Thoughts of Oscar

Right For Once!

2008-07-26T08:31:00.000+01:00

http://www.bbdo.co.uk/blog/

Costa Lot!

2008-07-25T17:54:00.000+01:00

I met a friend for coffee earlier in the Costa coffee shop on Parc Llandudno, Costa it has to be said if my favourite coffee shop of them all.

By all, I mean the big names such as Cafe Nero etc, as well as the smaller coffee shops ones finds around.

However the Llandudno branch has been a mess since the first day it opened, dirty tables and poor service when it becomes busy, it seems to be run a clique of people.

the view in the photo is not by any means unusual for Llandudno branch, the have commandeered that corner for their office, and what now seems to be store room as well.

next thing we will see is the toilet rolls, for we already have the hand towels been kept in the corner.

Rot , my friends as has been previously said starts at the top.

Off with their heads!

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.

2008-07-25T13:24:00.000+01:00

Bomb Site, Conwy

2008-07-25T10:36:00.002+01:00

Perhaps as he has promised the many people of Conwy Cllr Tobbin can sort out the town Of Conwy's own bomb site soon.Their very own Nuclear bomb site.I doubt that he has much influence to able to deliver his promise, neither for that matter does Cllr Vaughan, it is alleged that the old fruit and fibre shop is owned by a friend of Joan, hence the silence from her.The mess on Lancaster square seems set to carry on and on, it has being there for as long as many of the residents of Conwy, we are talking a long time!Hardly fair on the other business's around the town and in particular that area, for many have and are trying hard to survive in this harsh climate, not helped by the council very much

Cllr Tony Tobbin.

2008-07-24T22:09:00.001+01:00

Tony has gone on record wanting to ensure that Conwy County remains nuclear free.
Fine.
Is he now going to stop the Train carrying Nuclear waste going through the county each week?
For that is what happens at the moment. an engine on each end to make sure it does not have to stop should one of the engines have a break down.

Before the Crowds.

2008-07-24T17:22:00.000+01:00

Another timeless feature of the sea side, long may it continue.

Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.

2008-07-24T09:06:00.001+01:00

Which One?

2008-07-23T20:05:00.005+01:00

Which Conservative Councillor turned up late for a meeting with Iuean Wynn Jones, handed him a letter of irrelevant stuff for the meeting concerned, spoke for 2 minutes then promptly buggered off?
Time spent at meeting?
About 5 minutes from start to finish.
Unbelievable to my mind that a paid elected Councillor can behave in such a way.
But knowing her and her cronies, not that surprising.

She will no doubt be reporting back to her road, which incidentally is not in her ward!
This was I believe a very important meeting to find ways to secure funding to sort out the transport problems we have in Llandudno, yet she treats the meeting in such a high handed manner.

Hardly the impression we wish to create with the deputy First minister.

Unless she had the dinner on the go for the paying guests?

Land Train, Llandudno.

2008-07-23T19:29:00.003+01:00

Cheap as chips!
Llandudno Pier to the west Shore, and back again, only a pound each way.
Not bad for a cheap family attraction, needs not cost a fortune to set up!
I saw it twice today, full each time.
Good luck to them!

No Class.

2008-07-23T14:59:00.002+01:00

What has happened to our once great Royal Mail service?
Not so very long ago one could pop to the main post office in Llandudno up to about 6.00pm I think it was, pop an envelope in the box first class and you were sure it would be at it's destination at breakfast time the following day.
Not now, on more than one count, it's 5.00 pm if your lucky to catch the last post, it is not going to get there before about lunchtime, and your not sure that even first class will get there the following day.
Bearing this in mind I have to get an ordinary size envelope to a client by 10.00 am tomorrow.
After just having to wait in a long line and have paid £10.30 to get it there by 9.00am tomorrow.
hard to believe in the year 2008 that it has come to this.
But, there you are, that's the way it now is.
Like it or lump it!

My Dad ,A Successful Dad!

2008-07-23T12:10:00.003+01:00

Long may my Dad continue to be a success!

What is Success?

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty; To find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived;
This is to have succeeded.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Maybe?

