Ryanair, the budget airline, know a thing or two about reducing costs and of charging their customers for anything that can remotely be considered an extra. But their hard-headed boss Michael O'Leary has just come up with one of the most bizarre and unwelcome suggestions - the idea that their passengers will have to put a £1 coin in the slot to open the toilet door when they need to relieve themselves. Now I don't think it's April the First and in fairness this is not something that will definitely go ahead.
It might be that O'Leary just wants to float the idea to see what reaction it gets but it is to me a total nonsense. The implication is that passengers will have to go on board his planes making sure that they have sufficient coins on them. I think it's appalling that one would be charged to have a call of nature. Somebody from 'Holiday Which' I think it was pointed out that such a charge would be a disincentive for drinks to be bought in flight, not good for Ryanair.
I've never had a particularly high opinion of O'Leary, this frankly ludicrous suggestion has just lowered it a few more notches.
Friday 27 February 2009
Sir Fred and his pension
I suppose that the biggest story this week regarding an individual and the ongoing banking crisis is the business of the disgraced former boss of The Royal Bank of Scotland, Sir Fred Goodwin, and his bumper pension. The first comment I am going to make is that we are told that the £650,000 a year he will get for the rest of his life - and he is only 50 years old at the moment - is not just for the ten years he has been with RBS. One would love to know just how much of his pension pot has accrued since he took the helm at the bank. I suppose we will never find out but it might put a different perspective on the subject.
The next thing to say is that although £650,000 is colossal to both me and the man on the Clapham Omnibus it of course is fairly insignificant compared with the mind boggling sums put into the banks to prop them up. No it's the reward for failure that goes against our perception of justice I guess. The history of how Sir Fred managed to retain such a pension is starting to become clearer: evidently it was the old board at RBS that agreed the terms of the pension but what unbelievably the government have only just realised is the fact that there was a discretionary element in the agreement This is what the BBC's business editor Robert Peston says on his blog:
The next thing to say is that although £650,000 is colossal to both me and the man on the Clapham Omnibus it of course is fairly insignificant compared with the mind boggling sums put into the banks to prop them up. No it's the reward for failure that goes against our perception of justice I guess. The history of how Sir Fred managed to retain such a pension is starting to become clearer: evidently it was the old board at RBS that agreed the terms of the pension but what unbelievably the government have only just realised is the fact that there was a discretionary element in the agreement This is what the BBC's business editor Robert Peston says on his blog:
The rules of its pension fund are that it was "allowed" to pay an early enhanced pension to a member who "retires early at the request of the company".
But it was not obliged to do so.
Also, and very relevantly, if the company had dismissed Sir Fred, rather than asking him to retire, then again he wouldn't have been eligible for these generous benefits.
Mr Peston then goes on to muse about how much the government knew of the arrangements. They were told we understand that the pension payout was legal and binding; my take on it is that they (again) weren't diligent enough. It's all very well Gordon Brown being outraged at Sir Fred taking this pension and that the government will use every means possible to try and stop it but once more the wretched horse has bolted before the stable door was closed.
One thing that ought to be done a.s.a.p is to strip Sir Fred of his knighthood if that was bestowed on him for his services (ha ha) to banking. That would really deflate his ego. But of course that wouldn't happen under Brown's watch because it would have been he who had suggested the knighthood I would imagine and he wouldn't be keen on the public being reminded about that!
I heard John Prescott on the Today programme this morning laying into the bankers. He bludgeoned away in the usual Prescott manner and was clearly trying to say that what's been happening is nothing to do with the government. But what gets me with him is his sheer hypocrisy - he'll have a go at bankers reward for failure, but has a conveniently short memory regarding how he was rewarded even after he screwed things up. I don't know whether Prescott still has his grace-and-favour homes that Tony Blair allowed him to retain after Prescott lost his departmental responsibilities and then of course there is the not inconsiderable pension pot that Prescott will get courtesy of the tax payer. But then I expect that Mr Prescott reckons that he is well worth it.
Labels:
John Prescott,
Sir Fred Goodwin
Stephanie Hammacott inquest concludes
My last blog post was about the response to the death of six year old Ivan Cameron. Now I must mention again the loss of life of another child. In the case of Ivan his parents were aware that their severely disabled child could die at any time but, having said that, you can never really be prepared for the death of a loved one, it will always hit hard. But imagine now when the loss of one's child is like a bolt from the blue, that it happens in a split second and that the mother is there at the time. Back in January last year it should have been a normal happy day when Plymouth mother Carol Hammacott was walking her 9 year old daughter Stephanie to school. But a sudden gas blast showered Stephanie with debris and sadly she died as a result. I originally blogged about this awful tragedy on the ninth of January but am going back to it because the inquest into her death has just been completed.
The inquest jury think on the evidence that they heard that the gas explosion happened as a result of public utility work in the vicinity of the gas main. It seems that the gas pipe was left without sufficient support underneath which together with too much weight above it caused the pipe to rupture. This appears to be what happened but there is not enough evidence for a public prosecution as I understand it.
An inquest in one sense might be thought to bring closure but in reality it cannot. Mrs Hammacott will always ask herself - "Why was I spared and my Stephanie lost her life". I've never had to endure this sort of tragedy in my closest family but I know various instances of folk who have lost a child or young adult and can hardly imagine how they live with that loss for the rest of their lives. I really wanted to write this to just remind ourselves of the lottery life can be and how easy it is to forget those immediately affected by personal tragedy will forever grieve.
The inquest jury think on the evidence that they heard that the gas explosion happened as a result of public utility work in the vicinity of the gas main. It seems that the gas pipe was left without sufficient support underneath which together with too much weight above it caused the pipe to rupture. This appears to be what happened but there is not enough evidence for a public prosecution as I understand it.
An inquest in one sense might be thought to bring closure but in reality it cannot. Mrs Hammacott will always ask herself - "Why was I spared and my Stephanie lost her life". I've never had to endure this sort of tragedy in my closest family but I know various instances of folk who have lost a child or young adult and can hardly imagine how they live with that loss for the rest of their lives. I really wanted to write this to just remind ourselves of the lottery life can be and how easy it is to forget those immediately affected by personal tragedy will forever grieve.
