PhotoHunt - Self

This weeks PhotoHunt theme has reminded me that with all my rushing around I have forgotten to do my 52 week flickr self portrait challenge for two weeks running! Ooops! I must get back onto that again now things have settled down...

I am not sure if I like the texture I used for this one or not?

Click on photo for a larger view.

For more of this weeks PhotoHunt pictures check out tnchick.

The West Pier

For SkyWatch Friday

The burnt remains of Brighton's West Pier was a familiar sight last week. I had to walk past it most days and it was easily viewed from my hotel and the conference centre. There was much speculation amongst my colleagues as to why it hadn't been dismantled and we thought it might be because it is a listed building. My colleagues were complaining because they think it is an eyesore. I actually like it, it think it is quite photogenic, but I do also like the glass pyramid entrance to the Louvre and also the controversial Selfridge's entrance in Birmingham. So who I am I to trust on these matters?

When I got back home I did a bit of research and found that Brighton's West Pier Trust have plans to redevelop the site of the west pier. In 2004 both the Heritage Lottery Fund and English Heritage decided against restoring the pier, so no funds were forthcoming. Not deterred by this news the West Pier Trust continued to devise a way to develop the site. The first part of the plan is to construct the i360 (The Brighton Eye). This has been designed by the architects of the London Eye. The structure will be 183 meters in height with it's observation pod rising to 139 meters. It is hoped that the tower will be a huge tourist attraction and raise enough funds to restore parts of the pier such as the Victorian toll booths and seating. The funds will also fund the tidying up of the beach and wreckage of the pier whilst maintaining the wildlife habitat of the area.

You can check out the Brighton West Pier Trust website to see the full proposals for this project.

Internet Connection

Again it seems I am having trouble with my internet connection!!! It is so slow and some pages won't load at all... and to top it all blogger is being a little quirky too!

But according to the latest edition of New Scientist things could get worse:

"IF YOU thought it was hard finding the email address that some other john.smith hasn't already bagged, that's nothing compared with the difficulty you'll have getting and internet connection for your computer after 2011.

As of this month 85 per cent of the 4.3 billion available Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, which identify devices connected to the net, are already in use. Within three years they will all be used up, according to a report by the OECD. 'The situation is critical for the future of the internet ecomony,' it says.

The report urges governments and businesses to upgrade from the current version, IPv4 to IPv6, which effectively has an unlimited number of IP addresses. IPv6 has been available for more than a decade but service providers have been slow to adopt."

Something else to think about...

Civil Liberties

I have been reading the Economic & Social Research Council's report on Britain in 2008. One of the articles touches on an issue that is particularly important to me. I recently blogged about what happened to one of my colleagues who was taking part in a peaceful demonstration.

The article discusses the effect of the September 11th 2001 attacks on the United States and other similar attacks and how this has raised public awareness on issues of national security. The article asks if we would sacrifice freedom for safety? It concludes that at the moment the British public are not prepared to trade off core freedoms in order to feel safer.

"Professor Conor Gearty at the London School of Economic and Alison Park of the National Centre for Social Research uncovered a general commitment to civil liberties. Most people questioned agreed that the right to protest, the right not to be detained by police for more than a week without charge, and the right to keep your private life private from government are important."

We are led to believe that the changes in civil liberties are a direct result of such terrorist attacks but the report reveals that most of the decline in commitment to civil liberties happened in the early 1990s, long before the recent terrorist attacks.

The report goes on to say:

"So what happened in the early 1990s to make us less 'liberty minded'?"

The researchers conclusion:

"This change of mind coincided with a shift in Labour Party Policy, with the Party's leadership and supporters becoming less civil libertarian in their approach to freedom and justice."

The article concludes that we need to be constantly vigilant if we as a nation wish to keep our basic freedoms and liberties intact!

Fringe Meeting - Campaigning to Win

I was asked by Andi how my slideshow went at the fringe meeting.

