What to do with this blog

I haven't posted for a while as I wanted to sort out what I was going to do with the blog. Up to now I have been rambling about anything and everything. Not any more. I am going to concentrate on North Devon. I love this area and although I am not a native of North Devon I am a native of the west country. For 60 odd years I have lived in the area and observed the way it is going and lately I cannot say I like what I see.
In the years that have passed into history the area was a popular holiday destination for young and old alike. It was looked after, cared for and loved by those living here. The tourist was welcomed with open arms and valued individually. Trouble was taken to ensure that they had a good holiday and when they left they went with a knowledge that they would be welcomed back at any time.
Whats gone wrong? most of the area looks run down and in need of some TLC. Projects start and never get finished. Shops leave their window displays untouched for years on end. No one seems to be making that effort needed to attract the visitor. OK councils are making a sort of effort and one or two of the traders have joined in and that's good BUT what is needed is for the rest of the population to take it on board and do their bit as individuals.
If everyone in the area decided to make this the ideal destination and actually did something to make it so, it would work. Litter taken home or put in one of the many bins provided. Picking up that bit of litter that everyone walks over. Tidy up the garden so it looks cared for. Clean the windows and if needed a lick of paint to restore the jaded woodwork. If the area looked clean and tidy that would make a good impression on anyone coming here. Shop keepers, change your window displays at least once a month and get your staff to smile on the odd occasion.
This is one of the most beautiful areas in the world and if we the locals appreciate that and care for it, the visitors would see it in a better light and maybe come back a bit more often, bringing their wallets with them.
I have my web site,www.tour-devon.com, I do because I love the area. I don't do it to make a profit, in fact it cost me a lot to keep going. I struggle most of the time to pay the bills related to it and I will keep on struggling because I want to show this area to the world and what it has to offer visitors and locals I believe is worth showing.
Wouldn't it be nice if everyone around here took pride in the place. Let's be honest, there is a lot about it to be proud of.
I don't remember when but on the TV the other night a tourist information person commented that the majority of visitors to the area are returning ones. Giving an impression that because a lot do return there is no need to worry or do anything to attract more. Yes many do return but many more, that used to, don't. Why? Because they see the places slowly running down. How many hotels and guest houses have closed in the past couple of years. It's a lot. How many half finished building projects are there?
As I said, I love the area and hope to end my days here. What I would really love to see is a return to the family values that made the place so popular in Victorian times. Lets give the visitor a holiday they will never forget because they were looked after so well.

Shopping in town

I keep reading about town centres that are failing to get customers, drop in sales etc. Blame is levied at the councils and everyone people can think of, except for one, the shop keepers.
OK the parking can be expensive, if people go to the hypermarket the parking is free. Most important parking is handy to the shop with a nice basket to put stuff in, so no lugging bags around.
Why don't we treat our town shopping centres like big hypermarkets, after all that is what they are but with an even wider range of goods. There could be shopping baskets at the entrance to car parks, like there is at a hypermarket. Shopkeepers could make sure they lay out there interiors so a person pushing one can get around. Councils could make the pavements/ pedestrian areas smooth enough to be able to push one. The shopkeepers could supply the people needed to collect the baskets and put them back ready for use, just like the superstores do. Where possible the shopping areas under some sort of cover. If that's not possible then covered areas for people to get out of the rain.
Above all the one thing that is needed are staff that are properly trained in the products they are selling. Staff that actually enjoy their jobs so they meet their customers with a smile. The attitude of most shop staff these days seems to be that the customer is an intrusion on their day instead of the reason they are employed.
Many years ago I did an apprenticeship in the grocery trade and am proud to be a member of the institute of grocers. My boss, a Mr Coombs at Ways & co in Wells, Somerset, was the biggest bastard I have ever worked for. He is also the only boss I have had in the past 50 years that I still respect. He knew the job inside out. He did it because he loved the trade and serving the public. His philosophy was simple. The customer is not always right BUT god help you if a customer left the shop thinking they were wrong. In other words he accepted the staffs word that the customer was in the wrong and allowed the staff to deal with a situation in such a way that the customer left the shop happy. Both sides happy, so, the customer comes back again some time. The staff member serves the next customer with a smile. Makes sense to me so why don't more shops have a similar policy.
If shops want the business they have to make the shopping experience a good one for all. Staff properly trained with a wide knowledge of the products they sell are much happier. They feel valued. Customers feel wanted and are more inclined to be loyal to the shop.
How about it shop keepers and planners. How about thinking of us poor customers and give us nice easy shopping experiences with goods priced at a fair figure giving a fair profit instead of at a figure you think we will tolerate with huge profit margins. The average overall profit a superstore makes is about 3%. Many high street ones work on over 100%. If they can afford to do the old buy one get one free, they can afford to drop the price of the first one. Like many I live alone and don't want two. What I do want is one at the right price. At the moment the most likely place to get that is one of the superstores.

