Ouch!...

---

Respect where respect is due? No, but this is far worse for Ed than for Dave: click on image for more info from PoliticalBetting.com about the "most sensational victory in British by-election history. Ever." (says the winner George Galloway). In the 2010 General Election the 'big three' got over 88% of the vote; this time round it was 38%. Can all that be down to tactical voting and dodgy postal voting? Probably yes.



 

Ouch!...

---

Respect where respect is due? No, but this is far worse for Ed than for Dave: click on image for more info from PoliticalBetting.com about the "most sensational victory in British by-election history. Ever." (says the winner George Galloway). In the 2010 General Election the 'big three' got over 88% of the vote; this time round it was 38%. Can all that be down to tactical voting and dodgy postal voting? Probably yes.

 

Objurgating objicients...

---

Or 'rebuking objectors'. Surely these headlines weren't ALL attention grabbing half truths? Well it seems most were. I wondered why the howling 'granny tax' banshees went silent (and not just because Cruddasgate came along). It seems 'the freezing of the Age Related Allowance to bring it into line with non-pensioners tax allowances means'... ...'most pensioners will still be better off as a result of all the changes the government are making'. 




Although HMRC workings show that nearly four and a half million people will lose about £1.50 a week with one hand (yes, that's what the furore was over) they gain far more with the other hand: paraphrasing Chris Heaton-Harris on daventrycalling: 'nobody will have cash taken away from them...over 5 million of the poorest pensioners are completely unaffected...half of those over 65 will pay no tax at all next year...and thanks to the 'triple lock' guarantee, the basic state pension is rising by 5.2% this year, a record £275.60 per year increase' (the largest annual increase since the state pension was introduced).



"The Institute for Fiscal Studies has said that pensioners were the group least affected by changes to tax and benefits in the Budget. By the time of the next election, this government will have raised the state pensions by 43%. That is an unprecedented rise, and is far more than most working people can expect their incomes to rise by over the same period."



Update, Wednesday 28th: maybe Ann Widdicombe reads Owsblog!

Objurgating objicients...

---

Or 'rebuking objectors'. Surely these headlines weren't ALL attention grabbing half truths? Well it seems most were. I wondered why the howling 'granny tax' banshees went silent (and not just because Cruddasgate came along). It seems 'the freezing of the Age Related Allowance to bring it into line with non-pensioners tax allowances means'... ...'most pensioners will still be better off as a result of all the changes the government are making'. 

Although HMRC workings show that nearly four and a half million people will lose about £1.50 a week with one hand (yes, that's what the furore was over) they gain far more with the other hand: paraphrasing Chris Heaton-Harris on daventrycalling: 'nobody will have cash taken away from them...over 5 million of the poorest pensioners are completely unaffected...half of those over 65 will pay no tax at all next year...and thanks to the 'triple lock' guarantee, the basic state pension is rising by 5.2% this year, a record £275.60 per year increase' (the largest annual increase since the state pension was introduced).

"The Institute for Fiscal Studies has said that pensioners were the group least affected by changes to tax and benefits in the Budget. By the time of the next election, this government will have raised the state pensions by 43%. That is an unprecedented rise, and is far more than most working people can expect their incomes to rise by over the same period."

Update, Wednesday 28th: maybe Ann Widdicombe reads Owsblog!

Owning ocracy...

---

Paying for power, money influencing policy: probably as old as prostitution but not so honourable. Interesting image (click to see graph of UK party political funding; it tells more than one story i.e. Labour's non-union funding is HALF that of the Lib Dems!). "Fundraising is humiliating but party leaders see no option" says Steve Richards in the Independent; "Here we go again". Indeed but Cameron did say it needed sorting. However, Labour should stall their crowing: as the image indicates quite clearly, they have more to lose from a State funding solution.



 

Owning ocracy...

---

Paying for power, money influencing policy: probably as old as prostitution but not so honourable. Interesting image (click to see graph of UK party political funding; it tells more than one story i.e. Labour's non-union funding is HALF that of the Lib Dems!). "Fundraising is humiliating but party leaders see no option" says Steve Richards in the Independent; "Here we go again". Indeed but Cameron did say it needed sorting. However, Labour should stall their crowing: as the image indicates quite clearly, they have more to lose from a State funding solution.

 

Outing offers...

---

Well he did predict this didn't he? The 'next big scandal waiting to happen'; so he has nobody else to blame. Mind you, must be bad, Guido is on his eighth consecutive post on the same subject.



 ** If I paid 250 grand I'd want an invite to dinner too; maybe even say something...even ask a question. "Let me tell you what David Cameron's response will be"..." He will smile and nod agreeably." Perhaps the victims of Cruddas-gate are the donors.

Outing offers...

