News today that the members of the Unite union will be on strike from December 22nd, thereby ruining the Christmas travel arrangements for thousands, possibly millions of people.
The apparent disagreement is about BA wanting to cut the number of air steward staff on flights.
I'm always a little bothered by unions' obvious attempts to blackmail the employers of their members. It always seems more than a little ironic to me that by preventing measures that will make the organisation profitable again, there are dangers that more drastic measures will be needed later. Including larger redundancies. If the company went out of business, then all the cabin staff (and everyone else) would be out of a job.
The owner of a sweet shop was on the news earlier today, saying that he had banned all BA staff from entering his shop in Horsham as they were to blame (he perceived) for his plan to go to New York and share Christmas with a friend being put into the balance.
I don't think my opinions of union action will shock, I personally feel they tend to be counter productive in the end. There is, after all, only so much money to go round, and it's sheer naivety on their part to think that the budget for wages increases because of their actions. If anything, it just prolongs and increases any action required to bring a company back into profitability.
Having said that, I do believe that companies should be prepared to think beyond the 'need to cut staff to save money' model that some seem to wheel out in times of financial hardship. What does seem strange is that when any company is doing well, the members of its board do very very well indeed as the success is supposedly due to their actions. When a company falls onto hard times, it appears that they are able to justify stiff pay rises or rewards for themselves as they are having to make 'difficult decisions'. Surely it would make more sense that they suffered a share of the pain that they meter out to the general workforce ? Wage cuts, pay freezes, increases of duties all being things that are asked of staff during such times. Funny how that doesn't appear to translate into the boardroom.
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
Drunk drivers to be 'shopped' by text
A UK Police have launched a service (if that is the word to use) that allows people to report drink drivers by text message. Hopefully people won't be actually driving themselves whilst trying to do it.
Good thing or a bad thing ?
Well anything that keeps drivers off the roads when they aren't in a fit state to drive is a good thing.
Drinking and driving, hmmm, its a lethal combination of two of our favourite vices as a country. We're not the only society in the world that are practically wedded to our cars, but we do seem to have an attitude to alcohol consumption that makes us all look like we pretty much are alcoholics in waiting. Really, did the move to a 24 hours drinking culture provide a more relaxed environment to drinking, or just give those that want to more time in which to get even more drunk ?
When I used to live in the town centre I was surrounded by the effects of uncontrolled and unabated alcohol consumption, mostly by people that didn't know their limits, and seemed perfectly happy to throw money away on something that actually makes them very ill. Some of the illness being quite literally something that I would have to step around in the morning.
As someone who doesn't drive, it never ceases to amaze me the sheer number of people that I see driving their cars whilst talking, or even texting on their mobile phones, without seatbelts on. Drivers do seem to be fundamentally selfish people, and that self absorbed nature extends to their blatant disregard for the safety of others.
Good thing or a bad thing ?
Well anything that keeps drivers off the roads when they aren't in a fit state to drive is a good thing.
Drinking and driving, hmmm, its a lethal combination of two of our favourite vices as a country. We're not the only society in the world that are practically wedded to our cars, but we do seem to have an attitude to alcohol consumption that makes us all look like we pretty much are alcoholics in waiting. Really, did the move to a 24 hours drinking culture provide a more relaxed environment to drinking, or just give those that want to more time in which to get even more drunk ?
When I used to live in the town centre I was surrounded by the effects of uncontrolled and unabated alcohol consumption, mostly by people that didn't know their limits, and seemed perfectly happy to throw money away on something that actually makes them very ill. Some of the illness being quite literally something that I would have to step around in the morning.
As someone who doesn't drive, it never ceases to amaze me the sheer number of people that I see driving their cars whilst talking, or even texting on their mobile phones, without seatbelts on. Drivers do seem to be fundamentally selfish people, and that self absorbed nature extends to their blatant disregard for the safety of others.
Thursday, 26 November 2009
Scottish powers for a scottish parlament ?
You mean, actually give people a responsive parliament that is geographically and administratively closer to them ? Surely not ?
Isn't that what democracy is all about ?
