Seeing the latest attacks in Tunis makes me want to voice...terrorists will never win while holding guns....Nations will unite against you and destroy you one by one. I've always believed that we need to understand why people take to extreme measures, to help understand their views. But when you fire bullets randomly at any race, religion...then you are nothing but murderers who's voice will never be heard.
I learned a lesson the other day even as an already wise old man Read reviews before purchasing from Online companies! The lesson I learned the hard way through not reading reviews is I will never touch this company again...http://www.furnitureinfashion.net/
Jobsworth or You don't need caterers if you can't organise a drinking session in a brewery. We know that there was to be a problem with catering for today's game - but we didn't need those problems compounded by jobsworthy stewards. A friend who sits next to me in the Gordon Road stand wanted to get a hot cup of tea before the match began. At the time there was nothing available for the fans in that stand ! - the facilities at both ends of the stand were closed. It was noted that a tea bar was open under the Rainham End. My friend asked a steward to be allowed access to buy a cup of tea from this location. He was refused " It's only for the Rainham End." My friend said that he only wanted a cup of tea - that he had no intention of remaining in that location - he had his own seat in the GRS - as confirmed by the season ticket book in his possession. Well you would have been able to get blood out of a stone before the steward would change his decision. I reckon an Islamic State terrorist would have been better treated. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-31999715
If you haven't got a ticket - you can't win the lottery http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-32149418 I'm not sure if I can feel happy for these people - why did they need to keep on buying lottery tickets - the word greed springs to mind. ....I think there is an expression that says " money doesn't buy you happiness" Now,will they let somebody else have a chance of some affluent misery ?
I'm smelling a tax dodge. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32408661 Hope I'm wrong - but it's funny how Tesco are posting such a huge 'loss' - and claiming that most of the 'loss' is down to depreciation in value of buildings it owns. I suspect that they are using the depreciation to offset their tax bill. Is that possible? - couldn't we all do that to avoid paying tax. If this 'situation' is permissible for corporations, why shouldn't us mere mortals be allowed to withhold what we owe to the tax man.
It's taken me along time to find something more idiotic than my neighbour. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32809200 You'll be pleased to know that I have spared you accounts of the incessant harassment throughout the winter. In the end I had to go to the Police - that was on 20th April. I haven't had a peep out of her since - but I'm not holding my breath.
Smoking - any one that does may have noticed the reduction of cigarettes in a packet. so bye goes the old phrase of asking for 20. However, it appears some tobacco companies are also fighting back and reducing costs... The new Benson & Hedges (dark blue packs) now only charge £6.35 for 18, instead of around the £10 mark for 20 gold pack. Maybe they've worked out logically at last you can't just blame government taxes for any loss in sales, after all the government can only tax a % of what u charge! So now it looks like us Brits will have to adopt what has always been the American way of asking for cigarettes a pack of....
brb It's the modern trend - just about everything is shrinking in size - except the prices........... and retailers have the cheek to say that their prices haven't gone up. We've just had the figures for the Consumer Price Index - showing Deflation of 0.1% --- indicating that prices have gone down from last year - but if you are getting 2 cigarettes fewer in a pack, multi-pack crisps now often 5 (not 6), chocolate bars 10% smaller etc etc - then really the price has gone up well ahead of any increase in wages.
What is the sum of 6 x 8 ? It's not a trick question- although it seemed to be too difficult for one carpet fitter. I was at my son's house yesterday when he (eventually), had new carpets fitted - but not without much head shaking by yours truly ! When the fitter and his 14 year old apprentice arrived his first job was to go through the house measuring every room. That's OK you'd say -he was just making sure. I can accept this - even if my son had already provided the 'laser' measurements from the estate agent - AND the fact that the carpet retailer had previously sent a carpet fitter to measure up ! But - no problem - apart from the waste of time. It wasn't very inspiring to see the fitter struggling to understand his tape measure - as he measured everything 3 times. The problems then started when he had to do simple maths with those figures. "What's 6 x 8 ? Have you got a calculator on your super dooper phone ?" he asked his 'boy' - " I'm going to need a calculator to do this." I couldn't believe my ears. I struggled not to shout " 48 " I think the fitter's name was Billy Smart - because the situation very soon descended into a circus ! After taking what seemed like 48 minutes measuring and remeasuring, Mr.Smart announced that he hadn't been given enough carpet for the job ! There then followed a discussion around the