The fringe meeting was well attended with around 80 people present at the start. It was a bit disorganised at the beginning as no one took charge. Situation normal ;-)

The meeting got underway eventually. The first speaker was quite brief and he was followed by my two colleagues who were supposed to linking in our campaigns to the slide show. It started off quite smoothly, but then they got a bit carried away and talked for quite some time and duplicated the information that was already in the slide show!!! They left the viewing of the slideshow until after the final speaker, by which time most people had gone...

So only about 10 people actually saw it, I was not best pleased after all that hard work. Another of my colleagues turned to me and commented on the fact that the speakers had duplicated what was in the slideshow. I just shrugged and said never mind I am going to reduce it to 10 minutes and you can choose me some good music and we will upload it to You Tube where everyone can see it ;-)

The response was along the lines of, that sounds like a plan to me!

You should be able to view the original via this link on the photodex website, although it will ask you to download a little bit of software to view it (If it asks the password is rally25).

PCS Annual Delegates Conference

Janice Godrich (National President) opening the conference at 9am on Wednesday 21st May 2008.

The opening motion was "Protecting Public Services" it was debated alongside several other motions relating to the same issue. It received a lot of support and the motion was passed. I didn't get to see all the debates because being a trainee delegate meant I had to keep going out of the hall to discuss various issues with the other trainee delegates.

After the Wednesday session was our fringe meeting "Campaigning to win" which was very well attended but could have done with a bit more organisation. More on this in a separate post...

When the meeting had finished our Regional Officers invited a few of us back to their hotel for a drink before we attended a black members function. When we got to the hotel we accidentally gatecrashed the presidents reception. We thought it was a bit odd when we didn't have to pay for the drinks and then we spotted the PCS general secretary and president. There was a large screen on the wall for people to watch the match so our colleagues who chose to go back to their rooms to watch the football aren't too happy with us ;-)

Thursday saw many more debates and more learning for me as a trainee. In the evening I split my time between two groups of colleagues although I did have a little bit of difficulty finding the second group. I was supposed to phone when I was on my way. I always knew this was going to be a bad idea it would be too loud to hear the phone! I was right and they had moved on from the initial meeting place. I knew where they were likely to have gone and it was only just round the corner, but I wasn't quite sure which street it was in. Luckily I found it! When I got there the conversation went something like this...

You're in trouble you said you would wait
Did you phone?
Yes twice
It is quite loud in here

At this stage I am just thinking Aaaagh!!!

From here we attended a couple of functions and never quite managed to meet up with our other colleagues (this was good in some cases and bad in others ;-) ).

The conference wasn't quite so well attended on the Friday morning, too much partying I guess ;-) Then we had our long journey home... I put all my conference papers in my case and I did so wish I hadn't packed the kitchen sink too, my bag was far too heavy!!!

But anyway after a long but smooth train journey home it is all over until next year.

My New Car

For those of you who asked to see ;-) :-)

Click on photo for a larger view.

Group Conference

To my surprise after my recent train journey woes everything ran smoothly on our journey to Brighton. We even managed to get an earlier connection which got us to the hotel at 3.15. Unfortunately the hotel wasn't quite ready for us!!! We had wait an hour for the rooms to be ready. We were supposed to have complimentary drinks to compensate, but I ended up having to pay for mine!

I found out on the way that I had been voted onto the standing orders committee. Amongst other things it means I get to go a day earlier next year and miss all the Sunday engineering works.

In the evening after grabbing something to eat several of us met up in one of the local pubs, we chatted and had lots of fun :-)

Monday saw the start of the group conference, it was fairly animated this year with quite a few debates. Following on from the conference I was asked to stop behind for a meeting in relation to the new organisation which I will soon be working for. There was a lot of waffle and no way forward which began to irritate me. This was supposed to be my leisure time!!! In the end I just took over and said what needed to be done to get things moving along and 5 minutes later we had a plan :-)

I wasn't overly keen on the evening do we went to. The room was far too small and I ended up getting stuck in a corner and being sat on...

Tuesday saw the conclusion of the group conference and a free afternoon. I took the opportunity to have a stroll in the sun and take some photographs along the sea front. The sun made me feel quite lethargic, but before I could eat and charge up my batteries I had to attend a meeting for trainee delegates for the National Conference.