I do wonder what the hell the point is in these devolved governments (Wales & Scotland) not having complete and far rangingly comprehensive powers that allow them to actually, well... do stuff.
Surely unless they actually have powers of some sort, it's just a large, very expensive talking shop ? Our union, (the United Kingdom) was constructed in much different times. Perhaps there would be no need for these local parliaments if the one in Westminster was actually any good.
Maybe Guy Fawkes would have done us a favour had he been successful ? Would a new building have made a different type of parliament ? We make much of ours being the oldest democracy in the world.That doesn't make it the best does it. From what I have seen the Scottish Parliament has been much more responsive, nimble in fact and innovative in thinking about how it goes about delivering the changes the people require.
So why can't ours ? Is it too stuck in the past ? Feet firmly planted in the 19th century, and trying to make it relevant to the Britain of the 21st.
With a general election looming at some point in the new year (looming ? It's looming is it ? Like some form of impending doom ? - maybe) I wonder how popular it would be for someone to suggest that they convert the Houses or Parliament into flats, and then tell all the MPs that they have to do their debating on Skype in future. Think of the money we'd save.
Isn't that what democracy is all about ?
I do wonder what the hell the point is in these devolved governments (Wales & Scotland) not having complete and far rangingly comprehensive powers that allow them to actually, well... do stuff.
Surely unless they actually have powers of some sort, it's just a large, very expensive talking shop ? Our union, (the United Kingdom) was constructed in much different times. Perhaps there would be no need for these local parliaments if the one in Westminster was actually any good.
Maybe Guy Fawkes would have done us a favour had he been successful ? Would a new building have made a different type of parliament ? We make much of ours being the oldest democracy in the world.That doesn't make it the best does it. From what I have seen the Scottish Parliament has been much more responsive, nimble in fact and innovative in thinking about how it goes about delivering the changes the people require.
So why can't ours ? Is it too stuck in the past ? Feet firmly planted in the 19th century, and trying to make it relevant to the Britain of the 21st.
With a general election looming at some point in the new year (looming ? It's looming is it ? Like some form of impending doom ? - maybe) I wonder how popular it would be for someone to suggest that they convert the Houses or Parliament into flats, and then tell all the MPs that they have to do their debating on Skype in future. Think of the money we'd save.
Where's the cleaning fairy ?
Ok. So I have no one to blame but myself, but still..... where's a happy cleaning fairy when you need one.
The flat is still a pigsty. Still the mess it was at the start of the week. I have, although managed to motivate myself to actually do some things. Some things.
Went round to Steve's last night, and attended a workshop on how to use the club's cameras. This was handy, because they have lots of buttons and switches and settings and stuff, and I would probably be quite happy to sit and play with them all, but the truth is that I probably shouldn't and Steve probably wouldn't like me to.
I did get some really good ideas about where things were on the equipment they use, and some of the theory behind those strange phrases I keep hearing either Steve or Chris saying 'I need to rebalance the white' or 'you're crossing the line there'. To me 'crossing the line' was something that my parents used to tell me when I was getting far to cheeky.
I think they may have even redefined 'being cheeky' as 'being a little shit', but I guess you'd have to ask them about that.
Anyway. Back to the plot. There's a plot ? Bloody hell, this was news to me. I thought I was just tapping some random stuff into my netbook while I wait for the toast to pop up......
Hmmm... peanut butter on toast, with salad cream. Yum.
I've noticed that in this year, I've not done anywhere near as much writing as I wanted, and also haven't really done as much filming and uploading. I'm quite good at starting blogs, but absolutely terrible at keeping them going. (as you can tell from the updates on his page).
If 2010 is going to be a different year for me, then I am deciding to change that. And I'm going to change that right here, right now. I have found it very easy to update my Facebook and Twitter presence. 140 characters of musings or comment, sent by text. Nothing could be simpler. I'm not trying to blame the technology or sites for the lack of updates.... but of all my character flaws, procrastination is the one that I can put off till tomorrow.
I don't think that it's beyond possible for me to make two updates per week. (There are only so many entries this week because I am on holiday). I have realised that there's no point in leaving that to start on January 1st. Strike while the iron is hot I say. Or at least while it's relatively tepid. Ouch. Careful not to burn my fingers.
