Biomech

I should add that I'm not bitter towards the HT for being banned, because, let's face it, I could get around that in about 30 seconds. No I base my opinion on what I have seen and how they have behaved which, in my humble opinion, is rather unprofessional.

I disagree bobby, we know that there are many council-type stories that they don't publish. For example, after all the foray about the lights and roundabout, they never mentioned the accident that left a car parked in the middle of the roundabout early one morning. No, while they do provide some news pieces, they do a bad job - a very bad job. Just look at how they behave, biased reporting, deleting of non offensive comments that they don't agree with, they lock articles for comments to prevent discussion. Look at how many times Ubique and Milligilidiland have to go and find more information to add to the pi*% poor effort that they put out. And what happens? Ubique gets banned for posting public service announcements and embelishing on, what are essentially, tweets of news that the HT often put out. The only reason you may think otherwise is because there isn't really anything else to compare it to, they have the monopoly on priced news reporting in the city. I switched to the Journal long ago, their advertising rates are fair, their reports and photographers keen to hear a story and their staff always helpful and willing to hear you out. The HT are only interested if it directly benefits them at a personal level. Imagine, if you will, that the only newspaper in the UK was The Sun. Everyone would think it was a great paper because there would be nothing else to compare it to. Sorry bobby old chum old pal, I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one :)

I've just read this article about a man who "accidentally" shot a burglar. http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/10849978.Whitbourne_shooting_trial___Malcolm_White_says_that_he_thought_he_was__going_to_be_robbed_/?ref=var_0 I have no problem with that, the men where trying to raid his house, by all means take action. But I am a little confused by the article. It says he's up on a charge on "unlawful wounding", but reading the article, the man in question was running a cannabis farm woth £60,000 a year...... surely he should be being convicted for supply and distribution of illegal substances?

I'll tell you what will/is happening now. The Independents are on the fence because they see an opportunity, the Tories still need someone to steal ideas from. If the offer was still the same, they wouldn't be asking for more time. The only reason that they are pushing for more time DESPITE everyone else being told there was a set in stone deadline! - is that they are in negotiations behind closed doors. I predict that the Independents say Yes and take up the offer. However, there will be conditions, seomthing like them being awarded more seats on the cabinet - something the other parties involved were not offered before they made their decision. I imagine that there will be a deal sweetner which I put at 70/30 in favour of not being publicised. There will be a slight outcry by the IOC and public as to the biased offer to the Independents. However, through bullshit and arrogance it will fall by the weyside and there will be no repercussions for this outright bias.

On the doorstep hopefully :P

Congratulations to the IOC on not following up this offer, you've made the right choice. Had they been offering an equal share that would be something different, but they just wanted to steal ideas whilst retaining a majority and then claim that everyone else was so worried about their stay in power that by joining them as a minority would be their only chance. Now it will be a REAL shame if the Independents crumble and accept, something I could see happening because it looks like a nice ego fix, it seems like an easy "in" but something they will quickly regret.

Yep! The only difference is that they aren't implemented for the powers that be to undermine genuine comments by the public.

Remember those adventure books from the 70/80's where you chose how the story went? You walk into the kitchen, it's a bit chilly and the cooker looks a bit antiquated. "I know!", you exclaim, "I'll get a newer cooker, that will make everything look fantastic! And if I buy it from Uncle Dave, I'll get a discount and he can buy me a fantastic Christmas present this year!" The new cooker arrives and the installation team put it in. It looks wonderful! You turn the hob on using the shiny new brushed metal dials on the top, gas rushes through the pipes and the rings burst into flames. WOW! It's time to go to work now. You reach forward and turn the dial back, but wait! nothing happens! The flames are still dancing. You turn the dial again, now the flames jump higher! The heat rushes up the wall and envelopes the dried hops hanging from the oak timber. Things are really starting to heat up now. You look around, but can't work out what's gone wrong. The heat is becoming too much to bear Chose your path; A: Ignore the problem, you don't know what is causing it so you might as well leave it, after all, it's new and sparkly! Your house might burn down but you have other things you want to buy B: Turn the cooker off at the mains. You can use the old cooker until the gas man can find the problem and fix it.

Consequently, if you want to get something published in the HT, you better either know someone on the inside or have an angle that makes it worth their while.

