Catch up

17 January 2012

Where shall we go today I wonder?  Well, the front page of the Dorktown News has a story of a man killed by a train not far from Atherstone station.  Atherstone is about 5 miles up the road from Dorktown so it get's mentioned in the local paper seeing as it covers the whole area and not just Dorktown.  A bit of catch-up then ... a few days ago I mention the ex-mayor of Dorktown and his refusal to judge the pumpkin carving competition at Halloween one year.  I fully support him in that and so do a large number of others within the town too.  The tower block in Coventry that was evacuated will remain so until at least tomorrow according to BBC Midlands Today.  The fire that was started after some nutter pinched some copper pipes was caused when the water ran down onto a mains board and fussed it out, and that's what caused the fire.  Weather wise today, it's not so cold but it is very cloudy and not much use for photography so I'll be staying in today.  I can get some work done on Happyman that way. 

Have you ever watched that TV show Saints and Scroungers?  We do and this morning show brought on an idea about trying to cut down the amount of fiddling that goes on with the benefit system.  I started to think about when a woman was featured who was making the same claim twice for two different identities.  So my idea is for all claims to be made in person at an office and not over the phone; that a photo to be taken at the time the claim is made and kept with the claim application; and finally finger prints are taken, or at least a thumb print is taken at the same time.  That will of course mean that a new set of software would be needed to keep it all linked up.  But here's another idea that the current software should be able to deal with without any hassle at all.  A data base is used to sort all the details, so why not run a search based on the address field?  That way the other scrounger claim featured today would show up clearly when multiple claims on one address are made.  OK, in yesterday's show where a family was involved at various addresses wouldn't be seen; that's where the ID photo and thumb print would come in.  It seems easy to me so why haven't the staff at the DWP thought of it?

It's like car theft.  In most cases we use a key to start our cars.  So cars mow have a thumb print or key card ignition system.  But I've always wondered why cars are not fitted with a system that needs a dedicated driving licence to start them?  In our here in here in Jaronland both our licences could be linked to the one car.  I'm sure the technology is available to do that.  So again, why isn't it being done?

I'm sure my male readers are well aware of 'missing sock syndrome' - you know what I mean ... where do all the odd socks come from?  I have about 9 odd socks upstairs in my sock draw.  However, here in Jaronland this has branched out to include odd gloves!  Currently I have three odd fingerless glove here.  I have no idea where the matching pairs are.  And why don't woman put the toilet seat back up when they've been to the bog-'ole instead of moaning at us for not putting it back down?  I dunno ... ... ... 

Today's photo makes me cry with nostalgia ... 

... it is what used to be the Peacock in Dorktown town centre and used to be my local.  I've had many a good night in there and at one time it used to be the best pub in town.

The 5th affair ... from the Sage ...

 
 A man walked into a cafe, went to the bar and ordered a beer.
'Certainly, Sir, that'll be one cent.'
'One Cent?' the man exclaimed.
He glanced at the menu and asked: 'How much for a nice juicy steak and a bottle of wine?'
'A nickel,' the barman replied.
'A nickel?' exclaimed the man.
'Where's the guy who owns this place?'
The bartender replied: 'Upstairs, with my wife.'
The man asked: 'What's he doing upstairs with your wife?'
The bartender replied: 'The same thing I'm doing to his business down here.'