Ok. So that's my 'writing promise'. If it's one thing I've learnt recently at work, its that I like to get stuff done. I like to see that there are things being ticked off on my todo list. I might well have a tendency to be a lazy git, but if I lounge around and do nothing, I don't feel very good about it. Don't get me wrong, its not that I want to live my life in a hectic turmoil, being a slave to a never ending list of things to do (god if I wanted to live like that, I could have stayed married). In the end, there's only one way to get things done, and that's to bloody-well do them. It's nice to kick back and relax, but just sitting in front of the computer or TV, getting slowly more and more depressed about how messy everything is, or what else needs doing.
On the subject of roaring with energy and vitality and determination.. and stuff.... I think it's time to put the kettle on....
The flat is still a pigsty. Still the mess it was at the start of the week. I have, although managed to motivate myself to actually do some things. Some things.
Went round to Steve's last night, and attended a workshop on how to use the club's cameras. This was handy, because they have lots of buttons and switches and settings and stuff, and I would probably be quite happy to sit and play with them all, but the truth is that I probably shouldn't and Steve probably wouldn't like me to.
I did get some really good ideas about where things were on the equipment they use, and some of the theory behind those strange phrases I keep hearing either Steve or Chris saying 'I need to rebalance the white' or 'you're crossing the line there'. To me 'crossing the line' was something that my parents used to tell me when I was getting far to cheeky.
I think they may have even redefined 'being cheeky' as 'being a little shit', but I guess you'd have to ask them about that.
Anyway. Back to the plot. There's a plot ? Bloody hell, this was news to me. I thought I was just tapping some random stuff into my netbook while I wait for the toast to pop up......
Hmmm... peanut butter on toast, with salad cream. Yum.
I've noticed that in this year, I've not done anywhere near as much writing as I wanted, and also haven't really done as much filming and uploading. I'm quite good at starting blogs, but absolutely terrible at keeping them going. (as you can tell from the updates on his page).
If 2010 is going to be a different year for me, then I am deciding to change that. And I'm going to change that right here, right now. I have found it very easy to update my Facebook and Twitter presence. 140 characters of musings or comment, sent by text. Nothing could be simpler. I'm not trying to blame the technology or sites for the lack of updates.... but of all my character flaws, procrastination is the one that I can put off till tomorrow.
I don't think that it's beyond possible for me to make two updates per week. (There are only so many entries this week because I am on holiday). I have realised that there's no point in leaving that to start on January 1st. Strike while the iron is hot I say. Or at least while it's relatively tepid. Ouch. Careful not to burn my fingers.
Ok. So that's my 'writing promise'. If it's one thing I've learnt recently at work, its that I like to get stuff done. I like to see that there are things being ticked off on my todo list. I might well have a tendency to be a lazy git, but if I lounge around and do nothing, I don't feel very good about it. Don't get me wrong, its not that I want to live my life in a hectic turmoil, being a slave to a never ending list of things to do (god if I wanted to live like that, I could have stayed married). In the end, there's only one way to get things done, and that's to bloody-well do them. It's nice to kick back and relax, but just sitting in front of the computer or TV, getting slowly more and more depressed about how messy everything is, or what else needs doing.
On the subject of roaring with energy and vitality and determination.. and stuff.... I think it's time to put the kettle on....
Tuesday, 24 November 2009
Day two
Second day of the holiday.
I have gotten up much later than I had wanted. Having gone to bed a bit later. Still up in time to catch 'Homes Under The Hammer', just because I'm nosey enough to want to look at what other people are doing with their money, and how they are able to make more by refurbishing neglected properties. It's all good stuff. I like watching it, but think that I am teasing myself a little because I know full well, that as much as I would like to try something like that myself, I just don't have the money.
End of 2009, and I'm still renting. Still stuck without even a foot or hand on the property ladder. The hope that house prices would have crashed enough to allow me to buy something of my own has evaporated with the offers to lend money by all the banks that got us into this mess.
