Tuesday 29th December 2015

Post by **refitman** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 7:10 am

Morning all.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 7:25 am

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... bbean-trip" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
UK floods: Questions for Environment Agency chief amid reports of Caribbean trip
Sir Philip Dilley, reportedly at luxury home in Barbados, under pressure to defend handling of crisis following predecessor’s failure to visit flood-hit sites

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 7:54 am

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opi ... -1-7645666" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ouch.

An utterly withering critique of Cameron from the basically conservative Yorkshire Post.

TobyLatimer · Post by **TobyLatimer** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 8:05 am

Damp-suck continues to appeal to Kippers.

: ScreenShot01358.jpg (93.95 KiB) Viewed 9827 times

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 8:18 am

Not that I know Mr.Sheen,but he doesn't come across as a particularly "luvvie" type;even if he is,far better than a hatefilled rag.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 8:33 am

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... fence-cuts" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Government warned about funding cuts weeks before Yorkshire floods

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 9:06 am

HindleA wrote:http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... fence-cuts

Government warned about funding cuts weeks before Yorkshire floods

Hilary Benn, the shadow foreign secretary and MP for Leeds Central, said the government had ignored previous warnings that the city was vulnerable to rising waters. The decision of whether to fund the Leeds defence system was put on hold in February 2011, he said.

“We have known for some time that Leeds city centre was at risk of serious flooding. However, in 2011, when we asked for funding for the full flood defence scheme, ministers made it clear the money wasn’t available. As a result we could only go ahead with a reduced scheme that is in the process of being built.

“When you look at the heartache and huge costs to residents and businesses in Leeds caused by the weekend’s flooding, the government clearly got it wrong when they refused to fund the full scheme. They must now put that right,” he said.

Hilary Benn?

Wasn't that the Tories favourite shadow cabinet member a few weeks ago? Not any longer I'd guess...

danesclose · Post by **danesclose** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 10:24 am

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opi ... -1-7645666

Ouch.

An utterly withering critique of Cameron from the basically conservative Yorkshire Post.

Good morning all. I remember when I lived in Leeds being told its original name was the "Yorkshire Conservative Post"?

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 10:52 am

danesclose wrote:
PaulfromYorkshire wrote:http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opi ... -1-7645666

Ouch.

An utterly withering critique of Cameron from the basically conservative Yorkshire Post.
Good morning all. I remember when I lived in Leeds being told its original name was the "Yorkshire Conservative Post"?

I notice the article is more concerned with the distribution of cuts than attacking the cuts in principle. It stokes up division and envy of other parts of the country. As ohsocynical pointed out last night, no one's really returned to the areas along the Thames that were promised "money is no object" to assess whether that money has actually been spent. The media was certainly much more hysterically interested in reporting the floods near London, but that doesn't mean that Cameron's promises are worth more there than anywhere else. I'd be very interested to know if there's any evidence that flood prevention spending is significantly higher there than anywhere else, outside of emergency responses. The false economy behind the current cuts culture needs to be challenged. Moaning that our cuts are worse than your cuts is still accepting cuts and is a distraction. Cameron will be embarrassed into making some grand gestures in the short term to pacify northern councils, but will simply cut more elsewhere when no one's looking, if the whole austerity culture isn't properly put under the microscope. The stricter guidelines for value for money introduced under Cameron in particular needs to be more widely challenged:

Coalition ministers made it more difficult for flood defence schemes to get funding by introducing tougher targets demanding 60% more "benefits" for every pound spent on protection, it has emerged.

Under the new rules brought in three years ago, the Department for Environment Food And Rural Affairs (Defra) wanted to see an average of £8 of damage avoided for every £1 they would spend on schemes.

Previously, projects were simply expected to deliver more than £1 of damage avoided for every £1 spent, with an average across all schemes of £5 of damage avoided for every £1 spent.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... ce-schemes" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Unless this basic calculation is changed, anything Cameron says is gesture politics.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 10:58 am

PaulfromYorkshire wrote:http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opi ... -1-7645666

Ouch.

An utterly withering critique of Cameron from the basically conservative Yorkshire Post.

One of the best descriptors for Liz Truss I've seen. Must remember this.

