Category Archives: Opinion

Election Day

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I don’t consider myself much of political commentator,  I don’t think I honestly have anything interesting to say on the subject but,  I do vote every election. I believe in democracy and by voting I believe I’m taking my opportunity to have a little influence over how things are run. I think a lot of people fought long and hard to earn us the right to vote and I don’t ever waste it.

I also venomously believe that if you don’t vote you are not entitled to complain!

If you don’t like how things are going, if you have something to say about the economy or your bin collection is late don’t come whining to me as you didn’t DO anything to change it when you had the chance. As my manager so eloquently put it, “Voting is your license to bitch”

So with my point of view in mind I was shocked today, not by how many people have come out in saying that they have lost faith in politicians , but by the number of people who’ve said they wouldn’t be voting at all. One lady I had and contact with had this to say on the matter

I have voted in every single election! BUT now politicians have lost my respect and all political Parties are as bad as each other in one way or another, It’s not just labour MPs, Tory’s and lib dems have been at it too.

They have robbed the tax payer,we feel like we have been robbed, my husband works full time and pays over £600 a month tax. …

Why should that go towards paying for some MP’s weekly shopping at M&S when there are poor families who struggle to budget for there weekly shopping at aldi or whatever cheap shop they have to go to.

First of all I want to say, Can I have a job where I earn enough to be having to pay £600 tax a month please! Maybe then I could give more to charity to help those less fortunate instead of sitting on my high horse bitching about the unfairness of the tax system,  and secondly I disagree completely with her statement:

The majority of the politicians only took so much because the rules and the system are flawed.  If I had job that said I allowed me to claim for carpets, curtains and a 3 piece suite ,a new outfit for every day of the week and everything else to go with it I’d do it, and, so I believe, would the majority people who end up reading this.

It’s the ones that broke the rules who are the real thieving bastards. The ones who didn’t just take advantage of a flawed system, but who knowingly dodged the rules for profit, Fortunately for most of us,  they’re the ones who are falling over themselves to resign now before the shit really hits the fan.

So what’s the alternative?

By not voting and we run the risk of letting some fascist party like the BNP or UKIP take control because of voter apathy, and then we’d all be in a much worse place than we are now with a few crooked politicians caught with their hands in the till.

My solution is this, look for local alternatives, independent candidates  the green party or vote intelligently….

Vote for the party who have acknowledged the problems with the system, are willing to, and are already making changes. Look for the party with policies you agree with and vote for them!

A thank you

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To the girl on the top deck of the 559 bus travelling from Wolverhampton towards Wednesfield at approximately 5:30pm last night.

I was the girl sitting in front of you wearing the black coat. You were the girl sitting behind me in the atrocious yellow jumper, purple skirt and black tight combination, complaining like an ungrateful bitch to the long suffering friend on the other end of your phone call,  that “like my mom and Dad have only got me a laptop for Christmas yeah, and I like sooo wanted a laptop last year but not now!!” and coughing every two minutes without a thought of placing at the very least your hand in front of you hole you were hacking out of.

Thank you,

Thank you for coughing down the back of my neck and sharing your germs. I really loved waking this morning with the start of a cough of my very own and a heavy head, It was so much fun to know that this festive season people were so into the whole sharing thing they’ve extended it to strangers on buses even if it wasn’t required or even really wanted.

I’m going to really enjoy spending the first Christmas in 5 years I’ll actually be at home with my son instead of stuck in work, feeling like shit, wrapped up with an hot water bottle and having to watch the festivities go on around me as the flu you shared has sapped me of all energy. Thanks a whole lot!

To anyone who knows this caring sharing person, The one with an annoying habit of holding conversations at the phone at the top of her voice over the phone while on the bus, please pass on my gratitude, and if you know her parents may I suggest that you go and offer them an alternative to the laptop they were going to buy for her that she blatantly isn’t bothered about getting …

…ask them to buy her some fucking tissues!!

Seasons Greetings Wolverhampton

Make a Promise : Deliver a Dream

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If someone offered you £4022 ($6000) worth of computer equipment what would you do with it? That’s what HP are offering, in conjunction with 50 bloggers from across the world in their Magic giveaway.

Yes. I am one of the 50.

Each blogger has been given $6000 (£4022) worth of HP equipment and they get to give it away to whomever they choose, and they get to set their own rules!

I first read about it over on Moosh in Indy who’s only stipulation to enter is “you have to share” and have since then been thinking what would I do with it? What would I do with all that “stuff”? Could I be selfless enough to give it all away, keeping nothing for myself?

As much as I’d like to think I could in this particular instance I know I couldn’t, I mean, Hey, how could I give the HP Photosmart C6380 All-in-One printer away after I’ve been coveting a new photo printer for months and then of course the HP 564 Photo Value Pack would have to stay with it.

Naturally I’d have to have something to process all those lovely photos on as my my desktop just about crashes every time I turn it on hanging 9 times out of 10 on the start up screen until I hit restart and begin all over again. Once it’s switched on it screams blue murder if I open anything intensive i.e photoshop and if I try to do something clever like, oh I dont know check my email and open a word document at the same time the computer says no and the whole thing freezes, so that’s why I’d keep this for myself too. The HP TouchSmart IQ816 PC.

