Who owns our politicians/MPs?

Tax Evasion or Tax Avoidance?

Hmmm! To me there is no difference, either of these are used for the same end product - to limit the amount of tax paid to the HMRC. Basically they don't want to pay their fair share of society's financial demands.

They appear to be all the high earners, especially footballers, entertainers, company fat cats etc. I feel they should be included in the PAYE system and treated by HMRC the same as the man in the street. As part of society no one section should be treated advantageously.

So why does the government try to score political points by denouncing some individuals e.g Jimmy Carr and hiding behind principles (sic) by refusing to comment on others, i.e Gary Barlow? Doesn't take much reading between the lines, does it?

The current government boasts of their legislation to close down the aggressive tax avoidance but in realty they are only applying band aids (plasters) to haemorrhaging avoidance. They say that as HMRC close down one scheme another is rolled out.

Put them all on PAYE even a modified form of PAYE so avoidance or evasion becomes irrelevant.

Sol y Sombra

One of the benefits of having a Spanish daughter-in-law, her mother taught me how to make the famous Spanish drink Sol y Sombra.

As you can see it is neither shaken or stirred and is made without ice. The classic Sun and Shade.

Mucho Gracias, Lolita.

Well everybody..........

As we approach Christmas once again,

May I wish all my readers and followers,

A Very Happy and Merry Christmas,

Followed By An Extremely Prosperous and Happy New Year, 2011.

Take care of yourself and one another.

Football team 2?

I don't think I have anything to say.

I said it all in my previous blog entry.

Hammered 4-1 and our goalkeeper was the team's best player. What an impossible combination - an extremely stubborn manager and Hollywood style players who think the football world should just hand over the Jules Rimet honour. Capello's squad selection seemed flawed and his team selections resulted in four very poor performances. In no way did the players reproduce their Premier League form, either through injury or mental trepidation.

I don't think there is anything we can take from this venture except to rebuild our team, force Blatter and his Luddite followers out of office and request a proper 'football', leaving the Jubilana to Cantona and his beach football variation of our game.

MPs Expenses

After today's Budget by George Osborne of The Coalition, I noticed this little gem by Anne Redstone, Professor of Law, Kings College, London.
"Among the Budget paperwork is a document reminding us that MPs receive their home-to-work travel tax free, unlike the rest of the population.

If a business pays for an employee's travel to the office, this reimbursement is taxable.
Salt is rubbed in the electorate's already raw wounds by the statement that the government will "continue to reimburse some spouse travel" - also on a tax-free basis.
This Budget would have been a good time to demonstrate that we are all in this together, and put our representatives in the same tax position as everyone else."

After last year's expenses exposure, shouldn't the MPs cease all these petty fiddles?

Football team, what football team?

I must say I admired the energy and athleticism of the Algerian team, especially in the midfield. England's performance was extremely woeful.

The game was lost in midfield. We have too many individuals and not enough team players in this area so we find it difficult to control and monopolise the hub of the game. Gerrard and Lampard may play superbly for their clubs but when brought to together in the national team they just duplicate each other. They huff and puff a lot but neither creates a lot for the attack or the team. One or both need to be dropped.

We do not need flying wingers who's first reaction on receiving the ball is to immediately cut inside every time. What's the point? They just choke up the midfield and the opposing fullback has a rest day.

Fast, raiding fullbacks? Again, what's the point if they are poor defensively, especially on both sides of the field. Leave the raids up the wing to our flying wingers. This does put stress on our central defenders who also look like they should use their bus passes to catch up with any normal paced attackers. Terry just does not adapt to the 'World' game, being so slow every tackle he makes concedes a foul. Goalkeepers, the less said the better. "Calamity" One and Two. Only Joe Hart comes out of this unscathed, yes I appreciate he hasn't been selected yet. I'm not going to bother with the striking duo.

Moving on to the manager/coach - Capello. What happened to his principles, they seem to fall by the wayside day by day. "If you can't prove your fitness you don't go to South Africa." What a load of rubbish that's turned out to be. Ferdinand, King, Barry, A. Cole.

