Saturday, 6 February 2016

Dystopia: is that what the future holds?


6 February



Cold, dark, and very wet is how Dorktown is today, good job we didn’t have any plans for going out then. According the weather forecast yesterday we are not the only ones though, the whole of the west side of the UK is getting as good a soaking as we are. I wonder if the council has called off today’s market yet? They don’t need much of an excuse to do so these days.



Our kitchen is nearly as wet inside as it is outside right now. The plasterers worked their little cotton socks off and did the whole. The work schedule gives a free day so for the plaster to dry out but as it’s now weekend and there’s no work planned until Monday, it has two days to dry out. But looking at it this morning, it seems damper than last night and I’m not sure it will be dry by Monday. Not that will be a concern really. The site agent called in on us yesterday afternoon and claimed that the kitchen fitters were a long way behind schedule and might not get to us at the right time. However, there is other work that could be done instead though, so no time is lost overall. Oh the fun of council contractors … … …



At least we’ve had a lie in this morning. I woke at just on 9 o’clock badly needing to pee, so that was me up for the day at that point. Jan is still sleeping right now but I shall be calling her in a few minutes. I was a tad surprised when at 11.15 last night Jan said she was nodding off while she was reading. Normally she will read on for an hour or two after I settle, so when she says she needs to settle, we both did, and I was out like a light.



Ranting against speeding tickets was the big bug on motorist’s minds not so long ago. Now it’s the ‘red light jumper’. There are four-way temporary traffic lights Weddington Road, which is the A444 road through to Burton on Trent. Jan got caught up in them on Thursday evening when she took Kile home. Now there’s a thread about those same lights on Streetlife, and Jan is not the only one who has been caught out on them. It seems it’s a regular happening there where drivers are jumping the red, and it’s not just the odd one or two, oh no, we are talking about a large number of them doing it. From what I’ve read so far, it’s the south bound traffic that’s causing it.



I’ve said before that if a council really was serious in fleecing the motorist, then cameras on traffic lights, especially at temporary lights, would work much better than speeding. However, I’m not sure how much of a deterrent it would be. Just as speeding fines didn’t really stop drivers speeding, I doubt that fines would work for red light jumpers. At least the fines could be used to help councils provide their services. I wouldn’t have any sympathy for those caught anyway, just as I don’t for speeders either. If all drivers obeyed the rules and laws of the Highway Code, then they wouldn’t get caught would they; not only that, the roads would be a lot safer too. It’s just over inflated egos that gets in the way of common sense and common courtesy. Sadly there is no cure for that.



It’s all wrapped up in the selfish ‘ME’ society we now live in. So many people expect what they want, when they want it, to be provided on demand and without questions. If they don’t get it the simply take it, and stuff the consequences, whether it’s an injury caused to someone else, theft is acceptable, no whatever that happens after. And don’t forget the big ‘dis’ factor. Dis? Yes, dis is short for disrespect. These thugs expect to be respected for their actions; to ‘dis’ them is not to show that respect, and that means civilised behaviour goes out the window.               



Now there’s a thought dear readers; we have law and order at the moment, even if it is more than a little fragmented. But can you imagine how these thugs would act in a dystopian society? Now that is frightening. At that point where there is no law and order, there would be no restraints at all, it would be survival of the fittest, or at least survival of the most violent and thuggish. The future awaits us my friends … … …



Today’s photo …

This one of my favourites. I got it as we joined the A14 off the M6. Not only has that driver got to sort out his load, he has to do so in the rain that had just started.



Today’s funny …



"This is an answering' machine, this machine is designed to take full advantage of its numerous capabilities. Please say what you wanted to talk about and why did ya call me anyhow? Wait for the tone to sound, and leave yer message after the beep."

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