What bemused you today?

[anglefire]

Watching uk news I see the goverment is offering a £400 rebait to the lucky few to replace boilers, apparently they cost £2000 to £2500 !!  whaaat.. boilers here cost between 300 euros and 1100 for a really fancy central heating boiler/contoller that controls solar heated tanks and hot water systems..  someones making a mint...

ed: and, you only find out if you qualify for the rebait after you have the new boiler installed.. 

We had our boiler replaced a few years ago, together with a new hot water cylinder and bath and shower fitted and that all came to less that £2500 (Though we did buy the bath separately)

[Oldboy]

The three men in the news who walked on a frozen lake and the ice gave way! These weren't young lads but aged over forty and none of them could swim. Two died and one was rescued. Whilst at Swan pool yesterday saw a chap with his children and wife. He took a sledge onto the ice whilst his family watched. Also, seen footprints on the lake in Dartmouth Park and someone had written a message on the snow covering the ice! Will people never learn! 

[Alfonso_Frisk]

WHO IS THE ODD MAN OUT - and more importantly - WHY??

1. Lord Stevenson: former chairman, HBOS

2. Sir Fred Goodwin: former chief executive, RBS

3. Andy Hornby: former chief executive, HBOS

4. Sir Tom McKillop: former chairman, RBS

5. John McFall MP: chairman of Treasury Select Committee

6. Alastair Darling: Chancellor of the Exchequer

7. Gordon Brown: Prime Minister and former Chancellor

8. Sir Terry Wogan: presenter of Radio 2's Breakfast Show

You're probably thinking Terry Wogan.............

And you're right.

However, the reason may surprise you...........


Terry Wogan is the only one out of this motley crew who actually
holds any formal banking qualification.

This is True! You could not make it up!!

Great!

[picsfor]

Doesn't that just sum up the state of this country!

We seem to be run by people who think they know, as opposed to people who actually know!

Not saying jobs for the boys comes to mind much at all!

[greypoint]

And when anyone queries the wages and bonusses they get, we're told you have to pay a lot to get the best people. And having paid for the 'best people' they screw up big time and walk away with their golden handshake. 

[picsfor]

Clearly the UK can't afford the best - so we might as well do what Vince Cables suggests - let the boys standing in the wings have a go.
they have every thing to prove and every thing to lose! 

[spinner]

Seems to me that Western nations have replaced their feudal aristocracies with a new breed of aristocrats with their sense of entitlement based on something besides birthright. Even in places like Canada and the U.S. where we never had feudal aristocracies.

[picsfor]

That's because we're all busy demanding our rights with out being prepared to observe the duties that go with those rights.
I'd hate to think that jobsworths and lawyers were to blame of this.

I blame all the no win no fee legal practices. There's a woman British TV who keeps slipping over whilst entering the office on an almost daily basis. She must be worth a fortune in successful claims against the stupid employer who never seems to learn!

[Forseti]

A mixture of bemusement, amazement and respect really. It's been snowing in our region now for 72 consecutive hours and the depth of snow in places is unbelievable. And yet the children, clad in their brightly coloured rucksacks as is the way in Germany, somehow manage to fight their way to school. Their resilience and determination is outstanding (including their teachers obviously) and this has motivated me not to cancel my flight to Berlin in a couple of hours which I had considered doing. Right then - must fly (no pun intended) 

[picsfor]

Funny - my wife and i were arguing about the same thing.
Having spent 20 years of her life in Germany her mindset is still very much of the German way.

When the snow fell i was ordered out to clear the path. When i had just finished the path in our garden and gone in for a tea, i was berated for not doing the public path in front of our garden.
My response - in Germany it may be a requirement to clear said public path and even road - in the UK, if i clear the path badly and some one slips over on it - i can be sued.
As i said earlier - Criminals Charter! We used to do the public path and drive ways etc when i was a kid - but not any more.
Again - the no win no fee lawyers are to blame of this madness - that and the H&S jobsworths.

I do so dearly miss those more innocent days gone by. Even the troubles in N.I. look good compared with the troubles of today!

[jinky]

I blame all the no win no fee legal practices. There's a woman British TV who keeps slipping over whilst entering the office on an almost daily basis. She must be worth a fortune in successful claims against the stupid employer who never seems to learn!

I love the way they justify their ambulance chasing on those ads now by saying "but now they`ve solved the problem of ....  box plastic wrappings etc   as if they have doen a good deed

[greypoint]

Just wondering if they have the same selection process, by parents, of schools in other countries. Or do they normally just go to the nearest? Where they use the state system. When I was at junior school [ok, that's a very long time ago!] that seemed to be the case. Now everyone has choice and some children seem to travel miles rather than gojng to their local school. I suppose it carries on into adult life too - far fewer people seem to live within walking, or short bus ride, of their place of work. I live about 60 miles from London but we're now prime commuter belt!

[magicrhodes]

In some states in America you have 24hrs after it has stopped snowing to clear your bit of the sidewalk. Otherwise you are charrged for its clearance. This should be adopted here.

It is annoying how many people sit inside complaining about the council when they could do the work on their own!!!!

[greypoint]

Yes - I've cleared that path outside my place so I can at least walk safely for a small bit - unfortunately some prat has parked a car blocking said path so I'll have to walk onto the still icy road

[Nemesis]

In some states in America you have 24hrs after it has stopped snowing to clear your bit of the sidewalk. Otherwise you are charrged for its clearance. This should be adopted here.

It is annoying how many people sit inside complaining about the council when they could do the work on their own!!!!

Notwithstanding the truly absurd advice - yes, on dreaded H&S grounds - from local authorities for individuals and companies not to clear snow and ice unless they have PLI...  I seem to spend most days wondering how much more absurd this country can get with its H&S culture and paranoia, but every day the lunatics take charge that little bit more!