Labels:
Stephanie Hammacott
Gordon Brown shows empathy
Commentators have pointed out in the past, and with some justification it has to be said, that Gordon Brown finds it difficult to empathise with people. So his dignified and heartfelt statement to the House of Commons on Wednesday over the death of Ivan Cameron was something good to hear. Normally there is a tremendous amount of antipathy between Brown and David Cameron but here was an occasion where GB showed a very human side to his character. Of course the Browns had lost their first child Jennifer and Gordon one sensed really felt for the Camerons; it was noticeable that he even referred to them by their Christian names - David and Samantha. When Tony Blair was the PM one could never be sure about his sincerity (eg when referring to Diana as "the People's Princess" after her death) . But Brown mercifully doesn't do acting, what we had from here was something genuine. The responses from William Hague and Vince Cable were good as well, and we need to remember with Cable that his wife died before time as it were so he has known personal tragedy as well.
Wednesday of course is normally the day for Prime Minister's Questions but, correctly in my view, it was cancelled. I don't think that the HoC was in any mood for the usual clashes that PMQs provides and it was right to suspend the sitting until 12.30. I notice that one of the Parliament watchers commented on the fact that Dennis Skinner tried to engage fellow MPs in conversation whilst the statements about Ivan Cameron were being made. What a totally outrageous person Skinner is - yes his hatred for the Tories is well known but his absolute lack of respect on this particular occasion puts him beyond the pale. Now aged 77 it's high time he was pensioned off.
There are plenty of enough reasons for people to be cynical about politicians but this was one time when almost all of them showed a degree of humanity.
Wednesday of course is normally the day for Prime Minister's Questions but, correctly in my view, it was cancelled. I don't think that the HoC was in any mood for the usual clashes that PMQs provides and it was right to suspend the sitting until 12.30. I notice that one of the Parliament watchers commented on the fact that Dennis Skinner tried to engage fellow MPs in conversation whilst the statements about Ivan Cameron were being made. What a totally outrageous person Skinner is - yes his hatred for the Tories is well known but his absolute lack of respect on this particular occasion puts him beyond the pale. Now aged 77 it's high time he was pensioned off.
There are plenty of enough reasons for people to be cynical about politicians but this was one time when almost all of them showed a degree of humanity.
Labels:
Dennis Skinner,
Gordon Brown,
Ivan Cameron
Sunday 22 February 2009
Tories launch 'Honest Food' campaign
I was pleased to see the new Tory spokesman for the Environment, Nick Herbert, launch an important campaign the other day. Under the banner 'Honest Food' he is demanding that meat products labelled as 'British' would mean that the animal was born and bred in this country - the current situation is that say pig meat from Denmark processed into sausages in the UK can be described as British. The customer could understandably I think believe that said meat in the sausages actually came from pigs reared here. This whole concept is something I've been aware of and concerned about for a very long time.
Some people are asserting that this is 'protectionism'. I don't see that. Bear in mind that, by common agreement, we lead the way in the UK over matters of farm animal welfare. It may not be perfect in some people's eyes but it is better than pretty well anywhere else in Europe. Where the meat is processed is of lesser importance surely, it's where the beast is born and bred that the customers have a right to know about. In Devon and Cornwall we have a wonderful patchwork of relatively small fields whose visual appeal is important to local and visitor alike. It's the farmers rearing livestock who give us the countryside that we find aesthetically satisfying. In many ways too nature benefits from the presence of livestock farming.
I remember now, at least I think I do, something of a parallel when the furore over live animal transport across the channel to the continent was at its height. If memory serves me correctly the French, as an example, could buy Welsh lamb on the hoof rather than the hook so that when slaughtered it could be described as "French lamb". Yes I'm sure that was it. There has never been a shred of justification for a live animal to be transported abroad if the sole aim is for it to go to the abattoir, I couldn't be clearer about that.
So good luck to Mr Herbert in his wish to make honest labelling part of the law of the land. I heard him talking about this subject on the radio and have to say I was fairly impressed with him. Representing the 'Arundel and South Downs' constituency he should have a feel for the countryside. It looks like a good choice by Cameron to have him in this post.
With all the turmoil in the economy subjects such as the Environment and Farming seem to be of less interest to the government. To me though they are more important than ever.
Some people are asserting that this is 'protectionism'. I don't see that. Bear in mind that, by common agreement, we lead the way in the UK over matters of farm animal welfare. It may not be perfect in some people's eyes but it is better than pretty well anywhere else in Europe. Where the meat is processed is of lesser importance surely, it's where the beast is born and bred that the customers have a right to know about. In Devon and Cornwall we have a wonderful patchwork of relatively small fields whose visual appeal is important to local and visitor alike. It's the farmers rearing livestock who give us the countryside that we find aesthetically satisfying. In many ways too nature benefits from the presence of livestock farming.
I remember now, at least I think I do, something of a parallel when the furore over live animal transport across the channel to the continent was at its height. If memory serves me correctly the French, as an example, could buy Welsh lamb on the hoof rather than the hook so that when slaughtered it could be described as "French lamb". Yes I'm sure that was it. There has never been a shred of justification for a live animal to be transported abroad if the sole aim is for it to go to the abattoir, I couldn't be clearer about that.
So good luck to Mr Herbert in his wish to make honest labelling part of the law of the land. I heard him talking about this subject on the radio and have to say I was fairly impressed with him. Representing the 'Arundel and South Downs' constituency he should have a feel for the countryside. It looks like a good choice by Cameron to have him in this post.
With all the turmoil in the economy subjects such as the Environment and Farming seem to be of less interest to the government. To me though they are more important than ever.
