Author: Brian Riley

Old Dogs – New Tricks & Neophobes

Brian Riley Money Matters, Political - Local, Quotation of the day

MargotZombieism refers to a tendency of things to become paralysed and parasitic. When anything ages it becomes less adaptable, less flexible, more ‘stuck in its ways’.
You know the expression: ‘You can’t teach an old dog new tricks’.
That’s partly because the old dog is tired and doesn’t want to learn any new tricks. And it’s partly because he doesn’t need to. Old dogs just lie around. They eat, but they don’t hunt. Their joints are stiff. Their ambitions are few. They’ve figured out how to get the bone without much effort.
Likewise, old people often distrust anything new. They’ve seen that most new things don’t work out very well.
 And they often become parasitic. They eat. But they don’t produce. It’s just natural. Often, old people mimic the grave before crawling into it. They don’t move. They don’t think. They shuffle around… like zombies.
Taken from: http://www.moneyweek.com/about-us/the-moneyweek-team/bill-bonner (The game is rigged)

 

Trafalgar Night 2011

Brian Riley Local Colour, Nice Things, Uncategorized

Six months ago Alice & I attended a St. George’s Night celebration in Sudbury and a germ of an idea was planted that we might do something similar in the winter by holding a Trafalgar Night dinner with any funds raised going to Help for Heroes. It would have stayed an idea except for Maggie and Erik Solomon who also wished to raise funds for HfH and were focusing upon a dinner at the Cock Inn, Polstead. I’ve known Maggie & Erik for some time and was called in to provide a touch of oomph and hopefully some ideas, organization and structure. The landlady of the Cock Inn unfortunately become ill in October and we then switched the venue to the Kings Head in Hadleigh. Maggie negotiated a good deal for the meal and focused on raising £5 per head for the charity. This was to be a surcharge on the cost of the meal and saved us the task of selling raffle tickets (and locating the prizes). Roger Howlett (one of the diners) suggested that we made everyone complete a Gift Aid form so that the charity could claim back the Standard Rate of Income Tax on all donations. Twenty people attended and a total of £125 was raised without any pain being imposed on the donors. Everyone sang “Heart of Oak”, “No John No” and of course finished with “Rule Britannia”.  I did the address to the Immortal Memory. Following day comments included:
“A good evening & we both enjoyed the meal as well”
“Thank you for all the work you did to make the evening such a great success. God bless you”
More details of HfH can be found on http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/index.php?secondtime=1

Bailiff Issues (2)

Brian Riley Money Matters, Nice Things

Earlier in the year  (16th August) I wrote about a meeting at Babergh with a so called debtor who was (erroneously) alleged to owe Council Taxes on properties which had been taken over by the Official Receiver upon my “client” being made bankrupt.
On Saturday my “client” came to see me to thank me for my intervention and management of the situation which as of that morning had been satisfactorily resolved.
So chalk one up for the good guys – the system does work and from time to time a councilor can be useful.

It’s Not About the Newts

Brian Riley Uncategorized

Friday’s Telegraph brought the news that picking blackberries on Southampton Common was no longer allowed – even though it has been a community activity for as long as one can remember. Alan Gibson who organises “foraging picnics” to collect wild fruit and nuts, says he was ordered to stop by officials because it was bad for the environment.
When he questioned further, he said he was told that the activity posed a risk to newts.
As well as blackberries, he was told hazelnuts, apples and chestnuts were also out of bounds. Staff at the council-run Hawthorns Urban Wildlife Centre told him that blackberry picking was prohibited because the common was a Site of Special Scientific Interest and home to endangered great crested newts.
Hawthorns’ centre staff later admitted that was not the case, but Mr Gibson says a manager insisted the blackberry picking ban stood.
But it’s not about the newts or the environment it is about the use and abuse of power.
On October 1st The Economist published an article entitled “All power tends to corrupt – but power without status corrupts absolutely” which explains that to call someone “a little Hitler” means he is a menial functionary who employs what power he had in order to annoy and frustrate others for his own gratification.
Little Hitlers plague the world. The phenomenon has now  been  the subject to scientific investigation by Nathanael Fast of the University of Southern California.
More details can be found on the link http://www.economist.com/node/21530945
The Telegraph link is http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/8812016/Traditional-blackberry-picking-under-threat-from-council-officials.html

The Zaccheus 2000 Trust

Brian Riley Money Matters, Nice Things

I have received an email asking me to register with Nat West’s Community Force grant programme and vote for the Zaccheus 2000 Trust project (http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/566). Voting closes on the 23rd October.

