HUGO
HACKENBUSH WELCOMES YOU TO
THE SOMERSET CHAT ROOM
The
Wessex Tourist Board
are happy to introduce their chatroom for the locals in Somerset. Just
click on the picture of Hugo to the left to enter
the
room. Obviously this site is for locals with similar interests to
chat
to each other. In order for the room to be a success it is necessary
for
you to tell your friends about the room so you can chat to each other..
It is hoped that it will become the networking centre for the locals of
Somerset.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR THIS FIRE IN
DOWELL CLOSE ON XMAS EVE?
The Old Rage Pensioners
As a
pensioner resident of
the block of flats in Dowell
Close that were set on fire on Christmas Eve I am writing to register
my feelings as to those responsible for this event. It appears that
Taunton Deane Borough Council in their wisdom decided some time ago
that areas like Dowell Close which were formerly set aside for
Pensioners were opened up to include people of known mental
afflictions. In Dowell Close two such people were placed some eighteen
months ago. Very soon the trepidations of the pensioners living here
were confirmed and regular reports were sent to the council and the
police about this. The person arrested by the police was never of
sound mind to be placed unsupervised into the community. He has
recently punched one resident knocking a tooth out and then posted
drugs through his letter box with threats, trespassed into another
resident's flat, argued with several residents and been seen prowling
about at night trying to get into parked cars. The police have been in
attendence on several
occasions. Letters have been sent to the council and NHS as this
was
obviously a disaster waiting to happen. The other person has been
abusive to other residents including one who has recently died and her
relatives who came to sort out her home after her demise. He has also
thrown stones at another resident. By allowing these people to be
placed amongst the most vulnerable in the community the Taunton Borough
Council must be held liable. This was a Disaster that was of their
making and they have been negligent in not dealing with it when the
residents repeatedly complained. Whilst the unfortunate perpetrator
will undoubtedly be held responsible I am sure that his mental position
will be realised. However those responsible for placing him there
and failing to respond to complaints are the real people responsible
for this fire which only because of the prompt action by the fire
brigade, ambulance service and police may have resulted in
fatalities. The Editor The
message written above was sent to the local MP,the relevant Local
Councillors, Taunton Deane Borough Council, Local Newspapers TV &
Radio and local Pensioners Forums on December 25th 2011. The police
have also been spoken to. We have, at this juncture, witheld both
responses and further comment because there is an ongoing police
investigation. However we have emphasised that Pensioners in the area
have specific rights to protection and should have been listened to. In
this case they were not afforded such rights or protection.
The Above contacts have
been used by
ourselves in regards this incident
Further to the
article
above we have been writing to the various public sector people and have
come across varying degrees of response & non response. Basically
we have been contacted back by the Police, Taunton Deane Borough
Council Liason Officer, The Taunton Deane Borough Housing Councillor,
The Local Mental Health Office, Jeremy Browne MP, Taunton Pensioners
Forum, The South West Seniors Forum, The Minister For Housing
& Local Government The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP and a twot from the
Housing office at TDBC whose only reply was that she had registered our
editor's letter on his "record". Basically so far from the
Council side the buck has been passed onto central government in
response the Minister's office has quoted chapter & verse showing
that such decisions are made locally. Everyone else has tried to
hide behind the sub judice of the case mentioned above. Our
question has little to do with that case. The case is only the
manifestation of the stupidity of mixing oil with water. The simple
unanswered question is that the buck passers have placed young people
with mental afflictions beside vulnerable senior citizens. This does
not work for either party. The senior citizens are being frightened and
confused and those with mental afflictions have none of their
contempories to turn to. It is our opinion that there is a prima
face case for both parties to take legal action against the buck
passers at least for harassment and at most for substantial damages. We
have found that in the Private Sector a SEO or senior member of a
Company takes responsibility and tries to rectify the position. In the
Public Sector they try and pass the buck. There are many good
people in the public sector but there are also some very rotten apples.
If we do not get satisfactory responses by April 1st 2012 we shall
start NAMING & SHAMING these rotten apples in these columns as we
have done within HMRC in the past in our financial websites. We will
not simply put it on a record but let all & sundry know about them.
They are hereby warned. The pictures on this article are some of those
who are assisting in this matter.
The Editor.
STOP
PAYING HIGH CHARGES FOR 08 NUMBERS FROM YOUR MOBILE
Mobile networks charge a fortune to call “freephone”
0800, 0808 and 0500 numbers. But there are a number of smartphone apps
that can cut the cost of calling 08 numbers from your mobile phone.
Call 0800, 0808 and 0870 numbers for free from your mobile. Despite
most mobile tariffs offering a certain amount of inclusive minutes,
these are limited to UK landline 01, 02 or 03 numbers and other mobile
numbers. Calling so-called non-geographical numbers such as 0800, 0870
and 0844, often used by banks and insurers, will cost you extra. For
example, calling 0800 numbers from an O2 contract mobile phone costs
20.4p a minute. So a 10-minute call to your bank will set you back
£2.04. Calling an 0871 number will cost an eye-watering 35.8p a
minute.
Other networks charge similar sky-high prices. Vodafone charges 14p a
minute to 0800 numbers and 35p a minute to 0871 or 0844. Orange charges
a whopping 40p a minute to 0844 or 0871 numbers. This means a 10-minute
call to your insurance company on an 0844 number will cost you
£4.
But if you grab one of the apps below, you can cut the cost of calling
08 numbers when using your smartphone.
0870
Based on the popular saynoto0870.com
website, this app allows users to
insert the 0870 number they’ve been given and the app searches the
database for an alternative 01 or 02 number which will be included in
your free minutes.
It then tells users the number and gives you the option whether to call
it or not. However, the database is not particularly comprehensive – I
tried several 0870 and 0844 numbers before I found one for which the
app came up with an alternative.
It’s 69p if you have an
iPhone but a similar app for Google Android phones called 'Say
No To 0870 0800 0845' is free.
08 Saver
Costing 69p on an iPhone, this app works in a slightly different way
from the others. Users can search categories such as airlines, banks
and insurance companies and find alternative numbers for a company’s 08
numbers.
For example if you choose “insurance”, and then Admiral, it lists
charged 08 numbers and 01 or 02 alternatives where available for the
insurer Admiral. Users can then decide which number to call.
There’s also a search function where you can look up a company and find
01 or 02 alternatives to its advertised 08 numbers. So unlike the other
apps, you don’t have to know the 08 number you need to call - just the
company name.
This free app works on Android, BlackBerry, and iPhones. It works by
replacing 0800, 0500 or 0808 calls with a 01 or 02 landline
number, meaning you can make the call using your free inclusive minutes
if you’re on a contract or at a lower rate if you’re on pay-as-you-go
(PAYG).
The app itself is fairly basic, allowing you to input a number, view
recent calls made with the app and a short information page, but that’s
about it. Once you have put the number in it will then generate a
number and redirect your call to that number.
0800
Buster works in a different way to the other apps, in that it
isn’t really an app but instead is a landline number you call before
dialling the 0800, 0808 or 0500 number you want.
It works in a similar way to landline prefix numbers. First you need to
visit 0800buster.co.uk and look for a landline number starting with 01
or 02 on the left-hand side of the page. It has several numbers and a
random one is chosen whenever someone new visits the site.
Save the number on your mobile and dial it when you need to call a
0800, 0808 or 0500 number. When you dial the number you’ll be prompted
to tap in the freephone number you want to call followed by the hash
(#) sign. Do this and you’ll only be charged for a UK landline number
which will be free if you have inclusive minutes.
