Just Taken Advantage Of!

Thursday, 29 March 2012

Just Taken Advantage Of!

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: A squirrel shares a bird feeder with some birds on December 18, 2009 in Carshalton Beeches, England. Heavy snow fell across much of south east england today, causing general travel disruption and the temporary closure of airports. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Starling (Photo credit: Laura Whitehead)

I think I must be the archetypal kind of guy that will do most things for anyone. Knock on my door and ask for help with anything and I'm your man-as long as none of it is going to cost me money that is! And as long as you don't want to borrow the same thing more than three times, 'cos that is when its time you bought your own I reckon.

A sparrow after eating some bird seed. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Now I don't mind being of help to people, but, I get the feeling that I am being used. It's not something new. I've had the feeling for a number of years now. And whats more, it's costing me money. What is it that's costing me money? Bird seed, that's what. About four years ago I came over all philanthropic-perfectly legal I'm assured. I had decided to say goodbye to full time work. The routine of getting up at 5.30am five days a week, showering and then driving to work had lost it's appeal. Whats more, the on-call duties were even more of a pain in the proverbial. Get home at whatever time, just in time to get a call to say something had gone wrong and I was needed to to go back in and either fix it myself or get someone in to do it. So, back in to work for as long as it took to fix it-might be ten minutes, might be several hours. No Sir, that was no longer the life for me.

Trouble was, after a couple of weeks I got bored. What to do I thought. Feed the birds! That's what I'll do, feed the birds. not too complicated, not too time consuming and not too expensive. Well, it wasn't at that time. Sunflower seeds were about sixty pence a kilo. I had three modest size feeders hung up on the pergola, nothing posh. I started with 2 kilo's of seed. Couple of weeks passed by with hardly a bird in sight. I began to think I'd wasted my money.

Two days or so later, I had a change of heart. First the sparrows arrived. Just a couple or so at first, then a few more and a few more and then even more. Two kilos didn't last long then. Off I went to get more. This time though, it cost me 70 pence a kilo. Thought nothing of it. Got home filled the feeders and watched what happened next. Now, I'm not a well educated guy when it comes to bird spotting and knowing what they are called, but I soon started learning.

Next in were the Starlings. They came in by the shed load. Despite the books telling me that they are ground feeders, the clever little so-and-so's soon learnt how to cling to a feeder and empty it in record time. So far, not too much in the way of colour you will have noted.

Greenfinches. They are such a grumpy looking bird. Even the female of the species has the kind of look that not my toothless old granny could compete with. Added colour though. The big breakthrough came one morning when we were joined in the garden by our first ever Blue Jay. Stunning colours. We were also joined by a squirrel. Just how cunning can they get, didn't matter what I did to prevent them reaching the seed, they outplayed me. Trouble was, seed was spilled all over the ground. Fear not though, a brigade, flock, gang, or whatever the collective noun for feral pigeons is, soon arrived to hoover it all up. More seed please. No problem, off to the bird seed shop I went. Another 4 kilo's. Pound a bag by this time. Thought nothing of it-all in a good cause.

Bird - Blue Jay (Photo credit: blmiers2)

Next up were the Goldfinches. What a beautiful bird this is to be sure. They came in droves. What started as a minor time wasting activity, turned into very much a regular feature of my day, keeping the place clean feeders topped up, and trying to outwit the ever more cunning squirrels. So, what is the point I'm trying to make here?



Carduelis carduelis English: A European Goldfinch on a garden bird feeder in the United Kingdom. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My point is thus. Since I started in a modest way to do my little bit for what the RSPB had me believing was a needy cause, I have been taken advantage of by the companies that supply bird seed to people like me. What started as a 60 pence per kilo product, is, as of this week, a £2.85 pence per kilo product. Taking advantage or what? Not even my favourite pint has gone up by such a large percentage over four years, nor has my newspaper, or even the foodstuffs I buy for human consumption. Will I continue to buy the seeds? Yes, of course I will. I enjoy seeing the birds, those mentioned above along with Blackbirds, Wrens and others, visiting not just to feed themselves, but bringing their new chicks in to feed them during the breeding season.

Yes, I, and thousands like me ARE being taken advantage of. We will keep on doing it though. I know, I'll moan about anything won't I? Deep down inside though, I know its my little contribution to helping preserve some of the endangered species of garden visitors. Kinda heart warming really.