Labels:
food labelling,
Nick Herbert
Thursday 19 February 2009
David Attenborough programme delights
Still on the subject of TV, and something a little happier to blog about ... Yesterday evening I watched the latest episode of the new David Attenborough series 'Nature's Great Events'. This time it concerned the huge numbers of Pacific salmon that return to the rivers of British Columbia to spawn - and the hungry grizzly bears that wait for this summer feast. At the start we were treated to the sight of a mother and her two cubs emerging from their winter snow lair up in the mountains and their long downhill trek to the river to wait for nature's bounty in the form of the millions of salmon returning to where they were born to lay their eggs. As usual the photography was absolutely out of this world and BC is definitely somewhere I would visit if I was tempted to see the most wondrous places on the planet.
In addition to the wildlife programme itself it is the practice in Sir David's blockbuster series to reserve some time at the end to show the lengths a particular cameraman would go to get some special shots and this is something that I am very, very pleased to see. It is not just the fascination in seeing the techniques used but these normally unsung heroes behind the lenses get some welcome exposure. The chap that they concentrated on yesterday filmed a bear using his feet in the river to actually kick a hiding salmon into a position where it was more manageable to pick up. This man had an amazing rapport with the grizzlies too but had the frustration of one or two bears disturbing the cable where it went through the river from the underwater camera! But it was surprising to me just how amenable the bears were to the close presence of a human.
Pop stars and footballers always seem to be receiving accolades but what they do pales into insignificance to me compared with what is achieved by these top of their profession cameramen.
In addition to the wildlife programme itself it is the practice in Sir David's blockbuster series to reserve some time at the end to show the lengths a particular cameraman would go to get some special shots and this is something that I am very, very pleased to see. It is not just the fascination in seeing the techniques used but these normally unsung heroes behind the lenses get some welcome exposure. The chap that they concentrated on yesterday filmed a bear using his feet in the river to actually kick a hiding salmon into a position where it was more manageable to pick up. This man had an amazing rapport with the grizzlies too but had the frustration of one or two bears disturbing the cable where it went through the river from the underwater camera! But it was surprising to me just how amenable the bears were to the close presence of a human.
Pop stars and footballers always seem to be receiving accolades but what they do pales into insignificance to me compared with what is achieved by these top of their profession cameramen.
Labels:
David Attenborough
The end of regional TV as we know it
Down here in the south west we have been very lucky to have had a choice between a vibrant commercial TV station attending to our regional interests and the BBC with a degree of local output. However, sadly, things are changing - 'Westcountry' TV is no longer producing its respected news programmes from Plymouth, instead those on Channel 3 now get a much reduced local helping of news as part of a programme covering a much wider ITV area based on Bristol. It's all down to lack of advertising revenue apparently, even without the effect of the recession. No disrespect to Bristol but to locals here that is much too far away to give a feeling of relevance to those living in this long peninsula. Of course the commercial environment now is very different to when ITV kicked off all those years ago; who would have believed when TV with adverts started that we would have the vast plethora of channels around today not to mention the internet as well.
Cross in Plymouth. Our first local ITV station, initiated by Peter Cadbury, was 'Westward TV'. They eventually lost their franchise to TSW (or TelevisionSouthWest if you want the full name) and there were mutterings about it just wouldn't be the same as the much loved 'Westward'. However these fears were unfounded, the changeover was fairly seamless with many of the familiar faces still in post and if memory serves me right TSW operated out of the old Westward studios at DerrysTSW were superseded in turn by 'Westcountry TV' and this time there were some notable changes: gone were the continuity announcers on screen, instead there were just voice overs, gone too was 'Gus Honeybun', the children's favourite rabbit who was often asked to do 'bunny hops' for their birthdays. One interesting innovation at that time however was the introduction of what one might call mini news bulletins from smaller studios in the counties covering much more local areas as part of the regional news programme.
This is all history now, sad I know, but we are still in the Communications Revolution and who knows what changes are still to come.
Cross in Plymouth. Our first local ITV station, initiated by Peter Cadbury, was 'Westward TV'. They eventually lost their franchise to TSW (or TelevisionSouthWest if you want the full name) and there were mutterings about it just wouldn't be the same as the much loved 'Westward'. However these fears were unfounded, the changeover was fairly seamless with many of the familiar faces still in post and if memory serves me right TSW operated out of the old Westward studios at DerrysTSW were superseded in turn by 'Westcountry TV' and this time there were some notable changes: gone were the continuity announcers on screen, instead there were just voice overs, gone too was 'Gus Honeybun', the children's favourite rabbit who was often asked to do 'bunny hops' for their birthdays. One interesting innovation at that time however was the introduction of what one might call mini news bulletins from smaller studios in the counties covering much more local areas as part of the regional news programme.
This is all history now, sad I know, but we are still in the Communications Revolution and who knows what changes are still to come.
Labels:
TSW,
Westcountry TV,
Westward TV
South West Water to refurbish its HQ
South West Water has upset some of its customers, and some of its staff as well we are told, with its announcement that its HQ at Exeter, Peninsula House, is going to be refurbished. Costing some £1.5 million the work is due to start in May with completion at the end of the year. SWW reckon this expenditure will be recouped in a couple of years; I presume this will be down to such matters as more operational efficiency and better use of energy. I think that this will be the first makeover for 20 plus years.
The 1.5 million number is not too dissimilar to the size of the population it serves. In other words it will costing each of us about a pound. Now I'm going to go out on a limb perhaps and say that I don't, in principle, have any problem with this. To be honest I welcome it. Lets look at the benefits: firstly it won't be long before it will start saving the bill payer money, secondly, if it involves energy saving (and I'm sure it must) that will be good for the planet, and last but not least this would be the ideal time to do it because with unemployment escalating such a contract will provide job security for the tradesmen involved for a few months at least.
More than likely the reason that some people are getting irate over the issue is the fact that we have the highest water bills in the country! This is an unrelated problem so far as I am concerned and it's up to the government to do something to reduce the marked differences in prices between different water companies.
I've noticed that people like the BBC display what is to me an annoying habit when running this sort of story. They interview say a couple of people against the scheme and one or two who are pro. What's all that about? Obviously with the huge number of customers that SWW has you can easily get a quick response from both sides but I don't see that somebody just saying "It's disgusting" is moving the argument along, particularly as the interviewee has to comment on the spur of the moment without giving the thing much thought.
