The energy cost increase fiasco is a story that refuses to go away and the Conservatives have ignited it again with the plans to cut green taxes paid by the utility companies and refund of £12 for every account.
I don't think the government really get what the anger is about, the massive profits made by these companies while raising the bills for everyone.
The Green taxes pay for insulation and energy improvements in the poorest homes cuts so it brings down their energy bills so by cutting green taxes it not only hurts the poorest but increases the profits of the utility companies even further.
The £12 rebate per account, £300 million in total, is coming from the Government, therefore out of our taxes so both of these measures will not touch a penny of the indecent amounts these companies are making.
The nasty party are trying to spin it as a win for the customers but in reality this isn't costing the utility companies a penny, they don't have to pay so much to to insulate homes anymore, but it is costing the country £300m and the recent above inflation price hikes stand.
If the Government think that giving us back £12 of our money is going to stem the outcry when the average utility bill is £1250 and companies are raking in 20% more profit than last year, then they have an almighty shock coming.
Saturday, 30 November 2013
Friday, 29 November 2013
Idiots
China declares a no fly zone and threatens to shoot down any planes inside it without permission and within a week Japan, South Korea and America fly their planes through it.
Are we really ruled over by such idiots?
Idiot China for expanding their air-space in such a provocative way just to lay claim to a few rocks.
Idiot America, Japan and South Korea for then flying their planes through it.
Now we are in a situation where China will have to back up its threats to shoot down planes or lose face and America, Japan and South Korea are in a situation where they can't be seen to bow to Chinese pressure and keep their planes away.
Someone is going to have to blink first or we are going to end up with a downed plane and the horrific repercussions.
Why is it that the human race always seem to be heading towards a war with someone? We truly are ruled over by idiots.
Are we really ruled over by such idiots?
Idiot China for expanding their air-space in such a provocative way just to lay claim to a few rocks.
Idiot America, Japan and South Korea for then flying their planes through it.
Now we are in a situation where China will have to back up its threats to shoot down planes or lose face and America, Japan and South Korea are in a situation where they can't be seen to bow to Chinese pressure and keep their planes away.
Someone is going to have to blink first or we are going to end up with a downed plane and the horrific repercussions.
Why is it that the human race always seem to be heading towards a war with someone? We truly are ruled over by idiots.
Thursday, 28 November 2013
Sun Wins Comet Battle
It was always a danger but after 4.6 billion years, it seems that Comet Ison has met a fiery end courtesy of our star.
Scientists believe the Comet has failed to make it around the Sun, pulled aprt by its immense gravity, to deny us a spectacular show next month.
NASA scientists are reporting a trail of dense particles which suggests that it was destroyed as it reached its closest point to the Sun.
'We don't think it survived because we don't see any new dust' said the NASA boffin, a view confirmed by the European Space Agency who have now declared the death of the comet at about 21:30 GMT.
'Our Soho scientists have confirmed, Comet Ison is gone' Esa's twitter feed announced.
Such a shame.
Scientists believe the Comet has failed to make it around the Sun, pulled aprt by its immense gravity, to deny us a spectacular show next month.
NASA scientists are reporting a trail of dense particles which suggests that it was destroyed as it reached its closest point to the Sun.
'We don't think it survived because we don't see any new dust' said the NASA boffin, a view confirmed by the European Space Agency who have now declared the death of the comet at about 21:30 GMT.
'Our Soho scientists have confirmed, Comet Ison is gone' Esa's twitter feed announced.
Such a shame.
Menacing Clowns In Norfolk
Finally, after all these years of writing blog posts, i get to use my joke. The joke i made about 1987 and have never had an opportunity to use again, until now. But first the story.Something weird is going on in Norfolk and if you have ever been to Norfolk you would know just how weird something has to be to come under the heading of weird in Norfolk.
Norfolk police have been receiving reports of numerous clown sighting in King's Lynn, men wearing a 'full clown outfit with a red suit and red hair'.
They are now receiving further reports from alarmed members of the public reporting two clowns near a skate park in the town.
It follows recent reports in Northampton of people being freaked by clowns holding balloons watching them.
Superintendent Carl Edwards of the Norfolk Constabulary said although nobody had been injured or assaulted and it isn't against the law to dress up as a clown, officers would patrol areas where the reports had been made and, if they found any clowns, they would 'offer them strong words of advice. His guidance to the public is 'to give no reaction because that's what they are after'.
No mention of not accepting balloons from a clown behind a drain or sniffing flowers pinned on buttonholes but joking aside, this is just the start of the much anticipated evil Circus takeover.
