UK Society - Fair Policies gone Bad

The government's plans to let people work in the likes of Tesco and McDonalds, whilst the government paid their benefits, but the employer paid nothing was not unfair.  Many countries ask people to do community work in return for benefits.  The mistake was perhaps the threat to take benefits away if the recipient did not stay the 4 week course (FOUR WEEK).  Since one the of the lessons was the discipline of work, even that was not too bad.  Many participants actually got work after the exercise.

Now the policy is dead, Government lose, unemployed lose, unbalanced reporting win.

It follows the increase in University fees which survives, but the student gets a loan and does not pay it back if their choice of course does not give added value in their life or for whatever reason they do not get employment.

The policy survives, Government and University win and non-appliers lose.

UK Business

This whole business of Payment Protection Insurance.

Banks sold this as "standard" whether needed or not and are not hitting their profits by paying it back and further damaging their trust and reputation.

Then there are of course solicitors who bombard private phone numbers with recorded messages offering unnecessary help in claiming.

All told NOT the Best of British

The UK Met Office

So the Met Office and MPs think that taxpayers should pay of new larger computers.  They have noticed that forecasts are not that accurate.  Only yesterday a mini heatwave (for Februry) was forecast, but today is seems to be slipping away.

Bad forecasts have been explained in the past by the difculty of three major weather patternes tending to converge over the UK.  I can accept this, so will more money alter this?

UK Society - Landlines

The unwanted calls on landlines are now reaching epidemic proportions.  Recorded messages on mis-selling of Personal Protection Insurance, surveys and selling by people whose English is indistinct.  I have not tried to block calls perhaps I should, but the source of nuisance calls must be traceable if BT would help consumers do so.

UK Society - The BBC

The BBC is under pressure to cut costs, and so it should be, it is overwhelming in many areas, is not longer unbiased.  It could get out of say local radio.  Just look at the list of presenters and reporters.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_BBC_newsreaders_and_reporters

A separate reporter and sound or camera crew from each channel turn up to each news worthy incident.  Pruning is possible.

The rudness of the Paxmans is renouned, but a junior breakfast boy during a sensible dicussion on a minimum price for alchohol swithed to asking the Home Secretary how many units she drunk.  Totally irrlevant.

UK Society - Water shortage

Water summit

Today we have a water summit and the south east is officially in drought.  Yet local government still issues instruction to wash cans and milk containers prior to collection for recycling.

The best thing to do with rubbish is to burn it - dry - and use the heat and power to the benefit of the local populace.

UK Society - Energy

No matter what source of energy is proposed there are objections.  When will the Government tell people very [plainly that we cannot stop the lights going out by using offshore wind alone.  Or onshore for that matter (offshore having least objections).  Nuclear is in a class of its own in the objections league, but also shale gas and our plentiful coal.

Not mention the USA with 10 time our use and few gree regulations.  Or India & China, both with 20 times more population than the UK, will go ahead with what is convenient, so our energy poverty will achieve nothing.

UK Society - The UK Press

The unrepresented media, out of control on phone hacking, bribery and other issues, love drama.  No story is of interest without drama.
Also if they can know the UK or its establishment of both scores highly with them as well.
They are reporting long queues to get through UK Border Controls.  The Agency disputes this, but in my experience it has been worse since the Home Secretary fired the Head of UK Border Operations.
Have any of the reporters tried the USA recently.  Forty five minutes is the norm NOT the exception.

Sport

The furore in Soccer of withholding handshakes on a racial basis must be condemned by all.

UK Society - Crime

I cannot think of many good reasons for hiding once face by hoods, masks etc.  Not in the street, perhaps on the way into court, but not after proven guilty.

UK Society - The Press

The UK Press like Press everywhere is very vocal even though no-one votes for them.  Only advertisers can control them.  Much of the UK media is out of control believing that it was above the law.

The Falklands

Oh so predictable that on the 30 Year anniversary of a war that killed 1000, Argentina should rattle their sabre.  The direct cause as predicted in my website http://normanharris20cc.squarespace.com/ is the scrapping of the Ark Royal for which David Cameron is responsible.

There are dozens of territorial anomalies all over the world, The Falklands is on of the lesser ones.  The resolution should always be in the hands of those who live on the disputed territory.

UK Business

In the UK there is hysteria over top bankers £m bonuses.  But nothing on footbal players and managers earning the same and contibuting more or less?

Sport

Have you noticed that in top class tennis it takes 11 officials to supervise 2 players as will as 6 ball boys or girls of course.

Sport

Has science got an alternative to chalk in snooker.  There is time spent putting it on, wiping it off the table and then wiping the balls after they jump.

Sport

UK Soccer

Mistake after mistake.  Management brought in an Italian at £4m+ pa.  He brought back a discredited captain.  Management fired him when he was again in hot water, the Italian mouthed off and resigned.  No management are looking at under contract English man recovering from a recent heart operation and cleared of tax evasion.

Good outline for a novel, I wish it was.