On the subject of the cost of our water bills there was an interesting proposal mooted the other day. I think that the water company is going to run an experiment with a few of its customers whereby, using smart metering, there will be a reduced unit cost up to a certain limit. If more water is used then the price per litre will be much higher for this additional usage. In other words the cost of essential water use will be more modest but if you are going to use much more water for washing the car or sprinkling the lawn say then expect your bill to take off. They say that they will take into account the number of people in the metered property which seems reasonable enough: my problem here though is all the extra bureaucracy needed in ascertaining the number of people resident in a house - have they thought this through?
I think that we will see a lot more interest in 'smart metering' be it for water, gas or electricity in the next few years.
The 1.5 million number is not too dissimilar to the size of the population it serves. In other words it will costing each of us about a pound. Now I'm going to go out on a limb perhaps and say that I don't, in principle, have any problem with this. To be honest I welcome it. Lets look at the benefits: firstly it won't be long before it will start saving the bill payer money, secondly, if it involves energy saving (and I'm sure it must) that will be good for the planet, and last but not least this would be the ideal time to do it because with unemployment escalating such a contract will provide job security for the tradesmen involved for a few months at least.
More than likely the reason that some people are getting irate over the issue is the fact that we have the highest water bills in the country! This is an unrelated problem so far as I am concerned and it's up to the government to do something to reduce the marked differences in prices between different water companies.
I've noticed that people like the BBC display what is to me an annoying habit when running this sort of story. They interview say a couple of people against the scheme and one or two who are pro. What's all that about? Obviously with the huge number of customers that SWW has you can easily get a quick response from both sides but I don't see that somebody just saying "It's disgusting" is moving the argument along, particularly as the interviewee has to comment on the spur of the moment without giving the thing much thought.
On the subject of the cost of our water bills there was an interesting proposal mooted the other day. I think that the water company is going to run an experiment with a few of its customers whereby, using smart metering, there will be a reduced unit cost up to a certain limit. If more water is used then the price per litre will be much higher for this additional usage. In other words the cost of essential water use will be more modest but if you are going to use much more water for washing the car or sprinkling the lawn say then expect your bill to take off. They say that they will take into account the number of people in the metered property which seems reasonable enough: my problem here though is all the extra bureaucracy needed in ascertaining the number of people resident in a house - have they thought this through?
I think that we will see a lot more interest in 'smart metering' be it for water, gas or electricity in the next few years.
Monday 16 February 2009
And now some good employment news ...
As with most parts of the UK Cornwall and Devon are having their fair share of redundancies as the economic situation deteriorates so it's great to record something positive for once. The good news is that the highly regarded Appledore Shipyard on the west bank of the River Torridge in the north of Devon is taking on 14 apprentices. If I heard things correctly they are aiming to take on more in successive years. Appledore had closed not so long ago but thankfully is thriving again. Now under the ownership of 'Babcock Marine' the yard is building the bow sections of the two huge aircraft carriers ordered by the government, 'HMS Queen Elizabeth' and 'HMS Prince of Wales'.
This contract should banish unemployment worries for the workers there for some time to come. It is fantastic to know that they are taking on apprentices, such people I thought had become an endangered species. Reports say that it was back in 2002 that the yard last took on apprentices. Something to smile about then in this part of Devon.
This contract should banish unemployment worries for the workers there for some time to come. It is fantastic to know that they are taking on apprentices, such people I thought had become an endangered species. Reports say that it was back in 2002 that the yard last took on apprentices. Something to smile about then in this part of Devon.
Friday 13 February 2009
Authorities shouldn't be blamed over snow chaos
For the moment at least the Met Office reckon the cold snowy spell of weather that has been affecting so much of the country is at an end. During the last couple of weeks there has been plenty of disruption on the transport network, people not being able to get to work and schools closing. This in turn has led to the usual complaints about this country being paralysed when the white stuff starts falling. I have to say that as I do not have to commute and in fact don't have to leave the village too often the weather hasn't been a problem for me. Being low down in the valley the snow has largely passed us by, I think we haven't had much more than one snow shower!
So I haven't got an axe to grind about the way the 'authorities' have dealt with what Mother Nature has been throwing at us. Nevertheless I would like to speak up in their defence:
So I haven't got an axe to grind about the way the 'authorities' have dealt with what Mother Nature has been throwing at us. Nevertheless I would like to speak up in their defence:
- Firstly, and I know others have made this point, because of late we haven't had many severe winters the councils and the Highway Agency have restricted their investment in snow clearing machinery. Of course this is the problem in the UK - we might find that next winter has similar weather to this, on the other hand it might be 20 years before this sort of snowfall is repeated. It's pointless surely to compare Russia or Canada as examples with ourselves. They know they will get snow and plenty of it so can pre-plan accordingly.
- This time the lack of salt has proved to be a headache for some local authorities but I don't think that Devon and Cornwall have fared too badly. I do get the feeling from my own observations around here that the roads maintenance budget has taken something of a hit. Council expenditure is being squeezed and I would say it's reasonable not to invest huge sums in snowploughs, but stockpiles of salt and grit - that's another matter. Interestingly there has been quite a difference between the various councils as to how much salt to purchase but in fairness those running short might have had far more ice to deal with already.
- Topography. It's not only Devon and Cornwall that are hilly, other counties are as well. More hills = more chances of vehicles becoming stuck. A week ago I recorded on this blog that 200 or so vehicles got stuck on that part of the A38 trunk road at Haldon Hill because of a severe snowstorm. Ideally no part of such a dual carriageway would be steeper than 1 in 25; the topography here though is such that if memory serves me correctly this dual road ascends at 1 in 14. Fairly obviously a vehicle on that sort of grade has a greater likelihood of not making it.
- Traffic density is another aspect. It's well known I think that the UK has a particularly high density of traffic so logically the chances of vehicles colliding in the snow or stopping others getting past when they stall has to be greater I would have thought than in some countries. More vehicles littering the highway in turn makes it more difficult for snowploughs and gritters to get through.
