tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42067238318834866152024-03-14T18:49:31.520+00:00Bristol DaveThings that piss me off in Bristol, and the UK in generalBristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.comBlogger427125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-55399486456850911872011-02-02T10:48:00.001+00:002011-02-02T10:48:44.943+00:00Relaunch soonWatch this space.Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-55313540689040088102010-09-22T21:17:00.002+01:002010-09-22T21:45:08.257+01:00The truth about Bristol City Council and Open Source SoftwareI've been contacted by someone who is trying to get a perfectly reasonable comment past the moderators on The Register for <a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/09/22/bristol_city_open_source_microsoft_mix/">this article</a> which almost reads like an advert for Bristol City Council's IT department. The fact they're not letting this comment through speaks volumes.<br /><br />So what is this information?<br /><br />Well, it concerns this:<br /><br /><blockquote>The council has been seen as something of a poster child for open source public sector contracts in the past. In November 2004 it declared plans to shift 5,000 workers off proprietary desktop software over to Sun Microsystem’s StarOffice 7, in a move it said at the time would save £1.4m by 2009</blockquote><br /><br />I'm told this is <b>not</b> how it went down. Apparently, there were a number of terrible decisions made with this roll-out, chief of which was to not set the default file type that it opened/saved to Microsoft Office, instead keeping it at OpenDocument Format. Apparently this was done because it's the "European Standard" (never mind that it's <b>not</b> any kind of standard, given that nearly all companies use MS Office), but this decision, combined with poor communication and training of staff resulted in many,many staff thinking that they wouldn't be able to open and save the MS Office documents they and external companies used, so they applied for an "Exception", ensuring they could still use Office.<br /><br />So what's the outcome of this?<br /><br /><b>At the end of the StarOffice roll-out, there were more individual MS Office licenses purchased and in use than before.</b><br /><br />So instead of saving £1.4m they actually <i>lost</i> money. <br /><br />Nice to see they're so honest about it.Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-17042627284071257082010-09-21T12:45:00.002+01:002010-09-21T13:05:36.241+01:00Ugh, I feel sick<blockquote>A YOUNG Catholic who received a personal blessing from the Pope during his visit to the UK said it has given her <a href="http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Pope-s-blessing-amazing-moment/article-2662425-detail/article.html">renewed hope and faith.</a></blockquote><br /><br />Really.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.b3tards.com/u/eeabacdfbe9b2d3d4819/popeices.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 350px;" src="http://www.b3tards.com/u/eeabacdfbe9b2d3d4819/popeices.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><blockquote>Alice O'Neill, from Westbury-on- Trym, was among more than 3,500 Bristolians who visited London and Birmingham over the weekend hoping to get a glimpse of the Holy Father during his four-day trip.<br /><br />Among them was TV presenter Sherrie Eugene-Hart, who led prayers in front of 80,000 people and <b>described the event as like "being backstage at a Michael Jackson concert".</b></blockquote><br /><br />Is this because the pope is practically dead too?<br /><br /><blockquote>When she kneeled at his feet, Pope Benedict XVI took her hand and gave her a blessing.<br /><br />Miss O'Neill said: "I can't describe how amazing a moment it was.<br /><br />"I was right next to him and he gave me a blessing. It was mesmeric, just <b>so profound.</b></blockquote><br /><br />Nice, so he limply grabbed her hand and mumbled something indecipherable at her. Yes, very profound indeed.<br /><br /><blockquote>"He is such a gentle man. He sometimes seems stern when you are far off and from the things he says, but his messages are so hopeful.</blockquote><br /><br />Like his messages that condoms actually increase the spread of AIDS, or his extensive covering-up of child abuse within the church?<br /><br /><blockquote>"But if there had any danger of me drifting away from the church there isn't any more. It has really confirmed my faith."</blockquote><br /><br />Confirmed your delusion, more like.<br /><br />The wonders of the cult of personality.Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-25347612915581314072010-09-14T11:13:00.003+01:002010-09-14T11:34:24.656+01:00Turns out nobody gives a fuckAbout a <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11292846">religious nutter in a dress</a> visiting the UK.