As a child, I was often mistaken as being a boy this was mainly because I was a bit of a tom boy(although I still am) and had hair as short as my brothers (which I also have at the moment). I haven't been mistaken for a boy for a long time, mainly due to my frontal foatation devices. Today, I was sat in Vauxhall doing a traffic suvey (as you do) and these lads (who were are prepubesent and scallies) asked me if I am a boy or a girl?!
The Life and Times of Me
31.8.04
28.8.04
I don't remember publishing this before but if I have it was a long time ago:
If we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100
people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would
look something like the following:
There would be:
57 Asians
21 Europeans
14 from the Western Hemisphere, both north and south
8 Africans
52 would be female
48 would be male
70 would be non-white
30 would be white
70 would be non-Christian
30 would be Christian
89 would be heterosexual
11 would be homosexual
6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth and all 6 would
be from the United States.
80 would live in substandard housing
70 would be unable to read
50 would suffer from malnutrition
1 would be near death; 1 would be near birth
1 (yes, only 1) would have a college education
1 would own a computer
When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective, the
need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes glaringly
apparent.
The following is also something to ponder...
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you are more
blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of
imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation .you are
ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest,
torture, or death...you are more blessed than three billion people in
the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof
overhead and a place to sleep...you are richer than 70% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a
dish someplace ..... you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.
Someone once said: What goes around comes around.
If we could shrink the earth's population to a village of precisely 100
people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would
look something like the following:
There would be:
57 Asians
21 Europeans
14 from the Western Hemisphere, both north and south
8 Africans
52 would be female
48 would be male
70 would be non-white
30 would be white
70 would be non-Christian
30 would be Christian
89 would be heterosexual
11 would be homosexual
6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth and all 6 would
be from the United States.
80 would live in substandard housing
70 would be unable to read
50 would suffer from malnutrition
1 would be near death; 1 would be near birth
1 (yes, only 1) would have a college education
1 would own a computer
When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective, the
need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes glaringly
apparent.
The following is also something to ponder...
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you are more
blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of
imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation .you are
ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest,
torture, or death...you are more blessed than three billion people in
the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof
overhead and a place to sleep...you are richer than 70% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a
dish someplace ..... you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.
Someone once said: What goes around comes around.
26.8.04
Been to SAGGA camp, it was hot for some of the time and wet for other bits of the time. Nice to see everyone again. My cook patrol set new standards for cooking, homemade soup at lunch time and home made pasta sauce for dinner, how posh is that.
I am now in Budapest and everyone is happy. The weather isn't too hot but the mosquitoes have found me and I have large swollen areas on my body. Haven't done any tourist stuff, but Malc has brought me some shoes (pale blue knickers) and a dress from Mango (dark green with lace) which is at least half the price it is in the UK.
Going home on sunday to my last two weeks of holiday. I am really going to have to put my foot down and do some work rather than pissing about. The cricket club are also expecting me to do stuff for them.... They seem to think I am really good at making posters/fliers etc. I may have to get some help with that. I also have a driving test to take and some lessons to have, A wide game to organise and some friends to see....
I am now in Budapest and everyone is happy. The weather isn't too hot but the mosquitoes have found me and I have large swollen areas on my body. Haven't done any tourist stuff, but Malc has brought me some shoes (pale blue knickers) and a dress from Mango (dark green with lace) which is at least half the price it is in the UK.
Going home on sunday to my last two weeks of holiday. I am really going to have to put my foot down and do some work rather than pissing about. The cricket club are also expecting me to do stuff for them.... They seem to think I am really good at making posters/fliers etc. I may have to get some help with that. I also have a driving test to take and some lessons to have, A wide game to organise and some friends to see....
17.8.04
LRT questions answered...
Tram projects derailed by the Government?
Until now new tramway and light rail projects in Britain have be publicly promoted and procured. Like the Millenium Dome many of these projects have over run budgets, over estimated patronage and required annual subsity, as well as 100% tax payers grants.
