Fining Pieces of Paper

What Harm have these poor pieces of paper done you?

The government has just fined Southern water £90,000,000 for pouring sewage into the sea.

The Health and Safety Executive site is filled with instances of companies being fined for breaking regulations.

We have fined banks;  we have  fined hospitals;  we have fined network rail

This is ludicrous beyond belief.

Amazon’s AI (Artificial Idiot)

Our shower switch broke.  So I ordered another on Amazon Prime for next day delivery.  I got an email saying it had ben dispatched.

It didn't arrive, nor the next day, not the next day.  So I tried to contact Amazon.

The NHS War zone

Is "War Zone" a strong word here?

• Vladamir Putin and the Russian government are waging war on Ukraine, and civilian deaths are currently running at 188 per month (December 2022)
• Jeremy Hunt and the UK government are waging war on the NHS and civilian deaths are estimated to be running at around 2000 per month.

A Universal Truth

There can only be one Universe - simply because "uni" means one.

In the Multiverse there are not Universes - only Verses.

Only a Fraction

“Only a fraction“. It’s a phrase that is in very common use. What does it mean?

A quarter, an eighth, fifteen sixteenths or maybe seven sevenths?  Or is it even vulgar, like twelve tenths?  

After a long investigation, taking only a fraction of the time, and using only a fraction of the resources that a prestigious university would use, I have found the answer.

The Liz Truss Plan

In a nutshell:-

We have to keep we rich getting richer at the rate to which we have become accustomed.  So that means that distractions like climate change, levelling up, and reducing inequality will have to take a back seat.  
I, and probably my party, will be booted out at the next election, so we will milk the public for as much as we can for the next two years while creating the biggest mess we can for the next government.

How the Market Economy works

If anyone is wondering how the energy crisis works this may help to make it clear.

Supply and Demand

There once was a little village miles from anywhere. The little village had 100 houses and two bakers. Each baker made 50 loaves a day, so every house in the village got fresh bread. The loaves were sold for £1 each so each baker got £50 a day in sales.

Everyone's a Liar

Why does everyone Lie?

This post was originally posted on 2nd April 2020, but todays events are simply staggering.

Boris Johnson, a consumate liar to the core, is now in danger of losing his job after been proven to have lied and to parliament which breaks the ministerial code. This IS a resignation matter.

Education.

The Education Gravy Train

This is a follow on from a post three years ago “Education education education” Not much has changed.

This caught my eye. David Willets, a former Tory MP and a current Tory Lord says that we need to increase the number of places at University to avoid our children getting low paid jobs.

Now, is he an idiot?  

DATA

 I was an electronic engineer for most of my working life.  During all of that time I used the word “data” lots of times, every day.

It was never a plural word as it seems to be used now. Neither was it a singular word.  It was used in a similar way to “water” or “hay” or “air”.  As in:-

Scotland

I was born in the North East of England and lived there for 27 years.  I then lived in Scotland for the next 42 years. (I now live in Cornwall.)

Why does she remind me of the 
Emperor in Star Wars? 

I love Scotland and the people and I am a staunch supporter of Scottish Independence. It pains me so much to see how Nicola Sturgeon has corrupted the Scottish Nationalist Party which was handed to her on a plate by Alex Salmond after Scotland voted by a very small majority to remain in the UK.

I'm a dinosaur

Maybe it's what happens as you get old yourself.  Identification with old things maybe, or simply resistance to change.

For example, my pedal bike I bought in 1968 and I think it was about 7 years old then.  I still ride it and it works fine, although it could do with a lower first gear. This is strange as even 30 years ago it seemed fine!

A couple of Rants

Warning – Technology Ran

I Skype with my son in Melbourne every other Thursday at 9:30am my time, 8:30pm his time. This morning I switched on my windows 10 laptop (an old HP Elitebook 2540p) at 08:40. I always go this process early so that it gives Windows and Skype time to sort them selves out.

A bit of a gap

My last post  on this site was 13 years ago!  In my first post I said

One of two things will happen now. I'll either drop into a habit of writing here or, more probably, my very low boredom threshold will rear it's head (and say stop mixing your metaphores) and I'll make a few entries and forget it.

Time will tell.

Well time has told! 

The View from Cornwall

11th September 2045

Today we remember the tragic destruction of the twin towers in New York forty four years ago, and celebrate Cornish Independence five years ago.

Education, Education, Education

Tony Blair’s goal was to get 50% of the population into further education. This has been taken to mean 50% of the population will have a degree. Which is great for them, because that will put them all in the top 10% of earners. Errrrr……

Walking the dog

I usually take Bruno, my very long legged border collie on a walk in the morning. Coming back, I wandered up the stairs into the grounds of the Abbey. Bruno looked quite inspiring and rather majestic as he leaped up the stairs and raced off around the grave stones. As usual he came back to check where I was and I spoke a few words to him. Then I heard two ladies giggling behind me. I had not seen them before. I could have said "Good boy Bruno", or "You look great today" and maybe looked like a "One man and his dog" romantic old timer. But what had I said?

Australia

I've just come off the phone after talking to my son in Oz. He's touring with his girlfriend and her parents and they are now in Alice Springs.
Poor Australia will be hit very hard due to global warming. At least there is not a huge population to worry about. The effects have already began. Bush fires and floods are the first sign. In a few years most of the island continent will be uninhabitable.

Whats it all about?

Why the hell have I set up a blog? Is it the budding writer in me? Do I want to get something off my chest? Maybe I want to explain to the world how to fix things?

One of two things will happen now. I'll either drop into a habit of writing here or, more probably, my very low boredom threshold will rear it's head (and say stop mixing your metaphores) and I'll make a few entries and forget it.

Time will tell.