UK Petrol Tanker Drivers Vote To Strike

LONDON - OCTOBER 12: Labour Party Leader Ed Miliband (2R) holds his first shadow cabinet meeting in the House of Commons on October 12, 2010 in London, England. Ed Miliband beat his brother David to become the new leader of the Labour party on 25 September 2010. His shadow cabinet is made up of Harriet Harman (3R), Deputy Leader and Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, Ed Balls, Shadow Secretary of State for the Home Department and Alan Johnson (L), Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer to name a few. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)What in Heavens Name is the Union Unite doing in asking its Petrol Tanker driver members to vote on strike action?

 Today, 26/3/2012, the tanker drivers decided to strike. No strike dates set as yet, talks are to take place to arrange dates. Terms and Conditions and Health and Safety were cited as reasons for the ballot to take place. Were these truly the reasons Unite leadership whipped up this storm? I doubt it!

Since the unions got behind the eventual winner of the Labour Party Leadership campaign, they have become more and more strident in their calls for industrial action by one group or another. I call upon Ed Milliband, Leader of the labour Party to stand up in the House of Commons and condemn the strike. It is a strike that has the potential, unless others take on the task of delivering petrol and diesel to the forecourts of the country, to damage Britain in a short time. What are the motives behind this? Are they to "persuade" the Coalition Government to drop the planned rise in fuel charges planned for August 2012? Are they truly to support the tanker drivers? I think not. If the union was truly intent on helping its members, it would have started with backing the drivers of heavy goods vehicles of Britain who are losing money and jobs because of fuel prices. Unite has chosen not to support these people. It appears to be intent on damaging the country instead.

I have no political affiliation. I do though, have a sense of responsibility toward my country. I can express my responsibility by putting forward the proposition that the drivers that voted to strike, stand back and take a look at the possible effect of their actions. Yes, the military is to be used to deliver fuel in their stead. This will of course help. It will also cause problems in the eyes and perceptions of the the more militant members of society. At a time when our Military Heroes need all the support they can get while serving in military theatres, the last thing they need is slagging off for strike breaking. The majority of the public will possibly see them as heroes for doing it-the militants may not.

Come on guys-think it through. Don't go through with the strikes-sit back, take a deep breath and look at the possible outcomes. Is it all worth it?

Related articles

• Soldiers on standby for fuel strikes (staveleyhead.co.uk)
• Union Votes In Favour Of UK Fuel Strike (news.sky.com)
• Ed Miliband silent as union backers plot strike by tanker drivers (dailymail.co.uk)
• Soldiers train to deliver petrol in case tanker drivers strike (thesun.co.uk)

Team Sports Cause Undue Stress-Fact!

At one time or another, most of us will be required to undergo training in our chosen field of employment. Part of that training will be developing "team spirit" and " team working." Many of us will have been through that experience, several times if we have changed jobs. Having completed the training and assessment, we get the results. I always managed to achieve the same, or pretty similar results. I had absorbed the training, but was considered not to be  team player.

I felt totally vindicated! Throughout my life up to that point at least, I had thoroughly enjoyed sport, well most of it anyway. The sports I enjoyed most were cross-country running and the high jump. Individual sports. (Now, that will come as a complete surprise to anyone reading this, who actually knows me) The sport I enjoyed playing the least, was Rugby Union. It was a team sport. (The fact that I was made to play the game just because of my size and nothing else, did not help.) I was, and I remain, convinced that any "game" that needs more than two people to take part in it, is doomed to a certain amount of failure. With any more than one person on each side, it is likely that sooner or later one person in the duo or even larger team will fail, if only for a second or so, resulting in a goal, a point or whatever, being scored against his or her side. At that point, all finger pointing and stares will be focused on that individual. Don't believe it? Take a look next time YOUR team loses a point or goal next time they play. You may even be guilty of doing it yourself!

All of what I have desribed above in terms of team sports, results in higher than usual stress levels occuring during the game, and for some time after. How many times have you muttered either under your breath, or out loud to anyone who will listen, that you and that team are finished. Never again will you support them-and as for that so-and-so manager, or full back, or supposedly "attacking forward line," they can just take a hike. How do I know? Because it happens to me week in and week out. I would even go so far as to say year in and year out.

