As you may have read before, our eldest daughter Marie has a bit of OCD when it comes to making space and clearing out what she perceives to be old unwanted and used items around the house and home, from sitting room, to kitchen to bedrooms if it has been there too long, at some point it has to go. The only real worry in all of this is that one day she may decide that it's time for ..... Well better not go there.....
On the other hand Ishbel and I, mainly me, never throws anything away, we even have stuff, including towels and and dishes that we got as wedding gifts for goodness sake and we have been married for 37 and a half years. Well A couple of months ago Marie decided it was time for a clear out and we ended up getting rid of tons of stuff either to charity shops, the local tip and to Free Cycle and it was a pretty cathartic experience.
While I still like to hang on to things I do now also look at much of it with a new perspective and think do I need to really hang on to it. Recently I looked at a bunch of electrical and other bits lying around and Ishbel had a couple of great wee MP3 players, pre apple and I had one or two computer drives and stand alone disks and bits and bobs and took them all along to Cash Converters which offers you money for goods or indeed you can pawn them and redeem them later.
As a result of that wee clear out I got just short of £90 GBP probably about $125-$130
As you know I have the iPad tablet and Ishbel has her beloved Samsung 10" but as she wanders about the South of England on Shank's pony, bus and train visiting the kids on her mid week off days I more than she waas often worried about her being mugged while sitting on the train on her own with her 'big' tablet so decided to 'upgrade' and 'downsize' to the smaller Galaxy tab 2 - 7".
This is a fantastic wee machine and the speed of it is pretty amazing. It only has a 3 mpix camera but the images are so clear and sharp and the sound system and watching movies on it are pretty sharp too. You get all the usual apps and connections and it really is a sweet little thing. According to the Samsung web site it comes with 8, 16 or 32 gb of memory but the only one we could get, as I wasn't prepared to wander around a half dozen shops, was a 8 gb one! but no matter as it comes with a memory slot so shelled out another £30 ($50) for a 32gb SD card giving tons of memory for all those game apps, photos and every cliff Richard song that has ever been recorded that Ishbel of otherwise impeccable taste, seems to adore!
THE ONLY PROBLEM IS, AS GOOD AS IT IS, SAMSUNG AND ANDROID ARE A BUNCH OF ARSEHOLES, COS GUESS WHAT, UNLIKE ON OTHER ANDROID OPERATING SYSTEMS WHEN YOU DOWNLOAD AN APP OR A GAME OR YOUR PHOTOS OR MOST ANYTHING, YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO TRANSFER THEM TO THE MICRO SD CARD BUT NOT WITH THIS WONDERFUL LITTLE TAB THAT SUDDENLY TURNS INTO A USELESS PIECE OF JUNK THAT SOON RUNS OUT OF MEMORY
So, my recommendation to you, if you are looking to upgrade, but downsize, DO NOT BUY A GALAXY TAB 2 OR ANY OTHER SAMSUNG TABLET THAT PROVIDES YOU WITH A MICRO SD SLOT BUT DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO UTILISE IT EASILY TO TRANSFER DATA THAT WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON YOUR DEVICE.
CHECKING OUT THE MANY FORUMS ON THE WEB ON THIS, THERE ARE A LOT OF UNHAPPY PEOPLE OUT THERE BUT APPARENTLY SAMSUNG HAVE PUBLICLY STATED THAT THEY DO NOT INTEND TO FIX THIS 'CUSTOMER BUG'
SO, IF YOU WANT SOMETHING THAT WILL NOT RUN OUT OF SPACE PARTICULARLY YOU GAMERS, LIKE ISHBEL
DO NOT BUY THIS LOOK GOOD, FEEL GOOD, BUT OTHERWISE PIECE OF CRAP.
Port De Soller Mallorca
Sunset
Showing posts with label Politics and Rants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Politics and Rants. Show all posts
Saturday, 3 August 2013
Saturday, 5 January 2013
Time to Burn Down National Governments
As you know I don't comment on politics too often, they make me unbelievably cross most of the time as they sit on high making decisions that seem to be bereft of benefit to the ordinary person, or indeed as was shown by politicians in America over the last couple of days, refuse to make decisions that they SHOULD MAKE and that could have had an unbelievably ameliorating impact for tens of thousands of voters in passing a bill to ensure relief funds were made available to the victims of hurricane Sandy. Yes, weeks and months after that devastating natural disaster and Republicans in the House are playing party politics over an issue which has seen non partisan voting in favour of relief on other natural disasters.... and they wonder why we hate them so.
On this side of the Atlantic they are of course, in my opinion, just as bad; with everything the ConDems try and do being soundly reproached by Labour and their followers, whether it has merit or not! And of course if Labour suggests that they are going to do something, or intend to try and do something, if and when they return to power, the Cons or the Dems have to knock it in such derogatory terms, they are at it now, even as I write this piece
What I want to know is how can anyone, politician or follower/ party member , call anyone else in politics a hypocrite, I mean, they all are, right WE DO KNOW THIS, don't we? Dr Clark, the last one there is on about the hypocrites in the Tories and was also recently slating them for the number of Tory supporters who received *honours* in the new years honours list. Just who the hell does he thinks gets 'honours' in the New Years list when Labour are in government......
Labour slating the government for not doing enough to bring back social housing, which they, the Tories, destroyed with their 'Right to Buy' scheme, but Labour had ten years in power and did nothing about it then, but sicken us all when they are not in power by harping back to a policy that is 30 years old now and which they could have reversed if they weren't so intent in going to war in Iraq and elsewhere!
Both parties, are on about our obese society, hey now they are talking about me so it's getting personal, but it was successive Labour and Tory governments, reverse the order if you need to, who allowed school sports fields to be sold off and PE to be reduced to a side bar on the schools curriculum ......
I really, really have just had about my fill of these 'people', and sometimes find myself wishing that another Guido would come along and this time manage to blow up the Palace of Westminster, with them all in it, I really do.....
So what is the answer, Lord knows as I don't, it seems to be the inherent nature of the animal of national politics that we revert to snipe and gripe on anything that 'we' haven't done or propose to do so maybe it's time to get rid of national parliaments per say...
Local politicians can be just as bad as their national counterparts in terms of the snipe and snide but let's look to getting rid of the national government and the House of Lords, if for no other reason than it would get rid of two tiers of highly overpaid and highly over compensated sets of self anointed grandiose windbags who claim a fortune in benefits for little good impact on our lives.
It could be replaced by a house of representatives who could be drawn on rotation from local government, keep the civil servants in place to administer the country but have these local representatives also run the country. The law can be changed, as it should be now, to allow constituents to recall their politician, who was not performing as well as he or she should be. Let's face it, there is, in terms of Health and Safety Law in this country, an absolute legal requirement on directors of companies to ensure that the persons and or contractors that they are appointing to do a job, are absolutely capable of doing the job they are appointed to do, yet along comes Tony Blair or Gordon Brown or David Cameron or Nick Clegg and they are running the country without anyone being able to say that they are capable of doing so, and let's face it, none of them have been very good at it, now answer honestly, have they?
I'll admit, I haven't given this much thought, it was brought on this morning as a result of a tweet from a good Twitter friend, @ian_beckett who just happens to be a local labour councillor, although I try not to hold that against him, but I think we should consider dismantling Parliament and going down the local route, with a national house of representatives drawn from their number on a rotational basis, served by and advised by civil servants. Just think of the money saved by getting rid of the other two lots alone!
What say you, The People?
On this side of the Atlantic they are of course, in my opinion, just as bad; with everything the ConDems try and do being soundly reproached by Labour and their followers, whether it has merit or not! And of course if Labour suggests that they are going to do something, or intend to try and do something, if and when they return to power, the Cons or the Dems have to knock it in such derogatory terms, they are at it now, even as I write this piece
In Andy Burham's Britain, will government decide what toppings you can have on your pizza. Pepperoni! Anchovies!? Too salty, Sir
Douglas Carswell MP @DouglasCarswellIn Andy Burnham's Britain: Easter egg hunt, kids limited to finding one egg each.#LoopyLabour
Éoin @DrEoinClWhy the Tories are hypocrites for threatening "fat" people.http://www.greenbenchesuk.com/2013/01/why-tories-are-hypocrites-for.html …
Labour slating the government for not doing enough to bring back social housing, which they, the Tories, destroyed with their 'Right to Buy' scheme, but Labour had ten years in power and did nothing about it then, but sicken us all when they are not in power by harping back to a policy that is 30 years old now and which they could have reversed if they weren't so intent in going to war in Iraq and elsewhere!
Both parties, are on about our obese society, hey now they are talking about me so it's getting personal, but it was successive Labour and Tory governments, reverse the order if you need to, who allowed school sports fields to be sold off and PE to be reduced to a side bar on the schools curriculum ......