Players who can't make their club's first team? Wright-Phillips chosen ahead of A Johnson who keeps him out of the Man City team. Choosing Heskey ahead of Agbonlahor who keeps him out of Villa's first team. Selecting Carrick who is second choice to reserve Darron Gibson and 'old man' Paul Scholes.

Moving on to the ball. Apparently our team have not practiced with the newly designed ball 'because the consignment went missing.' (Did anybody from the FA check eBay?) Seriously, why did they not order another batch? (They discovered they hadn't received their balls in January).

So it seems the problems are technical and adminstrative management.

Let's hope the lads can do the stuff against Slovenia notwithstanding the management and us armchair critics!

No Riding So Far This Year..........

Yes I have not done much riding this year, come to that I have not done much posting either.

Just before Christmas the mother-in-law died, two days short of her 91st birthday. After this sad time more bad news. The wife, Viv, was told she had breast cancer after her routine mammogram. Totally out of the blue. So more tests, an operation and now radiotherapy at Christies. (The famous cancer hospital in Manchester.) The radiotherapy lasts three weeks and presently we are half way through the timetable. A thirty four mile round trip for two minutes treatment every day. Can't complain though, the treatment is good and they don't run late too often. I have noticed, while waiting for Viv, that there is kindness and respect from the staff, and the patients and their friends seem to look on the bright side with smiles and laughter. It's amazing since they are suffering from various stages of cancer.

So you will appreciate I have had to help and support Viv. She appreciates this also and said as soon as her treatment ends I must ride again. So I am looking to be on the road again come July.

World Cup and all that.....

Well, the World Cup is off to a start in South Africa and it seems to be shown on all British TV channels.

Three matches per day and so far I've watched them all. There's not a lot to say about the matches, pretty dull and boring except for Germany who have come out of the traps firing on all cylinders. Most of the teams seem to be frightened to lose while the competion is in the league stages. Games will probably improve in the knock out stages when teams have to play to win to advance.

Everywhere here, Macclesfield, is decorated with the flag of St. George and with red and white bunting. The majority of cars are decorated with St. George mini flags on their windows. Why? Don't ask. Since 1966 the English players and management have not been up to standard. I suppose it is in the English nature to support lost causes and the World Cup gives us the opportunity to show this.

I do like the World Cup though as it gives me the opportunity to watch the best players, not all though, and the best teams in the world.

Aw well, suppose I had best give them a shout.

C'mon England!!

Ingerland, Ingerland, Ingerlaaaaaand!!!

AA Insurance Services Problems

Last September 2009, I bought a small scooter to pootle around town. I insured it with AA Insurance Services, the insurance arm of the mighty Automobile Association. This is the first transaction of any kind I have done with the AA since the late seventies.

Well after a few months I decided the scooter wasn't suitable for me so I sold it and obviously cancelled the redundant insurance policy with the AA. They accepted the cancellation and levied a cancellation fee, a grand sum of £3.89. I paid this by cheque and returned the Certificate of Insurance as requested. The cheque cleared my bank account and I thought I could put the transaction to bed.

Oh no! Weeks after cashing my cheque the AA sent me a 'legal' letter -

"FINAL NOTICE BEFORE ISSUE OF COUNTY COURT PROCEEDINGS.

Further to our previous requests for settlement we regret to note that your account has still not been settled. Please be advised that Legal and Debt Recovery proceedings will be issued without further notice unless we receive full payment of the outstanding balance of £0.00 within the next ten days.

NO FURTHER REMINDERS WILL BE ISSUED.

Yours  sincerely,

Andrew Strong
Chief Executive
Automobile Association"

Yes, you read it correctly, your eyes are not playing tricks, the balance of my account is £0.00.

I should have let the issue unravel and let the AA take me to the County Court but hey I'm not that kind of guy. Instead I phoned the AA Insurance Services and spoke to a chap called Dave. (No relation to Cameron.)

After the usual name, rank and number security check he asked how he could help. (I so hoped they would record this conversation.)

"May I speak to Andrew Strong, please?" (A bit tongue in cheek)

"I don't think he works here," replied Dave.

"Well, he's your CEO!" I replied.

