Thursday 26th February 2015

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 4:37 pm

Eclipses!

1999 was terrific - I was with the ex then, and he, me, and my lovely girl went to stay with my mate in Cornwall. She lives at the top of a valley which leads down towards Porthtowan; from her land you could see for miles and as far as St.Agnes Beacon - when it went dark, you could see the flashbulbs going off on the headland.

For my 50th "belly-button" birthday and my 5th sober AA birthday Show took me to Turkey for a total eclipse. We were in Alanya and climbed up to the castle where we could see for miles. Amazing. Only slightly spoiled by a large bunch of very noisy Germans who filmed it all then gave the eclipse a round of applause.......

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 4:43 pm

pk1 wrote:
PaulfromYorkshire wrote:
giselle97 wrote:Next UK solar eclipse: Country will be plunged into darkness next month in biggest blackout since 1999
18:37, 24 February 2015 By Chris Richards

Nearly 90 per cent of the sun's rays will be blocked in parts of Europe – with some of Scotland seeing 94 per cent darkness.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ne ... ry-5223674
The poor folk plunged into darkness will of course be fully aware that the solar eclipse is all Labour's fault!
Obviously

The last one in 1999 was amazing. I had just come out of the vets with my dog & the silence was all encompassing. Not a bird to be heard & even the wind was holding it's breath.

The memory of it still makes my spine tingle.

Was it Aug 11th or the 14th? Can't remember now, but it was the day of my dad's funeral.
I hadn't realised in all the sadness of losing him that there was an eclipse, and made arrangements for a graveside ceremony that day. Then my sister rang and said it would be at the height of the eclipse and made such a to-do about it that we organised it for an hour later. She said the thought of it was putting people off and others wanted to watch the eclipse. I was too stressed to argue so agreed but I'm eternally sorry that I didn't put my foot down. My dad would have loved it.
I was in the garden picking a bunch of flowers for him when the sun [It was a nice day] went out. It was the weirdest feeling and felt doubly momentous.
Mr Ohso had gone to collect my uncle and said birds were sitting in the road looking bewildered.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 4:47 pm

danesclose wrote:
ephemerid wrote:NHS - as a long-time worker in it, trained to the best standards in the world, and as a very grateful patient now, I know what I want.

I want a fully-funded NATIONAL health service, free at the point of use, with big decisions on its' operation made centrally by government.
I do NOT want regional/separate/combined/farted-about-with services that will be different wherever you happen to live and whoever happens to be in local/regional government at the time; I do not want to see a health postcode lottery in the same way we have LA funding grants now.

We need to have nationally agreed standards for medical/nursing/ancillary care and training; nationally co-ordinated commissioning and purchasing; and as well as funding allocated on a needs basis (eg. more in areas where chronic ill-health is an issue) we must also have centres of excellence where patients from anywhere in the UK can go for very specialised treatment.

It is not acceptable to me that one city will be dependent on the central government's block grant for both health and social care, when that grant may well be subject to cuts which will make it impossible for the LA to deliver and there will be no government oversight in the way we understand it now.

This smacks of Lansley - he changed the definition of what the NHS means, he is the reason why the NHS is struggling now. Bastard.
I wish I could thank you more than once for this. It sums up my thoughts and concerns precisely.

Divide and rule!

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 5:29 pm

pk1 wrote:
PaulfromYorkshire wrote:
giselle97 wrote:Next UK solar eclipse: Country will be plunged into darkness next month in biggest blackout since 1999
18:37, 24 February 2015 By Chris Richards

Nearly 90 per cent of the sun's rays will be blocked in parts of Europe – with some of Scotland seeing 94 per cent darkness.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ne ... ry-5223674
The poor folk plunged into darkness will of course be fully aware that the solar eclipse is all Labour's fault!
Obviously

The last one in 1999 was amazing. I had just come out of the vets with my dog & the silence was all encompassing. Not a bird to be heard & even the wind was holding it's breath.

The memory of it still makes my spine tingle.

I love solar eclipses – always get the telescope set up and a stack of paper and pencils so the local kids (including the grown-up ones) can trace the projection and enjoy the eclipse safely. Got really excited about this one 'til I checked and it's only visible as a total eclipse in Faroe and Iceland

Still, Scotland, the island of Ireland, and parts of Northern England will see a >90% eclipse (possible a sliver of North Wales, too – and not forgetting Isle of Man.) The rest of Wales and England will get between 40% and 90%. Don't think I'll be able to get up to Faroe for it, much as I'd love to! Never mind, it'll still be fun

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 5:57 pm

Goodnight, everyone.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 6:00 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:Whoops.

