I'm trying to get my head round it.
People who work until they retire at 65 don't need pensions they die 18 months later.
The statement "We all are living longer" needs unpicking.
The people who live longer are the people who retire early.
So is it right that people who work until their official retirement age of say 65 and then die very soon after, should pay for the retirement of those that chose to retire early.
One thing that helps me live longer, I am convinced, is 'work' - it keeps my mind and body active while I face new challenges.
So explain this!
Could it be that I chose to work at my own pace, all my life. I also mainly did work that I wanted to so I looked forward to it and enjoyed it. I still can work very hard because I want to - but I can also stop and put my feet up when my body or mind tell me to stop.
I perhaps am able to keep my wonderful body machine in good running order - while others are putting theirs under incredible strain.
I've not heard talk of enabling people to work until their 100 at a pace that suits them.
We treat work as undesirable and something to avoid - yet it provides us with a great sense of self esteem and 'togetherness'.
Do we need to help people enjoy their work, feel appreciated, and do the amount that they are capable of.
Can we encourage a society where people actually want to work?
We're well on the way with the great number of people involved in voluntary work - which people may be doing when they 'retire' form 'work'.
Can we redefine work?
Can we rethink the economic crisis we're in so that we all want to work together to solve it; rather running away from the work required and changes that need to happen in attitude.
A tall order, with many years of programmed thinking to try to rejig.
When does militant thinking come to a tired end? When we're exhausted and reflect that their must be an alternative that enables us to work together rather than against the other.
Are free enterprise and "laissez faire" good if those that pursue it give little thought to the needs of others and where money mania rules.
Thursday, 30 June 2011
Wednesday, 29 June 2011
I have every sympathy with the teachers
Before you criticise - try to find out what it's like to be a teacher these days.
People who are familiar with what is involved with this career will realise that its not one that you can do well for more than 30 years. It's not one to stay in until you retire if you started young.
I believe there are statistics that show that when teachers retire they don't live much more than five years because they are exhausted and their bodies collapse.
It's a job people do because they get a lot of satisfaction from struggling against the odds doing a job that parents often don't do - giving students a purpose in life. In doing this it takes a lot out of the people that do it well.
Lets support those that give so much to the community and can give our children so much of their energy and sense of purpose.
Many of the problems in education are with the system ruled by politicians who have no idea what makes a good teacher.
Government behaviour like the present will discourage people from staying in teaching. Those with the qualities we admire will often find an alternative career doing something in society that far more satisfying than dealing with young people that are totally switched off because of an oppressive system.
If your children have a poor school, it could be that the excellent teachers have left during the last twenty years.
People who are familiar with what is involved with this career will realise that its not one that you can do well for more than 30 years. It's not one to stay in until you retire if you started young.
I believe there are statistics that show that when teachers retire they don't live much more than five years because they are exhausted and their bodies collapse.
It's a job people do because they get a lot of satisfaction from struggling against the odds doing a job that parents often don't do - giving students a purpose in life. In doing this it takes a lot out of the people that do it well.
Lets support those that give so much to the community and can give our children so much of their energy and sense of purpose.
Many of the problems in education are with the system ruled by politicians who have no idea what makes a good teacher.
Government behaviour like the present will discourage people from staying in teaching. Those with the qualities we admire will often find an alternative career doing something in society that far more satisfying than dealing with young people that are totally switched off because of an oppressive system.
If your children have a poor school, it could be that the excellent teachers have left during the last twenty years.
The brewery site (continued)
One can learn a lot more from this site
It would appear that the main source of parking is the existing car park on Brewery Street.
I could find no clear information about the underground car parking that was talked about.
The presence of the latter and its size is for me a crucial issue. We already have major problems in the town with parking facilities: it is important that any new development would not add to our problems.
We need to continue to be a shopping friendly town in every way possible.
I have used the contact facility on the above site to ask the following questions and await answers which will be published here:
"What is the size of the Underground Car park that you propose?
Could you give more information as to what physical changes to the Brewery St car park are proposed?
From your drawing it would appear that part of it will be excated to provide access to the underpass entrance to the store.
What price structure for the car park is envisaged? Will your customers get free parking? What prices for those that use the underground car park?
