Second Shot

So, major high street brand shops are backing the Conservatives on their proposal to maintain the National Insurance as is (whilst Labour are proposing a few percentage rises over the next few years). Sounds like a plan, really, getting taxed less. Even I like the idea of that.

But think about it, and I’m not trying to be cynical, if the working people get taxed less then they have more money. More money that needs to be spent because they will have disposable income.

And where are they going to spend the money? In shops.

And which shops? Oh, those major high street brand shops.

What, you don’t mean, like those that are supporting the Conservatives? Why, what do you know, yes!

So, they get our money, our hard earned cash? The money that they helped us save as a result of voting in the Conservatives? You mean, the whole thing was a self-fulfilling selfish profit making scheme? Well, I guess so.

Bastards! I wish I didn’t follow like a sheep and think that the major high street brands knew what they were doing.

Oh well, only another five years.

Seems like the whole of July just came and went. Well, not really, just obviously nothing particularly interesting happening. Except for going to Lille with Ting for a city break, which was very nice and well recommended. My French was as bad as I thought it would be.

Anyway, you’re all probably still wondering what the hell I’m still doing here (Steven’s Last Night in Town, for all you Ben Folds Five fans). Well, it’s all gone a little thrupney bits up with the Toronto malarkey. Having finally written my email to the guys in Toronto with a committed date, I get the call that one guy has taken a year absence of leave and the other has just resigned. Hah! I laugh down the phone. Quite incredulous is what I was thinking; having done everything we needed to to get my visa ready, it all folds in.

I didn’t know what to think really although my hope didn’t initially burst; I was quite alright about it for some reason. Like it was all a bit of a joke, thinking that I’ll get there eventually. But recently I’d been getting a bit sulky about it and I’m none too certain what would make me go there now. The main thing I’ve come to announce is to ensure that the guys over in Toronto has the same amount of enthusiasm as the original two had, and that they can convince me and give me the same level of confidence as when I started the whole process.

It’s been a bit deflating, which at the time I hadn’t thought it would. Now I’m wondering if I’m stuck here or do I go for it anyway. I’m on the fence but unbalanced towards staying at the moment. Still, there’s the flipside that I can stay and enjoy my time with Ting a while longer.

Just stop with all the pep talk, people. It’s not worth it and we can see straight through it, especially when it looks and sounds like there’s no commitment to the words when they’re coming out of your mouth.

Although, I don’t know why I care, I’m (potentially) going to Toronto (Toronto!). Maybe.

Not content with causing mass hysteria, Apple let a baby killing application onto their online shops.  Idiots.

Well, the British Government seem to be at it again; let’s attack one of the most common forms of entertainment by stating it leads to death.  Not just death, but DEATH TO YOUR CHILDREN!!!

Fucking twats.

Seriously, why lead the advertisement by depicting gaming as one of the forms of entertainment that could lead to premature death.  What about reading a book, listening to music, watching a film?  All of these lead to nothing more than sitting down and doing nothing.  But, oh no, just because it’s what all the kids seem to be doing now, that’s got to be it.  Kids don’t go around biking anymore, not like they used to.  They don’t go outside anymore; they’re the modern day vampire.

Because, quite obviously, gaming can’t beat reading for intellectual improvement; listening to music is cultural diversity; and watching a film is… well, something else.  But gaming?   Oh no, we can’t be doing that.  We can’t be inviting friends around to our homes, interacting with them, having a SOCIAL life, having FUN and make a noise about it!  Nope, you must sit and be quiet.  You must not discuss matters.  Do not pass Go; do not collect £200.

Really, it’s all utter crap.  I can’t be bothered to go through all the pies that the gaming fingers are in, all the diverse forms of entertain that are rolled into one single package, that there might be something for everyone to enjoy.  Can’t be arsed, because the UK government can’t be arsed to research into gaming before making it the lead cause to early DEATH OF YOUR CHILDREN.

Watch the banner advert; they couldn’t even be bothered to get the children to concentrate on the task at hand without them looking at the camera and attain eye-contact to make sure that they’re doing the right thing.

Surely the government is more of a RISK TO YOUR CHILDREN!!! than those aforementioned forms of entertainment.  At least we’re not out there stabbing people.

They want to cut the quality of the food in NHS hospitals in a bid to drive down carbon emissions and achieve their 80% carbon reduction target!  Ha ha ha ha ha!!!

Aaah, that’s a good one, isn’t it?  There’re tears in my eyes.

Tears…

Tears from fucking crying with shame!

Jesus, can’t they find a better way of disguising the fact that they want to cut costs in NHS hospitals rather than wrap it in an excuse that – amazingly(!) – coincides with their endeavour to do good for the world?  Utter, utter crap.

Spouting numbers and percentages for the news to regurgitate, saying how much carbon is released through farming, transporting food stock, cows’ bums, etc. etc.  Really, if they’re serious about achieving the 80% cut then they are going to have to do a lot more than reduce the amount of roast meats and home-made pasties that they’re targeting.  Why don’t you stop deliberating about hydro-turbines and stick some down.  Yes they’re going to effect the local ecology, but then this really won’t be a worry if you there’s no bloody planet for there to be an ecology on, is there?  So are you really all that worried or concerned about achieving the target in the first place?

In fact, let’s set some priorities straight first, before we go around on an anti-Atkins diet regime.

Idiots.

I wish that they’d just shut up and forget about ‘utilization’ figures and actually take a look on the shopfloor to see what the fuck we are doing.

Because, yes, I would indeed love to be 50% utilised, if only that meant I could spend 18-hours and 45-minutes fucking around doing jackshit.

If we [read: our group] are being continually beaten up about low utilization then why don’t you give us a code that we can book to to make the figures look nice? I don’t get it as bad as this but there are others who do, and it really really makes me angry.

They’re not making things good, people aren’t happy, and soon – I’m sure – they’ll lose some key people. Maybe that’s the whole idea, what with the lack of work and ‘the way the economy is going’. Really, now. I’m not saying that I’m first in line – quite probably far from it because I’m a sucker for punishment – but it’s really fucking me off.

I’ll do my job and you do yours, like getting me projects that account for company income.

Gnnnaaah…!!!!