Decorating

Damn the decorating! Why do people "cover things" up?
I've taken the paper off the Living room ceiling - at last - it was awful. I knew I had to mend the hole caused by the leak from the central heating last year but now the holes are visible where they moved the lights. Also the paint doesn't cover. A brown stain has come through. How many coats will it take to cover. 3 so far and still going.
Hey ho.

Benefit Cuts

Hi David

I'm old enough to remember that National Insurance was just that. You paid your "stamp" and it was an Insurance policy. That money went into a pot where if you needed help the money was there for you because you'd paid your premium's.
Anyone else remember this.
Funny, its still called National Insurance but actually its just TAX!

Should I be made redundant, get ill so I can't work and eventually I'll be old and retire - then I'll be able to get my "Benefits" - that I've PAID for.
Understand David?
No I don't think everyone should get them automatically but folk like us who have worked hard most of their lives, paid tax and NI and generally cost the State nothing, just paid IN.
Just wanted to clear this up David oh, and nick.

Gardening TIp - get rid of bugs the Bio way

When you're overrun with Caterpillars on your Brassicas don't buy insecticide be greener. Take any old spray gun (ex Mr Muscle type will do when empty), fill with tap water and put a squirt of Fairy Liquid in.
Now go and spray the Cabbages with this - be generous. The Caterpillars don't like it and will soon curl up and drop off.

Hey Presto - no chemicals - well except "Clean broccoli".

Monty's tip

Government Cuts

I know the Government needs to cut expenditure, and that it was not this Government's fault but the previous one who spent Billions propping up the (Private) Banks.
So I ask this
1. if the Banks were bust, where did the Government get the money from to prop them up?
2. having "bought" these Banks, i.e. now you and me own them, why doesn't the Government MAKE them give the money back to US by whatever savings they can make?
How on earth do they let Bankers have million + pound bonuses when poor sick disabled folk are told they will have their Benefits cut. How can these people sleep at night. After all its OUR money that is paying their bonuses. Let them try to live on £100 a a week for a year and see how they like it?It is obscene and while the Government owns these Banks, let them milk them for all they're worth until the economy is straight. Sell them, merge them what ever.

Come on David and Nick - who's in charge?

Education needs a kick

So we must have more Academy Schools - maybe.

When I was at school (over 40 years ago) it seemed most children learned to read, write and do sums. At least to a level to function in society when they left school. Now I understand, when it seems everyone goes to University, a third leave school unable to read or write!

So tell me - how do you get into University if you can't read or write? is it luck?

Anyway seems the squeeze is on University. In my day only the elite (excellently capable top 20%) got into University. So maybe we're going back to that situation. At last a Degree will mean something again.

So with the money saved lets educate our children so the majority can read, write and do sums. It will do wonders for society. It can be done in Primary school given the resources. Not playing Special Needs Catch-up in Secondary Schools (that's if the Kids don't play truant or get expelled to become "NEETS"!).

Are you listening Mr Gove?

Tony Blair is Human - well almost

So Tony Likes a glass of Wine (or 2) well welcome to the real world.

So tell me why when we are so "harmonised" with the EU, we follow all their laws, slavishly, Human Rights for Asylum Seekers - even if they are murderers etc. can't criticise disabled people who go on the XFactor! eh? I could go on you know what I mean, well anyway tell me why is Wine so cheap in France?

David can we Harmonise the Tax on Wine please with France? I think Tony will agree.