Early Risers.

[iL Dottore]

Had a poor end of day encounter with Ian Duncan Siths evil empire ...

I wouldn't blame any one politician or party, I think the self-serving, CYA, protect the incompetent, do the bare minimum you can get away with (and s*d the public) aspects of British Bureaucracy at it's finest is to blame here. Let's not forget that behind every Darth Vader, there are legions of faceless bureaucrats dedicated to making the evil empire run (to their own benefit)

 

I have a good friend who worked as a civvie at the MoD through both Tory and Labour administrations, and from the stories he told about his little corner of the MoD you would have thought that the UK would have had a hard time dealing with a pub punch-up let alone anything more demanding. Interestingly, my friend maintains that there were only two things that installed any sense of dread or urgency in his colleagues: when the money didn't add up and when a PC SOP may have been violated...  Granted, this is hearsay and my friend is biased after 25 years at the MoD, but it rings true.

 

Unfortunately, as British bureaucracy hides behind anonymity, you really don't know where to turn. Here in CH, the responsible departments and sometimes people at the local council have their direct office phone numbers (and often e-mail) listed on the council's webpage - so you can contact the department (if not the person) directly. Not to say that it's a miracle of smooth service-client cooperation, but things do work adequately well (mainly because the Swiss have not forgotten where the emphasis should be in Public Servant)

 

You have my sympathies.

Edited September 24, 2013 by iL Dottore

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

It is quite a nice morning here - pretty mild for the time of year.  According to the forecast, we can expect an Indian Summer day later on.

 

Time for a coffee!

 

Have a good day everyone...

 

Edited to correct a somewhat unfortunate spelling error

Edited September 24, 2013 by Robert

[trisonic]

We had about an inch of rain Saturday night but now absolutely no rain is expected for at least 7 more days. Averages high of 72f - sounds great. Hopefully this will translate to Europe too.

Have a nice day, Pete.

[bodmin16]

I wouldn't blame any one politician or party, I think the self-serving, CYA, protect the incompetent, do the bare minimum you can get away with (and s*d the public) aspects of British Bureaucracy at it's finest is to blame here. Let's not forget that behind every Darth Vader, there are legions of faceless bureaucrats dedicated to making the evil empire run (to their own benefit)

 

Unfortunately, as British bureaucracy hides behind anonymity, you really don't know where to turn. Here in CH, the responsible departments people at the local council have their direct office phone numbers (and often e-mail) listed on the council's webpage - so you can contact the department (if not the person) directly. Not to say that it's a miracle of smooth service-client cooperation, but things do work adequately well (mainly because the Swiss have not forgotten where the emphasis should be in Public Servant)

 

Good morning Ladies and Gentlemen,

Tell me about it! Somebody who does not live in our borough has bought a house to rent out in our close and a divided the garden and dumped cars and various items of junk on the land much to the detriment of the local area.  The local council have served an enforcement notice on the person concerned but won't do anything about it due to a retrospective planning application to turn the garden into a storage yard, being submitted.  This has now been ongoing for nearly a year and the representative of the local authority say they can't do anything about it as they had to be fair to all concerned!  How is it fair to the local residents of a beautiful residential area to have to put up with this? Local authorities are no longer public servants but are certainly very incompetent.  I think there may be some serious action taking place very soon by some normally very reasonable residents of NE Hampshire!

Have a good day guys.

Alan

[The Bigbee Line]

Good morning,

 

The system is what has 'run' the country for the past few hundred years, not sure for who's benefit though.

 

I have had a particularly long and painful battle with HMRC.  Who failed to take note of my P11Ds over several years and failed to take enough tax.  As I was PAYE and paying a large proportion of my earnings I had not realised,  So the demanding letter out of the blue was a shock.  I spent a year in the process of getting clarification and appeal, to no avail.

 

One of the most annoying phrases they use in correspondence is 'You will remember.....'  Well sorry when in full time employment and being an unpaid carer at the same time I don't have time to check their work.

