In all areas, grass verges and footpaths seem to have become extensions to the road. I tried complaints to two of my local councillors but got the impression they just did'nt think it important. Of course, if cars were stopped from parking illegally there would be traffic chaos as there are simply too many cars both parked and speeding through areas not designed for traffic levels that now exist - the solution around here is to build more and more houses and flats all with one parking space...sold to people with two or more cars. and, of course, most of our sidestreets are also full of wheelie bins.  I think we need a campaign by parents who have to take children in prams out onto busy roads and those who use wheelchairs or guide dogs - don 't know what they'd do if it was successful though. A lot of people seem to think their car is more important than the safety of children. The houses on the development along the road from where i live was given some nice verges and stone footpaths - the verges are now mud and the paths broken because the houses don't have adequate parking spaces and the owners think it better to park on the path than on the road although it has no restrictions- they call it sustainable housing I think!

---

a few mediocre pics

I got to revise Core 1 and Core 2 maths in Cornwall on holiday

and i have to get up early...sum holiday

---

how about core3?

---

I was born and brought up in Iran, a beautiful country full of history.

k o m b i z z

Sue, it won't be long before the council tarmac the pavement and then it really does become an extension of the road   How do you cope when all the wheelie bins start littering teh pavements every Thursay...seriously, with all of the bins we now have to put out trying to walk to the shops on a Wednesday and Thursday I spend more time on the road.  Maybe I should start driving to the shop more.

What annoyed me today though was receiving a letter from the Job Centre telling me I wasn't entitled to any help because my NI contributions weren't high enough during 1 year.  Despite them checking this and approving it all last week.  So I've paid tens of thousands of pounds into the NI system since leaving school, and the period that they decide to use for my "cliam" is the year that I first went self-employed and made a loss (so hence didn't have to pay NI contributions).  Despite the fact I've paid more than enough since then also, I don't have a dentist, I don't have kids or claim any other "benefits", I don't use the NHS (I had to pay for my own medical the other month £70!).  Friggin brilliant.  Thanks a lot for the help   This government claims it is all for small businesses and helping people and yet it certainly has not helped me at anytime - even less so over the last few years since becoming self-employed.  I tell you, I can't wait to get out of this stinking country.  I really can't.  I hate this government and I'll probably hate the next.  The "system" stinks.  They can spend billions on the Olympics, they have recieved billions of extra revenue from fuel tax as the prices have increased (unless they knew how much fuel would increas at the budget then these increases are all extra revenue for them). Grr.  I'm annoyed, really annoyed 

 

---

Sounds like a trip to the CAB mate. Should be able to get Income Support at least.

Trouble is, you speak English and have lived here for more than 2 minutes, so you can't have f??k all. Now if you're an immigrant with zero contributions to anything ever and just turned up with 6 kids and 2 wives, here's a house. Fact.

 

And why do I get an email telling me this thread has been updated TWICE!!!!!!

And I got a speeding ticket on Sunday, not a soul in sight, out pops a policeman! Tosser. 

 

 

---

Mike
50D, 40D(soon for sale), 120-300mm f2.8, 70-200mm f2.8 L IS, 17-55 f2.8, 70-200mm f4 L IS (FOR SALE) ,100-400 L IS(also soon for sale), 420EX, Sigma x1.4 TC & x2 TC
My Pics: www.mikedinsdale.co.uk

martin_hurton:

I tell you, I can't wait to get out of this stinking country.  I really can't.  I hate this government and I'll probably hate the next.

Unfortunately, you'll find the same circumstances and half-arsed rules in all the other countries of this world. The only improvement you might find is in the climate - but if you chose anywhere else in northern Europe, then that won't change.

The problem with the new labour governments, they've not lead, they've followed public opinion, which is mostly decided by whoever is speaking out the most and not by what the common man wants or needs.  Basically, the problems facing the UK and the world today require leadership - someone to tell us where we're going wrong and what needs to change, the fact that it'll hurt us but the final destination will be better.

Take cars, for example. Most have them, most would rather use their own car than take public transport. Most don't need to take 80% of the trips that they take them for (walk to the local shop instead of the drive to Tesco for a pint of milk, cycle the kids to school, etc.). If you get the populace out of their cars, the average fitness will improve, the streets will be quieter and safer, the pavements won't be clogged with poorly parked cars, etc. Unfortunately, no-one wants to give up their car (I'm just as guilty as the rest), and so it'll take unpopular leadership and charisma to achieve the final goal - or it'll happen naturally as the price of petrol makes it too costly to drive, by which time none of the infrastructure required to support a car-less economy will be in place because the politicians have been too busy pandering to the wants of the populace (but not the needs) and the economy will collapse.

