First Class to Leeds
I travelled in First Class to Leeds yesterday. I do get more and more fed up with the standard of the class on Saturdays.
I paid about thirty pounds more for a comfy seat, a table and two cups of coffee each way. My fellow travellers also got some rather boring-looking sandwiches both ways.
But I suspect, judging by the number of empty seats and those on Virgin a couple of weeks ago, the train companies First Class offerings on Saturday, are not the hottest product.
At least that on First Hull Trains is better! But on the other hand, it didn’t seem to sell many seats.
It strikes me though, that the train companies need to do a bit of thinking about their First Class product. And whilst they’re at it, they could look at their gluten-free offerings too!
Inciodentally, I had breakfast in Carluccio’s before I travelled and got some sandwiches from Marks and Spencer in Leeds station. I also noted that Leon’s restaurant had some good gluten-free breakfast offerings.
So some things are getting better, but the trains aren’t keeping up with the competition. Although you could argue, that the presence of Leon’s and Carluccio’s in stations, is down to policy changes at Network Rail.
Christmas Shopping By Yourself
On Friday, I tried to do a bit of Christmas shopping.
I wasn’t very successful, but then as I don’t have much to buy, was it really surprising?
To me, one of the joys of shopping, was going with C to the shops to buy presents for our children and their families.
I also used to go alone to buy presents for her. And that was what I really enjoyed.
But then I’m a man who enjoys shopping!
What also didn’t help was the bad weather and the fact that Oxford Street was so crowded.
Do Women Make The Best Spies?
Apparently they do according to various stories in the papers yesterday, where the CIA and Mossad is concerned. But there’s also evidence from MI5 in this article in the Guardian from 2004.
A Problem With Not Recognising Gay Marriage
When some countries recognise gay marriage and others don’t you are going to get a few problems.
This story from the United States, illustrates one small but sometimes expensive problem well.
Edith Windsor was legally married to her gay partner in Canada, five years ago. Her partner has since died and because she now lives in New York, she will have to pay $600,000 in what in the UK would be death duties. If her partner had been a man, she wouldn’t have to pay the tax.
So now the case has ended up at the United States Supreme Court.
I’m not a lawyer and I’ve no idea what would happen in the UK.
But surely in this age, we should clear everything up to make it all clear to everybody.
Is My Eyesight Getting Better?
Yesterday, I watched most of the football match at Leeds without my glasses.
Surely, my eyesight can’t be improving that much?
How To Announce Yourself
As I went through Peterborough on the train yesterday to Leeds, I noticed a couple of law firms in offices by the station. I’m reminded of a little event.
C’s chambers had a satellite office in the city and one day at this time of year, they were having a Christmas party after work. Our son, a trainee solicitor at the time, was also doing some business in the area on the same day, had a legal problem and thought he might find some help and expertise at the party. So he walked in and said.
Does anybody know how to write a writ for habeus corpus?
And that is how one of the oldest tenets in English law; habeus corpus and our son, made their presence felt at a Christmas party in the twenty-first century.
Businesses Get Bees On The Roof
I first saw this in The Times concerning law firm, Olswang.
But there is also an old video story about it on the BBC’s web site.
It obviously seems to be a good idea, as it seems to be catching on.
America, The Sick Man Of The World
Two of the stories I posted yesterday, showed the state the US is in. The first was the story of prisons in the US, and Alabama in particular. I started it with the words.
This story from the United States is terrible.
I felt it couldn’t get worse. But it course of did with the massacre of children in Connecticut.
The story of Gary McKinnon was really about America bullying a poor unfortunate, rather than fixing their leaky computer systems and treating him in the way he would have been in most other countries of the world.
We have also had the excursions into Afghanistan and Iraq, to wreak vengeance for the attacks on New York and Washington on September 11th, 2009. Sadly we were drawn into these ill-thought out adventures.
It’s funny too, how the three main companies being castigated for their tax position are all American.
I could also add in the stunts of bankers based in New York, which started the collapse of the worldwide banking system, the death penalty and the failed prison and justice system and a healthcare system that is the joke of the civilised world.
I shall not be going to the United States ever again and I will not buy products from American companies, where there is an alternative.
Protect Children, Not Guns
In view of the awful shootings in Connecticut, which have resulted in the deaths of 27, read this article called Protect Children, Not Guns.
This is the introductory paragraph.
In 2008, 2,947 children and teens died from guns in the United States and 2,793 died in 2009 for a total of 5,740—one child or teen every three hours, eight every day, 55 every week for two years. Six times as many children and teens—34,387—suffered nonfatal gun injuries as gun deaths in 2008 and 2009. This is equal to one child or teen every 31 minutes, 47 every day, and 331 children and teens every week.
They are chilling figures and all the Americans do is get more guns.
The Anonymous Widower 