Cleanup Solutions
I saw a guy on the Tube this morning with Cleanup Solutions on his smart black T-sheet. As I read it out of the corner of my eye, I thought it was called Cheerup Solutions!
Now there’s a name for a company!
America Has Too Many Lawyers
This must be true as lawyers are now suing the law schools for producing too many lawyers and it’s reported in today’s Times.
I think we’ve had the same problem here for some years, as C always said that when she retired, the new barristers wouldn’t or couldn’t afford to do the important work she used to do with respect to sorting out children, as there was no money in it.
She always said that fewer and better lawyers, might produce some, who had the conscience and ability to do the work she did.
There is always the old joke.
Q. What do you call a 1,000 American lawyer at the bottom of the sea?
A. A good start!
Zopa And A European Transaction Tax
There has been a lot of talk and some would say hot air lately from politicians about a European Financial Transaction Tax. This morning I heard on the radio, that such a tax would reduce the value of pensions dramatically, as every time your pension provider bought or sold a share or bond, you’d pay tax on it. It would probably mean that annuity returns would drop significantly.
On the other hand, if you look at Zopa, which gives me similar returns to what I would expect from my pension or annuity provider, I would hope they are outside of a European Financial Transaction Tax. Unless of course, the tax means that every time we make a transfer from our bank account, 0.01% goes to a central fund in the EU to bail out countries like Greece and Italy.
I would think that if any British Prime Minister allowed that, we would see riots, like we’ve never seen before.
So one of the advantages of an investment like Zopa, is that it should be outside any proposed European Financial Transaction Tax. On the other hand, this just might get the EU to make companies like Zopa illegal or ensure that every lender was registered with some new bureaucracy. Remember that a civil servant’s first duty is to create more jobs for others of his ilk.
So my advice to those who want to have a safe place for their savings, might find Zopa and the other peer-to-peer lenders, a safer place than stocks and shares.
The Royal Docks Terminal of the Emirates Air-Line
These pictures are a few bad ones of the new Royal Docks terminal of the Emirates Air-Line.
It looks like that once the fences come down, it will look a lot better. The line will also give a new route to the O2 and spectacular views of London.
The terminal is a short walk from Royal Victoria station on the Docklands Light Railway.
Note that since the original post, I’ve added a few pictures of the intermediate cable towers. These pictures were either taken from or around West Silvertown station or from the top deck of a 474 bus, which runs from Canning Town station along the line of Docklands Light Railway to London City Airport and further to the east.
A Good Safety Slogan
I took this picture on the site of the Royal Docks terminal of the new Emirates Air-Line.
A Good Safety Slogan
It’s so obvious, I’m surprised I’ve not seen it before.
Smokers’ Mess Outside a Pub
I took this picture outside a pub yesterday morning.
Smoker's Mess Outside a Pub
Isn’t smoking a filthy habit! I’m sure the road-sweeper will agree.
Council Employees Tax Avoidance Schemes
I have been amazed for some years at the enormous salaries trousered by some top council employees. After all, you can’t say that they do a creative job that adds value. Now it appears that many of these employees are paid through companies to avoid tax, according to a report by the Public Accounts Committee. The chair of this committee Margaret Hodge is quoted on the BBC as saying.
This is a tax avoidance scheme which is totally wrong. Where you are a public servant it’s not right you should be paid in a way that avoids tax
I agree! If George Osborne is looking for a place to raise money in the budget, he could declare these contracts illegal and raise perhaps a billion or two.
It would appear that my council, Hackney, is one of the worst offenders, with 39 employees being paid this way.
They’ll Have to Saw It Into Logs
I had to laugh at this story from the BBC web site, about how they are running out of toilet paper in New Jersey.
There’s an old ribald schoolboy or rugby club rhyme called In Mobile. One phrase is something like.
There’s a shortage of loo paper in Mobile.
So they’ll wait until it clogs,
Then they’ll saw it into logs in Mobile.
I can’t find the complete lyrics on the Internet.
Interestingly, the story was the second most read one on the BBC this morning.
The Tony Nicklinson Case
This is a very difficult case and Tony Nicklinson seems certain that he wants to end his life, as is reported here on the BBC.
I am not sure, how I would feel if I were in the same state as Mr. Nicklinson. In fact as I am not anywhere near in the same state, I don’t think I have any right to comment.
But I do have more experience in this area than most.
Over the last five years, two of my closest relatives have died in great pain from cancer. My wife, when she was near the end, had wished it could have been ended, whereas our son carried on until the bitter end, not wishing it could be terminated.
So I have witnessed two totally different reactions, from a mother and son.
If I am honest, my reaction might be closer to that of my son, but that’s only because I am a very stubborn person and tend to feel that if there is life there is hope.
i also wouldn’t want to put anybody in a position, that they did something against their conscience. I also wouldn’t do something like throw myself under a train, as I know the reality of that from stories told to C, by one of her clients. I also wouldn’t like to mentally upset someone, who was just doing his job.
I am rapidly coming to a conclusion.
Everybody should have the right to do what they think best!
And no so-called religious man or politician has any rights over my choice. Years ago though, when I was down, but not suicidal, I spoke for twenty minutes or so with the Rev. Chad Varah. His advice saved our marriage. But then they don’t make them like him any more.
So to return to the Tony Nicklinson case. I feel that if he wants to end his life, then that is up to him. Provided of course he is of sound mind and capable of making a rational decision.
Is Holland and Barrett A Health Store?
I was surprised on Sunday to see one of Holland and Barrett’s employees outside their store having a quick ciggie.
I though they were a health store?
Or have I missed something and ciggies are now healthy?
The Anonymous Widower 