---

Well he did predict this didn't he? The 'next big scandal waiting to happen'; so he has nobody else to blame. Mind you, must be bad, Guido is on his eighth consecutive post on the same subject.

 ** If I paid 250 grand I'd want an invite to dinner too; maybe even say something...even ask a question. "Let me tell you what David Cameron's response will be"..." He will smile and nod agreeably." Perhaps the victims of Cruddas-gate are the donors.

Overdoing outpourings?...

---

The people's player? Outpourings of grief: the Princess Diana syndrome. Matthew Syed in today's Times (Times Online [£...less than £10/month mind you]) has a great article that hits squarely the head of the nail in as much as it chimes exactly with my own opinion! "Public grief over Fabrice Muamba moves into soap opera territory".

"So vigilantly is this new idea of grief policed that regarding Muamba. Regardless of the facts, [the pillorying of Manchester United on Twitter for not issuing a public statement] this shows just how far we have travelled from the idea of grief as a spontaneous expression of loss. Now, it would seem, we think that it can be manufactured — even enforced — by cultural decree.
And this is deeply dubious. This is not about Muamba; it is about a shift that has taken grief into the territory of soap opera."

I will rein-in my cynicism at the 'influx of Premier League stars, carefully snapped by waiting photographers' (encouraged by their agents?) having reached such an extent that that "Muamba’s family has asked for non-Bolton footballers to refrain from visiting the hospital."!



By the way: a Worcestershire schoolboy died yesterday after collapsing during a rugby match in Kidderminster.



 

Overdoing outpourings?...

---

The people's player? Outpourings of grief: the Princess Diana syndrome. Matthew Syed in today's Times (Times Online [£...less than £10/month mind you]) has a great article that hits squarely the head of the nail in as much as it chimes exactly with my own opinion! "Public grief over Fabrice Muamba moves into soap opera territory".

"So vigilantly is this new idea of grief policed that regarding Muamba. Regardless of the facts, [the pillorying of Manchester United on Twitter for not issuing a public statement] this shows just how far we have travelled from the idea of grief as a spontaneous expression of loss. Now, it would seem, we think that it can be manufactured — even enforced — by cultural decree. And this is deeply dubious. This is not about Muamba; it is about a shift that has taken grief into the territory of soap opera."

I will rein-in my cynicism at the 'influx of Premier League stars, carefully snapped by waiting photographers' (encouraged by their agents?) having reached such an extent that that "Muamba’s family has asked for non-Bolton footballers to refrain from visiting the hospital."!

By the way: a Worcestershire schoolboy died yesterday after collapsing during a rugby match in Kidderminster.

 

Oligodynamic observations...

---

Tech nerds and lefties are top twits twats tweeters...click image for article and Top 25

Oligodynamic observations...

---

Tech nerds and lefties are top twits twats tweeters...click image for article and Top 25

Odd overstaffing?...

---

Spot the odd one out? (click to enlarge). Amusingly the BBC begin by saying that The National Health Service (NHS) is "often said to be the third biggest employer in the world, after the Chinese army and Indian Railways. But is that really true?..."It's an incredible claim, given how much smaller the UK is than China or India" ; they add "And indeed, it is not true."...oh, that's OK then; I bet it was all a right-wing exaggeration. err, no, in fact the NHS is 5th! (or 4th if you discount McD franchise personnel); unbelievable really.

Odd overstaffing?...

---

Spot the odd one out? (click to enlarge). Amusingly the BBC begin by saying that The National Health Service (NHS) is "often said to be the third biggest employer in the world, after the Chinese army and Indian Railways. But is that really true?..."It's an incredible claim, given how much smaller the UK is than China or India" ; they add "And indeed, it is not true."...oh, that's OK then; I bet it was all a right-wing exaggeration. err, no, in fact the NHS is 5th! (or 4th if you discount McD franchise personnel); unbelievable really.

Ocracy oppression...

---

You may have noticed the TPUC banner in my side-bar the last few months; also I have been following Captain Ranty's Lawful march to Freedom. Now it appears HMRC is getting worried: "An increasing number of debtors aim to deliberately stall recovery of debts by referring to obscure legislation, payment methods etc..." [Link to HMRC manual] Click on image to link to screenshot in case previous disappears!

'Where the correspondence clearly meets the above criteria, you should immediately refer all the correspondence for advice to: (This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000) 
Where you are in any doubt if the correspondence meets the criteria, you should telephone the appropriate contact point for advice.
Experience has shown that it would be unusual for a debtor to raise obscure issues such as described above for the first time in a face to face situation; however Field Force and other DMB staff undertaking outdoor work should be alert to the potential situation.
(This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000) 

On no account should debtors be given details of any of the internal contact points.'

Worth pointing out that they do NOT say the 'obscure legislation' is invalid.



 

Ocracy oppression...