After the meeting and an evening meal I was persuaded to go to bit of do which was supposed to be gentle music and singing. It turned out to be a bloke having some sort of a rant (I think he was from some leftie faction or other). He was told to shut up by the pub staff, then the music and singing (shouting) started and they were told to shut up too. The general level of noise was so high it was impossible to have a conversation We went back to the hotel and the others were all in bed by 11. Alone in the hotel with a glass of wine is NOT GOOD is it? I so regretted not stopping off with some other colleagues we met along the way, they had a much more fun time than we did...

Tomorrow I shall report on my experience of the National Conference...

What Sports Car Are You?

Both Nunyaa and Sally have tried this so I thought I would have a laugh. I don't know, is this me? ;-)

I'm a Mercedes SLK!

You appreciate the finer things in life. You have a split personality - wild or conservative, depending on your mood. Wherever you go, you like to travel first class. Luxury, style, and fun - who could ask for more?

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

PhotoHunt - Shoes

I think during the past week I have worn out quite a lot of shoe leather with all that walking around Brighton.

Today I went to get my new car, it has to go back for a couple of hours on Tuesday as there was a mix up over my rear parking sensors. It also needs to have a full valet which wasn't possible today due to there being a family bereavement for the brothers that run that service!

Also my hairdryer broke when I switched it on this morning. I had to do something really creative to make sure my hair dried and looked somewhat styled! Then I had to rush out and get a new one!

Definitely time to put my feet up ;-)

Click on photo for a larger view.

For more of this weeks PhotoHunt pictures check out tnchick.

Home at Last

What a tiring week. Four days of conference from 9 until 5.30 plus half day Friday with only one hour for lunch. The week was split into two; group conference for one and a half days where we had a short tea break in the morning and afternoon. Followed by the national PCS conference, where in addition to lunch only a tea break is scheduled. You have to fit in eating and chill out times around this. There are limited fast food options near to the conference centre. By the end of the week I had just got it figured out, need to go back to be sure ;-)

I was a trainee delegate which meant at the National Conference I had to keep going out of the conference hall so we could talk around the debates and discuss how conference procedure works. We also had National Executive Committee (NEC) members and Mark Serwotka come to talk to us about key issues within the debates and PCS campaigns.

The starting motion was "Protecting Public Services", it became headline news on the BBC at lunch time. Channel 4 who had an interview scheduled anyway asked if they could use this same angle.

The motion listed several demands, which if not met could lead to a further ballot for strike action!

More follows tomorrow...

All Packed and Ready to Go

I have packed far too much stuff as usual, my case is so heavy I think it must contain the kitchen sink. Tomorrow is the awful train journey to Brighton with two sets of engineering works, a dash across Birmingham and a tussle across London on the underground! At least on the way back we go through Watford, which I find much more relaxing.

I sorted out some paperwork for my new car and actually got to see it today. The salesman wanted to know what I was doing this week. When I told him I was going to a Trade Union conference, he said oh that means you will be drunk all week. How could he say such a thing!!!

I found a lovely place for you to sit and wait, see you there when I get back :-)

Click on photo for a larger view.

Keep Your Face Always Towards the Sunshine

For SkyWatch Friday more photographs from Mount Ephraim Gardens. I like the inscription above the door on the second one:

Keep Your Face Always
Towards the Sunshine
And The Shadows Will
Fall Behind You

Click on photos for a larger view.

Campaigning for Success!

The video is complete and published here as promised.

I had to rush off at lunch time and pick the music up. Well I have added the music to the show and it really isn't to my taste and I am not sure it really goes with the show or gives a message...

Let me know what you think, it might just be that old fuddy duddy coming out in me!

The words and slides aren't my choices either ;-)

(it will say loading for quite some time, then it should play just fine :-) )

Friday update: It can also be viewed via this link on the photodex website. The password is rally25.

Campaigning for Success video

PS: I had the phone call... my car should be with the dealers tomorrow, so I can sort out the documents etc on Saturday and get to see my car. But I can't pick it up till Tuesday. I am in Brighton all next week so I guess I won't be picking it up until a week on Saturday :-/

PPS: I had to get one of those ex young members to help me with the code for this post. Comment of the day from them was odd choice of music!