... On past form, the issue will quickly be forgotten by Mr Cameron and Ministers like Liz Truss, the unconvincing Environment Secretary, once the floodwaters have subsided...

As you say - utterly withering - and yes it is, or used to be, strongly and openly conservative.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 11:10 am

danesclose wrote:
PaulfromYorkshire wrote:http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opi ... -1-7645666

Ouch.

An utterly withering critique of Cameron from the basically conservative Yorkshire Post.
Good morning all. I remember when I lived in Leeds being told its original name was the "Yorkshire Conservative Post"?

I bet their original take on Conservatism was a tad different to what it is now.

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 11:20 am

There will surely come a point where traditional conservatism will find itself increasingly at odds with Cameron's elitist brand of predatory capitalism.

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 11:32 am

Willow904 wrote:There will surely come a point where traditional conservatism will find itself increasingly at odds with Cameron's elitist brand of predatory capitalism.

You would think we should be past that point already.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 11:33 am

Willow904 wrote:There will surely come a point where traditional conservatism will find itself increasingly at odds with Cameron's elitist brand of predatory capitalism.

I agree. Of course that has already been happening to a degree, the rise of UKIP is partly explainable by it.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 11:42 am

Whoops.

Osborne hasn’t a ‘cat in hell’s chance’ of rebalancing the economy by 2020

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/ ... 651217.ece" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The head of one of the country’s largest business lobby groups has delivered a stinging rebuke to the government, warning that it has failed in its pledge to rebalance the economy away from the dominant services sector.

“There’s no evidence that exports are improving substantially — and manufacturing is in decline, so they have actually failed in practice to deliver any of those things,” John Longworth, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said.

Pretty much what we've observed from the graphs in the quarterly GDP analysis and elsewhere.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 11:48 am

Via Zelo Street - this is Cllr Claire in the Sun 'spilling the beans' on why she dumped Danczuk. Seems to be no real awareness of how 'off' and inappropriate much of the self publicised behaviour has been.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... Karen.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They all roundly deserve each other IMO.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 11:49 am

Good morfternoon.

Floods minister Rory Stewart was asked on the Today programme whether the government will seek EU funding for the floods. This is what he said.

That’s again something we’re open-minded on but to be honest about that it can be seven or eight months to process, it’s not going to be able to help people who are immediately affected. So our real priority at the moment is to get the money to the people who are affected and making sure businesses and householders get the support now. (Guardian)

If that makes sense to anyone, please let me know.

Maeght · Post by **Maeght** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 11:49 am

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... -reshuffle" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Utterly depressing comments BTL on this article, the mere title of which enraged me.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 11:53 am

Maeght wrote:http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... -reshuffle

Utterly depressing comments BTL on this article, the mere title of which enraged me.

Yes, another of the "Look, it's not my job but someone else's" becomes "refuses to deny" - just like the "Corbyn wants Galloway back in Labour" nonsense the other week.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 12:06 pm

Willow904 wrote:There will surely come a point where traditional conservatism will find itself increasingly at odds with Cameron's elitist brand of predatory capitalism.

I'd have thought that point was reached a long time ago ... But they still get voted in.

Die hard, blue through and through supporters. Worth their weight in gold! Nowhere else really for them to go.

Even though Farage is leader, UKIP's far too working class.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 12:11 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:
Maeght wrote:http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... -reshuffle

Utterly depressing comments BTL on this article, the mere title of which enraged me.
Yes, another of the "Look, it's not my job but someone else's" becomes "refuses to deny" - just like the "Corbyn wants Galloway back in Labour" nonsense the other week.

Three or four times yesterday on Twitter, I challenged some of the stupid statements on there.

I asked how they knew. Straight from the horses mouth? Speculation? or via the right wing press? I always flinch a bit when I directly challenge what someone's posted, but it seemed to shut them up.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 12:18 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:
Maeght wrote:http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... -reshuffle

Utterly depressing comments BTL on this article, the mere title of which enraged me.
Yes, another of the "Look, it's not my job but someone else's" becomes "refuses to deny" - just like the "Corbyn wants Galloway back in Labour" nonsense the other week.

Regarding that, he merely restated what was in the party rulebook - ie that GG would be able to apply to rejoin in 2020, five years after he stood against an endorsed Labour candidate in an election. Of course if he does stand for the London Mayoralty next year against Sadiq Khan, that would be pushed back to 2021.

