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davidc

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Posts posted by davidc

  1. Great haywood has wifi but its slow

    I use a wifi antenna with a hot sport booster in sided and connect to BT wifi which cost nothing as I pay for broadband at home and its unlimited I believe its only 39 pound a month if you do not have a fix connection at home .

    I've also used the connection out on the cut with a lot of success which I have posted on in the past

  2. i dont know which army you were in but in my army which i was in for 22 years they would have done the job

    I was also in 22 years all of the 70 and 80 and if my troop had of be called in against the miners in a NI type roll I believe that over half of them would have found ways not to parade.

     

    you can not expect troops to go against there own communities

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    I think Davidc makes a valid point that is missed by the other two posts, the 'cannon fodder' for the services is usually recruited from the working class. Back at the time of the miner's strike for kids in the mining areas there were pretty much three career choices. They went down the mines, they joined the army or they joined the navy (Royal or Merchant). Now had Thatcher not been talked out of deploying the army (by wiser heads) during the strike things would have become serious. Some of these lads in the army had come from mining areas and she was wanting to send them back there to 'bring the miners under control'. With split loyalty like like that I wouldn't like to bet that they would have 'followed orders'. When they joined the army it was to fight in foreign wars (if need be) it wasn't to go back and fight their own communities. There is no comparison between the army driving around in 'Green Goddesses' during the firemen's strike and what they would have had to do in the miner's strike. There was no possibility at all of them being sent down the pits to dig coal they would have been used to control the miners. One thing I can say with absolute certainty it that if the army had been at Orgreave they wouldn't have been riding into the miners on horseback! They would have been deploying rubber and plastic bullets and people would have probably died. What the follow-on from that would have been is anyone's guess, probably a General Strike.

     

    I think Davidc is right, if they had been used in the Miner's Strike there would probably have been a significant number of squaddies who, one way or another, would have made themselves 'unavailable'.

     

     

    At the time of the strike the troop I served in, the rank and file was 60 percent from miners areas and 90 percent working class and the miners strike was different to other strike I had been involved in , the fire strike the union unofficial supported the army in so far as any incident we where called to a couple of firemen were on hand to watch that no serviceman's life was at risk.

     

    there is an important precedent that the army is never used in civil disobedience on main land britain it has alls been the police or militia ( who where predominantly middle/upper class citizens).

     

    And anyone who thinks that the rank and file will blindly follow orders have been watching too many hollywood films.

  4. Nice story peter!

     

    I've just finished scoffing an enormous roast pheasant xmas lunch. Ok I was a bit late starting it as I went on a bike ride up to the Bruce Tunnel first, then I decided to pluck the damned thing. (It was a magnificent cock pheasant as big as a small chicken, picked up from the A338 Hungerford to Pewsey road ten days ago and been hanging in my cratch ready for xmas.)

     

    The last few I have skinned so I decided to pluck this one just for the experience. Never again, life's too short. Horrendous mess, back of my boat is covered in feathers as I did it on the rear slide and it was raining. But there we are. Two still hanging in the cratch, not sure how I'll cook them...

     

    All washed down with a nice bottle of Viognier HAPPY XMAS everyone here! (Well, most of you haha!) wink.png

    I love roast pheasant with a stale bread and whisky stuffing the recipe also calls for peeled grapes as well but its a pig to peel half pound of grapes.

  5. Just had a thought I'm type II diabetic diet control have been for about 10 years, when I cheat and have chocolate and other sweet thing I do not process the sugar well so it passes through me so does that help the yeast in the PO tank.

  6. after a pump out with a good flush out

     

    I used 1 teaspoon of yeast a good tablespoon of sugar in lukewarm cup of water left about 1 hour then flushed toilet a couple of times (monty had a flushing option on its macerating toilet)

     

    I think it took 3 or 4 pump outs on full tanks, before it took hold I did this for about 3 years before I sold monty.

    and I have to say no smell but montys PO tank was metal and don't know if this affects outcome over plastic.

  7. I believe its all brinkmanship with the EU. you wait and see the week before the vote, if it looks like the out vote will win, the EU will do one of two things ether offer what looks like a U-turn and a new deal or threaten us with penalties and embargoes to frighten us.

    EU can not afford us to leave.

  8. Edit: I've found it, http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jan/30/how-to-eradicate-grey-squirrels-without-firing-a-shot-pine-martensGeorge Monbiot, I don't normally read him. He also mentions the same thing as davidc about otters and mink

    here is another link with a study done in Ireland on the re indroduction of the pine martin

     

    http://theconversation.com/resurgent-pine-martens-could-be-good-news-for-red-squirrels-46051

  9. I've read somewhere, I can't think where though as wildlife isn't an interest of mine particularly, that reintroducing pine martins has a huge impact on grey squirrel numbers and generally scares them witless but has no effect on red squirrels who's number increase with the decrease of greys.

