If you read this article in the Daily Mail, you’ll understand the overwhelming sense of not playing fair, I got from seeing a report on this on the BBC London News tonight.
There’s an old phrase about justice not only having been done, but having seen to be done!
I of course don’t know the ins and outs of Liam Smith’s case, but having had housing difficulties many years ago, I can sympathise with those on the waiting list. If as the BBC says Mr. Smith earns enough to rent in the private sector, he should do the decent thing and stand aside for one of the less fortunate in his borough.
February 6, 2012
Posted by AnonW |
News | Housing, Politics |
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There is an article in The Times today from Dieter Helm, who is Professor of Energy Policy at Oxford University and a Fellow in Economics at New College at the same University. So he should know what he is talking about. in fact, if you can get hold of a copy of today’s Times, the article on page 22 is a must-read!
He questions Chris Huhne’s energy policy of building lots of wind farms, especially as it will lead to higher energy bills against a background of falling gas prices. As gas is a fuel that creates less CO2 for the same amount of energy than coal, it would seem to me to be sensible, that whilst we wait for nuclear to come on stream, we use gas in the interim, as obvious low gas and electric prices will be a stimulus to the economy and our wind farms will do little to reduce the amount of world-wide CO2 emmissions, as China and India are commissioning a new coal-powered power station every week or so.
He finishes with a lovely quote.
Ministers who try to pick winners should remember that losers tend to pick governments.
He also indicates that energy and climate change policy needs substance, to make it a workable one, that is believable to the man on the Dalston omnibus.
In my view that means scrapping expensive, inefficient and unsightly wind farm proposals, use more gas and build nuclear power stations for our long term needs. I am also a strong proponent of building a large tidal power station on the Severn, with an international airport on top.
It would also stimulate the country, if our electricity and gas bills were reduced. The higher they get, the more likely it is that jobs needing a lot of energy will be exported to where energy is cheap, like India, China and the United States. So we’ll get more global warming from their new coal-fired power stations.
February 6, 2012
Posted by AnonW |
World | China, Energy, Global Warming/Zero-Carbon, India, Nuclear Power, Severn Barrage |
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This is a third tale from about 1985 and again it concerns British Airways, but I suspect in those days any good airline did their utmost for their passengers, as it was cheap positive publicity.
A friend, his wife and another couple had gone for a weekend in somewhere like Malaga. They had worried about actually getting there, as the French air traffic controllers were having one of their periodic bouts of industrial action.
They werent’t particularly bothered, as if they didn’t get back on Monday, Tuesday would do.
On the Monday, various tour reps arrived at the hotel and said that everybody would get home, but it would be a bit late and they would be picked up from the hotel at the expected time. But the British Airways rep told her charges to wait in the hotel and they’d be picked up three hours before the flight was to leave.
So about nine, they all trooped onto the coach for the airport, where chaos reigned, as no flights were going back to the UK, due to the French. At midnight, they were called to the departure lounge and pretty soon were on their plane.
They’d been expecting a 737, but the plane was a wide-bodied Tri-Star, which BA filled with other passengers caught up from the Sunday or at the chaos at other airports.
Once airborne, the pilot explained the Tri-Star by saying that the French weren’t allowing any planes through their airspace, so they’d used the longer-range Tri-Star and filed a flight-plan on the way out to Bermuda, with Malaga as the alternate. Then halfway across the Atlantic, they’d declared a minor emergency and as they were just north of Spain, requested they go to the alternate. He said the flight home would be a bit longer, as they were totally avoiding French air-space.
It must have used a lot more fuel, but there were lots of contented passengers.
February 6, 2012
Posted by AnonW |
Transport/Travel | Flying, France, Service, Spain |
2 Comments
In about 1979 or so, we ad an awful Christmas Eve in the UK, which meant that lots of aircraft were frozen to their stands at Heathrow and nothing could go in or out.
At the time a colleague in Metier was in Amsterdam and needed to get back for Christmas. He got to Schipol and there were massive queues as no planes were flying to the UK, because most airports were shut. But instead of giving up, as they do these days, British Airways managed to get a Tri-Star to Schipol from somewhere. But where was it to go? It then turned out that the then small East Midlands Airport was open and during the afternoon and evening, it shuttled passengers across the North Sea. The last flight arrived in England at three o’clock in the morning, as they kept the airport open late, so as not to ruin Christmas for the passengers. The airline is supposed to have commandeered all the coaches in the area to complete passengers journeys.
But everybody had a good Christmas and British Airways got a lot of publicity.
I can’t imagine it happening today! In fact today, there are reports of incoming passengers to the UK, stuck in places like Barcelona and Shannon.
February 6, 2012
Posted by AnonW |
Transport/Travel | Flying, Service |
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I was just talking to a friend, whose son had got mixed up in all the delays at Stansted. He had got no sense from an Irish so-called airline and had had to come home.
It got me thinking about how airlines used to know what service meant.
Many years ago all five of us went to St. Lucia on an all-inclusive holiday with British Airways.
I think we were due to come home on the Thursday, but due to an engine failure on the incoming flight, it became obvious that we would have an extra night on the island. We were moved that night to another hotel and were told that although we would get home on Friday or Saturday, they couldn’t be sure how long we’d be stuck.