My current home is nice enough, but it would be good to be able to do the things that only owners can do. Decorate !
I want to be able to stick things on walls without worrying that pulling off paint or plaster will mean the loss of my deposit. I'd really like to be able to have a whole wall as a blackboard, so that I can 'brain storm' or 'mind shower' (depending how politically correct you are).
I've also got this idea of putting all my DVDs on a wall, with the covers showing, in order to give this collage effect which actually shows a passage of time marked in film releases. I like going round other people's houses and nosing through their book collections. Others like to look at their music - as indeed some people have with mine.
With everything going digital, and being stored on a computer, there isn't this conversation piece. It's such a shame. I just think there's something fundamentally beautiful about a well stocked bookcase. Something about the hodge podge of colours and styles. I guess that's like life itself, in that things aren't (thankfully) uniform and monotone. As much as I love my Mac Mini, or my Netbook, they're pretty soulless. All they say about me is that I can't resist a gadget or two.
If I were to entertain any visitors now, the thing that they would gather mostly about me, and the type of person that I am is that I am messy, and don't clean enough. I never did get around to the cleaning yesterday. I am trying to convince myself to get on with that, and at the same time to get into town and start my Christmas shopping. I am tempted to purchase a copy of the Star Trek film that has recently come out on DVD.
Do I buy it, or do I wait, and let someone buy it for me for Christmas ? Decisions, decisions. Every year my Mother asks me to give her a list of things that I want, for Christmas. Each year, I struggle to find things, because I don't sit around, waiting for Christmas to come about in order to get things that I need. I just go out and buy them myself. There are plenty of things that I want, but don't necessarily need. These things I usually learn to do without. Why would I want something that I don't actually need to have for Christmas.
It seems that procrastination is indeed an art form at which I excel.
I have gotten up much later than I had wanted. Having gone to bed a bit later. Still up in time to catch 'Homes Under The Hammer', just because I'm nosey enough to want to look at what other people are doing with their money, and how they are able to make more by refurbishing neglected properties. It's all good stuff. I like watching it, but think that I am teasing myself a little because I know full well, that as much as I would like to try something like that myself, I just don't have the money.
End of 2009, and I'm still renting. Still stuck without even a foot or hand on the property ladder. The hope that house prices would have crashed enough to allow me to buy something of my own has evaporated with the offers to lend money by all the banks that got us into this mess.
My current home is nice enough, but it would be good to be able to do the things that only owners can do. Decorate !
I want to be able to stick things on walls without worrying that pulling off paint or plaster will mean the loss of my deposit. I'd really like to be able to have a whole wall as a blackboard, so that I can 'brain storm' or 'mind shower' (depending how politically correct you are).
I've also got this idea of putting all my DVDs on a wall, with the covers showing, in order to give this collage effect which actually shows a passage of time marked in film releases. I like going round other people's houses and nosing through their book collections. Others like to look at their music - as indeed some people have with mine.
With everything going digital, and being stored on a computer, there isn't this conversation piece. It's such a shame. I just think there's something fundamentally beautiful about a well stocked bookcase. Something about the hodge podge of colours and styles. I guess that's like life itself, in that things aren't (thankfully) uniform and monotone. As much as I love my Mac Mini, or my Netbook, they're pretty soulless. All they say about me is that I can't resist a gadget or two.
If I were to entertain any visitors now, the thing that they would gather mostly about me, and the type of person that I am is that I am messy, and don't clean enough. I never did get around to the cleaning yesterday. I am trying to convince myself to get on with that, and at the same time to get into town and start my Christmas shopping. I am tempted to purchase a copy of the Star Trek film that has recently come out on DVD.
Do I buy it, or do I wait, and let someone buy it for me for Christmas ? Decisions, decisions. Every year my Mother asks me to give her a list of things that I want, for Christmas. Each year, I struggle to find things, because I don't sit around, waiting for Christmas to come about in order to get things that I need. I just go out and buy them myself. There are plenty of things that I want, but don't necessarily need. These things I usually learn to do without. Why would I want something that I don't actually need to have for Christmas.
It seems that procrastination is indeed an art form at which I excel.
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