Can more detailed plans be seen elsewhere?"
I have also writen to SLDC planning department for information regarding detailed plans.
It would appear that the main source of parking is the existing car park on Brewery Street.
I could find no clear information about the underground car parking that was talked about.
The presence of the latter and its size is for me a crucial issue. We already have major problems in the town with parking facilities: it is important that any new development would not add to our problems.
We need to continue to be a shopping friendly town in every way possible.
I have used the contact facility on the above site to ask the following questions and await answers which will be published here:
"What is the size of the Underground Car park that you propose?
Could you give more information as to what physical changes to the Brewery St car park are proposed?
From your drawing it would appear that part of it will be excated to provide access to the underpass entrance to the store.
What price structure for the car park is envisaged? Will your customers get free parking? What prices for those that use the underground car park?
Can more detailed plans be seen elsewhere?"
I have also writen to SLDC planning department for information regarding detailed plans.
Sunday, 26 June 2011
Do we need a new breed of politicians?
People with integrity.
People in direct contact and one of the 'general public'.
At present we have a top down system which I suggest is failing because there is a mass of individuals who don't believe their leaders are acting on their own behalf, leaders they don't trust. People who in fact may well have the best interests of their mates at heart rather than Joe Bloggs - who they have little knowledge of.
They have the best interests of the country as their motivation but that country is not the one that the majority identify with.
People in direct contact and one of the 'general public'.
At present we have a top down system which I suggest is failing because there is a mass of individuals who don't believe their leaders are acting on their own behalf, leaders they don't trust. People who in fact may well have the best interests of their mates at heart rather than Joe Bloggs - who they have little knowledge of.
They have the best interests of the country as their motivation but that country is not the one that the majority identify with.
Saturday, 25 June 2011
New use for Hartley's Brewery site
The proposal described here has a lot of merit - the main one being that it proposes an underground car park.
This is the thing that needs to be encouraged and be a condition of expansion of this site - it needs to be as large as possible and not be a token gesture in order to win planning permission.
All the small businesses that offer spicialised services in the surrounding streets (the massage parlour !) could then benefit and pressure would be taken off existing car parking facilities and maybe even encourage the SLDC car parks to charge less -
What's needed of course is for the Town itself to take charge of car parking, our market, our roads and the whole commercial set up in Ulverston - some co-ordinated thinking needs to be put in place with a vibrant group of businessmen (women of course) with adventurous thinking to put Ulverston back on the map where it belongs.
The present leadership is sadly lacking - who will have the courage to take an overall view and bring all our interests together. I can think of only one person at the moment who fits the bill and he is very much involved up in running his own successful business. (It would never-the-less be good to have the benefit of his - and people like him - sound thinking - perhaps an Ulverston Think Tank - that is listened to)
What are the negative things that could happen?
Tesco could move in but then we could have an alternative - like Sainsburys.
The Coop could find it more difficult - though judging from the present friendly and popular service they would carry on as normal.
We have a busy road to cross - Brewery Street a pedestrian overpass would be ideal.
What are your thoughts?
Could the large traffic island nearby be put to better use? - a cafe in amongst the trees with glass shielding to protect from the noise and traffic fumes - another pedestrian over/under pass which also links to the other side of the A590.
These all need to be fed into the existing planning consultation that is happening at present. Will anyone get forward thinking people get involved or will Ulverston continue to die a slow death as is taking place up till now.
Come on James Airey (County, District and Town Councillor - new leader of the local conservatives) - you're ideally placed - show us some leadership.
(no, just to clarify, he's not the person I was thinking of above)
This is the thing that needs to be encouraged and be a condition of expansion of this site - it needs to be as large as possible and not be a token gesture in order to win planning permission.
All the small businesses that offer spicialised services in the surrounding streets (the massage parlour !) could then benefit and pressure would be taken off existing car parking facilities and maybe even encourage the SLDC car parks to charge less -
What's needed of course is for the Town itself to take charge of car parking, our market, our roads and the whole commercial set up in Ulverston - some co-ordinated thinking needs to be put in place with a vibrant group of businessmen (women of course) with adventurous thinking to put Ulverston back on the map where it belongs.