I really, really have just had about my fill of these 'people', and sometimes find myself wishing that another Guido would come along and this time manage to blow up the Palace of Westminster, with them all in it, I really do.....
So what is the answer, Lord knows as I don't, it seems to be the inherent nature of the animal of national politics that we revert to snipe and gripe on anything that 'we' haven't done or propose to do so maybe it's time to get rid of national parliaments per say...
Local politicians can be just as bad as their national counterparts in terms of the snipe and snide but let's look to getting rid of the national government and the House of Lords, if for no other reason than it would get rid of two tiers of highly overpaid and highly over compensated sets of self anointed grandiose windbags who claim a fortune in benefits for little good impact on our lives.
It could be replaced by a house of representatives who could be drawn on rotation from local government, keep the civil servants in place to administer the country but have these local representatives also run the country. The law can be changed, as it should be now, to allow constituents to recall their politician, who was not performing as well as he or she should be. Let's face it, there is, in terms of Health and Safety Law in this country, an absolute legal requirement on directors of companies to ensure that the persons and or contractors that they are appointing to do a job, are absolutely capable of doing the job they are appointed to do, yet along comes Tony Blair or Gordon Brown or David Cameron or Nick Clegg and they are running the country without anyone being able to say that they are capable of doing so, and let's face it, none of them have been very good at it, now answer honestly, have they?
I'll admit, I haven't given this much thought, it was brought on this morning as a result of a tweet from a good Twitter friend, @ian_beckett who just happens to be a local labour councillor, although I try not to hold that against him, but I think we should consider dismantling Parliament and going down the local route, with a national house of representatives drawn from their number on a rotational basis, served by and advised by civil servants. Just think of the money saved by getting rid of the other two lots alone!
What say you, The People?
Saturday, 3 November 2012
tesco, you really are a bunch of arseholes
We all know that tesco have hit a bit of a slump over the past couple of years, for goodness sake even the likes of Aldi and Lidl are, on floor space and cost alone, giving them a hiding on the number of bums through the door each week, and is it any wonder.
They still continue to serve up the same old sorry and worn out ideas to try and tempt us through the door and then they still give you the same shabby service and not just in-store either. Tesco mobile has to be one of the worst customer service providers out there. You'd think that even with having call centres based in the UK that service would be top class but no, that is not the case.
And yet, time after time and disappointment after disappointment I still try and give them a second and a third and a fourth chance, but just when do you give up on them.....
Earlier this year I visited tesco Thurrock on a Saturday, I had a couple of the grand kids visiting for the weekend. And while there we decided to purchase a couple of DVD's. We got one for the kids at about £7 or £8 and one for me about £15. On arriving home the kids wanted to watch their video so once we got settled in it went. Didn't work! Tried the one bought for the biggies, worked, tried a couple more of the shelf, just to make sure it wasn't the player, it wasn't!
So off I trot back to tesco with dodgy DVD and receipt in the knowledge that I have been provided with faulty goods under the Sales of Goods Act as described in the preceding link to aWhich? article.
They still continue to serve up the same old sorry and worn out ideas to try and tempt us through the door and then they still give you the same shabby service and not just in-store either. Tesco mobile has to be one of the worst customer service providers out there. You'd think that even with having call centres based in the UK that service would be top class but no, that is not the case.
And yet, time after time and disappointment after disappointment I still try and give them a second and a third and a fourth chance, but just when do you give up on them.....
Earlier this year I visited tesco Thurrock on a Saturday, I had a couple of the grand kids visiting for the weekend. And while there we decided to purchase a couple of DVD's. We got one for the kids at about £7 or £8 and one for me about £15. On arriving home the kids wanted to watch their video so once we got settled in it went. Didn't work! Tried the one bought for the biggies, worked, tried a couple more of the shelf, just to make sure it wasn't the player, it wasn't!
So off I trot back to tesco with dodgy DVD and receipt in the knowledge that I have been provided with faulty goods under the Sales of Goods Act as described in the preceding link to aWhich? article.
When you buy goods it means you've entered into a contract with the seller of these goods.
This means that under the Sale of Goods Act 1979 goods must be:
- as described,
- of satisfactory quality, and
- fit for purpose – this means both their everyday purpose, and also any specific purpose that you agreed with the seller (for example, if you specifically asked for a printer that would be compatible with your computer).
Goods sold must also match any sample you were shown in-store, or any description in a brochure.
Who to complain to
If your goods fail to meet any of the above criteria then you could have a claim under the Sale of Goods Act.
If you want to make a claim under the Sale of Goods Act you have several possible ways of resolving your issue, depending on the circumstances and on what you want done.
Your rights are against the retailer – the company that sold you the product – not the manufacturer, and so you must make any claim against the retailer.
However, the Sale of Goods Act doesn't apply to goods you've bought on hire purchase (HP).
Instead the Supply of Goods Implied Terms Act 1973 applies, which makes the HP company responsible for the quality of the goods supplied and gives you slightly different rights.
If you want your money back
If you buy a product that turns out to be faulty, you can choose to reject it which means you can give it back and get your money back.
But, the law only gives you a reasonable time to do this – what's reasonable depends on the product and how obvious the fault is. YOU'D THINK MY COUPLE OF HOURS WAS OK THEN!
However, even with major purchases or complex items, it’s safest to work on the basis you usually have no more than three to four weeks from when you receive it to reject it.
So, knowing that and taking it back within a cpl of hours you'd think, NO PROBLEM, not on your nelly. tesco staff in Thurrock insisted that they would not and could not give a refund, even in the face of the law and started citing some crap about copyright law!!! I assumed they think that you buy it, take it home and copy it, and then return it. Even although I had my receipt showing I purchased two videos and I was returning the one that was the cheapest, just how stupid and asinine are the people employed in these stores? I was going to go to trading standards on the following Monday but when I got home I phoned their customer services, explained the situation and of my intention to inform Trading standards. They were actually, on that occasion quite helpful and agreed that the store was incorrect and agreed to make a refund to my card. But it shouldn't have taken the phone call in the first place and it then shouldn't have taken 5 days to make the refund....
The latest escapade which shows them to be incompetent idiots is with tesco mobile.
I am not a big fan of mobiles in the first place but they do have there uses. Up until recently and by that I mean about two years ago, I had a bog standard one, but Ishbel and the kids kept going on to me about getting a smart phone. Not using a mobile enough to get one on contract I looked around and opted for a pay as you go HTC from Tesco. Not a bad wee phone and you got additional free credit when topping up.
A pain in the butt with all the preloaded stuff and numbers that I was never going to use and which you can't get rid of in the address book, but what the hell.
Everything seemed to go OK and then you start getting all these stupid text messages from them advertising this that and the other and informing you when your balance is getting low and advising you to top up again. And when do they send these messages, well normally at the weekend when you are trying to have a lie in. Yes early on a Saturday morning AND YOU CANT TURN THEM OFF.
Now if anyone out there is on a pay as you go, with anyone, you will know that after every call or text you make or send, that the phone operator automatically flashes a message to your screen telling you how much the call cost and how much your balance is SO WHY DO TESCO ALSO NEED TO SEND A TEXT ON A SATURDAY MORNING???????
Now I should point out at the end of these texts they do include a little message stating that if you want to stop them you should call 2702 to get the texts stopped. The only problem with that is there isn't actually an option within that, that I can find, which allows you to do this!
You then call customer (unhelpful) services, Nicola, and explain the problem to her including the fact that when you get through to 2702 there isn't the promised option!
Nicola: we can do that for you now, just need to take you through security
Me: ok
Nicola: your mobile number
Me: give it her
Nicola: Your balance
Me: What?
Nicola: I need your current balance
Me: What, don't be ridiculous, they only way I can get that is by hanging up dialling the number for the balance and then calling back and then I will get someone else and have to go through it all again. If you really are CS and care about the customer and sorting their issues out why don't you call me back in about 30-40 seconds as it will only take about 10 seconds to do that?
Nicola: No. we can't make outgoing calls
Me: getting really rat arsed now But say is that all I need
Nicola: Yes and I will make sure notes are up to date on your file (I have a file) so the next person knows what it is all about!
Hang up get my balance and call again
Ryan: how may I help
Me: give him my name and number and say there should be a note on 'my file' from Nicola
Ryan: I see that I just need to take you through security
Me: (to myself) Oh my fucking god ) I've just been through this and all you need is the balance, which I give him
Ryan: Thanks, now When did you last top up, where did you last top up, how much did you last top up with, how did you pay for it, cash or card........
As you can imagine I went ballistic I think I had every right to. This is just downright fucking stupid. It is a pay as you go mobile phone with the owner just wishing to have stupid text messages being sent to his phone stopped.