Let me give you an example, or perhaps two. I confess to supporting a football team (or soccer team, depending on where you hale from) since 1974. I will not name them as I am supersticious and would not wish more bad luck on them than they currently enjoy. All I will say is that they are named after the town in which they play, which in turn is the oldest known Roman garrison town in England, you know, the one that Boudica raised to the ground!). Another clue is that the team were voted the 37th most stressful team to watch just three years ago. I suspect they will have risen in that table since!!!! I used to arrive at their ground full of optimism, joy and hope. I would often leave their ground with my stress levels at sky high level, despite every piece of advice I offered tham throughout the game, they ignored it, hence the opposotion going home with their faces wreathed in smiles. I would arrive home, my wife there to greet me. (I never understood why, despite the obvious look of thunder on my face, she always chose to ask, "how did the game go?")

To this day, I still support them. I now live many miles away from the town and cannot often visit, but still listen to each and every game on the internet. I will be so doing tonight 6/3/2012. My wife dreads such events despite my skulking off to the kitchen with my laptop, headphones and and a couple of ales in the 'fridge. She can hear the odd comment such as "come come chaps, that was a trifle silly giving away such a soft goal" or such like. She no longer asks how the game went.

A former love of my sporting life was an Ice Hockey team, London Knights, who played at the London Arena. I was introduced to the sport by my son, Andrew. He got a free ticket to a game for excelling at maths one week, (the team was famous for supporting education and rewarding kids at all levels, not just at the top.) It meant I had to buy a ticket so that he could attend, but so what, not even I was mean enough in those days to not take him. We turned up at the arena, not knowing what to expect. What we found was something totally new. Noise, noise and more noise. Loud pulsing music, videos playing on a four sided cosole suspended from on high. It was quite difficult to talk to each other. It didn't stop there. Suddenly the music stopped, the lights went out and a siren screamed out from nowhere. Immediately quietness was replaced by quite the loudest music I had ever heard-The sound of thunder was accompanied by flashing lights, a ceiling light span and lit up the arena and finally settled on the gate on one corner of the ice where the players were to make the entrance-the home players that was.
Image via Wikipedia
In true American showbiz razamatazz style, each player was announced by name-he raced onto the ice having been picked up by a white hot spot light. Wow-we were impressed. The opposition were then "welcomed" to the ice in a very quietly delivered "welcome" accompanied by the music made famous via the Laurel and hardy movies. "Our" team went on to beat Nottingham Panthers by 7 goals to 1. What a team!!!

We decided to go back for the next game. We saw them beaten 5-1 by Newcastle. Then our next game saw them draw 2-2 with Basingstoke Bison, but lose the play-off by one goal. Andrew and me were typically disapointed. Again, it was individual failures that led to team failures. Again I, no we, swore not to support them anymore. (We did, much to my wifes surprise, buy season tickets to watch them for the next three seasons though.)  This ice hockey experience was much more of a threat to my health even than the football. The high adrenaline rush before the game, followed by the low low feeling but high stress levels after each loss added to the foot stress might have seen the end of a lesser man. Thankfully, I survived it all. I am still of the opinion that team sports cause undue stress.

I follow other sports, individual sports that is. I find them stress free. If I am willing a particular golfer on to success, but over the final four holes he bogies three and birdies in one, therefore losing his lead of two shots and losing the match, I simply refer to him/her as a bit of a silly billy. His/her game, his/her loss, his/her failure to win the money. Their loss not mine. Let them bear the stress this time.

The Scottish Independence Thing.......

Image via WikipediaFrom the outset, I wish to declare an interest in Scotland, and things Scottish. To be honest though, I also must declare an interest in Ireland and things Irish. The reasons for doing so are thus:

 I had the privilege of knowing a lovely young lady from Dunbar in Scotland for approximately three years. Very sadly, for me at least, that friendship did not result in the life long relationship that I had wished for. (I would love to know how that young lady is today)

I did however get married later to someone else. As a result I gained a dear but now sadly departed Father-in-Law, who was Scottish. The Grandfather of my wife, on her mothers side, was Irish. I reckon the above qualifies me quite nicely as having a declared interest in the land of The Scots. Incidentally, my youngest son has nailed his colours to the mast and supports the Scots in everything. I wish I could state my origins. I was adopted and have no real indication of my origins. I declare myself as being English. My wife, however, is convinced that my origins lie in the Mediterranean countries. In fact I was once asked if I was Greek, by some friends I had while living in Germany, so there may be some truth in what she says.