We eventually heard that it would be the Saturday, as although there would be an incoming flight on the Friday, it would be coming in late as it was carrying the spare engine and the crew to change it, and because of the extra load, it would be refuelling in Bermuda. We did get a view as it flew in to land of one of the strangest sights in aviation; a Boeing 747 carrying an extra fifth engine under the wing root. There’s a video of one here.
So we ad two extra nights on St. Lucia and very late on Saturday, we boarded the 747 to go home. I can’t remember if it was Thursday’s, Friday’s or Saturday’s plane, but it was one of the then new Rolls-Royce powered 747-200s.
The pilot did announce though, that it would be a direct flight to Heathrow, instead of via Barbados, so he apologised if the take-off was a bit noisy, as he’d be using full everything.
I remember he was followed down the runway by a tug and they backed the plane as far towards and over the fence as they dare. It was a noisy but safe take-off and we arrived much earlier than expected non-stop into Heathrow.
The one thing that spoilt the flight, was rather a heavy landing, for which the pilot apologised and blamed the new auto-land system, which as he said needed a bit more tweaking.
February 5, 2012
Posted by AnonW |
Transport/Travel | Flying, Service |
1 Comment
I’ve now found out why it is that my health has got worse since I moved into my new house. The picture shows my south-facing windows.
My South-Facing Windows
The house is probably highly insulated, has under-floor central heating and I suspect that the floor slab between the two floors is fairly immense and thus takes not only a long time to heat up, but a long time to cool down. At times, when I’ve been away for a couple of days in the cold, it seems that it’s almost taken another few days to get the house warm.
But when it gets hot, it gets very hot, as the light coming through the windows warms the house by the same principle used in somewhere like the Palm House at Kew Gardens. I have measured a temperature of 30 degrees.
To make matters worse, I also have a roof light.
My Substantial Roof Light
Not only does the house get hot, but also the air inside gets very dry. This means that my throat, ears, eyes and skin are all very dry. This article on Dry Skin and Winter Itch led me in the direction I have gone. Firstly, I installed this simple meter on the wall.
Combined Barometer, Thermometer and Hygrometer
So that I could measure everything properly.
I also purchased a humidifier from John Lewis to try to get the humidity between 50 and 55%.
Bionaire BU7000 Humidifier
I then turned the heating down as low as it would go and still maintain a temperature of about 22-23 degrees and used the humidifier to adjust the humidity to a comfortable level.
Then I did the difficult bit and decided to have a lukewarm bath every other day to moisturise my skin. My ears and eyes have definitely got better, but my throat has only marginally improved. That could be because of the cold outside, as it’s very dry there.
I’m now trying to see if I can cut the solar gain in the room, by some simple passive method like the right blinds. This article has been a help.
So what am I going to do first.
If you read the article, it indicates that one of the best systems is to use a blind or curtain, with a pelmet and a vent. I’ve tried a simple John Lewis blind to see that it looks like.
a Test Blind
Four of these cut to fit two to each window might be a good start.Note that the opening top windows can be used as the vent. And of course the blinds can be adjusted up and down for light control and visual security. For the pelmet, I might seriously consider a U-shaped one, that also acted as a shade for an LED ropelight to downlight the windows internally at night.
February 5, 2012
Posted by AnonW |
World | Energy, Lighting, My House |
1 Comment
The caption is on a cartoon in the Sunday Times, showing two Scottish rugby players, leaving the field in their RBS jerseys, with a banner saying RBS 6 Nations in the background.
Fred must be laughing into his Shreddies.
February 5, 2012
Posted by AnonW |
Sport | Advertising, Banks, RBS, Rugby |
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This was from today’s Sunday TImes.
A disgruntled consumer says her £2,000 sofa suite should come with a “weight warning” after her husband was told he was too fat to sit on the edge of his seat.
Perhaps if he lost weight, they might be able to buy a better quality sofa for the same money.
February 5, 2012
Posted by AnonW |
News | Obesity, Shopping |
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Last time there was a small skirmish in the South Atlantic, we had just a few dozen marines on the Falklands and South Georgia. This time, I hope we’re better prepared militarily, with HMS Dauntless, probably a submarine, several advanced fighters and quite a few ground troops.
I suspect though that the troops won’t be watching the Superbowl, as at the same time the opening salvo in the next skirmish in the South Atlantic will be taking place in Rosario. This time, though it will be eleven brave women, armed just with sticks, taking on Argentina in the final of the Champions Trophy, after beating the other old enemy, Germany, in the semi-final, yesterday, as is reported here.
I suspect the Duke of Cambridge wishes he could take a few people to the match in his Sea King.
February 5, 2012
Posted by AnonW |
News, Sport | Argentina, Duke of Cambridge, Falkland Islands, Germany, Hockey |
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Ben Ando on the BBC this morning, made the mistake in thinking that the A14 carries a lot of trucks with containers from Felixstowe to the North and back. Nowadays a high proportion of containers go by train via Peterborough and Nuneaton. In fact, I reported here, that they seemed to have decreased in number significantly.
But of course there might be more on the roads this weekend, as that idiot went too fast over the points at Bletchley.
February 5, 2012
Posted by AnonW |
Transport/Travel | Driving, Freight, Trains |
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The Anonymous Widower 