It's a crying shame.

Jim Jump can't get into Wetherspoon's with this...

According to the Portsmouth News (and several of the national newspapers), two Royal Marines were turned away from a Wetherspoons pub for not having the right ID. Apparently, military ID isn't valid ID for proving you're over 18, as jobsworth bouncers can only accept driving licences, passports and those PASS card thingumys.

Now, I can see this in landlocked Barnsley, say, but this is Portsmouth, where there have been naval dockyards (and hence sailors - military personnel) for centuries. They all have IDs - although not quite like the one above with names, dates of birth and photos clearly displayed.

So it's with regret (because Wetherspoons do serve decent beer) that I've joined the boycott. Until Wetherspoons apologise publically to squaddies everywhere, then I ain't going in.

NIMBY scum

Thanks to Dr Crippen for pointing this out. Apparently, the SSAFA want to modify a six-bedroom house near Headley Court, the world class rehabilitation centre in Surrey for injured service personnel, to allow families to stay near loved ones who have been injured serving their country. All they need to do is add a disabled ramp, but this requires planning permission due to the change of use of the house to a hostel.

Trouble is, NIMBY scum concerned local residents have objected, citing traffic, noise and (here's the real reason) property values. You can read the letters of representation on the Mole Valley District Council website, which you can get to via Dr Crippen's blog. I'd read them myself, but Tesco's had a half price offer on Ben & Jerry's, and I'm not tossing Cookie Dough ice cream on this lot.

In case you didn't know, my brother is in the Royal Navy who served off the coast of Kosovo, and my brother-in-law is a Royal Marine Sergeant who also served in Kosovo, as well as in Iraq. I may not support the war (I note the WMDs still haven't been found) but I support our boys (and girls) who are over there.


Oh, the 10 Downing St petition is here.