Net long-term migration to the UK was estimated to be 298,000 in the year ending September 2014, a statistically significant increase from 210,000 in the previous 12 months, but below the peak of 320,000 in the year ending June 2005.

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/migration ... index.html

Tens of thousands!

I think Andy Neather must be still running policy secretly.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 6:06 pm

PorFavor wrote:Goodnight, everyone.

Night PF.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 6:07 pm

Can we make this simple - can someone tell me a target that the coalition set / pledged that they have actually met? Any policy area ... and I don't mean the ones where they've cooked the figures or 'reset' the targets.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 6:08 pm

PorFavor wrote:Goodnight, everyone.

Night PF

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 6:14 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:Can we make this simple - can someone tell me a target that the coalition set / pledged that they have actually met? Any policy area ... and I don't mean the ones where they've cooked the figures or 'reset' the targets.

I don't think there are any. Unless you count sell offs and hand overs like the PO and the NHS. Those seem to go exactly right especially for their chums.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 6:20 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:Can we make this simple - can someone tell me a target that the coalition set / pledged that they have actually met? Any policy area ... and I don't mean the ones where they've cooked the figures or 'reset' the targets.
I don't think there are any. Unless you count sell offs and hand overs like the PO and the NHS. Those seem to go exactly right especially for their chums.

It is astounding, isn't it Ohso? Any other party failing so catastrophically against its own measures ... would / should be pilloried and constantly pulled up by the media. But they are getting away virtually scot free with these failures because the media seems unable to do the most basic of research and holding them to account.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 6:22 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:Can we make this simple - can someone tell me a target that the coalition set / pledged that they have actually met? Any policy area ... and I don't mean the ones where they've cooked the figures or 'reset' the targets.
I don't think there are any. Unless you count sell offs and hand overs like the PO and the NHS. Those seem to go exactly right especially for their chums.

Maybe for their chums ... but even so the PO one was a disaster for the public because of the dreadful pricing ... and re the NHS there have now been several instances of private companies who've won contracts / bought bits of it who have then had to give them back or pull out.

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 6:25 pm

Willow904 wrote:I've finally found a decent article on the Manchester devolution deal. It's not very reassuring, indeed it makes the whole thing look quite undemocratic:
http://www.tribunemagazine.org/2015/02/ ... -cromwell/

It is seen by Osborne’s opponents in Lancashire as over-stretching Britain’s unwritten constitution for the Exchequer to be re-organising local government. The task was last entrusted by Labour prime minister Harold Wilson to a 1966 royal commission headed by Lord Redcliff-Maud whose report was not enacted until 1974, under the Conservative prime minister Edward Heath.
In other words, Osborne is taking the p**s. I thought the whole thing seemed pretty rum from the start and I'm still trying to get my head around where the Labour councils come into this as they apparently haven't been keeping the Labour party informed. At least that's the impression. It's mostly a centrally imposed diktat cooked up with the help of unelected officials, though:

A recent report by Simon Jenkins of The Guardian revealed that unelected civil servants in London, led by Treasury second permanent secretary John Kingman, joined from Manchester by the unelected Sir Howard Bernstein, outnumbered the two elected politicians, George Osborne and the Labour leader of Manchester, Sir Richard Leese, in the secret ‘devoManc’ negotiations in London.

Now that's an article and a half! Of course, there's the slight problem of this country's Unwritten Constitution being unwritten - so I don't know whether or not the Chancellor has this power. Was there a vote in Parliament on abolishing the GLC or did Thatcher's then Chancellor do that by decree? I can't remember but I certainly remember protesting about losing it!

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 6:25 pm

Bob Collis retweeted
Adam Ramsay ‏@AdamRamsay Feb 23

a barrister quoting Ken Clarke: "we had to get rid of legal aid, it makes the poor extremely litigious" if true, extraordinary #MagnaCarta

giselle97 · Post by **giselle97** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 6:29 pm

I apologise to all you believers ..... but Jesus Bloody Wept.