    Its also been documented that the re-introduction of the otter leads to a rapid decline in the mink population.

  10. Rubbish. Not that they would be used but if they were the armed forces would do what they were ordered to.

     

    you have a very simplistic view of the rank and file following orders blindly

    I was an NCO though the miners strike and let me tell you if maggie had turned out the army against the miners I believe a large part of the other ranks would have found reasons not to parade .

  11. Wrong end of the stick, Bee, that's performance related pay. It's not there to make anyone, top or bottom, better at their jobs, just to incentivise higher productivity.

     

    Imagine that an average member of a profession (doesn't matter whereabouts in the heap) gets paid an average of 40 sheckels per hour, the not so good might be in jobs that pay less, whilst the very best at what they do might well earn rather more. Who do you think you'll attract if you pay the lower rates?

    Yes and there always claim if we do not pay them there will go else where but I do not see a over abundance of job adverts and surly the up and coming young professionals one step below them would do the job for less and most likely better.

  12. That is an interesting point. I have felt disenfranchised for a great many years, but of late there has been a new 'buzz' in politics, a new interest. I'm horrified at the senior member of the armed forces threatening rebellion, that doesn't suggest a democracy, that suggests the status quo being supported by the armed forces. I was similarly angry about Mandelson saying that 'it wasn't time yet to depose Corbyn' (or words to that effect), because Corbyn was legitimately elected (by the way, before anyone says anything. I wasn't a member of the Labour Party at that time, and so wasn't involved in his election). Could I go from mild disinterest/ slight narkedness to being actively political if the democracy is threatened? You bet.

    The General is taking Bulls**t the majority of the other ranks are made up of working class men and woman, and the argument today is just as valid as at the timing of the miners strike (that is why the armed forces where not used in any form by maggie in that strike) that is if the any government calls out the army against the working class its loyalty can not be guaranteed.

     

     

     

    .

  13. Though I am a socialist I am hoping not only will Corbyn return grass root democracy to the Labour party But standing by his own morals and refusing to bend or U-turn on his principles might start a change in the way political parties operate.

    I believe for the good of our democracy things have to change.

  14. They say he is unelectable because politicians have got into the habit of forming policies based around what they think the majority of people want to here. That information is gleaned, I think, from what the media says.

     

    So they stick with what they perceive as the "popular" line rather than facing the truth and developing policies that really stand a chance of solving the problems our society faces.

     

    This, they think, makes them electable because if they say what they think the majority of people want to hear they will get more votes and thus get into power. This is why the "tory lites", the centre right of the labour party are so close to and support the tory policies.

     

    Prior to Corbyn anyone with distinctly socialist views was shouted down as unelectable because socialist policies were perceived as unelectable.

     

    So political apathy set in because the public has nothing to choose between. the vast majority of politicians say the same thing because their first priority is to get into power. Why should people pay attention to them when they all say the same thing? There is no point.

     

     

     

    But Corbyn does not subscribe to that view. He has the ability and the guts to think differently, set different priorities, formulate policies with a different agenda. He also has the integrity to say "This is who I am. This is what I believe. This is what I stand for. This is what I think the country should do". And he has the courage and integrity to stick by it.

     

    Now the people who were apathetic about politics, because their voices were swamped by the hubbub of media pandering, power seeking, dishonesty so prevalent across the country, have someone whose values are different, that appeal, are shared, and can finally be heard.

     

    There is a new wave building across British politics because, like me, a lot of people are becoming politically aware, politically interested, and politically active. Because finally there is someone, whose values they share, who is prepared to stand up against the media pandering power seekers, and put a voice to, and stand up for, the concerns that they share.

     

    Those within the labour party who worked to change the internal system to remove the heavy influence of the unions, giving a voice within the labour party to those who could see that the labour party needed to fundamentally change, enabled Jeremy Corbyn and those who share his concerns to begin to be really heard.

     

    That is why people, like me, are joining the Labour Party in droves. They can see that the media pandering power seekers within the labour party will undermine Corbyn and try to silence him because they perceive him as "unelectable" because he refuses to bow down to media popular, right wing policy.

     

    People recognise that Corbyn needs support from within the party to keep him as leader. People are also attracted by the opportunity to be consulted on the formation of policy so that finally they have a chance for their voices, and shared concerns to be heard.

     

    That is why Corbyn is still here and that is why he is dangerous to the power hungry, media appeasers, because his thinking is the polar opposite of theirs. They see that as support for Corbyn continues to grow, their own chance of power at any cost diminishes. So they either get rid of him in the short term or, failing that, watch and wait and get ready to alter their own position.

