Well what a day it has been today. At least, from a weather perspective. We have had sunshine, rain, thunder and lightning. At one time we had a lightning strike so close that everything went red for me. I’m guessing it is like shining a powerful torch through your hand. Only in this case it was my eyeballs that were illuminated. The thunder-clap followed almost immediately. A couple of miles away they weren’t quite so lucky as a house in Havant was struck (See Here). It was my wife’s birthday today so we have been quite busy with texts, phone calls and family visiting. So loads of cards, a couple of nice flower displays and plenty of cake. On a different subject I had another of those cold calls from abroad. I have started to take a different approach. Rather than berate them about the fact that I am registered with the TPS I now keep asking questions. Who do you work for ?, What is the name of the company that you work for ? Who pays your wages ? and so forth. I won’t answer any of their questions till they give me a company name. So far they just hang up, but not before they have squirmed like crazy. They don’t seem to want to give out which company they are actually working for. Always they imply that you requested that they call. Today I was told that I had complained that my broadband connection was running slow. The other day we were told that my wife had called during the Thursday afternoon, which was an out-and-out lie, as we were stood on the roadside talking to police officers. Somewhere along the A40 west of Oxford. And my wife had left her mobi at home and I’m pretty sure she didn’t use the landline. Don’t think the wire reaches that far. Aah wait a minute. Of course. We have digital cordless handsets. She must have used one of those. Amazing the range they have these days… over 80 miles is impressive don’t you think.
Month: June 2011
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GERRY
Happy Birthday To My Wife
You Deserve A Medal For Putting Up WIth Me
Woman admits Moat victim David Rathband ‘bang bang’ remark
It doesn’t seem that long ago when this brainless idiot made the headlines for her stupid remarks.
Lets see if she gets her just deserts or will the judiciary let her off with a slapped wrist because she has said sorry.
There are too many people out there that think its OK to verbally abuse our police and this was doubly bad given the circumstances.
I previously said she should do some form of community service. Lets hope the courts think so too.
BBC News – Woman admits Moat victim David Rathband ‘bang bang’ remark.
Thugs who walked free after beating Pompey fan are now jailed
When this was first reported I said the law was an ass and it seems that not all who work within the legal system are as stupid.
Today the Attorney General, Dominic Grieve QC, argued their sentences were ‘unduly lenient’. As a result, Birmingham City fans Philip Bancroft and Adam Daly are each starting three-and-half-year sentences. Personally I don’t think its long enough especially when Bancroft and Daly had previous convictions for violence. Bancroft was jailed for GBH in 1997.
While I am really pleased that justice is being done I am also angry and frustrated that there are idiots, such as Judge William Andreae-Jones , working within our legal system that haven’t even got common sense let alone the enhanced sense of what is right that we pay them for.
How must our police officers feel. The frustration levels must be through the roof.
Thugs who walked free after beating Pompey fan are now jailed – East Hampshire – The News.
Suu Kyi reveals DJ Dave Lee Travis ‘lifeline’
The airwaves were a sadder place when DLT left the BBC. His shows were always a delight so I am not surprised that Suu Kyi regarded his World Service shows something of a lifeline.
I don’t think the BBC really knew what they were losing when he resigned in 1993. And now that he is receiving such an endorsement all I can say to the BBC is
“quack quack oops”
DLT, the Hairy Cornflake, we miss you.
Wake Up Mr. Cameron
When is our government going to wake up ?
For many months now senior figures have been telling the government that they have gotten their strategy wrong for the Royal Navy.
Now Air Chief Marshal Sir Simon Bryant, the RAF’s second-in-command is singing to the same tune but the lyrics are about the RAF.
The swingeing cuts that are being applied across the country are seemingly actioned without any sense of reality. We are at the point where as a nation we are having to add our support to police the world and are committing resources that we no longer have.
As a nation we are exposed.
The Air Chief Marshall warned MPs back in may that many areas of the RAF were “running hot”. This is a term that should be applied to all of our armed forces.
For the last couple of years we have heard about equipment shortages and equipment performance shortfalls for the army. We now have a navy with no aircraft carriers yet we are involved in actions that would normally have been centered around a carrier fleet. And to cap it off we have these comments from Sir Simon Bryant.
Its time to wake up and smell the coffee Mr Cameron. We have seen that you can stop and rethink your strategies. Some like to call these direction changes “U-Turns”. It doesn’t matter what they are called. It’s a brave man who can admit when a strategy is wrong and then take action to correct it.
This is one of those times. We need you to act now and sort out our armed forces strategy.
And if you are looking for the extra money I suggest you take a good look at the folks in the NHS that are happily spending our money – £50.00 for a £2.00 pack of pasta !!!
Council Leader Has Got His Head In A Very Dark Place
Councillor Sean Woodward the leader of Fareham Borough Council claims that the infrastructure will be put in place to support the 7000 new homes being proposed for land north of Fareham. Well to put it bluntly, he’s got his head up his arse.
Who is going to fund putting the infrastructure in place ahead of the houses being built ? Roads, utilities, shops, schools, surgeries, the list goes on.
Where are the jobs to sustain an influx of 7000 families ? The government can’t even magic that number of jobs into existence at a national level. How on earth does Cllr. Woodward think he can do that locally ?
The linked article mentions the proposed business park to be established at HMS Daedalus. That’s geographically the opposite side of Fareham and Gosport. The Gosport / Lee on Solent area is already a nightmare to get to during peak times. How much worse is it going to get with the residents of a new village (town ??) trying to cross the general Fareham area to get to work ?
The M27 and its feeder roads must be one of the busiest road networks in the country.
I am so glad that I work from home as much as I do. Unfortunately I still have a number of years to go before I can retire and make that a permanent situation.
The future as seen with the warped eyes of Cllr. Woodward is anything but rosy. Solent City creeps steadily closer.
Council leader says 7,000 home town is needed – Blue Day news – The News.
Latest Navy Cutbacks
Given the latest cutbacks in our armed services I suspect this is a new weapons training exercise.
No shells – We can’t afford ’em.
No missiles- We can’t afford ’em.
Get the lads up on deck to wack a few hard balls at the enemy.
That’ll scare ’em.
Navy cricketers have a practice with a difference on ship – East Hampshire – The News.
Clarence Clemons, Springsteen saxophone player, dies
A Big Man with a Big Sound.
He will be sorely missed.
BBC News – Clarence Clemons, Springsteen saxophone player, dies.
Overseas
Off to the Isle of Wight today. We are going to visit Osbourne House having spent many years looking at it from across the Solent. We have always said we wanted to visit and finally we got our bums in gear and are going today.
It’s all a bit of an adventure as we are taking the car for the first time. We have been to the island several times in the past. Crossed by Catamaran and also by Hovercraft as well as the normal ferry.
Just hope the weather behaves. Lets hope the Isle of Wight lives up to its reputation and has better weather than the mainland.
WrAnTz 