I understand the need for security, I really do, but this is just taking it to ridiculous levels. Even if someone had stolen the phone, are they likely to want to go through this much pain and crap just to get a text message stopped, NO, not bloody likely. They would have sold it on or changed the sim card for a 50p one they would have bought down the market at the same time as they had the phone unlocked, which is what I will probably be doing so that I can put someone else's pay as you go sim card in rather than continue to suffer at the hands of this appalling company
TESCO YOU REALLY DO SUCK IN EVERY DPT and people count your blessings I am not telling you about the mattress problems I was getting for the grand childrens new beds recently
Saturday, 20 October 2012
No More Freedom
I was sitting watching the news on BBC 1 last night (Friday 19th October) and there was an article on the SNP and of course Independence and Scotland's continued affiliation to NATO, should they indeed win their 'freedom' from the remainder of the the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland?
The SNP are a few years older than NATO, the former born in 1934, the latter born out of the ashes of WWII in 1949 and I think I am correct in thinking that the SNP have been totally opposed to them since their inception. The only reason I mention that little fact is that now with the referendum set to go ahead in a couple of years, yesterday, the SNP conference voted to elect to remain a member of that august body, but hopefully (for them - me I'm indifferent to the whole question) without allowing the nuclear deterrent to also remain within Scottish borders! I just mention it to highlight the fact that once again another political party has without one iota of embarrassment discarded one of the main planks of its policy with no shame and as they have never been able to get a majority in the opinion polls over 39% (I think it was sitting at that at the beginning of this year, but it's now down around 30% at the moment) they are also informing Scottish voters that every single one of them will get a £500 cash payment for voting yes to FREEDOM from the ENGLISH, WELSH and NORTHERN IRISH! Incidentally, apparently there is also a poll out at the moment which says that £500 is precisely the amount it would take for Scottish individuals to be given, and accept, as the Judas Silver, to break up the Union!
So, anyway as I watched and listened to the article they started to do a segment of snap interviews after the vote was taken and agreed and a really old chap attending the conference was asked his opinion.
I have no idea what his response was as I suddenly started thinking about an other article I had read on line from The Telegraph about a debate on the freedom of speech, you can read the whole article here , but here are a couple of snippets;
We are told that Section 5, of the Public Order Act, which outlaws threatening, abusive and insulting words or behaviour is having a "chilling effect on free expression and free protest". And, clearly from these instances above, so it seems. Every day we hear stories of people being arrested, charged, fined and imprisoned for saying things that someone sitting in an office or indeed someone sitting anywhere can hear someone say something first or second hand, phone their local police office, complain and sooner than you can say or think 'all politicians are tossers', you'll have a copper on you door.
Andrew Mitchell MP, of Plebgate fame who has just resigned, why? Because he allegedly called a cop on a gate a pleb! For Christ's sake, he probably is. It's a word for the love of God, other deity's are available.....
In the words of Mr Atkinson: "The clear problem of the outlawing of insult is that too many things can be interpreted as such. Criticism, ridicule, sarcasm, merely stating an alternative point of view to the orthodoxy, can be interpreted as insult."
and all of the above because as I was sitting watching the report and seeing the aforementioned really, really old chap I was thinking, "What the hell is he doing in the SNP looking for independence, for gods sake,surely he won't be around long enough to see it" , as you do, but, then I thought can I actually put that out there on the Twitter-verse or will the police turn up on my doorstep to charge me for causing offence to all elderly gentleman in Scotland and in the SNP?
So, you have been warned, choose your words carefully out there.
The SNP are a few years older than NATO, the former born in 1934, the latter born out of the ashes of WWII in 1949 and I think I am correct in thinking that the SNP have been totally opposed to them since their inception. The only reason I mention that little fact is that now with the referendum set to go ahead in a couple of years, yesterday, the SNP conference voted to elect to remain a member of that august body, but hopefully (for them - me I'm indifferent to the whole question) without allowing the nuclear deterrent to also remain within Scottish borders! I just mention it to highlight the fact that once again another political party has without one iota of embarrassment discarded one of the main planks of its policy with no shame and as they have never been able to get a majority in the opinion polls over 39% (I think it was sitting at that at the beginning of this year, but it's now down around 30% at the moment) they are also informing Scottish voters that every single one of them will get a £500 cash payment for voting yes to FREEDOM from the ENGLISH, WELSH and NORTHERN IRISH! Incidentally, apparently there is also a poll out at the moment which says that £500 is precisely the amount it would take for Scottish individuals to be given, and accept, as the Judas Silver, to break up the Union!
So, anyway as I watched and listened to the article they started to do a segment of snap interviews after the vote was taken and agreed and a really old chap attending the conference was asked his opinion.
I have no idea what his response was as I suddenly started thinking about an other article I had read on line from The Telegraph about a debate on the freedom of speech, you can read the whole article here , but here are a couple of snippets;
The Blackadder and Mr Bean star attacked the "creeping culture of censoriousness" which has resulted in the arrest of a Christian preacher, a critic of Scientology and even a student making a joke, it was reported.
a 16-year-old boy being held for peacefully holding a placard reading "Scientology is a dangerous cult", and gay rights campaigners from the group Outrage! detained when they protested against Islamic fundamentalist group Hizb ut-Tahrir over its stance on gays, Jews and women.
We are told that Section 5, of the Public Order Act, which outlaws threatening, abusive and insulting words or behaviour is having a "chilling effect on free expression and free protest". And, clearly from these instances above, so it seems. Every day we hear stories of people being arrested, charged, fined and imprisoned for saying things that someone sitting in an office or indeed someone sitting anywhere can hear someone say something first or second hand, phone their local police office, complain and sooner than you can say or think 'all politicians are tossers', you'll have a copper on you door.
Andrew Mitchell MP, of Plebgate fame who has just resigned, why? Because he allegedly called a cop on a gate a pleb! For Christ's sake, he probably is. It's a word for the love of God, other deity's are available.....
In the words of Mr Atkinson: "The clear problem of the outlawing of insult is that too many things can be interpreted as such. Criticism, ridicule, sarcasm, merely stating an alternative point of view to the orthodoxy, can be interpreted as insult."
and all of the above because as I was sitting watching the report and seeing the aforementioned really, really old chap I was thinking, "What the hell is he doing in the SNP looking for independence, for gods sake,surely he won't be around long enough to see it" , as you do, but, then I thought can I actually put that out there on the Twitter-verse or will the police turn up on my doorstep to charge me for causing offence to all elderly gentleman in Scotland and in the SNP?
So, you have been warned, choose your words carefully out there.
Wednesday, 26 September 2012
The Guardian wants you to be taxed for using the internet!
As you know, it is very rare for me to pay for news via a printed newspaper. I was mighty impressed when The Guardian broke the story of the swindling members of parliament and then the phone hacking that saw the closure of the news of the (SCREWS) world. Absolutely no loss to the world at all.
But even the Guardian couldn't entice me back to being a full time reader of news through the medium of news print. It is only on occasion that I am drawn to them through their free to all, on-line news service still preferring to get my news from on-line newspaper articles suggested to me from others or the TV.
I am not alone in this, not reading newspapers, as the Internet has given us the choice not to need them. On my way home this evening I was listening to The Media Show on BBC Radio 4 and heard Mr David Lee, Investigations Editor of The Guardian newspaper pontificating on about his idea of introducing a Broadband Internet Levy to raise an annual fund to be handed out to all newspapers. You can listen to the new breed of street beggar here
Clearly we need choices in anything that is out there to be able to get different views and perspectives. First it was word of mouth and stories were passed along from person to person, village to village and town to town. Then came the written word or pictogram on rock, then slate then paper with one page news, then newspapers, then telegraph, radio and finally TV. Now, I understand that when papers where in their heyday they were making vast fortunes and creating rich dynasty's, so it's a bit rich when one of these dynasty's who year on year and in some cases decade after decade, are producing their very expensive and loss making pages, and I understand that the prats at the Guardian are losing about £100k per day are now suggesting that a £2.00 per month levy on broadband internet users and this should raise about £500 million per year to be used to bale out the newspaper industry? What a bloody nerve, if they can't operate profitably - close down. So, I don't read newspapers and if I did want to read one in paper form, I can walk to the local shop and pay across the counter for it, but what I shouldn't be asked for, is to pay a TAX that is going to prop up failing businesses that I can live without to pay people who cannot run a profitable business. Some may argue then that we should have left the banks to their own devices, but that is another argument all together, but, newspapers, NO, NOT NOW, NOT EVER!
We have TV, Radio and the Internet, if newspapers are a loss making medium how can they continue to pay, presumably high, salaries and dividends each year but expect to receive funding from the TaxPayer when it is not a company providing a critically required service to the nation, a bit like Channel 4, a commercial company, also funded by the Taxpayer. Just think how much we could shave of the license fee if we stopped funding A COMMERCIAL COMPANY.