The present leadership is sadly lacking - who will have the courage to take an overall view and bring all our interests together. I can think of only one person at the moment who fits the bill and he is very much involved up in running his own successful business. (It would never-the-less be good to have the benefit of his - and people like him - sound thinking - perhaps an Ulverston Think Tank - that is listened to)
What are the negative things that could happen?
Tesco could move in but then we could have an alternative - like Sainsburys.
The Coop could find it more difficult - though judging from the present friendly and popular service they would carry on as normal.
We have a busy road to cross - Brewery Street a pedestrian overpass would be ideal.
What are your thoughts?
Could the large traffic island nearby be put to better use? - a cafe in amongst the trees with glass shielding to protect from the noise and traffic fumes - another pedestrian over/under pass which also links to the other side of the A590.
These all need to be fed into the existing planning consultation that is happening at present. Will anyone get forward thinking people get involved or will Ulverston continue to die a slow death as is taking place up till now.
Come on James Airey (County, District and Town Councillor - new leader of the local conservatives) - you're ideally placed - show us some leadership.
(no, just to clarify, he's not the person I was thinking of above)
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
What's happening in Greece, and Bristol, is worth watching
It illustrates the failure of the concept that financial success is the most import thing in life. It seems the average Greek doesn't believe this.
Fairness and self worth comes far higher up the scale of what is important to them.
Here we are similarly fed the line that our standard of living is the most important thing in our lives and that we must weather the financial crisis - for whose benefit ?
The EU is made of of countries with very different sets of values. I'm sure the average Spaniard , Irish or Greek has no wish to emulate the Germans. The EU has been brought together to strengthen the finances of its countries - enabling better trade and stability.
What if the people of some counties don't value these attributes but instead value hard physical work, enjoying what is free: the countryside, human company in groups - making music, dancing and even a bit of open carousing.
What if we in this country are made up of different social groups with different values. How are we meant to accommodate each other? One section of Bristol doesn't think so.
Maybe we are not.
The bankers and the financially driven may go one way, the socially and "quality of life" guys the other, the 'who cares a fuck' another.
I suspect we too in this country are heading for a bust up. We seem to have lost faith in the kind of democracy that we are part of. A democracy that can be seen to favour the 'have's.
Cameron's single minded approach may lead to unavoidable conflict.
How strong is the glue that sticks divided Britain together?
Maybe some would prefer to live in a third world country, minimise world trade, value physical toil, become more self sufficient - live for each other?
Fairness and self worth comes far higher up the scale of what is important to them.
Here we are similarly fed the line that our standard of living is the most important thing in our lives and that we must weather the financial crisis - for whose benefit ?
The EU is made of of countries with very different sets of values. I'm sure the average Spaniard , Irish or Greek has no wish to emulate the Germans. The EU has been brought together to strengthen the finances of its countries - enabling better trade and stability.
What if the people of some counties don't value these attributes but instead value hard physical work, enjoying what is free: the countryside, human company in groups - making music, dancing and even a bit of open carousing.
What if we in this country are made up of different social groups with different values. How are we meant to accommodate each other? One section of Bristol doesn't think so.
Maybe we are not.
The bankers and the financially driven may go one way, the socially and "quality of life" guys the other, the 'who cares a fuck' another.
I suspect we too in this country are heading for a bust up. We seem to have lost faith in the kind of democracy that we are part of. A democracy that can be seen to favour the 'have's.
Cameron's single minded approach may lead to unavoidable conflict.
How strong is the glue that sticks divided Britain together?
Maybe some would prefer to live in a third world country, minimise world trade, value physical toil, become more self sufficient - live for each other?
Monday, 20 June 2011
Having reliable weather information
Jack alerted me to this wonderful site for the next 12 hours of weather.
It actually tells you the radar information for the rain clouds actually in the sky over the last few hours. But with this you learn to estimate where and when the rain in the sky is going to be over the next few hours. Spot on to the nearest km or is it still mile?
Far better than these secondhand forecasts - it's good fun guessing for yourself - as we know, the human brain is a powerful computer when trained with experience! Far more intuitive than any computer so far - well it's good to think this!
