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My nomination form does not require anyone to have appeared on Strictly Come Dancing before nominating them. I have been thinking about this following the Corbyn discussions around the country, and it has convinced me that a genuine chap without an immediate agenda is who I would like representing me. You will no doubt object to this, as you have your own agenda and as I have been assured at various meets around the country "is a nice chap, but is a bit too fond of his own voice". I have never met you Steve, but numerous people I like have said this about you, so I am prepared to go along with it until/unless proved otherwise. Cheap gibes on an internet forum do not help either your case or your cause.

I guess it all depends what type of councilors boaters want that matters. The ones we have at present are happy to simply attend the 2 meetings a year say very little and then go home and attend IWA meetings. They have failed completely to communicate with boaters and have taken the job at face value and that is to just attend those 2 meetings and do little else. Now I would vote for someone who is prepared to do a lot more than that. The job is what you make of it and it needs someone who for 4 years is prepared to almost give up their present lifestyle and represent boaters not just by attending a couple of meetings but to use that position to lobby CRT on behalf of boaters. To do this they must be prepared to attend and organise meetings all over the country to listen to boaters and what they think then pass that onto CRT by meeting with them on a 121 basis. They have to be prepared to invest their own money in organising boater surveys to get unbiased feedback/ They should be prepared to invest time in building alliances with non boating members of the council as 4 voices in a council of about 40 is fairly difficult. They should also act as a voice for boaters with the Trustees. It must be remembered that they represent boaters and not just their own views.

OK, I understand. You want to encourage embittered people to write negative stuff about CART. When I say I understand, I mean that I understand what you are saying (it was hardly new). What I don't understand is why you think that encouraging whining and whingeing makes the forum a better place. I don't understand why some people think that constantly moaning about them is going to make CART feel well disposed towards boaters generally, and this forum in particular. I don't understand why they think that this is the best way to improve CART's performance. I don't want to encroach on your time, but if you have any insights into this way of thinking, and if you think negativity produces positive results, then please let us all know. My own experience is otherwise. Constructive criticism is fine, Most of what we have seen in this and other threads is a long way from constructive. It's just whingeing, and it's depressing.

I'm sorry you think it is bullying. I tend to subscribe to the theory that anyone who *wants* an elected position should be barred from standing. I just happen to think Dean would do a better job on council than eg Tony Dunkley (Sorry Tony, but I think there is too much antagonism both ways for you to be a good representative on council. Not saying you could not do it, just that I think Dean would be less confrontational, and therefore get a better response.)

Thank you for accepting my apology with such good grace. My best wishes, and hopes, to you both.

Do you know anyone with a horse?

As I have said many times before it would have been better to have a spread of people on the council. But to stop the IWA people getting voted on all folk had to do was vote for someone else. I didn't vote for them (well one of them). All the IWA did was put up a number of candidates the voters did the rest. Still, that was then this is now it is up to everyone to put up candidates that will do better going forward rather than maintain a bitter bile about something that can not be changed. It is time to move on. It would be undemocratic to stop an IWA member from putting themselves forward why should anyone just because they are a member of a particular organisation be barred from standing if they chose to do so. I would be disgusted if being an ordinary IWA member not serving on any committee was stopped from standing if they wished to.

That is a pair that I could vote for. Not because I always agree with them, or because I think that they will push an agenda that suits me, but because I think they will be active and energetic and do their utmost to represent all boaters rather than their own interests. I hope that both consider standing. I won't be standing this time. Circumstances have reduced our use of the boat somewhat and I don't see as much of the network as I used to. I am slowly disengaging from a number of commitments as they reach a natural cut off point, because I need (and want) to devote more of my non-work time to my family. Adding another voluntary role isn't in the plan at the moment.

Rowan Atkinson, said to be worth £71million, owns an impressive collection that includes a Honda NSX, a Jaguar Mk7, an Aston Martin DB2, a vintage Ford Falcon, a 1939 BMW 328 and a Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3115331/Rowan-Atkinson-sells-8million-McLaren-F1-supercar-one-Britain-s-biggest-car-deals-crashed-twice.html (71 million could buy an awful lot of nice tents, and few nice narrowboats...)

Mr. Lump, once you have seen one "in the flesh" and realised that it is a Hudson, you will always be able to spot them. That said, a very handsome boat called Bruin moored near us last night. I thought at first that it was a Hudson, the bow shape was very similar, but the details of the superstructure did not look quite right. It transpired that it was a Les Allen.

Absolutely nothing wrong with the trip through nottingham. Canals were built to serve industry.

