Yet another rant about Birmingahm City Council

Cycling past house number 134 on our street I observed a medium sized rat gingerly climbing into a sofa that had been dumped in the 'garden' of the above numbered rented property. The tenant's who apparently squat there don't seem to give a toss as the sofa along with a sodden mattress have been there for almost 2 months.

I was gonna shout Oi!! to the rat but I reflection I must have suspected that I'd get the same response from him/her as I would from the City Council when & if I attempted to report the mess & him/her to them. IE: Sweet bugger all.

Nevertheless, ever the foolhardy optimist I contacted the council-First mistake: It took at least 15 minutes to find the City Councils contact telephone number. It would have been easier, & faster I swear to contact Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran & tell him about the rubbish & ratty & get him to send a battalion of the Revolutionary Guard over to deal with him/& the dumped sofa than get those work shy bastards in the council to do something.

I was passed from one dept to another, until I did what I suspect the Council wanted me to do all along....give up. Which I'm ashamed to admit I did. Ratty et al can stay put at number 134.

However a couple of months ago I was late by about 3 weeks in sending my Council Tax payment off to the Council. I received a 'red letter' threatening me with court action & prosecution to the full letter of the law. The cheeky bastards.

Get your money grabbing Fascist backsides out there & clean up my city. No wonder Birmingham is the joke & laughing stock of the country with this level of service.

The English & the food experience.

Today we went as a family for a ritual that is I suspect peculiar to Roman Catholics the world over: The 'Blessing of the Graves'. You see, November is in Roman Catholic tradition,known as the month of the dead'-where we pray for & remember those loved ones who have died. We go to their grave(s) en masse & a priest comes along blesses the grave with Holy Water, says a few prayers & bobs yer uncle! (its called blind faith I think though you dear reader may have another name for it!)
Anyway, we as a family then, (also by tradition) go out for Sunday lunch somewhere or other. This year we went for a steak at a local steak bar/pub called the 'Covered Wagon'.

Now why is it that we English are served total shit dressed up as food? Why do we accept the food virtually 'thrown' at us by surly spotty face adolescents? Why do we endure an atmosphere that we would not allow animals to eat in?

Today I ordered a sirloin steak, salad, peppercorn sauce cooked 'rare'. Whilst waiting almost for the steak the place filled with smoke & an ear piecing siren filled the air. The waiter when asked if we should leave replied "Dunno mate, never heard that noise before" & walked off. The siren then went off periodically throughout the meal! No explanations nor apologies were offered nor sought by anyone!
After almost 50 minutes of waiting, asking for cutlery & condiments which were dropped on the table in little foil sachets, my steak arrived.
It was sadly inedible.
It was stringy, fatty & full of gristle. The one waiter in evidence kept a conscious (I suspect) distance away from out table. He eventually came to clear the other 2 diners empty plates & my 3/4 full plate, casually asked if our "meal was enjoyable". He appeared dumbfounded when I told him that my steak was inedible, & that I believed my salad was one of the most expensive I had ever eaten! He eventually agreed to speak to 'someone about my steak.
To cut a miserably long story short I received my money back with a mumbled apology.

Now my point(s) is this: We Brits appear to accept any level of service-it appears to be expected that we have poor, shoddy service. It seems that we accept any slop masquerading as 'food' & are prepared (albeit, historically) to eat this slop in any environment no matter how unpleasant it might be & not complain.
We Brits, (as my Irish granfather used to say) "would stand for the 3 card trick"
They take our money & give use shite in return. Food cooked without pride, care, love for the food or respect for the paying customer.

Lord Young

Please forgive me if I don't shed a tear. I heard today that Lord Young, who has never done a hard days work in his bourgeois life has been forced to resign. This was in response to him announcing that in general ".....people have never had it so good during the recession..."

Like he'd know wouldn't he the upper class toff. He'll still be living on hundreds of thousands of GBP per year even though he is supposed to be 'unemployed'. Tough shit matey my heart bleeds. Not.

Birthday wishes!!

Happy Birthday John, hope its a good one. Kate & I, (& I don't mean Middleton, though I have emailed her & suggested she does raise a glass) will toast you & your yours this evening!
x

Hurrah for William & Kate!!

So... the Euro is in crisis, the Irish Republic is in financial meltdown, there is famine in Africa, people are dying & being maimed daily in Afghanistan, the NHS & welfare state is under serious financial review, people are having their homes repossessed & are living in abject squalor-I could go on...BUT: The main topic of news on all BBC radio channels today was that HRH Prince William will marry Kate Middleton in 2011. Cameron says that this news is "unadulterated joy..."-Great choice of words Dave, when you consider the marital history of the other members of the Royal Family!! But I guess the wedding (funded by the humble taxpayer again no doubt) will bring about a distraction & enable you & your Government to continue tightening the financial screw on us even more.

Hurrah for William & Kate.... but to be honest, I don't give a tinkers cuss. I for one, will not be celebrating Kate's wonderful stroke of luck of marrying into a life of riches beyond her dreams.Nor the will I be toasting the 'happy couple'.

Royal twats. Bring on the republic.

Lest we forget....