Sunday 8 February 2009
A tale of two MPs (2) Jacqui Smith
Blogs have been reporting on a story in today's 'Mail on Sunday' regarding the expenses of the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith. Ms Smith represents Redditch so obviously needs the availability of two homes to carry out her duties in both government and constituency. The rules regarding expenses make clear we are told that the MP concerned can claim expenses on a second home but which of the two properties would that be? It evidently depends on which house is slept in more often. The assertion is that Ms Smith returns to Redditch on a Thursday and comes back to London on either the following Sunday or Monday.
Now consider these facts: (1) Ms Smith stays with her sister when up in town (2) Ms Smith claims that this house, her sister's home, is her primary residence (3) Jacqui therefore claims that the house in Redditch is her second home even though her husband and children live there and she spends the weekend with them (4) She would have to return to London on Sundays more often than on Mondays for the sister's home to become the primary residence, this only applying when the HoC is sitting. If one were to logically think about the recesses as well then surely she will be spending far more nights at Redditch. (5) As Home Secretary she has a 'Grace and Favour' apartment available in London should she want it.
A point picked up by some bloggers is that the G&F apartments have a police security presence as a matter of course. They suggest that there is a very considerable extra cost in providing additional policing at the sister's house. I would like to know more - is this G&F place being used at all, I think we ought to be told.
Ms Smith has replied to the criticism in the Mail on Sunday saying that she's acting entirely within the rules. I'm dubious about this, she's certainly not within the spirit of the rules that's for sure. It's really important that the traditional media and the blogosphere run with this as she is setting such a poor example. Another point to be made is the deception that came to light regarding the behaviour of her husband. It had come to light that he had been writing to their local newspaper and that his letters had been heaping praise on her as an MP! It might be that 'Smith' is her maiden name and that he was using his own surname to try to hoodwink the public but evidently they were rumbled. She is sitting on a far from comfortable majority and would be quite lucky to hold the seat at the next General Election.
She seems to have been promoted to a post way above her abilities and I am very unimpressed with her. In making this comparison between two MPs today and similarly on 23 January in each case it was a female Labour MP that got the thumbs down. For the avoidance of any doubt it is not because of their gender or their party label that I have been so highly critical. It is purely because I think that both Dawn Butler and Jacqui Smith are appalling people and shouldn't be representing us. It's as simple as that.
Now consider these facts: (1) Ms Smith stays with her sister when up in town (2) Ms Smith claims that this house, her sister's home, is her primary residence (3) Jacqui therefore claims that the house in Redditch is her second home even though her husband and children live there and she spends the weekend with them (4) She would have to return to London on Sundays more often than on Mondays for the sister's home to become the primary residence, this only applying when the HoC is sitting. If one were to logically think about the recesses as well then surely she will be spending far more nights at Redditch. (5) As Home Secretary she has a 'Grace and Favour' apartment available in London should she want it.
A point picked up by some bloggers is that the G&F apartments have a police security presence as a matter of course. They suggest that there is a very considerable extra cost in providing additional policing at the sister's house. I would like to know more - is this G&F place being used at all, I think we ought to be told.
Ms Smith has replied to the criticism in the Mail on Sunday saying that she's acting entirely within the rules. I'm dubious about this, she's certainly not within the spirit of the rules that's for sure. It's really important that the traditional media and the blogosphere run with this as she is setting such a poor example. Another point to be made is the deception that came to light regarding the behaviour of her husband. It had come to light that he had been writing to their local newspaper and that his letters had been heaping praise on her as an MP! It might be that 'Smith' is her maiden name and that he was using his own surname to try to hoodwink the public but evidently they were rumbled. She is sitting on a far from comfortable majority and would be quite lucky to hold the seat at the next General Election.
She seems to have been promoted to a post way above her abilities and I am very unimpressed with her. In making this comparison between two MPs today and similarly on 23 January in each case it was a female Labour MP that got the thumbs down. For the avoidance of any doubt it is not because of their gender or their party label that I have been so highly critical. It is purely because I think that both Dawn Butler and Jacqui Smith are appalling people and shouldn't be representing us. It's as simple as that.
A tale of two MPs (1) Philip Hollowbone
One day last month I made a couple of entries each of which concerned an MP - a good guy, bad guy sort of thing if you will and now two others have caught my eye so I'll do the same thing again. First up and definitely one of the better ones is Philip Hollowbone who is the Tory MP for Kettering in Northants. According to this feature on the BBC news website he has the lowest level of expenses of any of our elected representatives, claiming under £45,000. Part of the reason evidently is the fact that he doesn't employ any staff, a most unusual situation I would have thought. He must be well organised as he also finds time to be a director of a 'clean coal technology' company and to be a British Transport Police special constable!
For a very long time, and I've touched on this before, I've thought how much better suited backbench MPs are to representing the voters. The BBC's piece about the frugal Mr Hollowbone demonstrates yet again the opportunity such folk have in keeping in touch with the 'real' world. For the life of me I can't see how someone in the government can look after their constituents needs and be aware of life outside the Westminster bubble as well. In effect we have people running the country, some of them not having real work experience and isolated from the travails of the outside world. No wonder they keep getting it wrong!
So three cheers for Mr Hollowbone but I'm afraid it will be three boos for the recipient in my next blog entry.
For a very long time, and I've touched on this before, I've thought how much better suited backbench MPs are to representing the voters. The BBC's piece about the frugal Mr Hollowbone demonstrates yet again the opportunity such folk have in keeping in touch with the 'real' world. For the life of me I can't see how someone in the government can look after their constituents needs and be aware of life outside the Westminster bubble as well. In effect we have people running the country, some of them not having real work experience and isolated from the travails of the outside world. No wonder they keep getting it wrong!
So three cheers for Mr Hollowbone but I'm afraid it will be three boos for the recipient in my next blog entry.