: 2015-02-26_182442.jpg (69.92 KiB) Viewed 13265 times

: 2015-02-26_182610.jpg (50.97 KiB) Viewed 13265 times

http://www.sleeper.scot/index.php/sercos-vision

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 6:39 pm

Giselle, Virgin own "only" 10% of the franchise- the rest is Stagecoach. Virgin's brand is more prominent though, because lots of people think Branson is a cuddly "live and let live" guy, and Brian Souter (who I believe has stepped down from Stagecoach) a nasty homophobe.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 6:49 pm

Scott Nelson ‏@TheMockneyRebel 5 mins ago Aveley, England

Racist group Britain First acted as Nigel Farage's bodyguard in Margate to protect him from "lefty yobs"

giselle97 · Post by **giselle97** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 7:14 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Giselle, Virgin own "only" 10% of the franchise- the rest is Stagecoach. Virgin's brand is more prominent though, because lots of people think Branson is a cuddly "live and let live" guy, and Brian Souter (who I believe has stepped down from Stagecoach) a nasty homophobe.

Stagecoach has 49% stake in Virgin Rail Group - that means I boycott.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stagecoach_Group

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 7:35 pm

Steve Fx ©2015 ‏@bitgit 4 mins4 minutes ago

Farage rubbing shoulders with Palin tea-party nutters and NRA. Looking for policy sponsors Nige'? #c4news

Jesus Christ Almighty.

If he's meeting the NRA and they get their foot in the door over here, we've well and truly had it.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 7:39 pm

giselle97 wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:Giselle, Virgin own "only" 10% of the franchise- the rest is Stagecoach. Virgin's brand is more prominent though, because lots of people think Branson is a cuddly "live and let live" guy, and Brian Souter (who I believe has stepped down from Stagecoach) a nasty homophobe.
Stagecoach has 49% stake in Virgin Rail Group - that means I boycott.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stagecoach_Group

That's different from the ownership of this franchise. It's something called "Intercity Railways". The proportions work out at 90 Stagecoach, Virgin 10.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014 ... nchise-win" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's not worth boycotting a train to where you need to go.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 7:40 pm

Kathy retweeted
Andrew Neil ‏@afneil 10 hrs10 hours ago

Just checking figures for this morning's Daily Politics but looks like net immigration now higher than when Coalition came to power.

Another success then Dave...

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 7:42 pm

PAC report into the Planning for the l Better Care Fund

http://www.parliament.uk/business/commi ... care-fund/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"We are not convinced that it is possible to reduce emergency admissions and to deliver £532 million of savings in 2015–16, as the scale of the challenge in reversing the long-term upward trends in emergency admissions and delayed discharges is significant.

The Local Government Association considered that the redesigned scheme moved the integration agenda backwards and not forwards, and it told us that local government had contemplated walking away from the Fund. Local areas are now at greater risk of not being able to implement the policy.

It is not yet clear how all local authorities will protect adult social care services to the extent intended. At the time of the hearing, fourteen local plans presented serious concerns with regard to the protection of adult social care in those areas."

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 7:43 pm

Double post.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 7:43 pm

Toby Latimer wrote:The full movie - Passport to Pimlico is online " onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ScreenShot00257.jpg

Stone cold classic, the first of the really good Ealing comedies and worth watching for Stanley Holloway alone. Lost count of the number of times I've seen it, and it never disappoints.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 7:47 pm

This young woman is going to be an outstanding Labour Minister. And you realise just how much the LibDems have sold their souls to the devil.

Sarah Champion MP ‏@SarahChampionMP 3 hrs3 hours ago
Literally shaking as I'm so anxious to get this speech right about Government resources for #Rotherham victims & survivors at 5pm

More
Esther ‏@Esther9982 3 hrs3 hours ago
@SarahChampionMP good luck. I know you can do it for us.

More
Sarah Champion MP ‏@SarahChampionMP 33 mins33 minutes ago
“@Esther9982: I know you can do it for us.”>I tried, v.disappointed Minister didn't seem to understand difference between child abuse & rape

Adam Jogee
7:10 pm - 26 Feb 2015 · Details
Willy Nilly ‏@ConDeminator 31 mins31 minutes ago
@SarahChampionMP @Esther9982. A male minister, I assume?

