This time from the editor of the Worksop Guardian, who says in a comment:

All the comments that have appeared on this website relating to myself are not only totally untrue but are also defamatory. If they are not removed then legal action will be taken.
George Robinson, Editor, Worksop Guardian tel: 01909 500500

What about all the untrue stuff you have published on behalf of John Mann, George?

You’re happy enough to dish it out, but start crying when it’s coming in your direction.

One rule for you and another for everyone else, is that it?

Think how this is going to look on your C.V. Newspaper editor threatens blogger with legal action.

Didn’t you learn anything from John Mann’s empty legal threat?

I’ve written here on more than one occasion about the Worksop Guardian weekly newspaper (I use the term loosely) being nothing more than an extension of John Mann’s over-exercised gob and conspiring with the ex-MP to mislead and deceive the people of Worksop.

The traditional weekly local newspaper is a dying species, unable to compete with 0nline news and advertising and the Worksop Guardian is no exception. The current editor has allegedly been fired for failure to meet circulation and advertising targets. Well, he has alienated half of his readership, past and potential, by his unbalanced reporting and many of my acquaintances have stopped buying it over the years for that very reason. It is unlikely that the Worksop Guardian will survive the next year or two.

Several month ago, I did some reaearch into online community newspapers in the US, where the online model has all but replaced the weekly newspaper. Based on that research, an online newspaper in Bassetlaw is a viable proposition. But only when it supports one or two people who carry out all of the functions – reporting, advertising sales, web publishing and maintenance etc. Moving the Worksop Guardian to an online model is not feasible due to the overhead it carries as part of Johnston Press. And they currently cannot report news on their website until it has been reported in the weekly newspaper  (or they won’t be able to sell it), making their website always at least one week out of date.

So, I feel a change of career coming on. Running this blog has given me a hankering to write for a living. Over the past months I have been setting up www.bassetlawonline.com and associated sites for Classified Ads and Jobs.

It will be fully live in May or June, but you can have a look and see where I’m heading.

And with a bit of luck, it will hasten the Worksop Guardian on to its inevitable demise.

I have risen from the dead. Almost.

I’ve been laid low for the past week by a particularly nasty illness so I haven’t been taking too much interest in my surroundings. But I’m on the road to recovery and normal libel will be resumed as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, over at Fat Councillor Towers, they’ve had the decorators in and there’s a shiny new look. The content – smiting the wicked councillors of South Shields – remains unchanged and it’s always worth a read.

Paw Broon (pun intended) has come up with a way to bring to heel a few hundred dangerous dogs, who are undoubtedly far more intelligent than the nutters who hold their leads. He’s going to slap a tax on the 5.4 million responsible owners who love and care for their dogs.

But the irresponsible dog owners who are being targeted don’t give a monkeys and are highly unlikely to cough up the tax or take any notice of the law anyway. Which leaves us exactly where we are now, except Paw Broon has got a nice little earner going at the expense of pet lovers.

Meanwhile, back in Bassetlaw, Labour Councillors proposed an amendement to the Council budget to raise £20,000  fining people who allow their dogs to defecate in public places. To ensure the revenue is generated, the Council would have to abandon it’s ongoing efforts to keep the streets free of dog shit do. Fortunately, the amendment was defeated, so we don’t have to look forward to wading through streets full of you-know-what and enforcement officers on every corner to fine the transgressors after the fact.

The Labour Party clearly sees dogs as a financial opportunity.  Exit the cash cow, say hello to the money mutt.

The Americans (bless ‘em) have a great expression for a certain type of person – Media Whore

Wictionary, the online dictionary, defines it as:

A person who craves media attention; someone who will apparently do anything to remain in the media spotlight.

Do you know anyone like that?