NAO KO
The National Audit Office (NAO) spent a year reviewing these projects to see if tax payers money was well spent. Backed up by facts and figures the NAO concluded in its report in April that such projects are not value for money. To justify the claimed benifits of reducing air pollution and traffic conjestion needs clearer objectives, a better understanding of the technology and closer cost control.
White Paper- black news?
The government published in July a White Paper on transport and Alistair Darling, the secretary of state for transport quoted the NAO to justify pulling the plug on light rail projects queuing for tax payers handouts. The projects rejected were Manchester Metrolink Phase 3 GBP1 bn, Leeds Supertram GBP0.5 bn, South Hants LRT GBP 270 million, Blackpool extension GBP 250 million. Mr Darling made it clear that he was not going to put any more Central Government Grants into expensive municipal "Vanity" tram projects, which do not deliver the claimed objectives and fail to carry predicted patronage and so need annual subsidies.
Mr Bus?
In comparion to bus services, where commercial operators carry 95% of passengers without subsidy, the government has concluded that the existing approach to light rail is not viable or sustainable.
Lottery Priye Every Week?
Meanwhile in the Militant Republic of Merseytravel money is spent like there is no tomorrow promoting the Merseytram project. Having wasted GBP13 million on a misguided trolleybus system, Merseytravel has now spent GBP 12 million on its line one project, where the law bid is GBP 290 million, for a project claimed at the public inquiry to cost only GBP 224 million. Merseytravel claims the Government will donate GBP 170 million, inspite of Alistair Darlings Damning speech to Parliament. This deluded view were correct there is a local funding gap of GBP 120 million, to carry 5 million passengers yearly 60% asspacted from existing bus services.
Spend Spend Spend
Such is the drive of Merseytravel that they have started spening money on promoting a second line, when they already knew they were well down the list against other cities. Never mind Merseytravel has just oushed a bill though Parliment to increase Mersey road tunnel tolls to soak Wirral commuters who spurn Merseytravels real rail services (inspite of GBP4 per ticket subsidy) for the higher quality of their own car. How long can Merseytravel milk tunnel communters before there is a revolt? Why should Wirral residents pay a toll tax for a tramline in Liverpool?
Merseytravel Capital of Culture
But hang on, isn't Liverpool the European Capital of culture in 2008? Doesn't it need a tramway to be a European City? No doubt all those extra tourists flying into Liverpool John Lennon Airport in 2008 will be put on coaches, taken 15 miles around liverpool to Kirkby to catch the Merseytram into the ciy centre, taking a total of 2 hours for a 30 minute taxi trip? Why build a tram line to Kirkby rather than the Airport? Merseytravel taxes residents in five districts: Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral. A tramway to the Airport would be wholly in Liverpool and give no benifits to other disticts which would have to pay. WHere as Kirkby is in Knowsley- so two districts cash in on the other three?
Free Tram
Does Merseytravel live in the 21st Century? At the same time as it was pouring GBP13 m into consultants pockets over its aborded guided trollybus project, a consortium of private companies was promoting a commercial tramway to Liverpool Airport. In 1999 this was rejected. Merseytravel lodged 26 objections to this tramway which would have been built without any tax payers grants or susidies and would have been open in 2002.
Subsidy Subsidence
Instead clutching to Socialist Principals of Integrated transport, which means that Merseytravel would like to control everything, the commercial bus services which carry 90% of Merseysides patronage without subsidy, do not have any bus lanes in the city centre, unlike any other UK city. But then these bus companies are private and not controlled by Merseytravel.
Railroaded
In comparison to Merseyrail, Merseytravels real rail system which costs taxpayers GBP80 million yearly to carry 2% of all local trips, taxis carry 3% without subsidy. Taxi trips are growing, Merseyrail has fallen from 45 m to 33m Journies per year, during a time when the network nearly doubled. Now that Merseytravel is the franshising Authourity, no doubt they will be decreeing when train staff have their meal breaks and what is on the menu.