Aftab
Sachak-
The Ex- Eastenders
Actor Convicted of £83,000 Fraud on an old boy
from Streete Court School, Barrington Court
Another Hugo
Hackenbush Exclusive
Aftab Sachak is a British actor, who is based in the United
Kingdom. Born in the United Kingdom, as a member of the wealthy
east-african Sachak family, Aftab enjoyed the life of a "jet-setting
confidence trickster " before studying acting.
He made his television debut in King of the Ghetto in 1986, but is
probably best known for playing the serious minded shop keeper, Ashraf
Karim, in the popular BBC soap opera, EastEnders (1987–1990). Whilst
appearing in EastEnders, Sachak was in fact coping with real life
bankruptcy after incurring much publicised gambling debts, and was even
evicted from his home after his conviction. Sachak has commented: "I
felt like I was stuck in hell, I even thought about suicide."
After putting his and his victims monetary problems behind him, Sachak
concentrated on his career. Since leaving EastEnders he has appeared in
the BBC comedy Waiting for God (1993), Brothers in Trouble (1995), Call
Red (1996), Out of Sight (1996–1998), The Bill (1999), Hope & Glory
(2000), The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003) and Second
Generation (2003) among others. Sachak is also a veteran stage actor
and has appeared in Ayub Khan-Din's stage production of East is East at
the Octagon Theatre, Bolton in 2005.
Sashak was convicted at Isleworth County Court on Monday
October 17h 2011 of obtaining money by fraud from one of his best
friends of 20 years. The former friend, who was a former pupil at
Streete Court School in Ilminster, had some 18 years previous been
engaged to a young lady. The engagement had broken down and the
victim of this scam had not seen or heard of the young lady since.
Then 5 years ago Sachak claimed that he had bumped into the young lady
and she had told him that she was in an unhappy marriage and would love
to once more make contact with the victim again. As "she" was afraid of
her husband she thought it best to make contact through texting.
So began a 5 year session of texts between the victim and as he
thought was the young lady. In fact it was Sachak texting back all the
time. Posing as the young lady he text that "she" was in need of money
and could "she" borrow some. The victim agree and using his good friend
Sachak as go-between passed over in excess of £83,000 over the 5
year period.
Recently it emerged that the lady had no knowledge of the loans and
Sachak had taken the money for himself. He will be sentence oin April
2012.
The government has pledged
£250m to restore
weekly bin collections across the country...
Do you think it's one of your basic human rights to have your
rubbish collected once a week?
Communities and local government secretary Eric Pickles does. Last
week he said: “Every household in England has a basic right to have
their rubbish collected each week", and announced he is setting up a
£250m fund to bring back the weekly bin round.
According to the Government, the move is what most people want and
that the cash will make a “significant difference”. The
majority of
English councils currently run some form of fortnightly collection.
However, only councils that guarantee weekly collections for five
years and demonstrate improvements in recycling and procurement will be
eligible for a slice of the £250m fund.
Labour’s shadow communities secretary Caroline Flint attacked the
changes as a bribe to councils to help Pickles save
face. Environmental
campaigners also railed against the plans saying that fortnightly
collections meant more recycling and less landfill waste. Still no guarantee
Despite this cash offer, the government still cannot force councils
to bring back weekly bin collections.
In fact, a survey by The Daily Telegraph this week found that four
out of 10 councils will not be able to guarantee weekly doorstep
rubbish collections; even in the short term.
Indeed, a quick Google
News search of ‘weekly bin collections’ brings up several local
paper articles detailing the rejections of Pickles’ plans by a host
councils.
So, if you find yourself with a little extra rubbish lying
around,
what can you do about it? Make money from your
rubbish
Here are some simple ways to turn your trash into cold hard
cash: Sell your
broken
rubbish: If it ain’t broke, don’t
fix it. But if it is broke – sell it on! Website simplydrop.co.uk will pay good
money for broken cameras and MP3 players. An alternative is to offer it
on eBay,
providing a fair and accurate description of the item. Many people are
willing to buy broken goods and fix them up when they arrive. Printer cartridges: Cashforcartridges.co.uk
will pay up to £4.50 for some empty ink cartridges or you could
hand
them in at Boots for
100 extra advantage card points. Sell your clothes: There are
several online
portals that allow you to swap your old, unwanted clothes or sell them
for cold hard cash. Try bigwardrobe.com
and whatsmineisyours.com;
both sites are free to join.
Alternatively, you could give your old togs to charity. If you
donate Marks & Spencer clothes or soft furnishings to Oxfam, you'll
get a £5
M&S voucher back in return. Don’t ditch your old mobile: A host
of sites have
now emerged that will buy up your old mobile phone. Envirofone,
Mazuma
and Mopay
will give you an instant price, just by inputting your phones details.
It may also be worth giving eBay
a go, especially if you’re shifting a high-end smartphone.
Read Turn your old mobile phone
into cash for some more tips. Get cash for old CDs, DVDs and computer
games: If
you’ve got a stack of old films, albums and games and can’t remember
why on earth you bought them – then sell them on! One quick and easy
way to do this is to head to Musicmagpie, a site
that allows you to send off all your old discs for a set amount of
cash.
However, as we revealed in The
worst way to sell DVDs,
Musicmagpie doesn’t actually give you the best return on your old media
– as you’re essentially paying for the convenience of quickly shifting
your discs.
Try eBay or Amazon if you’re after a bit more
cash for your old gear. Sell your books: You should never
be throwing out
old books; not when you could be making cold hard cash for them! Greenmetropolis.com is a
nifty site that allows you to pass on your books to other readers – for
a price of course.
BookMooch runs on
a similar
set-up; however this site encourages you to trade books. Every time you
swap, you’ll receive points that you can then use to get hold of other
books.
Old academic text books are another potential cash cow. If you or a
member of your family are heading back to university with a bag load of
old books from previous modules, why not sell them on new students? Try
pinning up lists on department notice boards and student union walls or
even setting up a stand on the campus.
You should also keep your eyes peeled for collectables – especially
if you have a lot of old childrens books. My Editor here at
lovemoney.com recently found one of her childhood books (the riveting
tale of Bertie
the dog and his big red ball) listed for £50 on Amazon.
Check out Sell
your youth to survive the recession for some more tips on making
money from vintage and collectable items. Have a car boot sale: Car boot
sales are great for
shifting a large range of old and unused items in a short space of
time. Head over to CarBootJunction
to find a list of sales in your local area. Pass on large items: There’s no
reason to pay for
ditching old beds and furniture anymore – not when you can give large
old items away! Sites like Freegle,
Freecycle and FRN
allow you to shift your old furniture for free by passing it on to
other households who will come to your home and take it off your hands
– saving you delivery and disposal charges.
The sneaky
way Tesco funds price drops
by Robert Powell I'm
a journalist at http://www.lovemoney.com. After
graduating from the University of
Liverpool I studied for an MA in Broadcast Journalism at the University
of Westminster. You can follow me on Twitter @robpowell_87 or e-mail me
at robert.powell@lovemoney.com
Tesco has made £500m of price cuts across 3,000
everyday products. But all these savings have to be funded somehow...
For
14,000 employees of the supermarket giant Tesco, last weekend was a
long one. Thousands of products were being re-priced as most of the
nation bedded down for a Sunday.It’s all part of Tesco’s biggest
pricing shake-up in 20 years.
