Dosh and how to use/cheat/waste it!

30 June

I asked the same questions on the ACC Facebook page and got snowed under with replies. It seems that around 1998 they changed the system so that soldiers now get all the money that was once stopped at source. They are expected to buy all the food they want/need from that. Sounds good in theory but in practice it just won’t work. In addition to that civilian catering companies have been brought in to provide the service that the Corps was doing. We used to have around £2 per person to work with. Feeding 400 soldiers that made a great difference in what could be provided. However, if the guys are getting that same amount then they can’t buy at the same amounts. Then add in the profit margin the company requires and the value of what money they do have is even lower.

Horses … I’m not a lover of horses and fail to see why so many people go all soft and lovey duvey over them. However, I am well aware that horses have played a large part in the development of most if not all countries histories. Even so I don’t like to see mistreated or neglected horses; so when I see the state of some of the horses that are rescued by animal welfare groups in the US, I really do get upset about it. Most the US was opened up by the horse, indeed it was the horse that was the main transport available until the railways began in mid-19^th century. If any one group of people who know the role horses played, it has to be Americans. So why do so many of them neglect and mistreat them in the way they do? It beggars belief, it really does.

It looks like Greece is about to drop out of the Euro and possible out of the EU as a whole. For once I am pleased that one of our politians kept us out of the Euro. As to Greece, well, someone on Facebook this morning asked where the borrowed dosh went. That’s a good question actually. I have feeling that a lot of the problems there is the way that so many Greeks pay their taxes, or don’t pay them that is. I think back to when I was in Cyprus where the army employed a lot of local people.

One guy I had working for me also had a farm; he also ran a market stall in Larnaca as well as working for us. Now then, he paid tax on his lowest paid job, and that was working for us, and it was legal to do so. All the others were therefore tax free. OK, that was in Cyprus, but from what I have heard, it’s pretty much the same in Greece. I shared this story on Facebook once and one friend who lives in Greece replied, ‘Sounds about right for all Greeks.’ If so, then that is where the all dosh has gone, to pay for what the missing taxes should be paying for. Although the UK hasn’t got any dosh outstanding to Greece in loans, we will be hit because of our share of the EU as a whole.

Of course here in the UK we have a similar situation when it comes to tax dodging. It has apparently been worked out the if all the large corporations paid the correct taxes, then the exchequer would £122billion richer and there would not have been any need for the cuts that have gone on over the last few years. If that is right then no particular governments is to blames really, they are all at fault for not getting to grips with it.

Today’s photo then … 

A creamy-pinky-white flower a yard or two from the red one I posted yesterday.

And today’s funny …

 One warm summer evening a mother was driving with her three young children. A woman in the convertible in front of them stood up and waved. She was STARK NAKED. As the mother was reeling from shock, the five year old said, "Mom, that lady isn't wearing a seat belt!"                

Facebook food.

29 June

Facebook; whether you love it or hate, its here with us and will remain with us. It wastes so much of our time, time we will never get back. But it also supports and helps so many of us as and when we need it. Sadly is has a dark side too, and that is what we have to watch when we use it. That is why when anyone looks at my profile, they only see what I want them to see, and even that might not be true. There is also the ability to only allow access to your profile to friends only. But even that can be abused because other profiles could be a pack of lies from start to finish, and that can be a way of suckering in users to become victims of so much of the nasty side or the ‘net.

One of the groups I subscribe to on Facebook for the Army Catering Corps, in which I served for 12 years. Looking at the membership list I have found a good few names I remember from the past. But the group has got me thinking quite a bit too. During my time in the corps, we knew how many men we had who were entitled to use the dining services. That way we knew how many to cook for, which made it easy to do. But I think the system has changed somewhat now. Soldiers are required to buy their meals as they take them and I wonder how it works in practice. And do the chefs know how many to cook for?

I had an appointment with diabetes nurse this afternoon so she could check the feeling sensation on the sole of me feet. It seems that I have a lost a good bit of feeling in the base of the toes on my right foot, my left foot is fine apparently. I also have good strong pulse in both feet too. All this is over the fall last week and she saw the bruising on my left arm and asked if I was injured anywhere else and asked to see the bruised left leg as well. She took one look at graze and said that needs to be covered and kept covered to stop infections. We haven’t bothered, wanting it to dry out and heal itself. Not only did she dress it she gave more dressing in case I need them. I also have to go back to see her on Thursday afternoon.

Jan mentioned the fall to one of her friends and her hubby, she an ex-nurse, he a retired GP. Both thought that I may have had a mini stroke. I don’t think so and these two are the only ones who thought it a possibility. We are both hoping that it wasn’t one but I will mention when I go back on Thursday. I have no idea if they can tell I’d had now a week later. Oh how we have fun with our health folks … … …

Jan is out right now at a special church meeting about whether the guy they have been looking at for new minister is to be invited. From what Jan says, I would suggest that it’s a done deal already. But you can never tell how some people will react when it comes to making a decision can you?

So for today’s photo … 

A nice red flower,

And today’s funny …

A man has five items in his bathroom: a toothbrush, razor, shaving cream, a bar of soap, and a towel from the Motel 6. The average number of items in a woman's bathroom is 328. The average man would not be able to identify most of them.

Saturday in the sun

28 June

We were disappointed yesterday with Armed Forces Day. By the time we found out where it was happening and made our way there, it was nearly finished and most of the displays were packing up. Last year it was a small event in Abbey Street, and that’s where I assumed it would happen this year. In 12 months it has grown to a huge display and was held on the Carnival Field, a large area on the other side of the town centre. OK, so we missed what we went out for but all round we had a great day in the sun, and I got 121 new photos too. Don’t know how many Jan got. She normally takes a lot more than me anyway.

Jan’s church doesn’t have a minister right now after Ric retired. Today they are meeting you up with who they hope will be their new guy. The day will involve two services, a bring and share lunch and a question and answer session. Happily I’m not involved with it but I hope they get someone soon. At times this thing can go on for a couple of years. When I was involved there always seemed to be a battle between the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ church, and very unsightly it was too.

At last my bruising on my arm from my fall are starting to ease, but the bruising on my leg is only just starting to show. The graze is not so clever either. I want to leave it open to the air so it will dry up, but sadly at night it sticks to the bottom sheet on the bed, with the result that I now have small stains on it in various places. I was looking at changing it but Jan said to leave it for now until the graze stops sticking, otherwise we would be changing the sheet every day. Me misses has sense yer know.

So 121 taken (now there’s a thing, 121 is the squadron number for the local Air Training Corps), and I got 36 out of them. OK, none of them are world class but I’m happy with them. Here’s the first one … 

Jan with her ice cream, and no, I didn’t have one!

Today’s funny …

A man will pay £10 for a £5 item he needs.

A woman will pay £5 for a £10 item that she doesn't need, because it's on sale.