a golf magazine wanted a spectacular picture of Arnold who also flew his own jet aircraft.

So they strapped a camera to the front of Dave's Tiger Moth with Dave in the front seat and Arnold at the back. Dave took the Tiger over Birkdale Golf Course then pulled the Tiger into a verticle climb then the photo was taken. The result a wind swept Arnold Palmer with Birkdale Golf Club house behind him. Quite some picture. Dave the pilot with the skill necessary to pull off the stunt. I will have to ask Dave if he still has a copy.
Jeanette is an ex lady captain Hawarden Golf Club. Jeanette was Lady Captain in the same year as the late Ray Jones RIP.

Links
Coeliac Disease
The De Havilland Tiger Moth