I am a fan and supporter of the Zaccheus 2000 Trust who are a charity helping people living on benefit or low incomes to access justice when they face claims for debt or fines.

I am an alumnus of their training programme for McKenzie Friends. I found it very useful and helpful in my Councillor role when I am trying to help people resolve difficulties with the Council.

Recent changes to the amount of help the government will give people with their housing costs will mean that many thousands of households will be forced away from their homes, jobs, friends and family and into cheaper areas.

The Z2K  project will focus on those families. Moving house can be stressful and traumatic for everyone at the best of times, but it is especially for those forced to move while surviving on a small income. It will be particularly difficult for those who are working on low wages who depend upon their local networks for  child care help that enables them to work.

Z2K wants to use money from the NatWest Community Trust to employ a part-time co-ordinator to recruit a number of volunteers to assist families to settle in their new neighbourhoods. These locally based volunteers will help with important activities such as enrolling in local schools, registering with doctors while also supporting people with integrating into the local community and making  new friends.

A vote costs nothing but the potential return is massive – so please register with Nat West’s Community Force grant programme and vote for the Zaccheus 2000 Trust project (http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/566).

The Budget Challenge

Brian Riley Political - Local
Babergh Offices Flag

Like many councils, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils are facing severe cuts in their budget for next year.Reductions in the amount of money  received from the Government; increases in inflation and demands on their services mean that together they need to find up to £2.8m in savings in order to balance the books for 2012/13. This could come from making savings or by looking at ways to increase income.
In 2013/15 both Babergh and Mid Suffolk councils need to find an additional £4.6m worth of savings in total from a combined budget of £20m.
It will be a tough challenge and they have consulted residents  to find out what services are valued and where people think things could be done differently.
I’m not usually a responder to consultations except where the thinking has been done for me and all I have to do is to tick boxes. However this time I thought I should get my act together and provide a proper response which is attached.
If any of my readers agree with my sentiments they might like to contact Babergh and express their opinions.  http://www.babergh.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/02F42436-0C12-4B57-B8F6-C98C5D09745E/0/BudgetChallengeleaflet.pdf is a good place to start. I don’t think time constraints matter too much in these situations.

Adan C 110930.docx

 

Listening to the Market

Brian Riley Political - National and other

The current political book in the market place is Brown at 10 by Anthony Seldon. Amazon has it at £10.39 [Hardcover] being a 31% discount on the recommended retail price  of £14.99. Surfing around on Amazon will also let you buy it for £7.56. It is 10,644 in Books on Amazon Bestsellers’ Rankings
Similarly Back from the Brink: 1,000 Days at Number 11 by Alistair Darling  is
discounted down from £19.99 (Hardcover) to £10.39 (48%) . Shopping around will
find it for £9.11. However it is 54 in Books on Amazon Bestsellers’ Rankings
Meanwhile Ed: The Milibands and the making of a Labour leader by Mehdi Hasan and James Macintyre  is on the market for £9.97 down from £16.99  (41%). Careful shopping will find it new for £9.46. It is 34,297 in Books  on Amazon Bestsellers’ Rankings.
So what’s the lesson – well markets can go up and they can also go down but these books are heading for Poundland, the local charity shop or else they will be released into the wild (see http://www.bookcrossing.com).

Irresponsible Headlines

Brian Riley Local Colour

The E.A.D.T.  of 28th September brings the poster capable of heralding an outbreak of mariticide merely by the promotion of the idea. Sadly the reality is more serious. Suzanne Knox, appearing at Ipswich Crown Court, was found not guilty of causing her spouse’s death by dangerous driving but had earlier admitted a charge of causing his death by careless driving. She will be sentenced next month. See http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/lowestoft_wife_found_not_guilty_of_causing_husband_s_death_by_dangerous_driving_1_1075234