Slideshow Update 2

I have everything completed bar the music. The music was supposed to be provided last Friday by the person who asked for the slide show in the first place. None of the previous types of music were suitable. There are two of us do these slide shows and apparently the music we use on them is very fuddy duddy and old fashioned. We are told we need to be embracing young members! What young members? They all left with the job cuts, all that is left is us old fuddy duddies ;-)

So tomorrow the music arrives, I dread to think what it might be...

Slideshow Update.

You might recall that I have be tasked with an 11th hour slide show.

Over the weekend I organised my TU pictures into a single file in date order onto my laptop and set up a show template. Today I met with my colleauges who are doing a presentation that ties into the slide show. It took 3 hours to choose the pictures and think of the headings to go with the pictures.

There was a sudden backtracking on the extra work they wanted from me (a powerpoint presentation). Hmm, there isn't going to be time for that is there? Mmm! no I told you that!

I wonder why people just don't listen to me in the first place ;-)

I worked a bit more on it later on my own and it is still nowhere near finished and I am in Birmingham on a meeting all day tomorrow :-/

The Plight of Mrs Carr

Fellow blogger Calum Carr is fighting for proper NHS treatment for his wife. Mrs Carr suffers from eating disorders and for more than a year the mental health service has let her down quite badly and she has failed to get the treatment she needs so badly. The local MSP has also taken up the case, but NHS Lothian have still be unforthcoming with their answers.

"I have spoken to 5 national treatment centres and all have said that Mrs Carr is the type of patient they should see but we can't access them. On the basis of two self-reporting questionnaires one centre said that Mrs Carr scored highly for the relevant disorders and should have a full assessment. This has been denied to Mrs Carr by NHS Lothian.

I should make clear that I am not taking the line that Mrs Carr has Disorder Z and that I won't rest until she is diagnosed with it. Her history and symptoms fit with Disorder Z; national experts believe she should be assessed for this disorder but NHS Lothian remains silent on their diagnosis and reasons. Until NHS Lothian is open and honest with us I will not rest. This is all I ever wanted; openness, honesty, trust in clinicians so that Mrs Carr has an opportunity to improve. What we have encountered is coldness, closedness, callousness, obfuscation, delay and a refusal to engage in any serious discussion of Mrs Carr's problems.

The minimum NHS Lothian should do is tell us the truth. Then we can either accept their version or fight it but by refusing to engage with us (or our MSP) they leave us struggling in a vacuum. How can we accept a diagnosis if no-one tells us what is the diagnosis? How do we challenge a diagnosis if no-one tells us what is the diagnosis. How do we fight for assessment if no-one tells us why they won't make a referral?

Even worse by not engaging with us Mrs Carr has been left ill and, apparently, unwanted, for an additional year with no likelihood of effective assessment or treatment and the rest of the family has been left with the stress of caring for Mrs Carr and of seeing her continue to suffer unnecessarily."

Please take time to visit his blog and support him in his campaign.

PhotoHunt - Free Week

These are taken in the grass maze at Ephraim Gardens, Faversham, Kent. At this time of year, it is quite easy to cheat at the maze because the grass is not at full height. The gardens are well worth a visit if you are in the area!

Click on photos for a larger view.

For more of this weeks PhotoHunt pictures check out tnchick.

The Twilight Zone

Look into my eyes ;-)

Click on photo for a larger view.

Oh No Not Again!!!

Last night was my book group meeting to discuss My Name is Red. But I shall tell you about that another time. I had to rush away at the end of the meeting to attend an emergency get together with some TU colleagues. We needed too discuss a presentation that is needed for a fringe meeting at the PCS national conference, which is only one week away…

When I arrived it was like walking into a whirlwind of thoughts. It’s OK they said we have nearly finished. In my absence it had been decided that I needed to compile a completely new slide show on our local campaigns to go with the presentations that two of them will be doing at the fringe meeting. They meant one of my slide shows! To make a slide show from scratch takes 5 hours or more, but they seem to think it takes far less time than that.