measurements that the retailer had used. It was pointed out to Mr.Smart that the retailer's own 'fitter' had sized up my son's house and that we couldn't be blamed. Mr.Smart refused to fit the carpet - because there wasn't enough ! My son refused to accept delivery of the 'insufficient' carpet without fitting - stating he would contact the retailer. So Mr.Smart and his lad left the scene - at what seemed like 48 mph. My son then made his enquiries with the carpet retailer. About 10 minutes later he got a call from Mr.Smart - asking my son to measure the width of the stairs !!!! My son duly obliged. At this point Mr.Smart then announced that - based on this measurement, he DID have ENOUGH carpet !!!! about 48 minutes later he returned with his lad. The carpets were fitted without any measurement problems - in fact there was the customary chunk left over - almost enough to carpet the bathroom. We can't really blame the carpet retailer (other than choosing a mathematical idiot as a fitter) - because their measurements were correct and they had provided enough carpet for the job. Perhaps they should provide some counting beads for Mr.Smart - something he might understand - certainly not a book of logarithms. The answer is 48 ( although Mr.Smart made it just over a gallon )
On 1st January 2016 I shall be 116 years old. Over the last month I have had problems with my landline account. I have contacted my phone company several times in an attempt to resolve the matter. Each time I have been asked a couple of security questions - and I have given the appropriate answer. Today I had to make another call on the unresolved subject. I was asked the same security questions as before - which included details of my date of birth. I duly obliged. Tel Company " That's not what we've got as your date of birth." Me. " How can that be - because what I've just told you is what I stated when I opened my account." Tel Co. " Well it's not right." Me. " I think I ought to know my own date of birth - I can't give you another because it would be wrong." Tel Co. " I can't help you if you can't provide the correct answers to security questions." Me. " Well you haven't been much help up to now - I've called you several times to get a problem resolved. (I gave a brief description) - but you haven't sorted it yet - I'm sure that my record will show you the calls I made on...( stated the dates ). I've never had any problem with my date of birth on previous occasions. What more can I do to prove my identity ?- I can tell you my billing details, but I can't provide a piece of D.N.A." I then asked " Just what d.o.b have you got for me ? --- Now they shouldn't have disclosed the information ( Data Protection rules ) - but their answer was priceless. Tel Co " Well, er, we've got your date of birth as 1st January 1900." ................ I nearly wet myself with laughter. Me " Do I sound as I am 115 years old ? Tel Company agreed that I didn't and we then got past that hurdle. NB -- I won't actually be 116 years old - but sometimes I feel that old.
I know how to get Greece out of their money troubles They need to become an Energy supplier - just like mine - and then they'll have loadsamoney. (poor Stavros joke - for those who can remember). In the last year I have upgraded various electrical appliances to more 'energy efficient' models. I have noticed a considerable drop in my consumption. My gas usage has remained remarkably constant over the last few years - so I have a fair idea of what it should cost in the next 12 months. My 'existing' energy supplier has just called to to discuss my contract which expires at the end of the month. I've already done research on various price comparison sites - so I had the numbers at my disposal during the discussion. My energy supplier asked me to 'accept' my current electrical usage for calculation purposes. - no problem there. My energy supplier then asked me to 'accept', for calculation purposes, a gas usage DOUBLE what it is! - they then told me it would be £ X a month ( £14 more than my current combined energy usage.) I asked them to justify their figure - " You have my consumption figures for the last two years - which show that my gas usage has remained constant I doubt it will double overnight in the same way as I doubt if I'll eat twice as much in the next year - so I don't expect my supermarket bill to double." My energy supplier asked me " Well, let's just work on those figures - if you use less, you'll pay less ." I asked " If you want to help me, can you use my current usage figures." The caller then gave me revised figures on Tariff Y, and told me it would be £Z. I told the caller that I had received an email from my energy supplier relating to Tariff Y and quoted a direct debit figure £7 less than I was hearing from my caller " So, I might as well do it online." I asked " Is the monthly Direct Debit a fixed figure of £ X." Reply " Yes." I said " So how can I pay less if I use less gas -because my current direct debit hasn't been reduced to reflect my reduced electrical consumption." Reply " Yes, but if you do use more gas your direct debit will only be " £X." I said " I added " That would be like me paying an unnecessary higher amount for the same tariff and giving you money for gas I'm not going to use. Money for nothing as I see it - you're not Greek are you? " I told them that I was grateful for their 'input' but I didn't need their help to sort out my contract. Perhaps with the above example of financial 'expertise', my energy supplier is Greek.
