Author: siskinbob

Formerly employed by MOD and IBM, now retired

Frozen Weather = Frozen Brains


Despite the snow based chaos that is going on all over this country we, in the Portsmouth area, have managed to get off quite lightly. Not much snow but there is a bit of ice around.

We might not have much snow but we still have more than our quota of idiots on the roads.

Take the praTT in the Audi TT that I was following. At the best of times the visibility from the TT is little better than that of a crash helmet. I’m speaking from experience here, my granddaughter had one for a while and I had cause to drive it. Anyway, this praTT had not bothered to clear any of the snow off the car. The rear screen was totally obscured, as were the side windows. The front screen was partially cleared. Every time he managed to get over 30 mph a great cloud of powdery snow erupted of his bonnet obscuring his vision and diminishing mine at the same time.

Even my neighbour couldn’t be bothered to clear her screens before setting off this morning. Just a little port-hole to peep out of.
And then there are those who obviously feel nice and safe and warm cocooned inside their cars such that they feel they can drive like lunatics. Never mind that the temperatures are still sub-zero and that there is ice on most of the side roads. I lost count of how many idiots came sliding up to junctions with all four wheels locked. Obviously praying that the laws of friction would cut in….SOON.

Why can’t these people take a few minutes to boost their safety and mine too. So what if they are a few minutes late but we would all have a few less grey hairs and suffer a little less stress in our lives.

Update 2/12/2010 Apparently if you drive around without clearing the snow off your car you can be ticketed by the police for dangerous driving. On the basis that when the snow flies off your car it could cause problems for both you and other motorists.

Tosser


The student, Edward Woolard, accused of “tossing” the fire extinguisher from the top of a building during the violence outside Tory HQ at 30 Millbank has been bailed after being charged with violent disorder.

There is no excuse for any of the violence that took place last week.  As for throwing a fire extinguisher from the top of a building well that beggars belief. If that missile had landed on anyone below we would be looking at manslaughter without a doubt.

This idiots lawyer is already making noises about the case being “unique” and that Woolard is “only just 18”.

So what ?

He is a student which implies some degree of intelligence. At the very least he knows the difference between right and wrong. To gain access to the roof he had already shown a blatant disregard for the normal rules of society and then he tosses a heavy object off the roof such that it could have killed someone.

If he gets anything less than a custodial sentence the law will once again show itself to be an ass.

Overdose !!!


Already we have overdosed on the media frenzy surrounding the announcement that Prince William and Kate Middleton are to be wed.

Like everyone else I wish them well for the future.

But that is all. I am already sick of the news coverage. Sick of the various media programs mad scrabble to squeeze every ounce of interest out of this story.

Last night ITV slotted in an interview followed by excruciating post-mortem of the interview and commentary by god knows who with replays of important snippets from the interview.

It is painful. You’d think the powers that be would have learnt their lessons from the idiocy that surrounded Diana.

Please just let them get on with their lives and let us get on with ours.

Latest Black Market Product ???


Apparently there must be a lucrative black market in Sun Tan Lotion.

Least ways that’s what John Davison seems to think after he was caught stealing £140 worth of Nivea sun cream from a pharmacy in Portsmouth.

Either that or he was anticipating some serious sunshine.

Has anyone been approached recently by shady characters with long coats lurking in dark alley ways. “ere guv…….wanna by some cheap sun cream…..?”

With what he is having to pay in costs he should have just bought the stuff.

Dickheads


What a pair of total dickheads.

Harassed and corralled a hapless motorist. Prevented them from leaving the motorway and all the while shouting and gesticulating at them as they drove at speeds up to 80 mph.

How could they be so incredibly stupid. I believe they deserve a custodial sentence.

Its herberts like these that are driving our insurance costs sky-high. No wonder the insurance companies make it nigh on impossible for youngsters to get insurance at a reasonable price.

Richard (Dick) William Sims


My Uncle Dick, passed away 9th October, 2010 at the grand old age of 88.  A good innings as the saying goes.

I attended his funeral yesterday which was very moving. It was also an eye-opening affair as I also got to meet a leg of the family that until yesterday I was totally unaware of.

I guess it’s a sad fact of life these days that we are so wrapped up in our own worlds. The pace of life is such that we don’t find the time to socialise like folks use to. Families are also more distributed these days.

Although our family origin  is centred around the Worthing area the various members of the family, who attended the funeral, had travelled in from Hastings, Manchester, Portsmouth and beyond. Not huge distances by modern standards but far enough to prevent the rellies from just popping in for a cupper.

Dick, although we didn’t get together very often, in my way I’ll miss you.

My thoughts are with Joan, Kathy, Barbie and Family.

 

Unacceptable


How can this be right ?

Under EU rules, child benefit is paid to parents who work and pay tax in the UK and whose children have stayed in their home countries.

New figures, show that the benefit is being used to support nearly 29,000 children living in Poland, along with thousands of children elsewhere in Eastern Europe.

The cost of living in some of these countries is lower than in the UK but they still receive UK rates. Surely the benefit that they receive should be based, pro rata, on the cost of living for the country in which the child lives.

And now our government is set to cut benefits to UK citizens but these foreign workers will still be able to claim these benefits.

This is not right and is truly unacceptable.

Personal Grooming


The PC brigade are on the loose again.

School dinner lady, Pat Lavery, handed a boy a biscuit after he asked for one. The boy is a relative.

Subsequently, Mrs Lavery was  told  that under the Child Protection Act she could  be seen to be grooming the child. Over a period of  two years or so the situation escalated to the point that she was informed she could lose her job.

All because she gave a boy a biscuit.

Mrs Lavery’s experience is yet another example of common sense being thrown out the window. Full story here

Taking things to an illogical extreme, at the end of this month there will be thousands of children accepting sweets and other treats from thousands of strangers.

Is it possible that I could be accused of grooming young children if I respond to the  Trick or Treat requests on my door step ?

Bring Back GMTV


When getting ready to go to work I only have time to dip into TV for brief moments.

GMTV suited me and I was able to pick up the news with a little bit of showbiz floss. The GMTV team were lively, bubbly and genuinely seemed to get along together. This is not the case with the new Daybreak show.

The new show is dull, dull, dull and who is that mumbling bumbling buffoon Chiles ?  I guess his style is attractive to some but first thing in the morning he is just depressing. As for Bleakly who looks nice but what else is she contributing to the show.

Sorry they get 2 out of 10 from the Waterlooville Jury. Bring back the pizazz of the GMTV team.

Goodbye Mr Pitkin


The world is a sadder place today following the death of Norman Wisdom.

He was a class act and will be sorely missed. Not least because he was one of the few “Seagulls” fans and of course a former director of the club. I like to style myself a fan if only to get up the noses of the Pompey fans by whom I am surrounded.

My condolences to the Wisdom family

Here’s to you Norman.