And now the joke:
First it is clowns and then before you know it we will be menaced by trapeze artists, plate-spinners, tumblers, fire-breathers and strongmen ripping telephone directories with impunity. The only way to be sure is to kill the whole circus. We must go for the juggler!!
Yes, it was worth the wait.
Post Office Message: Santa Letters
Santa is extremely busy at the North Pole, making sure all the presents, including yours, are ready and wrapped for Christmas Eve.
It’s a very exciting time for all; Rudolph and Santa can’t wait to land at your home with all your gifts. Rudolph is especially looking forward to eating the carrots you kindly leave and maybe a mince pie for Santa…
To ensure Santa receives your letter on time please can you send to the following address:
Santa/Father Christmas,
Santa’s Grotto,
Reindeerland,
XM4 5HQ
Santa will respond to as many letters as possible, in between getting the sleigh ready for the long journey on
Christmas Eve.
To receive your card back from Santa, please make sure you write to him using the correct address on a stamped envelope. Don't forget Santa needs to know your full name and address to reply.
Santa is happy to receive your cards and letters now but because of a very busy Xmas ahead could you please write to him by no later than Friday 6th December.
Be good and enjoy your holidays,
Santa
Where Are The Sexy Space Missions?
The European Space Agency have announced their programme for the next twenty years and the plan is to launch a satellite to observe Jupiter in 2022 followed by an X-ray telescope in 2028 and then a mission to detect gravitational waves in 2034. All important i agree but you could never describe them as sexy. No manned missions anywhere, not a sniff of a robotic lander or rover scuttling across distant Worlds, not inspiring or anything there to grip the imagination.
As i was born in 1969 i was too young to see the Space race which ended with the historic moon landings so i do a bit like we are living in the lull between the start of mans space exploration and the next exciting bit where we send manned missions to other Planets.
I understand that it is expensive and what we learn now will build towards more exciting times for future astronauts but while we are getting there, we do need something to inspire us and keep the funding coming.
If we are going to Jupiter anyway, couldn't we stick a lander on the satellite and have it explore Europa and see if we can find anything under the ice sheets that cover it?
We haven't stepped on the moon since 1972, must be time we went back there again or how about making that moon base we have been waiting for ever since?
Get a shift on guys because in 20 years time i will be 64 and won't have enough time left to wait another 20 years after that before you decide to do something more exciting than detect gravitational waves.
Wednesday, 27 November 2013
Earth Moving In Texas
When the earth doesn't stop moving for three weeks you are either in a relationship with Russell Brand or you live in North Texas which has been experiencing a string of earthquakes for over 3 weeks with fingers being pointed at the whole loot of fracking going on .
Residents in the region have suffered 16 earthquakes in November and six in the last four days and when they are not holding onto ornaments on shelves, the people living in the vicinity are speculating that forcing high pressure water and chemicals into rock in order to extract natural gas reserves is the culprit.
Since 1970 and 2007, the area around the Texas town of Azle experienced two earthquakes but since the start of 2008, 74 minor quakes were reported in the region.
Cliff Frolich, earthquake researcher at the University of Texas, said: 'I'd say it certainly looks very possible that the earthquakes are related to injection wells' a view backed by a Government study that found the use of underground storage wells to get rid of waste water produced by fracking is 'almost certainly to blame for the jump in earthquakes in Midwestern states in recent years' citing the 29 magnitude 3 or greater quakes in 2008 to the 134 in 2012.
As Texas has 6,000 oil and gas fracking wells in operation, Santa won't be getting many requests for an etch-a-sketch from Texans this Christmas.
Residents in the region have suffered 16 earthquakes in November and six in the last four days and when they are not holding onto ornaments on shelves, the people living in the vicinity are speculating that forcing high pressure water and chemicals into rock in order to extract natural gas reserves is the culprit.
Since 1970 and 2007, the area around the Texas town of Azle experienced two earthquakes but since the start of 2008, 74 minor quakes were reported in the region.
Cliff Frolich, earthquake researcher at the University of Texas, said: 'I'd say it certainly looks very possible that the earthquakes are related to injection wells' a view backed by a Government study that found the use of underground storage wells to get rid of waste water produced by fracking is 'almost certainly to blame for the jump in earthquakes in Midwestern states in recent years' citing the 29 magnitude 3 or greater quakes in 2008 to the 134 in 2012.
As Texas has 6,000 oil and gas fracking wells in operation, Santa won't be getting many requests for an etch-a-sketch from Texans this Christmas.
Tuesday, 26 November 2013
The Gary Glitter Dilemma
Ever since his arrest in 1997 and subsequent conviction for possession of thousands of items of child pornography on his computer and his later conviction of obscene acts with minors in Vietnam and Cambodia, Glitter has been an outcast and his records banished from the media.