But then what would I do with the rest of the booty? The HP HDX 18 series Premium Notebook PC, The • HP MediaSmart Connect, and the HP Pavilion dv4 series Entertainment Notebook PC (with Windows Live) oh and not forgetting the HP Mini 1000 (with XP) all loaded with either Windows Vista or XP depending on their spec.

Who would be deserving of it? Who would make the most of it? Was there anyone person that would benefit more than anyone else? Could I get away with keeping it all myself (only kidding as tempting as it may be).

I work for a non for profit organisation, could they make use of it?

I used to work for a Youth Club could they use?

My family and friends would they want it?

Of course they all would but none of these people NEEDED it. Work has, as hard as it is to come by sometimes, funding from different arts councils and organisations for IT equipment relevant to the different projects we run. The youth club has a computer suite for the young people to use, they may WANT upgrades but they don’t NEED them. Then my family and friends who I’m sure would all love me if I started handing out computers like Santa does presents at Christmas don’t really need them either, they’ve all in some capacity have computers which are fit for purpose.

So I thought further, what would do if I received all that beautiful booty? I couldn’t decide and as the spirit of the giveaway was to share i thought about not entering.

Then I remembered, It IS nearly Christmas and the season of goodwill to all men and lets face it is all about the children. What if I could help children who really deserved the help and put a smile on someone face, someone who is facing hard times that I can only imagine as an adult, let alone face them as a child. And then I realised the answer was with me all along….

Promise Dreams, This local charity launched in 2001. They “raise money for children who are seriously or terminally ill and provide treatment, help and support for both them and their families. Whether the child would like a holiday, a toy, medical treatment or equipment, or even the chance to meet their favourite celebrity, Promise Dreams is dedicated and committed to help.”

The charity is run by 4 people in an office in Wolverhampton town centre and rely soley on fund raising and donations to help make these children’s worlds a nicer place. They hold events in the building I work in, so I have seen how much work they do and one of my friends sisters received a new motorized wheelchair through them so I’ve seen first hand what a difference it makes to the people they help.

Thats who the rest of the booty could go to, Someone I think truly deserving.

So now I’m cutting it fine, I have no idea when the deadline is in relation to where I am in the world, I just know its in the next day or two so I’m rushing to finish this post and get it in one time. Maybe It’ll be me that’s picked, maybe it wont but at least I tried!!

V 2008 – What a wash out!

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Saturday saw me attending the V festival in Weston Park, Staffs. What a waste of a Saturday – I could have been doing something interesting like cutting the lawn with some nail clippers or cleaning my toilet with a toothbrush, but instead I was battling the elements to attend the WORST festival I have ever been to!

The rain I could cope with, I had a rain jacket, even if it did make me look like a pea with legs I could cope with the cold, hey I’ve camped at festivals in worse weather. The line up wasn’t too bad plenty of bands for me to see, Even if James didn’t approve of all my choices but what absolutely drove me mad were the coked up middle class pissed tossers who couldn’t give a shit about the music and were only there to get off their faces!

Grrr!!

The day didn’t start off too badly, We saw Jack McManus in the Union Arena Tent and then the latter half of The Feelings set on the main stage before I parted company with James and made my way over to the T4 stage for a good old festival sing along to Scouting for Girls with James’ friend Ruth and her friend Becks.

There was a bit of jostling as some of the coke fiends by us barely stayed upright and burnt each others rain jackets with cigarette ends. (Cue for us to move further into the crowd) but they were good to see as it was a proper festival moment, the band look genuinely pleased and amazed at the crowd reaction and the crowd fed off their energy singing along with all their songs and generally having a good time.

Once they’d done I caught the last part of Tom Baxter’s set back in the Union Arena Tent stepping over the bodies in the tent that had collapsed through drug/alcohol abuse and at merely 6:25pm that was my bands done for the day – I didn’t get to see anyone else!!

Yes I know Amy Winehouse made it on to stage (30 mins late, I quote one friend of mine in saying “it was like watching the aftermath of a car crash) but the lure or the V.I.P area dry seating and food was more important at this point. _ The V.I.P area had Nando’s dammit how could I resist something resembling “proper” food at a festival?

Yes, Yes I know Kings Of Leon were playing – I tried to to watch them, I saw and heard none of it from behind a group of 5 of the biggest twats I have ever encountered in my life screaming and shouting and flailing about through the entirety of their set, at one point they stripped off one of the female members of their group to the waist screaming at everyone “don’t look don’t look” well I was trying to look BUT AT THE FUCKING STAGE MORONS. Unfortunately I was too short to see anything but the back of peoples heads or a face full of tit and too far back in the crowd for the sound of the band to carry above the idiots so I missed it but a few chords of “Charmer” and “On Call” – I did consider moving but a quickie scan of the surrounding areas convinced me to stay put as it was no better anywhere else, Where was I supposed to go – to stand next to the guys who started fighting behind us? The only saving grace was we’ve already bought tickets to see them again in December where I will be very carefully selecting who we stand behind!