What do you get out of "facebook" and other similar sites

I've copied this from an article and just wonder what others think.

A psychologist is urging people to get off Facebook and other social networking sites, and get a life instead.

Dr Aric Sigman says the amount of time we spend with each other has slumped dramatically and in turn is damaging our health.

He says our devotion to such sites could alter the way genes work, upset immune responses, hormone levels, and the function of arteries, and influence mental performance.

Levels of hormones such as the "cuddle chemical" oxytocin, which promotes bonding, altered according to whether people were in close contact or not.

This could increase the risk of health problems as serious as cancer, strokes, heart disease, and dementia.

Dr Sigman spells out his warning in the latest issue of Biologist, the journal of the Institute of Biology, and maintains that social networking sites have played a significant role in people becoming more isolated.

He said: "Social networking is the Internets biggest growth area, particular among young children.

"A quarter of British children have a laptop or computer in their room by the age of five and they have their own social networking sites, like the BBC's myCBBC. It's causing huge changes."

Dr Sigman said 209 "socially regulated" genes have been identified, including ones involved in the immune system, cell proliferation and responses to stress.

Electronic media is also undermining the ability of children and young people to learn vital social skills and read body language, he said.

Dr Sigman continued: "One of the most pronounced changes in the daily habits of British citizens is a reduction in the number of minutes per day that they interact with another human being.

"In less than two decades, the number of people saying there is no one with whom they discuss important matters nearly tripled.

"Parents spend less time with their children than they did only a decade ago. Britain has the lowest proportion of children in all of Europe who eat with their parents at the table. The proportion of people who work at home alone continues to rise.

"I am worried about where this is all leading. It's not that I'm old fashioned in terms of new technology, but the purpose of any new technology should be to provide a tool that enhances our lives.

"Social networking sites should allow us to embellish our social lives, but what we find is very different. The tail is wagging the dog. These are not tools that enhance, they are tools that displace."

Research suggests the number of hours people spend interacting face-to-face has fallen dramatically since 1987 as electronic media use increases.
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Personally I have given up all of the "chat" sites. Simply because they interrupted me whilst doing other things on my computer, particularly keeping my www.tour-devon.com up to date. I got fed up with little pop up windows telling me that someone wanted to chat. When you think about it the word chat for these sites is wrong. It's not chat it's text messaging. Chat is done face to face or via a telephone link with your voice. I know people who say they have made a lot of friends on these sites but is that really true. For a start most people don't tell the truth about themselves on the sites and to me a friend is someone you spend time with and share personal stuff. That isn't the way the "chat" sites work is it? OK you may write personal stuff but you don't see any reaction from the other person, you only get what they choose to write back and that can be a million miles away from what they truly think. I also think it encourages youngsters to get involved in things they should not be.
What I think is not going to change anything but maybe with the "experts" making comments about it, there just might be a slight move back to people actually talking to each other face to face.