So, to Mr Lee and The Guardian, start making a profit or shut up shop, but don't ever ask me for a hand out, I can watch the news or read one of the great blogs out there on the internet for my daily dose of news without baling you or any other commercially failing company!
But even the Guardian couldn't entice me back to being a full time reader of news through the medium of news print. It is only on occasion that I am drawn to them through their free to all, on-line news service still preferring to get my news from on-line newspaper articles suggested to me from others or the TV.
I am not alone in this, not reading newspapers, as the Internet has given us the choice not to need them. On my way home this evening I was listening to The Media Show on BBC Radio 4 and heard Mr David Lee, Investigations Editor of The Guardian newspaper pontificating on about his idea of introducing a Broadband Internet Levy to raise an annual fund to be handed out to all newspapers. You can listen to the new breed of street beggar here
Clearly we need choices in anything that is out there to be able to get different views and perspectives. First it was word of mouth and stories were passed along from person to person, village to village and town to town. Then came the written word or pictogram on rock, then slate then paper with one page news, then newspapers, then telegraph, radio and finally TV. Now, I understand that when papers where in their heyday they were making vast fortunes and creating rich dynasty's, so it's a bit rich when one of these dynasty's who year on year and in some cases decade after decade, are producing their very expensive and loss making pages, and I understand that the prats at the Guardian are losing about £100k per day are now suggesting that a £2.00 per month levy on broadband internet users and this should raise about £500 million per year to be used to bale out the newspaper industry? What a bloody nerve, if they can't operate profitably - close down. So, I don't read newspapers and if I did want to read one in paper form, I can walk to the local shop and pay across the counter for it, but what I shouldn't be asked for, is to pay a TAX that is going to prop up failing businesses that I can live without to pay people who cannot run a profitable business. Some may argue then that we should have left the banks to their own devices, but that is another argument all together, but, newspapers, NO, NOT NOW, NOT EVER!
We have TV, Radio and the Internet, if newspapers are a loss making medium how can they continue to pay, presumably high, salaries and dividends each year but expect to receive funding from the TaxPayer when it is not a company providing a critically required service to the nation, a bit like Channel 4, a commercial company, also funded by the Taxpayer. Just think how much we could shave of the license fee if we stopped funding A COMMERCIAL COMPANY.
So, to Mr Lee and The Guardian, start making a profit or shut up shop, but don't ever ask me for a hand out, I can watch the news or read one of the great blogs out there on the internet for my daily dose of news without baling you or any other commercially failing company!
Sunday, 15 July 2012
Friday, 13 July 2012
British Gas or the Inquisition - is there a difference?
You will recall, that I have made passing reference to those halfwits at British Gas, in the past, well F**k me sideways with a sledgehammer if they are not at it again.
In 2011 we discovered that they had been charging us for a sub meter. Now a sub meter is, and forgive me if you knew this already, is one that is drawing power from the main meter. The main meter is the one that the utility company bills on and the sub meter is usually the one that the tenant has installed to check on usage of a particular system or to recharge a sub tenant, but not to my knowledge, never billed by a utility company!
Anyway we took them to the Ombudsman over this, won our case and had all monies plus a small compensatory sum refunded.
Thirteen months later I open the post and get a letter from them about the self same meter; This is my response;
In 2011 we discovered that they had been charging us for a sub meter. Now a sub meter is, and forgive me if you knew this already, is one that is drawing power from the main meter. The main meter is the one that the utility company bills on and the sub meter is usually the one that the tenant has installed to check on usage of a particular system or to recharge a sub tenant, but not to my knowledge, never billed by a utility company!
Anyway we took them to the Ombudsman over this, won our case and had all monies plus a small compensatory sum refunded.
Thirteen months later I open the post and get a letter from them about the self same meter; This is my response;
13th July 2012
British Gas
Business Renewals Team
Spinneyside
Penman Way
Grove Park
Leicester
LE19 1SZ
FAO: Alan Moody,
Head of SME Sales
Dear Sirs,
SITE ADDRESS:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I am in receipt of your letter dated 30th June
2012 in regard to ‘ RENEWING YOUR FIXED TERM ELECTRICITY CONTRACT’.
You then go on to state in the opening paragraph of the
‘Renewing’ letter that, “We value your business, and our products, services and
customer benefits all reflect our commitment to putting our customers’ needs
first.”
The only problem with that statement is that it is bland
and so full of buls**t that only the people making it can really believe that
there is any truth in it.
You say, “Thank you for being a British Gas Customer” If
it was a choice between being your customer and being a victim of the
inquisition, where I would be stretched on the rack, have hot pokers stuck into
orifices and sharp sticks poked in my eyes, I think the inquisition would be
the less painful option in the long term and more preferable too
Come on, really!
It doesn’t matter how big an organisation is; there really must and
should be systems in place to prevent you from screwing up all the time, but if
you have them, either you and or your staff are ignoring them, as you really
don’t give a fig about the misery you inflict on customers and or potential
customers, or, you just have no idea how to manage your own systems. I’m leaning toward both points actually; you
don’t give a fig about customers and you have no idea what you are doing!
In regard to this renewal of ‘our’ fixed term contract
against reference number xxxxxxxxxx,
WE DO NOT HAVE A CONTRACT WITH YOU ON THIS PROPERTY.
We took you to the ombudsman over this property, case ref
xxxxxxx, in 2011 AND WON.
Your own Mrs Beverley Booth, based in Leicester, wrote to
us on 6th May 2011, full of apologies and to discuss a total refund,
and here we are 13 months later with you chancing your arm again attempting to hijack another account that now doesn’t even come under our remit in terms of
utility bills, as the property is leased, and by the way I speak with the
tenant, who is contracted to another utility company, so you will be getting
the same response from him, if you attempt to blag your way there!
Do try getting your house in order, please!
Yours sincerely
They really do make you want to KILLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!
UPDATE: 19th July and I still want to kill!!!!!!!!!
Just received a call from Reagan, who sounded as if she was possibly North American, but you know me and accents:
Anyway Reagan, from Customer complaints, who after reading my vitriol laden letter above, took it upon herself to phone me and to apologise personally for the original letter being sent out and to assure me that in regard to the property in question, that it was not under contract between XXX and British Gas and to further assure me that nothing like this will happen again.
Oh dear! Now I know what you're thinking....... well suffice it to say Reagan was left in no doubt what I thought about her assurances as I pointed out I have had these on numerous occasions in the past from British Gas employees and all it does, is make 'personal liars' out of the people making them. Why, even although you work for an organisation would you offer your personal assurances, when the A***holes you work for are not capable of keeping them.
Why on reading what this guy thinks of you as an organisation, would you take the decision to phone him, rather than just send a letter with a meaningless apology?
I know I shouldn't react to them in the way that I do, but they are just so appalling in their customer service that the thought of actually talking to them, even when the individuals themselves are probably nice people, the company name in itself is just enough to make me want to lash out at them......
She is now going to send me a letter confirming that there is NO ACCOUNT and no doubt make a file note marked in bold DO NOT F*****G phone this man EVER....
UPDATE: 19th July and I still want to kill!!!!!!!!!
Just received a call from Reagan, who sounded as if she was possibly North American, but you know me and accents:
Anyway Reagan, from Customer complaints, who after reading my vitriol laden letter above, took it upon herself to phone me and to apologise personally for the original letter being sent out and to assure me that in regard to the property in question, that it was not under contract between XXX and British Gas and to further assure me that nothing like this will happen again.
Oh dear! Now I know what you're thinking....... well suffice it to say Reagan was left in no doubt what I thought about her assurances as I pointed out I have had these on numerous occasions in the past from British Gas employees and all it does, is make 'personal liars' out of the people making them. Why, even although you work for an organisation would you offer your personal assurances, when the A***holes you work for are not capable of keeping them.
Why on reading what this guy thinks of you as an organisation, would you take the decision to phone him, rather than just send a letter with a meaningless apology?
I know I shouldn't react to them in the way that I do, but they are just so appalling in their customer service that the thought of actually talking to them, even when the individuals themselves are probably nice people, the company name in itself is just enough to make me want to lash out at them......
She is now going to send me a letter confirming that there is NO ACCOUNT and no doubt make a file note marked in bold DO NOT F*****G phone this man EVER....
Saturday, 30 June 2012
The Real Cost of out of Control Capitalism!
A couple of stories, just a couple but there are many more out there just as bad, that caught my eye.
From the UK, this one seems to suggest that the stringent budget cuts across the board is resulting in, "public spending cuts causing more road deaths?" and of course it is also reported this week that Local Authorities, "will have 'no money' for main services by 2020"
And the third story to catch my eye is that Stockton in the USA, with a population of 300,000 is to be declared bankrupt, but to me that is not the story here, as it just surprises me that not more cities and towns are going bankrupt, and I'll explain that in a moment. No the story is that since they laid off 20% of their Police Force, the crime rate has soared and continues to do so with gang members baiting the remaining officers with taunts asking how long before they lose their jobs!