So my prediction is that at 8:00 this evening there will be a light sprinkling of rain all of which will have gone by 9:30 - it's now 4:30 !
It actually tells you the radar information for the rain clouds actually in the sky over the last few hours. But with this you learn to estimate where and when the rain in the sky is going to be over the next few hours. Spot on to the nearest km or is it still mile?
Far better than these secondhand forecasts - it's good fun guessing for yourself - as we know, the human brain is a powerful computer when trained with experience! Far more intuitive than any computer so far - well it's good to think this!
So my prediction is that at 8:00 this evening there will be a light sprinkling of rain all of which will have gone by 9:30 - it's now 4:30 !
Congratulations - young people
On Friday evening there was a 'party' at the picnic table at the join of the two paths up Gill Banks.
On my stroll to enjoy the evening air, I came across a noisy group of about twelve young lads and three girls - some were well on the way to being drunk.
They were joined by a car driving, you could say, wrecklessly up the upper path and back down and disgorging another eight or more young lads in the Gill - car number noted - Y878 XFV.
They had promissed to clear up after them.
This, to their great credit they did (unless someone else came along and did it for them early Saturday).
Apart from the high jinks of dumping my bike, which I had carelessly left behind, in the beck, I have no complaints.
This activity led me on Saturday to consider a new ex-stream sport - riding at speed down the beck on a bike. But I resisted the temptation.
Sad however that so many young people turn to drink as a fun activity - resulting in early liver disease and responsible for the kind of antisocial behaviour that we got when the Roxy was open till the early hours, but also, apparently, to a high proportion of hospital admissions as the NHS struggles to cope with what goes wrong in our society.
Perhaps a dance would have been more fun - there are plenty of talented musicians about. Or what about a midnight walk - or would the coughing cows, lurking behind the hedges, have put them off?
On my stroll to enjoy the evening air, I came across a noisy group of about twelve young lads and three girls - some were well on the way to being drunk.
They were joined by a car driving, you could say, wrecklessly up the upper path and back down and disgorging another eight or more young lads in the Gill - car number noted - Y878 XFV.
They had promissed to clear up after them.
This, to their great credit they did (unless someone else came along and did it for them early Saturday).
Apart from the high jinks of dumping my bike, which I had carelessly left behind, in the beck, I have no complaints.
This activity led me on Saturday to consider a new ex-stream sport - riding at speed down the beck on a bike. But I resisted the temptation.
Sad however that so many young people turn to drink as a fun activity - resulting in early liver disease and responsible for the kind of antisocial behaviour that we got when the Roxy was open till the early hours, but also, apparently, to a high proportion of hospital admissions as the NHS struggles to cope with what goes wrong in our society.
Perhaps a dance would have been more fun - there are plenty of talented musicians about. Or what about a midnight walk - or would the coughing cows, lurking behind the hedges, have put them off?
Saying goodbye to sanity
More and more we are experiencing a disharmony in our world.
Injustice is the flavour of the day.
It's always been in our lives but now we can react to it.
Buried emotions are surfacing in abundance.
It's time for a total change of direction in the way we deal with each other - or we shall totally destroy the society we live in.
It seems that we will have to experience pain - some of us a lot of it - before we come to our senses in the way the alcoholics do when they are dangled over the precipice of disaster.
Policians are out of touch because they manipulate a society that is slowly coming to the realisation that they don't like the way they behave.
In the extreme, countries like Greece are going down the path of dramatic change and turmoil.
Many of the same feelings bubble under the surface here in Britain - here in Ulverston.
For the most part, average people are apathetic - they want others to solve their problems for them - the welfare state , the NHS and Education has encouraged this.
Even here in Ulverston politicians try to even control the behaviour of the local people as though they have some influence. They don't - for the most part, they are a ceremonial irrelevance . By using grand council chambers; following archaic procedures and dressing up ; they kid themselves that their views are important. In fact their behaviour and actions are for the most part pointless. We don't respect them.
They rarely follow important issues through.
Take the issue of our market:
Here are some wise words
However note the date - 2009 - so what has happened since then?
