‘Tis yet another spiffing spot of clement weather at the Castle this morn, I did think about hedging the hedges, bordering the borders, shrubbing the shrubs and clearing out the shed, evicting the eight legged hairy buggers and servicing the mower, but the sun lounger called to me with a siren’s voice and I succumbed.
On the plus side I did get to watch the F1 race and very exciting it was as well, already been to Tesco and stocked up on gruel and stale bread and I am now awaiting the first phone call of the week from a desperate user wanting their fix.
The first survey of local authorities since the coalition came to power last May has found that town halls created more than 4,000 new posts during the period.
Despite the public sector being told to make sweeping cuts, councils have advertised for posts such as "woodfuel development officer", "new media staff" and "healthy workplace coordinators".
The findings come as councils are under unprecedented financial pressure and try to cut costs by increasing charges, cutting basic services and closing facilities such as libraries.
The research shows that in total, 205 councils have created a total of 4,148 new posts since May 1 last year.
Most have reduced their overall staffing levels during the period but the study found that while doing so, many have continued to create brand new roles for "communications officers", "equality officers" and "climate change staff".
Councils have also recruited dozens of workers to enhance the "wellbeing" of staff and "customers", as well as "life skills" experts, who teach members of the public basic tasks such as ironing.
The figures also reveal a boom in such jobs as "walking coordinators", "obesity strategy officers", and "active" workers, whose job is to encourage the public to pursue more healthy lifestyles.
Ah, the good old public sector, less for us more for them, same old same old.
A study by 200 European “experts” says reactive nitrogen contributes to air pollution, fuels climate change and is estimated to shorten the life of the average resident by six months.
Livestock farming is one of the biggest causes of nitrogen pollution, it adds.
It calls for changes in farming and more controls on vehicles and industry.
The problem would be greatly helped if less meat was consumed, the report says.
Nitrogen is the most common element in the atmosphere and is harmless.
It is the reactive form - mainly produced by human activity - that causes a web of related problems.
The 600-page report relies on experts from 21 countries and 89 organisations. It estimates the annual cost of damage caused by nitrogen across Europe as being £55-£280bn.
Nice to see a narrow cost band from the “experts”, and how much did the report cost?
Many workers in final salary pension schemes, especially public sector employees, will have their state pension docked, under plans being considered by Piss Poor Policies Dave C’s “Government”.
They will receive £2.40 a week less from the state, a discount equating to £125 a year.
The Department for Work and Pensions announced last week its proposal to create a single state pension of £140 a week, in a bid to end Britain's notoriously complicated pension system, which involves a basic and a second state pension.
However, in the consultation document published by the DWP, it makes clear that it is considering docking many workers' state pension, including nearly all those paid out to public sector workers. They could, for decades, receive £137.60, while the majority of retirees will be enjoying state pensions of £140 a week.
My head hurts……..
From the Daily Flail-Ministers are considering introducing a new offence of causing death by dangerous cycling.
It would mean cyclists who kill or seriously hurt pedestrians would be prosecuted in the same way as drivers.
A Bill is to be presented by Tory MP Andrea Leadsom, who has campaigned on behalf of a family whose teenage daughter was killed by a reckless cyclist.
Rhiannon Bennett, 17, was walking with friends in Buckingham in April 2007 when cyclist John Howard approached the group at speed, yelling, Move! I’m not stopping!”
He was travelling so fast the group had no time to act. He hit Rhiannon and knocked her over, and she smashed her head against the kerb.
She was taken to hospital with head injuries and died six days later.
Magistrates later convicted Howard, then 36, of Buckingham, of dangerous cycling and fined him £2,200.
By comparison a motorist convicted of causing death by dangerous driving faces a maximum penalty of 14 years in jail.
I’ll sign up to that, I nearly had a pedalling Numpty this morn, I was coming up to a roundabout, was in the left lane indicating to turn left and pulling out when speedy knobhead who was doing about thirty on his “racing” bike came storming up the inside and cut across the Rover to turn right.
Make em take a test, pay insurance and tax and have a mental MOT every year.
A stolen goat taken on a pub crawl caused chaos when the thieves let it off the leash after being refused service.
Police and the RSPCA were called to the pub in Horley, Surrey, after it butted customers. Pub manager Steve Lea said: “It was a bit surreal. It was a first.”
You should come to 'Ampshire Steve, any amount of smelly animals in the pubs here.
The tomb of Moses Maimonides, one of Judaism's pre-eminent sages, has been plunged into darkness because of a debt to the electricity company totaling $11,500.
Rabbi Israel Deri, one of the managers of the site in the Galilee city of Tiberias, admitted Wednesday that the bill "fell between the cracks." As a result, the tomb — where people come to pray around the clock — is now closed to night visitors.
A spokeswoman for the Israel Electric Corporation, Orna Vagman, said the company "had no other choice but to disconnect the electricity" at the site because of a debt accrued over "many months."
Seems that the light of religion is a bit dim.
And finally:
In the land of funny “hair” cuts-Six thousand Lego lovers and a crane create the world's largest Lego tower in Sao Paulo.
The tower composed 500,000 Lego pieces and reached 102 feet and 3 inches, breaking the previous record set in Chile last year.
It took four days to build and was held in place by wire supports to prevent it from toppling over in the wind.
The first Lego tower was built in London in 1988, since then Toronto, Moscow, Sydney, Tokyo and Munich have been among the cities which have held the title.
Why?
That’s it: I’m orf to count my bluebells-one so far.
And today’s thought: "What is a committee? A group of the unwilling, picked from the unfit, to do the unnecessary" - Mark Twain.
Angus
3 comments:
Talking of mowers, I hope you are running a real vintage petrol job?
Years ago you could pick up a real cracker for 'peanuts'. As the councils closed all the bowling greens they were all sold off.
I didn't bother.
I too wheeled my beast out the other day to whip it into life.
I always had trouble starting it after its Winter hibination, but a couple of years ago, I wheeled it out of the shed, when the phone rang. I was left standing in the sun for about twenty minutes. When I got back it started first time! :)
Now, I always do this - and it always works!
(Vintage motor pics up this morn)
That should read "It was left standing....." :)
Mind you, I'm often left standing in the sun, thinking "What did I come out here for?". :(
Fraid not Bernard the Suffolk Colt. I use a rotary electric mower with a grass box that compacts the cuttings-less trips to the compost heap, I am glad you didn't stand out in the sun for twenty mins. far too hot:)
Great pics on the blog,the Armstrong Siddeley is a beautiful bit of engineering.
As for the last bit-me too.
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