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2 weeks ago | 
somersetcountygazette.co.uk | Clinton Rogers
Clinton Rogers Column: Age is just a number, (Image: Supplied) Here’s a question for you: How old is old? I’m 68, almost 69, and as far as I’m concerned I’m still in my prime (no sniggers in the back row!). But increasingly I am being made to feel old – by other people’s behaviour.
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3 weeks ago | 
somersetcountygazette.co.uk | Clinton Rogers
Former BBC Somerset correspondent Clinton Rogers. (Image: Supplied) Every time our son comes to visit us from his home in London, he says the same thing: "How many more houses are they going to build here?". There seems to be development wherever you look, and I find myself asking: "Who actually is going to live in these new homes (birth rates are falling, by the way)?
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3 weeks ago | 
thewestonmercury.co.uk | Clinton Rogers
"In the years that followed, school clinics were introduced as well as regular medical examinations (including the nit nurse) and dental checks" (Image: Supplied) I suspect it’s an age thing; increasingly I find myself starting sentences with the words: "Whatever happened to…", writes Clinton Rogers. And what’s more, the topics tend to get more random, often prompting my children to proclaim: "I think dad is losing it!" They could be right.
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1 month ago | 
thewestonmercury.co.uk | Clinton Rogers
2 1/1 I nearly went out on my motorcycle the other day – then I thought better of it, writes Clinton Rogers. Yes, the sun was out – I’m not a cold weather biker – but then I thought about the state of the roads around where I live, and nerves (or maybe common sense) got the better of me. I’ve had a whinge about potholes in this column before.
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2 months ago | 
somersetcountygazette.co.uk | Clinton Rogers
COLLEAGUES old and new have gathered to mark two special birthdays at hospitals in Somerset. Parkside, the private wing at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, and Kingston Wing, the private unit at Yeovil Hospital, have both celebrated their 35th birthdays this month. To recognise the milestone, team members past and present gathered for a reunion, to reminisce about old times and enjoy some birthday cake.
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2 months ago | 
somersetcountygazette.co.uk | Clinton Rogers
"Much to the annoyance of my wife, I buy Nerf guns. I pretend it’s for the grandchildren, but secretly it’s my obsession" (Image: Supplied) I’m still a child at heart and I still love playing cowboys and Indians (or whatever the 21st-century version of that game is called!), writes Clinton Rogers. Much to the annoyance of my wife, I buy Nerf guns—if you don’t know, they’re toy guns that fire foam darts.
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2 months ago | 
somersetcountygazette.co.uk | Clinton Rogers
"When I was at college in Southampton at the age of 17 my accent was regularly ridiculed by fellow students" (Image: Supplied) I’m proud of my Somerset accent, although in the past it has brought annoyance to me, and amusement to others, writes Clinton Rogers. So I was particularly interested in a recent survey published by the University of Cambridge, which essentially concluded that people are "judged" by the way they speak.
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Jan 8, 2025 | 
somersetcountygazette.co.uk | Clinton Rogers
The words of What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor have been changed to remove references to alcohol and violence and make it more socially acceptable to children. (Image: Public) Until quite recently, I suggest few people had come across the word "woke". In reality, it's been around for decades; originally it was used to describe people who were "socially or politically aware".
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Nov 25, 2024 | 
somersetcountygazette.co.uk | Clinton Rogers
'Don't get me started on the misuse of apostrophes' (Image: Clinton Rogers) I hesitate to write a column about grammar for fear someone will spot my mistakes. However, I am becoming increasingly frustrated by sloppy writing and sloppy language, heaven forbid, even on the BBC - writes Clinton Rogers. Now, I am not a purist of grammar.
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Nov 11, 2024 | 
somersetcountygazette.co.uk | Clinton Rogers
Clinton's dogs (Image: Clinton Rogers) Our house is back to having just one dog now, although I’m not sure how Bonnie is feeling about that, writes Clinton Rogers. But I suppose when you consider the default look of a King Charles Spaniel is that of a wounded diva, it’s hard to be sure! For a week we’ve been looking after our daughter’s dog, Bruno, while they’ve been away on holiday. He’s a Pugalier (a cross between a Pug and a Cavalier).