<br /><br /><blockquote>Thousands of tickets remain unsold for events during the visit of the Pope, who arrives in Scotland on Thursday. <br /><br />The largest organised event is an open-air Mass at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow on the opening day of Pope Benedict XVI's trip to the UK.<br /><br />The capacity has been reduced to 80,000 after a slow take-up of tickets.</blockquote><br /><br />When <b>will</b> the god botherers realise that they religion just isn't relevant in today's society? Nobody gives a fuck - and that's how it should be. As far as I'm concerned, religion is a personal thing. If you're stupid enough to beleive in some made-up deity written about in a work of fiction, then that's entirely your choice. But don't fucking foist it onto me.<br /><br />And I'm fucked if the taxpayer should <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11180862">pay for the pope's visit</a>. If the god-botherers think he's so important, why the fuck don't THEY fund his pointless fucking visit in its entirety?<br /><br /><b>FUCK YOU, you arrogant, bible-bashing, child-abuse-advocating, outdated, irrelevant, invented-deity-worshipping CUNTS.</b>Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-62415467316048740472010-09-11T01:03:00.003+01:002010-09-11T12:57:41.502+01:00Bring it on!So the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11267103">BBC reports</a> that the government is going to ban wheel clamping on private land, but that motoring organisations have claimed that the mouthbreathing, knuckle-dragging fucktards that currently affix clamps to our cars will instead turn to ticketing.<br /><br />Fucking brilliant! Bring it the fuck on.<br /><br />Why?<br /><br />Because currently if some orangutan in a van clamps your car, there's not REALLY a lot you can do. You can try and remove it without damaging it and return it as lost property, you can angle-grind it off (hoping they don't catch you in the process) and you can pay the extortionate "release fee".<br /><br />With tickets, it can just go straight in the bin, and there's not a lot they can really do to you. They can take you to court, but they're never going there due to their shady business practices. They're just going to rely on the 30% of fucking idiots who will just pay up without question.<br /><br />I can't wait.Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-35154992622429646302010-09-08T21:05:00.004+01:002010-09-08T21:24:46.433+01:00Tinishya MarshallA local girl who's currently <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-11225502">missing</a>.<br /><br />Now, obviously the family are distraught, and I wouldn't want to wish a missing child on anyone.<br /><br />She went missing in Southmead, which the non-Bristolian readers will probably remember was the setting for the "Cor blimey, aren't chavs racist" Panorama episode. A particularly nasty chav area of Bristol.<br /><br />However, a couple of things sprung to my mind at least - firstly, "Tinishya"? <i>Really?</i> How the fuck are these chav parents coming up with these <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCdmiZyyGjQ">ridiculous names for their kids</a>? Do they just throw a handful of Scrabble letters on the floor and draw inspiration from that?<br /><br />Secondly, nobody bar the Daily Mail (of course) has really mentioned the fact that she's 14 with an 11 month old daughter - I'm assuming because becoming pregnant at 12 or 13 is just the norm now.<br /><br />Which is why it's <i>particularly</i> amusing that <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=683521452">her mum</a> who set up the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=155793271099581">Facebook group</a> about Tinishya has "<a href="http://welikeit.org/like.php?id=2&ref=sgm">When I was your age, I lost my tooth. Not my virginty.</a>" listed as one of her "likes" on Facebook. Oh, the ironing.<br /><br />If anyone needs descriptions of Tinishya and her daughter, Sophie (at least she chose a normal name, for fuck's sake) they were both wearing velour tracksuits at the time. Yes, even the 11 month old daughter. As if you needed telling that.Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-46409331215348419432010-09-08T21:03:00.000+01:002010-09-08T21:04:41.410+01:00Sorry I fucked off for so longI kind of ran out of things to talk about. Politics had got boring, nothing really local happening, no juicy council info. A lot of people have gone the same way. Only I decided to come back.<br /><br />And straight back in with...Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-57802111853513948482010-09-08T14:33:00.001+01:002010-09-08T14:33:48.546+01:00Returning soonIf anyone still reads this?Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-76552636922647552032010-07-09T01:03:00.002+01:002010-07-09T01:07:43.209+01:00*** Ashton Court Festival Replacement Cancelled ***<blockquote>Unfortunatley [sic] this concert has been <a href="http://www.musical-concepts.com/Default.aspx?pagename=Ashton-Court-Summer-Nights">cancelled</a>.</blockquote><br /><br />But, but.... 12,000 people were supposed to attend! Or at least, that's what the Evening Post article said, even though they were charging silly money for tickets.<br /><br />Wonder why it's cancelled? Did they just read the mood of Bristolian people wrong, or is it partly to do with the fact that <a href="http://bristoldaverants.blogspot.com/2010/01/ashton-court-festival-replacement.html">my post slagging it off</a> comes second in the Google search results for "Ashton Court Festival"? *evil grin*Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-90668431606403427342010-07-08T22:48:00.002+01:002010-07-08T23:25:27.549+01:00Pickles was rightHe might look like a fucking walrus, but his <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/10517915.stm">scathing attack on Local Councils</a> was of course, bang on.<br /><br />Why was he bang on?<br /><br />Because look at the fucking <b>SHIT</b> that our old friends Bristol City Council are having the temerity to <a href="http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/FIRMS-FACE-TAX-PARKING/article-2393186-detail/article.html">foist upon us</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>EMPLOYERS in Bristol face a new tax of hundreds of pounds a year for every parking space they provide for their staff.<br /><br />The city council is looking to introduce an annual "work place levy" on companies that provide staff car parking spaces at their premises.<br /><br />The move is intended to force more commuters out of their cars and on to their bikes or the city's buses.</blockquote><br /><br />Those would be the buses that are punctual, cheap, and reliable, would they?<br /><br /><blockquote>Details of the scheme are thin on the ground and the amount to be charged has yet to be decided but it has already been branded a "tax on businesses".</blockquote><br /><br />No, it's a "tax on commuters". Businesses will pass the cost onto employees that park because they won't be able to afford to/won't want to pay it.<br /><br /><blockquote>The council says it is "exploring the potential" of the scheme</blockquote><br /><br />I bet they fucking are.<br /><br /><blockquote>which would be most likely to affect businesses in central Bristol. The authority says it would pay for its own staff parking spaces if the tax was brought in.</blockquote><br /><br />Fucking unbelieveable. So the Council is going to pay itself, using it's own money collected from council tax payers? Glory fucking be! And how much will that cost to do, whilst achieving the square root of precisely fuck-all?<br /><br /><blockquote>Bristol City Council hopes that charging companies in this way will force more people on to public transport, reducing taxpayer-funded subsidies and making more money available for transport improvements.</blockquote><br /><br />But Bristol City Council hardly subsidises public transport anyway! The only one I can think of is the Night buses. And <b>who the fuck</b> are the Council to "force" people onto public transport anyway? That's not their fucking job. They are there to provide services, not force whether people use them or not. I can just imagine what the transport improvements are, a couple of bus lanes here and there, maybe a cycle path. And it gets better....<br /><br /><blockquote>The levy could be seen as an example of the new advice given to the West of England Partnership – the body comprising all of the former Avon area councils – to make life "more difficult, more awkward and more expensive" for drivers.<br /><br />The Post reported on Tuesday that the partnership was told to get tough on motorists by the Transport Planning Commission, a consultation body that includes the University of the West of England, Bristol Primary Care Trust, <b>cycling charity Sustrans and the city's main bus operator, First.</b></blockquote><br /><br />You just couldn't make this shit up, could you? Fuck, and we thought things were bad at the moment.<br /><br /><b>Fuck you, BCC. Where is the carrot you fucking <i>promised</i> us before the stick?</b> Fucking where? It's dried up and mouldy and lying in the gutter, that's where it is. Go fuck yourselves, you bunch of statist control-freak cunts.Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-82321895257004313312010-07-08T00:31:00.002+01:002010-07-08T00:34:06.432+01:00Sorry, what?<blockquote>Why does the BBC keep losing <b>talent?