Showing posts with label DVLA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DVLA. Show all posts

Wednesday 13 May 2009

ODDS AND SODS


Well, pardon my language: The Register; Ofcom has ruled that the 30 January culinary swearfest Ramsay’s Great British Nightmare - a two-parter which kicked off at 9pm - was in breach of the broadcasting code after racking up an impressive "115 instances of the most offensive language" in its first 40 minutes

The watchdog received 51 complaints about the programme - which included choice vocab including “f**ck”, “f**king” and “f**ked” peppered with the occasional "shit".

One outraged viewer wrote: “The excessive use of bad language by Gordon Ramsay was just unreal and the abusive way in which he continually used it to speak to others, the use of the 'F' word once or twice maybe but it's continued used in almost every sentence was totally unnecessary. I know it was after 9.00 but there are limits…”

Ofcom has ruled that the 30 January culinary swearfest Ramsay’s Great British Nightmare - a two-parter which kicked off at 9pm - was in breach of the broadcasting code after racking up an impressive "115 instances of the most offensive language" in its first 40 minutes

Channel 4 stressed that the abuseathon had been preceded by a “strong language from the start and throughout” warning which "provides adult viewers with sufficient information to inform their viewing choice and to decide whether to permit any children to watch".

It further defended that Ramsay’s Great British Nightmare boasted "unique characteristics which justified the high level of strong language that was included" and that "the use of strong language in this programme accorded with the likely expectations of the audience, was editorially justified, and did not offend the overwhelming majority of viewers."

In its ruling (pdf), Ofcom notes Channel 4's pre-show warning and accepts that "the vast majority of the audience comes to the programme with certain expectations."

Gordon Ramsay also offered his apologies via his spokesman, who said: "Great British Nightmare followed Gordon trying to save two restaurants in the most difficult predicaments. These extreme challenges gave rise to many heated exchanges in the double-length programme.

"But Gordon had no intention of causing offence and is sorry if Channel 4's scheduling of the programme upset some viewers."

No Gordon, it was you that offended, not the scheduling, after all we are talking about, food here, I started to watch the series but found the the endless swearing detracted from the purpose of the programe which is to turn round failing restaurants.

It isn’t a platform for bad behavior or showing us how limited your vocabulary is you #####. ###### ############.




Are you old enough to buy a teaspoon?

The Register According to the background info, the lady shopper in question was told by an Asda assistant that she'd have to prove her age "because someone had murdered someone with a teaspoon, and therefore ID was now required".

Suitably outraged by this "complete and utter bollocks", another Nanny Knows Best reader's wife decided to put Tesco to the test - provocatively turning up at the check-out with two latte teaspoons (long-handled, for the record).

Sure enough, "an assistant was required & she was asked for proof of ID".

In fact, Tesco has been battling cutlery-wielding hoodies for some time. Back in 2007, we reported that the supermarket monolith had taken steps to prevent violent sink estate gangs from laying into each other with knives and forks.

Oh scary! A yobbo with a teaspoon.



Asda pops up again here, last year Mum Gail Jordan's amusing plan to celebrate her son's 21st birthday by presenting him with a cake sporting a snap of him as a bare-cheeked bouncing baby came off the rails when Asda staff declared the image "pornographic", the Telegraph reports.

Jordan, 41, went to the supermarket chain's branch in Liscard, Wirral to avail herself of a £9.97 offer to ice a cake with a photo on top. She selected a pic of son David as a five-month-old nipper, lying on his front, but staff insisted his arse be protected by a "strategically-placed star".

Care worker Jordan recounted: "They said it could be anyone's child so it could be deemed pornographic. But I was asking to have it printed on a 21st birthday cake, so surely it was pretty obvious that it was my son. It's ridiculous - I understand they have rules, but there ought to be a place for common sense as well."

Jordan gamely concluded: "In the end they would only do it with a star over his bottom, which to be honest made the whole thing even more hilarious."

An Asda spokesman offered: "We have a policy, as do many other retailers, of no nudity, whatever the age of the subject.

In this case we offered a number of alternatives including enlarging and cropping the photo, increasing the border size or applying a strategically placed star to save his blushes."

Well done Asda, how to make an arse of yourselves over an arse.




Motorist given £100 fine after car was clamped on own driveway Patrick Sepulveda, 45, was told the Peugeot 307 estate was sticking out six inches onto the pavement.
Father-of-two Mr Sepulveda and his wife Clair, 35, offered to move the car fully onto their driveway in Portishead, near Bristol.
But the 'over-zealous' clampers said it was too late and hit them with a £100 release fee.
Mr Sepulveda, who lost his job as an architectural technician last year, said he took the car off the road because he could not afford to run two vehicles.
Although he filled in the necessary forms, the DVLA sent its official round to check, and spotted the "illegal" parking.
He notified the DVLA and completed the SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) certificate as proof the car was untaxed and off the public highway.
But on Monday, the DVLA sent contractors NSL Services to check the vehicle had been parked legally and was out of use.
They spotted the car's offside wheels were protruding by six inches onto the pavement at the end of couple's driveway - and clamped it minutes later.
Mr Sepulveda said: "We have been careful with our budget since I lost my job and this was the last thing we needed and the whole incident has caused a lot of distress and upset."
A DVLA spokesman said: "Upon receipt of any complaint, DVLA will ask our contractor, NSL Services Group, to investigate.
"If a vehicle with a SORN notice is partially parked upon the public highway, enforcement action may be taken.
"DVLA is not prepared to comment on an individual case with a third party, but I can confirm that we were able to resolve the situation with the keeper."
The DVLA has since agreed to waive the fine.


