April Chitter Chatter - Part 3

[inu-kijo 0]

hiiii

: 3

[Zoonie 0]

It's ok, no, I wont be voting Labour. Even if I did it wouldn't matter as our constituency has (up to now anyway) had something like 54% of the vote Conservative, and the rest amongst 4 other candidates - this time there are 6 candidates, including for the first time BNP!

In all honesty, I really don't know which way to vote, but I have never liked Gordon Brown and wouldn't vote him as PM even if the only other choice was to do it myself!

My comments before were being polite and restrained for fear of giving offence.
He just annoyed me so much, the callers were all polite and gave him time to speak, but he concentrated on using their first name a lot, and fobbing them off with his prepared script, which didn't answer their concerns.

I was particularly impressed with a lady who's a nurse, working in a hospital and dealing with patients suffering dementia. She told him that no matter what his facts and figures say, working at the very sharp end, it certainly doesn't feel like anyone cares about the Health Service, or is working to finance or help it. To me that's a very valuable comment and information for him - he replied that he'd been very well received when he recently spoke to the Royal College of Nursing.

She also said that when she had her baby, she was a single mother, and she really struggled to return to work, even though, she'd have been financially better off staying home on benefits. And how could that be right?

Now her son is 5 and her child care costs have reduced (as he's at school) but she's still concerned that people are better off on benefits than working.

He didn't address that, but asked her about her Child Tax Credits. She's not claiming them she said as for 8 pages of forms to fill in and an annual declaration to make, for £6 a month, really isn't worth her time.

His answer to that is that she should be getting them and if she left her details he'd follow it up for her *HEAD/DESK*

I swear he's not in the real world!

[Zoonie 0]

Sorry BG, good morning - we have Election Fever here and I'm getting wound up with politicians.



Bee, do you have nationality here now? a dual passport?

[Bee1 0]

Hi Kijo

@Zoonie - that remind me of some phone calls transcripts with bank/credit card call centres that are obviously based abroad (did I post here the one with lady passing away and credit card charging here annual fee because she didn't cancel the account).

I would say most of politicians are so out of touch with real world that they don't have a clue. Dare to ask them how much is a pint of milk and I bet they will be lost!

[inu-kijo 0]

Morning Zoonie.

Yes, sucha gloomy day here, and I have class later.
Not so sore today, so that is good.

[Bee1 0]

Zoonie wrote:

Bee, do you have nationality here now? a dual passport?

No I am EU member so I have right to come and go as I please but still have Czech nationality and passport

[Zoonie 0]

Bee wrote:

...
@Zoonie - that remind me of some phone calls transcripts with bank/credit card call centres that are obviously based abroad (did I post here the one with lady passing away and credit card charging here annual fee because she didn't cancel the account).

I would say most of politicians are so out of touch with real world that they don't have a clue. Dare to ask them how much is a pint of milk and I bet they will be lost!

That's shocking, but sadly not unusual.
I've got to confess I don't know the price of a pint of milk, but I do know that if I want to buy one and haven't got enough money, I can't have it and have to think again!

inu-kijo wrote:

Morning Zoonie.

Yes, sucha gloomy day here, and I have class later.
Not so sore today, so that is good.

Oh no, so sorry - mixed you up with BG! Ooops.
But what you wrote there could pass for BG!

Bee wrote:

Zoonie wrote:

Bee, do you have nationality here now? a dual passport?

No I am EU member so I have right to come and go as I please but still have Czech nationality and passport

Oh yes, I know you're entitled to be here I didn't mean that, I was meaning with the right to vote. You pay your taxes here etc. but presumably you have to have other national status before you're allowed to vote, that was what I'm getting at - what you'd have to do to be registered to vote.

[inu-kijo 0]

Was trying to confuse you a bit since you called me BG, but I guess I got caught.

[Bee1 0]

I don't know but because of my nationality being different to where I live I can only vote in one country (and it's not this one).

It doen't make sense in common sense style - I cannot vote where I live and I can vote where I don't spend more than few weeks a year.

I don't know how much is a pint of milk (as I don't buy a pint) but I know my local shop sells 4 pints of milk for £1.53

[Zoonie 0]

inu-kijo wrote:

Was trying to confuse you a bit since you called me BG, but I guess I got caught.

I didn't look at the siggie closely enough!

Am trying out a Name the Differences comp and it's sending me crazy.
/mega-may-madness-f2/spot-the-difference-t10896.htm

Lucky Strike says the table hasn't moved, but I can see a little gap between the basket of wool and the end of the bench seat at the table - she keeps saying No and I keep saying 'but there is!'