A couple of weeks ago I commented on 'unemployment' again, and a good Twitter Friend, Ian Beckett who just happens to be a Local Labour Councillor in Harlow Essex, but please don't hold that against him, he is a nice guy; commented that as long as the local community pulled together and created local jobs, all would be well! Bless him, nice, lovely guy but I'm sure he wears rose tinted spectacles.
It's a lovely thought mind you, if local communities could create enough jobs to put everyone into a placement where they could go out and earn a decent living, enough to be able to live and to pay for rent, mortgage, and living, without relying on state benefit's, but they can't, and they can't for a number of reasons. Not least by the fact that we have created generations of the same families who have never worked and don't want to work.
In fact I was having another conversation with an electrician in my office last week and the thought struck me as we chatted that there will always be a need, no matter how technologically advance we become, for certain skill sets such as:
Electricians and Plumbers, but do you know what I was hard pressed to think of any other jobs that could in fact be jobs for life! Carpenters, Brickies, Manufacturers, i.e. people who make and build stuff. You'd think they would all be in demand, I think their time is running out too.
And this caught my attention earlier in the week as well, it was a photo of the old Bryant and May factory in London and the tag line was:
(More images of Britain from above, can be found here)
Of course during the 20's and including WWII factories like this one covered not only our country but most of the Western World and like the one above. Whether they were making matches or cars and trucks, bricks for building or any number of thousands of people were employed on shifts work, twenty four hours a day, 365 days a year, but even with these behemoths with their armies of workers spewing out their goods, there was never a time of 'Full Employment'.
Take a look these:
Dodge Assembly Line 1950's
Modern Assembly line
Now if we couldn't give, and guarantee full employment, when factories around the world were employing thousands of people around the clock with no robotics and mechanisation with computers running everything, what makes governments and for that matter local politicians believe that they can do so now.
And, it can only get worse. I did suggest that possible electricians and the like will always find employment, but even that is not the case, if we go back to Stockton, near the city dump where a mini Skid Row has sprung up with tents and cardboard shelters. More than 400 people, a third of them children, sleep at the nearby Shelter for the Homeless. Shelter Director John Reynolds said,
Over 2 million people are unemployed in the UK today and while there has been a marginal decrease in the figures reported in June 2012 the long term prospects can only get worse. See Unemployment tracker
1 in 4 of school leavers aged 16 and the same for 21 year old graduates will probably never get a job
.
Technology is racing ahead, and why shouldn't it but the cost of technology advancement is jobs. It is estimated that within the next fifteen years that the new 'print' technology will be able to manufacture whole buildings, so much for the building trade and the tens of thousands that it employs then;
And what of the have nots, the further generations, added to those previous generations that don't have a job and will never have one? Will governments be raising enough in taxation to feed them at food banks or will me see more and more riots on our streets. And of course if law enforcement and military are being laid off because governments and councils can't afford them, do we revert to creating cities and ghettoes like that seen in 'futuristic movies, where the peasants and the feckless are walled in with gunships keeping them penned up and away from the 'chosen ones' who had money!
It just seems to me that no government has any answers to these issues and whether or not they are actually thinking about them is debatable, but one thing is certain, it can only get worse!
If the unemployed figures keep rising then there is less revenue in taxes. If taxes aren't being raised how can governments, councils and cities pay for the services they need, we are on a slope and someone somewhere keeps pouring oil onto it making it more slippery, year by year and yet not one politician from any political hue seems to be talking about it. It's as if their is a collective sense of 'omerta' in that if we don't talk about it in a serious fashion (if at all), it will go away. It wont and rebellion and riots are the likely outcome.
What do you think?
From the UK, this one seems to suggest that the stringent budget cuts across the board is resulting in, "public spending cuts causing more road deaths?" and of course it is also reported this week that Local Authorities, "will have 'no money' for main services by 2020"
And the third story to catch my eye is that Stockton in the USA, with a population of 300,000 is to be declared bankrupt, but to me that is not the story here, as it just surprises me that not more cities and towns are going bankrupt, and I'll explain that in a moment. No the story is that since they laid off 20% of their Police Force, the crime rate has soared and continues to do so with gang members baiting the remaining officers with taunts asking how long before they lose their jobs!
A couple of weeks ago I commented on 'unemployment' again, and a good Twitter Friend, Ian Beckett who just happens to be a Local Labour Councillor in Harlow Essex, but please don't hold that against him, he is a nice guy; commented that as long as the local community pulled together and created local jobs, all would be well! Bless him, nice, lovely guy but I'm sure he wears rose tinted spectacles.
It's a lovely thought mind you, if local communities could create enough jobs to put everyone into a placement where they could go out and earn a decent living, enough to be able to live and to pay for rent, mortgage, and living, without relying on state benefit's, but they can't, and they can't for a number of reasons. Not least by the fact that we have created generations of the same families who have never worked and don't want to work.
In fact I was having another conversation with an electrician in my office last week and the thought struck me as we chatted that there will always be a need, no matter how technologically advance we become, for certain skill sets such as:
Electricians and Plumbers, but do you know what I was hard pressed to think of any other jobs that could in fact be jobs for life! Carpenters, Brickies, Manufacturers, i.e. people who make and build stuff. You'd think they would all be in demand, I think their time is running out too.
And this caught my attention earlier in the week as well, it was a photo of the old Bryant and May factory in London and the tag line was:
"The Bryant & May Match Factory, Bow, London. January 1920. Redeveloped into residential accommodation in the 1980’s the Bryant & May Match Factory was the site of the Match Girls Strike in 1888 that culminated in the establishment of the first British trade union for women. At its peak it’s said there were more than 3000 women and girls working at this site."
(More images of Britain from above, can be found here)
Of course during the 20's and including WWII factories like this one covered not only our country but most of the Western World and like the one above. Whether they were making matches or cars and trucks, bricks for building or any number of thousands of people were employed on shifts work, twenty four hours a day, 365 days a year, but even with these behemoths with their armies of workers spewing out their goods, there was never a time of 'Full Employment'.
Take a look these:
Dodge Assembly Line 1950's
Modern Assembly line
Now if we couldn't give, and guarantee full employment, when factories around the world were employing thousands of people around the clock with no robotics and mechanisation with computers running everything, what makes governments and for that matter local politicians believe that they can do so now.
And, it can only get worse. I did suggest that possible electricians and the like will always find employment, but even that is not the case, if we go back to Stockton, near the city dump where a mini Skid Row has sprung up with tents and cardboard shelters. More than 400 people, a third of them children, sleep at the nearby Shelter for the Homeless. Shelter Director John Reynolds said,
"I'm seeing people that shouldn't be here, people that had good jobs like electricians, nurses, retail managers, people with businesses, people who were living in four or five bedroom homes."So all these people in Stockton and elsewhere in the US are living in Skid Row and having to go to 'Food Banks' something we thought we would never see in the UK, think again, apparently,
And it can only get worse!
- 13 million people live below the poverty line in the UK. Our foodbank provides a minimum of 3 days emergency food and support to local people in crisis
Over 2 million people are unemployed in the UK today and while there has been a marginal decrease in the figures reported in June 2012 the long term prospects can only get worse. See Unemployment tracker
1 in 4 of school leavers aged 16 and the same for 21 year old graduates will probably never get a job
.
Technology is racing ahead, and why shouldn't it but the cost of technology advancement is jobs. It is estimated that within the next fifteen years that the new 'print' technology will be able to manufacture whole buildings, so much for the building trade and the tens of thousands that it employs then;
within a decade or two, it is likely many homes will have one of these printers in their home, downloading and printing off whatever is needed.Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2160974/Clever-3D-printing-Yoda-helps-explain-latest-technology-innovation.html#ixzz1zEFu2qne
For instance, if you lose the battery cover for your phone, chances are someone else has done the same - and will have built you a plan.
Indeed, your mobile maker may well release these plans for their customers.
Or you may use a printer for cutlery, for toys, or simply anything that you need in your home which isn't electrical or perishable.
It may be a big change, but don't fear it, for as Yoda, might tell us: 'Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering'
So, for those who have a home and a job, they'll have printer in it, but they wont need to go to the mall to buy anything, all they need to do is print it out.
And what of the have nots, the further generations, added to those previous generations that don't have a job and will never have one? Will governments be raising enough in taxation to feed them at food banks or will me see more and more riots on our streets. And of course if law enforcement and military are being laid off because governments and councils can't afford them, do we revert to creating cities and ghettoes like that seen in 'futuristic movies, where the peasants and the feckless are walled in with gunships keeping them penned up and away from the 'chosen ones' who had money!