2008-07-22T22:39:00.001+01:00

Really not sure if there is any truth in this, but I have been told that Halfords in Llandudno is to be knocked down, replaced with what I do not know.

It follows that if this is to happen, the garage service centre next door will have to go/relocate.

As I said I have no idea how kosher this is, but the chap who told me did not tell me in a malicious way, and he does work on the Park, so may well be right.

I have not seen a planning application to support this theory though.

Unless of course they do a Clarence hotel, knock it down,rebuild and plead ignorance, doubt some elements of the planning department would even notice.

98 and going strong!

2008-07-22T09:31:00.000+01:00

If only we could all be this way at 98!!

NOW THIS IS SWEET!!

All women should live so long as to be this kind of old lady!

Toward the end of Sunday service, the Minister asked, 'How many of you have forgiven your enemies?'

80% held up their hands.

The Minister then repeated his question.

All responded this time, except one small elderly lady. 'Mrs. Neely?';

'Are you not willing to forgive your enemies?

' I don't have any.' She replied, smiling sweetly.

'Mrs. Neely, that is very unusual.

How old are you?' 'Ninety-eight.' she replied.

'Oh, Mrs. Neely, would you please come down in front & tell us all how a person can live ninety-eight years & not have an enemy in the world?'

The little sweetheart of a lady tottered down the aisle, faced the congregation, and said:

'I outlived the bitches.'

A Reader Write's.

2008-07-22T08:12:00.000+01:00

I had the following comment left yesterday , to a posting 12 months old, the comment is as relevant today, as it will always be, thanks to the reader who has left such a splendid comment!

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Development.":

Every piece of the Llandudno heritage needs to be protected not destroyed. The things that are going on in the world at the moment means that Llandudno and the surrounding areas needs protection from the developers who stand to make a quick buck, leaving the area devoid of landscapes and many of its wonderful buildings. I find it really hard to understand how one of the landmarks with such history could be treated like this. Even more confusing is the Windfarm off the most beautiful coast for miles around if not in Britain. It appears that the developers and the large companies will get their way whatever the locals think. They don't give a fig what happens to trade as a result, and it appears from all that is going on that some Councillors stand by with total disregard for the events taking place in front of them. They certainly don't represent the community or the long term business trade from where I sit. Llandudno is struggling as is every holiday destination in Britain, attracting new customers is getting harder and events like these will have a detrimental effect on us in the long term. If owners think that they would be better off turning their unprofitable hotels into brand new flats, the developers should be forced by the Planning Dept to maintain the building in its original form or at least preserve the frontage to protect the heritage of the area. I,ve no problem with hotels being converted into flats rather than falling into disrepair because people numbers are dwindling year on year, people expect more from Hotels now and if its proven they are failing its better to have it done up and preserved rather than looking like some places in Llandudno at the moment. Anyone know whats going to happen to the once grand Castle Hotel, is that next for the demolisher's. Who cares if it cost more to do up than build a new one, preserve it!And for Gods sake do something with the bomb site next to the pier! Why has it been left so long, its just a blot on the very soul of Llandudno.

Little Thought.

2008-07-22T07:41:00.000+01:00

"Doesn't suffering season a person?"

"It's not the suffering that matters, but a person's disposition,for suffering can sweeten or embitter just as the potter's fire can char the clay or season it."

The above thought makes you wonder, you see people who have been though so much, yet have a serenity about them that is so peaceful, and others who go through life bitter and twisted.
Sometimes I have noticed it is the former,ones who have been through the most personal suffering and tragedy, who you only learn through others they have been through so much, that are the quiet ones who just get on with life, with the serenity I so admire.
Many lessons to be learned in life without going near a college or book, the easiest of lessons, yet the hardest for us to grasp.
I personally think a faith is what gets a lot of us through, a faith that all will be well in the end.
Life is one long lesson, lets all keep in mind what's really, and who's really important to us.
Just for today!

Busker.

