Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

George Cooper — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 12:40:16 GMT

Because I was at university with that Lonsdale chap, I'm going to refer to him as Tom, if that's OK?

What I find most interesting, perhaps ironic, concerns our RVC Final Year Revue, where, in an extremely democratic outburst of fairness, the content of the Revue was decided by a vote taken on every potential sketch or song or dance by the entire accumulation of members - anonymously. There was one abstaining member, but he was destined for higher academic achievement and was thus absolved of any disrespect.

Tom's offering, and this was 1971 or so, involved a lectern, behind which he stood on his back legs and proceeded to harangue in a faux american accent something that I think was a satirical attack on something political. I cannot recall paying much attention to the content back then, but little did I realise that his performance in that Revue was in reality a Dress Rehearsal for his entire life's work.

As I had responsibility for directing the damn thing, perhaps I should have exercised some directorial prerogative and applied the blue pencil rigorously. Somehow, though, I think that's wishful thinking.

Tom - you always were a determined cove! (And what WAS that speech about??)

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Clare Tapsfield-Wright — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 18:03:50 GMT

Fair enough Wynne

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Hannah Wynne Richards — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 17:41:12 GMT

I agree on the single issue, but I also tend to instinctively distrust any who won't reply either yes or no when that is all that is needed.

After all, courtesy works both ways. An elector who asks a candidate a simple question, is, in my opinion, deserving of a simple answer.

Wynne

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Clare Tapsfield-Wright — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 17:05:52 GMT

Not kid gloves Wynne , just civility . To illustrate Mr Lonsdale referred to me as a pig with my snout in the trough of the pet food companies which I felt was just so rude and aggressive that it was funny. Had he asked me if I was selling dog food while not believing it was good for dogs purely to make money that would have been a reasonable question which I would happily defend as I think the diet I was selling is fine and I still feed it to my own dogs.

if I met a vet standing for election in the flesh I would be interested to hear what their manifesto was but I wouldn't call them evasive to their face if they didn't answer a question to my satisfaction because I think that is ill mannered . If they want my vote they have to promote their manifesto without me needing to turn into Jeremy Paxman.

No single issue candidate gets my vote because the work of council is so varied you need to be willing to work hard in committees dealing with a spectrum of different issues. Paddling your own canoe can be quite selfish and result in less time for more important issues.

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Hannah Wynne Richards — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 15:08:25 GMT

I don't agree with Mr Lonsdale's views on raw meaty bones - but I do respect his obvious, if misguided sincerity.

My attitude is "I don't agree with what you're saying, but I will defend your right to say it."

At least, we're not being asked to buy a pig in a poke.

I think it's far more serious that a few years ago, a Council member who practices homeopathy was elected - without disclosing his support for mumbo-jumbo in his manifesto. Now that definitely was a sin of omission.

Wynne

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Bob Russell — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 14:35:31 GMT

I am against Mr Lonsdales blinkered attitude especially his intolerance of other people's opinions. He knows he is right and everyone else is wrong. We are crooks and charlatans whereas he is the world expert!

Should he start to accept that we are fellow professionals and try to persuade rather than vilify then he might be listened to rather than treated as a joke. He might get a few more genuine votes rather than the nuttier fringe and the mischievous.

Personal enough yet?

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 13:48:19 GMT

Indeed and one could apply the same logic as to religious extremism or homoeopathy (OK not that because there is not a grain of proof - well that said there's not about religion either). But the point is the more extreme are someone's views the more likely an intelligent person is to ignore them.

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Kate Richardson — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 13:10:26 GMT

I meant I dont agree with Mr Lonsdale's opinions and the way he presents them. Apologies, wasn't a personal attack

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Arlo Guthrie — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 10:58:03 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"]

True, but according to Arlo and Clare the new rules mean that we have to handle candidates with kid gloves.

Wynne[/quote]

Not quite, Wynne. I said treat 'newbies' with kid gloves and be welcoming to them, regardless of whether they're standing for election or not.

Mr Lonsdale knows the ropes! That doesn't give carte-blanche for people to say whatever they want to him, but certainly more latitude.

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Hannah Wynne Richards — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 10:53:18 GMT

True, but according to Arlo and Clare the new rules mean that we have to handle candidates with kid gloves.

Wynne

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Gillian Mostyn — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 10:49:00 GMT

Kate - although your comment is rather blunt, I have to say I agree. I am not opposed to using a RMB diet, although I do think that it is difficult for Mr Joe Public to do it properly and safely for both their pet and their family. However, I would never vote for a person who has been so vehemently aggressive with their attacks on the the 'average' vet and our, apparently, profit-driven motivation in advising complete diets in most pets.

He is certainly not somebody I would want to represent me or my views.

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"]That's a bit personal![/quote]

He is putting himself up for election based on his own views and personality!

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Hannah Wynne Richards — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 09:01:54 GMT

That's a bit personal!

Arlo where are you?

