The Barnet Eye Saturday Blog round-up

There have been some excellent blogs this week. Whilst I recommend all of the blogs I link to in the sidebar, there are a few I'd especially like to mention. Firstly there is a great blog on the Hendon Times by former Editor, Dennis Signy. Dennis recalls the days when councillors didn't get allowances and purely stood out of public duty. He also applauds the Times campaign against allowances, as well as describing a terrifying experience on Highwood Hill :-

http://www.times-series.co.uk/blogs/8290405.A_moment_of_fear_on_Highwood_Hill/

I had my own terrifying moment on Highwood Hill a few years ago. I was walking down the Hill on a Saturday morning. As I walked down, I noticed Lord Levy's entourage turn the corner and start walking up - This was when  he was part of the Blair government and received a full escort of armed outriders. As he walked up, a young lad of muslim appearance jogged past me. He had his ipod on and a backpack on. Oblivious to the world, he jogged towards the Levy posse. The bodyguards clocked the threat and took immediate evasive action. For a horrible moment, their body language indicated that they were about to shoot the poor lad, who probably hadn't a clue who or what he was running into. Luckily they seemed to realise that he was probably just late for a train and he jogged past unimpeded, but in the light of the John Charles Menezes incident, it really worried me for a while. As I pondered the incident, I wondered what I might have told a post mortem.

If you want a laugh, check out this post on Daniel Hoffman-Gill's blog. It's a selection of defaced Conservative election posters.

http://danielhg.blogspot.com/2010/07/disfigured-conservative-election.html


There is also an interesting bit of news on the Adam and Eve pub blog. They've found the original pub sign (the one with the naked pair on). As a kid at St Vincents, we used to take great delight in peeking at the naked lady, especially when Father Corkery informed us it was a sin ! (actually I made that last bit up, but I'm sure he would have, if he'd thought about it).

http://adamandevenw7.blogspot.com/2010/07/mill-hill-times.html

Another blog which made me laugh was the "Mog in a Box" by Ainelivia, who is a regular commenter. Given our old moggy Norman (a Short haired British Blue) passed away a few years ago, I'd forgotten who moggies like to park themselves in boxes. It made me feel a bit nostalgic. We've switched to the doggy world, although I've been considering buying a Pot Bellied pig and calling it Brian. I love the way moggies have the "I'm really comfy" look when they find such a place.

http://ainelivia.blogspot.com/2010/07/early-gray-box-takeover.html

Next off for a vist across the pond to Roger Owen Green. Following my bit on Corporal punishment this week at Finchley, he writes a great blog on spanking (as a punishment for children). Roger gives his reasons for opposing it. My views on corporal punishment have changed. When I first had children, I thought it was Ok & used to smack them when they were naughty. One day I sat down and thought about it. I realised that smacking as a punishment of small children is only OK if as a parent you lack the wit and intelligence to resolve the issue any other way. Now I'm against it. There are many reasons, but Roger sums many up quite nicely here.

http://www.rogerogreen.com/2010/07/23/the-spanking-policy/#more-2633

Enjoy the weekend