[DawnyDawn 0]

Just trying to jump back in but there seems to be a problem with the page don't know if it's just me or the forum but it's all jumbled up...I'll try again later x

[Bee1 0]

DawnyDawn wrote:

Just trying to jump back in but there seems to be a problem with the page don't know if it's just me or the forum but it's all jumbled up...I'll try again later x

There is something up - the quotes coming out all funny and not how they used to be in darker colour to show the difference

[inu-kijo 0]

on my mac i cant read anythign int he new quotes.

[Zoonie 0]

I thought it was just my page.

The name of the person you're quoting is darker, and the quote is to the left of the box, with your post under and set to the right, but the quote isn't in a box of its own.


Just listening to the radio coming from Greece - national strike and workers are trying to storm the government building! Sounds bad.

[Bee1 0]

I've never worked with Mac - how does that compare to PC?
I know there has been lots of changes lately to make them more similar and stuff compatible with both

[Bee1 0]

They obviously don't have enough to worry about as it is - with the finacial problems they are having right now

[inu-kijo 0]

Gill.... it almost looks like a different table.

check this out:

[inu-kijo 0]

There are a lot of PC to Mac difference... in a lot of different way... honestly i prefer mac 9 times out of 10

but it takes awhile to get used to.

: D

good for graphic design and really computer savvy people.
if you are not doing anything special with your computer... stick to a PC.... like 3 times cheaper.

[Zoonie 0]

Macs are usually much better for design and photo programmes aren't they?
My ED has always used a Mac.

LS is being very pedantic over some of the things, she says I'm still missing something, and saying that something's moved isn't good enough I think, but something is definitely not right with that table - it isn't a different one though is it? Tricky.

Changing the window for one a totally different size, put against the striped background has made it very hard to figure out just what's moved.


This is where I am up to now

[Bee1 0]

inu-kijo wrote:

Gill.... it almost looks like a different table.

check this out:

I would say it's a different table - if you look at the cat in front of it - you will see the table height difference

[Zoonie 0]

Eeek, in Greece there are riot police with tear gas, and rioters have started stoning the police and also someone has lobbed a petrol bomb. Pepper spray and police returning fire at the rioters with whatever they have (not live bullets)


I think the pink table was TWS? I can only find a blue one in the garden store.

[Bee1 0]

OMG that's bad!

[Zoonie 0]

It sounds really, really serious Bee!

[Bee1 0]

I know and you think at this date and time people would be reduced to acting like that.

I know they economical situation is not good right now and they have many many debts and will have to borough money from EU but there must be more to the story if people are acting like that.

[Bee1 0]

as found on BBC:

Greece has been brought to a standstill as angry workers stage a general strike over planned austerity measures.

All flights are grounded and no trains or ferries are running as transport workers join public sector staff who began a 48-hour strike on Tuesday.

Thousands are taking part in rallies in Athens and police have clashed with some protesters outside parliament.

Spending cuts and tax rises are planned in return for a 110bn euro (£95bn) rescue package for Greece's economy.

Parliament is to vote on the measures by the end of the week.

Measures include wage freezes, pension cuts and tax rises. They aim to achieve fresh budget cuts of 30bn euros over three years, with the goal of cutting Greece's public deficit to less than 3% of GDP by 2014. It currently stands at 13.6%.

A mass rally took place in central Athens before protest marches passed through the city.

Outside parliament, a group of protesters swarmed up a flight of steps, taunting MPs to come out and calling them "thieves".

Riot police forced them back with pepper spray, tear gas and stun grenades.

The general strike is the third to hit Greece in as many months.

Meanwhile, the German parliament has begun considering the bail-out plan for Greece.

Chancellor Angela Merkel urged MPs to back the emergency loan package agreed by European finance ministers at the weekend.

It requires Germany to pay the largest proportion of the loans.

"Quite simply, Europe's future is at stake," she said.

The EU has agreed to provide 80bn euros (£69bn) in funding - of which around 22bn euros would come from Germany - while the rest will come from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Flights in and out of Greece stopped at midnight, and trains and ferries were not running. Schools, hospitals, and many offices are shut.

'Anger mounting'

The BBC's Malcolm Brabant in Athens says anger is mounting as people realise how much they stand to lose under the austerity plan.

Tens of thousands of civil servants currently eligible for a lump sum on retirement have applied before the measures are passed, he says.

The government has appealed to demoralised staff in the military, police, schools and hospitals not to retire, fearing the surge in demand for benefits could further drain treasury resources.