     

    There is finally a choice in politics - and someone with integrity worth supporting. And as support for Corbyn continues to grow the Labour Party will become more and more electable. And that is why politics just got interesting

    have no greene's left but have virtual bag of greenies for eloquently putting the point across.

    I have also rejoined the labour party again

  15. Well, yes, I see your point WV. My posts were more in response to David.c to explain the rationale for the shift in ways of working rather than to disagree with your view on wasting the taxpayer's money on duffers! smile.png

     

     

    Edited to remove a rogue autocorrect.

    after reading you explanation I have to say I like it best when the civil service was the main source of government non political advise

    And WV point if its political let the politicians pick up the bill

  16. Well, we should leave aside the 'political leanings' issue, because that would be no more or less likely under any stripe of government.

     

    As for civic duty, I would suggest that very few politicians are truly there for the money which, whilst some will see their salaries as large, really represents far lower pay than they could command elsewhere for many or most of individuals involved.

     

    Finally, where some may indeed have 'day jobs', their part-time involvement represents a saving to the tax payer, because it would cost far more to have their input on a full time basis. In addition, advisor positions are likely to be short-term and thus will be at far lower capitation rates than involved with full time employees and neither will they have security of employment, so will not remain on the payroll any longer than they are required.

     

    Again, do note that there is no political leaning in my explanation; the above remains the same for all governments (and indeed for opposition parties, although the funding sources may then be different).

    that's the point once upon a time when professional help was needed for a project or advice it was contracted in by the non political civil service

    and am sure we have ex civil servants on this forum who could enlighten us

     

    But I equate government special advisers to Jobs for the lads/girls.

  17. Let’s look at a couple and see if there appointment is good for the people

     

    Andrew Edward "Andy" Coulson
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Coulson

    Edward Llewellyn
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Llewellyn_(Conservative_adviser)

    Catherine Susan "Kate" Fall, Baroness Fall Ex-girlfriend of Mr Osbornes
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Fall,_Baroness_Fall
    Jonathan Oates, Baron Oates
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonny_Oates,_Baron_Oates
    Steve Hilton
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Hilton

    Do real think just these are worth nearly half million pound a year.

  18. OK, so what we want is to be governed, and our government to be advised, by folks only capable of earning what?

     

    Personally, I'd like to see both functions fulfilled by the brightest and best minds around. I'm not saying we necessarily get the brightest and best, but then most high calibre minds could earn far more in the private sector, so why would we?

    but adviser are first picked for there political leaning so why should my Tax pounds pay for a high flying and high costing conservative to help cameron and osborne dreams come true.

     

    And also what happened to civic duty these advisers all have high paying day jobs.

  19. These are the special adviser appointed my Mr cameron and what there are being payed, there are 63 total special advises payed by the government

     

     

    Andy Coulson payed 140,000
    Edward Llewellyn 125,000
    Kate Fall 100,000
    Jonny Oates 98,500
    Steve Hilton 90,000
    Gabby Bertin 80,000
    Tim Chatwin 70,000
    Polly Mackenzie 80,000
    Henry Macrory 70,000
    James O'Shaughnessy 87,000
    Liz Sugg 80,000
    Peter Campbell 60,000
    Sean Kemp 60,000
    Gavin Lockhart 58,200
    Michael Salter 65,000
    Rohan Silva 60,000
    Sean Worth 58,200
    James McGrory 58,200

  20. Having just read with interest how Osborne has shown what a generous employer he is by boosting the salaries of his Special Advisers by up to 42% (Thea Rogers). In the interests of open government I will also be equally intrigued in seeing how these 'Special advisers' are going to be 42% more efficient or 42% more productive after all we are repeatedly being told that this Government wants to end the 'something for nothing' culture so I'm sure that they would set a good example, wouldn't they?unsure.png

     

    These 'Special Advisers' don't come cheap in the first place since most of them are paid more that MP's. It seems to me that it is rapidly becoming the preferred method of introduction to Parliament (Cameron and Osborne were both Special advisers, as was Milliband but that's another story!) without having to trouble themselves mingling with the plebs and getting a real job anywhere. This may explain why there is such a disconnect between the general population and politicians, very few of them have done real jobs, you can tell those that have (Sarah Wollaston, doctor) because they don't talk in soundbites and actually make some sense.

     

    Is it about time we had a national cull of Special Advisers?

    and don't forget we are all in it together

  21. on my last boat which had which had a similar system the header tank was built in to the side of the engine space and the actual filler come dipstick was on the cruiser floor to wards the side

    11633

    you can just see it poking up under the rear right seat
    hope this helps
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