It just seems to me that no government has any answers to these issues and whether or not they are actually thinking about them is debatable, but one thing is certain, it can only get worse!
If the unemployed figures keep rising then there is less revenue in taxes. If taxes aren't being raised how can governments, councils and cities pay for the services they need, we are on a slope and someone somewhere keeps pouring oil onto it making it more slippery, year by year and yet not one politician from any political hue seems to be talking about it. It's as if their is a collective sense of 'omerta' in that if we don't talk about it in a serious fashion (if at all), it will go away. It wont and rebellion and riots are the likely outcome.
What do you think?
Wednesday, 20 June 2012
The Shame of the Irish Catholic Church: Update
Update:
The Huff Post reports that;
Last Sunday Pope Benedict XVI, told 75,000 Catholics in a pre recorded video message, that the issue of child abuse by priests was " mystery"
VATICAN CITY -- Pope Benedict XVI told Irish Catholics on Sunday it is a mystery why priests and other church officials abused children entrusted in their care, undermining faith in the church "in an appalling way."The real mystery in all of this is why the hierarchy of this Church still fails to come out and admit that it covered up and contributed to years of child abuse by it's paedophile members, with the additional mystery of why so many people continue to support such a corrupt entity?
My original post on this is here
Monday, 18 June 2012
The Shame of the Irish Catholic Church
Cardinal Sean Brady, as priest was tasked to investigate allegations of child abuse.
He investigated and reported to his Bishop bosses, who took no action, neither did he!
In the words of one victim on the priest who raped him, "He was a disease that the Catholic Church kept moving around from Parish to Parish, spreading that disease as he went from one part of Ireland to another."
John Brady, as a priest chose to take no further action after his reports were submitted yet as Cardinal Sean Brady he believes he has done nothing wrong!
Shocking BBC This World report, watch it here if you can you will probably be sickened as I was, Men of the Cloth, Men of God, right, I think not........
He investigated and reported to his Bishop bosses, who took no action, neither did he!
In the words of one victim on the priest who raped him, "He was a disease that the Catholic Church kept moving around from Parish to Parish, spreading that disease as he went from one part of Ireland to another."
John Brady, as a priest chose to take no further action after his reports were submitted yet as Cardinal Sean Brady he believes he has done nothing wrong!
Shocking BBC This World report, watch it here if you can you will probably be sickened as I was, Men of the Cloth, Men of God, right, I think not........
Update:
The Huff Post reports that;
Last Sunday Pope Benedict XVI, told 75,000 Catholics in a pre recorded video message, that the issue of child abuse by priests was " mystery"
VATICAN CITY -- Pope Benedict XVI told Irish Catholics on Sunday it is a mystery why priests and other church officials abused children entrusted in their care, undermining faith in the church "in an appalling way."The real mystery in all of this is why the hierarchy of this Church still fails to come out and admit that it covered up and contributed to years of child abuse by it's paedophile members, with the additional mystery of why so many people continue to support such a corrupt entity?
Friday, 15 June 2012
Private Policing in the UK, is it New?
I saw a re-tweet this morning from a twitter friend @EmmaGeraln pointing me in the direction of an article in the (on-line) The Telegraph Newspaper, with the headline:-
Prior to my current position I was the Contracted Security and Safety Manager in London Docklands, from Shadwell to Gallions Reach (North Woolwich) on the North of the river Thames and Rotherhithe on the Southbank of the river.
We employed, directly around 200 security officers. These were broken down to, Isle of Dogs and Shadwell, Rotherhithe and Royal Docks. Each area had about 50 uniformed officers employed on static sites, dedicated patrol vehicles and foot patrol officers with the vehicle patrol officers and the foot patrol officers patrolling the streets in London Docklands 24 hours a day 365 days a year and in direct radio contact back to dedicated control rooms. We also employed a 30 strong dedicated road safety unit, responding to any incidents on roads within these areas, again 24/7 and because we had the river and of course various docks within the area we had a marine safety unit too.
The Metropolitan Police obviously had stations in these areas, Limehouse, Isle of Dogs, Shadwell, (Leman Street) and North Woolwich, but we were the dedicated patrolling service from the late 80's to when I took over management of it in the early 90's and it was still there when I left in 98!
Police services in the UK have suffered through mismanagement, by their own Chief Constables and by Government for years, it has been a job for life for most, but policing has changed over the years, but the culture of policing has never been quick, if at all able, to keep up with these changes....
An example of this was in another recent post be me where I wrote,
So, there we have a bunch of Police authorities around the country spending all that money to replace bobbies with a computer because it will,
I am with you though Emma, I don't want to see Private Companies taking over the policing of our towns and cities, but if successive governments and Chief Constables are incapable of managing this much needed public service, what choice do we have? Maybe, the government, with the introduction of American style Police Commissioners ( I'm sorry but I keep thinking Commissioner Gordon from Batman and we all know what a bit of tit he is /was - when I here that phrase) that they also want to see the proliferation of Private Policing Security firms that they have in America too, and by that being introduced, they can then cut back even more, on proper and effective 'real' police forces!
One can only hope that checks on staff are stringent, but from what little I know of the SIA, who 'police' that I do not have a lot of confidence in them either as it is primarily ' a revenue raising service' on charges levied against 'security' companies.....
Security guards to form 'private police force' in city centreYou can read the full article here, the article goes on to report that,
Up to 100 officers could be employed by Securitas to patrol the streets of Manchester in a pioneering deal with local businesses.
They will wear stab-proof vests, cameras to gather evidence and have radios on their utility belts, just like constables.
The security guards will visit shops up to eight times a day and respond within 90 seconds if staff sound a panic alarm.
It is hoped that one team will patrol shopping areas during the daytime while another will keep an eye on bars and restaurants at night.
And although those in the “retail support unit” will not have the power of arrest, eventually they could be allowed to give out on-the-stop fines for offences such as littering.
A member of the Police Federation is quoted as saying,
Ian Hanson, chairman of the Greater Manchester branch of the Police Federation, said of the new security patrol scheme: “This is the sort of function that teams of police officers have performed for years until the cutbacks.
“This is creeping privatisation and the public need to wake up to it before it's too late. Police officers need to be out there detaining people rather than withdrawing from the front line because of government cuts.
"We have been warning for some time that policing is being sold off to the highest bidder. The public and the retailers are being forced into this because GMP quite simply hasn't got the resources to do what we used to do routinely.”Well, I have news for Emma and Ian Hanson, this has been going on for years and not just as a result of the swingeing cuts currently being imposed on Police bodies up and down the country by our esteemed and current government.
Prior to my current position I was the Contracted Security and Safety Manager in London Docklands, from Shadwell to Gallions Reach (North Woolwich) on the North of the river Thames and Rotherhithe on the Southbank of the river.
We employed, directly around 200 security officers. These were broken down to, Isle of Dogs and Shadwell, Rotherhithe and Royal Docks. Each area had about 50 uniformed officers employed on static sites, dedicated patrol vehicles and foot patrol officers with the vehicle patrol officers and the foot patrol officers patrolling the streets in London Docklands 24 hours a day 365 days a year and in direct radio contact back to dedicated control rooms. We also employed a 30 strong dedicated road safety unit, responding to any incidents on roads within these areas, again 24/7 and because we had the river and of course various docks within the area we had a marine safety unit too.
The Metropolitan Police obviously had stations in these areas, Limehouse, Isle of Dogs, Shadwell, (Leman Street) and North Woolwich, but we were the dedicated patrolling service from the late 80's to when I took over management of it in the early 90's and it was still there when I left in 98!
Police services in the UK have suffered through mismanagement, by their own Chief Constables and by Government for years, it has been a job for life for most, but policing has changed over the years, but the culture of policing has never been quick, if at all able, to keep up with these changes....
An example of this was in another recent post be me where I wrote,
instead of looking at more practical ways to make savings, Essex Police along with a bunch of other forces are spending around £32 million quid on a computer system that, as far as I can tell isn't self propelled, doesn't have a built in arsenal to injure, maim or kill the lawbreakers on our streets, and unlike the 'real' Robocop, probably has no sense of humour either!(that post can be read here)
Apparently, according to Essex Chief Constable, Jim Barker-McCardle, ".....this will significantly improve the lives of people in the communities we serve." We will be better able to investigate crime , support victims and reduce threat and harm to vulnerable people."
So, there we have a bunch of Police authorities around the country spending all that money to replace bobbies with a computer because it will,
be better able to investigate crime , support victims and reduce threat and harm to vulnerable people.And is it any wonder that there are not enough Police Men and Women on our streets getting to know the scroats and criminals on their patch, and then we wonder why we have pot factories springing up and burglaries taking place, with seeming impunity.... not really hard to see then why private security companies are getting in on the act, is it.