</b></blockquote><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/48282000/jpg/_48282858_stars.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 466px; height: 260px;" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/48282000/jpg/_48282858_stars.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Come <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10544221.stm">again?</a> Talent, you say?Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-90246261663763849662010-07-02T08:17:00.003+01:002010-07-02T09:04:25.551+01:00Nice work if you can get itThe six-figure salaries of more than 150 bosses of taxpayer-supported quangos have been <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/politics/10482482.stm">published</a>.<br /><br /><blockquote>The highest sum listed was the <b>£394,999</b> paid to Olympic Delivery Authority chief executive David Higgins.<br /><br />He was one of <b>eight</b> senior figures at the body earning in excess of <b>£200,000</b> a year.</blockquote><br /><br />Fuck <i>me</i>. That's fucking insane. The list is available in <a href="http://download.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/transparency/ndpb-high-earners.csv">CSV</a> and <a href="http://download.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/transparency/ndpb-high-earners.xls">XML</a> format, and of particular interest is the "Organisation" Column, as it lists just some of the ridiculous organisations ("Horserace Betting Levy Board", anyone?) whose CEOs get huge salaries paid by us.<br /><br />And fucking for what?<br /><br />What the fuck is Alan Davey, the Chief Exec of The Arts Council, for fucks sake, doing for taxpayers to justify him earning over £150k? Or the Neil MacGregor, the Director of the British Museum, who puts away over £175k a year? Who the fuck even <i>are</i> "Buying Solutions" (Alison Littley, £150k), "Directly Operated Rail" (Elaine Holt, £180k), "Postcomm" (Tim Brown, £150k), or the "Waste and Resources Action Programme" (E Goodwin, £160k)? What the fuck is the "Olympic Delivery Authority", with a salary bill of it's directors alone well in excess of £2million, and how does it differ from the "Olympic Park Legacy Company"? Why the <i>fuck</i> does the Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, who let's face it - just make fucking maps, deserve a taxpayer-funded salary of £190k? What the fucking hell are they really doing for the taxpayer?<br /><br />A bunch of these people aren't even fucking full-timers. Lord David Rowe-Beddoe of Kilgetty, for example, earns £35k-£39k a year (which is a perfectly respectable salary) as a Deputy Chair of the UK Statistics authority, but he only works 4 days a month. David Norgrove is the Chairman of the Pensions Regulator and earns £110k a year, which I would say is still too much for a taxpayer-funded salary, until you realise he's only a fucking part-timer working 3 days a fucking week.<br /><br />Sack the lot of them! I don't for one second buy this bullshit that they need to offer a decent salary to "attract the right people" - bull<i>shit</i>. They never attract the right people anyway. And what the fuck do these poeple do all day? Really? I'd wager they sit in "meetings" that achieve the square root of fuck all, and occasionally send emails to the organisation rambling about "strategy", "direction", "low-hanging fruit", and "enabling change". <br /><br />I don't know how any average taxpayer can't read this list and not get fucking livid.<br /><br /><b>We could save a lot of money by cutting every one of these salaries in half</b>. And would the country be worse off for it? Would it fuck.Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-7590047075923260752010-06-30T14:11:00.000+01:002010-06-30T14:12:13.752+01:00Oh, for fucks sakeI think I'm going to be <a href="http://cupidtino.com/about">sick</a>.Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-3839176405884622442010-06-29T12:31:00.002+01:002010-06-29T12:40:39.636+01:00Renewable Energy - Waste of fucking timeJust ask the residents of the <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/10445344.stm">Isle of Eigg</a>.<br /><br /><blockquote>esidents on the Isle of Eigg have been trying to use household appliances less after a lack of rain affected its hydro power schemes.<br /><br />The island community has won awards for its renewable power projects, which charge batteries to provide homes with electricity.<br /><br />Eigg Heritage Trust secretary Maggie Fyffe said islanders were using items such as toasters as little as possible.</blockquote><br /><br />Are you sure you want the UK to have renewable energy generation after reading this? The Greenie sandalistas need to wake up and smell the fucking coffee. Green energy might make them feel cosy inside but the inconvenient truth is that it's just not something you can rely on and it costs a fucking fortune. And does this mean we'll have a ban on toasters and electric power showers if we go for a totally renewable power supply?