By the time KoL had gone off stage I was exhausted and quite upset so we made our way back to the Union Arena for The Guillemots but with an hour to wait before they started I sat on the floor while the crowd sang along to Echo and the Bunnymen and ruminated about all the idiots I’d encountered during the day. Desperately tried to dry out and slowly lost the will to live looked up at James to hear him ask “Do you want to go home?”

Hell yeah I did! So at only 9:30pm we packed up and shipped out pausing only for a quick chat with James’ cousin Steve who we’d not managed to catch up with all day.

I don’t think I’m going to bother going again unless the line up is too good to miss, V 2008 sucked, V 2006 wasn’t much better and who can forget the flying torch incident of 2005?? I leave most years thinking why did I bother – so free tickets or no free tickets I think in future if one of “James’ Artists” are playing we’ll go watch them and then leave again!

A word of warning….(rant rant rant) Cross Country Train Managers are SHIT

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CrossCountry trains have the most appalling train managers.

I travel by train fairly regularly using various operators but never in my life have I been spoken to with such disdain by someone supposedly working within a public domain.

The member of staff in question was rude and aggressive, he made jibes at us that as a paying customer (or as any customer) I found completely unfounded and insulting, and why? Because I made the mistake of standing (not sitting although their were empty seats) in the doorway to the First Class carriage as the rest of the train was full and I had no where else to go!

SO to anyone travelling on Cross Country Trains look out for the Train Manager called Paul – you’ll know him when you see him, He’s the miserable sullen fucker that hates his job and takes it out on his customers – If you see him avoid at all costs Do not attempt to board the train anywhere but you allotted carriage, and avoid smiling at him if at all possible, it’ll only invoke his RAGE!

On the upside the journey was the first leg of our Wolverhampton to London trip where we had lots and lots of fun, photos will be posted soon, in the meantime:

www.theblondekid.blogspot.com

The Blonde Kid beat me to blogging it, The kid is such a geek, Mommy is so proud 😀

And in case anyone was wondering what I plan on doing about the journey from hell this is an email I have sent their complaints department after “THE” journey:

“I was travelling to Birmingham New Street from Wolverhampton on Sunday 3rd August and jumped on one of your trains (the LATE 09.41). I was travelling with my partner, son and parents and I have never in my whole life encountered such a rude man as the one who spoke to me that morning.

We got on in the end carriage (along with some other people) which happened to be first class and proceeded to make our way through the carriage into standard class but when we reached the intersection a group of musicians with their instruments were blocking the way and we could see straight through into the next carriage where other people were also standing and blocking the aisles.

Despite there being plenty of seats available in first class we were very aware that we hadn’t first class tickets so my partner and father stood in the section between carriages, I stood right by the door. My young son and my mother then sat on the nearest chairs to us as we unable to proceed further down the train.

Within seconds of pulling out of the station the jobsworth Train Manager “Paul” (he refused to give us his surname) came charging down the carriage and demanded our tickets, He then demanded we move into the next carriage as this was a “private carriage” so told him I would if I could and if he’d like to ask other people to move I would gladly follow suit.

He then started shouting at me about sitting in the “cheaper seats” and shouting at me to move, at which point my partner stepped through from the intersection and asked him why he was shouting.

This Paul then asked him “What has it got to do with you!?!”

My other half pointed out that I was his girlfriend and regardless of this you could ask more politely he retorted with “I don’t need to it’s my train and I can read!!” Virtually pushed us through the door!!

I then had to stand with a sobbing 8 year old who had witnessed all this in the entrance to the toilets as there was no where else to go and listen to him remonstrate with the other passengers who remained in first class about myself and the other passengers who he’d removed whilst he locked the doors between carriages!

I was so very very angry.

I would have gladly moved further down the train had I been able to. I wasn’t freeloading in First Class – I wasn’t even sitting despite seats being available unlike other “standard class passengers”even though I’d paid the same fair. I’d merely made sure my mom and son were safe on a moving train and stood out of the way of the other passengers.

How dare a member of your staff make such presumptions about myself!

Yes I can indeed read, I read well enough to take his name and title off his name badge. How dare he think just because I have purchased standard tickets I have any less right to common decency than anyone else.

Manners cost nothing!!

I would like some feedback as to what you are planning to about this matter. No paying customer deserves to treated this way standard class or otherwise! ”

I’ve just received an email from their “customer relations team”

“Dear Ms Jennings,

Thank you very much for your E-mail received on 5 August 2008.

I would be grateful if you would send your train tickets to the following address quoting your reference number so that we can fully complete the processing of your claim. Please also provide your postal address to enable us to reply in full.

Customer Relations

CrossCountry

Cannon House

18 The Priory Queensway

Birmingham

B4 6BS

I do thank you for taking the time to write to us. We value your comments, and we welcome the opportunity this gives us to understand what our customers require from our service.

Yours sincerely

Melanie Hamilton-Smith

Customer Relations”

I’ll keep you posted with any developments!