Some years ago (in fact many years ago, 15 I suppose) we were descending Marple locks. My stepson, who would have been about 13 at the time, had his leg in a cast (result of a car accident), but was determined to work the locks. This involved judicious use of crutches, and a lot of hopping on one leg. The hopping was what did it, for by the tailgates of one of the lower locks, a very large cavity had been forming for some time. There was no issue with it, because it didn't lie anywhere that would expect a lot of force, and it had a substantial roof of tightly rooted turf. But for Harvey pogoing across it on his good leg, it might have lasted for years. However, as we descended the lock, Harvey hopped on his good leg from the Paddle to the end of the beam, and vanished from sight. His good leg descended into the sink hole, and he was save from going down completely by his pot and the tips of his fingers. We dragged him out, and called BW, who fitted orange netting that was there for another 6 months. The next day, we met a BW management type at Portland Basin, and were relating the story about Harvey falling down the sinkhole to him. He listened with interest, then Harvey appeared from inside the boat, sporting the full length cast on his leg. The BW man went visibly pale as he took this in. He clearly thought that the pot was a direct result of the sink hole incident, and was seeing the prospect of litigation appear in front of him. He was much relieved to learn that this wasn't the case!

Convince government and companies that there is a country outside of London that has everything but for a lot less money .

That's strange, did any of tbe 'several persons you met' mention all the good work and effort Steve has put in helping boaters with problems?

Ah but you be woman and woman renowned for chatting and not taking notice....Tis tough hat we wear. At least you pointed it out so did your duty with regards H and S.. If it had been man through hole in unstable bank 2ft from edge then reporting technique could have differed with use of Anglo Saxon terms to illustrate point of entry. Dash off email to CRT to document and then have Magnum moment...I do in times of trouble....

Come, come, Laurence, if you are not on their list, why did you get an email? Perhaps this is what happened - "Right, we've emailed all the people we know, but we haven't emailed Mr Hogg. Millicent, be a dear and find out if he has an email address. We really do need to hear his views. His archive is second to none." Now I am not saying that scenario is unlikely, but I do feel that it is slightly more likely that they did have you on an email list somewhere, and just sent off an email, along with a few hundred others. But one thing's for sure. They are unlikely to do so again.

Maybe, maybe not. I was just commenting on the facts at hand, and so it's up to you to speculate on that. If they're like every other large organisation on the planet, then whether they put a marker on someone's file, or take their word it, will be more about how that person interacts with them, rather than a matter of policy. It's a flawed logging system, which they can either trust implicitly, and act accordingly; or rely on feedback and interaction before making any decisions. The fact that they do the latter seems to me to be a positive rather than a negative.

A candle, night light puts out a certain amount of heat, putting it under a flower pot (not plastic) does not change that, all it does is concentrate it into one place. Light candle, heat is used to warm pot, heat the radiates from pot to surrounding area candle goes out, pot stays warm but then cools. Energy output is just the same but there will be losses in heating the pot from the candle and then the pot heating the surrounding air. I think this will be one of those things that believers will believe and those who dis-believe will dis-believe and never the twain will meet. Of course with enough candles, night lights and flowerpots, you could heat the Royal Albert Hall.

I used these http://www.funkymonkeyboatnames.co.uk/and were very pleased. Am going to have to buy 2 more now though as we're going to be repainted this year. They cost £275 for the pair but they are very big. They haven't peeled or bubbled in the 2 .5 years they've been on.

In fairness to Dean, he did point out as early as post #7 that he replied immediately to CRT with details of his movements. In fact the whole issue seems to have been dealt with amicably between Dean and CRT, with it resulting in him getting permission to overstay for a few days while he goes on hols. Granted, it kicked off with an error by CRT but, given that a similar error made on land would have resulted in a parking ticket, and a fine to contest, rather than a letter to check first before taking action, then it seems to fall low on the scale of life's traumas.

I had a quick look: On the first day, God created the dog and said: "Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of 20 years." The dog said: "That's a long time to be barking. How about only 10 years and I'll give you back the other 10?' So God agreed. On the second day, God created the monkey and said: "Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a 20-year life span." The monkey said: "Monkey tricks for 20 years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back 10 like the Dog did?" And God agreed. On the third day, God created the cow and said: "You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of 60 years." The cow said: "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for 60 years. How about 20 and I'll give back the other 40?" And God agreed again. On the fourth day, God created man and said: "Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you 20 years." But man said: "Only 20 years? Could you possibly give me my 20, the 40 the cow gave back, the 10 the monkey gave back, and the 10 the dog gave back -- that makes 80, OK?" "OK," God said. "As long as you're sure." So that is why for our first 20 years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next 40 years we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next 10 years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And for the last 10 years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone. And that, my friends, is the meaning of life. Now you know.

Your lucky no one took a photo of your out of date liscence, and posted it on the Internet. Regards kris