<br /><br />The telegraph reports <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/hydro_electricenergy/7858960/Power-rationed-on-green-island-Eigg-after-mild-weather-causes-drought.html">that</a><br /><br /><blockquote>The trust is now planning to spend part of its £300,000 share of the prize money on more solar panels to prevent a repeat of the shortages in future years.</blockquote><br /><br />Which still won't be enough.<br /><br />Nuclear is currently the only way forward. When will the environmentalists learn?Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-16927770909995891032010-06-28T18:42:00.003+01:002010-06-28T18:49:41.450+01:00*** Shirley Brown Guilty ***There you go, turns out black people can be racist - Shirley Brown has been found guilty of racially-aggravated harassment of Jay Jethwa in Court. This is the same Shirley Brown (née Marshall) who stated <a href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2280252.ece">that black people can't be racist</a>, as well as claiming her Councillor's allowance whilst "ill" (read as :spending most of her time in Florida).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/01/13/article-1242838-07D7F5FC000005DC-338_468x350.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 468px; height: 350px;" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/01/13/article-1242838-07D7F5FC000005DC-338_468x350.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><b>Fuck you</b></span>, Shirley, you fat, racist piece of shit.Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-32428950875735597952010-06-27T14:32:00.003+01:002010-06-27T14:35:07.931+01:00Staggering hypocrisy from the ex-Nazi man in a dress<blockquote>Pope Benedict has joined mounting Vatican criticism of raids by Belgian police investigating alleged child sex abuse, calling them <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/10427935.stm">"deplorable"</a>.</blockquote><br /><br />What does he consider the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_sex_abuse_cases">child abuse apparently rife within the Catholic church</a> to be then?<br /><br />Fucking hypocrite. Deplorable, indeed. Tell that to the parents of the victims that these priests undoubtably abused.Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-77342807280271200762010-06-18T13:37:00.002+01:002010-06-18T13:45:16.846+01:00Oh, I quite agree!** With the <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/10347585.stm">bus driver</a>, that is.<br /><br /><blockquote>A pregnant mother says she was forced to get off a bus because the driver was disturbed by her toddler's behaviour.</blockquote><br /><br />I expect the other passengers were disturbed by it too. And I'm not wanting to draw stereotypes on the names, but...<br /><br /><blockquote><b>Sharon Tracey</b>, 35, said she was told by the driver to keep her two-year-old son <b>Brandon</b> quiet on the number 62 bus in Plymouth, Devon.</blockquote><br /><br />And as if by magic, *Ping!* - the chav mum arrived.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/48109000/jpg/_48109956_bus3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 170px;" src="http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/48109000/jpg/_48109956_bus3.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><blockquote>She got on the bus with Brandon who was in his pushchair.<br /><br />She said: "He had been in town, he was fed up and hot and was <b>screaming</b> to get out.</blockquote><br /><br />The other passengers must have <i>loved</i> you.<br /><br /><blockquote>"I was doing my best to keep him quiet.<br /><br />"The driver turned round and said if I did not shut him up we would be thrown off.<br /><br />"I tried in vain to keep him quiet as I felt a bit embarrassed."</blockquote><br /><br />Don't tell me, you threatened him with a smack. Always seems to work for every other chav mother with a screaming kid, doesn't it? No?<br /><br />This is why I avoid public transport. You have to share it with the public and their screaming fuck-trophies.Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-52699911502810532272010-06-16T14:28:00.004+01:002010-06-16T14:52:57.759+01:00Hug A GypoOr at least, attend expensive training courses on <a href="http://www.swcouncils.gov.uk/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=339&tt=swra&eventStatus=list&eventAction=view&eventId=2432">how to do so</a>.<br /><br /><blockquote>This one-day event is suitable for those with contact with Gypsy and Traveller groups and for anyone whose work impacts on Gypsies and Travellers to explore the fundamental differences between different travelling communities. It is of particular benefit for Elected Members, planners, <b>social inclusion officers</b>, education and health workers.