Snowdrops and long tailed tits
Winters can be depressing for many people and I have to say I particularly look forward to warmer days with more hours of daylight. Having said that, and enjoying the many facets of nature, some winter days are rewarding. One such was yesterday when we had some brightness and the opportunity was taken for a stroll. I needed one or two items of shopping from the relatively small but useful supermarket that adjoins the petrol station at the top of the hill and it's possible to approach said shop by quiet country lanes rather than directly up the more busy main road. Walking along one of these quiet byways I was rewarded first with the sight of a small clump of snowdrops fully out and then a minute or so lately a party of long tailed tits attracted my attention.
I have to say that seeing any of our feathered friends gives me pleasure but none more so than long tailed tits. All the titmice are attractive in my opinion but surely none more so than these. One of the bonuses is that they can't be confused with any other British bird and, with the trees devoid of leaves, this is a great time to see them flitting about.
We had promised temperatures of about +3 degrees but out of the wind it felt quite balmy and certainly seemed considerably warmer than what the MetOffice had promised us. However we have been told to brace ourselves for more snow later tomorrow and high winds as well although it could be the moors getting the worst of it. We shall see soon enough.
I have to say that seeing any of our feathered friends gives me pleasure but none more so than long tailed tits. All the titmice are attractive in my opinion but surely none more so than these. One of the bonuses is that they can't be confused with any other British bird and, with the trees devoid of leaves, this is a great time to see them flitting about.
We had promised temperatures of about +3 degrees but out of the wind it felt quite balmy and certainly seemed considerably warmer than what the MetOffice had promised us. However we have been told to brace ourselves for more snow later tomorrow and high winds as well although it could be the moors getting the worst of it. We shall see soon enough.
Labels:
long tailed tits,
snowdrops
Friday 6 February 2009
Major snow event in Devon
Back to the weather again on this blog because that subject has provided the major talking point here in the Westcountry today. Precipitation moved up from the south yesterday evening and mixing with the cold air already over the region rain readily turned to snow - lots of it. Not that we had it here although this morning there was some unpleasant sleetiness in the cold wind but it was other parts of the region, notably Haldon Hill and Telegraph Hill, where the snow had some of its greatest effect.
For anyone reading this (someone must be surely!) and not familiar with the local geography I'll try and put the Haldon area into context. Haldon is the ridge of relatively high land just to the south west of Exeter but before you reach the Dartmoor foothills. Its highest point is just over 800 feet above sea level and the A38 Trunk Road almost attains this contour up by the breezy racecourse. Coming off the M5 motorway south of Exeter the road ahead changes to the A38 and in a mile or two reaches the foot of the Haldon massif where it splits. The left fork becomes the A380 and heads up Telegraph Hill on its way to Newton Abbot and Torquay. Get into the right hand lane at the split and the driver follows the A38 up Haldon Hill, down the other side and then on to Plymouth, the Tamar Bridge and Cornwall.
What happened Thursday evening then was a fairly intense snowstorm which brought traffic slithering to a standstill on the aforementioned hills. We are told that some 200 drivers were caught up in this bad weather. Fortunately the police in their 4x4 vehicles were able to ferry the vehicle occupants to some quickly prepared rest centres, one of these was at the racecourse and another in Chudleigh Village Hall reports say. I don't think it was just the police, it seems as if the army and the Dartmoor Rescue Group made their contributions. As is the way with these situations local folk rallied around to assist those who had suffered the snarl up, the warming welcome in the rest centres being in marked contrast to the bitter cold outside. Conditions have been improving during the day and both the police and the Highways Agency were keen for drivers to be reunited with their cars and lorries so that the road could be cleared.
And It wasn't just these 200 or so vehicles but the A30 spine road through my two counties also suffered to the extent that its length from Exeter to Bodmin had to be closed, partly it seems because of a jackknifed lorry near Whiddon Down. Lots of snow at such places as Okehampton, Holsworthy and nearer me the A386 was blocked at Mary Tavy. I'm told that it was quite bad in Callington as well.
Local weather forecaster David Braine had reckoned on some of our region seeing snow but he admitted lunchtime that he hadn't foreseen that it would be quite so much (it was 12 inches of level snow in places) or that it would come so far west. He had thought that it would be East Devon that would take the brunt with the west of the county - apart from Dartmoor - and Cornwall escaping unscathed.
I had commented on an earlier entry about the rapid build up in snow levels and this might be another manifestation of climate change. It seems to me, and I've remarked on this before, that our precipitation is coming in shorter but more intense bursts. Where it is exposed on the moors you would expect to find huge drifts but what we have here is a very rapid increase in depth of level snow. It's difficult to remember sometimes just what some earlier snowstorms were like but I can't recall a foot of snow accumulating so quickly and it seems as if it was the speed of events that caught people on the hop.
Just another comment about those people who helped to feed, water and generally help those in need yesterday. The upside of these happenings is that they seem to bring out the best of the British character - selfishness and insularity go out of the window and we see selflessness, generosity and community spirit. That's a real positive.
For anyone reading this (someone must be surely!) and not familiar with the local geography I'll try and put the Haldon area into context. Haldon is the ridge of relatively high land just to the south west of Exeter but before you reach the Dartmoor foothills. Its highest point is just over 800 feet above sea level and the A38 Trunk Road almost attains this contour up by the breezy racecourse. Coming off the M5 motorway south of Exeter the road ahead changes to the A38 and in a mile or two reaches the foot of the Haldon massif where it splits. The left fork becomes the A380 and heads up Telegraph Hill on its way to Newton Abbot and Torquay. Get into the right hand lane at the split and the driver follows the A38 up Haldon Hill, down the other side and then on to Plymouth, the Tamar Bridge and Cornwall.
What happened Thursday evening then was a fairly intense snowstorm which brought traffic slithering to a standstill on the aforementioned hills. We are told that some 200 drivers were caught up in this bad weather. Fortunately the police in their 4x4 vehicles were able to ferry the vehicle occupants to some quickly prepared rest centres, one of these was at the racecourse and another in Chudleigh Village Hall reports say. I don't think it was just the police, it seems as if the army and the Dartmoor Rescue Group made their contributions. As is the way with these situations local folk rallied around to assist those who had suffered the snarl up, the warming welcome in the rest centres being in marked contrast to the bitter cold outside. Conditions have been improving during the day and both the police and the Highways Agency were keen for drivers to be reunited with their cars and lorries so that the road could be cleared.