I am with you though Emma, I don't want to see Private Companies taking over the policing of our towns and cities, but if successive governments and Chief Constables are incapable of managing this much needed public service, what choice do we have? Maybe, the government, with the introduction of American style Police Commissioners ( I'm sorry but I keep thinking Commissioner Gordon from Batman and we all know what a bit of tit he is /was - when I here that phrase) that they also want to see the proliferation of Private Policing Security firms that they have in America too, and by that being introduced, they can then cut back even more, on proper and effective 'real' police forces!
One can only hope that checks on staff are stringent, but from what little I know of the SIA, who 'police' that I do not have a lot of confidence in them either as it is primarily ' a revenue raising service' on charges levied against 'security' companies.....
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
A Labour Lefties Definition of Slavery
Slavery, the definition of that for many people is;
But in the view and opinion of Dr Eoin Clarke, Founder of labour Left and Editor of the Red Book and The Green Benches , Slavery is actually citizens of the United Kingdom VOLUNTEERING to provide their time and energy at the many public events being held this year 2012. Although I would have thought that with his Phd, he must have needed to do quite a bit of research to receive that, one of the highest academic honours, and of course DIAMOND JUBILEE, has almost become a staple of the daily lexicon over recent weeks, so one would have thought that Dr Clarke would have known and edited the blog by Labour MP Grahame Morris, that this is actually the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and not her Silver one as mentioned in his Blog'
Tweet 1:
For the record, again, I am a Republican and would gladly see an end to the Royal family, their extended family and the thousands of hangers on who lead a privlidged life but I bare no ill will to the people who are celebrating 'Their' Queens time as Monarch of our little set of islands and I hope that they all had a great time, even if the weather wan't perfect for them over the last few days.
And again, for the record. I think that the public funding of the Olympics is a national scandal, considering the state our economy is in and listening to all the horror stories about how much they Olympics are charging for tickets, the problems that are going to be created for Londoners and in other parts where events are taking place, is all a high price to pay, but:
No matter where and when this event, and others like them, take part in the world, to compare those, who unlike me, want to take part and help and assist, by VOLUNTEERING their services, to then compare them to people who have no choice, who were torn from family and country, chained, starved, brutalised, tortured and worked to death; is a bit of a stretch, even for a labour leftie.....
And for the record, again, I am not a member of any Political Party, just in case you were wondering..... And being Scottish I would still prefer the United Kingdom to be United and not broken up .... Proud to be a Scott Brit....
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave. (See Wikipedia for full article, here)
But in the view and opinion of Dr Eoin Clarke, Founder of labour Left and Editor of the Red Book and The Green Benches , Slavery is actually citizens of the United Kingdom VOLUNTEERING to provide their time and energy at the many public events being held this year 2012. Although I would have thought that with his Phd, he must have needed to do quite a bit of research to receive that, one of the highest academic honours, and of course DIAMOND JUBILEE, has almost become a staple of the daily lexicon over recent weeks, so one would have thought that Dr Clarke would have known and edited the blog by Labour MP Grahame Morris, that this is actually the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and not her Silver one as mentioned in his Blog'
This month represents the beginning of a bonanza of summer events across Britain that will excite and unify millions of people, whilst at the same time many will be forced to look on in dread. Either way the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, England playing in Euro 2012 and the London Olympics will propel the notion of our ‘national pride’ to the top of the media agenda. Whether people feel British, English, European or perhaps have more affinity with their region, home town, local community or even street is a matter of personal identity.And this is what he stated this morning in a tweet in regard to Slavery;
Tweet 1:
Éoin Clarke @DrEoinClarkeI am unsurprised to discover that unemployed & unpaid slaves were bussed in to work for the Queen's Jubilee. That's how we roll in Tory UK.
Tweet 2:
Éoin Clarke @DrEoinClarkeI wonder how folk will react when we use bus loads of unpaid slaves (including many disabled) 2 work unpaid during our glorious UK Olympics?
For the record, again, I am a Republican and would gladly see an end to the Royal family, their extended family and the thousands of hangers on who lead a privlidged life but I bare no ill will to the people who are celebrating 'Their' Queens time as Monarch of our little set of islands and I hope that they all had a great time, even if the weather wan't perfect for them over the last few days.
And again, for the record. I think that the public funding of the Olympics is a national scandal, considering the state our economy is in and listening to all the horror stories about how much they Olympics are charging for tickets, the problems that are going to be created for Londoners and in other parts where events are taking place, is all a high price to pay, but:
No matter where and when this event, and others like them, take part in the world, to compare those, who unlike me, want to take part and help and assist, by VOLUNTEERING their services, to then compare them to people who have no choice, who were torn from family and country, chained, starved, brutalised, tortured and worked to death; is a bit of a stretch, even for a labour leftie.....
And for the record, again, I am not a member of any Political Party, just in case you were wondering..... And being Scottish I would still prefer the United Kingdom to be United and not broken up .... Proud to be a Scott Brit....
Wednesday, 30 May 2012
The Difference between a Labour and Conservative Run Authority
You will recall that I posted yesterday on my trial and tribulations on trying to make a call to Thurrock Council to enquire about a mysterious local road closure, this is what I said in an email to the Councillor responsible for Highways;
While you may not be directly responsible for the telephone system or it's operators you may like to enquire, on my behalf, as to why Thurrock residents are ignored and treated to such an abomination of a service. Is it an unspoken directive from the ruling party in power that if residents can't get through and make enquiries/ complaint then we (the Council) can't register those enquiries/ complaints? It then stands to reason that they will not form part of any figures for comparison on official statistics on such enquiries/ complaints being made, or is it that I am again being far to cynical? Or is it just a question of:
a) poor performance by operators,
b) not enough operators to deal with the quantity of calls
c) not enough departmental employees to deal with the quantity of calls
d) lack of interest by council employees dealing with members of the public's enquiries/ complaints*
*The last one is based on the fact that when I did get through on the 652 652 number the FIRST time I selected option 3 for Highways. I waited 11 minutes and eventually the call was answered by, it sounded like Tracey, but when I asked the woman to repeat her name (I do like to make a note of the name of the person I am speaking to) the call was cut off!
I called again ignoring all the options and after 7 minutes the call was answered by an operator. I explained that I had previously called, that I had selected option 3 for highways, that eventually the call was answered and that when I asked for confirmation of the name of the person I was speaking to, the call was disconnected! The operator apologised and stated that she would put me through, that she understood all departments were experiencing heavy call volumes (See, b), c) and d) above !) but that she would remain on the line until my call was answered.
You've guessed what's coming now haven't you? Yes, I waited in silence for almost 5 minutes and then I heard the click, signalling that the call had been disconnected. Just what on earth is going on in Grays that makes the Council and it's staff so unhelpful to it's residents?Now this is what happened today when I happened to phone Basildon District Council, who are a few miles along the road:
I wanted to Speak to Environmental Health, guess what;
The call was answered on the first ring, I asked for the dept and the lady operator thanked me for calling, put me through and lo and behold, the call was picked up immediately by a nice helpful young chap, who thanked me for calling after listening to what I had to say, informing me that an EHO would get back to me tomorrow!
It might only be a few miles along the road, but they are galaxies apart in their response to callers – Thurrock could do well to emulate this approach, Oh! And BTW I did make enquiries and found that the operators and other staff were employees of the Council and not some faceless company earning millions?Is it, that Thurrock are Labour controlled and have outsourced, it seems, all of their resources to a Faceless International Company who go by the name of Vertex and who get over £400 million pounds of Thurrock taxpayers money for providing such an appalling service and who are providing (presumably previously direct employees of the Council)such an appalling service to callers to Thurrock Council, while the Conservative controlled Council in Basildon still employs staff directly?
On the question of Vertex, my blog is reproduced by a local web based paper and yesterdays blog was picked up by them and this is what the editor said in response to my comments on Thurrock employees:
EdMay 29, 2012 - 9:55 pmI doubt you spoke to any Thurrock Council employee – probably one of the Vertex employees?I have to confess I was ignorant of this companies existence until I saw this and popped over to their web site, you can visit it here . Now before you visit, if you are from Thurrock and have ever tried to call the Council, I don't want you laughing at them (otherwise you will cry) when you look at the site, because under the heading of: Public & Citizen Services it states, Making it easier for citizens to interact with government.
In 2005 Vertex won a £427 million contract to run the following council services:-
•Administration services
•Business accounting and financial services
•Customer services
•Engineering and transportation
•Facilities
•Human resources
•ICT and e-Government
•Payroll services
•Procurement and property services
•Revenues services
So the person answering the phone will be a Vertex employee and the repairs to the bridge will be handled via Vertex who will probably sub contract the work out.
Well, there you have it fellow Thurrock residents VERTEX are making it easier for us to interact with our local Government, what do you think, are they?