---

You may have noticed the TPUC banner in my side-bar the last few months; also I have been following Captain Ranty's Lawful march to Freedom. Now it appears HMRC is getting worried: "An increasing number of debtors aim to deliberately stall recovery of debts by referring to obscure legislation, payment methods etc..." [Link to HMRC manual] Click on image to link to screenshot in case previous disappears!

'Where the correspondence clearly meets the above criteria, you should immediately refer all the correspondence for advice to: (This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000) Where you are in any doubt if the correspondence meets the criteria, you should telephone the appropriate contact point for advice. Experience has shown that it would be unusual for a debtor to raise obscure issues such as described above for the first time in a face to face situation; however Field Force and other DMB staff undertaking outdoor work should be alert to the potential situation. (This text has been withheld because of exemptions in the Freedom of Information Act 2000)  On no account should debtors be given details of any of the internal contact points.'

Worth pointing out that they do NOT say the 'obscure legislation' is invalid.

 

Orwellian Oz...

---

No surprise that the profoundly illiberal and undemocratic 'Finkelstein Report' - displaying totalitarian tendencies - is an entirely Lefty affair. The Report advocates unlimited regulation of virtually all published and broadcast speech in Australia, "All in a knee-jerk snit over the fact that the left-dominated media does not yet have a complete publishing monopoly. Dissenting voices can still be heard, and Finkelstein finds that very disturbing". Hat-tip: AM, green extremism.

Orwellian Oz...

---

No surprise that the profoundly illiberal and undemocratic 'Finkelstein Report' - displaying totalitarian tendencies - is an entirely Lefty affair. The Report advocates unlimited regulation of virtually all published and broadcast speech in Australia, "All in a knee-jerk snit over the fact that the left-dominated media does not yet have a complete publishing monopoly. Dissenting voices can still be heard, and Finkelstein finds that very disturbing". Hat-tip: AM, green extremism.

Orchestral overtures...

---

Orchestral manoeuvres in the park; could this work in local government? Harry Phibbs reflects** on the words of Derek Myers, chairman of SOLACE (the trade union for Council Chief Execs) who in turn was commenting on how councils could learn from the example of orchestras where 'all the players are self-employed and see themselves as part of a company';

"...This sense of community promotes high standards. Peer pressure seems to encourage the relatively indolent, and identifies those who need to be eased out. Promotion owes nothing to length of service and everything to talent."

Efforts toward employee engagement are nothing new but the public sector is a different animal; obviously in an orchestra it is far easier to notice when someone isn't quite right; in truth I find it difficult to imagine many council employees really 'encouraging' their no so keen colleagues; I personally think we are 'too far down the road' to enable the success of such moves.



** Harry also reflects on the hypocrisy of the BBC and the Left re tax avoidance.

Orchestral overtures...

---

Orchestral manoeuvres in the park; could this work in local government? Harry Phibbs reflects** on the words of Derek Myers, chairman of SOLACE (the trade union for Council Chief Execs) who in turn was commenting on how councils could learn from the example of orchestras where 'all the players are self-employed and see themselves as part of a company';

"...This sense of community promotes high standards. Peer pressure seems to encourage the relatively indolent, and identifies those who need to be eased out. Promotion owes nothing to length of service and everything to talent."

Efforts toward employee engagement are nothing new but the public sector is a different animal; obviously in an orchestra it is far easier to notice when someone isn't quite right; in truth I find it difficult to imagine many council employees really 'encouraging' their no so keen colleagues; I personally think we are 'too far down the road' to enable the success of such moves.

** Harry also reflects on the hypocrisy of the BBC and the Left re tax avoidance.

Overblown outlook...

---

Earlier this month Matt Ridley posted a withering article about "The beginning of the end of wind"; he writes - not for the first time - about the various negative points of wind energy and the turbine mania that has seized many governments. He highlights the fact that to "the nearest whole number, the percentage of the world’s energy that comes from wind turbines today is: zero"; in fact the energy from wind, solar and bio-fuels combined comes in at 1% (click on image to enlarge). In The Spectator, with the same article, he leads with the headline that the "government has finally seen through the wind-farm scam – but why did it take them so long?".



Anyway, thinking about that while I read more bad news: yesterday the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) sent out a press release: "Act now or face costly consequences". In their report they state that urban air pollution - 'premature deaths from ground-level ozone' - will be the top environmental cause of mortality worldwide by 2050 (more even than dirty water and lack of sanitation). perhaps we have the solution: Matt Ridley says that It would be a shame for the 3,500 or so wind turbines in Britain (with hundreds more under construction) to be dismantled of the and suggests the biggest one should remain  "for future generations to marvel at" as a  "monument to the folly of mankind." I have a better idea, thinking ahead to worsening air pollution, leave all the wind farms up but switch them to blow!

Overblown outlook...