</blockquote><br /><br />Sounds like a barrel of laughs. Really.<br /><br /><blockquote>Gypsy & Traveller Awareness – exploring the perceptions, myths, history, traditions, culture, ceremonies and <b>etiquette</b> relevant to the various Gypsy & Traveller groups</blockquote><br /><br />Gypo Etiquette? Is that like warning people you're going to break into their house before you do, or bothering to write "tax in post" on a scrap of paper for your Van?<br /><br /><blockquote>Gypsy & Traveller Panel – (a question and answer session) the panel will consist of representatives of different traveller groups including Romany, Irish and New Travellers</blockquote><br /><br />"I like dags."<br />"Do you like caravans?"<br />"Tarmac yer drive?"<br /><br /><blockquote>Tolerance and Acceptance – engaging with the settled community by rebuilding pre-conceived perceptions and breaking down barriers</blockquote><br /><br />See, this is the problem. The hand-wringers that run these courses (including <a href="http://www.swcouncils.gov.uk/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=339&tt=swra&eventStatus=list&eventAction=view&eventId=1262">this one</a>, <a href="http://www.swcouncils.gov.uk/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=339&tt=swra&eventStatus=list&eventAction=view&eventId=2444">this one</a> and <a href="http://www.swcouncils.gov.uk/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=339&tt=swra&eventStatus=list&eventAction=view&eventId=2461">this one</a>) live in a world far separated from reality where they simply cannot concieve a situation where Pikey Gypo's are just a bunch of theiving cunts. It's not the Gypo's that are the problem, trashing taxpayer-funded sites that are all too willingly provided for them, stealing from local houses and shops, burning out cars, and getting into fights - <b>it is of course the <i>settled community's</i> fault</b> for having "pre-conceived perceptions" about Pikeys.<br /><br />Fucking unbelieveable.<br /><br />You may have noticed I hate Gypo's, Travellers, Pikeys, whatever you want to call them - this is for good reason. Why should they live on sites provided for them at my and your expense when they can clearly afford to support themselves? Why are they able to get away with not paying a penny in tax (whilst demanding more from the state) when they are not temporary, and are clearly planning on inhabiting the site for as long as they can? Next time you drive past an "official" traveller site, take a look at the cars parked there. Gone are the days of the battered transit van towing a caravan - you're much more likely to spot brand new Mitsubishi L200 pickup trucks.<br /><br />That's not to say these sites are tidy, or that now they can afford brand new trucks they treat the area they live in or anyone who lives there with any respect. They still ensure that the place looks like a fucking shit-tip, and <a href="http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Cribbs+Causeway&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=18.723967,39.506836&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Cribbs+Causeway&ll=51.522605,-2.590545&spn=0.001207,0.002411&t=h&z=19">this one</a> near Bristol is a good example (notice all the rubbish strewn around the outer perimeter of the site).<br /><br />Scum of the fucking earth. It's almost worth paying the Course fee (which you'll notice is aimed at public sector employees, so will be funded by the taxpayer) just to put questions to the Panel of Pikeys, like "Why is it you feel that sites should be provided for you at the taxpayer's expense, when you drive brand-new pick up trucks with a retail value I can only dream of?"Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-2297461675321182402010-06-16T13:01:00.001+01:002010-06-16T13:02:33.407+01:00I'm back!Sorry for the disappearance, too much going on outside of blogging. Normal service (in fact, better service, since blogging has been sporadic of late anyway) to resume ASAP.Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-80119115023134490042010-06-03T15:20:00.003+01:002010-06-03T15:25:51.522+01:00Official: Bristol City Council is racistBristol City Council has banned white people from applying for an £18,000-a-year traineeship because it wants to <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/7793539/Council-bans-white-candidates-from-training-programme.html">boost staff diversity</a>.<br /><br /><blockquote>The two-year scheme at Bristol City Council is only open to candidates from black or ethnic minority backgrounds because the "normal recruitment process was not rectifying" under-representation.