(and yes, it is possible people can be readmitted to the party sooner than that if the NEC deems it appropriate - but there is absolutely no indication they would do this for Galloway, or indeed that Corbyn wants it; indeed, his only public comments on the issue indicated Gorgeous would have to "wait his turn")

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 12:19 pm

Maeght wrote:http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... -reshuffle

Utterly depressing comments BTL on this article, the mere title of which enraged me.

I've stopped reading BTL. Got far too angry.

PS. Salmon was an inspired idea for Mr Ohso's low fibre diet...Thank you.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 12:31 pm

RobertSnozers wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:Via Zelo Street - this is Cllr Claire in the Sun 'spilling the beans' on why she dumped Danczuk. Seems to be no real awareness of how 'off' and inappropriate much of the self publicised behaviour has been.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... Karen.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They all roundly deserve each other IMO.
Wonder if this is what's behind the odd 'I'm taking a break from writing for the Sun/Sunday Sun' tweets last week?

The Mail have got the story too. When, if ever, is Danczuk going to realise how damaging this relentless tawdry self publicising is - to all concerned?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 12:34 pm

... The Government's flagship 'Help to Buy' scheme was set up to provide cheap mortgage guarantees to help families struggling to scrape together the money for a deposit for their first home.
But new figures reveal the scheme is giving more help to families earning over £80,000 than it is to those getting by on less than £20,000 a year.
Average household incomes in the UK currently stand at £33,155.
But the latest figures show that families earning more than three times this sum are receiving taxpayer help to buy a house.
Some 1,793 families with incomes of more than £100,000 a year have qualified for assistance under the Help to Buy scheme.
A further 2,448 families on more than £80,000 a year have received assistance.
By contrast, the scheme has helped just 2,466 families struggling on incomes of under £20,000 a year.
The latest figures also reveal that one-fifth of the cheap loans handed out went to people who already own a home.
And they show that taxpayers' money has gone to people buying homes far beyond the reach of ordinary families.
Some 213 people have received loans to help them buy homes worth more than £500,000 – twice the national average...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ether.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Makes me angry. Directly refutes the bullshit coming from this government. Could hardly bear to listen to Brandon Lewis, their Housing Minister, on Radio 4 the other day.

Maeght · Post by **Maeght** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 1:12 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
Maeght wrote:http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... -reshuffle

Utterly depressing comments BTL on this article, the mere title of which enraged me.

I've stopped reading BTL. Got far too angry.

PS. Salmon was an inspired idea for Mr Ohso's low fibre diet...Thank you.

You are welcome. I am having it tonight because I cannot stand any more leftovers!

danesclose · Post by **danesclose** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 1:21 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:Via Zelo Street - this is Cllr Claire in the Sun 'spilling the beans' on why she dumped Danczuk. Seems to be no real awareness of how 'off' and inappropriate much of the self publicised behaviour has been.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... Karen.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They all roundly deserve each other IMO.

I think it was GBS who said that by getting two particular people together it proved the existence of God, as he had made two people unhappy instead of four

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 1:30 pm

Daniel Hannan utterly pathetic on flood defence spending on WATO. If Liz Truss is the 'unconvincing Environment Secretary' - he is the unconvincing spokesperson on anything. Why do they send him out?

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 1:34 pm

Unfortunately ,not in the least surprised,vast amounts of monies is thrown at people in an inverse relationship to need;part of the deliberate design of policies and heralded as a return to fairness to the designated Righteous Citizens.When millions was utilised to reduce the Council Tax for annexes,regardless of use,at the same time as declaring actual existing rooms for care/medical purposes as not needed and penalised by default,such "fairness" redress was the justification.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 1:37 pm

Sophy Ridge ‏@SophyRidgeSky 7m7 minutes ago
Labour frontbencher tells me to expect mass walk-out if Jeremy Corbyn reshuffles Hilary Benn as Shadow Foreign Secretary

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 1:40 pm

Now at home,despite protestations from parents,I have been in bed,almost for a week and feel they need a break from me and I now well enough to do that.I rarely get ill,thankfully,but when I do,it wipes me out.OK'ish now.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 1:54 pm

HindleA wrote:Now at home,despite protestations from parents,I have been in bed,almost for a week and feel they need a break from me and I now well enough to do that.I rarely get ill,thankfully,but when I do,it wipes me out.OK'ish now.

