BBC Blog Network

User Profile

RangerGrainger

Listed below are comments made by RangerGrainger between Thursday, 15th January 2009 and Friday, 2nd October 2009.

«Newer
Older»

Map of the Week: Cheese 6:16pm on 02 Oct 2009 If the Stilton marker in southern Derbyshire is meant to represent the Dairy Crest dairy in Hartington, I am sad to report that this source of wonderful cheeses has closed after an abortive attempt by Long Clawson Dairy to take it over, following a Competition Commission enquiry.

People travelled from all over the Peak District and surrounding counties to buy their marvellous produce because it was without equal. Now the supermarkets have won another victory, thanks to meddling bureaucracy.
Perfect Storm 2030: Public attitudes 1:40pm on 27 Aug 2009 The BBC has a role to play in all this. Too often it gives equal airtime to opposing sides of the debate (in Countryfile, for instance), thereby leading many people to assume that the jury is still out and that both sides of the argument carry equal weight. Where facts need to be interpreted, at least give more emphasis to the points of view which are more widely held, or which are held by more highly qualified people.

On the other hand, the presenters of Gardeners' World appear to have made up their minds that "climate change" automatically means a warmer UK. This completely overlooks the possibility that the Gulf Stream may move further South or stop altogether, in which case all their advice to grow plants of Mediterranean origin will have been wasted.
When we need politicians 4:53pm on 03 Jul 2009 My daughter worked in a New Deal fund-distribution organisation for a couple of years, under an alcoholic boss who seemed incapable of functioning in the role. She (my daughter) got tired of covering for him and getting nowhere with his superiors and left the organisation, shortly before it was allowed to fail.
My wife attends a computer course at a local Community Education Centre which is "run" by someone who seems incapable of taking decisions. Lessons are cancelled at the last minute without notice, or they are told that the lessons have been cancelled when they haven't, or the computers don't work, basic materials are not provided and some members of staff are so busy playing Solitaire on the computer that they have no time to address the needs of course attendees.
My own experiences when unemployed included being encouraged by Job Centre staff to claim for certain benefits when it was perfectly clear that once the full facts were written down on the appropriate forms that I would stand no chance of being entitled to them. Apart from offering false hope, the staff were often unable to answer simple questions, or of finding out the answers or of pointing me at people who could. One member of staff told me to my face that I was just being lazy when I tried to rearrange a couple of appointments that were on consecutive days so that they were on the same day, after I had had to move some distance away as a result of the rental agreement on my home expiring. It would have saved their time as well as mine, not to mention the cost of petrol and a small contribution to global warming.
I am quite convinced that there are many people in public service who do their best in trying circumstances and deserve to be well rewarded. I am equally sure that their lives and ours would be made a lot easier if the powers that be could overcome a basic reluctance to sack the incompetent or replace those who fail to perform.
Have you heard a cuckoo? 1:41pm on 29 May 2009 Heard a cuckoo on Sunday 24/5/09 on Broomhead Moor, NW of Sheffield.
Heard another on Sunday 17/5/09 on Totley Moor, SW of Sheffield.
Could we save billions by legalising drugs? 2:08pm on 07 Apr 2009 I agree wholeheartedly that this entire issue needs to be viewed dispassionately. However, the foundation of the above analysis seems to be the assumption that the level of (ab)use would remain much the same once narcotics were legalised. I fear that many who wouldn't dream of taking illegal drugs would be tempted or persuaded to try them once the reins came off, if only as a rite of passage.
Given the addictiveness of cocaine and heroine, can we be sure that the vast majority of partakers could control their consumption sufficiently to at least make a positive contribution to society (we are doing a cost-benefit analysis, remember). Self-restraint is a quality that seems in short supply at midnight on many a city-centre street.
Furthermore, there is ample precedent of governments trying to restrict the supply of legal drugs by raising taxes, or by limiting access to stronger forms. The same people who supply illegal drugs today will be happy to ensure that the demands of those who can't get what they want over the counter are still met.
Matching jobs to the jobless 1:19pm on 11 Mar 2009 I am an experienced engineer and have been unemployed a couple of times in the past. I have always claimed whatever allowances I can but have always tried hard to find alternative work at a similar skill level and level of remuneration as I have been used to.

I would have been quite willing to take unskilled and lower paid work on the understanding that this would be a temporary measure until I could find a job that pays enough to cover the mortgage and would allow me time off to attend interviews. However, few bosses will take on such casual labour except in very buoyant conditions.

My solution was to spend 15-20 hours per week doing voluntary unpaid conservation work, while spending the rest of the time hunting for jobs on the internet and attending interviews. I was glad of the activity, the opportunity to learn, the fresh air, and the feeling that I was contributing something towards my local community, and a feeling that I had given fair exchange for my JSA.

I'm sure that it would be far easier for people to return to work if the government were to link modest welfare payments with
temporary, flexible and worthwhile employment opportunities of this nature.
Map of the Week: Waste not, want not 09:09am on 11 Mar 2009 Any unwanted but still usable items of ours are taken to charity shops as a matter of course. There wouldn't be anything left for a kerb day. Sorry, neighbours. If you want any of our stuff, pop down to one of the St. Luke's Hospice shops, or the Sally Army.
Graphs in a crisis 11:17am on 10 Feb 2009 Graphs and statistics are only as meaningful as the data that they represent. I well remember arriving ten minutes early for a hospital appointment. Then after I had been seen, over an hour later, I observed one of the administrative staff filling in a form to the effect that I had been seen within a few minutes of the agreed time which was blatantly untrue.

No doubt I should have made a note of the name of the person and reported them, but I was already quite late for another appointment...
Equivalence in death 11:09am on 10 Feb 2009 While the riding of horses is not illegal per se, I wonder what the figures are for those killed while committing an illegal act on a horse. I recently witnessed a group of horses (a hunt in actual fact) attempt to cross a traffic-light-controlled bridge. The first few horses crossed on green but when the light changed to amber and red, the troupe continued to cross. At this point there was a disturbance on the bridge when one of the horses jumped over the side of the bridge into the river below, dumping its rider into the water. Fortunately on this occasion, the rider was unhurt but, sadly, the horse had to be destroyed. Of course, the rider could always have been on ecstasy, or maybe the horse was on ketamine.
Map of the Week - Civic pride 12:41pm on 15 Jan 2009 The remarks contributed so far give me some cause for hope and some for sadness.

Despite not being a great mixer I have discovered over the course of half a century, living in a number of different places, both in the UK and overseas, that the only way to become part of a community is to try to be pleasant and pass the time of day with those around me.

Having just moved into a new home, I plan to knock on the neighbours' doors and introduce myself. We may not have anything in common except for living in close proximity and I don't expect us to live in each other's pockets but I will gladly lend a hand if any of them need help from time to time and, although I don't expect it, they may help me in return on occasions, or at least baulk at doing me harm.

I try to remember to thank those who do me a service, whether it be the bus driver, the Ethiopian lady who cleans our offices, the removal men who recently helped us to move into our new home, or the shop assistant who serves me, as well as colleagues and neighbours.

I am not religious. It just helps to oil the wheels, costs very little, and makes me and (I hope) others a little happier.

«Newer
Older»

^ Back to top

BBC MMVI

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

BBC.co.uk

BBC Blog Network

Find and talk to the BBC's bloggers.

User Profile

RangerGrainger