There are more important matters in life than mere money Firstly I'd like to express my sympathy to those ( and their family & friends ) 'affected' by the senseless and cowardly actions by terrorists in Tunisia. The fact that there were so many British victims has brought International lunacy close to home - and it only right that our Government sit up and take notice - and must fully commit itself to supporting and engaging in international action to remove the terrorists from this world. In fact the whole world needs to take joint action to wipe out terrorism - otherwise every country will have instances such as >>>> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-33369713 ( which didn't hit our headlines in the same way as Tunisia ). Our Government has achieved peace in the past. WW 1 WW 2 Northern Ireland -where Catholics and Protestants may still hate each other - but seem not to have to resort to murder. even I managed to spend 5 minutes talking ( nicely ) with my neighbour two days ago without wanting to strangle her. ( mind you it was regarding a mutual interest concerning a planning consent being sought by another neighbour )
alwaysright - I'm pleased you have raised the topic of the inadequacies of media reporting, certainly when massive atrocities are being overlooked, so i thank you and on the day of a minutes silence I feel it is right to post something, I previously only had posted on the dark web... Tunisia. Chapter 1. What is the answer, because not being a reader of newspapers and only watching tv media up to just an hour a day, i'm finding it difficult to contemplate a resolution. The British Media have a lot to answer for feeding the Islamic State publicity campaign, I don't like to see censorship but we also need to be careful not to be it's tool, from beheadings to public gunman rampage. I only have to turn my tv on anytime over the last 6 months to see endless reports regarding ISIS and it's become like feeding a machine. In my mind we need to ask ourselves a question, why are so many people going to fight for what is portrayed by media as a evil regime. We can talk about brain washing but where does that begin, have the British Media become the breeder of the devil. The day we entered Iraq, was the day we became our own maker. Tony Blair along with other's should have been hung long before Saddam Hussein. Did anyone ever really believe Iraq had nuclear weapons. Hussein murdered 148 people at least, but now we have created a problem that will affect the world in it's millions. At least 39 killed in one mad moment yesterday and this is not the beginning or the end by any imagination. I do not pretend to understand all this for one moment but it's where my thoughts are at the moment, let's not forget ANC and Nelson Mandela imprisoned for 27 years for his beliefs. Let's not forget Hitler but then the creation of the European State. Let's not forget, Obama's promise to close Guantanamo Bay. Europe and America can have war criminals as much has the Arab states. Let's not forget the media only tell's you what its governments want you to believe. I'd say my thoughts are with Tunisia but i do not know these people, the same as i do not know the people that cause these atrocities. When in truth people with holidays booked will today will be deciding whether to take those holiday's, the only dilemma most those Brits currently have to face! While the real dilemma is to ask, what is the reason a man picks up a gun and kills innocent people, is it because he is stereo typed mad or has been brain washed, really people, I thought we was supposed to be looking for an answer. The quicker we find those answers the less people will die or are we going to wait until a Bluewater, it will happen, it's just a matter of time. Maybe it is just pure evil that need to be thought back with the gun but.... Let's not forget Chapter 2. We all have agenda's, what was our agenda in Iraq. America and the UK can pretend to be the peace keepers of the world but that's only if it fits their ideology. If a man picks up a gun to kill 39 people and we were to assume that he was not mentally ill, then something is feeding that killer or it's belief's. It don't make him any more wrong in his beliefs than you or me, but we are either poking them with a stick, giving them the publicity they may seek or maybe they do truly believe, it does not make them anymore wrong than you or me, other than a balance of measures, troops or lone warriors, killers, murderers, terrorists or peace keepers, they all would kill for a cause, who judges which one is right? I heard an interesting debate yesterday on the radio, when does a killer become in name a terrorist, is it when they are of arabic origin, is it the colour of their skin, is it their religion? You would be amazed at the examples given attacking the media in their portrayal of what is a terrorist. Some examples given where the media called a man a killer rather than a terrorist, why because he was white of maybe British or American origin, with maybe Christian values. What a funny world we live in, where we believe everything we are fed. If Rupert Murdoch's empire says someone is a terrorist, then they must be, taken on face value of a news reporter or editor. Yes, there are dead bodies laying on the beach, but how many dead bodies have the Western Alliance left laying around the world. Maybe a maccabre way of expressing things but when the political leaders of the world stop playing chess, then they may find a resolution, it does not mean even destroying a belief but just taming it, so it does not kill, but to do that all Nations West and East have to stand together. If we continue to play chess with ideologies then more death's will result as a consequence, as the kill or be killed will spiral to the pits of hell. Brit's were targeted for a reason, why was that, and the media version never resolves the humanity of the situation it just inflames it.
The above is not intended as any disrespect to the people who we will today respect at midday, but if we do not ask difficult questions of ourselves, if we do not seek answers, then we are no better than the men that pick up guns. After all we call ourselves a democracy.
brb Thanks for your thoughts. I totally agree with every word - especially with the press choosing to 'pick' what they report. Recently I have been watching Ross Kemp reporting in various parts o f the "Extreme World." This series shows in graphic detail, the violence, rape and murder that is 'common' practise in so many parts of our beautiful planet. Kemp has tried to find the reason (not daring for logic ) for such action. The reasons seem deep rooted in the culture of one 'tribe' against its' neighbour - wanting to protect their property and land from attack. But from what has been shown in the series, it appears that ANY little argument escalates to extreme violence if not murder - and nobody in their society batters an eyelid. THIS is where we share a lack of logic for murder. It is not our mindset that needs to be altered but that of terrorist ( sorry - I meant murderers ) otherwise there will never be peace in the world.