SMART=TRAMS
Merseytravel's attempt to operare a SMART bus service collapsed. This is now run be a commercail company Arriva. A new GBP18 m interchange station at Allerton AKA South Liverpool Parkway will generate 800 trips per day and will no doubt in due course join the other abandoned interchange stations. These were built at high cost to taxpayers but in the wrong place.
What Next?
You asked about the Merseytram project, the whole world knows that the Government has pulled the plug on publicaly funded tramways. Except that is in the People's Republic of Merseytravel were money is no object if it flatters the ego's of councillor Marx and General Scales?
Donnations Please
If this tram line is just the ticket, spare a thought or a few million euros for the hard pressed Merseytravel, having to scape every last penny to pay its Cheif Executive who is also the Director General a paltry GBP96,00 per year and a chauffeur driven limousine. No doubt the 950 staff of Merseytravel start each day wondering how their 330 hard pressed comrades in Birmingham manage a larger city, more rail lines, more passengers and a larger system. Perhaps inbetween completing safety sases to use paper chips they might also ponder the fainess of their dafe jobs funded by the poor people of Merseyside with an average income less than 75% of EU. Perhaps the GBP200 it cost each person to subsidies Merseytravel might be better buying people taxis.
Tram projects derailed by the Government?
Until now new tramway and light rail projects in Britain have be publicly promoted and procured. Like the Millenium Dome many of these projects have over run budgets, over estimated patronage and required annual subsity, as well as 100% tax payers grants.
NAO KO
The National Audit Office (NAO) spent a year reviewing these projects to see if tax payers money was well spent. Backed up by facts and figures the NAO concluded in its report in April that such projects are not value for money. To justify the claimed benifits of reducing air pollution and traffic conjestion needs clearer objectives, a better understanding of the technology and closer cost control.
White Paper- black news?
The government published in July a White Paper on transport and Alistair Darling, the secretary of state for transport quoted the NAO to justify pulling the plug on light rail projects queuing for tax payers handouts. The projects rejected were Manchester Metrolink Phase 3 GBP1 bn, Leeds Supertram GBP0.5 bn, South Hants LRT GBP 270 million, Blackpool extension GBP 250 million. Mr Darling made it clear that he was not going to put any more Central Government Grants into expensive municipal "Vanity" tram projects, which do not deliver the claimed objectives and fail to carry predicted patronage and so need annual subsidies.
Mr Bus?
In comparion to bus services, where commercial operators carry 95% of passengers without subsidy, the government has concluded that the existing approach to light rail is not viable or sustainable.
Lottery Priye Every Week?
Meanwhile in the Militant Republic of Merseytravel money is spent like there is no tomorrow promoting the Merseytram project. Having wasted GBP13 million on a misguided trolleybus system, Merseytravel has now spent GBP 12 million on its line one project, where the law bid is GBP 290 million, for a project claimed at the public inquiry to cost only GBP 224 million. Merseytravel claims the Government will donate GBP 170 million, inspite of Alistair Darlings Damning speech to Parliament. This deluded view were correct there is a local funding gap of GBP 120 million, to carry 5 million passengers yearly 60% asspacted from existing bus services.
Spend Spend Spend
Such is the drive of Merseytravel that they have started spening money on promoting a second line, when they already knew they were well down the list against other cities. Never mind Merseytravel has just oushed a bill though Parliment to increase Mersey road tunnel tolls to soak Wirral commuters who spurn Merseytravels real rail services (inspite of GBP4 per ticket subsidy) for the higher quality of their own car. How long can Merseytravel milk tunnel communters before there is a revolt? Why should Wirral residents pay a toll tax for a tramline in Liverpool?
Merseytravel Capital of Culture
But hang on, isn't Liverpool the European Capital of culture in 2008? Doesn't it need a tramway to be a European City? No doubt all those extra tourists flying into Liverpool John Lennon Airport in 2008 will be put on coaches, taken 15 miles around liverpool to Kirkby to catch the Merseytram into the ciy centre, taking a total of 2 hours for a 30 minute taxi trip? Why build a tram line to Kirkby rather than the Airport? Merseytravel taxes residents in five districts: Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral. A tramway to the Airport would be wholly in Liverpool and give no benifits to other disticts which would have to pay. WHere as Kirkby is in Knowsley- so two districts cash in on the other three?
