I take some pleasure in pointing out some of the shortcomings of our way of life nowadays.

It doesn’t do me any favours, and I get quite a lot of criticism as a result.

But that is the sadist in me - a little pain is worth it.

My latest rant is aimed at a new way of purchasing goods - going online.

I would never do it, and can not understand people who do.

 It now appears that people are becoming more and more wary of buying goods in this fashion.

The number of complaints with online shopping is sky-rocketing.

Consumers are now being warned of the risks.

Most complaints relate to non-delivery of goods, requests for refunds, defective goods or unsatisfactory quality of goods - specifically about phones, electrical goods, computers, sports gear, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and toiletries, and toys.

Why you would buy that sort of gear from someone you didn’t actually know is beyond me.

Locals always provide the best service, maybe not the best price, but certainly a lot more peace of mind.

PS - couldn’t resist the cartoon.

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I deal with words all the time - every day for most of the day.

Many will say I don’t exactly do it well...too many mistakes.

But I enjoy it nevertheless.  

That is why I really appreciated this item which was sent to me.  

I hope you  enjoy it...

The  building of a European Union language! 

‘The  European  Commission has just announced an agreement  whereby English will be the  official language of the  European Union rather than German, which was  the other  possibility. 

As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room  for  improvement and has accepted a 5-year phase-in plan that would become  known as "Euro-English". 

In the  first year, "s" will  replace the soft "c".. Sertainly,  this will make the sivil servants jump  with joy.

The hard  "c" will be dropped in favour of "k".

This should  klear up  konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less  letter.

There  will be growing  publik enthusiasm in  the  sekond year when the troublesome "ph" will be replaced with  "f".  

This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter. 

In the  3rd year,  publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted  to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible.

Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling. 

Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the  silent "e" in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away. 

By the 4th yer peopl wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" with "z" and "w" with "v". 

During ze fifz  yer, ze unesesary "o" kan  be dropd from vords kontaining "ou" and after ziz fifz  yer, ve vil hav a reil  sensi bl riten  styl.  

Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi TU understand ech oza.

Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru. 

Und efter ze fifz  yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas. 

Love it!’

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The comments and views on the demolition of the buildings in Clarinda Street continue to come in thick and fast. 

This will be the last comment I will feature:

“I think the knocking down of the old State Bank and the Go-Lo buildings for the new car park is a great idea and will be good for the Main Street and local business.   

“It would have been good if council had made it a condition that the car park be covered, like Bernardi's in Forbes.   

“I know this suggestion may be a bit late, but although it would be an additional cost for the developers, it would certainly be good for users.”

Actually, it is not too late as the development application for a car park, or whatever, is still to be dealt with.

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THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

“The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds; and the pessimist fears this is true.”