I didn't realise you had been unwell HindleA. Sorry to hear that and glad you're feeling a bit better. Take it easy won't you.

Mr Riots has been wiped out by a cold / bug for the last few days and I am now coming down with something similar - or my own version. What joyous holidays we're all having.

TobyLatimer · Post by **TobyLatimer** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 1:56 pm

Rather apt, on so many levels.

Lyrically, "Who'll Stop the Rain" breaks into three verses, with a historical, recent past, and present tense approach. All three verses allude to a sense of unending malaise, pondered by "good men through the ages", "Five Year Plans and New Deals/wrapped in golden chains", and the Woodstock generation. The malaise is not defined, but appears to allude to a sense that man's problems have to be dealt with by those who wish to fix them, and that no ancient philosophers, money-promising government, or Flower Power generation can merely push them off by thought, money, or communal love. There could be no end to warfare and poverty with patchwork economic plans which merely reorganize citizens into new productive forces once the pressures for social change have relaxed. The corrupt leadership within a government continued to wage perpetual war contrary to campaign promises

[youtube]lIPan-rEQJA[/youtube]

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 2:00 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
HindleA wrote:Now at home,despite protestations from parents,I have been in bed,almost for a week and feel they need a break from me and I now well enough to do that.I rarely get ill,thankfully,but when I do,it wipes me out.OK'ish now.
I didn't realise you had been unwell HindleA. Sorry to hear that and glad you're feeling a bit better. Take it easy won't you.

Mr Riots has been wiped out by a cold / bug for the last few days and I am now coming down with something similar - or my own version. What joyous holidays we're all having.

Have you taken your dog to the vet yet? I hope you manage to fight off your version of the cold. (I think I'm getting one, too, but I'm hoping that it's one of the half-baked types which don't become fully fledged.)

Edited - brackets

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 2:07 pm

PorFavor wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
HindleA wrote:Now at home,despite protestations from parents,I have been in bed,almost for a week and feel they need a break from me and I now well enough to do that.I rarely get ill,thankfully,but when I do,it wipes me out.OK'ish now.
I didn't realise you had been unwell HindleA. Sorry to hear that and glad you're feeling a bit better. Take it easy won't you.

Mr Riots has been wiped out by a cold / bug for the last few days and I am now coming down with something similar - or my own version. What joyous holidays we're all having.
Have you taken your dog to the vet yet? I hope you manage to fight off your version of the cold. (I think I'm getting one, too, but I'm hoping that it's one of the half-baked types which don't become fully fledged.)

Edited - brackets

We've left her at the vets for various tests etc. We'll be picking her up later today and will be told what they have found. We're bracing ourselves - or trying to. Neither of us have much stamina at present ... so I hope we're not going to need a lot.

Editing to get my text below PF's 'Edited - brackets'

TobyLatimer · Post by **TobyLatimer** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 2:27 pm

I've just had a GP visit. The mystery bug which caused me much grief a couple of months ago seems to have returned with a vengeance. I had to literally force Christmas lunch down, I really haven't had an appetite since.

Whatever it is made progress over the weekend, vomiting and unspeakable things going on with continence, even though I'm on a lot of medication to try and control that.

On Sunday my temperature was 38.6 most of the day, district nurse came, didn't have any swabs to check if the pressure sore was infected. Advised to rest (like i don't do anything else doh), and take paracetamol. We will keep an eye on you she said.

Yesterday morning woke up to buckets of sweat, bed drenched and worst of all stuff that usually goes down the loo. Managed somehow to get clean and changed, but temp. had gone down a bit and I felt a little better by the time nurse came.

Yesterday 01.00 lunchtime I was vomiting again, temperature up to 39.7. Phoned Dr.s which usually puts you through to out of hours service, pre-recorded message tells me to hang up and dial 111.

After 15 mins i got a reply from a 'trained operative' who took my details, which seemed to go on and on before agreeing that a triage nurse would call me back 'within a couple of hours'

Said call came at 02.30, she took all the same details then asked if I could get transport to the out of hours surgery at local hospital.