The problem i have is i hate the person but love the song and pre-1997 'Another Rock n Roll Christmas' was as much played as Slade's and Wizard's festive efforts but to admit to liking anything associated with Gary Glitter now is taboo.
In an ideal World we wouldn't choose the music on the basis of how pleasant the artist is because it would seriously reduce the amount of music we would listen to.
Michael Jackson is still revered by many and Pete Townshend has only recently come off the sex offenders list for accessing child pornography but Jackson and The Who songs have not been taken off the radio playlist and Bill Wyman's sexual relationship with a 13 year old Mandy Smith never saw the Rolling Stones records binned.
It does seem though that with Gary Glitter it is harder to detach him from his music which is strange because musical history is full of artists who have been awful people and 'Another Rock n Roll Christmas' is a great Christmas song but was sung by a truly awful person which puts it in a grey area.
Scottish Independence
It seems that the pretence that Scotland may vote for independence is carrying on with Alex Salmond setting out what he would do if Scotland committed suicide and voted to leave the union.
Not perturbed by the treasury pointing out yesterday that independence would mean a raise in income tax of £1000 per Scot, Salmond has done his own maths and come up with the sum that each person in Scotland would be £600 better off.
He has also promised the freshly independent Scottish nation would join the EU and NATO, cut corporation tax, extend free childcare and increase the minimum wage, keep the pound and the Queen, drop Trident nuclear weapons, the Union Flag and the BBC.
I don't think for a second that the Scottish will be shortsighted enough to vote to go it alone next year, it would be be broke within a week and begging for the BBC and the likes of Dr Who and Qi when they are forced to watch endless repeats of Rab C Nesbit and Take The High Road.
That said, if Scotland does vote for independence and waves goodbye to the English, Welsh and Northern Irish, we will really miss...erm...give me a sec...damn.
Not perturbed by the treasury pointing out yesterday that independence would mean a raise in income tax of £1000 per Scot, Salmond has done his own maths and come up with the sum that each person in Scotland would be £600 better off.
He has also promised the freshly independent Scottish nation would join the EU and NATO, cut corporation tax, extend free childcare and increase the minimum wage, keep the pound and the Queen, drop Trident nuclear weapons, the Union Flag and the BBC.
I don't think for a second that the Scottish will be shortsighted enough to vote to go it alone next year, it would be be broke within a week and begging for the BBC and the likes of Dr Who and Qi when they are forced to watch endless repeats of Rab C Nesbit and Take The High Road.
That said, if Scotland does vote for independence and waves goodbye to the English, Welsh and Northern Irish, we will really miss...erm...give me a sec...damn.
Has The Pope Been Reading FOAB?
It isn't very often i find myself agreeing with the Pope but the Argentinian has got my vote for top Catholic banana with his tirade against capitalism.
Pope Francis has called capitalism 'a new tyranny' and is urging world leaders to step up their efforts against poverty and inequality, saying rich people should share their wealth and the existing financial system that fuels the unequal distribution of wealth must be altered.
'How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points?' Pope Francis asked an audience at the Vatican, 'a system that devours everything which stands in the way of increased profits, whatever is fragile, like the environment, is defenceless before the interests of a deified market, which has become the only rule we live by'.
You been reading my blog Franny? Anything else?
'I beg the Lord to grant us more politicians who are genuinely disturbed by the state of society, the people, the lives of the poor' Francis explained and i think we can excuse him bringing God into it just this once because what he is saying is pretty much the drum that i bang, capitalism is not good.
Now all we need is the Vatican with an estimated wealth of £15 billion to put its money where its Pope is and start dishing out the cash and start the equal distribution bandwagon rolling.
Pope Francis has called capitalism 'a new tyranny' and is urging world leaders to step up their efforts against poverty and inequality, saying rich people should share their wealth and the existing financial system that fuels the unequal distribution of wealth must be altered.
'How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points?' Pope Francis asked an audience at the Vatican, 'a system that devours everything which stands in the way of increased profits, whatever is fragile, like the environment, is defenceless before the interests of a deified market, which has become the only rule we live by'.
You been reading my blog Franny? Anything else?
'I beg the Lord to grant us more politicians who are genuinely disturbed by the state of society, the people, the lives of the poor' Francis explained and i think we can excuse him bringing God into it just this once because what he is saying is pretty much the drum that i bang, capitalism is not good.
Now all we need is the Vatican with an estimated wealth of £15 billion to put its money where its Pope is and start dishing out the cash and start the equal distribution bandwagon rolling.
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