And finally: A metal baggage container was sucked into an engine of a Boeing 747 as it was leaving a terminal gate at Los Angeles International Airport.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/?bcpid=4464161001&bctid=22844264001#

Well, I suppose it stops them having to put it in the hold,
“Until you've lost your reputation, you never realize what a burden it was.” Margaret Mitchell

Angus

NHS Behind the headlines

Angus Dei politico

Angus Dei-NHS the Other Side

Tuesday 16 December 2008

SECOND POST


There are so many news items today that I thought I would do another ramble.

First up Royal Mail faces call to change

The Royal mail is in the brown runny stuff, the main problem seems to be the financial position caused by the Pension Fund deficit, which is currently £7 Billion, and Competition from e-mail and the digital delivery of information has wiped £500m from the business's operating profit over the past few years, while the volume of letters Royal Mail delivers was expected to decline at up to 7% a year - before any impact of the economic slowdown.

In other words it was in the shit before the “recession”, not really surprising, hundreds of Post offices closed, Sorting Offices closed and what do the “postmen” do? They go on firkin strike just before Christmas,

I can understand their concerns about their jobs, but, the whole country is in trouble, and Firking up peoples Christmas because of non-delivery will not exactly get much public support.

If they want to get back on track they should provide a service that is designed to make the customer king, not one where you have to travel five miles to post a parcel, or buy some stamps, make deliveries of parcels in the evening, not at ten in the morning when people are at work, and come home to find the “Famous” red card sitting on the door mat.

The Royal mail was founded over a hundred years ago, the attitude of the “Company” is still in those times, they must realise that if you provide a service, it is provided for the good of the customer not the workers or management.





The Gov has done its usual balls up, this time with Transport Dept plan 'incompetent'

The Tossers tried to save £57 Million has actually cost £81 Million, and the problem?

The Department for Transport scheme aimed to cut administration costs by basing payroll, finance and personnel services all on one site in Swansea.

But the public accounts committee said it had started late, had not been fully introduced and was set to make losses.

The computer system had even issued messages in German, the MPs added.
Edward Leigh, the committee's Conservative chairman, said it was one of the worst cases of "project management" the committee had ever seen.


"The result was lamentable. The underlying computer system was inadequately procured and tested, resulting in an unstable set-up when it was switched on," he added.

In its report, the committee said: "Despite the extent of mismanagement in this case, no individuals have been dismissed or properly held to account."

Of course not in this country we reward Tossers that don’t know their arse from their elbow, they will probably get a bonus, or a huge redundancy package


Yet another dismal, useless, incompetent “saving costs” plan, just like the “new” NHS Computer system.



Strictly voters offered refunds I can’t stand this inane, pointless so-called programme, but I feel a mention is necessary. The BBC cocked up the voting system, and is now offering a refund of 25p, I mean it’s not as if there were other channels that did the same thing is it? Or that they had any reason to think it might happen again.

My only comment is-WHO FIRKIN CARES!






Something for all us “Explorer users”- Internet Explorer security alert Yes Microsoft have done it again-

” Users of the world's most common web browser have been advised to switch to another browser until a serious security flaw has been fixed.
The flaw in Microsoft's Internet Explorer could allow criminals to take control of people's computers and steal their passwords, Internet experts say.

Microsoft is investigating the problem and preparing an emergency software patch to resolve it, it says.

Internet Explorer is used by the vast majority of the world's computer users.

"Microsoft is continuing its investigation of public reports of attacks against a new vulnerability in Internet Explorer," said the firm in a security advisory alert about the flaw.

Microsoft says it has detected attacks against version seven of the browser - its most widely used edition.

But the company warned that other versions were also potentially vulnerable.”


No change there then.

And, “finally-finally”

Repossessions 'to reach 75,000'

Because of our wonderful Gov thousands of people will lose their homes next year.

Because of the Gov thousands of Gordon Brown’s “Hard Working Families” which he said would be his priority will have nowhere to live, still be in debt, and in effect be thrown on the scrapheap.

Because of the Gov thousands of children will have to “give” up Christmas this year because their parents will be too busy packing to “celebrate”.

Because of the Gov thousands of people will descend on Social Services and the Councils in order to try to find an abode.

I would just like to say on behalf of those people-Thank you Gordon and have a nice Christmas and a happy new year.

Angus