"Err, right but I don't think he'll talk to you."

"OK, Dave, could you refer to the recent threatening letter Andrew Strong has sent me."

"Yes, but it will take several minutes to print it off......"

"No problem, I can wait."

After listening to five minutes of dreary AA music back came an apologetic Dave.

"I am very sorry about this situation, it shouldn't have happened."

That seemed to be it. I was not too happy.

"Dave, I am a pensioner in my seventies and I am being treated for a heart condition so I don't need legal threats from mighty corporations CEO to pile on unnecessary stress."

Well that didn't have too much effect but I am to expect a letter of apology. Whoopee!

On reflection, I can now see why this is my first dealing with the AA for thirty odd years and it will certainly be last for the next thirty years!

Elections 2010

Just been watching George Osborne and Alistair Darling, darling, on lunchtime news.

What a pair of wafflers! Both of them trying to tell me, and every body else who will listen, how they can save billions of pounds if their party is elected. How can Wally 1, George, know how much he can save when he has yet to see the size of the deficit on Wally 2's, Alistair Darling's, darling, Balance Sheet? There again, if Alistair (forget the darlings reference) can save billions of pounds why has he waited to just before the new parliament to do it? Obviously Alistair or George will forget all about this problem once their party is comfortably ensconced in the House of Commons for another five years.

Whoever is elected will put on their tricorn hat and wave their pistols at the electorate crying, "Stand and deliver!" and we the poor defenceless public will surrender our hard earned cash.

Rant over and I will not listen to any news or political programme until the Seventh of May, when I will listen to the weak excuses of the losers and the smugness of the victors. Don't ask, I don't know why I bother.

Wonder if there are any job vacancies for a hermit on a desert island?

RBR 2010

That time of year again. Time for the Round Britain Rally.

A list of clues to solve the various historical, geographical or scientific locations of the season's motorbike rides around this beautiful country.

Then on the road again, north into Scotland, west into Wales, east into the flatlands and south to the Riviera of the south coast.

The unusal format of the RBR means lonely rides with the occasional meeting of a fellow participant at a landmark location. Proof of the visitations is in the form of a photograph of the landmark and your bike, wherever possible. Not always possible as sometimes the landmark is located a "short" walk off the rideable tracks/road.

A purpose, a reason, a direction, just good fun? Whatever, but great for bike riding.

Is the Coast Clear?

After his fairly mild grilling at the Chilcott enquiry and his immediate flight into Afghanistan excile, Flash Gordon is asking if the coast is clear so he can return to Blighty and save the world from uninsured canines.

What a hero, eh?

Regular day trips to Afghanistan, is he trying to earn a General Service Medal?

Not widely known, but I heard a rumour he wants to keep his armoured vest to wear in the House of Commons and at Cabinet Meetings.

Roll on the elctions! Will "Dave" be any better though?

Can't wait for the warmer weather so I can go biking.

Police Assault (Allegedly) Report

An abstract from a BBC news report today.

"Two policemen cleared of assaulting a man and blinding him in one eye during an arrest must undergo fresh training, the police watchdog has said.

A police sergeant and a police constable were charged with assault on a 43-year-old man in Wigan in 2007.

The CPS decided not to proceed with the case when it went to court last year.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has said the pair must be retrained and pass exams before resuming operational duties.

The man suffered a broken leg, a fractured cheekbone and lost his right eye in the incident in Higher Ince.

The IPCC said its investigation highlighted "real concerns" about the force used by the officers."

Well, when I was a lad it wouldn't have taken two able bodied policemen to subdue a middle age man, noooo, (that's a long exagerated no) one policeman would take on a whole gang! Proper coppers then, none of your health & safety brigade. None of this re-training malarkey, "The arrested fell down the black maria steps, milud."

On another tack why break his leg, fracture his cheekbone and blind him in his right eye? What about all the sprays and tazers we now arm our policeman with? Strange our policemen nowadays. One minute they call the offenders 'mate' all the time, next minute they seem to gang kick seven bells out of someone for swearing whilst under the influence.

While I'm pondering, "Nurse, my tablets, please!"