Big price drop
Tesco is ploughing £500m
into price drops of up to 30% on over 5,000
foodstuffs. The cuts will focus on everyday products such as eggs,
milk, fruit and veg. Tesco’s own brand products will see the biggest
reductions.
Branded as “The Big Price Drop”,
Tesco says its initiative will give
customers a more straightforward shop. The number of promotions is also
being reduced in favour of wide-ranging lower prices.
But this revamp isn’t all good
news for shoppers.
Halving Clubcard points
Tesco is also making changes to
its Clubcard scheme. In four weeks'
time, the supermarket will award just one Clubcard point for every
£1
spent. That’s half the number currently given away to shoppers.
However, Tesco will be improving
the value of its Clubcard scheme.
The exchange rate for points will rise from three to four times on
popular rewards like Pizza Express and Strada.
The revamp has sparked negative
responses from rival supermarkets.
Sainsbury’s condemned the price-cuts as “classic smoke and mirrors”,
since Tesco will be slashing Clubcard points to fund it.
Asda also shrugged off its rival's
move, pointing to its price
guarantee scheme. Vickie North, Head of Food PR for the supermarket
tweeted last week: “Hi Tesco. One word. Yawn. We were 10% better value
yesterday. We are today. And we will be on Monday. That’s why we have a
price guarantee.”
So is this rehash just a big ruse
on the part of Tesco? Or is it a
genuine leg-up for struggling families?
Cuts on everyday items
Take a look at this table
detailing some of Tesco’s price cuts:
Product
Description
Original Price £
New Price £
% Reduction (value)
Eggs
Tesco free range eggs medium
box of 6
1.48
1.30
-12%
(0.18)
Milk
Tesco semi-skimmed milk
2.272LTR /4 pints
1.49
1.25
-16%
(0.24)
Bacon
Tesco 10 rashers smoked back
bacon 300g
2.48
2.23
-
10%
(0.25)
Tomatoes
Tesco salad tomatoes 1kg
2.00
1.20
-40%
(0.80)
Whole chicken
Tesco fresh whole chicken
5.00
4.00
-
20%
(1.00)
Washing-up liquid
Tesco washing-up liquid
lemon 500ml
0.61
0.55
-10%
(0.06)
Plasters
Tesco assorted fabric
plasters 40’s
1.00
0.83
-17%
(0.17)
Spread
Tesco butter me up 500g
1.26
1.00
-21%
(0.26)
Cheese
Tesco extra mature cheddar
500g
3.99
3.19
-20%
(0.80)
Mince
Tesco beef mince 500g
2.20
1.80
-
18%
(0.40)
Ham
Tesco wafer thin honey roast
ham 420g
3.00
2.40
-20%
(0.60)
Pasta
Tesco Penne Pasta Quills 500g
0.89
0.70
-22%
(0.19)
Cleaning product
Tesco anti-bacterial cleaner
spray 500ml
1.30
1.10
-15%
(0.20)
Source: Tesco
Obviously these figures – obtained from Tesco – are just a snapshot
of the full range of changes. However it is encouraging to see so many
everyday items on the list.
Research conducted in June by Asda
showed that households are about
£60 a month worse off than they were last year. This can be in
part put
down to rising food costs.
Moreover, as the purse strings
tighten, the temptation to turn to
cheap, low quality and unhealthy food is often too great for many
stretched families. This is fuelling the widely trumpeted ‘epidemic’ in
childhood obesity.
Granted, cheap, unhealthy food is
still rife throughout Tesco. But
by taking the step of including foodstuffs like fresh fruit and veg,
meat and pasta in its price cuts, the supermarket should be applauded.
Cutting down on redundant promotions
is also a positive step. For
too long shoppers have been forced to buy more than they need just to
obtain a reasonable single-unit price. This has often led to an
increase in household waste when foodstuffs are not used before they go
off. All in this together
Tesco has made these price drops
after speaking to 200,000 customers
and analysing Clubcard data. And it shows. The supermarket’s move is an
appropriate reaction to the current economic climate and a wise public
relations move for the chain.
As Mark Kleinman noted in the FT,
the language used by Richard Brasher, Tesco’s UK Chief Executive, when
announcing this price-cut was rooted in a common current theme. Mr
Brasher spoke of ‘families suffering under budget pressures’ and the
role of Tesco in helping them ‘make ends meet’. For anyone who’s
watched a David Cameron or George Osborne speech recently, the
sentiments should be familiar. The message from
the supermarket is
clear. We’re all in this
together.
A food
delivery service where
the food isn't delivered?
My
weekends with my little boy are precious, so I want to spend as much
time with him as possible. That’s a big reason why, since the turn of
the year, I’ve tried out the delivery services from a range of
different supermarkets. And without question, Asda’s has been the worst.
A couple
of weeks ago our order from Asda turned up two
hours late,
at 11pm on a Friday night (like all the cool kids, I tend to be at home
on a Friday night). After complaining, the supermarket offered me a
free delivery to make up for it.
Having
failed to learn my lesson, I attempted to use that
free
delivery this past Friday. We got a call from the driver halfway
through our two-hour delivery slot asking for directions (a common
occurrence whenever we order anything, despite the fact that we live on
a main road), and thankfully he was only two roads away.
Sadly, he
ignored those directions and drove past our house.
And
despite trying to call him over the course of the evening, he not only
failed to pick up his phone, he also failed to show up at all. So
instead, I had to waste an hour of my weekend in my local supermarket
shopping for baby milk. Not good.
The first
supermarket delivery service we tried was Tesco,
and
really I had no complaints. The deliveries were almost always on time,
and on the one occasion it was late, the driver had the courtesy to
call ahead of time to warn us. On the negative side, virtually every
time we ordered food, at least one thing we ordered was out of stock
and so had to be substituted for something else.
However,
the best delivery service we have enjoyed, by a
country
mile, is that of Ocado. When you order, you get a text message from the
firm to not only confirm the time of your delivery, but also to tell
you the name of the driver, and even the number plate of the delivery
vehicle.
Even better, on the three
occasions we’ve ordered from Ocado, the
driver has not had to call for directions once. It’s a small thing, but
it makes a difference to me!
Of course, the trouble is that shopping at Ocado tends to be
more
expensive than Tesco and Asda. Indeed, you need to spend at least
£40
just for them to deliver.
And the delivery costs can be a little dear. For example, if
I
wanted to get my shopping delivered this coming Friday night, at first
glance it looks like the 9-10pm slot is £4.99. But that’s only if
you
spend more than £75 – spend less than that and it jumps to
£5.99. And
slots in prime timeslots can climb as high as £6.99.
Meanwhile, with Asda, the same Friday night slot would set
you back
£3 (assuming they ever showed up). And Tesco charge £4.50
for the same
slot, while peak timeslots will see the cost jump up to £6.
The one service I’m yet to try is Sainsbury’s. Having looked
at the
site, for the same timeslot on a Friday night, I’d be paying
£3.95 (so
long as I spent more than £40, otherwise it jumps to £6).
So what have your experiences been of the various
supermarket
delivery services? Are they worth it, or should you just stick to
shopping in store?
