Two Fat Ladies Uncorrect

In the politically correct as ever style of many local councils, a bingo hall has been advised to tone down its ‘language’ when calling out bingo numbers, such as “two fat ladies” (88).

This bizarre going on hails from Sudbury in Suffolk, and shows yet more classic medelling in people’s lives. Honestly!

The games of bingo are organised by local councillor John Sayers and he was informed (much to his amazement, I’m sure) that he would have to cut the more comical bingo callings in favour of a drab “eleven, thirty, fifty-five” sort of system I suppose. Apparently, such ’slander’ could leave the council with a legal challenge.

I’m not sure if that would really happen, and there is always one person sad enough to take on said issue but one would like to think that any right thinking court would throw this type of scrounger case out of court.

It’s an absolutely ridiculous piece of nonsense, but with that said the council spokeswoman did comment that people will take such names literally in this society. Alas that is true, but I say take them on- it’s a small victory to show these fools that society won’t be crippled by their sensitive-for-the-sake-of-cash nature.

BA Cancel Christmas!

Not really, to be fair.

British Airways cabin crew will go out on strike over the airlines attempts to cut costs and staff numbers on long haul flights, a pay freeze and less favourable contracts for new staff. Nothing new in the economic climate, one might argue.

For 92.5% of cabin crew to vote for the strike there must obviously be something hacking them off- and badly.

However, the timing of the strike will likely win them no favours. It seems hundreds of thousands of peoples Christmas plans will be affected by this.

Of course these people are looking out for their jobs, and nobody can really shout them down for that but with record losses for BA, things were always going to have to cut. With that said, the £3.7bn pension deficit, some will beg to argue as to how fair everyone is playing.

As usual, the class system stoking of the union plays a part. Them and us. How very aspirational. Anyway.

The fact remains but: the choosing of the Christmas season to strike will cause disruption to travellers, will not endear BA to anyone, and if anything will lead to job LOSSES as travellers do not return.

Some issues definitely need to be resolved, but to ruin the proud name of British Airways still further will not be a wise move.

Of that, I’m sure.

Labour preparing for early poll?

Today’s Sunday Times reports that Labour are preparing for a March general election. Personally, I would be all for it. The sooner people get any chance to give Gordon’s government a kicking, the better.

With that said, obviously Labour are looking at an early election with eyes
for cutting down any Conservative majority. The Chancelllors budget proposals for a windfall tax have proved quite popular and have narrowed the Tory poll lead down to just 9%!

In any case, with the troubles in the a Northern Ireland Assembly, we could be looking at a double election over here. In terms of the general election but, the sooner the country speaks the better- but the thought of slimy Dave does not elate me. Perhap he is just the best of a bad bunch.

Hopefully, soon we shall all get to speak with ur votes, a right denied twice before by Gordon!

Alas, not much longer now.

Obama Defends War At Prize Sham

Whilst collecting his devalued Nobel Peace Prize, Barack Obama defended wars when morally justified. He said that the war in Afghanistan was justified as it would bring long lasting peace to the region. A fair point he has raised.

Similarly, he remarked that his achievements were slight compared to others who had received the prize. Not far enough: his accomplishment on the international stage is not but a speck on the huge canvas of international politics. But he could hardly have said that and walked away without blushing, I would suppose!

It was nothing that could not have been expected from the President. Whilst he made good points about the fact that peaceful means would not have stopped Hitler, it does little to disguise the fact that he won this devalued award with little to show from his chest when asked ‘Why you?’. And lots of people are asking that.

Obama To Collect Sham Prize

President Obama will receive his tainted Nobel Peace Prize today. Tainted, not because of anything he did (or lack of things he did is maybe more appropriate). Because those who assign this prize picked him upon their leftist beliefs and not for what he has achieved.

Mr Obama knows this and whilst I have neglected the blog of late, I will be taking a look at what he has to say on the issue today.

Good grace and embarrassment would fit the bill.

The Old Labour Class War

I’ll let you draw your own conclusions, but this smacks of old prejudices and double standards. By making an issue of David Cameron’s Eton education he struck with the old prejudices of the Labour party. Even if he had not said such a thing, the fact remains I think that on both sides there is a dislike for the others, but there’s no need to air your dirty washing in public.

The interesting tit-bit was that the BBC noted how on the Conservatives website it does not state the Eton etc education of some of the Conservative shadow cabinet. For me this is an oversight on the part of those who maintain this website, such secretive clothing was bound to be noticed at some point and whilst it’s a minor detail, it would be best to declare all those facts.

I don’t think the ordinary voter is very worried about ones education, but what they are going to do. As I’ve said before I don’t particularly like David Cameron himself as I don’t think he is trustworthy (albeit no worse than the competition). To be fair, an Eton education is going to bring up the same complaints about an MP who is grounded in trade unionship and holding up industry- just from different people. So I think that is worth remembering.

However, David Cameron must ensure that prospective Tory MP Zac Goldsmith gets told to pay his tax in the UK. And that he does so! I can imagine how someone very wealthy does not want to pay huge swathes of tax in the UK and well unfortunately they have a strong hand because of their spending power and providing employment at times. However- one can not expect to avoid tax and run the country. That is simply not acceptable in my eyes.

So whilst I hate Labour for their old school class attacks as we come towards the general election, the Tories need to clear the skeletons out of their closet too.

Appearant Hypocrisy Rocks Environmentalism

Consider these few points.

Really reputable scientists at the University of East Anglia have been accused of dumping evidence on climate change (when did it change from global warming anyway?). Why? To stop sceptics of climate change from getting access to the raw information which they no longer have, to criticise it and no doubt point out what they see as errors.