We've only got to lose one stall holder - David Gardiner at the plant stall and the whole of the Saturday Market would collapse and with it , inevitably in the long term, shopping in Ulverston.
The repair of the cobbles in Market Street has been totally botched - it looks good but was for the most part unnecessary - and is largely a waste of our money when this commodity is in short supply - as stated by the Amey contractor - Cumbria County Highways have always been crazy. Had the Highways Department supervised contractors in the past when they replaced the cobbles after digging holes then no work would have been needed. A point that United Utilities acknowledged when they returned to make good bad work they had done at the request of - a couple of individuals whose efforts weren't supported by our politicians at the time.
There are plenty of similar issues here in Ulverston: another very important one being car parking in the town with the extreme example of the little used Stockbrige Lane Car Park to which the official; response over a year ago - maybe two - on this blog - was "the matter was under review".
Fortunately we do have many groups of people who do get on and do things - though on occasions their activities are taken over by self important people making a name for themselves.
What we don't need are top down organisations which reflect the views of their "leaders" - organisations that promote apathy and a lack of involvement.
There are encouraging signs though. One local community is getting together to form the BUGs - they believe in action and not talk as exemplified by the transformation that has taken place in Mill Dam Park - a place of great importance to locals.
Councillors have shown little positive interest or support; in fact some have deliberately raised problems with what is being done, but the group has gone ahead despite the broken promises made by SLDC and a small amount of vandal activity.
The BUGs are having an event in Mill Dam Park this next Sunday - there's a very strong positive feeling in this group - why not come and join them.
Injustice is the flavour of the day.
It's always been in our lives but now we can react to it.
Buried emotions are surfacing in abundance.
It's time for a total change of direction in the way we deal with each other - or we shall totally destroy the society we live in.
It seems that we will have to experience pain - some of us a lot of it - before we come to our senses in the way the alcoholics do when they are dangled over the precipice of disaster.
Policians are out of touch because they manipulate a society that is slowly coming to the realisation that they don't like the way they behave.
In the extreme, countries like Greece are going down the path of dramatic change and turmoil.
Many of the same feelings bubble under the surface here in Britain - here in Ulverston.
For the most part, average people are apathetic - they want others to solve their problems for them - the welfare state , the NHS and Education has encouraged this.
Even here in Ulverston politicians try to even control the behaviour of the local people as though they have some influence. They don't - for the most part, they are a ceremonial irrelevance . By using grand council chambers; following archaic procedures and dressing up ; they kid themselves that their views are important. In fact their behaviour and actions are for the most part pointless. We don't respect them.
They rarely follow important issues through.
Take the issue of our market:
Here are some wise words
However note the date - 2009 - so what has happened since then?
We've only got to lose one stall holder - David Gardiner at the plant stall and the whole of the Saturday Market would collapse and with it , inevitably in the long term, shopping in Ulverston.
The repair of the cobbles in Market Street has been totally botched - it looks good but was for the most part unnecessary - and is largely a waste of our money when this commodity is in short supply - as stated by the Amey contractor - Cumbria County Highways have always been crazy. Had the Highways Department supervised contractors in the past when they replaced the cobbles after digging holes then no work would have been needed. A point that United Utilities acknowledged when they returned to make good bad work they had done at the request of - a couple of individuals whose efforts weren't supported by our politicians at the time.
There are plenty of similar issues here in Ulverston: another very important one being car parking in the town with the extreme example of the little used Stockbrige Lane Car Park to which the official; response over a year ago - maybe two - on this blog - was "the matter was under review".
Fortunately we do have many groups of people who do get on and do things - though on occasions their activities are taken over by self important people making a name for themselves.
What we don't need are top down organisations which reflect the views of their "leaders" - organisations that promote apathy and a lack of involvement.
There are encouraging signs though. One local community is getting together to form the BUGs - they believe in action and not talk as exemplified by the transformation that has taken place in Mill Dam Park - a place of great importance to locals.
Councillors have shown little positive interest or support; in fact some have deliberately raised problems with what is being done, but the group has gone ahead despite the broken promises made by SLDC and a small amount of vandal activity.
The BUGs are having an event in Mill Dam Park this next Sunday - there's a very strong positive feeling in this group - why not come and join them.
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