So concludes a recent reflective blog entry by Samuel Cooper, a research student at the University of Sussex, who lectured in February on ‘The Situationist International and its British Fallout’ at Marsh Barn just outside Bridport.

Situationism at Marsh Barn, Bridport: "Is there a fault with reality?"

Mr Cooper was, in short, giving one of the Lectures About Everything organised by Horatio and Ioana Morpurgo.

You can see why a D Phil student obsessed with ‘a forgotten period of avant-garde activity’ (British Situationism since 1967) would regard Marsh Barn as a surprising place to encounter people who were not only enthused by his overview of such subjects as the Angry Brigade and Punk but had themselves been engaged in ‘proximate activity’ (a 68er, a workplace activist, a wobbly, a trade unionist,  a road protestor and others). But that’s  the appeal of this part of the world…

A ‘wobbly’, incidentally, is Mr Cooper’s term: I have got no idea what it means. If I’d been there, I would have asked him, but I wasn’t and I’m sorry I missed it.

In return for Mr Cooper explaining to me what on earth a ‘wobbly’ is, I could have told him that the ex-Special Branch man who cracked the Angry Brigade now lives in Bridport. As I was saying, it is that kind of place…    

Anyway, if you too missed the lecture, and you want to read Mr Cooper’s notes, you can click on this link here; or if you want read his reflections on his Marsh Barn experience, you can click on this link here.

*Situationism began in 1958 as a radical French philosophy heavily influenced by Dadaism and Surrealism. It sought a “REVOLUTION of everyday life”, most famously through the events of May 1968 in Paris, immortalised in graffiti such as: “Do not adjust your mind, there is a fault with reality” and “Be realistic. Demand the impossible”.

A new branch of Travis Perkins, costing £2.3 million, is being constructed. Up next is Lidl

WHAT USED to be a pleasant and uplifting walk along St Andrew’s Road is rapidly being destroyed by the Philistines who are building the new builders’ merchants depot and grocer’s shop alongside the Co-op.

They are completely obliterating the wonderful view of the upper half of Jessop Avenue and all of Happy Island Way. No more will we be able to gaze in wonder at these architectural gems as they seem to roll down the hill and fill us with warmth and gratitude to the far-sighted developers who gave us these vital ingredients of our local heritage.

Each time I see the vista before me I hear a Pete Seeger tune playing in my mind and give mental thanks to the planning department of the local council for granting us such a blessing.

I am sure that no other town in this land of ours would even dream of allowing a much-loved treasure to be completely hidden by a building constructed with sole purpose of foisting tins of baked beans, rolls of toilet paper and bottles of Egyptian Hock off on a gullible public.

Is it too late to prevent this monstrosity being completed? If so we must act and we must act swiftly and decisively. This view is far too valuable to be destroyed. If we allow this boil on the buttocks of Bridport to be completed future generations will curse us for our sheer vandalism. I would beg you to think of Happy Island Way and complain to your local councillor before it is too late.

“FOR THOU knowest not…” was the title of a sermon preached by Evershot’s priest after a fire in 1865 nearly burned the whole village down.

More than 100 people were left homeless; up to 1,000 came from neighbouring villages to gawp at the devastation; and there was looting, yes looting, in Evershot. At the very least a butt of cider, belonging to a Mr S Christopher, was stolen from a garden where it had been placed for safety. Poor Mr Christopher. Even now you can sense his thirsty rage in a long and vivid account of events that’s just been written up on the Dorset Ancestors site. Click here to read more.

A couple of other links: Dorset Wildlife Trust is keen to promote the use of a new Rytec machine tractor for conservation.

Contractor Brian Ewins with Emily Newton of Dorset Wildlife Trust

The Rytec machine at Lankham Bottom

It’s just been demonstrated at Lankham Bottom near Cattistock. Local landowners and conservationists saw how the machine can help to restore grassland that has been covered by thick scrub (gorse and brambles at Lankham) and also remove the cuttings (shredded ready to be used as a mulch if required).  Taking cuttings away stops ground from getting too rich in nutrients for downland flora to succeed. You can read more by clicking on this link.

Also, West Dorset District Council is putting up its share of the council tax for 2010-11 by one per cent. That means the average Band D rate goes up by £1.23 to £124.80.

The district council collects the whole council tax bill from local people, but only keeps around eight per cent of the total. The rest is passed to Dorset County Council (£1168.29 at band D in 2010/11), police (£180.00), fire (£60.39) and town/parish councils if they make a charge.

You can read the thoughts of the council’s Conservative leader Robert Gould by clicking on this link.  

Ms Waters says that Mat Follas’s restaurant The Wild Garlic is one of the reasons why this “classic Wessex market town” is “fast becoming a food hot spot”.

It also has “a great butcher’s and greencocer’s”. That’s true, but it is a bit of a tease, because actually of course Beaminster has two butchers; I wonder if she really prefers one over the other. We’ll have to ask her…

Bridport, Burton Bradstock, Evershot and Sydling St Nicholas also earn a mention in a piece in The Sunday Times you can read by clicking on this link.

Before you go, though, let me tell you that there’s also a good piece in The Sunday Times today by Kevan Sheehan, writing about the unveiling this week of the massive pliosaur skull that he found in Weymouth Bay, then sold for eventual display in Dorset County Museum. Mr Sheehan says he used to keep fragments of his discovery all around his house, some bits in his coalhole, others mouldering under the apple tree in his garden. Click on this link to read more.

What I don’t understand is why so many reports (eg, in the Bridport News) said the pliosaur was found at Charmouth. The exact location is being kept a secret by Mr Sheehan and organisations like Dorset County Council who were involved in the skull’s purchase, but wasn’t it somewhere out Kimmeridge way? Weymouth Bay was the only location Dorset County Council was prepared to confirm to reporters.

WEST BEXINGTON: Latest in the controversy over large chalet built by millionaire businessman just behind Chesil Beach. Now he’s told to remove sun deck. Read more: Daily Telegraph.

LYME REGIS: West Dorset District Council to update protestors about Three Cups Hotel. Read more: Midweek Herald. 

CHICKERELL: Hay from MoD’s Tidmoor ranges used to reseed Teddy Bear Woods in Weymouth, after fires. Read more: Dorset County Council.

BRIDPORT: Petrolhead James Cross reaches Hot Laps final at Silverstone. Read more: Times.