Free Tram
Does Merseytravel live in the 21st Century? At the same time as it was pouring GBP13 m into consultants pockets over its aborded guided trollybus project, a consortium of private companies was promoting a commercial tramway to Liverpool Airport. In 1999 this was rejected. Merseytravel lodged 26 objections to this tramway which would have been built without any tax payers grants or susidies and would have been open in 2002.
Subsidy Subsidence
Instead clutching to Socialist Principals of Integrated transport, which means that Merseytravel would like to control everything, the commercial bus services which carry 90% of Merseysides patronage without subsidy, do not have any bus lanes in the city centre, unlike any other UK city. But then these bus companies are private and not controlled by Merseytravel.
Railroaded
In comparison to Merseyrail, Merseytravels real rail system which costs taxpayers GBP80 million yearly to carry 2% of all local trips, taxis carry 3% without subsidy. Taxi trips are growing, Merseyrail has fallen from 45 m to 33m Journies per year, during a time when the network nearly doubled. Now that Merseytravel is the franshising Authourity, no doubt they will be decreeing when train staff have their meal breaks and what is on the menu.
SMART=TRAMS
Merseytravel's attempt to operare a SMART bus service collapsed. This is now run be a commercail company Arriva. A new GBP18 m interchange station at Allerton AKA South Liverpool Parkway will generate 800 trips per day and will no doubt in due course join the other abandoned interchange stations. These were built at high cost to taxpayers but in the wrong place.
What Next?
You asked about the Merseytram project, the whole world knows that the Government has pulled the plug on publicaly funded tramways. Except that is in the People's Republic of Merseytravel were money is no object if it flatters the ego's of councillor Marx and General Scales?
Donnations Please
If this tram line is just the ticket, spare a thought or a few million euros for the hard pressed Merseytravel, having to scape every last penny to pay its Cheif Executive who is also the Director General a paltry GBP96,00 per year and a chauffeur driven limousine. No doubt the 950 staff of Merseytravel start each day wondering how their 330 hard pressed comrades in Birmingham manage a larger city, more rail lines, more passengers and a larger system. Perhaps inbetween completing safety sases to use paper chips they might also ponder the fainess of their dafe jobs funded by the poor people of Merseyside with an average income less than 75% of EU. Perhaps the GBP200 it cost each person to subsidies Merseytravel might be better buying people taxis.
16.8.04
Caz asked "So has Liverpool missed out getting LRT, ours in South Hampshire has been cancelled :(" Let me get back to you on that one, it is very complicated!
Back from my four days of baby sitting. Nothing major happened but my cooking wasn't appriciated (maybe it was because it was me cooking and not their mum?!) (since I have had wedding proposals over my cooking I was a little confused).
My dissertation hasn't got no further, I wrote to the planning office to get a copy of the plan of the area but apparently that would contravine copyright law, what do they think I am going to do, build an exact scale replica of the crappy little village?
Today with my weekends earnings I have brought 2 dance mats and a dance game(which you can do Kareoke with too) for Malc's PSone (which I have inherited). I am thinking of getting two more dance games and a kareoke microphone for it too.
I have a long list of things to do before SAGGA camp (especially coz I am going from camp to Hungary)... This student life ain't so easy as people think!
Back from my four days of baby sitting. Nothing major happened but my cooking wasn't appriciated (maybe it was because it was me cooking and not their mum?!) (since I have had wedding proposals over my cooking I was a little confused).
My dissertation hasn't got no further, I wrote to the planning office to get a copy of the plan of the area but apparently that would contravine copyright law, what do they think I am going to do, build an exact scale replica of the crappy little village?
Today with my weekends earnings I have brought 2 dance mats and a dance game(which you can do Kareoke with too) for Malc's PSone (which I have inherited). I am thinking of getting two more dance games and a kareoke microphone for it too.