More
Sarah Champion MP ‏@SarahChampionMP 4 mins4 minutes ago
“@ConDeminator: @SarahChampionMP @Esther9982. A male minister, I assume?”>Nope, woman Lib Dem - so expected better!

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 7:54 pm

Fraser Nelson ‏@FraserNelson 6m6 minutes ago
The SNP’s Stewart Hosie tells LBC listeners he’s on as a pundit because his party is about to decide how UK is governed. He’s probably right

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 7:57 pm

HindleA wrote:PAC report into the Planning for the l Better Care Fund

http://www.parliament.uk/business/commi ... care-fund/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"We are not convinced that it is possible to reduce emergency admissions and to deliver £532 million of savings in 2015–16, as the scale of the challenge in reversing the long-term upward trends in emergency admissions and delayed discharges is significant.

The Local Government Association considered that the redesigned scheme moved the integration agenda backwards and not forwards, and it told us that local government had contemplated walking away from the Fund. Local areas are now at greater risk of not being able to implement the policy.

It is not yet clear how all local authorities will protect adult social care services to the extent intended. At the time of the hearing, fourteen local plans presented serious concerns with regard to the protection of adult social care in those areas."

Thanks, as ever, for being eagle-eyed.

giselle97 · Post by **giselle97** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 7:58 pm

LadyCentauria wrote:
pk1 wrote:
PaulfromYorkshire wrote: The poor folk plunged into darkness will of course be fully aware that the solar eclipse is all Labour's fault!
Obviously

The last one in 1999 was amazing. I had just come out of the vets with my dog & the silence was all encompassing. Not a bird to be heard & even the wind was holding it's breath.

The memory of it still makes my spine tingle.
I love solar eclipses – always get the telescope set up and a stack of paper and pencils so the local kids (including the grown-up ones) can trace the projection and enjoy the eclipse safely. Got really excited about this one 'til I checked and it's only visible as a total eclipse in Faroe and Iceland Still, Scotland, the island of Ireland, and parts of Northern England will see a >90% eclipse (possible a sliver of North Wales, too – and not forgetting Isle of Man.) The rest of Wales and England will get between 40% and 90%. Don't think I'll be able to get up to Faroe for it, much as I'd love to! Never mind, it'll still be fun

The other site seems to indicate it will be visible in London. Sorry, I'm not a teccy on this - I just follow NASA and ISS photos!

When is it?

It will be visible on the morning of March 20, with the eclipse visible from across Europe for approximately 90 minutes.

In London it will begin at 8.45am, hitting its peak at 9.31am.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ne ... ou-5225109

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 7:58 pm

Jackie Doyle-Price ‏@JackieDP 10h10 hours ago
Election forecast now placing Conservatives 4% ahead in Thurrock. Only I can defeat UKIP and Labour

The old "must keep out Labour and UKIP" demographic. I'd call these "Tories" and suggest they're voting for her already.

giselle97 · Post by **giselle97** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 8:06 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:
giselle97 wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:Giselle, Virgin own "only" 10% of the franchise- the rest is Stagecoach. Virgin's brand is more prominent though, because lots of people think Branson is a cuddly "live and let live" guy, and Brian Souter (who I believe has stepped down from Stagecoach) a nasty homophobe.
Stagecoach has 49% stake in Virgin Rail Group - that means I boycott.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stagecoach_Group
That's different from the ownership of this franchise. It's something called "Intercity Railways". The proportions work out at 90 Stagecoach, Virgin 10.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014 ... nchise-win" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's not worth boycotting a train to where you need to go.

Either way, Branson and Virgin are involved. You'd be surprised at how uncomfortable I make my life by boycotting - I'm a real looney at it. I shall even be boycotting the UK if the wrong party/parties get in come May. And I'm not adding a jokey yellow thingy to this as I'm being absolutely serious.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 8:06 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Fraser Nelson ‏@FraserNelson 6m6 minutes ago
The SNP’s Stewart Hosie tells LBC listeners he’s on as a pundit because his party is about to decide how UK is governed. He’s probably right

They'd love another Westminster Tory government. Maximum wedge.