 

I opted for payments over several years without interest.  That meant a call to the department that dealt with and organised such matters.  I gave the details, bank information etc to  allow this to happen.  The lady finished by saying 'are you happy about this' she could not understand when I said definitely not..........

 

The moral is - If your a big boy in the system they can choose to let you off as it's embarrassing to them if we knew what mistakes they made.  If your small fry they just screw you.

[iL Dottore]

Morning All,

 

Hope all is well with all. A brisk and slightly foggy morning here, but yesterday afternoon was glorious (not such a good outlook for today, alas).

 

Good news on the doggie front. After a rather surprising start to our relationship ("jumpin' 'n' humpin'"), he has calmed down quite a lot. He's starting to respond to commands and will sit and stay upon command - although not always and often not for long and he comes when called (well, most of the time). We are off to see the vet this evening (should be fun) and he may have a rotten tooth (should be expensive) - which may explain how he rapidly chews through his toy - to deal with the irritation from the tooth perhaps? (but it could equally be placque - but he is not the most cooperative of dental patients, so I could only glimpse at the molar).

 

Trying to give Schotty a quick once-over reminded me as to why I didn't study vetinary medicine. Much as I like animals, I would have to restrain, inject, stuff pills into, cut, slice, sew-up and euthanise them. Call me soft hearted, but I just couldn't do it. Now restraining, injecting, cutting, slicing and sewing up people... Nul problemo

 

Anyway, enough of me and the hairy monster, I don't want to turn into one of these tedious people that rhapsodises incessantly about their prize pooch. Although Schotty will be "mentioned in dispatches" when merited, I shall try to avoid boring ER stiff.

 

Have a great day.

 

iD

[Tony_S]

Morning.

Misty here. I have been told that my task today is to get Matthew to keep the washing machine busy. 

Tony

[skipepsi]

Morning all, bit chilly out evaluated by letting the cat out. Light gray clouds might mean reasonable weather later. Last nights episode really annoyed me because the decision (political) was made to charge claimants to ring and try and correct the errors inflicted upon them. The poor benighted s*d who put the phone down may now be struggling to face another day at 'work'.

[Tony_S]

Morning All,

 

Hope all is well with all. A brisk and slightly foggy morning here, but yesterday afternoon was glorious (not such a good outlook for today, alas).

 

  We are off to see the vet this evening (should be fun) and he may have a rotten tooth (should be expensive) - which may explain how he rapidly chews through his toy - to deal with the irritation from the tooth perhaps? (but it could equally be placque - but he is not the most cooperative of dental patients, so I could only glimpse at the molar).

 

  

Our dentistry bill at the vets wasn't for the dog but for one of the (now deceased) hamsters. Giving a hamster antibiotics for a week was fun, She clearly didn't like the taste so it was a case of man vs hamster to administer the remaining doses.

[southern42]

Good morning ERs.

 

Just enough time to say that when I got up and looked out of the window I thought it had been snowing - whiteout.   :scratchhead:

 

I "looked" again to see that it was a spectacular display of low lying fog in all the dips and crannies with ridges, tree tops and pylons protruding above.

 

At least it's going to be a sunny day by the looks of it.

 

Wishing you all well and I'll catch up later.

 

Polly

[iL Dottore]

....it was a case of man vs hamster to administer the remaining doses.

A sight I would pay real money to see.....

 

You haven't you-tubed it, perhaps?

[trisonic]

Gerbils are worse..................................

 

Best, Pete.

[Barry O]

morning from an overcast Leeds.

 

Plumbers coming back to sort out there mistakes.... realised that having worked for a major Building Services company for 10 years that I may understand how poor they are...

 

Lots to do today... started with some photos for Southern42  (Polly).. and once I have sorted myself .. some weathering and more photos...

 

Behave yourselves today.. I'll make up for it!!