Apparently, when World War 2 ended in August 1945, there was peace in the world for only 8 minutes before somewhere or other another conflict began somewhere in the world.

Today we have Remembrance Sunday. The day when we recall, honour & give thanks for the sacrifice of those who died during wars that this country has/is engaged in. It was very moving listening to the service on national radio, more so when Kate my wife told me that in the local 'Poundland' store they announced that there would be a "2 minutes silence at 11 o'clock"

Sure enough there was. And the crowded store came to a halt at 11am. People stood still, stopped spending their pennies, jostling for their place in the queue & there was silence for the 2 minutes. All races & creeds in the shop at this time observed this silence. Moving.

However I believe that the finest way to remember the sacrifice that was made both in the past & now is to withdraw the troops from Afghanistan & end the bloodshed now.

"All we are saying is Give Peace a Chance...."

A victim of the system.... Gods sense of humour??

The system has beaten me.....at least this time. Last week I received a parking ticket for parking in a 'loading bay'. There was a minuscule sign on a lamp post denoting this & faded writing on the roadway also. I was displaying a 'Blue disabled badge' at the time but still got the ticket.
I appealed to the faceless Fascists in Birmingham City Council against the decision but my appeal was denied thus:

"BM65223541/Parking Section 13/11/2010 Mr P Woolley 104 Westfield Rd Kings Heath B14 7Su, Birmingham West Mids, Uk B14 7SU

Dear Mr Woolley Parking - Penalty Charge Notice Number BM65223541 Dated - 04/11/2010 Registration number - BK09NLR
Thank you for your enquiry concerning the Penalty Charge Notice detailed above. I have given careful consideration to the circumstances you have described but regret that there are not sufficient grounds for the Notice to be withdrawn.
The Penalty Charge Notice was issued to your vehicle as it was parked in a loading bay, which was clearly marked in accordance with Road Traffic legislation. I have noted your comments that you had a Disabled Badge on display in your vehicle.
You may still take advantage of the reduced charge of £35.00 if payment for the Penalty Charge Notice is received by the 04/12/2010, BUT the discounted rate is not available after this date and the full charge of £70.00 will be due if payment is not received in time. Cheques or Postal Orders should be made payable to ‘Birmingham City Council (Highways)’ and forwarded to Birmingham City Council, Environment & Culture Directorate PO Box 77 Birmingham B4 7WA, quoting the Penalty Charge Notice number."

The 'System has beaten me on this occasion but I will have my day over the faceless bureaucratic swine at the council.

Like I said...God has a sense of humour.....

Henryk Gorecki

Today another genius of the music world passed away. After a long illness the Polish Composer Henryk Gorecki passed away.
His most notable work was his 3rd symphony-'A symphony of sorrowful songs'.
I urge you to listen to this piece of music & I'm sure that you will be moved near to tears.

RIP Henryk.

Never, never trust a politician/Nick Clegg is a Judas

They embezzle, they send young people to their death, they speak hypocrisy, they condemn people to poverty & they lie. They lie to further their needs, to stay in power & to get rich.
The latest liar in the line of political liars is Cameron's 'puppet partner' in the coalition Nick Clegg.
Why?? Well he said quite clearly during his pre election promises that "would oppose any increase in university tuition fees" Guess what??? He & his party of Quislings have broken their promise & supported the Fascist Tories in their intention to increase tuition fees. The deceitful Bastard.

As a postscript: I see that the chief Fascist Cameron is touring China on our expense. He has the audacity to question & comment on China's record on human rights. How dare he?? His comments come the day after his mate & ally ex president of the USA George W Bush admitted & condoned the torture of 'water boarding' & other methods of torture in Iraq.
At the same time Cameron & the BBC (the mouthpiece of the Government) openly criticise China's treatment of the elderly. Take a look at the numbers of UK pensioners who live near or on the breadline Mr Cameron before you shout your mouth off.

I say again: end the pointless war in Afghanistan, bring the military home, stop spending & wasting money that could be spent at home, above all.....stop the killing Cameron!!

History repeating itself?

I heard on the Radio 4 news today an article about the plight of the Romani population in Hungary. Apparently they appear to be the victims of racial discrimination on a national scale.
They are, it appears, excluded from national schools, declined housing & are channeled into menial jobs. The situation is apparently worse in the east of the country. The Romani are apparently living in large (ghetto) shanty towns in the east of Hungary.
In France recently President Sarkozy went as far as returning Romany's back to Romania.
In the West those of the Islamic faith are viewed by many as potential 'enemies of the state'-we hear daily about "Islamic terrorists threatening both the UK & the United States."

I'm disturbed by all of this. It remands me of pre war National Socialist Germany. At that time in Germany minority groups were at best demonised, victimised, denied civil rights & at worst deported & eventually murdered. I hope that the latter is the extreme & that reason will awaken within our humanity, but I feel we should all be mindful of what is going on.