A New Decade

I know it's well into the day but I wish everybody a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Start of a new decade too. Probably have to give Gordon Brown his P45 and give his job (?) to "Dave" and his "Blue Army". Goodbye 'frying pan', hello 'fire'. Suppose that will herald the demise of the 'return' of the misappropiated 'expenses'. They will adapt the war cry of the chav, using the excuse they are jobless!

I best not start my rants, after all it's only the first day of this decade.

As the man said, look after yourselves and one another!

Christmas Greetings

Hello to my reader (s), where ever you are.

I know I have not posted recently due to idleness, fed up with politicians, bankers and all the rest of society which thinks it knows what is best for me. Daily rules and regulations are churned out to make our lives crap!

So for a few days, let's forget the Scrooges of society.

I wish you (all) a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous Happy New Year.

Question Time

I watched "Question Time" on BBC last night.

I am quite a fan of the programme. Watching the main political parties scoring political marks off each other rather than answering the audiences specific questions. For instance, if they were asked the shortest way to a railway station they would reply how they are the best political party in the world and what a mess their opponents made of government thirty years ago. Yes, their answers are usually total irrelevant and they wouldn't know the shortest way to the railway station. Usually the best replies to audience questions are supplied by the invited panel guests who have no apparent political affiliation.

However, last night, the format of the programme seemed to change. Maybe because one of the panel guests was Nick Griffin of the BNP. It seem to become a bullying attack by the panel chairman, David Dimbleby, the rest of the panel and the audience.

I do not support Nick Griffin or his party or for that matter any political party. They all seem to be gangs of self interested, out for what they can grab opportunists. Notwithstanding, Nick Griffin's politics I felt it was a Star Chamber performance by all participants of the programme.

I hope "Question Time" will revert to its normal, well produced programme style. No more bullying, please! Let's discuss current situations of more importantance, Afghanistan - come on Brown get your finger out and shake up the USA president; expenses - let's get the robbing MPs behind bars! If Brown can't handle the situation, though he keeps telling us he can, call a general election!

My New Winter Hack

Not been on line much. Weather, off colour and other little things. What do you mean weather shouldn't keep me off line? Bad weather takes my mind off biking so I meander away to other subjects and other doings.



Thinking about weather conditions and following the way of others I decided to buy " a winter hack". Basically a cheap, easy to handle scooter to use during the winter, saving my main scoot for summer touring and long rides.



After looking around and checking eBay I decided to choose a cheap Chinese scooter from a trusted bike dealer I'd known for years. The scooter I bought was a Keeway 125. Never heard of it? Neither had I. Seemed ok though a bit of aged technology - hub rear brake, even has a carburettor! Just the kind of technology that can be sorted out if anything goes wrong. No need for computers or diagnostic machines to deal with this machine.




Here's a picture. Not the biggest of bikes,
easy to manhandle, a top box that will hold a tin of beans and underseat space that will hold a small set of spanners. The best techie bit is the metal inserts on the footboard.


On the way home with the bike I found I had a problem. Though my legs are long enough on the Burgman they weren't long enough for the Keeway. When I stopped at traffic lights or junctions I had a problem "touching down". I returned to the dealer and the mechanic adjusted the suspension to attempt lowering the seat. Seemed to gain a little bit but not enough. Taking my Burgman for its annual service and MOT, at my local bike shop, I told the shop owner of my problem with the Keeway. He suggested a little outfit called "Cutting Edge" owned by Phil Edge. He tailored car seats, bus seats, bike seats.


I tracked Cutting Edge down and Phil said he could help me. Several days later, Phil called me to say my seat was ready. He had managed to lower the seat by a full inch and narrowed the seat. He had made a beautiful job of it.


Fixed the seat back on the bike and now only need some "fair" weather for a road test.

Ride to Rutland Waters

Well John and I have finally fixed up our PMR radios.

This eliminates hand signals etc and having to stop to discuss our progress and next moves on our ride outs. We had both carried out home tests - wifey sat in an upstairs bedroom and John and I suited and helmeted at our bikes. Both tests were 100% successful, now for a test on the road.