[Tony_S]

A sight I would pay real money to see.....

 

You haven't you-tubed it, perhaps?

No. Hamsters are quite intelligent and the Baytril antibiotic has to be given by syringe into their mouth. So after the first time once Zippy saw that syringe she was off into a part of the cage no human hand could reach! However smearing the syringe with peanut butter worked. Robbie is very good about swallowing antibiotics it is the worming tablet he objects to. Biscuit, tablet, biscuit doesn't work but crushing it in Wensleydale cheese does!

[Ashcombe]

Afternoon from Normandy where it's to hot not to wear shorts,glad I brought pair with me!

 

Followed a tractor with a huge trailer full of carrots this morning probably on there way to the uk lol!

 

Internet connection a bit hit and miss here, so enjoy the day/week

We have a mobile home in Normandy (almost in the Pays de la Loire) Wherabouts are you? I'm sure you'll enjoy the area.

[DonBradley]

Hello again.

                   I'm changing my routine. I used to read all previous day's unread Early Risers post first before going onto Word game, three word game, etc. etc. but  now reverse the pocess.

                Il Dotore, I for one enjo reading about the ER pets, cats, dogs, gerbils or little ones so do not desist from regaling us with all and any Shcolti antics.

               Sorry to read about Mike's travails with officaldom. More strength to you.

 

                Weather sort of middling. No rain forecast, currently mostly blue skies but LARGE white cloud on top of the mountain .

     18C forecast.

              I hope you all have a happy day.

[Gruffalo]

Whilst sympathising with the misfortunes of those banging their heads against bureaucratic incompetence, I am glad that this proves I am not alone in my condemnation of the civil service empires. I know there are some who work in that sector amongst the contributors to RMWeb and I do try to recognise both the difficult areas and issues they attempt to resolve. That said, it is clear there are now so many jobs worths at so many levels and departments created to manage their own survival. How can we overcome this when none seem to be held accountable and government at all levels seems to focus on searching out PC reasons to avoid common sense?

 

We live in a small rural village of a little over 200 homes with no shop, no bus service, no employment and no gas supply but our District Council planners believe we should accommodate however many "affordable" houses for those who cannot afford market priced housing that the planners see fit to bestow upon us under the guise of a survey the results of which they refuse to share even with our Parish Council. My questions to the anonymous local bureaucrats regarding how people who cannot afford market rents or mortgages will be able to afford cars or taxis to do their shopping, get to our overloaded GPs, hospitals or dentists, take their kids to school and travel to work has met with nothing, just a response that "your comments have been noted".

 

No wonder I am a grumpy old ba@@ard.

[beast66606]

Morning all.

 

Not pleasant having to deal with officialdom - been there, done that. The Hafilax (I've hidden the real name) building society made me sell my parents house because they wouldn't restructure my finances so I could afford this sudden mortgage I'd been left with after they died, after the house was sold they sent me a final letter confirming completion and an offer of a mortgage on a new property ... I wrote F... O... in big letters across the letter and returned it - funnily enough I never heard from them again.

 

A dull and very foggy morning, bringing out the usual collection of half-wits driving around with no lights on, the sun is getting up now and the fog is burning off.

 

Have a good day all.

[Tony_S]

Quite a lot of services that used to be run by government departments or local authorities are now run by commercial organisations that get paid by results, ie meeting targets. Writing a letter to Mick's wife probably counts as a target. 

Planning round here is quite an issue. The inclusion of affordable homes isn't an issue, it is the others (ie the non-affordable ones). There are plenty of homes available in the expensive end of the price band available round here so locals are confused about why green belt needs to be built on to provide more (without any road, sewage, school improvements). It is a shame that anxiety about such things isn't reflected in turnout in local elections. 

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

 

Bit of a misty start today, 13^oC but should be bright & sunny later.

Today's trip to deliver Chris to work at 5.45am was livened up by an idiot leaping out in front of me to cross the road for a bus. I tried very hard but unfortunately I missed him!