TAUNTON
WATCHDOG Are
Taunton OAP's Still Being Taken for a Ride?
by Hugo .Z. Hackenbush
Taunton
Deane
along with Christchurch in Dorset has the highest percentage of Old Age
People in England. Therefore anything to the detriment to pensioners
should be reported. As you may well know the concessions to OAP's are
to be removed for long distance coaches after October 31st 2011. Now we
find out an even more disturbing matter happening in regards to
Somerset transport. For several years now Taunton has had a very good
service called Slinky. This service has picked people up from their
homes and taken them to their preferred destination... and returned
them home. As this is considered a local bus service OAPs with bus
passes use this admirable service for free. This service is
pre-booked and we have been pleased to advertise it on this site for 5
years. The Transport in Somerset service has another service which
provides a personal car service ,manned by volunteers, for which they
charge £2 per head per journey. Again an admirable service.
However
the
people who run these services down at Sixacres have
recently become either confused or something more sinister. Basically without informing the
people who have asked for the Slinky Bus service
they have been sending the car service and the drivers are now
demanding the £2 per journey charge. This has happened to one
local OAP twice in one week. On the second instance a small car with a
volunteer driver arrived at Morrisons for four OAPs ( 2 of
then over 80 and the other two over 70). The journey was very local and
the car could hardly accommodate the driver, the 4 OAPs and their
shopping. For this he demanded £2 each . So he was taking
£8 for the short journey from Morrisons to Bindon Road. This was
in fact higher than local taxi services.
We
did have a
photo of the driver on this site, but as of September 16th 2011
Somerset County Council identified him as one of theirs and we have
removed it. If the driver had shown identification or authorization
when it was requested of him there would have been no need to place his
photo on line. It was his refusal to produce such authorisation that
left us no other option than to photograph him and circulate the
picture. This was done in the public interest in case he was a rogue
operator. In this case the complainant apologises to the driver who was
no more than the messenger in this matter. A person in the wrong place
at the wrong time.
But our complainant was right to be wary as in
London Transport in London are running a campaign to warn passengers
about getting into unlicensed cars, but it appears that Transport in
Somerset in Taunton are not taking this seriously.. See the London
campaign below:
So the OAPs
who go on the same journey each week and were waiting for the bus at
Morrisons for free had to experience a service which turned up over 20
minutes late,refused to show any form of identificationand tried
to shuffle them into a small car and charge them
£8. One of the 4
OAPs is one of our contributors and he informed the driver that he had
no intention of paying the £2 as he had already had the same
experience four days previous and had informed the booking office that
he did not book the car service. He had booked the bus service. The
driver refused to take him. As one of the witnesses below stated
there
was a "heated discussion" which has been blown up out of recognition.
The driver & the complainant were both victims as the fault lay
elsewhere. Our main concern is that vulnerable people are being picked
up by a car without any prior warning that a car will be coming.
Later that day the complainant
rang the booking number and was
answered by a person called Fordham who explained that it was one of
their drivers that there was a
shortage of bus drivers and that they had had to provide alternative
transport which created extra charges and was subsidised.
This
we understand but is it right that OAPs struggling on a limited
budget should be charged in this way? A cost they have not budgeted for
and being blackmailed into paying for on the threat of being left
abandoned as the driver did to an OAP who objected to being
charged
Our contributor would have paid if he had been given the
choice beforehand but he and the others were picked up by the bus on
the outward journey and were waiting at Morrisons for the return bus
when the driver, who the Council have now identified as one of their
volunteers, appeared in lieu and asked each passenger
for £2. Regardless of protestations that the complainant was
informed
beforehand the offices at Sixacres have failed to produce evidence that
they did. The complainant has a telephone that lists all calls received
and no such call shows. Further the other three passengers confirm that
they were not informed either.
To
add your name or write to: Mike Gillingham, Transport in
Somerset,Sixacres, Sixacres Close, Roman Road, Taunton,TA1 2BD (GMGillingham@somerset.gov.uk)
asking
for the return of the charges not contracted for and paid under duress
This is YOUR LEGAL RIGHT.
We will, of course, publish any written
response by Transport in
Somerset.
This story was discussed on BBC Radio Somerset on 12th September 2011
and the representitive of Transport in Somerset agreed that all drivers
should show identity to the passengers and that if a car has to be sent
passengers should be informed prior. However he stated that in the
instance above the passengers were informed. None of them can recollect
being so informed. We have been assured that this will be done in
future. This does not seem to be the case as we are still getting
reports that cars are arriving instead of buses without prior warning.
A lady of over 80 takes a regular trip to visit an old friend in a care
home every week. Last Tuesday September 20th 2011 a bus took her but
unannounced a car came to take her home at the cost of £3.
She did not want to pay but the driver called Sixacres and told her she
would have to. We will continue to publicize this until this matter is
put right. Unfortunately we and our lawyers have received abusive
telephone calls over this article which includes threats of arson and
the murder of our chairman. All calls are recorded and details have
been given to the police.
The Power of the Press?
Guess what Somerset CC have done in response.... they have now made
passengers more vulnerable by telling them that they will no longer
inform regular users that a car is coming instead of a bus! Less work
for Somerset CC and more danger for passengers. Are they aware that
there is a large campaign going on in regards this problem? They
have also turned
down our suggestion that each volunteer car should have a sticker
affixed to its windscreen showing it is approved by Somerset County
Council as normal taxis and minicabs have to. It seems there is one law
for the private sector and another for the public sector.
We
have had several phone calls on this matter. Within minutes of our
publishing this article we received 4 phone calls from tthe same
person.
He purported to be from a firm of solicitors in Taunton telling us to
remove the article. He wasn't. We have researched his number and have
that person's details and email address. Whilst we try and write
accurate news we are open to constructive criticism. We note that this
person helps Help For Heroes which is very admirable. As you will see
from our main Taunton page we try and promote them and our valiant boys
fighting for us all. May we praise him for such work, but please go
about calling us in a fit and proper way.
MESSAGE SENT
THROUGH To Our WEBSITE
This form was submitted: Sep 16 2011 / 16:03:09
by a visitor with this IP Address:86.176.202.80
FirstLastName = Joe Smith
Email = Up yours
Message = You are scum bag who has twisted
the truth, you are pretending to be a lawyer and you are the man in
your column you are a a fruad and I am an oap who uses this service and
you dont speak of me. Print this if you dare but you wont will you.
Thank you I'm actually a vet . You
obviously need a Pat on the back son.
REPLY
The
Informed Investor began publishing from offices at 13 Nottingham Place,
London, W1 (See Picture) in 1972. It started as a printed
publication for Drummond & Co, European Legal & Tax Advisers
since 1966, offering Investments and Insurance.
Long before today's regime in regards commissions Drummond &
Co
pioneered discount selling of Linked Insurance and Unit
trusts- splitting the commissions with the purchaser. Many in the
Industry condemned this and many leading Insurance Groups refused to
take their business. Most of those companies have gone out of business
today & Drummond & Co are recognised as the Company that led
the way. Today 38 years later Drummond & Co still lead the field in
Financial Innovations and have advised both the public and
professionals. As Financial Commentators the Informed Investor have,
over the years,
Informed Investors about dangerous offers and Financial mis-doings
sometimes years before the scandals broke. This we continue
to do through our many websites.These have attracted over 230 million
views. This includes: www.ukinformedinvestor.co.uk, www.chesilbank.co.uk.
