Technical Hitch Solved

Unlike the Labour Government my new computer is now working.

Gordon the Highwayman.

I see in the Times today that our beloved Prime Minister has a cunning plan to fund a package of 'help' for 'poorer' families to cope with fuel, food,and housing costs. This 'Plan' is to auction off pollution permits.

This means that fuel companies will be able to buy permits to pollute our country.

Who will pay? Not the fuel companies. The real payers will be the likes of all of us, because the price of fuel /energy will rise as these companies protect their profits. Ironically, the poorer housholds will be the hardest hit as they use more of their disposable income to buy energy.

This seems to be a cynical, short term, way of making people think this government is helping the poor.

Olympic Games

So they are over at last, From my point of view Hurray. I am only really interested in three sports, Motor racing, cricket and ***. none of these are at the olympics. I, personally am glad the whole lot is over for another 4 years. I can tell you I will not be in London in 2012.

More importantly, if the money was invested in medical research, how many lives would have been saved?

ill, Sell your possesions to pay for treatment

Front page of the times today. Those of you who cannot bring yourselves to buy the Times, do go to the pub and look over someones shoulder.

Patients are being forced to sell their homes and cars to get the treatment they need. I could understand this in the past, but not under a labour government. It reinforces my move from Labour to Conservative. Sorry to the labour party, but the NHS is not safe in your hands.

Nato vs Russia

Looking at a report in the Times today, is it possible that our illustrious NATO allowed the Russians to have a free hand in Georgia to gain an accurate assesment of their military capability?

I am not sure , but to look at it in the cold light of day it seems possible

Hotel experiences

A friend of mine tried to book a night at a Travel Lodge a couple of nights ago. Not an easy task apparantly. Long car journey results in standing at 'Reception'

Bloke says 'How may I help you'.

Answer 'I'd like a room please have you one spare?'.

Response 'Yes, but I cannot take your booking until 8pm. you can book now on our premium rate telephone line, it will take about 10 minutes or on the internet.'

Question 'why can't you take my booking now?'

Response 'Company policy, we don't know how many rooms we have left until 8pm'

Answer ' Poke your hotel I'll go to a real one'

The friend did, had a great nights sleep and was able to pay with real cash as well.

Do these companies want our trade or not?

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Horse Tax

Am I alone, Why do people who take their horses on the road not have to have Insurance? These fine animals, poo on the road, (try hitting that with your bike), and are generally frightened of cars.

My concern is that there is no way anyone can tell if the horses or riders are insured. Is it not time for mandatory insurance for horses and their riders on the road?

Power The future?

I have just seen that the venture capital company who are backers of the Thanet Array wind farm are off loading their share of the company. Is this because renewable energy is doomed to failure? Perhaps our future source of power should be nuclear? I am not sure if either way is the answer, but am trying to get my average sized brain around a problem that is facing us all.

Black Gold ! mk2

The oil price is now at $105 a barrel. And yet my clapped out 4x4 still costs the same to fill up. I understand about it taking time to filter through the supply chain, but how does that work when the price goes up? Is it a law of physics that the price takes a day to reach the pumps on the way up, but an age when it goes down?

Climate Camps

I look with interest at the folk who are getting hot under the collar at the northern Ebbsfleet. Whilst I would support their right to protest, what I do not support is their action in pitching camp in a farmers field without permission.

If it had been my land I would have decided that now harvest was over the land needed fertilizing, right now. As an organic sort of chap I suppose that would mean spreading organic manure!

More relavent to us, how long before we have our very own protest camp at Richborough. Todays East Kent Mercury warns us that the waste incinerator is yet again a possibility for the old power station site.

As there is (a) no application with our council, and (b) 98% of the site lays within Dover District, I could freely comment. However I won't as once again, it falls on me to talk about facts and not my view point. ( having not seen the full story I have not got one yet)

Black Gold.

The fuel companies seem to have it made. Crude Oil has just dropped in value by 18% since July. It now stands at $119.48 a barrel. When the price of oil rose to $147.27 the price of our fuel went up over night. Have just filled up the knackered old 4x4 I drive, £76 for the diesel. same as 3 weeks ago.

Someone, some where is making loads of money by being a tad tardy when it comes to reducing prices.

Its not cricket!

One of life's little mysteries is the way the English treat failure in the world of sport.

If a football team get a run of failures, Out Goes the Manager! If the England cricket team falls, Out Goes the ...............Captain. Why?

I can understand the football side, after all the manager picks the team. In cricket the selectors pick the team, the captain, and just give the captain the job of making a silk purse out of a sows ear.

British Energy

Why is anyone surprised that EDF called a halt to the aquisition of British Energy?

Lets think, The British Government are talking about a windfall tax on Britains energy supply companies, EDF is one, The Government want EDF to build new nuclear Power plants. (and the are the only company interested.

add that lot together, and work out who has the upper hand.