Now although I do enjoy doing the slide shows I don’t really want to spend all of my leisure time next week on one. The only option seems to be to install the software on my laptop and try to do it at work. The two guys doing the presentation said they would help me choose the photos so that the show matches what they will be talking about. Then all I need to do is compile the photos, captions and music into the show, sounds easy doesn’t it ;-)

Oh and on top of that I was asked did I think I would be able to manage a PowerPoint presentation too?

Aaaaah!!!

If I get it done in time I will share it with you here, the last one I did was to big to put on my blog.

Me in the Sci-fi World

Nunyaa wants to know what Sci-fi character I am. Do you think this is like me?

Princess Leia

A strong-willed herald of causes against injustice, you passionately strive to right the wrongs around you.

Somebody has to save our skins!

Leia is a character in the Star Wars universe. See her character entry at the Star Wars Databank for more information.

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty

It used to be that people were innocent until proved guilty. Sadly these days our laws allow innocent people to be harassed. For instance the 'Public Order Act' gives authority to the police to take personal details and photograph peaceful protesters even if they haven't committed any crimes.

At a recent demonstration against the building of the St Athan Military Academy in Wales, participants were read the riot act and had their details and photographs taken. If someone failed to comply with the order it could lead to them being arrested. Some of my PCS colleagues were in attendance to highlight their concerns which include poor value for the tax payer and increased danger to servicemen serving on the front line due to diminished levels of training skills. John McDonnell MP has tabled an Early Day Motion to this effect and the local MP, Mark Pritchard, recently asked a parliamentary question intended to find out the expected savings over a 25 year period due to centralising Defence Training at St Athan.

But, in the meantime, members of the public with genuine concerns and who are just trying to get their voices heard are having their details recorded and filed away in police records for doing absolutely nothing wrong. Some of the protesters suspected that their phone calls had been monitored too!

These measures are supposed to make the public feel safe, but they leave me feeling very worried!

A friend being read the riot act.

More photographs from the demonstration can be found here.



Click here for a readable version.

Jefferson Coat of Arms

James asked what would appear on your Coat of Arms?

I did a little check and it seems 'We Jeffersons' have one already! But my ancestors seem to have been from the Whitby area! That being the case I can't tell you which county I was born in!!!

Click on photo to read the text.

Now all I need is someone to explain to me what all of that means?

PhotoHunt - Time

This is quite an appropriate theme for me this week. I have spent the weekend away with family in Kent. As it was the Bank Holiday it took a long time to get there and my time was spent visiting lots of interesting places.

One of these places was the Historic Dockyard at Chatham. The first port of call was The Ropery. Rope has been made on this site since 1618. Originally rope was made with a spinning frame which was operated by a wheel turner. To produce the rope the spinner had to walk backward the full length of the ropehouse which was 346m long. In 1836 steam-power was introduced, which was subsequently replaced by electric power in the early 20th century.

The following is a picture of the ropehouse:

After the tour it was time for lunch and on the way to the restaurant I spotted this Clocktower Building. It was constructed in 1723 and is the oldest Naval store-house to survive in any of the Royal Dockyards.

Click on photos for a larger view.

For more of this weeks PhotoHunt pictures check out tnchick.

The Wanderer Returns!

I am back from my weekend away :-)

I have been on visits to gardens, rope makers, destroyers, children, submarines and historic houses!

Now I need a rest...

Sit and Rest a While

I will be off line for a few days, but if you like you can sit and wait for me here :-)

I have ordered some sunshine and the birds are singing ;-)

Click on photo for a larger view.

Another Update!

Police 'spying' powers challenged:

You might remember I posted about this a few days ago...

"A legal bid to challenge the power of the police to use surveillance against peaceful protesters has been launched at the High Court."

Todays BBC report on the case.

New Car Update

Apparently it is now in this country, location undisclosed! It is supposed to arrive at the dealer anytime now, so hopefully next week *fingers crossed* I will have my new car!

And the gas man is at long last supposed to be coming to fit the new radiator. Still not sure if he can cure the Woodpecker totally! When I was standing in just the right/wrong place a few days ago I could feel the vibrations through my toes...