cornwall - international (rescue)

The beauty of living in Cornwall, for many of us at least, is being distant from the hussle and bussle of the capital - we have a better pace and quality of life!

But there are times when this county, at the end of the land, pops up to raise its head above the national (and international) radar - and nine times out of ten its something to be proud of.

For instance, the Helston-based charity Shelterbox has done no shortage of good since its profile rocketed when it helped with the Boxing Day tsunami.
No longer is it just another charity in a small Cornish market town. There it is based, but its reach, and inspiring presence, is felt across the globe.

And only this weekend we once again entered the spotlight.
As I sat at home, watching Sky News while devouring a pasty for some Saturday morning breakfast, our naval heroes were showing their worth.
As the Horncliff became the latest news disaster to beam from satellies around the world, it was Helston's rescue crew from RNAS Culdrose who plucked the skipper of the cargo ship to hospital.

It would seem from these two notable examples that Helston is the goodwill capital of the Southwest!

But of course there are numerous other deserving individuals, groups and teams across Cornwall...

open jails...open the floodgates

Ridiculous. Just plain ridiculous. If ever there was a story as incredible as it sounds, this is it - the headline; " YOUR NEW NEIGHBOUR COULD BE A MUGGER IN 'OPEN JAIL' "
Homes in Bodmin are being used to house criminals becasue there is so much overcrowding in prisons...I mean, COME ON! How more insane can the situation get?
Prisoners aren't in prisons anymore. It's nothing new that jails have been referred to as "holiday camps" but these days they're kitted out with PlayStations as we wouldnt want the inmates to get bored, books and magazines to help them pass the time, gym equipment to make them stronger so they can batter vulnerable women just a little harder...and now they're not even in prison!
Without wanting to resort to cliches...surely its only a matter of time before we see the inevitable result of this....someone getting hurt by a criminal living in one of these homes. it doesnt matter if they're electronically tagged or not - some of these people dont care if they will face further legal consequences for their actions.
The real problem, surely, is either the tame legal system we now have in place, or the lack of funding going into our prison structure.
If there isnt enough prisons, build more. If the deterrents arent enough, get tougher on crime.... sound familiar?!????

fire twists

Everyone seems to be talking about the Penhallow Hotel fire. Pretty shocking twist to hear the police say they are now calling it a murder investigation. Can't say too much on it for legal reasons now two people have been arrested but things seemed to develop pretty quick after the press conference - and must still be terrible for the families of those who died.
Amazed at the number of people that weren't up to speed on the latest developments - or maybe i just spend too much time checking thisis cornwall for news!
Never sure whether i'm a bit obsessed by what's going on locally or whether i don't take enough of an interest...

On another note, was amazed to see the sun shine through for a bit today! Wonder how long it will last...

Keeping an eye on Kernow...

Ah! My first post! Where do I start?!? An explanation of my blogging plans I spose...well, I intend to post as often as i can - be it every day, every other day or sometimes several times a day.
I dont intend to be any kind of nay-sayer or someone who is able to keep track of every council's wrong-doings as guardian of the people's interests.
I will however, endeavour to reveal my thoughts and feelings as I, a Cornish resident, keep an eye on the county's activities...and tell you a bit about mine and what I go through...