2008-07-21T21:07:00.000+01:00

I am not always good on names, but I am very good on faces. As a regular to Manchester, not always out of choice, I have seen this man and his dog quite a few times in the Piccadilly area of the city, always just up from Boots and before Piccadilly Gardens, always well turned out and not bad music.
However. as I said earlier I was in Liverpool, and who was outside Marks and Spencer but the same blind man as Manchester, unless he is a twin and the twin has a twin dog, he is most certainly the same man.
This posting does not mean much, but I can not help but wonder what a blind man is doing busking between Manchester and Liverpool?
he can hardly get on a bus or train without difficulty with all of his gear, can he?
I wonder just what his story is?
Next time I see him, for there will be a next time, I am going to get talking to him, I shall report back at a later date, it shall be a mission of mine to do so, I might even put a pound into his bucket for information received!

Yorkie, it's, you know who!

2008-07-21T19:18:00.002+01:00

Yorkie, someones current guise on the world wide web , has been unusually quiet on the web today.
Their other alter ego's have been very quiet to!
Yorkie oh Yorkie, where for art though Yorkie?
I think they have been up to their tricks again.
For those of you who have not a clue what I am talking about fear not, I shall be back to normal posting tomorrow or later, have been to Liverpool today, but could not resist checking to see if the multiple personality Yorkie, or whoever else they are currently posting as, had been up to their usual tricks on the Internet!
Is the chocolate melting??It is cerainly a bitter piece of chocolate this one.Leaves a nasty taste in the mouth, should be recalled by the maker!

I now fully understand what some people have had to put up with!
Say no more for now!

Llandudno Forum.

2008-07-20T22:15:00.004+01:00

If I had the time I would register on the Llandudno Forum, I have taken a more detailed look today and it is fascinating.
It is a little like an online encyclopedia of all things and people of Llandudno, even Oscar has appeared on a few nice postings.

The Million dollar question, what sort of rig does "Yorkie" drive?
Will he come up with the goods and have a good discussion with "Trojan" about transport, "Trojan" being a very popular member of the forum, based in Los Angeles, who appears to have just been back visiting.
Perhaps "Yorkie" just likes driving the open roads in an open top car with his mol??
This will be fun to watch unfold!
You can't kid a kidder!
http://olle.co.uk/forum1/viewtopic.php?t=1105&sid=ff9c66511c3fc2f2422fc71ce31d7ac2

http://olle.co.uk/forum1/

Gates

2008-07-19T09:05:00.000+01:00

Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this!

Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school.

He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2 : The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

If you agree, pass it on. If you can read this - Thank a teacher!!!!

I Like the above.

Pass this one on, it's so true of some of today's youngsters, too good to start at the bottom, had too much money and material thing before they start working!

Little Thought.

2008-07-19T08:42:00.003+01:00

As one goes through life one learns that if you don't paddle your own canoe,
you don't move.
--Katharine Hepburn

A Card For You!

2008-07-19T08:32:00.000+01:00

Fit For a King!

2008-07-18T22:16:00.002+01:00

The last few weeks I have eaten some wonderful food, umpteen different restaurants, shell fish, fish, and meat, prepared a dozen different ways, but today I had a feast in it's self that I had not tasted for years.
Heinz Spaghetti on Toast!
It was wonderful and brought back some childhood memories, never had it much as a child, but sometimes for a lunchtime snack, but somehow the memories came back of those happy carefree days.
But I always enjoyed having it.
Spaghetti also does not have the side effects of Beans!

I have eaten out a lot the last couple of weeks, been all over the place, but today for pennies in comparison, a great snack.
Funny how the little things in life mean so much, and sometimes never change.
Do some of the young mums with not so much money need all this convenience food that costs so much I wonder?

The times we have a relatively cheap meal at home, that yes needs some thought and cooking, but for the price of the raw materials costs very little compared to the" shove in a microwave" specials.
Fresh vegetables, that yes need preparing, but come at a reasonable price, look at some of the meat and fish on offer, who could complain at some of the prices, unless of course you can't cook!
Am I getting a tad old fashioned I wonder?
PS,
Another favorite of mine is scrambled eggs on toast, might have that tomorrow!

It's Good To Engage!

