British gas has announced profits of well over fifty percent, and are trying to console us with the fact that they have reduced our rates by seven percent, but when asked why they have not been reduced more, considering that the wholesale price of gas has been coming down steadily for the last year and a half, we are told the same pathetic old story.
They buy their gas supplies around two years in advance, trying to make out that when they purchased it, it was bought at a high price.
If this WAS the case, then we should expect our rates to come down steadily over the next two years, but as we all know, when winter comes around next year our rates will be at their highest point to coincide with the time we use the most gas. So when do we ever benefit from the cheaper wholesale prices?
During the summer when we use the least, will be their war cry, but the problem I find with that is, we will not have used up all of the cheaper gas by the time they hike up the prices for winter.
I can never recall a time when the consumer ever benefited from the cheaper gas, not even when wholesale gas was being given away FREE not so long ago.
The other war cry when all else fails is that they have shareholders to think about, and future investments in green energy, and I do realise these things have to be considered.
That was all taken in to consideration when the government controlled energy companies were privatised, so if they did not think they could make a go of their business, without fleecing the public, then they should never have undertaken the enterprise in the first place.
I have to ask the question again. Where or rather when does "OFGEM" earn their salt as it is they that are supposed to look after the consumers interests, looking at the wholesale prices, when that gas is introduced to the system, regardless of how much they cost the energy companies, and make sure the energy companies are charging us accordingly.
So far "Ofgem" have been getting paid for sitting on their thumbs, it's about time they got off their backsides and stood up for us, and forced the energy companies to charge us according to the price they paid for the gas, WE are buying from them, instead of letting them hike up the price every winter to suit themselves.
The term "LIFE SENTENCE" should be taken out of the British justice system, as it no longer has any meaning.
It seems to be in this country that no matter how many life sentences are handed out to a mass murderer they still ignore the term LIFE SENTENCE and release prisoners with the excuse that they deserve some human rights so we will let them home to spend their last days with their family.
That attitude makes a mockery of US, our judicial system, our country and the idiots who are left to make these hypocritical decisions. I strongly use the term "Hypocritical" because releasing a prisoner under any circumstances, who has been given a life sentence, is nothing short of, showing a lack of intelligence within themselves, and a distinct lack of respect for the victims of the crimes, and a complete misuse of the term "LIFE SENTENCE."
Kenny MacAskill, has brought shame and embarrassment, not only to himself but to Scotland, by being taken in by the pleas of Abdelbaset AL-Megrahi's family and countrymen to gain his release through ill health, claiming he had only three months to live, while six months later he is pictured in the newspapers looking healthier than he did on his release.
He was convicted of the Lockerbie disaster, a conviction that cost a fortune using up thousands of hours of manpower to bring him to "JUSTICE," using up hours in the courts with the original trial, and more than one appeal, where at the end of it all one idiot feels sorry for him and releases him.
MacAskill takes full responsibility for his release although we all know he was pressured into making the ludicrous decision, but then again we all know Megrahi was used as a fall guy for the bombing when others were involved too, but both men were willing to accept full responsibility for their deeds,so both men should be willing to accept their punishment. Megrahi is showing no shame or remorse for his involvement in the bombing by parading around and being treated like a hero. MacAskill is showing no remorse on releasing the convicted mass murderer, announcing he remains defiant his decision was right, which shows disdain towards the relatives of the victims.
Where does MacAskill's punishment come in, if you can call it that, but then again you cannot call Megrahi's jail term punishment for his crime.
I can only hope that in the coming elections, the people of Scotland stand defiant and vote out MacAskill and his Scottish National Party, who so nearly made it, but who by standing by MacAskill's decision has also brought shame on the country they are supposed to hold dear.
If the Megrahi incident, and the recent scandalous releases of other murderers and criminals who have re-committed crimes soon after their release, is an example of how the leaders of Scotland want to take this ONCE proud nation forward, then I among many here want no part of it.
A party with policies that favour criminals, and the police chief who thinks some criminals should not be in prison, because, on their release they re-offend immediately, are burying their heads in the sand, not facing up to the fact that these criminals are being treated far too leniently by our courts, and in prison, that is why they have no fear.
As long as parties in power, and their members like MacAskill, plus our disillusioned judges take this attitude our justice system will never hold any fear for the criminals, and it will always be a laughing stock in the eyes of the world, bringing shame on all of us.
The Labour party, although having no real agenda when campaigning here, have no need to alter their manifesto when their opposition very obligingly cuts their own throats.
Pity help the innocents of the nation when this is all the choice we have to decide who is going to run the country. If only ONE party would take a firm stand against crime it would make our choice so much easier and THEN we could feel safer when walking the streets, and maybe bring some pride honour, and respect back to our country.
The pride, honour and respect, MacAskill took away with one senseless decision, and our courts take away on a daily basis.