We provide a free service for British Tourism and back Britain through:
This form was submitted: Sep18 2011 / 10:10:33
by a visitor with this IP Address: 89.138.111.45
FirstLastName = DAVID J. MOHER
Email = davejmoher@yahoo.co.uk
Message = I have both witnessed this incident and read your website. I
am a visitor to England and am amazed how such a low key difference of
opinion has actually received such coverage. In my country it would
have been far more demonstrative and louder. The complainant was
obviously distressed and all he did from a distance shout to the driver
that he objected to being asked for £2 as he had been expecting a
bus
not an inappropriate car. He was carrying a filled personal trolley and
a walking chair. It looked unlikely that with the other passenger's
shopping as well as the passengers there was inadequate room. Yes he
was annoyed and loud. But he was only asking Questions.
However the driver fueled the situation by telling the complainant that
he refused to take him anyway. In fact I don't believe he could have
and he used the excuse to avoid taking an overweight car. The
Complainant then asked the driver to show identification and the driver
flatly refused.Two older men following their own agenda from a
distance. It was all over in a moment and to his credit the complainant
left the scene. If, as has been written, the driver was an
authorized
representative of the local Council he should have both shown that he
was instead of irritating an old man who was understandably
apprehensive and hesitant to get into the car. On the other hand the
complainant should have moderated the volume of his voice. The Driver,
in a position of responsibility, failed to use the basic communication
skills to diffuse a really minor situation instead of fueling it. Which
he had a duty to do. I have witnessed far worse in an infants play
group.... just two grumpy old men who should have known better. My
sympathies were for the other passengers and I was apprehensive enough
to write down the car registration number in case your
complainant was right in his apprension. I must thank you for providing
my family with such a comprensive and interesting website on
Taunton..... we will be back.
Thank you for
visiting our lovely town.
MESSAGE
SENT THROUGHto
our WEBSITE
This form was submitted: Sep 18 2011 / 16:10:05
by a visitor with this IP Address: 86.153.174.46
FirstLastName = Matt Paynter
Email = matt2481@yahoo.com
Message
= Dear writer I have been following this story with some interest as I
bore witness to the heated discussion at the Morrison's car park and I
must say that the gentleman with the car was very undeserving of the
treatment dished out by your complainant. On the whole it was very
disturbing to witness such behaviour from an OAP to a gentleman just
trying to help. Your write up should be aimed at the correct people and
not an individual. I do hope your web site will post this comment as I
think it's very important for freedom of speech and the integrity of
this site if its to be taken seriously. Regards Matt Paynter Thank you.
Obviously you have grasped the point. This article is not about a
driver ,who failed to show authorization, but about the people who
caused the heated discussion MESSAGE
SENT To OUR WEBSITE
This form was submitted: Sep 18 2011 / 22:27:08
by a visitor with this IP Address: 213.120.211.100
FirstLastName = Mark Lewis
Email = markjameslewis@fsmail.net
Message = Surprise surprise you
did not publish my email because it was factual and observed by four
people I must agree with the first person Joe blogs john smith whoever.
You are a fraud and a disgrace and you report bias B**l S**t. People
like you make me laugh you are quite pathetic and did not even reply to
my personal email as I left my address. You are farcical and a joke and
you have the audacity to claim you are credible website. All you
publish is one sided opinions to put over your point of view. You are
deplorable and disgraceful and you claim to be a lawyer or within this
industry no wonder there is so much scum on the streets. Talks about
selective reporting!
Mark Lewis Unfortunately we
can find no trace of an email from the above Visitor. In case of error
I live in Embryo, which as you may know is in the vicinity of Wishful
thinking.
POLICE
are appealing for witnesses after a couple were assaulted following a
dispute about a taxi hire.
The assault
occurred at 3.15am on Saturday, October 15 2011. A couple had been out in Yeovil
socialising when they were involved in a dispute over the hire of a
taxi. A 17-year-old
woman was hit in the face and an 18-year-old man was pushed to the
ground. The suspects are described as a
group of four or five white males. Anyone who
witnessed the assault or knows who is responsible is asked to contact
Avon and Somerset Police on the non-emergency number 101.Alternatively, phone the independent charity Crimestoppers
on 0800-555111.
Cabbie Stabbed By Passenger
17th September 2008
A taxi driver is recovering in
hospital after being stabbed by a passenger in an unprovoked attack on
the outskirts of Taunton. The victim, who is in his 50s and
has not been named, sustained serious but not life threatening
injuries. He was then
bundled out of the cab by his attacker, who drove off leaving him at
the side of the road. Police
later stopped the white Fiat vehicle near Bridgwater with a stinger
device and arrested a teenager in connection with the incident shortly
after 2am yesterday (Wednesday). Officers raced to the junction of
Kingston Road and Corkscrew Lane, in Taunton, after a caller from Ace
Taxis reported one of the firm’s drivers had been attacked with a
knife. They found the
driver, who is in his 50s, at the side of the road suffering from stab
wounds to his leg, hand, arm and buttocks.
A MINEHEAD
cabbie convicted of sexual assault on a female
passenger is still taking fares in the town.
Paul Gunter, 30, of Timberscombe, has been
registered as a sex
offender after he fondled a pregnant woman's breasts while taking her
home from a town centre shopping expedition.
A jury found him guilty at Taunton Crown Court on August 18 but the
hearing was adjourned until September 29 for pre-sentence reports.
Gunter was released on bail on con dition he does not carry female
pas sengers in the front passenger seat of his cab. He was told on
August 21 his Hackney carriage drivers licence was being suspended by
West Somerset Council.
The ‘You don’t have to pay your bills’ scam
by Tony Levene of Love Money If you get a text
offering to help you write off
your credit card debts, don't fall for it
I've
been hit by a plague – not of locusts but of texts and phone messages
telling me I don't have to pay my credit card and other unsecured loan
bills.
One even told me I could escape £2,310 - even though
none of these texters and callers can know what I owe or don't owe. But
this promised freedom from debts does sound truly amazing.
It's also easy. I don't have to emigrate to the Gobi
desert to escape my creditors or build a bailiff proof wall around my
home. The beauty of this plan is that it is legal. In fact, it is
actually sanctioned by new laws – or so the above mentioned texts and
phone calls assure me.
I bet not too many readers knew that!
So I can go on a crazy spending spree, knowing I need never bother with
the bills. Sheer heaven.
Here's one text. “Due to new legislation,
records indicate that you can now apply to have it written off.”
And someone who described himself as “just working
in the call centre of a major claims management company” told me if I
had a pre-2007 credit card, it was “likely that I did not have to pay a
penny.”
It only costs £499
So how to find this financial nirvana?
All it costs is £499 (and that
would be added to my
credit card, whose debts would be almost certainly null and void so it
was really free!!!) plus I would get that £499 back in the remote
possibility that this did not work.
What these claims management companies (all subject
to light as a feather Ministry of Justice regulation) all maintain is
that credit cards and credit agreements before 2007 may not comply
exactly with sections 77 and 78 of the Consumer Credit Act. In a
nutshell, these firms say, this puts the onus on the credit provider
(the bank) to send a copy of the original agreement if the customer
requests it. Failing to do so within 12 working days means the consumer
can regard the agreement as unenforceable.
The same freedom can be obtained, they say, if the
credit company failed to give proper written notice of interest rate
changes or variations in the credit limit.
Now, according to a number of blog sites, some
people have managed to achieve this – especially a few years ago when
some banks decided it was cheaper to roll over than to fight this in
court. They don't roll over any more.
Now here's what the claims management people don't
tell you.