He might have been misquoted, to be fair.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 8:19 pm

giselle97 wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:
giselle97 wrote: Stagecoach has 49% stake in Virgin Rail Group - that means I boycott.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stagecoach_Group
That's different from the ownership of this franchise. It's something called "Intercity Railways". The proportions work out at 90 Stagecoach, Virgin 10.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014 ... nchise-win" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's not worth boycotting a train to where you need to go.
Either way, Branson and Virgin are involved. You'd be surprised at how uncomfortable I make my life by boycotting - I'm a real looney at it. I shall even be boycotting the UK if the wrong party/parties get in come May. And I'm not adding a jokey yellow thingy to this as I'm being absolutely serious.

Moving is one thing but if you're stuck somewhere and having to make all sorts of awkward boycotts, that's rather more difficult.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 8:25 pm

House of Commons
Wednesday 25 February 2015
The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock

Prime Minister
The Prime Minister was asked—
Engagements

Edward Miliband: The Prime Minister does not rule out further change, and he has a chance to vote for change tonight. This is what he wrote in 2009:
“Being a Member of Parliament”—[Interruption.]

Mr Speaker: Order. The questions will be heard, and the answers will be heard. It is a very simple point, which I hope everyone can grasp.

Edward Miliband: This is what he wrote in 2009:
“Being a Member of Parliament must be a full-time commitment…The public deserves nothing less.”
He went on to say:
“Double-jobbing MPs won’t get a look-in when I’m in charge”.
What has changed?

Ed Miliband once again asks the Tory PM to keep his word & do what he's said he'd do.
Current government have taken contravention to a new level during the last five years.
Apparently, the chimera of paid trade union leaders lurking within the CV's of Members of Parliament, are a terror not vanquished by their non-existence.
A voice that must be heard makes everyone hear what he's got to say on the subject recorded below.

Sir Peter Tapsell (Louth and Horncastle) (Con): May I assure my right hon. Friend—[Interruption.]

Mr Speaker: Order. Sir Peter must be properly heard from start to finish.

Sir Peter Tapsell: May I assure my right hon. Friend that I am not a paid trade union official but I fear that if Members of the House are not allowed a second job, membership of it will soon be largely confined to the inheritors of substantial fortunes or to those with rich spouses, or to obsessive crackpots or those who are unemployable anywhere else?

Top to tail irony. I'm surprised the solar eclipse wasn't triggered prematurely by this dude's statement.

Not long after the Father of the House spoke above, this anomaly gets recorded in the day's proceedings.

Mr John Leech (Manchester, Withington) (LD): Does the Prime Minister agree with me that, hot on the heels of devolving powers on transport and housing, the welcome announcement that Manchester will take control of its £6 billion NHS budget shows the coalition’s commitment to local decision-making for Manchester, in stark contrast to the Labour Government that oversaw the closure of Withington hospital from Whitehall?

The Prime Minister: My hon. Friend is absolutely right to say that this is an important breakthrough. It has been made possible by our reforms. It will help to bring the NHS and social care together. The shadow Health Secretary, who presumably knew absolutely nothing about this, does not understand that eight Labour authorities in Greater Manchester have been talking to us and working with us about how to make this a reality. What a contrast: people working together to improve the NHS, instead of trying to weaponise it across the Dispatch Box.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... 2580000343

Has anyone figured out what the hell Dave's government is up to yet?

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 8:27 pm

I like the idea of Giselle being the next election's Jim Davidson. "If the wrong lot win, I'm off".

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 8:32 pm

Cameron was talking there, I think, about politicians elected to different legislatures. Northern Irish politicians are particularly keen on that.

55DegreesNorth · Post by **55DegreesNorth** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 8:34 pm

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor ... am-8725198

Pat Glass MP clearly thinks the DfE are trying to bury some bodies regarding the funding of Durham Free School.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 8:39 pm

Another fantastic post from Nick at ilegal.org.uk on the subject of Maximus and the WCA.

Maximus are contracted to conduct 1,000,000 WCAs in 2014. They start in March.
Of that one million, 700,000 must be face-to-face assessments; the other 300,000 can be "paper" assessments.

That one million does not include the backlog - this has fallen from its' peak and is now about 600,000.
That's 600,000 people waiting for a first WCA, some of them for more than a year.

Nick has worked out that if Maximus fulfil their contractual obligations AND clear the backlog they will be conducting 111,000 WCAs every month - more than 3,000 a day assuming they work at weekends.
On top of that, there will be the same volume of new claims (usually half a million or more all needing assessment at 13 weeks) plus any re-assessments depending on how long the decision-makers give for grouping, plus reassessments and/or further testing in the mandatory reconsideration process and ongoing reassessments for those whose claims are restored after appeals.

