Saucy Postcards Make a Comback
In a recession or time of adversity or austerity, humour always does well.
Even Bamforth’s saucy postcards have found a new champion to develop their totally British institution. It’s all in The Independent.
The Cost of Going Green in Scotland
I was given a complimentary Scotsman on the sleeper, although I might have preferred a Scotswoman.
The headline of Going Green will push Scots fuel bills up £100 caught my eye.
The reason is that Alex Salmond wants to go to 100% of renewables by 2025. It may be a laudable aim, but to do it with just wind, wave and tidal is not in my view a good idea, as there is just so much back-up to provide. Especially, as nuclear will not be used for much longer in Scotland.
Let’s hope when the policy all goes pear-shaped that we don’t have to bail them out!
Prison Population Rises Again
It was also announced in Saturday’s East Anglian Daily Times, that the prison population has risen again to its highest level ever.
In other words, prison doesn’t seem to be working!
Loss-Making Libraries
In an earlier post, I questioned whether we needed libraries. Now it is reported in Saturday’s East Anglian Daily Times that readers’ or should that be non-readers’ owe Suffolk County libraries £72,000.
Surely, the sooner we reduce public libraries to reference only, the better. We can’t afford them!
Backing for Lighter Evenings
I have always believed that we should be on Central European Time for reasons of business with Europe and to give more light in the evening.
Now it would appear from this article, that major sporting bodies including the FA and the ECB are backing the proposals of the Lighter Later Campaign, which will culminate in a Private Member’s Bill in the House of Commons on December 3rd.
I doubt it’ll be accepted as it will mean we’re on Central European Time, which is a no-no to many MPs.
Is the Stuxnet Virus Good News?
There is a new computer virus on the block called Stuxnet. It supposedly targets industrial systems, with the aim of taking control or shutting them down. But it appears to be aimed at Iran and possibly its controversial nuclear power station at Bushehr. According to this article in the Guardian, it would appear that it has been created after a lot of work. Judging by the possible target, fingers are being pointed at Israel.
So why do I think this could be good news?
Most viruses target computers without any security, with the aim of controlling them to send more spam or to get logins and passwords for such things as bank accounts.
Stuxnet appears to be aiming to control industrial computers or factories, where the cost of being infected will be much greater. So Stuxnet will actually mean the virus protection companies will step up their efforts to prevent cyber attacks, which will be good for us all.
Also, something as high-profile as Stuxnet with all the associated publicity, should mean that more and more people will get the protection against viruses they should.
My one worry is that the sophisticated techniques that Stuxnet uses may make viruses that attack computers like e-mail servers more difficult to fight.
Justice – Virginia Style
We have all protested about the proposed stoning of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani in Iran, but why is it the European governments are absolutely silent and not protesting about the execution of Teresa Lewis in Virginia, especially as she is just a point on the IQ scale above the legal minimum for execution in the United States.
The least we should do is to suspend fast track extradition to the United States. By not protesting we are actually condoning the horrific sentence.
But then the United States doesn’t believe in justice but vengeance!
Jimmy “No Bellies” Gardner
Today one of the competitors in the Great North Run is Paul Gascoigne’s old drinking mate Jimmy “Five Bellies” Gardner.
Except that he’s slimmed from twenty-one stone to thirteen and now goes by the nickname of “No Bellies” according to The Sun.
Let’s hope he keeps to his new lifestyle!
George Michael Has Moved in up the Road.
It has just been reported that George Michael has moved from Pentonville to Highpoint, which is just down the road.
What a waste of money to look after an aging burnt-out pop star, with more addictions than the whole of London! As I said in an earlier post, we must find a better way to punish celebrities, that costs us nothing.
Scotland and London Get the Pope, Suffolk Gets the Tour of Britain!
Today, the Tour of Britain came to Clare, which is a village a few miles from where I live.
I asked one of the local officers about it and he definitely felt we’d got the most entertainment and the better deal.
There was quite a few people on the streets of one of Suffolk’s most pleasant villages, as this video shows.
After the excitement, I went down the pub and had a half of Aspalls, before returning home for lunch.
Looking back on today, I’m rather pleased at how the video has turned out. It’s the first real one, I’ve done since the stroke and it’s a lot better than some I’ve tried. But this was done with my trusty Fuji S5700 and Windows Movie Maker.
The Anonymous Widower 