It's that time of year again when we hear all the moans, and excuses from our local councils,of the cuts they will have to make, pleading poverty every year, no matter how much they rake in, giving us plenty warning of the grim future they plan for us. Once this stage has passed and they have run out of reasons why they want more money, they then have to prove to the government that they are collecting a bigger percentage of the taxes than ever. It's then they brag about how much they have collected, because it suits them, but we all know since the credit crunch that they collect enough taxes to stash away millions in Icelandic Banks and who knows where else. Money they have managed to cream off us every year, supposedly for a rainy day. HUH! If they are catching most of the council tax dodgers then they must be well in pocket now, because in past years that was their famous poverty excuse when they raised our taxes well above the inflation rate in the pretence that it was to cover these dodgers. Millions creamed off, stashed in Icelandic banks, and most of the taxes now being collected. You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time! Forget the excuses this year, no one is listening.
I think I have touched on this subject before in this blog, but my temper was inflamed last night when watching TV, so much so that I sent this letter to the BBC.
I was appalled last night (Monday 8Th February 2010) when I tuned into University Challenge to hear Jeremy Paxman, while asking a question put "an" before historic instead of the correct "A historic." He sits there all pompous, asking intellectual questions, and cannot even get his grammar correct. A, E, I, O, U, are our vowels and when these five letters come at the beginning of a word, it is only THEN that "an" should be put before them. Words like " historic" and "horrific" DO NOT and SHOULD NOT under any circumstances have "AN" before them whether used with a local dialect or not. They are not written that way and should not be read that way. The two words I mention are the two most common where these errors occur, and the mistakes are made by most, if not all TV newscasters and presenters, who, in their position of influence should be setting a good example to the viewers by using correct grammar. It was made even worse, when wrongly used on a program such as University Challenge where the future of our nation has a showcase to prove their intelligence to the viewers, and from where some of our future newscasters could arise from to carry on misusing the English language. Please see to it that your newscasters and presenters start to set a good example to the viewers by correcting this mistake that has been going on too long, after all they don't say "an history lesson" or "an horrible event," so I fail to see why they get it so wrong when using "historic" and "horrific." The only exception is "hour" where the "H" is silent.
People in their positions should know better, and it is time something was done about it before this practise becomes run of the mill, and accepted as correct when it is far from it.
Most of the things I rant about in this blog are about "human rights," or lack of them for the law abiding citizens, politicians in general, or anything else that gets on my wick, but "political correctness" although bugs me as much as anything is never mentioned much so I thought I would share this story with you.
I suffer from angina, and during the heavy snowfalls we had recently, I suffered two bad attacks due to my own stupidity. The first came after I cleared our path, which was made more difficult by the fact that it had been trampled over quite a lot before I got around to it. The second came the following week when almost home, and struggling uphill in the car on solid ice, with my neighbour in front trying the same thing but got stuck, so I got out and helped him push his car, while his wife gently kept the car going ahead. Between us, we successfully managed, although it meant me going back down to the bottom of the hill to get a steady run at it again. (in my car of course) I should have known better but I sometimes think there is nothing wrong with me, if I watch what I am doing, and don't have an attack, until I get a violent reminder such as these last two, then I suffer for days, and say never again.......until the next time.ha ha.
Anyway I thought it best to go and report my ordeals to my doctor as we are advised to do so in case I had done more damage to my heart.
When I entered the waiting room there was three women sitting, with ages ranging from 19 years of age to 45 years of age, and knowing them all, as it is just a little village we stay in, I nodded, and my nods were acknowledged by all of them.
As I was sitting waiting for my turn I began to read the notices plastered all around he walls, as you do, especially if you haven't visited for a while .................... well the magazines are still the same but the notice board changes.
After reading most of them I noticed one on the door that leads behind the counter where the receptionists sit. It was a round pink notice and written in large blue print was the words "BREASTFEED HAPPILY HERE" I thought to myself, that is with all the political correctness and people complaining of women breastfeeding in public, I am glad they have seen sense here and allowed it, but, much to my disappointment when I asked the women sitting there which one was going to provide a breast for ME, each and every one of them turned me down. TYPICAL! The notice obviously does not apply to everyone. So much for political correctness. Hahahaha!
Only joking ha ha,although the notice WAS there and it gave me the idea for the story. It also brought to my mind an event that occurred when I was a postman (yes I was a postman for a while, just imaging the stories that have to come in insights ha ha) I had to knock on a door to get a signature for a recorded delivery, and the woman of the house answered the door with her child still feeding from her breast, well I thought, if it does not embarrass her why should it embarrass me, even though she made no attempt to cover up her free one, after all she was in her own home.
Political correctness does go too far at times, but breastfeeding can be embarrassing for some men, though not me, as I find most women who are breastfeeding their children in public do so very discreetly, and now in most places they can "breastfeed happily"......... well at least when they are feeding their own children ha ha.
I wondered which of my two blogs I would write this in, but "GET IT OFF YOUR CHEST" seemed the most appropriate. ha ha.
I just thought I would try and cheer you up with an amusing story for a change, instead of all the doom and gloom that you usually read here, so I hope I have succeeded.
My heart was no worse for the abuse I gave it, nor from the bad jokes I tell.
Author based in Scotland.
After years spent at sea as a commercial fisherman I witnessed spectacular sights in the night sky while waiting for daylight to break.
After I retired I decided to write on the subject.
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