NON-affordable housing

Viewing the billboards proclaiming 'Affordable housing' you would think that the building companies were doing there bit for low income families. But if a small proportion of the housing they build is 'affordable' it must be mean that the majority is therefore NON affordable. What it should say is 'Housing for people that cannot secure ludicrously high levels of credit' and the rest 'Housing for people that in the future will be buying the morning paper and pint of milk with a credit card'. Similarly 'Fair trade' coffee boasts that the growers and workers who produce that coffee are paid a fair price. Does this mean that the rest of the growers are paid an unfair price? Back to housing though, Lenders are still reluctant to go back to the days when the amount that people could borrow was a fair reflection of their earnings, it was viewed that while you cannot repay your mortgage your house price will rise and we can then repossess and make a profit. I cannot see any other reason why lenders are so willing to give out such sums of money knowing the borrowers will struggle. Initially borrowers thought all their christmas's had arrived at once, they'd got their dream house the value kept rising they could then obtain credit on the back of the equity in the property, and fill it with all the materialistic goodies consumerism demanded. Thats where it all went wrong, shopping with credit cards and living a cashless existence, cashless because they were broke. The banks have always wanted a cashless society, but no one knew this was the way they would obtain it.

Nurse..My arse

I wish to complain about the disgraceful treatment of my wife at your A&E department on the evening of Saturday 20th March. In February my wife suffered a miscarriage and had a D&C performed on 24th of that month at Musgrove. My wife started to bleed lightly on March 12th so she visited her Doctor who diagnosed an infection and prescribed some antibiotics. The bleeding cleared by the following Tuesday but on the morning of the 20th March the bleeding had started again it was accompanied by stomach pains and some of the blood was large clots. We contacted out of ours who gave us an appointment to attend Musgrove that evening. The Doctor she subsequently saw examined her stomach and also believed it be an infection and prescribed her three different types of antibiotics. He advised her to maybe see her doctor on Monday to get some swabs taken. He also advised that if conditions worsened to come back to Musgrove. We collected the antibiotics and returned home but a couple of hours later the pains worsened and she passed some very large clots and bleeding was so steady that the pads could not contain it. We made our way to the A&E where my wife sat, clearly in pain with bloodstained hands in the waiting area. I then explained the situation to the A&E receptionist who seeing us walk in, in distress, dealt with us in an expedient manner. She returned and stated a nurse was on her way. Seconds later a nurse appeared at the door and whilst looking in a completely different direction to those in the waiting area shouted “Julie Rayner” I helped my wife up and because she was feeling very faint I had to assist her towards the doorway. The nurse walked on ahead only looking back on us to make sure we were going the right way before showing us into a cubicle. I assisted my wife onto the bed while the nurse stood watching. She proceeded to ask us questions about what was wrong and was abrupt and quite ‘shirty’ because we could not remember what antibiotics my wife had been given. She took my wife’s blood pressure and did not comment what so ever on the results the only comment she gave was “they did explain this could happen, didn’t they” she then stated that the Doctor would come along and see us and then left the cubicle. As we waited my wife’s pain increased and she asked me to get a nurse. I walked to the desk. There were about 6 or 7 nurses at the desk including the nurse who took us to the cubicle. She was amongst a group laughing and joking. On the periphery of this group another nurse noticed me approach and when I explained the situation came to the cubicle and proceeded to take blood pressure again and then assisted my wife give urine sample and generally helped my wife as you would expect a nurse to do. After seeing a doctor my wife was taken to Ward 5 and it was found that the D&C operation had not been successful and another operation was required. Whilst this in itself is traumatic and upsetting we do believe those involved acted with best intentions and to the best of their abilities, however, this cannot be said about the first nurse. She clearly had made her diagnosis and made us feel that we shouldn’t have been there. We were clearly an inconvenience to her as we probably prevented her from having a laugh with her colleagues. At no point did she try to assist us, or reassure us and was completely devoid of any compassion. Her comment that “they did explain this could happen, didn’t they” makes me believe she had made a diagnosis and that she believed this was just bleeding that could happen after that operation and therefore we shouldn’t be wasting her time. This nurse obviously needs to be reminded that she is in no position to diagnose or prejudge patients that visit the hospital and that she is there to ‘nurse’ people just as the second nurse did. To be quite honest we expect an apology from that nurse and confirmation that this nurse has been reminded of her duties and standing within the hospital. It may prevent a situation arising where she misdiagnoses with far more serious consequences. Also the standard “we are disappointed that you feel you were unduly treated, but we at Musgrove....” type letter will not convince us you have taken our concerns seriously.

Talent?

Anyone reading my last blog might be saying that if I had received a better pre school education my grammar would be better. I blame my English teacher he wasnt very helpful. One day I asked him how to spell pheasant. "look in the dictionary " he replied. How you supposed to find it in the dictionary if you dont know how to spell it! After searching F for half and hour he shouted out very smugly "look up P"..look up ...myarse I thought. Just because something isnt written perfectly doesn't mean it isn't worth reading or interesting. The X factor for example is searching for that brilliant voice. I can honestly say that I did not watch every episode of the last series but was aware how Jedward had stirred the nation. In fact I did take the piss with a few comments on Facebook. What worried me was the anger people showed towards them. They may make you cringe but angry? It was obvious though that some people liked them, beauty is in the eye of the beholder they say. Music is after all an art form and look at some examples of modern art. If I had turned up at the art exam with a shark in a tank filled with formaldehyde under my arm the examiner would have told me to fuck off (yes thats how they spoke to you in them days!). Was the cubist (what did he have against cubes anyway?!) Picasso as technically gifted as Da Vinci say? I once read a letter in a guitar mag, with the writer moaning about the easy guitar playing in hit songs. He had completely missed the point its the tune, the lyrics the melody that count, not how difficult it is to play. Simon Cowell once stated that The Beatles wouldnt get through the X-factor!
Tosser!