What
they won’t tell you
Assuming you win because an “i” has
not been dotted
or a “t” crossed, unenforceable does not mean the debt is wiped out. It
means it cannot be enforced through the courts. That won't stop the
banks entering your failure to pay on your credit record
– so no new mobile phone contract let alone a mortgage – and it does
not stop debt collectors calling you. It won't stop the bank cancelling
your card.
Plus, it does not prevent the bank selling the
unenforceable debt to one of those companies that buys up old debts for
a penny or two in the pound. They have no legal right to enforcement
but they often have more graphic methods.
But even if the bank says it cannot find your
original agreement, a legal decision (a December 2009 case known as
Carey vs HSBC but it included other banks and other customers) that the
claims people won't mention says the bank can “re-constitute” the
contract. The bank may not be able to find your particular paperwork
from 10 or 20 years ago, but it will have a sample so it can re-create
the original. And unless you still have your copy of the document, you
can't challenge it (it will probably be correct, anyway).
Once this is done, the debt becomes enforceable
again.
Get
out clauses
The other supposed “get-out” clauses
– not informing
about interest and credit limit changes – are covered in most terms and
conditions.
The debt management companies send out almost
identical letters costing around a tenner so it's good earner. And you
can't ask for your money back if they can show the debt is legally
unenforceable.
But don't expect a £499 refund if lenders find other
ways of getting their cash or punish you with blacklisting. The claims
people will argue they did what they set out to do – and you won't find
a claims company to take your side in any subsequent dispute.
Banks are not the most attractive firms around. And
you may have some sympathy with those who can't pay. But those who
won't pay - and those that profit from encouraging borrowers not to pay
their debts - simply put up the costs for the rest of us. Follow me on twitter @tonylevene1
TAUNTON
DEANE BOROUGH COUNCIL CANCELS XMAS
& GO DECIMAL WITH THE 10 MONTH YEAR
Ref:
H81/7/7/057/5 For The Attention of Amanda
Oaten
Housing Property Services
Priory Depot, Priory Way, Taunton, Somerset TA1 2BB
An
Open Letter also being Published on the
Taunton Website of the Wessex Tourist Board.
Dated 1st August 2011
Dear Ms Oaten
I
have today had your regular
epistle
pushed through my letter box telling me that there is a Statutory
Requirement for me to have an annual safety inspection and service of
all gas and solid fuel heating appliances installed in my home. Now,
heavens forbid, I do not allow these inspectors in every ten months ( I
presume you all work a 10 month year & that is why Pension changes
are essential) I start getting your ever stronger epistles. As I said
10 months ago you are wasting council tax payer's money by paying for 6
"annual" inspections every 5 years. Whilst you are wasting money many
of your former co-workers have lost jobs because of cut-backs. I'm sure
that they and the rest of council tax payers will be alarmed to learn
that Xmas and Guy Fawkes have been canceled this year as the Council
has decided that November & December no longer exist. In my calculation I am
due to
legally to
be inspected etc on October 12th.... not July 29th. I shall, of course,
obey the statutory law, and allow the inspection in October. We may
then celebrate the birth of Jesus on his real birthday on October 25th
and I may then wish you season's greetings.
Sincerely
yours, Michael
Davey
(Wessex
Tourist Board)
Con-Man
Selva Carmichael to star and produce
Bollywood Movie in Chard
after
his earlier appearance at Bristol
Jail!!!
Selva
Carmichael , real name Selvaraj
Narasimman, 46,( Known as El Con by Daily
Mirror readers) who wooed investors with trips abroad and promises of a
quick return on their money, was jailed for four-and-a-half years in
Bristol Jail for cheating
investors in a Spanish property scam. Carmichael, who operated his
company,
The Carmichael Corporation, from offices in Bristol, offered people the
chance
to invest in property options or plots of land in the Spanish resort of
La
Manga. But soon after the operation began in 1996 "the whole thing was
falling
to bits". Most of the investors never saw their money again
including
one woman who lost £100,000. Despite a police raid on his offices
in
1997, Carmichael continued to trade as normal, telling investors that
it
was "all a mistake" and blaming the police for his problems.
Promising
investors that he was going to transform the La Manga resort, the
self-proclaimed multi-millionaire, "wooed" his investors with
lavish trips to apartments in
Spain and promised them a 100% return within six months. Carmichael
pleaded guilty to nine counts of obtaining money transfers by deception
and one count of attempting to obtain property by deception. It was not
known what Carmichael had done with the money. After that
he conned people in the village
of Coin outside Marbella when he started managing the old BBC village
of
El Dorado. Stating that he was best friends with Richard Bransom
who he called Branston and that he rode with royalty. It did not
take long before he was exposed by the Daily Mirror and ousted from
Coin & El Dorado.
He also opened a
restaurant in Newcastle Upon Tyne and fell foul of the local health
authorities and was
fined.
Then from "the Mail
on Sunday"
21 May 2006 by Tony Hetherington:
"ONETV
is a shambles. The Advertising Standards Authority upheld 65 complaints
against the company, all from viewers who said goods had not arrived
and OneTV had failed to refund their money. The company in Colchester,
Essex, whined that several top managers had quit. And it is true that
four directors have walked out in recent months, but that is just the
start of it. Trading in the company's shares has been suspended and
customers seeking reassurance from the friendly smiles of presenters
displayed on OneTV's website should know that some of them have jumped
ship as well. Debbie Flint is one of the bestknown faces on various TV
shopping channels, but despite appearing on OneTV's website, she quit
last month, announcing: 'I have decided not to present any more OneTV
for the time being.' Hinting at problems behind the scenes, she offered
her
good wishes to employees 'during this difficult time'. The people
really facing
difficulties though, are the customers like the couple in Buxton,
Derbyshire,
who told me they paid £97 for a DVD recorder to be delivered by
Christmas.
When it had not arrived by January, they cancelled, but months later
were
still awaiting their refund. In the face of all this, OneTV boss Graham
Avery,
61, will say absolutely nothing. Avery, who has
half-a-dozen
other directorships, is probably too busy driving between his
television
studio in Colchester and his home in Ipswich in his luxury Mercedes.
But
at least he is more savoury than one of OneTV's owners, 45-year-old
Selva
Carmichael - he prefers this to his real name, Selvaraj Narasimman
."
Guess
what!
Hackenbush
found con-artist Selva Carmichael in a winebar in Chard on Wednesday
13th December 2006 spouting his next venture, and giving out his card
under the name of a dissolved company. ( He is banned as a Company
Director and been made bankrupt twice).Mr Selva Car
Michael is now self-styled President of SELVASCREEN INTERNATIONAL
PLC.
His card reads:
SELVASCREEN INTERNATIONAL PLC
Film
Financing Film Production Film Acadamy Film
Documentaries
MR SELVA CAR MICHAEL
President
Tel: +44 (0)1753 651700
Fax:+44 (0)1753 785737 Mobile :+44
(0) 7841 262 2066 Email: selva@selvascreen.com
Website www.selvascreen.com
On
Location To The Manor Born at Cricket St.Thomas
or is it another El Dorado?
or
in OneTV's studio selling
Sponsorships.
Our Search shows: Company Details -
SELVA SCREEN INTERNATIONAL PLC Registered No. 05189862 Address: CGC 33-01 25
CANADA
SQUARE CANARY WHARF LONDON E14 5LB Type: Public limited with
share capital
Incorporation Date: 27/07/2004 Status: Dissolved
company. Last Accounts Filed: - Last
Accounts Analysed: -
See: http://www.ukdata.com/company-listings/Se-59.html
He
pays by American Express card No 374289252191009. He claims the
Company is owned by his wife and a friend, but it has been dissolved. He arrived in
Chard on Wednesday 13th December & announced he will be filming and
starring as the Indian Prime Minister in his Bollywood spectacular in
February at Cricket
St.Thomas & that he wants to shut Holyrood Street for filming.