<br /><br />The authority said the programme, which takes on two people a year, is lawful under race relations legislation because it is only a traineeship and does not guarantee a job at the end of it.</blockquote><br /><br />And who do you think would support schemes like this?<br /><br /><blockquote>But Kerry McCarthy, a Labour MP in Bristol, said: "I would support schemes like this. It gives people an opportunity."</blockquote><br /><br />Why on earth do Bristol City Council give a fuck <i>what</i> colour the people they employ are? Shouldn't they just be happy they've got people who are good at the job? It's not up to them to "redress the balance" - or at least, I didn't think it was.<br /><br />The mind fucking boggles.<br /><br />And how the fuck do they think that banning white people from applying will increase the numbers of black people applying to the job? Either way, apparently in their eyes, discrimination is perfectly OK, so long as it's against white people.<br /><br />The fucking hand-wringing racists.Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-89329831905326290052010-05-27T12:39:00.003+01:002010-05-27T12:42:10.367+01:00Cutting public sector waste - but not in BristolTake a look at this job advert in the <a href="http://jobs.guardian.co.uk/job/995157/place-making-director-for-bristol?RSSSearch=0&gusrc=gu_jobs_box_Business&link=Business_jbx_vac&INTCMP=ILCBUSTXT191">Grauniad</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>Place-Making Director for Bristol<br /><br />c£72k + Benefits (2 year fixed term)<br /><br />Bristol<br /><br />Vacancy Ref: 22111<br /><br />Place-Making for a city is about ensuring that it is perceived as somewhere that is attractive to live, work, study, invest and do business in, as well as to visit. As Bristol's Place-Making Director one of your key roles will be to develop productive relationships with stakeholders, developing a common sense of purpose based around a shared understanding of Bristol’s sense of place, in order to improve Bristol’s economic competitiveness.<br /><br />You will be expected to originate creative ideas for developing, reinforcing and enhancing Bristol’s sense of place and to work in partnership with others to make this happen.<br /><br />We're looking for someone to help us distinguish our city from all others, and create a sense of pride in Bristol. Someone with:<br /><br /> * Brand development and marketing experience, for complex products or places.<br /> * A good awareness of trends in branding, economic and city development.<br /> * A good understanding of local government, public sector and commercial business environments.<br /> * Senior management experience.<br /> * Ability to successfully drive a business agenda and manage multi-stakeholder relationships.<br /> * A creative thinker with highly developed interpersonal and influencing skills.<br /> * Sound interesting? Then we'd love to hear from you.<br /><br />For further information visit: www.bristol.gov.uk/jobs<br /><br />For an informal chat, phone Jon House on 0117 922 2420.<br /><br />Deadline for applications is 2nd June 2010.<br /><br />Interviews will be held on 7th June 2010.<br /><br />Closing Date: 2nd June 2010.</blockquote><br /><br /><b>ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FOUR THOUSAND POUNDS</b> to "enhance Bristol's sense of Place"?<br /><br />What the fucking fuck?<br /><br />Jandroid, you should be fucking ashamed of yourself.<br /><br />Get this marketing-speak BULLSHIT the fuck out of our city!Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-69932000679430650852010-05-26T14:30:00.003+01:002010-05-26T14:38:45.237+01:00Europe proposes bank levyGush the <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/10159631.stm">Beeb</a>.<br /><br /><blockquote>A network of national funds should be introduced so the cost of bank failures are not met by the taxpayer, the EU internal market commissioner has said.<br /><br />Michel Barnier said such funds would provide part of a broader system aimed at preventing future financial crises.<br /><br />Banks would be required to pay a levy into the funds which would not be used to bail out failing banks, but manage failures in "an orderly way".<br /><br />Mr Barnier said: "I believe in the 'polluter pays' principle."<br /><br />"<b>It is not acceptable that taxpayers should continue to bear the heavy cost of rescuing the banking sector</b>. They should not be in the front line," he said. <br /></blockquote><br /><br />And of course, those lovely, warm, cuddly, philanthropic banks won't just pass the cost of the levy to their customers - otherwise known as <b>the fucking tax payer</b> - will they? Surely not!Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-47323229133776101972010-05-23T11:02:00.005+01:002010-05-23T11:36:31.940+01:00"Cash strapped" Catholic church asks it's members (and the UK taxpayer) to dig deepWait, did I say "cash-strapped"? What I actually meant to say was "<a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,833509,00.html">Obscenely fucking rich</a>".<br /><br />Nevertheless, they've got the fucking front to demand that all their rather misguided followers <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8699108.stm">help fund the Pope's visit to the UK</a>.<br /><br /><blockquote>Roman Catholic churchgoers are being urged to help meet a shortfall of more than £3m pounds in funding for Pope Benedict's visit to the UK.<br /><br />The Church has asked them to put at least £1m in Sunday's collection - largely to pay for three big open air masses at which the Pope will preside.</blockquote><br /><br />But it gets worse...<br /><br /><blockquote>Because this is a state visit by Pope Benedict XVI, <b>the bulk of the cost is being borne by the UK government.</b></blockquote><br /><br /><b>WRONG.</b> The bulk of the cost is being borne by the UK <b>taxpayer</b>, so fuck you, BBC, and your disingenuous reporting. And you might want to think about rewriting the headline.<br /><br />But mainly, Fuck you, Catholic Church, you <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_sex_abuse_cases">Paedophilia-supporting</a>, <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article3890080.ece">increasingly irrelevant</a>, <a href="http://www.vatican.edu/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19861001_homosexual-persons_en.html">homophobic</a> fairy-believing cunts. Kindly explain to me why I and other people who simply don't share your rather outdated faith should fund a visit of someone - who, to me, is just a random old ex-Nazi in a dress - to the country, to the tune of £8 million pounds? Go fuck yourselves (rather than the choirboys).Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-24264655310488655312010-05-19T08:17:00.002+01:002010-05-19T08:20:30.224+01:00What is that thing Theresa May insists on wearing?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighXxZnM4ld6cCxz4cTRj6QG7V_TpZzOP2Codm4sjYPg-9bAeto2OZZOuHrxQ3Dn8cfxCB2jZ0VClRByrZyLV0uywWvxr1H0XNh5K53RzxEYvM6gChMgvUuNqEmzX_vzLt99-kndDHpt7e/s1600/may.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 258px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighXxZnM4ld6cCxz4cTRj6QG7V_TpZzOP2Codm4sjYPg-9bAeto2OZZOuHrxQ3Dn8cfxCB2jZ0VClRByrZyLV0uywWvxr1H0XNh5K53RzxEYvM6gChMgvUuNqEmzX_vzLt99-kndDHpt7e/s400/may.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472877124505478850" /></a><br /><br />It's like an odd sort of helmet-less spacesuit. I know it's not only me that thinks it because people make reference to it in Guido's PMQs chat<br /><br />But what the fuck <i>is</i> it?Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4206723831883486615.post-26920215635492447772010-05-18T11:06:00.004+01:002010-05-18T11:21:43.024+01:00Typical Scaremongering from the BBCWith <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/10119492.stm">cars</a> this time, so I feel qualified to point out their false cause for concern.<br /><br /><blockquote>The computer systems used to control modern cars are very vulnerable to attack, say experts.<br /><br />An investigation by security researchers found the systems to be "fragile" and easily subverted.<br /><br /><b>The researchers showed how to kill a car engine remotely</b>, turn off the brakes so the car would not stop and make instruments give false readings.</blockquote><br /><br />Except that's not quite true, is it, BBC?<br /><br /><blockquote>The team got at the ECUs via the communications ports fitted as standard on most cars that enable mechanics to gather data about a vehicle before they begin servicing or repair work.</blockquote><br /><br />So, they connected a laptop to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On-board_diagnostics">OBD-II</a> port and sent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canbus">CANBUS</a> packets to do things, then. People have been doing this for ages to build in remote-control features to in-car PCs. You need physical access to this port, so it can't be done remotely. Even if you were to build a wireless OBD-II interface to do it remotely, you'd still need access to this port to fit the transciever.<br /><br />But yet the BBC have portrayed this story as though we should all be scared to go out driving in case our brakes are disabled by people standing on street corners with laptops.<br /><br />Thanks BBC.<br /><br />Theebeesee.*<br /><br /><br /><br />* Little Peter Serafinowicz joke for you there.Bristol Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13143336218499645984noreply@blogger.com1