Well, the first time was because I pointed out that the HT are very biased towards friends and family, they ignore legitimate press releases from businesses and individuals (some that go on to be published in national papers) in favour of mediocre or pointless posts by their friends, family and business partners. I have no problem with this, apart from when it encroaches on more worthy news articles by other local people. I also pointed out that their advertise rates were exceptionally high - £600 for a 2 week job advertisement. The HJ is a FRACTION of this and there are very successful online jobsites that are free. In fact the most expensive online job advertiser are around £250 for a 2-8 week placement. I hit a nerve when I discovered that this pointless article: http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/10524187.Leominster_Lock_ed_into_new_craze/ (comment still intact as of 5pm Friday 29th November 2013 although clearly downvoted by the HT cronies) That article was written by Jess Phillips, who is from Leominster and friends with Mr Lock from the article, Jess who works for newsquest (HT), the editor of which is Fiona Phillips. Shortly after an email exchange with Fiona Phillips, Jess Phillips facebook account became more restricted to public access. You will also notice from this recent article: http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/10835801.Herefordshire_men__mums_and_bumps_in_front_of_camera_for_charity_calendars/ That highlights the calendar inspired by Mr Lock .... which is a perfectly fine article, a calendar for charity... this bears no byline and the comments are locked for no reason. There are other members of staff/exstaff who wrote articles on their family members - again, not a problem when it's worthy of news. Fiona Phillips didn't like that she was called out for preferential reporting and stifling the free press and opinions of local readers. The other thing that most commenters noted was that they systematically deleted posts that they didn't agree with. As you've probably noticed yourselves, the new "thumbs up" comment voting system was just a cheap shot to try and undermine the comments that they didn't agree with. You can see this in full effect when someone says something like "traffic in hereford is bad, bloody HA" and they receive 15 downvotes. I actually gave them the benefit of the doubt this time around, which is why I didn't disguise who I was. But sure enough, the first thing they don't like, the delete button and banning starts. I could actually go all day making accounts, posting and causing them grief, but they manage to make themselves look stupid all by themselves. Remember when the price when up 25% without any prior announcement or explanation by the editor? It really is a shame, because it could be a good paper if the management weren't so closed minded and interested in only themselves.

What, 36 hours? That complete cretin of a spineless newspaper editor - Fiona Phillips - has banned me again.

As a council member, Jim, are you not in some way an authorative figure for what's going on here? What I mean - and I'm probably wrong as I really care little about politics - is shouldn't they do as you say? At least to some degree? Isn't ignoring a councillors requests like ignoring your line manager in some way?

You'll love this, although be unsurprised... I was in a petrol station earlier about to pay, the guy in front of me asked the cashier "So what's happened on the A49? Has there been a crash or something?". At this point I had to interject with, "sorry, you're not from around here are you?", he said no, at which point I dutifully informed him that what he experienced was pretty normal and that if he was heading through town it would probably get worse. He later replied that he "certainly won't be coming through here again". On a related topic, I went to Worcester today, snuck out the back through Home lacy, Dormington, Whitestone... much quicker than going through town. Anyway, 40 minutes to get from Worcester to Hereford, 18 minutes to get from Franklin House to the Tesco Roundabout. A grand distance of 0.3 miles (http://goo.gl/maps/pbL7R)

Potentially, bobby, you're right. This is why it is important that the opposition parties stand together on the decision. If they don't it may be a kick in the nuts of their political party, but agreeing to join forces will be FAR more detrimental. Unless, of course, the tories are willing to create a coalition of parties with equal investment. This, however, is highly unlikely, because they don't get to benefit politically from such a move. Getting the opposition to do their bidding, getting the opposition to create the solutions for their problems - now that's the money shot right there.