I have a long list of things to do before SAGGA camp (especially coz I am going from camp to Hungary)... This student life ain't so easy as people think!
10.8.04
I was once told that blogging was just for teenage girls. The head line on the back of yesterdays guardian media section proves otherwise: The Blog Busters; mighty corporations ignore the whispers of web diaries at their peril. This has lead to my dad asking about blogs and the like and I am afraid that he is going to hijack my blog now for his own political/tram aims...
I have been swimming this morning (at 7:30ish) and it was good. It woke me up. But we came back to the car and found a large puddle on the passenger seat thanks to a leaky sun roof and torencile rain (there is a metre of water running down either side of the road).
I am off to tate Liverpool to day to see gaugan to gormley with Jen (Kate was going to come but isn't very well). I love the tate and I think we are going to eat there too, only problem is it is tourist season and they are sooooo annoying however the rain may put them off.
I have been swimming this morning (at 7:30ish) and it was good. It woke me up. But we came back to the car and found a large puddle on the passenger seat thanks to a leaky sun roof and torencile rain (there is a metre of water running down either side of the road).
I am off to tate Liverpool to day to see gaugan to gormley with Jen (Kate was going to come but isn't very well). I love the tate and I think we are going to eat there too, only problem is it is tourist season and they are sooooo annoying however the rain may put them off.
8.8.04
How I love chick flicks aimed at the teen age group! I have just watched "a walk to remember" with Mandy Moore, it was sooo depressing but great, that optimism that only teenagers can have. Yesterday I saw the trailer for the Princess Diaries 2, a bit disapointing, the first film sticks vagley to the books while this 2nd installment doesn't seem to stay anywhere near them.
Today I have been shopping. I have brought some brown pin strip materail to make trousers from, so dark blue (with a touch of orange) demin to make jeans with. I have also ordered a pattern for a corset (this is my next big project). Next thing I brought was a chair for camp (this is harder than you think), I had to get one which was comfortable to sit in and that could be easily costomised (so can be identified quickely in the cirlce). Any how I managed to find a chair in Blacks and a nice "young man" started talking to me, I am thinking of going back in to buy something... I do need a new tube for my platapus!
Also this week, the baby has arrived, our Malc is now Godfather to Daniel Noel. The central heating has been fixed so we now have hot water in the house (without the AGA making the kitchen into a Suana). Friday I went and order Malc's computer, and it was expensive. I have written around 3000 words towards my dissertation, I am hoping to write more tomorrow, although I still haven't carried out any field work as no one has agreed to it and a fax I sent to the planning department has been ignored.
Today I have been shopping. I have brought some brown pin strip materail to make trousers from, so dark blue (with a touch of orange) demin to make jeans with. I have also ordered a pattern for a corset (this is my next big project). Next thing I brought was a chair for camp (this is harder than you think), I had to get one which was comfortable to sit in and that could be easily costomised (so can be identified quickely in the cirlce). Any how I managed to find a chair in Blacks and a nice "young man" started talking to me, I am thinking of going back in to buy something... I do need a new tube for my platapus!
Also this week, the baby has arrived, our Malc is now Godfather to Daniel Noel. The central heating has been fixed so we now have hot water in the house (without the AGA making the kitchen into a Suana). Friday I went and order Malc's computer, and it was expensive. I have written around 3000 words towards my dissertation, I am hoping to write more tomorrow, although I still haven't carried out any field work as no one has agreed to it and a fax I sent to the planning department has been ignored.
5.8.04
I am bored and depressed and in need of entertainment. Any suggetion? I don't think that alcohol should be used. I should really be doing my dissertation but things keep getting in the way (like unhelpful people). I have been promised kareoke tomorrow night but I dn't have high expectations of it coming off...
My stupid new sewing machine doesn't have a button so I can change the needle position... this makes putting zips in a lot harder.
My stupid new sewing machine doesn't have a button so I can change the needle position... this makes putting zips in a lot harder.
Trying to be a good person but not always succeeding.
Branching Out
Too much spare time?
Fun and Games
Them that blog too!
Others that blog!
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