The hard part is that getting people out of their cars usually means getting them out in order of income (who can afford to pay the most gets to keep driving- that's my principle objection to the congestion tax.), which isn't fair, and those in the countryside that have no other real options will suffer the most.

H.

PS. my sympathies to you in your situation, hope it all improves soon.

---

My Gallery.

flickr gallery

The only problem with trying to get people out of their cars is that for the last forty years or so society has been built around car ownership. I live 60 odd miles from London but this area is being promoted as prime commuter territory - and the train service is being reduced! Supermarkets are out of town and anyway people buy so much they need a car to get it home. Because I don't drive I have to live near to where I work - so when
I moved last year it was'nt far. If I'd had a car I probably would'nt be living where I am. Once you have a car it tends to change your whole way of life and I think a lot of people just get out of the habit of walking anywhere more than a few yards.

---

a few mediocre pics

Martin - I can certainly sympathise with you regarding having paid NI for many years only to get nothing out of it. When I retired from employment at the age of 50 I spoke with my accountant who advised that it just wasn't worth my while paying voluntary contributions until the age of 65 because I'd be paying something like £5 a week voluntary only to receive £1 more on my OAP upon reaching that grand age. So I managed to side step that attempt at fleecing me. The authorities did however manage to have the last laugh because they told me that now I was living abroad I was not entitled to any of the health benefits over here in Germany despite having paid NI contributions all my life and we're all supposed to be one big happy European family. So now I have to pay for private medical insurance which costs me a bomb but is compulsory if I want to remain here until - and here comes the best part - until I'm 65 when the UK will recommence covering me under the National Health scheme. Who the hell dreams up these rules and regulations? Obviously people who haven't got a clue of what life is like in the real world.

Alan, I think these people need a good whack with the baseball bat.

Janet

---

The Best Photographer In The World 28-29 October 2006 & 30 June/1 July 07

My DCM Gallery

Well it was about 2.00 this morning, and the kebab shop stoped serving Chips!!!
So i told them i would never come back to this take-away again ( Till next friday night.)
Also when i got back home i realized i couldnt watch the news before going to sleep because the signal in the loft had gone funny!

haha.

---

Flash away.

FLY-TIPPERS!
Went out early this morning to watch (and hopefully photograph) red kites and buzzards locally; a walk down a country lane was more like walking through a cross between a rubbish tip and a junkyard...
On the way to work yesterday some idiot(s) had tipped a big delapidated boat and trailer on a verge...

---

Brian

Flickr Galleries

Cheers guys, it does appear to stink doesn't it.  I shall be going back to the JC on Wednesday morning and having it out with them.  I'd like to know how on Wednesday everything was processed and done, and Saturday it's all changed.  I've either been messed about or the staff don't know their job (the latter I suspect).  I shall be reporting them that's for sure. 

I'm looking at starting out in event photography at the moment.  The missus is happy to be the assistant at the weekends and during the summer.  Fingers crossed I get this event next weekend and hopefully that should put a few ££'s in the bank. 

I've applied for tonnes of local jobs also, mostly stuff that I am well over qualified for "why do you want this position" "hmmm...I need the money.  Erm, I mean,I think that packing boxes would be a really great career move..."  "Do you have any experience at similar work" "Well I've moved house 6 times in 3 years"

(no offence intended to anyone doing production work etc, and no intent to start an argument along those lines).

Hopefully I'll hear back after the BH weekend. 

Alan, that really stinks.  I thought that we had an agreement with Europe to, isn't there an E-111 form or something?  I guess you've looked at all of the options.  How do you stand if you fly back to the UK, can you get treatment here then? 

---

Rain...rain...rain...rain and more rain.......doncha love Bank Holidays! Off in the rain this afternoon to set up rings and tents for a dog show tomorrow....no doubt to be held in even more rain......oh well, better take the dog out....in the rain.....

---

a few mediocre pics

You should head up north Sue, it's looking pretty sunny up here

---

Hmmm - is'nt that just what you want to hear!!

---

a few mediocre pics