Foreign governments and investors are watching events in Greece with concern.

Chris Lowe of FTN Financial in New York told the BBC that the US financial community had been shocked by the violent protests.

"The [US] reaction is that [Greek] people will simply refuse to accept the austerity plan," he said.

"If the Greeks are this upset, then maybe we need to worry about the Portuguese and Spanish and Italians being upset with the cuts they're going to have to make."

Union leaders say the cuts target low-income Greeks.

"There are other things the [government] can do, before taking money from a pensioner who earns 500 euros (£430) a month," Spyros Papaspyros, leader of the public servants' union ADEDY, told Greek private television.

In Athens, Greeks spoke of their anger at the tough economic measures.

Businessman Dmitris Mentis told the BBC that wealthy Greeks had to pay their "fair share of the burden".

"The rich class has been evading taxes for decades now," he said.

Athens-based journalist Christos Michaelides told the BBC: "There is a big fear in the whole of society - a sense of injustice in most of the measures.

"There is a fear that things could get very, very ugly if people don't feel that what they are doing now, in these austerity measures, is going to be worthwhile."

On Tuesday, several thousand teachers and students marched to parliament carrying black flags and banners.

The demonstration was largely peaceful but some scuffles broke out near the parliament building.

The bail-out deal is designed to prevent Greece from defaulting on its massive debt.

However, it must first be approved by some parliaments in the 15 other eurozone countries.

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has said the austerity cuts involve "great sacrifices".

[Zoonie 0]

The people are protesting about how their Government has handled the debt crisis. But, seeing as how much money they're having to borrow from other EU member countries, there will now have to be severe public spending cuts in order to service that new debt.
These riots are to try and break into the Government Parliament building to stop a vote, which is to bring in public spending cuts.

Sky News Says:


Breaking News

12:21pm UK, Wednesday May 05, 2010
Greek Police Clash With Angry Protesters
Alex Rossi, Europe correspondent in Athens
Police have clashed with protesters in two Greek cities as tens of thousands of people join a 24-hour strike over the country's planned spending cuts.

Demonstrators and riot police clash in Syntagma square during nationwide strike over austerity measures in Athens

A large group of people attempted to break through a riot police cordon in Athens

Greece has been paralysed by the national walkout and is effectively cut-off from the outside world.

Flights to and from the country have been grounded, trains and ferries suspended their routes and public services - including hospitals and schools - were also affected.

The general strike is being staged as a protest against a new round of draconian austerity measures.

Police said as many as 20,000 people are on the streets of Athens as rallies around the country kicked of.

In the capital, a group of about 60 people attempted to break through a riot police cordon guarding Parliament.

The protesters launched rocks at the officers, who responded with tear gas.

Violence was also reported in Thessaloniki, where youths were apparently smashing store and restaurant windows.

One man with a tannoy is shouting out for people to rise up against the 'IMF junta'.

Alex Rossi in Athens

The Greek government is attempting to slice 30bn euros (£25.7bn) from its deficit over the next three years.

The country has to save money as a condition of a 110bn-euro emergency rescue package from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.

But ordinary workers are furious - trade unions say their members are having to pay for an economic crisis that has been created by corrupt politicians.

The vice president of the civil servants' union, Elias Vrettakos, earlier told Sky News: "We anticipate one of the biggest shows of industrial action in recent history.

"The measures of the government overtake our historic gains and abolish our rights and return society back to the 1960s."

Other union leaders have called the cuts "savage attacks on workers' rights".

Union members block ferry port

Union members block the entrance to a ferry in the port of Piraeus

Markets around the world remained skittish about the bail-out, as concerns deepened about the economic crisis in the eurozone and fears of contagion.

On the streets of Greece, there was widespread anger.

Militant activist George Pavlopoulos said clashes with the authorities were inevitable.

He said: "People are furious, people from all walks of life... most of the anger is directed against the government that has proven to be more right-wing than Thatcher.

"It will be chaos in Athens, as fights with the police are bound to happen."

The latest demonstration was always expected, but the problem for Greece will be if it continues for months.

A long, hot summer of discontent would seriously undermine any economic recovery.


A correspondent is on the phone saying the mob is of all ages, and it's not just a few who are violent, it's a lot and the peaceful ones are still very angry.
There's also now a building on fire, and people trapped inside buildings.
Oh she's a lady inside the parliament building, who works there and is very scared.

[Zoonie 0]

We cross posted Bee - sorry I was forgetting you can access news sites (silly me)
It's just so shocking hearing it on the radio!


We bored Kijo away I think, oops.