Right, back to where I came in. The Scottish Independence Thing. As history tells us, England and Scotland have, from time to time, not been the best of allies. During history, the Scots have joined forces with the French and the Spanish, in an effort to finish off the English. Of course, there were the days when the Roman invaders "walled" the Scots in so to speak, by constructing a stone barrier the width of England to keep the blighters in their place. The truth of that I believe, was that the Romans didn't know how to manage the Scot and his marauding, and were afraid of him.

Why is there the desire to part company with the English I ask? I hear a thousand or more scottish voices shouting Why Not, even as I write this. I ask again though,Why? Is there really, especially at this time of austerity rather than prosperity, a future in breaking away and being totally independant? Many believe so. Many believe otherwise though. Should independance be finally achieved, I forecast tears before bedtime. It is a purely instinctive and personal feeling, with no solid evidence for saying so or believing so.

My only definite evidence for saying what I do say is this: The English are not seeking independence from Scotland. Nor does England seek to see the Cross of Saint Andrew disappear from the Union Flag. What the hell is he on about you might ask?

 Mr Cameron speaks sincerley about his feeling for the Union between our two peoples. I have not read one report, nor heard one word spoken by an English voice saying anything other than this.Perhaps it is is because the English need the Scots, more than the other way round! Not something I would expect to hear being discussed in pubs or clubs on a saturday night I know, south of the border at least!!

I just mentioned the removal of the Scottish element of the Union Flag. I don't know what would happen in the case of Scottish independence, but I would suspect that it would lead to us having to redesign "our" flag. My heart would not be in it. My heart lies in the current union between us.

What do you feel? You can contact me via the comment facility at the end of this article. I can then publish your views. I look forward to hearing from you.

Related articles

• Scottish independence referendum should be straight yes or no, say peers (guardian.co.uk)
• Cameron Details Arguments Against Scottish Independence - New York Times (nytimes.com)

Why Do I Bother?

Being the reasonably honest person that I am, I like to do as required as soon as it is required of me, or, at least as soon as I can. Such was the case yesterday afternoon.

 I am still struggling twenty four hours later, to "calm down Dear," as commanded  by my wife. I am also having trouble deleting expletives before I utter them, at the very thought of traumas I suffered in an afternoon of great anxiety, dashed annoyance and ever climbing blood pressure.

For those of you still with me at this point, I will explain all. I received, last week, a letter telling me that I am due to start receiving my State Pension a little later this year. The letter bade me call the office from which the letter came, in order that I apply for it formally. I so did. I was dealt with politely, efficiently and in a very short time by a very polite and helpful member of staff. The pension, along with the derisory amount, were confirmed and bank details were given, ready for the first payment. I was assured that a letter would arrive after a few days, confirming all that was as said during our conversation. The letter duly arrived yesterday morning. The envelope was still warm as it hit the doormat having been borne lovingly and carefully in the hand of the postman.

This is where the story starts in earnest. I didn't open the letter until early afternoon. As promised, the derisory amount of my pension was confirmed-subject to being taxed unmercifully-as well as the date of first payment being made. The accompanying letter instructed that my next step was to inform the tax office of my new found wealth and the source, dates etc. No telephone number was given though. Not to worry, I thought. That's what the Internet is for I thought. It'll be on the HMRC website. (In the past I might have called 118 500 or similar, to ask for the number-not now though, have you seen how much the blighters charge?) Yes, hallelujah! a telephone number appeared. I rang the number a little before 3pm.

This first brush with the system gave me six options, none of which said it dealt with pension details. I chose an option at random. I was offered 4 more options. Again, no luck, so another option was chosen. This time I was given a different number to call. It's now 3.10pm.

Number dialled, six options, some of which were also available in the first call. No obvious option so random choice made. Five new options this time. Chose alternative number again. Called the number-same as first two calls-frustration setting in. New number etc, etc, etc.. By this time it was 3.18pm.

