Wednesday, 2 October 2013

Birding site, NHS (again) and the OU



2 October 2013

One of the birding sites we've fancied visiting is the Lee Valley so later this week we will be heading down there to just inside the M25 to have a look.  Every month Bird Watching magazine lists ten birding site worth a look.  This month's issue list part of the Lee Valley which runs north from the Thames up as far as the Huddleston/Harlow area.  The guide is for an area around Waltham Abbey.  It looks a good site to visit.  If nowt else we should get some new photos of an area we've not been to before.

The Hussy is in the News again!  This time it's about the high level of agency nurses they use.  It costs a lot more to use agency staff compared to employing them directly.  However, I have a sneaky feeling that the agency staff are actually their own nurses working extra shifts on their day's off.  The reason for that is that there just isn't enough nurses within the NHS to employ the full quota of nurses.  Gangrenous George who lives next door to the Prime Muppet isn't helping by cutting funds to the NHS aided and abetted by his cabinet mates who keep changing the way the whole things run.

Yesterday's news that they are starting pilot projects to find out how GP surgery's  managed with 12 hour opening times along with weekend opening.  Yet one such project was closed by the current Muppets because it didn't seem to work.  Perhaps it was down to the amount of finding that there was a problem.  I like every over person in the UK want the NHS to be the very best it can be.  That means it needs fully funding and if it means we tax payers have to pay more in tax, well, so be it. 

I'm retired but I still pay tax folks, just like everyone else.  Every time I buy a pint of Weddy Wobbler or buy petrol for my car, I pay tax.  I wouldn't complain so much if that funds used were being spent on education and the services we all need.  I do not like paying taxes just to cover party political dogma! 

As regular readers will know I graduated from the OU with a honours degree a few years ago.  As I now write crime novels and five titles available on Amazon, I thought that perhaps I would have a look at doing one of the OU's creative writing courses.  Well, I did have a look and got a shock, here the URL for one of the 60 point courses ...  http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/e303.htm   Did you notice the price of it?  I won't be bothering again. 

The Open University began in the 1970s as a way of allowing anyone to be able to gain a degree.  There were no barriers at all.  No prior qualifications were need; courses were presented at a reasonable cost and for some students no charge at all.  In addition no student would be barred because of age, income, religious beliefs, race, colour, gender or sexuality.  Anyone could study.  That policy now seems to have been reversed when it comes to income.  I can't see many signing up now considering the price of the courses.  My mate Bill Howe says that numbers seem to be holding up however, but probably because of employers helping with costs.  Well, I can't afford it anyway!

And a photo is called for ... Seeing as I've been on about the OU here's one for you that was printed in the OU magazine called Sesame ... 

Me(with the camera),  Adrian Davies and Yvonne Price round the table and one of the OUSA Executive Committee standing.  This was taken at one of the OU Open Days I attended.

And a short funny today ...

To commemorate the release of the topless photos of Kate Middleton, Royal Doulton will be releasing a Collector's Edition of two small jugs.        

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