I should also say that there is a link on the same page to a 'Thurrock Council Case Study' I assumed that I was going to be directed to a page telling me how wonderful Vertex are and what a magnificent job they are doing in 'our' service, for the paltry sum in excess of £400 million pounds that they are getting, but alas we get 'PAGE NOT FOUND' I wonder why that is?
Tuesday, 29 May 2012
An Open letter to Councillor Andy Smith, Thurrock
Below is an email I sent to the cabinet member for highways of Thurrock Council. Is it just me that becomes frustrated and, or am I just being unreasonable in my expectations of our Local authorities and the people that they employ to deal with us on a day to day basis and who seem, it appears to me, to be obstructive and as unhelpful as they possibly can be?
Dear Councillor Smith (L) ,
I am a resident of South Ockendon and I have noticed that for the last week or so that the B1335, Aveley By-Pass Road has been closed between the roundabout that separates South Ockendon Stifford Road (B1335) and the roundabout connecting Sandy Lane/Romford Road and Mill Road. The By Pass,as you will probably know is the only road route into the Belhus Park Golf and Country Club, swimming pool etc!
I have a couple of questions for you, if I may, as you appear to be the Cabinet member for Transport and Highways within Thurrock Council. I should first state that I checked Essex County Councils website and then phoned the Highways department to ask my question of them, but after waiting about 15 minutes and then having to spell , phonetically, A V E L E Y to the lady on the other end, as Essex CC 's system apparently does not like road numbers ( how can the CC not like road numbers they deal with trunk roads whose main identifier surely is a a road designation number!) and telling her that it was in Thurrock , she did come back informing me that she couldn't find it, asking, "are you sure it doesn't have another name, and where about in the county is it?"
I stated, again, that it was in Thurrock and no, to the best of my knowledge it was and always has been the Aveley By-Pass and again (although she / they don't like them) the road number is B1335. "Oh", says she, "well that explains it then, if it is in Thurrock it is theirs, they are a Unitary authority you see....." And she gave me the number for Thurrock Council, bless .... but a lot of good that did me.
While you may not be directly responsible for the telephone system or it's operators you may like to enquire, on my behalf, as to why Thurrock residents are ignored and treated to such an abomination of a service. Is it an unspoken directive from the ruling party in power that if residents can't get through and make enquiries/ complaint then we (the Council) can't register those enquiries/ complaints? It then stands to reason that they will not form part of any figures for comparison on official statistics on such enquiries/ complaints being made, or is it that I am again being far to cynical? Or is it just a question of:
a) poor performance by operators,
b) not enough operators to deal with the quantity of calls
c) not enough departmental employees to deal with the quantity of calls
d) lack of interest by council employees dealing with members of the public's enquiries/ complaints*
*The last one is based on the fact that when I did get through on the 652 652 number the FIRST time I selected option 3 for Highways. I waited 11 minutes and eventually the call was answered by, it sounded like Tracey, but when I asked the woman to repeat her name (I do like to make a note of the name of the person I am speaking to) the call was cut off!
I called again ignoring all the options and after 7 minutes the call was answered by an operator. I explained that I had previously called, that I had selected option 3 for highways, that eventually the call was answered and that when I asked for confirmation of the name of the person I was speaking to, the call was disconnected! The operator apologised and stated that she would put me through, that she understood all departments were experiencing heavy call volumes (See, b), c) and d) above !) but that she would remain on the line until my call was answered.
You've guessed what's coming now haven't you? Yes, I waited in silence for almost 5 minutes and then I heard the click, signalling that the call had been disconnected. Just what on earth is going on in Grays that makes the Council and it's staff so unhelpful to it's residents?
As I say, maybe you can look into the above for me.
Now, after all of that, getting back to the Aveley By-Pass....
Having checked the web pages for both Essex County Councils Highways and Thurrock Councils Highways I can find no mention of the current roadworks or road closure mentioned on either website, the reason for it, or the length of time the road is expected to be closed! I also do not fully understand why there is a diversion in operation that is sending motorists back along the B1335 Stifford Road to the B186 Stifford Hill then to Pilgrims Lane and from there on to the A1306 Arterial Road, West Thurrock and then under the M25 and on and on and on ....... adding about 5 or 6 miles to a journey that if the correct diversion signs were in place would take people people 5 minutes out of their way up Aveley High Street onto Mill Lane and back onto the Aveley By-Pass from the other end, maybe you would be so kind to favour me with a reply to these few points?
copied to ward councillor Barry Johnson (C)
Updates:
I should be grateful, I received a response:
But, so much left unanswered, clearly, and unusually for a politician, a man of few words.......
and this from the Conservative member (not in power) in the local government
Dear Cllr Smith,
30th May Update
Updates:
I should be grateful, I received a response:
The road is closed because the footbridge has been damaged in an accident
There are notices and diversion signs
Sorry for the inconvenience
Cllr andrew smith
There are notices and diversion signs
Sorry for the inconvenience
Cllr andrew smith
But, so much left unanswered, clearly, and unusually for a politician, a man of few words.......
and this from the Conservative member (not in power) in the local government
Mr Stronach thanks for your email I will let the portfolio holder respond but I do have to agree with you that TBC website should have the details showing regarding this incident. Even as a councillor I was not made aware of what had happened but have since been informed (after asking) that a vehicle had clipped the bridge and works are underway to make it safe, but no time line given. Without getting political I am very disappointed in the councils performance under a labour administration but I will continue to be part of a robust opposition. Just for the record with regards to an earlier blog. I did indeed knock at your door during the elections, as I remember well our conversation from the previous year, however I obviously called whilst you were out, and I definately put out literature well before the election as well as on its eve so apologies that you didn't see it. I do hope we can work together in the future and would like to assure you that I would welcome your comments or ideas as we go forward. Myself and Cllr Carr are trying to obtain St Nicholas church for a surgery the first Thursday of each month, however this date is yet to be confirmed.
Regards
Barry
Cllr Barry Johnson
Working hard for the Ockendon Ward
Regards
Barry
Cllr Barry Johnson
Working hard for the Ockendon Ward
From: THOMAS STRONACH [mailto:tomstronach242@btinternet.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2012 03:10 PM
To: Cllr A.J Smith
Cc: Cllr B Johnson
Subject: Re: Thurrock HighwaysDear Cllr Smith,Thank you for at least taking the time to respond, even if the response was less than responsive!RegardsTom Stronach
From: Cllr A.J Smith <AJSmith@thurrock.gov.uk>
To: "'tomstronach242@btinternet.com'" <tomstronach242@btinternet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, 29 May 2012, 15:54
Subject: Re: Thurrock Highways
If you need more information please ring me
Cllr andrew smith
From: THOMAS STRONACH [mailto:tomstronach242@btinternet.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2012 04:11 PM
To: Cllr A.J Smith
Subject: Re: Thurrock HighwaysDear Cllr SmithWell, what I was looking for was a more responsive reply to ALL of the comments in my note to you and not the less than verbose one received.My initial query was surrounding the road closure,1. Notices are noticeable from their absence as to the reason for the closure locally, although you did answer this. Now I have to admit that I may have missed it in the local press, but I don't think I saw any comment on it anywhere! And still no response as to a time frame for re-opening the road!2. One diversion sign pointing you back through Ockendon and nothing again until you get to the B186 hardly well signposted and why the need for such a lengthy diversion, or is the road also closed from the other end as well, and if so then why a diversion at all?3. Whether you took it as such or not, I was critical of the service provided by council employees, and you totally ignored that, just as the employees seem to be doing to callers!I wonder if you think I am just nit picking or that in fact these points are not valid, in your opinion?Kind RegardsTom Stronach
Mr Stronach due to a problem on my blackberry I was unable to read the end of your email
Now I have read it all I have forwarded it to mr millard the head of service for his attention
I trust you will get a full reply
Cllr andrew smith
Dear Cllr Smith,
thank you for that, I trust the problem with your Blackberry is not a terminal one, although I do recall a Cllr Kiely, having similar problems a year or so ago, when I challenged him over something, it must be contagious!I look forward to a response from Mr Millard in due course.Kind Regards
Tom Stronach
30th May Update
Just an aside, but I thought worth mentioning: I had occasion to call Basildon Council today, I wanted to Speak to Environmental Health, guess what;
The call was answered on the first ring, I asked for the dept and the lady operator thanked me for calling, put me throu and lo and behold, the call was picked up by a nice helpful young chap, who thanked me for calling after listening to what I had to say, informing me that an EHO would get back to me tomorrow!
It might only be a few miles along the road, but they are galaxies apart in their response to callers – Thurrock could do well to emulate this approach, Oh! And BTW I did make enquiries and found that the operators and other staff were employees of the Council and not some faceless company earning millions?
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