This article has been followed up by
the Western Daily Press see:
Response
from Mr Selva Car Michael... alias of Selvaraj Narasimman
I will try
and reply the best whey I can and I trust this might clarify the
situation and I hope you reflect on it.
In
la manga , i felt that at the time there was a great potential in
acquiring land on option and hold them for a period of time and ofload
them for a profit and thus make monies for a small number of investors
. As you expect a large proportion of monies were laid out by myself ,
my immediate family and a small
group of friends, we started well but because our lack of understanding
of
spanish laws and things taking longer then our prediction we
encountered financial
problems and we just ran out monies thus the predicment we got
ourselves
into and some late investors losts monies and in any business there are
risks
for high returns. since i owned the
company I am responsible for the outcome, To deal with spanish was
difficult enough but to be caught up in their system was even more
difficult. Because of non payment of promised dividends the police
became involved and their presence made in more difficult for us to
proceed to finalise matters on behalf of us and our small number of
investors and all we were delayed. I pleaded non-guilty
to charges for over 5 years but on the trial week I was advised that
these matters were complicated for a simple jury to understand and
against my better judgement pleaded guilty. on sentencing i realised
that i should have pleaded not-guilty and tried very hard to change the
plea on the basis that i made a mistake but failed. on you have pleaded
guilty you know the rest. I didnt wish to enter into something to lose
monies for me or my investors but these were circumstances beyond my
control. We were in La- Manga when a few people knew it ,its fair to
say its a popular resort. I am involved in
other business including the one you potray , but as for One TV , i
invested in shares with Mr Graham Avery with a group of friends and
have no direct involvement in the management of One TV and have sold
that stock a long time before it surfaced the company was in trouble ,
unfortunately the reporters in papers concerned are not the most
credible and tend to make up their own stories and I taking legal
advise on how to handle it. I have new been the owner of
One TV or had anything to do with the management. I took time to
respond to this, I have never said that I was closing any street for
filming, I am working on a film project and at cricket st -thomas
witness by two individuals and i am even more baffled why you placed my
card number and its a clear violation
of privacy , we came to your bar had drinks and paid for it and left. I
trust
you will remove it .Should anybody use it clearly you are responsible
as
a manager of the pub and i will inform the authorities. I didnt
come
to chard to con anybody as you portray and I trust you do understand .
I
took the time to write this and when I am chard next I will pop in to
see
you.
Kind
regards,
selva
Second
email from Selva Carmichael
I have e-mail
this article to my lawyers and asked them to look into the content as
its although you based in on article that are written are wholly
un-true and are under litigation you are demed liable for its content
and clearly gone to other receipient and liablious. will be in contact
soon.
Kind regards,
selva Editoral Comment: We are amazed to
learn that twice
bankrupt Selva Carmichael has money to invest in both a restaurant and
One TV whilst the poor investors who lost their money, when he failed
to buy the Spanish Land Options for them,
have not seen a penny in retribution. The authorities should look into
where
the money he has to invest eminated from. It is all very well a man
being
convicted on 9 counts, but in excess of £1 million disappeared
never
to be found. Innocent citizens lost life savings and the perpetrator
continues
on his merry way.From
1997 Mr Carmichael was asked to produce the purchased options &
always
stated that they were elsewhere or some other feeble excuse. If he was
innocent
he only had to produce them. He never did.By any chance we are
a
website
protecting unwary readers- not a pub
Some of
our special
services- Click on name of your choice
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BUSINESS
BANK ACCOUNTS Has
Your
Business Bank Account Been Closed or have
you been Refused a Business
Banking Account? Hit Back for Just GBP £50 or USD
$75
Having
Trouble Getting a Bank
Account to pay and receive money ? If you have a Personal Bank
account
the Chesil Bank will assist
you set up
facilities for your business to accept
payments on the internet or by phone through credit/debit cards or Paypal in your Company
name. The cost to set up this facility
is a once off fee of GBP £50 or USD $75 regardless of status. These benefits could really make
a difference to the smooth running of
your small business banking transactions.
So,
you're fed up dealing with "Customer Services"
on
general-purpose contact e-mail addresses. Are you not getting replies,
or not getting the
replies you want? Time to take it to the top! As they say fo to the
organ grinder, not the monkey. Chief Executive Officers
(CEOs)
are very reluctant to publish their e-mail addresses. This page
attempts
to redress the balance by publishing the e-mail addresses for the CEOs
of
some UK companies, government and other organisations. We believe in
letting
the "little people" get noticed.
Some tips when e-mailing:
Be polite
Keep the information concise and to the
point
Include customer reference numbers or
invoice
numbers,
if applicable
Include a brief history of the issue, if
applicable
Do not accept being passed back to
"Customer
Services"
or elsewhere within the organisation
Insist on a reply from the CEO
If you're working as part of a campaign group,
send
a personal, individually-created letter. Letters which are cut/pasted
from
a standard template will invariably receive a standard template
response
in reply... Good luck with your enquiry!
OUTSOURCING
IS A SYSTEMATIC CAUSE OF RECESSION IN BRITAIN
Every penny earned before 1pm goes
to HMRC, Every £1 you earn before lunch goes to the taxman. What
have you achieved this morning? According to some new research, all
you’ve actually managed to do is meet your tax obligations! Nothing to
show for it
According to
some
calculations by Fidelity International, your morning’s work is all to
the benefit of the taxman. The firm looked at how much of our daily
earnings find their way into the taxman’s coffers, using VAT, National
Insurance and Income Tax. And remarkably it found that for basic rate
taxpayers working 9am to 5pm, every penny they earn before 1pm goes
directly to HM Revenue & Customs. It’s even worse for higher rate
taxpayers, who have to labour through until 1.45pm before they see any
return on their efforts. So why does
the
Government in this recession allow outsourcing outside of Europe? Do
the employees of call centres, accountants etcin areas outside of
Europe pay UK taxes? No.
Recently
Birmingham City Council announced that they were going to outsource to
India. Are these idiots really serious? Instead of promoting local jobs
they are depriving Birmingham of money. Firstly those being made
redundant go on Jobseekers allowance and maybe Housing Benefits and
Council Tax Benefits. Then the local shops and services lose out as
there is less spending power. All round they create more recession.
This has got to stop- we suggest that where British Companies servicing
British people in Britain outsource outside Europe then the fees paid
for that outsourcing should be exempt from being accepted as a trading
cost and disallowed to be shown as such in their accounts. If you know
of companies doing this let us know and we shall shame them and others
can avoid using them.Click here to contact us
POLITICAL CORRECTNESS HAS
BEEN
IGNORED BY MANY COMPANIES AS ILLUSTRATED ABOVE The following was written on www.firstfoot.com
There has
been much
outrage
in the Scottish broadsheets recently about the membership policies of
the
Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers who hosted the British Open
golf tournament
at Muirfield golf course in East Lothian.