And now I have to leave for a time, see you soon x

[Bee1 0]

byee Zoonie and thank you

I'll be off too - it's lunch hour and it's kind of sunny so I might go for a walk (even though it's very cold outside at least it's dry).

Byee Kijo if you still lurking

[Bee1 0]

I have to say I have not listened radio since I moved out - I'm looking for one though but I have too high standards and not finding what I want.

I want an alarm clock that has DAB radio and also Iphone dock. I have found them for Ipods or if there is one for Iphone then it doesn't have DAB - someone somewhere must do it for less than £100 and nice looking one too.

I will find it one day. Until then.... well I'm off to lunch now actually

Have a great day everyone

[DawnyDawn 0]

Doh! Now it seems to have fixed itself, I have a little time and there's noone around.

Sorry I missed you ... I suppose I better carry on with the work then x

[Zoonie 0]

Darn work always gets in the way - I have so much to do and the computer is FAR too much of a distraction!

Bee if you read back, I listen to digital radio through the Freeview on the kitchen TV set - so I avoided having to upgrade the hi fi and radio, that can wait

I usually have 5 Live on.

[Bee1 0]

I used to listen to LBC in the moning as Mr B had it on his alarm clock/radio but the signal was sometimes hit and miss (that's why I want DAB radio).

[Zoonie 0]

Yes, our signal here isn't so good at all. It annoys me that the bedroom clock radio is so bad...perhaps I can put a new one on my birthday list (and hope!) lol.

I wish I had someone here to make me a mug of tea - it's never the same when I make it myself

[Zoonie 0]

Back later, have to go.

[inu-kijo 0]

I am lurking and out and about. alone at work.... and on the computer.... naughty me.

[Zoonie 0]

KIJO!

I'm online but in another window, oops sorry didn't see you.
Am doing some random gifting as it's PSFC random gifting week - hard to work out who's PSFC and who isn't though lol

[Toulouse 0]

Good evening

Just got home again, sister's BF got a car accident and sister needed to pick him up in a hospital in another town, but she didn't want to drive alone, so I went along

He's fine, has burn marks on his arm because of the airbags and his left wrist is bruised. Car is total loss though, but it's from work, he's getting a replacement car as we speak

[Zoonie 0]

Bit of a shock BG. Glad his injuries weren't worse.

Nice to see you, although I mistakenly thought I'd seen you this morning, and naughty Kijo pretended to be you!

[Toulouse 0]

Yeah we're glad he is okay though, bummer for the car, but it's just a car

Hehehe, yes, I think our signatures still look very much alike, so it might get confusing sometimes

How's your day been?

[inu-kijo 0]

I did nothing of the sort!

: O

[Zoonie 0]

My day's been full of listening to politics prior to the General Election tomorrow, and the news from Greece. - plus some paperwork...so not exciting at all really.

It's still cold here.

[Toulouse 0]

You guys are having elections tomorrow?
We have re-elections mid June, because our government fell (3rd time now...)

And it's also still cold here, am wearing two sweaters... And still not warm enough : (

Hehehe, wifey!!

[Zoonie 0]

Yes, Government Elections.

Gordon Brown inherited his position as Prime Minister from Tony Blair when he resigned (he had been Chancellor of the Exchequer before then) - so he was never actually elected as Prime Minister.
That said of course, we don't vote for who becomes Prime Minister, it's the leader of the party who ends up with the most Members of Parliament (not the most votes necessarily)

There's a chance we'll have a Hung Parliament, when none of the parties have the majority to form a government and so need the support of another party - or, you never know, we could have to have another election?

[Toulouse 0]

Sounds like a lot of fun and seems to be similar to what we have now
I gave up understanding our politics here, there's been such a mess it got all confusing

[Zoonie 0]

Not wrong there, we're in a big mess here too!

[Toulouse 0]

Had to laugh when my sister texted the replacement car her BF got
he is 2 meters tall and got a small tiny Ford Fiesta (as Dawn has and I drive the previous edition), so it is really really small for such a tall man!

[Zoonie 0]

Oh goodness, he's going to have to fold himself up just to get inside of it!

[Toulouse 0]

I'm afraid he will, I hope it's just for a short time!

[Zoonie 0]

Best of luck with that (for him)

I'm sorry I'm a bit in and out - cooking. We're having chilli con carne and rice, and I can't wait.

[Toulouse 0]

Will tell him : D
He's going over to his other car tomorrow, the one that is total loss, I want to see how bad it looks (hope that doesn't sound bad)

Mmmm, chilli con carne, that must be ages I had that!