Wynne

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Kate Richardson — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 08:05:27 GMT

Tom Lonsdale when are you going to realise that many vets are not opposed to RMB as a diet option for pets in the slightest, but they are opposed to you.

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Tom Lonsdale — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 01:53:17 GMT

[quote user="alex gough"]

[quote user="Tom Lonsdale"] It's a well known fact that the vet research and publishing arms of the profession are incompetent or corrupt or both.[/quote]

Citation please?

[/quote]One vet who did try, there for a time, to do the competent and honest thing and compare the longitudinal effects of a junk food diet as compared with a rmb diet in research beagles was thwarted -- as I understand it by Penn State vet school and Hill's junk foods.

http://rawmeatybones.com/harvey.php

Ask any five year old about the dangers (for omnivores) of a junk food diet and you'll get an uncomplicated answer.

Ask almost any vet about the dangers of junk food for carnivores and you'll get disingenuous clap trap about how 'there's no evidence' or 'we need research' or other BS.

Yes, it's true the timid researchers and corrupt publishing industry have not done the basic elementary stuff nor published it.

Not of course that we should be dis-empowered and paralysed by vet incompetence. Simply use information derived from human research using humans as our experimental animals and extrapolate from there.

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 20:33:21 GMT

[quote user="Ashley Rubens"] Can I log that as CPD?[/quote]

Certainly.

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Ashley Rubens — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 18:52:17 GMT

Learn something new everyday, and I would certainly prefer council members to keep their trousers on. Can I log that as CPD?

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 17:32:09 GMT

[quote user="Ashley Rubens"]I vote Lonsdale, not because I have any strong opinion on diets, but because it would be good a) call his bluff a little and see if he can achieve any of his aims and b) all the other candidates are just a furtherance of the current political "all mouth and no trousers". [/quote]

Although it's often misquoted thus (probably from the resemblance to "all fur coat and no knickers" (which seems quite appropriate too, of course )), the phrase is really "all mouth and trousers"............. which seems quite a good 'un for certain RCVS incumbents.

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 17:25:37 GMT

[quote user="Tom Lonsdale"] Alas in 20 years of standing I find only deckchair attendants queue up to board the ship.[/quote]

Maybe you should try sitting down? And if the deckchair attendants are still queuing, you should be able to get quite a good time before anybody bothers you for the half a crown charge...

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Anthony Dennison — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 16:05:23 GMT

[quote user="alex gough"]

[quote user="Tom Lonsdale"] It's a well known fact that the vet research and publishing arms of the profession are incompetent or corrupt or both.[/quote]

Citation please?

[/quote]

Look to the skies - it'll be delivered by the flying pig.

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Alex Gough — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 16:01:24 GMT

[quote user="Tom Lonsdale"] It's a well known fact that the vet research and publishing arms of the profession are incompetent or corrupt or both.[/quote]

Citation please?

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Anthony Dennison — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 12:38:34 GMT

[quote user="Tom Lonsdale"]Thank you. No bluff. I work year-round to advance the interests of pet carnivores, pet owners and ultimately the interests of a responsible vet profession.[/quote]

But that's not what a place on the RCVS council entails exactly... there are a lot of other responsibilities. Will you be able to dedicate time to other issues apart from your RMB work?

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Ashley Rubens — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 12:38:10 GMT

I vote Lonsdale, not because I have any strong opinion on diets, but because it would be good a) call his bluff a little and see if he can achieve any of his aims and b) all the other candidates are just a furtherance of the current political "all mouth and no trousers".

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Tom Lonsdale — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 02:20:23 GMT

[quote user="Neil Wheadon"]

I think we should call his bluff this year and vote him in, especially with such a limited field.

Either he is serious about representing our views and is willing to travel from Australia for all the meetings or, as I feel it has become, a yearly attention grabbing exercise for his views. Legitimate, but ultimately devaluing the process.

Neil [/quote]

Thank you. No bluff. I work year-round to advance the interests of pet carnivores, pet owners and ultimately the interests of a responsible vet profession.

Travel to and fro won't be absolutely necessary given the technology currently available.

Certainly the 20 annual election campaigns have presented probably the ONLY means to grab attention. It's a well known fact that the vet research and publishing arms of the profession are incompetent or corrupt or both.

500 published words per year, circulated to each registered vet, on the most important issue facing the vet profession is surely not too much to ask?

I say it's beyond 'legitimate' it's a basic duty, an obligation.

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Tom Lonsdale — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 02:07:44 GMT

[quote user="Stephen Courtney"]

I'll give him a vote, if everyone else will too.

I also once voted for him about 18 years ago. Seemed a good idea at the time.

[/quote]Splendid, thank you.

Mind you, it won't be a vote for me, but a vote for the principles I espouse.

I would be most grateful if others would take up the cause. Alas in 20 years of standing I find only deckchair attendants queue up to board the ship.

RE: Recognising Dr Lonsdale's efforts

Neil Wheadon — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 23:00:36 GMT

If everyone on this forum does then we can do it.

Go on, I'm going to

Neil