That is part of the debate, something that some of those creaming a wage from climate change seem to be intent on blocking.

The most revealing quote of the saga has been:

From: Phil Jones. To: Many. Nov 16, 1999
“I’ve just completed Mike’s Nature [the science journal] trick of adding in the real temps to each series for the last 20 years (ie, from 1981 onwards) and from 1961 for Keith’s to hide the decline.”

So that is what global warming is based upon then, hmm? Tricks? How deceitful!

Anyway, I am glad to see the UN, so often a talking shop in many eyes, now taking a little bit of action over this. Rightly, they will investigate this scandal and the fact that information from the UEA was running the risk of possibly not being included in the next UN climate change report.

Add to this the hypocrisy of Ed Miliband, Climate Change Secretary. Fact is, he preaches the goodness of recycling which I’m all for, but then I note how he does not use recyclable nappies for his child. Obviously this is a personal matter for him, and no doubt it would be an odd reason for leaving his job(!) but even at this we have to consider how he was shown up on MumsNet…. dear dear.

Something that got me even more irate was the fact that (at least according to the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8393081.stm) the rich have the biggest carbon footprints (no surprise, with bigger cars, foreign holidays etc etc), but they are also allegedly the biggest talkers on climate change. Practice what you preach, and that goes for lots of people!

Sigh. Maybe climate change is man made, I’m willing to listen to the arguments even if I personally believe that it is grossly exaggerated by people who are in the moolah from it. Of course it exists we have seen great flooding more regularly than ever, but why did it change from global warming? Because it’s really not getting too much warmer based on what I’m seeing at least, hmm.

This is by no means a scientific study, but there is a fishy smell about this….

Cameron Pledges To Crack Down On Compo

Today’s Daily Telegraph reports that David Cameron plans to tackle that modern scab on society: no win no fee lawyers. The type of lawyers that got their qualifications out of a cereal packet. It’s the equivalent of a qualified accountant working for over the phone only loan companies.

As Cameron says, these sordid companies have been born out of the culture of health and safety, were every authority and company has to cover it’s back. You can’t blame them. Claimer XYZ falls over a stick in the car park and BANG- you’re in court! H&S should be the preserve of those who work in professions were the risks are high, but can be managed. A code of conduct. But not a chance for every mechanic who cuts himself in public sector employment (Honestly, it happened once) and gets a pay out. That’s called an occupational hazard, like a criminal getting locked up as the opening credits of Porridge remind us.

Cameron says rightly that people cannot expect a risk free life, and quite right. People need to take some personal responsibility. There is a difference between negligence and people looking for a claim (a trade union special, I’ve seen this). That difference has been blurred and needs to be redefined.

The Tories claim they will stop these companies from advertising on TV and making huge referral fees.

They have spoken about it, now lets see it because this is something that lots of people need reminded of: life is dangerous. Manage it.

Shocking Arrest On Brixton Band

I have just read a very concerning article in today’s Times. They report that on Saturday, the Police in Staffordshire arrested a band of black rockers ‘The Thirst’ with some 30 officers, vans, dogs and even a helicopter. This was based on what a CCTV operator said before their gig, but the Police did not move in until they had finished.

As the Times pointed out, the Police did not check the video themselves to verify the report of the CCTV operator that there was a gun in the possession of said band.

One admits that it is always best to be careful and act on any reasonable suspicions, but the heavy-handed efforts of the Police have caused quite a lot of shock. Of course if the Police had reasonable grounds to believe that there was a gun involved they should have taken a strong course of act to avert any potential tragedy. The fact remains though that the tape was not checked and as such there is this stink.

It’s important to remember the professionalism of those who had to carry out the heavy-handed tactics. No weapons were fired by the Police and the restraint they showed is highly professional in my opinion.

Whilst it is difficult to condemn the Police for treating this report with a high priority, due to the intervening period there was time to re-check the tapes and be sure. That is the most damning point of this episode.

Tories Creep North

It’s marginal seats that decide elections. The Conservatives know that they need to claim more of these in the north of England if they are to win power with any sort of majority (never mind workable majority) in the general election next spring. The Tories lead Labour in 32 marginal seats by 42 to 36 per cent. (YouGov Poll: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/6673177/Poll-Tories-advance-on-key-Labour-strongholds.html)

I’m not surprised. So many working class people in the north of England have thought that Labour was best for them their whole lives. One can’t really blame them for that; the Labour is meant to be the friend of working people.

But over the past 12 years so many of them will have come to realise that Labour has spent it’s time cosying up to big business to woo the middle class who scoffed at Labour’s anti-business image. Hey, I have no trouble with them shedding their ridiculous left-wing ideology of the past which Gordon Brown has attempted to resurrect through the 50% tax rate which will drive those with deep pockets away from our shores to spend elsewhere.

I don’t really think that the Tories are any better but I hope that they will tackle the work shy attitude of too many people in the UK. I don’t like Dave Cameron either very much, but that would be one of my priorities for the general election. Of course there should be some welfare state. But, it’s meant to be a safety net for those who fall on hard times and not for those who see it as a career and reliable source of income. Rights and responsibility.

I also hope that they erase the culture of failure. The acceptance of failure. Failure is good sometimes, like when one takes a (reasonable) risk to improve matters and looses, one learns by mistakes. The essence of junior executives. But I think that the attitude of some people within the Labour party that we are all successful in our own ways. That’s partly true: people’s individual lives can not be measured in success, success for one person is quite different from another.

But I hope that Tories encourage young people to aspire to their full potential career wise, and realise that mediocrity is not desirable. Not everyone can be top dog, but the satisfaction of knowing one is doing their best is much better than accepting mediocrity.

For me, it’s possible to see why the Tories are moving north.