Recent events in the financial markets and, in fact, empirical evidence from the High Street, all point to a marked slowdown in the economy, if not an impending recession. The main trigger for this turn of events has been the fallout from the sub prime lending fiasco, but at a much deeper level is symptomatic of the buy today, pay tomorrow mentality that has become prevalent in the past two decades.
Add comment November 8th, 2007
Yes it’s undeniably true; the Italians, the erstwhile butt of jokes involving white flags, advancing backwards and tanks with 7 reverse gears, have demonstrated admirable decisiveness and sheer guts this week, by introducing laws that enable them to immediately deport any EU citizen that they deem ‘undesirable’ – they already have a strict policy toward other foreign nationals.
This legislation was introduced to specifically target ‘problem’ nationals from the newer EU countries, such as Romania, against a backdrop of rising public anger in Italy at crimes committed by such migrants.
Add comment November 7th, 2007
I was roused from my customary morning stupor today by the sight of the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families on my television set; the perhaps aptly named Ed Balls. As if the unsavoury sight of a Government minister of any description was not an unacceptable enough assault on ones senses at any time of day, the news clip that followed confirmed my initial sense of impending tomfoolery.
Add comment November 5th, 2007
A vile trend has been silently creeping up on us for some years now, a trend so insidious that it threatens to turn us all into a nation of compliant automatons…the nanny state.
The authorities have at every turn been trying to absolve us of any personal responsibility…and more importantly, of any need to make independent decisions of our own by legislating for stupidity and rewarding ‘victim mindsets’.
Add comment November 1st, 2007
There is famous quotation, ‘manners maketh the man’ and never were truer words ever spoken; this applies especially to two increasingly underused but vitally important words, words that form the cornerstone of all civilised interaction…please and thank you.
There is no interaction that cannot fail but to end amicably with the reciprocal use of these vital but neglected words and increasingly, there is a certain class of worker who seem to have lost the art of their use…shop assistants.
Add comment November 1st, 2007
I was overwhelmingly unsurprised to read today, that local councils are going ahead with their previously mooted plans to charge us for waste disposal on a pay as you go basis…they had planned this ages ago, and were always going to bring this in anyway!
The ostensible rationale behind their decision is that under EU directives, the UK must increase the proportion of the waste that it recycles, or face multi million pound fines. Well, I say that if our Government had any backbone, they would tell the EU to stick their directives up their unelected, interfering a*ses, as the Italian Government has done on occasion…unfortunately, it seems that our Government has less backbone that the Italians…no further comment required!
Add comment October 31st, 2007
I make no apology for my sincerely held conviction that Social Workers, along with MP’s, Councillors, Estate Agents and Solicitors, must be amongst the most despised and least productive - yet overpaid members of our society. Of these groups, I would argue that Social Workers actually come in at number one in this ‘hit parade’ of ineptitude.
Add comment October 29th, 2007
Most of us…ok then, all of us loath them…beggars!
They come up to you demanding money and most of the time we have more than an inkling that as soon as we have dispensed our charitable contribution toward their wellbeing, they are liable to pop down to the local off license to get a four pack of Tennant’s Super.
Add comment October 29th, 2007
Recent events have caused me to reflect upon some long held and cherished beliefs…and I have been shocked to find that after all these years, I have probably been very ignorant and very badly mistaken!
The two events that have caused such a fundamental shift in my thinking, are the recent public transport strikes in France and Gordon Brown’s agreement to the thinly veiled ‘EU Constitution’.
Add comment October 29th, 2007
Seems nobody is immune to being hacked. Even Matt Cutts, Google’s SEO blogger and spam engineer.
This morning, it appears his blog site has been taken over by the “Dark SEO Team”. I wouldnt hold out much hope for their site ranking very well in the next few months!
Add comment April 2nd, 2007
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