I posted this on the HT website and I really wanted to make a note of it here, because this is a very real chance to show the leaders of this council up for what they have and are doing to the place. http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/local/10834739.Herefordshire_Council_leader_s_message_to_rivals/ They are inviting the opposition parties to collaborate with them to fix the problems of Hereford. They are doing this because they have run out of ideas. They are claiming, and pushing the fact, that anyone who doesn't join them is actively against fixing the problems in the county. This is wrong and a ploy. My comment was as follows and something that I would like opposing parties to take into the boardroom with them whenever the issue comes up. "But refusal would show that the opposition groups have no viable solutions to offer the people of Herefordshire. It will demonstrate an unwillingness to unite in the face of an unprecedented financial situation and would, I am sure, be noted by all Herefordians." He's trying the old catch 22 here, I use it a lot myself, it's an easy way to win an argument. If they join the Tories, they've just been bent over and taken it hard. If they don't they are declared as being useless. He thinks it's a no win situation. But in actual fact the best option would be to NOT step forward and take on his offer. It would be very easy to counter his argument with the fact that he has no idea what to do and no plans to fix things and that is why he's looking for other people to come up with ideas - which he can then lay claim to. He'll take the ideas and when/if they work, that marks as a score on the Tory card, which would subsequently give them credit for solutions the in fact stole AND create a public perception that the Tories did the right thing and lead us out of the red. The best course of action would be for ALL opposition parties to unit together AGAINST the tories and ALL refuse this offer. The consequence of such an action would show a majoritive support that the Tories are not fit to lead us and they will ultimately loose their grip over the council. So, to the IOC, Libs, Labour and everyone else. Take up this offer and let the Tories lay claim to your ideas, keeping them in power furthermore and providing them with ammunition to use against you. Or stand together, denounce this awfully transparent offer and show the county that even the Tories have lost faith in their own abilities and we need someone in now who can make the right choices. This is a very valuable opportunity for all opposition members. It's our county, it's your choice.

So, contingency plan for the unexpected closure of the new bridge - no comments then?

Indeed, so SURELY they have a contingency plan? Councillors? Yes..? No...?

..... and still, after mentioning it yet again, haven't had any comment ;)

As I joined the others who were trying to avoid the queue onto the New Bridge, I was thinking, imagine if that bridge has something wrong with it, imagine if that bridge was closed for some reason, where would everyone go? The old bridge certainly couldn't cope with the amount of traffic and the weight of the industrial lorries that need to get through Hereford. Councillors? Do you have a plan to turn to should the New Bridge be closed for some reason?

lol, I saw "Operation Trilby" and thought it was a post by Bobby :P

Congratulations, more awareness can only be a good thing :)

Thank you for the pro-action Jim. I understand that they - perhaps - need to be turned on in a live scenario. But what baffles me beyond comprehension is why? Why, when we've seen traffic improve without the lights, why are they pushing them back on us? What is it that's going through their heads? I mean that in an honest, intrigued manner, what is the thought process? 9/10 if they clearly communicated what is happening they wouldn't receive half the backlash that they get.

I'm not surprised in the slightest bobby..... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2487553/Builder-handed-nearly-18k-unclaimed-cash-police-wont-penny.html Honest builder who handed nearly £18,000 in cash to police after finding it in a burnt-out property will not see a penny of it despite officers failing to trace its origins Steven Fletcher found the hoard of 'neatly bundled' £20 notes in a metal box The money was forfeited under the Proceeds of Crime Act Mr Fletcher challenged the decision at the High Court but it was upheld He left the court with only a tribute to his honesty from the judge Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2487553/Builder-handed-nearly-18k-unclaimed-cash-police-wont-penny.html#ixzz2lfmg7dcj

Can someone please, for the love of f***, explain to me how the people running this city STILL maintain that they are doing the right thing? Please, I cannot comprehend the ignorance. We've had several weeks without lights Northbound on the A49 and traffic flowed perfectly. Today the city is in gridlock because the lights have been put back on. Queuing starting at the Broadleys on Ross Road (I didn't dare venture up Belmont Road), all the way down to Currys. Locked, cars sitting with their ignitions off. You do not need a masters degree in traffic architecture to see that the lights are making things WORSE. Are you people that ******* blind and that ******* ignorant that you think this is acceptable? For f*** Sake.

hrmmmmm not sure, if you get in that lane marked "Ross Road", before you would be on the.... I'd have to look, I can't picture it. But I believe going that way, I'd be in the Ross Road lane, end up in the left lane facing the tesco exit, and then into Tesco underground. So I imagine that Ross Road lane would now fall into the middle of the new 3 lanes facing the tesco exit. Hard to say without seeing it.