2008-07-18T19:17:00.006+01:00

Oscar had a little mention in a write up in the North Wales Weekly News yesterday, written by Richard Evans.
It highlighted what a powerful tool blogs and forums can be in the right hands, it also highlighted a few legal obligations that the authors and contributors have in relation to the blogs and forums.
North Wales has many blogs, County of Conwy has at least 3 forums that I know of, Talk Clwyd West set up by David Jones, MP for Clwyd West ,already the subject of a previous posting here on Oscar.

Llandudno also has a fine forum run and maintained by a Local person called Craig Ollerton, I do not know him, although we have communicated by e mail, he seems a fine young man, dedicated to all things good about the town and area, he also has a decent loyal following both here and abroad, always ready to share their views and general information.
Indeed I would go as far as to say that the Llandudno forum has become a very powerful tool in the promotion of the town of Llandudno.
Craig appears to keep a tight rein on the comments, does not allow too many outside interventions that would take the forum down a litigious route

There is at least , one other forum, which seems to have been set up for the opposite of reason to the Llandudno forum.
This was set up by a local ex Town Councilor by the name of Adrian Eygelsheim.
It is not one that I would want to engage with, due not least to the rather negative vibe of the whole name and shame attitude of the few people that partake in the forum.
Many rather contentious posts have appeared in the past, only to disappear within hours, likewise with some of the comments, one can only speculate why this would be, it has been alleged that many of the comments are the same person, who knows, only the people themselves.
There also seems to be various blogs under many different guises, in the area. Oscar him self has been the subject of a few blogs that have been started up in various variations of the title to include the name Oscar etc.

Keep things positive and take a peep at the following forums and blog, well worth the time!
http://olle.co.uk/forum1/

http://talkclwydwest.com/index.php

http://davidjonesclwydwest.blogspot.com/

Market Forces!

2008-07-18T09:27:00.003+01:00

Interesting week, Liverpool, Manchester, and Chester!
A funny kind of economic yard stick hit me in the midst of being here and there, I arrived in Manchester via a friends car and we parked in the NCP King Street West, in the heart of Deansgate Manchester, I bought a drink from the vending machine, 500ml of Coca Cola, cost me £1.50, I later found out his parking cost him £24.00, that's another point, some hours later I found myself in Victoria Station Manchester, on the way home, Coca Cola, there is was £1.20 for the same thing, from the same vending operator, then the following day, I was in the NCP car park in Chester, and bought another Coca Cola from that machine, and it only cost £1.00.

All the same operator, and all priced to for the market the machines supplied, demographics to a fine art if you ask me!

more pointless information I know, my local shop by the way charges 89p!

A Readers Comment.

2008-07-18T09:15:00.003+01:00

I received a comment from a reader yesterday, to a posting from last December, I think the persons thoughts deserve a posting all to them self.
Thank you anon!

"The Government changed the Licensing Laws, and we (the public) where promised a tough stance by Licensing Authorities to deal with the issues that would obviously occur.
What have we got, a look warm approach by the Licensing dept, try and get one at night if you can when the pubs are ignoring the Licensing Act and selling drink to drunks or creating an unholy noise for residents.
Many Pubs seem to get warning after warning and no real action, probably because thats the easy liberal route to take.
What we need is a strong no nonsense approach to the problem by all the Authorities. Send out a clear message that contraventions wont be tolerated and you wont get warning after warning for contraventions of your license.
How long would it be after they realise that their license is at stake before they comply and become responsible.
There was a time when to run a pub you had to be a responsible member of society, now it appears in many cases that anyone can get a license if they can stand up long enough to serve a pint to a drunk.
I look around the area at some of the Landlords and wonder what you actually have to do to be refused a Liquor License these day. Don't get me wrong there are some good ones but unfortunately they appear to be a dying breed.
Pub chains seem only to happy to take what they can get, probably not surprising under the current climate for pubs, 3 a day closing their doors as society changes its habits.
And it appears that the Licensing authorities haven't the common sense to refuse them. I have a good idea lets stick another one on the Quay, that's just what Conwy needs isn,t Councillors. All this lack of control does is add to the problems of addiction, binge drinking and street drinking, encouraging weak willed people to carry on and slip further down the slope. Strong responsible attitudes all round is whats needed, will we get it...? "

http://thoughtsofoscar.blogspot.com/2007/12/bitter-sweet.html