---

Earlier this month Matt Ridley posted a withering article about "The beginning of the end of wind"; he writes - not for the first time - about the various negative points of wind energy and the turbine mania that has seized many governments. He highlights the fact that to "the nearest whole number, the percentage of the world’s energy that comes from wind turbines today is: zero"; in fact the energy from wind, solar and bio-fuels combined comes in at 1% (click on image to enlarge). In The Spectator, with the same article, he leads with the headline that the "government has finally seen through the wind-farm scam – but why did it take them so long?".

Anyway, thinking about that while I read more bad news: yesterday the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) sent out a press release: "Act now or face costly consequences". In their report they state that urban air pollution - 'premature deaths from ground-level ozone' - will be the top environmental cause of mortality worldwide by 2050 (more even than dirty water and lack of sanitation). perhaps we have the solution: Matt Ridley says that It would be a shame for the 3,500 or so wind turbines in Britain (with hundreds more under construction) to be dismantled of the and suggests the biggest one should remain  "for future generations to marvel at" as a  "monument to the folly of mankind." I have a better idea, thinking ahead to worsening air pollution, leave all the wind farms up but switch them to blow!

Ows obambulation: orrery, odometers and origami...

---

You may have noticed but this month is "is about as good as it gets for planet watching!" [EarthSky]. You've probably noticed the two most obvious: Venus and Jupiter that are bright - in the west - for nearly four hours after sunset. A very slight "alignment" but nothing like the planetary alignment that people say (they're totally wrong) will accompany the 2012 Doomsday Scare later this year when the Mayan calendar 'runs out' (on December 21st 2012 it will display the equivalent of a string of zeros, like an odometer clicking over from 999,999). Anyway, obambulation - a word I love and have used many time here - means 'wandering' and I'm all over the place here: a model of planetary alignment is called an orrery and I made one as a child from paper, it was a mess; today the Google Doodle was celebrating what would have been the 101st birthday of Akira Yoshizawa, probably the most famous origami master: an "Origami artist of stunning originality who became an ambassador for Japanese culture and his art", follow this link for the story of when he got his biggest break: Link: pdf.

Ows obambulation: orrery, odometers and origami...

---

You may have noticed but this month is "is about as good as it gets for planet watching!" [EarthSky]. You've probably noticed the two most obvious: Venus and Jupiter that are bright - in the west - for nearly four hours after sunset. A very slight "alignment" but nothing like the planetary alignment that people say (they're totally wrong) will accompany the 2012 Doomsday Scare later this year when the Mayan calendar 'runs out' (on December 21st 2012 it will display the equivalent of a string of zeros, like an odometer clicking over from 999,999). Anyway, obambulation - a word I love and have used many time here - means 'wandering' and I'm all over the place here: a model of planetary alignment is called an orrery and I made one as a child from paper, it was a mess; today the Google Doodle was celebrating what would have been the 101st birthday of Akira Yoshizawa, probably the most famous origami master: an "Origami artist of stunning originality who became an ambassador for Japanese culture and his art", follow this link for the story of when he got his biggest break: Link: pdf.

Officers out of our orbit?...

---

"Is this the final recognition that the Police are no longer considered ‘part of society’?" writes Anna Raccoon. Relating to the imminent release of Magdi Elgizouli (he was diagnosed as having a pathological hatred of the police): "Knifeman with a hatred of police is 'safe to be freed'... but only to an area where there aren't too many officers on the beat" says the Daily Mail; ludicrous if even part true - and contrary to "19th Century Peelian traditions" - it is seemingly testament to the fact that a Police Officer is no longer considered part of the public!



However, "Notwithstanding sensationalist headlines, legitimate questions are being asked this morning about whether the decision to release is correct..." wrote MentalHealthCop yesterday; Michael also has a lot more, especially about how the decision to release would have been taken and he also hopes the checks and balances have worked, because, if the release goes wrong - or Elgizouli get in trouble again - "guess who is going to get called?".

Officers out of our orbit?...

---

"Is this the final recognition that the Police are no longer considered ‘part of society’?" writes Anna Raccoon. Relating to the imminent release of Magdi Elgizouli (he was diagnosed as having a pathological hatred of the police): "Knifeman with a hatred of police is 'safe to be freed'... but only to an area where there aren't too many officers on the beat" says the Daily Mail; ludicrous if even part true - and contrary to "19th Century Peelian traditions" - it is seemingly testament to the fact that a Police Officer is no longer considered part of the public!

However, "Notwithstanding sensationalist headlines, legitimate questions are being asked this morning about whether the decision to release is correct..." wrote MentalHealthCop yesterday; Michael also has a lot more, especially about how the decision to release would have been taken and he also hopes the checks and balances have worked, because, if the release goes wrong - or Elgizouli get in trouble again - "guess who is going to get called?".