Chapter 3. Problem is since 9/11 we are no further ahead in resolving these issues. We seem to invoke a siege mentality, let's inconvenience every one to the nth degree. Airport security may have saved lives, but how is that measured, when the accounts are unreported. But in the main on my travels, this is a British/American thing, ensuring people are controlled to be controlled, a bit like the health of the nation, more or less non existent elsewhere in the world. Quite simply the reason these problems can now exist is because of the silent enemy within, what an ideal way to wage a war. They come to shores home and abroad wishing us harm, some even through the generations of integration. Even the American's were their usual arrogant self until the Boston Bombings. What is laughable is people that call them the lone wolf, so where did the gun come from, how was he resourced, how did the man come about his beliefs or his anger, how did he single handed select the British victims to near perfection, when the majority of them never even carried identity to the beach, hence their delayed repatriation with families. Nationalities on separate beaches maybe. Then we have the customary minute silence conform out of respect, the British way of mourning since Diana, to show unity as a nation or cynical to get people behind our government to aid that we believe we are doing the right thing as a pack. The solution one day is heading in the right direction of the world governments, where we move from microchip passports, to microchip people, then freedom is no more, that is the day when i will resource a gun and become a freedom fighter, so what is a terrorist. The message being is we all have beliefs, poke people enough and they will fight you by what ever method is at their disposal, and there the merry-go-round exists.
My mother makes me swear. (apologies to brb while more serious matters have recently been raised) My mother is elderly, widowed, frail and has signs of dimentia. I manage to visit her on average twice a month. ( my journey is a 100 mile trip ). My brother lives much closer to her and sees my mother at least once a week. My main connection with my mum is by telephone - and this is usually torture because of my mum's bad hearing. Face to face conversations usually involve me repeating everything at least four times ( even with a £1000 super hearing aid ! ) - So, when it comes to telephone conversations, the communication problems are horrendous. Recently I have wanted to cut my own head off rather than to continue trying to get my mum to hear me on the phone. The other day I asked my brother to check the volume level on my mum's phone. The next day he called me to say that there was a slight break in the cable of my mum's phone. I felt awful - because I had changed my mum's phones and couldn't understand why she couldn't hear me and blamed her lack of attention. Anyway - today my brother replaced the cable and was testing the line and got my mum to speak to me..... AFTER I had a normal conversation with him in which I didn't need to raise my voice to be heard. So I start to speak to my mum - and asked her how was it for her ? She replied " I don't know what's wrong - I just can't hear what he's (me) is saying." I now started to shout down the phone - trying desperately to get my mum to hear me - I even resorted to swearing ( she ALWAYS hears me when I swear ). I could then hear a conversation between my brother and our mother. He was asking her if she had her hearing aid in. She replied " Yes" and I could tell that she was pointing to the hearing aid in her RIGHT ear. I then heard my brother swearing at my mum - because she had placed the phone to her LEFT ear when she (didn't) talk to me.......... our mum needs a hearing aid in BOTH ears - but mobility problems cause her difficulty in daily fitting of an aid in her left ear. My brother asked my mum "Why did you put the phone to the ear without a hearing aid?" Reply " Because I always pick up the phone with my left hand and automatically put it to my left ear." I thanked my brother for disturbing my sanity - that I had gone all day without swearing.
Tonight the Euro Zone got a bloody nose and being anti European I think it is brilliant news. Yes the country may run out of money but the Greek people are at their best when they have to struggle, that is something the materialistic pampered world of the Euro State and it's B(w)ankers never respected. A country that had the Drachma knows more than most, what it's like to fall on hard times. yes, its country maybe in ruins but that never stopped Athens being an attraction. Although sad to say i will not be celebrating with Ouzo, the last time i drank that stuff it made me feel worse than a dose of German/French Alliance, but at least with Ouzo i could puke the stuff out of my system. Time for a referendum Mr Cameron.
It'd never work for me - I'm too devious and need to stay one step ahead. Apparently the BBC are losing £650M a year because fewer people are paying the licence fee -- on the grounds that they only watch catch up television on their laptops, tablets etc ( on which you CAN watch LIVE tv.) £650M works out to nearly 4.5 million licences -- that's an awful lot of people who 'say' they're television viewing is 'slower' than the rest of us. I've said many times that BBC programs (especially sport) is full of FREE advertising and 'product placement' that it insults the viewer to still be charged a fee - and yet is gullible enough to accept the loss of 4.5 million licence fee cash on the above grounds. We could (practically) ALL use the same argument for not paying the licence fee - although I'd probably not bother to watch anything. ( I hate knowing the result of sporting events before I can get to watch them on television.) If you can watch BBC programs on ANY device, the licence fee should apply. ( although it needs to be scrapped and start charging for all the free adverting it provides)
