The Sunday Section

Is it me or is the world getting odder?

We are not amused

I see that her Maj has the hump over the Paparazzi making ‘intrusions into the private lives of members of the Royal family and their friends’.

Took her long enough didn’t it? Shame they didn’t think about it 12 years ago before Diana died.

And I see that Warwickshire County Council is offering a service allowing “older people” to bring in their old slippers and replace them with a pair, which it claims can cut the risk of falling over.

For a fee of £5, participants receive a fitting session, a new pair of the Velcro fastening slippers, and advice on how to don them and avoid accidents around the home.

However, critics have dismissed the so-called Sloppy Slippers project, which is costing taxpayers £3,500, as a waste of money and "patronising" to people in their 50s and 60s.

The council claims that the initiative, which has been adopted by other local authorities, will save money in the long run because it prevents costly injuries to elderly people.

It has also been disclosed that the firm which makes the special slippers charges local authorities £3 a pair – £2 less than the council demands of people taking up its scheme.

So a nice little profit as well as taking the piss, it seems that at my advanced age I am incapable of donning a pair of slippers safely and need the help of “experts”, it’s a pity that councils can’t come up with a policy to protect “older people” in their care homes

From over the pond I see that Sarah Palin has finally fallen over the edge, that demure hunting, fishing, if it moves shoot it failed presidential candidate thinks that the “United States should rededicate itself to seeking God's will.”, not really thought this out has she? In a multicultural multi religious society, which god would that be then?

And only half of us believe that climate change is “man made”. The ICM survey for The Sunday Telegraph will dismay proponents of "man-made" climate change – including leading scientists and the majority of world governments – as they gather in Copenhagen for the landmark climate summit.
Asked if they backed the main conclusion of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), that humans are largely responsible for modern day rises in temperatures, 52 per cent of voters agreed.

Even Gord has got a view point “People who doubt that human activity contributes to global warming are “flat-earthers” and “anti-science”, Gordon Brown has said.

Great quote from a man that managed to plunge this country into the worst recession since time began and lives in Ga-Ga land.

Is it any wonder? What with all the conflicting so called evidence and the scare mongering it seems that one in two can’t decide.

Why don’t they stop trying to convince us and get off “their” arses and do something about it instead of making all this hot air, which can’t be good for the climate?

Baroness Young seems to think that she has done her job and has decided to step down, She said: ''Having overseen the major task of creating a single regulator for health and social care and pointed it in the right direction, I have decided that it will be for others to take it forward.

''I wish all success to the Commission and its staff and to Dame Jo Williams who has agreed to act as chairman until a successor is appointed. Jo will start to take up the reins in January.''

Or in other words: - As I know f##k all about regulating the NHS I have decided to run away, especially after the Basildon fiasco and take a nice big pay off, leaving others to sort out my mess.

I see another title in the making.

And finally:

Some ‘good news’ UK car sales rose by 57.6% in November compared with a year earlier, industry figures have shown.

There were 158,082 cars registered last month, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said, up from a "weak" November 2008.

So far this year, 1.84 million cars have been sold in the UK, 8.8% lower than at the same point last year.

The SMMT said the continuing impact of the UK government's scrappage scheme was helping to drive car sales.

New car sales have increased year-on-year in each of the past five months.

That should help the environment, I wonder what the carbon footprint is to produce a new car, there is the mining of the iron ore or aluminium, and then the energy to produce the glass and the iron or aluminium, the oil to produce the plastics, the copper for the wiring, the oil and rubber for the tyres, the oil for the seat coverings, the chemicals for the paint, the ceramic for the spark plugs or pre heaters on diesels, the oil for the engine and gearbox, the energy to run the assembly line, and the cost of welding, painting and assembly.

As I said “Is it me or is the world getting odder?”

I am off to make the world a worse place by doing the ironing.


Angus

AnglishLit

Angus Dei-NHS-THE OTHER SIDE

Angus Dei politico

RIGHTS TO PRIVACY-WHAT RIGHTS?

From the Register Home Office denies remote snooping plan, The Home Office has denied it has made any change to rules governing how police can remotely snoop on people's computers.

The snag is-The German Interior Ministry explained at the time that "almost all partner countries have or intend to have in the near future national laws allowing access to computer hard drives and other data storage devices located on their territory".

This is the EU; unfortunately we are a part of it.

But fret not-Mark Wills, a software engineer at Aker Solutions said: "It is James Bond-style scare mongering and irresponsible. Me and my colleagues just laughed when we saw the story because we know about technology but this kind of thing just frightens people. The police have a touch too much power - all in the name of terrorism of course - but this sort of thing really doesn't help." Wills noted that the majority of people online use a firewall which would stop such instant access by the police.”

So that’s alright then.


The Royal Navy plans to use Windows software.

The Royal Navy's plan to fit most of its fleet with command systems based on Windows boxes continues, with the commencement last week of a programme intended to replace the existing commandware of the Service's Type 23 frigates. The Type 23s will make up the majority of the British surface fleet for the foreseeable future.

That’s us Firked then.


Government MinistersTom Watson and David Lammy are among MPs who have signed up to a portal of parliamentarians' Twitter feeds, Tweetminster was launched on 18 December 2008, with four MPs: Cabinet Office minister Watson, the Labour MP Andy Reed, Grant Shapps of the Conservative Party and Liberal Democrat Jo Swinson, plus Liberal Democrat Lynne Featherstone, Labour MP Kerry McCarthy and higher education minister David Lammy.

The aim is to allow voters to have more open conversations with their members of parliament the tweets are limited to 140 characters.

Oh I think that’s long enough to let them know what we think, now what’s 140 divided by four.

PC gone crazy Lewes District Council has decided that certain street names are open to misinterpretation and are planning to change them.
The offending street signs are-Cockshut Road, Cracknuts Lane and Juggs Road, also for the bin are Hoare Road, Typple Avenue, Quare Street, Corfe Close (4 Corfe Close), and names such as Coalpit Lane or Gaswork Road are to be avoided because they are "aesthetically unsuitable".

Angus Dei reporting from kismearse close, lewd, bonkingshire.



And finally from Reuters-"Flying Doctor" needs bigger planes for obese Aussies.

Yep even the outdoorsy Aussies are getting fat, so much so that the Flying Doctors have asked for bigger planes to transport their patients.

“A New South Wales ambulance service spokeswoman said it followed similar moves by other parts of the service, including ground ambulances and helicopters, to accommodate larger patients.”

Asked if the move was prompted by increasing levels of obesity, she told Reuters: "Essentially, yes."

Tooo many Barbies (not the dolls).

Angus