However will they find the time to run Remploy of their bid for it is successful?

Unless they get more assessment centres and more staff (and so far they haven't had much success there) even Saint Sue Marsh won't be able to make the "customer journey" anything other than the shambles it is now.

TheGrimSqueaker · Post by **TheGrimSqueaker** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 8:41 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:
Jackie Doyle-Price ‏@JackieDP 10h10 hours ago
Election forecast now placing Conservatives 4% ahead in Thurrock. Only I can defeat UKIP and Labour
The old "must keep out Labour and UKIP" demographic. I'd call these "Tories" and suggest they're voting for her already.

Which election forecast is she talking about? Everybody from Electoral Calculus to the Daily Telegraph are predicting Thurrock as a Labour gain.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 8:43 pm

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015 ... in-england" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The figures, which will be the last before May’s general election, show that rough sleeping has increased by 55% in England, and 79% in London, since the coalition took power.

The figures for the capital will prove embarrassing for the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who six years ago pledged to end rough sleeping by 2012.

If only they did embarrass him.

giselle97 · Post by **giselle97** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 8:49 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:I like the idea of Giselle being the next election's Jim Davidson. "If the wrong lot win, I'm off".

Ha! Ha! Ha! I rarely do rational Tubby ........ but the last time I was really stroppy but "well contained" was with David Laws and I so enjoyed making him feel smaller than the little short arse fart that he is. I was in the mood for it as we were handing the 38 degrees hospital closure clause petition in to No 10 and then meeting with Lord Phil Hunt and Andy B in the HoC, knowing I suppose we were on a road to failure, so I told him what I thought of him and his sh1tty enblers. He didn't know people like me come in little packages with wrinkles and grey hair so he was right off his guard when I started talking.

Anyway, I think that when you get to a certain stage in life, on the seriously steep downward slope, it provides a bit of freedom of attitude - and I take full advantage of it as it usually makes me feel better. (MissStroppy)

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 8:49 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
ohsocynical wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:Can we make this simple - can someone tell me a target that the coalition set / pledged that they have actually met? Any policy area ... and I don't mean the ones where they've cooked the figures or 'reset' the targets.
I don't think there are any. Unless you count sell offs and hand overs like the PO and the NHS. Those seem to go exactly right especially for their chums.
Maybe for their chums ... but even so the PO one was a disaster for the public because of the dreadful pricing ... and re the NHS there have now been several instances of private companies who've won contracts / bought bits of it who have then had to give them back or pull out.

I sincerely regret current government's total failure to fulfil their obligations to most of the people they were elected to represent. Promises broken, their integrity shattered by dishonourable conduct following solemn assurances made prior to election. The Tory-led coalition government didn't have to make the choices they've made. All of it was a choice not a necessity. That damns them. They've hurt people using their intentional policies & they know it. I don't trust anyone in current government.

Not all people are the same. I know this. History has taught me not all governments are the same. There's nothing inherently corrupting about being returned to government & leading the country. People make choices. We can choose to behave honourably where others haven't. I don't understand people who seem to have no shame.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 8:50 pm

giselle97 wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:I like the idea of Giselle being the next election's Jim Davidson. "If the wrong lot win, I'm off".
Ha! Ha! Ha! I rarely do rational Tubby ........ but the last time I was really stroppy but "well contained" was with David Laws and I so enjoyed making him feel smaller than the little short arse fart that he is. I was in the mood for it as we were handing the 38 degrees hospital closure clause petition in to No 10 and then meeting with Lord Phil Hunt and Andy B in the HoC, knowing I suppose we were on a road to failure, so I told him what I thought of him and his sh1tty enblers. He didn't know people like me come in little packages with wrinkles and grey hair so he was right off his guard when I started talking.

Anyway, I think that when you get to a certain stage in life, on the seriously steep downward slope, it provides a bit of freedom of attitude - and I take full advantage of it as it usually makes me feel better. (MissStroppy)

You're just magnificent.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 9:00 pm

@giselle97
Have you been on the phone today ?
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/wa ... io-5230183" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 9:00 pm

giselle97 wrote:
LadyCentauria wrote:
pk1 wrote: Obviously

The last one in 1999 was amazing. I had just come out of the vets with my dog & the silence was all encompassing. Not a bird to be heard & even the wind was holding it's breath.