To cut a very long story short, I arrived at telephone number, number six. (I later calculated that I had in fact been offered 60 alternatives in the first five calls, none of which suited my needs.) By the time I called the sixth number, it was 3.27pm. What the hell I thought, just do it and regret it later. Six options again, number six of which was what I wanted!!!!! Yippee, hallelujah, yaba daba doo-and so on. I pressed the button for option six. I was informed by a voice that I was in a queue and would be "dealt with" as soon as a member of staff could be bothered,became available. (I've always been a little concerned by the phrase "dealt with." My Mum always used to say "I'll deal with you when I get you home" and that always ended in tears.) 

I waited, the "voice" returned and threatened me a dozen or more times. The music was Muzak, the adverts, for other HMRC services, were rubbish, and the time was getting on. Eventually the voice of an operative was heard. He was polite and sounded very chirpy, (Thought better of having a go at him as it wasn't really his fault was it?) We got into conversation and I passed his security test with flying colours. He was now in a position to deal with my reason for calling. I went though the process of telling him about my pension etc. The line went quiet for what I can only describe as a "Radio 4" pause-you know, when the announcer says its time for the six o'clock news and a pause of several seconds occurs before Big Ben strikes the first of it's six bongs. Seems to last for ages!! He then recovered consciousness or whatever, and politely informed me that nothing could be done about adjusting my tax settings until after the first pension payment had been made. He apologised that the letter telling me to call did not tell me when to do it. Despite requests from his office to the "other office" no changes had been made to the letter to reflect this. It was, by this time, 3.50pm. I had hardly sufficient breath to, as politely as possible, thank him for his advice.

Fifty minutes of my life totally wasted, I could have been doing something useful like having a snooze or popping down to the off license for a can of lager or even having a few minutes on my computer studying the Greek course that is leaving me wondering why the hades I started it in the first place!

I now have all that to go through again. Why? Because I threw the piece of paper with the telephone number on it in the paper recycling bin last evening and the dustmen came round this morning and took it away!!!!!!!!!

"I don't Believe It"

Image via Wikipedia"I don't believe it". Now where have I heard that said before?

The announcement was made today, January 25th 2012, that British soldiers (Sergeant and above, including all officer ranks) serving within the M25 ring around London, will lose their current London Allowance from April 1st 2012. The announcement goes on to say that this change will affect about 2000, while 3000 or so will remain unaffected. The allowance was introduced to contribute to the "higher costs encountered of a permanent assignment in London". The cut comes as part of the Strategic Defence and Security review and is expected to save approximately £2.9 million pounds a year.

The starting pay for a Sergeant is listed as being £30,102 a year before tax and National Insurance are deducted. The current London Allowance for a sergeant is £120.00 per month. After deductions, he or she will lose £81.60 per month. (A complete Summary of Changes To Allowances can be seen at http://www.mod.uk/ )

Clearly this will be seen as just one more morale busting day for the British Army. Soldiers are in no position to dictate where they will serve, although there are systems in place to request a particular posting. Today's news brings to mind a whole raft of questions. Do the Police still get allowances for working in London? Do National Health Service staff get allowances for working in London? Do Firemen get allowances for working in London? Do Members of Parliament and Government Ministers get allowances for working in London? The answer to all of the above is, Yes.

Let me ask another question. Should we see today's announcement affecting soldiers as setting a precedent that will result in Police, NHS Staff, Firemen, MP's and Government Ministers and many others, above a certain grade, losing their allowances? I do not think so. Why? Because some of those who might be affected by such a sweeping change have the ability to strike. The British Soldier, and quite rightly so, does not have the right to  strike, and neither are he or she allowed to discuss changes to T's and C's outside of the Mess or OR's Clubs.

Military personnel are vulnerable. They are vulnerable not only to the whims and fancies of any adversary they may be asked to face, but are they not also vulnerable to the whims and fancies of the Government they are paid by? Yes, it is understood that there are savings that must be made at the Ministry of Defence. Yes,it is understood that some of these savings come as a result of previous failures during procurement exercises and planning failures. What is not understood is why forces personnel within the M25 are subject to this removal of allowances, when the lead might better be set by MP's and Government Ministers reducing some of their allowances.

Forces personnel work hard, they also play hard, but they do not mock the treasury by claiming allownces they are not entitled to. We do though, have a number of people in these islands that are expert in claiming when not entitled. More effort must be put into reducing costs and making savings in this type of area, removing the need to take away allowances that are deserved and earned by this nations talented, brave and often under valued men and women.

Related articles

• Army morale 'at its worst for a generation' as job losses loom (dailymail.co.uk)