Hey! Preacher! leave those kids alone.

Why the debate on alien existence rages on is a mystery to me, anyone watching childrens tv must know that they're from another planet! Yet we allow these extra terrestrial (so thats what they mean by terrestrial tv!) beings to entertain our children. When I say entertain I actually mean educate..no thats not right I mean brainwash! Since when has childrens tv been part of the education system? Thats not to say that pre school children need to learn or that childrens tv can play a part but the onus is on the parents to prepare their chidren for school. What annoys me about tvs attempt to educate is that the programmes have been written by an education committee following some moral agenda that they havent been given the remit to implement. An example of this is numberjacks which is one step short of electric shock treatment." Children, can anyone see the number two, come on where is it? WHERE IS IT? We have ways of making you talk! Where is the Number TWO?"...its in their pants cos theyre shitting themselves! Maybe thats a bit extreme but you watch the programmes, everything has to have a message to it! Today one programme was talking about Salad Sleepovers? and plugging how good salad is for you! Salad Sleepovers! where the fuck did that come from? Somebody out there wants nicely programmed automatons instead of free willed lively children and that isnt right. Orderly children in their high vis vests going to school on the pedestrian bus is one thing but how long before they have to march!? In the inner cities they could make them wear high vis stab vests instead. Theyd be going to school better protected than our troops in Afghanistan! How long before health and safety says our troops should wear hi vis instead of camoflage? After all centuries ago they used to wear red coats and the same kind of idiots were in charge then as there are now. Children dont need information drilled into them to learn, picture this. You are in the kitchen you drop a slice of bread on floor and of course it lands butter side down (a way to prevent this is to butter the bread after you drop it!) 'Bugger' you whisper. By the way this is no ordinary kitchen its lead lined and only accessible through an airlock, soundproof you would think. You exit the kitchen through the airlock and proceed to the living room where little Johnny is sat on floor shouting "BUGGER, BUGGER, BUGGER, BUGGER". The door bell rings and then you remember the health vistor is calling in today, no doubt checking Johnnys book bag is equipped with high vis vest, emergency flares, GPS etc. "SHIT" you say, Johnny is briefly silent then "SHIT, SHIT, SHIT"..........I think you get the point!

Free Speech

A good thing about growing up in Luton was that the bright lights of London weren't far away. Another good thing was that back in the 80s with nuclear holocaust a real possibility, we could draw some comfort knowing that with the airport making us a target we would die instantly in the blast! We wouldnt have to die an agonising death from radiation sickness like those in leafy Hertfordshire!.....Anyway the bright lights of London. One way of getting to the smoke was by coach, I think it was the 757 that got us Hyde Park Corner. While waiting for the coach back we were kept amused by the RANTERS of Speakers corner who had turned up with their beer crates and were determined to put the world to rights. Mainly it was the 'Repent thy sins' brigade. I didnt know what 'Repent thy sins' meant at the time but have since found out from the behaviour of politicians it means 'Dont admit fuck all, bollocks to the country its your career you should worry about'. It was free speech, the supposed bedrock of our society, I saw being practiced. I say 'practiced' because surely this wasnt the final article they were delivering..it was absolute bollocks! But it was harmless bollocks. Jan Moir upset people last year with her piece regarding the death of Stephen Gately. Now personally his death means nothing to me but what gives her the right to say such shit and for the paper to publish it. Complaints against it weren't upheld quoting 'free speech'. She didnt use her right to free speech she ABused her right to free speech. She spoke harmful bollocks.Hopefully she lives in leafy Hertfordshire.
Tosser!

What a bunch of Bankers.

Growing up in the 70s and 80s the troubles in Northern Ireland dominated the news, I remember Sinn Fein Leader Gerry Adams on tv his voice blocked out, the government of the day had banned Sinn Fein on the tv but broadcasters could show him speaking along with an actor reciting what he had said. Tony Blair had a similar way of addressing the public he would read out what Alistair Campbell told him to say. Anyway times have moved on and Gerry Adams recently criticised the Irish governments handling of the banks saying that they werent willing to nationalise the banks wealth but have been quite happy to nationalise the debts. (whether a man who supported bombing of civilians can lecture the Irish Government on their handling of the credit crunch is another matter?) Nevertherless he had a point, similary a public sector union rep this week argued that the Government couldnt stop banks paying contractual bonuses but were quite happy to rip up the contracts of the workers he represents. While we wait for the economic upturn commentators have used rising house prices as an indication of recovery? like a doctor hopes that an increase in vodka intake is a measure of an alcoholics recovery! thats what got us in the shit last time.
Tossers!

Dog Insurance!

Well bugger me, yet another stupid idea from this incompetent labour government. I must be partly to blame because I voted the tossers in back in 1997 yes it does seem like a millenium ago! They say that Gordon Brown(noser) works incredibly long hours and gets very little sleep, well I think it would be a miracle to fuck up so many things working just eight hours a day! Anyway dog insurance. How will that work? do you have to phone up for a quote? Will Churchill insure there own Dog? How about no claims bonus?
" Madam has your dog bitten anyone in the last five years?".
"Has your dog been modified in anyway?".....
"er he's been chipped"
"Oh so he can run quicker now then and catch more postmen that will put your excess up...."
Its just another example of everyone being punished because this lillylivered administration hasnt got the balls to actually punish the people that commit the crimes.
Another example, underage drinking how do they combat it? ban consumption in some areas to stop it. theres already a law to combat it its the over 18 law! who gets inconvenienced we do!
Tossers!