Wednesday, 20 February 2013

A bity day, council tax increas for some and an upset Muppet Person



20 February 2013

Yesterday was just one of those days when you are busybusybusy yet nowt gets done that you want to do.  I'm about half way through sorting out Sunday's photos.  Then we had to have the GP out to Jan because of her vomiting most of the night.  She's OK now though.  After that I had to go and get some shopping done.  In between all that I was doing what house work needed doing and making drinks and keeping an eye on Jan.  Now I can get on and get things done - until around 12.30 that is when I have to get ready to go to the GP practice to have my eyes photographed - all to do with the diabetes.

Dorktown council is getting a tad uppity over the number of empty houses in the borough.  Normally owners get a six month period off council tax when the house goes on the market but it seems a lot of these house are not actually going on the market.  Now the council is looking to reduce this to three months and then charging a tax rate of 150% in an effort to force owners to either sell or rent them out.  I can't say I disagree with this plan.  There are far too many houses left empty for far too long.  A major problem that I can see though is actually finding the owners.  It took years to find the owners of the Kingsholme pub in the town centre; I can't see them having much better luck in tracing some of the more 'obstructive/creative' owners in the town.  They tend to be of one particular group of owners who are well known for trying to get something for nothing.   

The usual none-stories are filling the filling the News after that front page story.  The Hussy is still trying to find a commercial partner to help it become a NHS Foundation Trust but has been stopped by the men in grey in London who have decided they want to oversee the project, in an effort to ensure tax payers money is well spent!  

Our Muppet Person is still upset about the A44/A5 junction on the outskirts of town.  He claims it's too dangerous; well, I use fairly often and I've not had any problems there.  All it needs is for drivers to take their time and watch what they are doing as well as what everyone else is doing. 

An email will be winging its way to The News later now that our internet connection is working OK again.  On page 9 there is an article about the Veterans Contact Centre in the council house.  I'm sure it is a good article well worth reading, especially as they help me to get Jan's new scooter and for us to have a holiday next month.  BUT ... the article is slap bang on top of a red printed surround that is dark at the page fold and goes lighter to the edge.  I couldn't read it at all and I would suggest there will a number of other dyslexic readers who also can't read it.

So now for a photo from Sunday ... 

this lass was shooting a video around the Victoria area of London.  I'm just pleased I don't have to lump all that lot around with me ;-)))

And funny time ...

In ancient Greece, Socrates was widely lauded for his wisdom.
One day an acquaintance ran up to him excitedly and said, "Socrates, do you know what I just heard about Diogenes?"
"Wait a moment," Socrates replied, "Before you tell me I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."
'Triple filter?" asked the acquaintance.
"That's right," Socrates continued, "Before you talk to me about Diogenes let's take a moment to filter what you're going to say. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
"No," the man said, "Actually I just heard about it."
"All right," said Socrates, "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about Diogenes something good?"
"No, on the contrary..."
"So," Socrates continued, "You want to tell me something about Diogenes that may be bad, even though you're not certain it's true?"
The man shrugged, a little embarrassed.
Socrates continued, "You may still pass the test though, because there is a third filter, the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about Diogenes going to be useful to me?"
"No, not really."
"Well," concluded Socrates, "If what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good nor even Useful, why tell it to me or anyone at all?"
The man was bewildered and ashamed. This is an example of why Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.
It also explains why Socrates never found out that Diogenes was shagging his wife.        

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