The memory of it still makes my spine tingle.
I love solar eclipses – always get the telescope set up and a stack of paper and pencils so the local kids (including the grown-up ones) can trace the projection and enjoy the eclipse safely. Got really excited about this one 'til I checked and it's only visible as a total eclipse in Faroe and Iceland Still, Scotland, the island of Ireland, and parts of Northern England will see a >90% eclipse (possible a sliver of North Wales, too – and not forgetting Isle of Man.) The rest of Wales and England will get between 40% and 90%. Don't think I'll be able to get up to Faroe for it, much as I'd love to! Never mind, it'll still be fun
The other site seems to indicate it will be visible in London. Sorry, I'm not a teccy on this - I just follow NASA and ISS photos!

When is it?

It will be visible on the morning of March 20, with the eclipse visible from across Europe for approximately 90 minutes.

In London it will begin at 8.45am, hitting its peak at 9.31am.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ne ... ou-5225109

Sorry to say that a lot of the articles are a bit misleading. London will see 88% of the sun covered, Shetland sees 98% as does Aird Uig on Lewis. If you want to see the skies go dark you'll need to be somewhere that sees over 95% coverage, so that'll be up in North-Western Scotland, the Hebrides, Orkneys or Shetlands.

giselle97 · Post by **giselle97** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 9:01 pm

Well, despondency has set in. Toddling off now to be made even more miserable as it's Series Finale of "Death in Paradise" at 9 p.m. and I don't know when I'll next get to drool over Kris Marshall.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_in_P ... TV_series)

Still, there's NCIS Series 11 continuing at 10 p.m. tomorrow night with the "Tony and Ziva" parting shot ..... so I'll be even more miserable after that and shall boycott it except for repeats with Kate or with Ziva!

Oh what an exciting life!

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 9:04 pm

TheGrimSqueaker wrote:
Tubby Isaacs wrote:
Jackie Doyle-Price ‏@JackieDP 10h10 hours ago
Election forecast now placing Conservatives 4% ahead in Thurrock. Only I can defeat UKIP and Labour
The old "must keep out Labour and UKIP" demographic. I'd call these "Tories" and suggest they're voting for her already.
Which election forecast is she talking about? Everybody from Electoral Calculus to the Daily Telegraph are predicting Thurrock as a Labour gain.

Internal polling she was supposed to keep her trap shut about?

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 9:05 pm

This is a problem.
Electoral Statistics for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 2014
Released: 26 February 2015

England, Wales and Northern Ireland Electoral Statistics, 2014

The total number of parliamentary electors in 2014 was 37,831,600 in England, 2,225,700 in Wales and 1,232,400 in Northern Ireland

Between 2013 and 2014 the total number of parliamentary electors declined by 2.0% in England and 3.1% in Wales.
Northern Ireland had an increase of 1.2%

The total number of local government electors in 2014 was 39,185,000 in England, 2,254,200 in Wales and 1,257,000 in Northern Ireland

Between 2013 and 2014 the total number of local government electors declined by 2.0% in England and 3.2% in Wales.
Northern Ireland had an increase of 1.3%

The number of parliamentary electors declined in all regions of England between 2013 and 2014.
The largest decrease (-3.5%) was in the North East

Between 2013 and 2014, the number of local government electors declined in all regions of England.
The largest decrease (-3.6%) was in the North East

The 2014 electoral statistics are the first to have been produced following the introduction of Individual Electoral Registration (IER) in England and Wales

Electoral statistics are used by Boundary Commissions, the Electoral Commission, and central government to help with the improvement of electoral policies and for statutory reviews of parliamentary constituency boundaries

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/pop-estim ... stics.html

LadyCentauria · Post by **LadyCentauria** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 9:09 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:I like the idea of Giselle being the next election's Jim Davidson. "If the wrong lot win, I'm off".

I'd rather Jim Davidson went and stayed away for good!

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 9:09 pm

UK Independence party to sign up to Tory plans to end deficit
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/deffaa94-bdd9 ... z3St5suKu7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Thu 26 Feb, 2015 9:10 pm

AngryAsWell wrote:@giselle97
Have you been on the phone today ?
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/wa ... io-5230183" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Brilliant!