So after much chunnering (chunnering is essential between two old farts) we arranged a meet at Rutland Waters, specifically Oakham. The plan was to meet, test the radios, a ride round the waters, lunch then we would go our seperate ways and do a bit of rellie visiting. John in Stamford and me in Kegworth.

The weather forecast, BBC, was for heavy rain. Checking the hourly forecast the rain was due at 19:00 hours. Setting off at 08:30, in fair but cloudy weather, it was nice riding conditions, dry, not too cold, really comfortabe. Up into Derbyshire, through Leek and Ashbourne through beautiful countryside spoiled by a proliferation of useless 'safety cameras'. Back to modern byepass ridng along the A50 with Audi drivers trying to prove their supremacy over Beemer drivers, who appear to be a threatened species, have you noticed how deserted the outside lanes are?

Passing through the quaint old village of Kegworth I remembered the crafty 30 mph 'safety camera' at the edge of the village I made progress and joined the A6006 which would lead me direct to Oakham. Passed through some picturesque villages, beautiful houses but obviously you had to be a big bonus banker to be able to afford them. Eventually reached Melton Mowbray, the self-styled food capital of England. Don't reckon much to their pies but I like Stilton. (Best pork pies are baked by a family called Tittertons in Stockport). I did notice the direction sign for 'Pork Pie Shoppe' riding round their unique one way system.

Well, on and onwards to Oakham. I thought I would enter over a railway crossing but obviously some planner decided otherwise and I was forced to ride round the usual lot of roundabouts (wonder what the collective name for roundabouts is?)

My satnav indicated I was under three miles from our rendezvous, time to call John on the PMR radio. Pressed the PTT button and I was greeted with an howling in my headphones.What the hell? I hadn't tested the radio, with engine running, at home. I heard a crackly John. I spotted a petrol station and pulled in, needle was a bit low. Lo and behold John was parked up in a corner.

"Been here long?" I asked, "Not long." replied John. I filled up and went to pay for my fuel. The counter jockey said to me, "That your mate, outside? He's been waiting over an hour." Well that's John for you. Never late, first to breakfast, first on the road. Me, I'm the exact opposite.

Well back on the road together we pootled around the Waters, occasionally trying out the radios but there was obviously something wrong with mine. John had his fitted professionally, mine was a home brew. Then things went from bad to worse, the stem on my satnav snapped and it ended in my lap, fortunately it didn't hit the road.

Time for lunch. We stopped at the "White Something or other". What a splendid menu board they displayed. I had my usual soup and sandwich and John had soup and a roll. The soup of the day was broccoli and stilton - watery, cold, and I didn't notice any flavour of stilton? The bread of the sandwich was thick sliced and none too fresh. Neither of us were impressed.

After lunch we parted, John to Stamford and me to Kegworth. John had a bit of a buffeting on the way home and appreciated the hot cup of tea waiting for him. Me, I met up with some rain, fifteen miles from home, arriving like a drowned rat. No tea for me but a steaming pint pot of Bovril to thaw out my insides. My kit's still drying off a day later.

Looking back, a thoroughly pleasant days ride. (200 miles roundtrip, 69 mpg), just a bad day for gadgets but they can be sorted.

Lesbians given equal birth rights.

That's it these days, isn't it? Everybody's is being given 'rights'.

Just read on the BBC site lesbians are to be given equal birth rights.

Well I research our family tree and we have Irish, Scots, Welsh, Italians, Spaniards, Aussies, Chinese and even a few scousers and tykes but we don't have any rellies from the isles of Lesbos so I don't think any of us will qualify for these rights.

On the road again..

Not written about my bike for some time. Not been the weather for it and the price of petrol (that's gas for my American readers) seems to go through the roof every time it is school holidays.

Well John and I, on our road trips, have had difficulty communicating with each other. This smoke or semaphore signalling doesn't really work on a bike. So we have bought ourselves PMR radios, probably the obvious choice, but John and I are not obvious people.

The upshot is we are going to have a ride out to test them out.Nothing but thorough John and I. So we have found a nice pub, in a nice village, out of wife shot where we can play to our hearts content.

I'll follow with a write up later.