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Re: Andy's first post.

Dear me! Where to start?

Maybe here:

...the inhabitants of Cheshire and Merseyside have been successful in disassociated themselves from the county.

It's a shame Andy can't have been successful in written good English. On a geographical note, Cheshire has never been associated with Lancashire, apart from sharing a river.

Or perhaps here:

Those names really do send a shudder down the spine, Hyndburn?

Are you addressing Hyndburn, Andy? If not, I suggest the use of a full stop, a colon or even a dash. Which brings me on to my next point. The scorn you pour on the paragraph from LCCC's website is misplaced - as has been discussed a dash is pretty hard to get wrong. Although I will concede its overuse is irksome.

Next:

Thanks for updating me on Mark Chilton's thoughts but please could I have commas after the tw*t's name so I can breath while reading this inane rubbish.

It is astonishing to me that this short sentence requires a list to describe its errors.

1. The sentence is a question so requires a question mark. Isn't that a grammar rule known by the majority of 6 year olds?
2. I don't know why, in the context Andy is writing about, a name would require a comma after it.
   
3. It seems merely one comma wouldn't satisfy Andy anyway, as "commas" are requested.
4. One of the most embarrassing errors one can make is to write "breath" instead of "breathe". It makes me loose my mind in anger.
   
5. I find it hilarious that Andy gets out of breath while reading. For the sake of your arteries, Andy, please eat less cheese and walk occasionally.
   

Also, an infinitive is split in the last sentence but I'll defer to Tom's wisdom and let this go. I could go on but I'm exhausted so I'll leave it there. Andy, please try not to disgrace yourself again.