Sign of the times

MORE than one shopper in Keswick did a double-take at this sign in the high street.

It's promoting the largest toyshop in the Lakes. At the top it says "Lakeland Toys and Hobbies - largest toyshop in the Lakes" - then further down says: "1st Floor Dept selling air rifles, BB guns, C02 power pistols, crossbows, catapults,... [more] (1 comment)

How railway stations should be

It's lovely to see a Facebook group devoted to keeping Carlisle railway station the way that Homebase painted and decorated it.

The group has more than 9,000 members and shows that the public do appreciate good design - even if it was done for fun as an advert! And why not have brightly coloured walls, comfy chairs etc on railway... [more] (1 comment)

Whodunnit to Cluedo?

Those Americans have done it again - interfered with one of our most traditional games.

They've taken that quintessentially British game Cluedo and changed its name to Clue. But then they've made a few other tweaks. The Rev Green for some unfathomable reason loses his clerical status and becomes simply Mr Green. And the spanner has... [more] (1 comment)

A wee problem

Whitehaven has a problem: men, women and children weeing in the street.

It's not a new problem and it's not unique to Whitehaven but one town centre resident has written a letter - well rant really - about the issue for this Thursday's Whitehaven News. As he lives in the town centre the night-time revellers are prone to use his doorway... [more] (4 comments)

Another string to my bow

DID you know you can hire a musical instrument for just a few weeks?

So if, like me, you dream of learning the violin or saxophone but are not quite confident enough to spend several million on a Stradivarius, there is a cheaper alternative.

This all comes about after a chat with Billy Bowman of Bowman's famed music shop in... [more]

VOTE NATURAL LAW PARTY!

There's surely only one clear choice for the election: The Natural Law Party!

With their yogic flying, The Natural Law Party are the only ones with a practical solution to the volcanic dust crisis. Planes not flying? Fear not - just sit on a prayer mat and start bouncing your way around the world. Ah, but just a minute. It seems the... [more] (1 comment)

Long-distance love affair

The mother-in-law, Babs, has had to make several trips over to Newcastle in the last few months to have a pacemaker fitted.

All has gone well I'm glad to say. But it has cost her over £1,000 in travel and hotel expenses which, as a pensioner, she can ill afford. Newcastle NHS will no doubt be shouting at this point that they... [more]

Plane flies shock!

WHO would have thought a week ago that news bulletins today would be leading on "Plane flies over Britain"

News is, of course, anything unusual so at the moment a plane seen flying over Great Britain is causing great excitement. That's always been the dilemma with news - if the police do a good job and reduce significantly a particular... [more]

The magic of Lakeland bridges

There's something quite magical about bridges, particularly packhorse bridges.

So I'm happy to shout about Walking On Bridges by Robin Bray. It was published last year and I don't think The Whitehaven News received a review copy but that's no reason why I can't tip readers off about this lovely book. Robin suggests it's the mix of... [more]

Days with no planes in the sky

IT'S another remarkable day in UK history - a day with no planes in the sky.

The last time you could guarantee looking up into the skies above Britain and not see an aeroplane would have been a hundred years ago. There's something eerie but wonderfully peaceful about gazing up today and seeing no planes or vapour trails. Perhaps we... [more] (2 comments)

Tom Baker for next Doctor Who

Tom Baker - surely the best Doctor Who ever. What's to stop him being the next one?

Why can't Doctor Who regenerate into a form he has already used? In which case, let's have Tom Baker back as the next Doctor Who. He was by far the best. He's also a terrific entertainer as was shown on last night's Sky Arts interview on the great man.... [more]

Keeping it in the family - acting secrets revealed

Have you spotted all the family partnerships appearing on your TV screen lately?

Copeland Crack is in no danger of turning into a Celebrity gossip magazine but I can't help but notice the number of family acts appearing on my TV screen of late. On Sunday I was watching A Passionate Woman on ITV and spotted that the young husband... [more]

No escape from The Village as The Prisoner returns

Number Six may have thought he had escaped from The Village but ITV shows otherwise this Saturday with a remake of the cult series.

Patrick McGoohan's sci-fi classic, The Prisoner, is set to return on Saturday (ITV 9pm). It's a brave person who tries to remake this 1960s' series about a 'spy who knew too much' and who is locked up in a... [more]

Carlisle? It's just too far from London

Schools Secretary Ed Balls has put his finger on it: The problem with Carlisle is it's just too far from London.

He was responding to questions at a Commons schools select committee about the troubled Richard Rose Academy in Carlisle. The academy was put in special measures in its first few months, the academy chief Peter Noble stepped... [more]

How to draw a straight line

Copeland Crack aims to be at the very least useful.

So I'm happy to pass on a book I have discovered: How To Draw A Straight Line. And best of all it is free courtesy of Project Gutenberg (a wonderful project of which more in a later blog). Now I know what you're thinking. 1. Pick up a pen; 2. Pick up a ruler; 3. Draw a straight line.... [more]

More problems with Keswick

I've got a gripe with the otherwise perfect town of Keswick.

Those living a short distance from this delightful town are heavily penalised for going to the theatre. I went to see Stones In His Pockets at Theatre by the Lake in Keswick last night and - like many people - drove straight after work to the town. The intention is to park up,... [more] (1 comment)

Keswick tourists short-changed

EASTER Monday in Keswick - the tourist hotspot of the Lakes - and all is not well.

HSBC and NatWest cash machines were out of order and the last one - Lloyds - therefore had a queue half a mile long. Worse, more than one shop had notes on the door that they didn't accept credit cards. I believe many shops stick to 'cash only' because of... [more]

There's no fooling some folk

What? Was no one taken in by our April Fool?!

I thought it was so convincing! An invisibility paint being tested by scientists and the resulting invisible man to be seen walking around Whitehaven harbour?! Oh well. We enjoyed doing it. My thanks to Mike McKenzie by the way for the inspiration.

My favourite April Fool harks back to... [more]