I did enquire after his parentage & whether or not he was tired of living but got no response.

Kids will be here after school as usual so homework hat may be needed. (They often end up helping me with it!) 

I'm going out for a meal with some old schoolfriends this evening - one of whom is visiting from Northumberland & I haven't seen for about 40 years!

 

Have a good one,

Bob.

[travelintrev]

Good morning all,  not much to report from this part of North Somerset...it is great to be able to sleep with the window open at night...(something I cant do in Ng)..drifted off to sleep to with the sound of the local  owl.......

 

One (smallest) Grandchild due shortly...fun times ahead?

 

Try to enjoy something today..

 

Trev. 

[Shedman5]

We have a mobile home in Normandy (almost in the Pays de la Loire) Wherabouts are you? I'm sure you'll enjoy the area.

 

 

We are staying with friends about 15 miles east of St Lo in a hamlet called Savigny, they retired hereabout 5 years ago.

This our third trip normally we come in May a bit late this year but the weather is very good unlike last week apparently.

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, still man flu'd :-(

 

iD, I'm pleased you missed out the last category in your treatment regime comparison!

 

NHN, very much a civil servant, and proud to provide a quality service.  Thankfully we're not all like Mick's 'servants', although I know plenty who are, unfortunately.  Weak management to blame - those 'child' managers mentioned by others mostly.  /soapbox.

[AndyB]

Morning all from foggy Hampshire where it is predicted to be 21oC. 

Sympathies to all doing battle with the civil service and their spawn. For what it's worth, even when you are (thankfully past tense now) a civil servant the bureaucracy is no better - possibly even worse.  

 

My lad slept through last night. The learning point might be to recommend eyesight tests for GPs. My neighbours feel this is a somewhat lenient requirement and proposed fundamental retraining and a motivational kick up the **** 

 

And for anyone who believes that youngsters aren't interested in trains this morning's playground drop off would seem to counter that notion. 

6 year old: "Do you know how an engine works?"

Me:"Actually I do! (thinking that an explanation of the internal combustion engine is needed). But do you?!"

6 year old lad: "Steam goes into pipes and along pipes and the wheels go round...."

Me:"Ah, (now up to speed on what kind of engine was meant, and now with a gaggle of Yr 2 boys in attendance)...Who knows where the steam comes from?"

Hands shoot up

A.N.Other lad:"Water evaporates".

Me; "What makes it evaporate?"

A.N.Other lad2: "Fire."

Me: "What makes the fire?"

A.N.Other lad3: "Burning coal'

Me: "That's right coal burns to make heat to evaporate the water into steam (miming expanding gases with hands) which causes the wheels to turn ....."

Original 6 year old lad:"You forgot to mention the pistons, coupling rods. And do you know which engine has the coal tender at the front and water tender at the back. It's a Garret" 

Me: "Is that the school bell I hear?"   

 

Now that sleep deprivation is back to normal levels I'm starting to have a look at the n gauge winter project and noticing a couple of things about the plan. Firstly it needs cassettes added to each end to reach it's full potential, whereas planning permission was for a 4x2 board. The plan was also a bit boring.  So, now looking staring at a blank canvas and going to put a list of requirements together to help plan. 

 

Trev, hope the new grandchild arrives safely and has a long and happy life. Enjoy the nappy changing.  

 

Have a nice day everyone. Andy

[shortliner]

 

Now that sleep deprivation is back to normal levels I'm starting to have a look at the n gauge winter project and noticing a couple of things about the plan. Firstly it needs cassettes added to each end to reach it's full potential, whereas planning permission was for a 4x2 board. The plan was also a bit boring.  So, now looking staring at a blank canvas and going to put a list of requirements together to help plan. 

 

 

Have a nice day everyone. Andy

 

Andy -PM me with your email - possible answer - was just about to put it away