And It wasn't just these 200 or so vehicles but the A30 spine road through my two counties also suffered to the extent that its length from Exeter to Bodmin had to be closed, partly it seems because of a jackknifed lorry near Whiddon Down. Lots of snow at such places as Okehampton, Holsworthy and nearer me the A386 was blocked at Mary Tavy. I'm told that it was quite bad in Callington as well.
Local weather forecaster David Braine had reckoned on some of our region seeing snow but he admitted lunchtime that he hadn't foreseen that it would be quite so much (it was 12 inches of level snow in places) or that it would come so far west. He had thought that it would be East Devon that would take the brunt with the west of the county - apart from Dartmoor - and Cornwall escaping unscathed.
I had commented on an earlier entry about the rapid build up in snow levels and this might be another manifestation of climate change. It seems to me, and I've remarked on this before, that our precipitation is coming in shorter but more intense bursts. Where it is exposed on the moors you would expect to find huge drifts but what we have here is a very rapid increase in depth of level snow. It's difficult to remember sometimes just what some earlier snowstorms were like but I can't recall a foot of snow accumulating so quickly and it seems as if it was the speed of events that caught people on the hop.
Just another comment about those people who helped to feed, water and generally help those in need yesterday. The upside of these happenings is that they seem to bring out the best of the British character - selfishness and insularity go out of the window and we see selflessness, generosity and community spirit. That's a real positive.
Thursday 5 February 2009
More digging at Calstock's Roman Fort
It was January 12 months ago that the discovery of a Roman Fort in our parish came to light and I blogged about it here. With the backing of 'English Heritage' the archaeologists returned last month and the dig is continuing through much of February - I believe the present phase on site is for a period of seven weeks in total. They have been busy in a field adjoining the cemetery and I believe it is the intention to use this land for burials as well. Last Saturday turned out to be a respectably dry day thank goodness because it was advertised as an open day for all and sundry to see what has been going on.
The great find this year - fanfare please - was a Roman Road leading toward the west gate of the encampment. So, we now have evidence of a road leading westward on the ridge, but for how far: that is the question. There are two other Roman forts further west in Cornwall (well two known so far to be more precise) so would 'our' road have connected up with them? A friend yesterday made an interesting observation pointing out that the present motorised road doesn't actually lie on top of its Roman predecessor but there is not much more than a hedge width separating them. This surprised him. The site of the fort encompasses Calstock Parish Church so does that mean the Church was sited on a former Roman place of worship? In Cornwall we have many instances of churches being located some distance from the main body of a village and Calstock is one such. Prior to the finding of the fort my feeling was that the siting of the Church was just another example of the peculiar Cornish practice. Raymond, who had written a very thorough guide to the church, had postulated that the closeness of some wells might have been the reason for the siting and I wouldn't have argued with that. Mentioning the Church reminds me that it was open on Saturday with a small exhibition relating what we know so far regarding this bit of Roman occupation. There was also a hands on display of various 'finds', not from this site but from elsewhere, so that folk could get a sense of what all this archaeological business is about. I'm not sure but I think that it was Exeter Museum who provided these flints and other small artifacts. Two chaps dressed as Roman soldiers and at the Church porch added to the atmosphere. They had set up a 'groma', a Roman surveying instrument about which there are plenty of references on line, one of which can be found here.
All in all very interesting. I've arranged for the experts to give our local history group a talk on the story so far at our April meeting (last Saturday of that month). I'm really looking forward to it.
The great find this year - fanfare please - was a Roman Road leading toward the west gate of the encampment. So, we now have evidence of a road leading westward on the ridge, but for how far: that is the question. There are two other Roman forts further west in Cornwall (well two known so far to be more precise) so would 'our' road have connected up with them? A friend yesterday made an interesting observation pointing out that the present motorised road doesn't actually lie on top of its Roman predecessor but there is not much more than a hedge width separating them. This surprised him. The site of the fort encompasses Calstock Parish Church so does that mean the Church was sited on a former Roman place of worship? In Cornwall we have many instances of churches being located some distance from the main body of a village and Calstock is one such. Prior to the finding of the fort my feeling was that the siting of the Church was just another example of the peculiar Cornish practice. Raymond, who had written a very thorough guide to the church, had postulated that the closeness of some wells might have been the reason for the siting and I wouldn't have argued with that. Mentioning the Church reminds me that it was open on Saturday with a small exhibition relating what we know so far regarding this bit of Roman occupation. There was also a hands on display of various 'finds', not from this site but from elsewhere, so that folk could get a sense of what all this archaeological business is about. I'm not sure but I think that it was Exeter Museum who provided these flints and other small artifacts. Two chaps dressed as Roman soldiers and at the Church porch added to the atmosphere. They had set up a 'groma', a Roman surveying instrument about which there are plenty of references on line, one of which can be found here.
All in all very interesting. I've arranged for the experts to give our local history group a talk on the story so far at our April meeting (last Saturday of that month). I'm really looking forward to it.
Labels:
Calstock,
Roman fort
Helford Jetty again
The Sunday before last I wrote a piece about the proposal to build a jetty at Helford in the west of Cornwall. To summarise: the fishermen working out of the village have no proper landing facilities and this scheme which includes a small access road has the support of the locals, parish and district councils, and conservation bodies ... but not apparently of the many second home owners who spend a small amount of time in their holiday hideaways at this spot. The latter are trying to put a spoke in the wheel and their totally selfish attitude is causing so much of an uproar that a group has been formed on the Facebook site to counter the contempt shown by these well heeled individuals who make only occasional forays into this part of Cornwall.