At this time in our nations history, where the economy fragile & financial cutbacks are being made the minority DO suffer, whether they be the poor or those who look different from the majority or believe different things.
Prime Minister Cameron is cutting massively Housing benefit. He calls those who are long term unemployed "work shy" & says that they should take on menial voluntary jobs to "help pay their way".
His choice of words I believe, inflames prejudice, splits communities & encourages bigotry. Those among us who are predisposed to paranoia will (& already have in my observation) jumped on the band wagon & openly speak in negative bigoted phraseology about asylum seekers, the old & the vulnerable.
The abyss between the 'Haves' & the Have-nots' is growing wider by the month & I believe Europe far from being a European Union is fast becoming a European Disunion.

"Those who forget the lessons of history is destined to repeat them..."

Advertisements

I have a belief (yeah here we go I hear you sigh....) but hear me out please....

..... I believe that the Anti Christ of the this decade are admen & advertising. Everywhere I look, & if you look around you or keep your ears open, we are bombarded with advertisements. Billboards, advertisements that change every 10 seconds, almost every radio station-including BBC Radio Four (it encourages the listener to tune into future programmes), the TV, outside supermarkets, over the loudspeakers in supermarkets subliminal or otherwise & so it goes on.

I am totally pissed off with this intrusion into my life. I am sick & tired of being told that I need such & such. I do not need a colourful poster telling me that my life is deficient in 1 or more specific area-I'm aware it is, buts that for me to know & to chose to do something about if I so chose.

And then there's the smug, patronising bastards who knock the front door (usally when I'm having my tea) & ask if "I'm happy paying too much for my gas or electricity, & would I like to change to the supplier that they represent?" Well listen up bucko: If I wanted to change, I think I have the wit to go & find out which company offers the best deal & then change myself. Clear off!!!!

Christmas & all that

I've seen it.
Its begun.
Its November 5th .
50 days to Christmas.
And its started.....I saw today a house with a stupid illuminated snowman & Father Christmas out side on the bay window of their house.
Holy Mother of God the world has gone mad!!!!

The 'system'

I reckon God's got a wicked sense of humour. He takes the piss out of us & our pathetic attempts at omnipotence. I thought that I was doing bloody great in securing a 'Blue Badge' disabled card for my car so that I could run my disabled mother about. That I had got just a little one over & out of the 'system'. Not to be though......
I can see it all now....God sitting up there with all those Holy men & women inc the newly 'Blessed' Cardinal John Henry Newman (of this parish) & he'/she's saying to them" look at him people.. smug get, I'll fix him....." And then having a little giggle.
So there I am using our 'Blue Badge' for the first time in Harborne High Street taking the old dear to her bank, parking behind a white van in what I believed to be a disabled bay.
But whats this??? As we return from the bank a bloody parking warden is taking a photo of my motor & telling me that I'm parked in a "'loading bay' & am not allowed to. Thus a minimum of a £35 fine is smacked on the windscreen.
Shite!!!

Cameron has done something right!! But not totally...

Yes he has...I hate to admit it but David 'the public school, middle class twat' has done something I not only applaud, but I think he has done right.

Yesterday Cameron signed a defence agreement with our nearest European neighbours & fellow member of the EU-France. OK so its financially expedient to do so, so that both our countries can share the ridiculously spiraling cost of defence (against what & whom I ask??). But in signing this agreement Cameron has I believe, acknowledged that we, (the United Kingdom) are part of Europe & not part of the empire of the United States of America. Hurrah for that!!

OK so we have an aircraft carrier upon which we cannot afford to buy the aircraft to put upon it (words escape me!!), but lets rejoice for the moment...we are European & not totally glued by a Velcro strip to the arse of Uncle Sam.

Having said that our European Parliament members have gone a tad too far on one level: They have said that prisoners serving a jail sentence ought to have & have got to be given the "right to vote in elections". Now people where I'm coming from is this: I believe that with rights come responsibilities. Those serving prison terms have clearly demonstrated by their actions that they don't give a damn for neither their rights nor the rights of their fellow citizens. So therefore they should forfeit the right to vote for the time that they remain incarcerated in prison.

I think that Brussels has lost the plot on this one.

I'm sick of 'em!!

Everywhere I seem to go these days, every time the postman calls, each time I open my e-mails there are requests asking & attemptiung to persduade me to take out a Life Insurance policy.

In the Post Office today the fella behind the counter asked me if I was "over 50" & have I considered taking out a "life Insurance policy that will provide enough funds to cover funeral costs & leave some cash for those left behind"

The Cheeky bastard!

I regret that I wasn't quick enough with a witty reply to his initial question nor did I say that the those left "behind me" can go & bugger off & work for their money the same as I had to. Quite honestly I don't give a flying fuck what happens to me when I'm cold & dead.

However that's not true: I'd like a burial in a cardboard coffin in a woodland. I don't want to be cremated. Yet the kids say that they don't like that idea as they want to come & lay flowers etc on my 'plot'.

I'm sorry but I'm straying from the jist of my rant. And its this: Why do people appear to believe that I want to spend my cash on a Life Insurance policy? If I wanted to take out a policy then I believe I have enough intelligence (only just) to organise one. (incidentally, its the same with the utility companies...they knock my front door & ask me "if I'm happy with my energy supplier & would I like to change supplier?" My reply is short & to the point...Its that If I wanted too then I'd go & organise the change myself )

Mind your own bloody business!!