I said I really can't , I need a visit. The reply was someone will call within a couple of hours, either GP or nursing practitioner.

05.00, another call to tell me it might be 08.00 before anyone can get.

08.00, final call to tell me that it will more than likely be midnight before I get a visit.

I told them not to bother, that I would phone my GP today. Got through at 10.00, doc turned up at 01.30.

Thanks Jeremy. You great big Hunt.

Post by **refitman** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 2:35 pm

PorFavor wrote:Good morfternoon.

Floods minister Rory Stewart was asked on the Today programme whether the government will seek EU funding for the floods. This is what he said.

That’s again something we’re open-minded on but to be honest about that it can be seven or eight months to process, it’s not going to be able to help people who are immediately affected. So our real priority at the moment is to get the money to the people who are affected and making sure businesses and householders get the support now. (Guardian)

If that makes sense to anyone, please let me know.

I don't know what it means, but Lib Dem MEP Catherine Bearder's office has made him look a right numpty:

Under new rules, 10% of the funding could be made available almost immediately as an advance payment. If the latest estimates of £5bn damage are correct, this means the UK would be entitled to £125m of funding in total and £12.5m immediately.

Bearder recently met EU Commissioner Corina Cretu who confirmed the UK would be eligible for this funding and was surprised no application is being made, as it has to be made within 12 weeks of when the flooding first hit.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 2:36 pm

Cripes Toby that sounds absolutely awful. Have you got someone who can be available to do the ringing / shouting for you next time should it be necessary?

I hope your GP has started to sort things out for you so you don't have to put up with the worst of it and can get better from now on.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 2:38 pm

refitman wrote:
PorFavor wrote:Good morfternoon.

Floods minister Rory Stewart was asked on the Today programme whether the government will seek EU funding for the floods. This is what he said.

That’s again something we’re open-minded on but to be honest about that it can be seven or eight months to process, it’s not going to be able to help people who are immediately affected. So our real priority at the moment is to get the money to the people who are affected and making sure businesses and householders get the support now. (Guardian)

If that makes sense to anyone, please let me know.
I don't know what it means, but Lib Dem MEP Catherine Bearder's office has made him look a right numpty:
Under new rules, 10% of the funding could be made available almost immediately as an advance payment. If the latest estimates of £5bn damage are correct, this means the UK would be entitled to £125m of funding in total and £12.5m immediately.

Bearder recently met EU Commissioner Corina Cretu who confirmed the UK would be eligible for this funding and was surprised no application is being made, as it has to be made within 12 weeks of when the flooding first hit.

Yes - they (Tories) seem to be very reluctant to access the EU support that is available - or maybe that is to publicly admit that they wish to access the EU support that is available. I don't understand why as surely many of the people affected so badly would find it reassuring that they were pulling in every possible resource they could?

TobyLatimer · Post by **TobyLatimer** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 2:58 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:Cripes Toby that sounds absolutely awful. Have you got someone who can be available to do the ringing / shouting for you next time should it be necessary?

I hope your GP has started to sort things out for you so you don't have to put up with the worst of it and can get better from now on.

Yes thanks rr2, mum was actually round here a few hours so she kindly helped out with the phone when it became a nuisance.

GP who came today took a water sample, the results will take 48 hours hopefully but he left a prescription of the same antibiotic they advised last time. I have difficulty with a/b's having been hospitalized twice with C-Difficile through over use.
They are reluctant to give me anything as I am more vulnerable to get that again than someone who hasn't yet had it, and it can be fatal. But with another holiday coming up, he advised to get it in, and if the results are back on Thursday they will ring and confirm if i need them. At least i have them here now. He told me there was a problem with supplies in the area of the antibiotic he prescribed, nitrofurantoin and chemists were running out of the stuff.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 3:06 pm

PorFavor wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:
HindleA wrote:Now at home,despite protestations from parents,I have been in bed,almost for a week and feel they need a break from me and I now well enough to do that.I rarely get ill,thankfully,but when I do,it wipes me out.OK'ish now.
I didn't realise you had been unwell HindleA. Sorry to hear that and glad you're feeling a bit better. Take it easy won't you.