In my piece I provided a link to the Facebook group and to anyone reading this blog, going to the link and signing up to the cause can I say "Thanks very much indeed, your support is appreciated". The good news is that as I write this the number of members in the group is approaching the 7000 mark! There is also a petition now on the 10 Downing Street website and for the link for that one just click here. I'm not for a moment saying that signing the petition will do any good but my feeling is that not signing definitely won't do any good if you see what I mean. It only takes seconds to do and surely doing something has to be better than doing nothing don't you think?
In my piece I provided a link to the Facebook group and to anyone reading this blog, going to the link and signing up to the cause can I say "Thanks very much indeed, your support is appreciated". The good news is that as I write this the number of members in the group is approaching the 7000 mark! There is also a petition now on the 10 Downing Street website and for the link for that one just click here. I'm not for a moment saying that signing the petition will do any good but my feeling is that not signing definitely won't do any good if you see what I mean. It only takes seconds to do and surely doing something has to be better than doing nothing don't you think?
Wednesday 4 February 2009
A little snow yesterday, now gone
Following on from my last post it decided to snow here on the following day i.e. yesterday. Nothing to get very excited about I must say but in the early morning there was a heavy shower and, as always, I'm fascinated by the rapidity of build up of snow thickness. I recall being told by it must have been my geography teacher that one foot of snow is equivalent to an inch of rain. Things have warmed up a little and I was surprised very early this morning to hear the sound of gentle rain whilst I was still under the duvet. So our little bit of snow has now washed away and it seems we may be somewhat too near to the south coast for the next lot of precipitation to be the white stuff.
Although obviously the recent weather has been colder than we have experienced through most of the last few winters I don't reckon it has been anything like as chilly as in decades past. With the predominance of easterly winds I would have expected much lower temperatures. A point that has to be made is that many of us now have the luxury of a softer lifestyle - think central heating, think double glazing, think car heaters that are efficient, think the waterproof clothing now available and compare the way we lived 20, 30, 40 years ago. In other words our routine day to day activities don't involve us really confronting the cold in the way they once did. I can readily recall winters with burst pipes, ice on the inside of the bedroom windows and a rug to cover the knees when sat in the back of a car! And of course we wore short trousers until we got into our teens and the schoolgirls would be in skirts, it was almost unknown too for adult women to be seen in trousers (or "slacks" as my mother would say). Yes we were a hardy lot but I mustn't drift into nostalgia!
Sorry, I've gone a bit off topic in my last paragraph. Back on the rails now thinking about the positioning of high and low pressure areas and the direction of wind I still maintain that the temperatures ought to have been lower. So if the planet is warming this might explain why although cold here it is not so cold as one should expect. The other thing I must mention is that 'down under' in the south east of Australia they are experiencing record high temperatures, over 40 degrees centigrade. Phew!
Although obviously the recent weather has been colder than we have experienced through most of the last few winters I don't reckon it has been anything like as chilly as in decades past. With the predominance of easterly winds I would have expected much lower temperatures. A point that has to be made is that many of us now have the luxury of a softer lifestyle - think central heating, think double glazing, think car heaters that are efficient, think the waterproof clothing now available and compare the way we lived 20, 30, 40 years ago. In other words our routine day to day activities don't involve us really confronting the cold in the way they once did. I can readily recall winters with burst pipes, ice on the inside of the bedroom windows and a rug to cover the knees when sat in the back of a car! And of course we wore short trousers until we got into our teens and the schoolgirls would be in skirts, it was almost unknown too for adult women to be seen in trousers (or "slacks" as my mother would say). Yes we were a hardy lot but I mustn't drift into nostalgia!
Sorry, I've gone a bit off topic in my last paragraph. Back on the rails now thinking about the positioning of high and low pressure areas and the direction of wind I still maintain that the temperatures ought to have been lower. So if the planet is warming this might explain why although cold here it is not so cold as one should expect. The other thing I must mention is that 'down under' in the south east of Australia they are experiencing record high temperatures, over 40 degrees centigrade. Phew!
Labels:
climate change.,
snow,
weather
Monday 2 February 2009
No real snow yet
Whereas certain parts of the country have been getting quite memorable quantities of snow there have been just a few grains swirling in the wind here. It's quite possible though that there might have been noticeable amounts only a mile or two away. Snow showers can be very localised and where I live, tucked well down in the Tamar Valley, often misses the more "exciting" weather that they experience up at the top of the hill. If one went pretty well due west from my cottage for four miles or so (as the crow flies) then our local highest peak would be reached - Kit Hill. This granite eminence just tops the 1000 foot contour so it can be seen that my locality is anything but flat. By the way the Tamar is tidal up to Gunnislake so we are talking about the river being at sea level here. I'm just mentioning these facts to illustrate the point that weather conditions locally can vary markedly depending on the altitude.
Our railway station is 500 feet up and that is high enough to get an eastward view of the western flank of Dartmoor and many a time it's been possible to see snow on the high moor, looking like icing on a cake, whilst there hasn't been a flake in the Tamar Valley.
Interestingly they had a dusting of snow on the Isles of Scilly much earlier today - now that is a rare occurrence! North Devon has been on the receiving end, likewise Haldon Hill for a time apparently. What I really like is snow all night and then waking up to that silent whiteness in the morning. Well provided I don't need to drive anywhere that is! Living in a deep valley with the opposite precipitous hillside clothed in trees can make for a truly spectacular view after snow. But will the snow continue to pass us by: that's the question.
Our railway station is 500 feet up and that is high enough to get an eastward view of the western flank of Dartmoor and many a time it's been possible to see snow on the high moor, looking like icing on a cake, whilst there hasn't been a flake in the Tamar Valley.
Interestingly they had a dusting of snow on the Isles of Scilly much earlier today - now that is a rare occurrence! North Devon has been on the receiving end, likewise Haldon Hill for a time apparently. What I really like is snow all night and then waking up to that silent whiteness in the morning. Well provided I don't need to drive anywhere that is! Living in a deep valley with the opposite precipitous hillside clothed in trees can make for a truly spectacular view after snow. But will the snow continue to pass us by: that's the question.
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