Apparently,
these
terrific
chaps have a far-sighted way of dealing with members who are other than
male, white, anglo-saxon and rich. FirstFoot takes some liberties in
the paraphrasing,
but basically the rule reads:
If
ye
dinnae
huv a white willie an' a big fat wallet, then fuck aff, yer no getting
in
an' ye cannae play oan wurr golf course eether. Naw, dinnae send us any
questions,
jist fuck aff.
FirstFoot
applauds such
progressive
thinking in this age of increasing liberalisation. However, we would
suggest
that the following rules should also apply:
No blacks
No mentally handicapped
No socialists
No muslims
No
lesbians or gays
No
musicians
No female
underarm
hair
No
working class
riff-raff
No
newspapers apart
from
The Telegraph
FirstFoot would like to
see a new
Bill
in the Scottish Parliament making all Honourable Company of Edinburgh
Golfers
golf courses public parks. The Bill would also allow for the running of
free
busses from all Scottish urban housing estates.
Cannabis
cafes
would be allowed and help centres for gay one-legged lesbians would be
opened.
OUR OPINION OF
POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
Political correctness was
devised by ignorant people who do not understand Adjectives. For an
adjective is a descriptive word which illuminates a noun. Therefore
such adjectives as coloured, fat, thin, Scottish, Irish, Jewish,
Catholic etc etc are virtually legislated against. However in their
place swear words have become everyday occurance. If this is progress
then let's be retrograde. We were pleased to visit a toy shop the other
day and see the return of the Golly.
The
earliest Golliwog (or Golliwogg as he was originally called) is the
hero in books of verse written by Bertha Upton in the 1890s, and
illustrated by her daughter Florence. The mother and daughter worked
together on twelve illustrated books, all featuring the gallant little
character and his adventures travelling to such exotic destinations as
Africa and the North Pole, accompanied by his friends, the Dutch
Dolls.Though
the original Golliwog character was a kindly fellow always lending a
hand to those in trouble, later authors portrayed him very differently.
Over the years he became a rascal, was often up to no good, and even
portrayed as a mean spirited character.
In
1910, Golly became a mascot for Robertson's jam, and millions of
Golly pins--the Cracker Jack prizes of the British Commonwealth--were
collected, traded, and hoarded by jam-addled Brits everywhere. [They
still are. This snap is just a fraction of the collection at
gollycorner.co.uk.] Robertson's only retired Golly in 2001.
Consequently
his reputation slid and because of his poor reputation and dark colour,
he began to be considered "politically incorrect". The "politically
correct" reference is now "Golly". During the past few years, possibly
because of the centennial of the creation of the Golliwog, he has again
become popular, this time not with children so much as adult collectors
and Golly artists.And yet the marmalade-n-pin thing has to have created
a lot of non-racially tinged associations of childhood nostalgia, too.
Let's hope he
will soon return to our
jam jars as a much loved and revered member of Britain's multinational
community.......
Then
the
following
were not politically correct. Churchill smoked cigars, Wilson smoked a
pipe,
Walter Rayleigh introduced tobacco (wacky-baccy) and Tommy Cooper wore
a
fez.
The Column
that looks out for
your interests. 
Why
I’ll never shop at Asda again
by 
John Fitzsimons of Love Money
on 26 September 2011 
OUTSOURCING
IS A SYSTEMATIC CAUSE OF RECESSION IN BRITAIN
Recently
Birmingham City Council announced that they were going to outsource to
India. Are these idiots really serious? Instead of promoting local jobs
they are depriving Birmingham of money. Firstly those being made
redundant go on Jobseekers allowance and maybe Housing Benefits and
Council Tax Benefits. Then the local shops and services lose out as
there is less spending power. All round they create more recession.
This has got to stop- we suggest that where British Companies servicing
British people in Britain outsource outside Europe then the fees paid
for that outsourcing should be exempt from being accepted as a trading
cost and disallowed to be shown as such in their accounts. If you know
of companies doing this let us know and we shall shame them and others
can avoid using them. Click here to contact us
As a
pensioner resident of
the block of flats in Dowell
Close that were set on fire on Christmas Eve I am writing to register
my feelings as to those responsible for this event. It appears that
Taunton Deane Borough Council in their wisdom decided some time ago
that areas like Dowell Close which were formerly set aside for
Pensioners were opened up to include people of known mental
afflictions. In Dowell Close two such people were placed some eighteen
months ago. Very soon the trepidations of the pensioners living here
were confirmed and regular reports were sent to the council and the
police about this. The person arrested by the police was never of
sound mind to be placed unsupervised into the community. He has
recently punched one resident knocking a tooth out and then posted
drugs through his letter box with threats, trespassed into another
resident's flat, argued with several residents and been seen prowling
about at night trying to get into parked cars. The police have been in
attendence on several
occasions. Letters have been sent to the council and NHS as this
was
obviously a disaster waiting to happen. The other person has been
abusive to other residents including one who has recently died and her
relatives who came to sort out her home after her demise. He has also
thrown stones at another resident. By allowing these people to be
placed amongst the most vulnerable in the community the Taunton Borough
Council must be held liable. This was a Disaster that was of their
making and they have been negligent in not dealing with it when the
residents repeatedly complained. Whilst the unfortunate perpetrator
will undoubtedly be held responsible I am sure that his mental position
will be realised. However those responsible for placing him there
and failing to respond to complaints are the real people responsible
for this fire which only because of the prompt action by the fire
brigade, ambulance service and police may have resulted in
fatalities. The Editor
Further to the
article
above we have been writing to the various public sector people and have
come across varying degrees of response & non response. Basically
we have been contacted back by the Police, Taunton Deane Borough
Council Liason Officer, The Taunton Deane Borough Housing Councillor,
The Local Mental Health Office, Jeremy Browne MP, Taunton Pensioners
Forum, The South West Seniors Forum, The Minister For Housing
& Local Government The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP and a twot from the
Housing office at TDBC whose only reply was that she had registered our
editor's letter on his "record". Basically so far from the
Council side the buck has been passed onto central government in
response the Minister's office has quoted chapter & verse showing
that such decisions are made locally. Everyone else has tried to
hide behind the sub judice of the case mentioned above. Our
question has little to do with that case. The case is only the
manifestation of the stupidity of mixing oil with water. The simple
unanswered question is that the buck passers have placed young people
with mental afflictions beside vulnerable senior citizens. This does
not work for either party. The senior citizens are being frightened and
confused and those with mental afflictions have none of their
contempories to turn to. It is our opinion that there is a prima
face case for both parties to take legal action against the buck
passers at least for harassment and at most for substantial damages. We
have found that in the Private Sector a SEO or senior member of a
Company takes responsibility and tries to rectify the position. In the
Public Sector they try and pass the buck. There are many good
people in the public sector but there are also some very rotten apples.
If we do not get satisfactory responses by April 1st 2012 we shall
start NAMING & SHAMING these rotten apples in these columns as we
have done within HMRC in the past in our financial websites. We will
not simply put it on a record but let all & sundry know about them.
They are hereby warned. The pictures on this article are some of those
who are assisting in this matter.
Ref:
H81/7/7/057/5
So,
you're fed up dealing with "Customer Services"
on
general-purpose contact e-mail addresses. Are you not getting replies,
or not getting the
replies you want? Time to take it to the top! As they say fo to the
organ grinder, not the monkey. Chief Executive Officers
(CEOs)
are very reluctant to publish their e-mail addresses. This page
attempts
to redress the balance by publishing the e-mail addresses for the CEOs
of
some UK companies, government and other organisations. We believe in
letting
the "little people" get noticed.