Mr Riots has been wiped out by a cold / bug for the last few days and I am now coming down with something similar - or my own version. What joyous holidays we're all having.
Have you taken your dog to the vet yet? I hope you manage to fight off your version of the cold. (I think I'm getting one, too, but I'm hoping that it's one of the half-baked types which don't become fully fledged.)

Edited - brackets

Didn't Ephie say get hammered if you feel a cold coming on? Good excuse I'd have thought.
RR2 after you've taken the dog to the vets natually

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 3:25 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:Whoops.

Osborne hasn’t a ‘cat in hell’s chance’ of rebalancing the economy by 2020

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/ ... 651217.ece" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The head of one of the country’s largest business lobby groups has delivered a stinging rebuke to the government, warning that it has failed in its pledge to rebalance the economy away from the dominant services sector.

“There’s no evidence that exports are improving substantially — and manufacturing is in decline, so they have actually failed in practice to deliver any of those things,” John Longworth, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said.
Pretty much what we've observed from the graphs in the quarterly GDP analysis and elsewhere.

I don't know who was more deluded re rebalancing, the Tories or the Lib Dems. At least the Tories had a kind of plan at the time, that wages be held down and bring some grim competitiveness. The Lib Dems reckoned they could do it because they were so much cleverer than old Gordo. Sadly you get some of the same stuff on the Labour left, as if nobody's thought of investment in infrastructure in depressed areas before. They have, but it's still very difficult.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 3:28 pm

HindleA wrote:http://www.theguardian.com/environment/ ... bbean-trip
UK floods: Questions for Environment Agency chief amid reports of Caribbean trip
Sir Philip Dilley, reportedly at luxury home in Barbados, under pressure to defend handling of crisis following predecessor’s failure to visit flood-hit sites

He's on his way back. Which is pointless, seeing he's the Chairman, not the Chief Executive.

He might not be too happy with his Tory appointers, because he's being set up as the fall guy.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 3:30 pm

Hot diggety.

Mr Ohso went for a coffee with a friend this morning at the garden centre.

He said a youngish guy, his wife and children were having a meal and were discussing how the North has been neglected, and that enough hadn't been done to prevent the floods.

An old guy with his family at the next table, suddenly shouted out. 'That's the trouble with people these days, they don't recognise good government when they see it ...'

Whoops. Talk about light the blue touch paper.

Mr Ohso said the young guy bristled up and shouted, 'For your information, I'm a Conservative, and I'm telling you the North's been neglected for years, it's disgraceful, and if you can't see that you're a silly old twat.'

At that point one of the brothers who owns the garden centre threatened to throw them out.

Mr Ohso said it's the best laugh he's had in weeks and it was a good job I wasn't there because I'd have been sure to join in...

TobyLatimer · Post by **TobyLatimer** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 3:37 pm

Sounds like that Mr Male Online chap ohso

TobyLatimer · Post by **TobyLatimer** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 3:50 pm

Why me? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Why?

: dave-wellies_353633888.jpg (47.68 KiB) Viewed 9426 times

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 4:06 pm

TobyLatimer wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:Cripes Toby that sounds absolutely awful. Have you got someone who can be available to do the ringing / shouting for you next time should it be necessary?

I hope your GP has started to sort things out for you so you don't have to put up with the worst of it and can get better from now on.
Yes thanks rr2, mum was actually round here a few hours so she kindly helped out with the phone when it became a nuisance.

GP who came today took a water sample, the results will take 48 hours hopefully but he left a prescription of the same antibiotic they advised last time. I have difficulty with a/b's having been hospitalized twice with C-Difficile through over use.
They are reluctant to give me anything as I am more vulnerable to get that again than someone who hasn't yet had it, and it can be fatal. But with another holiday coming up, he advised to get it in, and if the results are back on Thursday they will ring and confirm if i need them. At least i have them here now. He told me there was a problem with supplies in the area of the antibiotic he prescribed, nitrofurantoin and chemists were running out of the stuff.

I'm sorry to read you're ill, my friend.
Please take care and give a holler for help if you need it.

TobyLatimer · Post by **TobyLatimer** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 4:17 pm

Thank you CJA x

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 4:20 pm

Check out SNP MP, Mhairi Hunter, flailing about on Twitter. No wonder they usually block Kevin Hague.

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HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Tue 29 Dec, 2015 4:21 pm

Yes,take care.