We’ve moved house and it has taken over a week to get broadband installed. The lack of internet connection has meant that I have had to do DIY thingys. The list of jobs has shrunk sufficiently for me to be allowed on the computer.
Thanks for keeping an eye on things - hopefully I’ll come up with something to keep you entertained over the next few weeks.
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Maintenance | 
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Posted by Stan Still
The man, accused by the authorities of wanting to go to Iraq to fight, has been missing for the past fortnight.”
Is it just me, or is anyone else thinking the same? If this bloke really want to go to Iraq to fight, let him go. His life expectancy will be greatly reduced and the burden on British tax payers will be greatly reduced. Give him a blank firing rifle so he doesn’t hurt anyone and let him get on with it.
5 Comments | The world in general | Permalink
Posted by Stan Still
So where’s the story? I hear you asking.
Well, these two bright sparks were the half time entertainment and decided to shout their abuse through a microphone connected to Hillsborough’s public address system, thereby allowing over 28,000 people to instantly become witnesses for the prosecution.
Faced with the prospect of taking all those statements, because once the CPS get hold of it you can bet your life they would ask for statements from every single witness, the officer in the case took a bold decision and issued each of them with a Penalty Notice.
Probably the easiest detection anyone in South Yorkshire Police picked up this weekend?
I was walking through town today, when I saw a white van with a big fat Penalty Notice stuck to the screen.
My keen eye told me there was something different about this van. Steering wheel on the wrong side - unfamiliar words written across the front and a number plate with a white letter “F” in a blue square at the beginning.
Now I was taught that we couldn’t do stick and runs on foreign registered vehicles, because funnily enough they’re not on the PNC.
Has there been a change in procedure or are some parking attendants behind with their quota?
PS - this isn’t a picture of the offending vehicle - it’s from a Google search, in case you’re wondering.
6 Comments | Work | Permalink
Posted by Stan Still
Full story here if you want to read it.
I would have thought, given the criticism of forces for being racist, that the best way to prevent allegations that officers are discriminatory is to employ those that are colourblind.
I think Strathclyde have missed an opportunity here.
3 Comments | Work | Permalink
Posted by Stan Still
I’ve been travelling to a certain large city by train recently, for work purposes.
In the last week, I have had to tell three people to put out cigarettes in the station, which has a “No Smoking” policy. Funnily enough, none of the station staff who passed by these transgressors seemed to be bothered about this breach of the rules.
All of them complied with my polite request and at no time did I have to resort to pulling out the old badge.
Earlier today, I was on the train when a group of schoolboys got on. They started running up and down the corridor and messing around with the doors etc. Not one person even looked at them. They pissed me off so I pointed out that they were on a train and not in a playground and they went very quiet and sat down. Again, no conflict and no need to make it “official”.
I know it’s a judgment call, but perhaps if more people took some interest in what was going on about them and opened their mouths, this sort of nuisance behaviour would be limited? None of the people I spoke to answered back - they were simply trying it on and getting away with it until I poked my nose in.
As an aside, when the schoolboys mentioned above earlier got off the train, they suddenly got all brave and came up to the window I was sitting at. One of them gave me the middle finger, with a cocky look on his face. This look dropped to the floor when I simultaneously took a photo of him with my phone and flashed the badge at him. He’ll be wondering what’s in store for him when he gets to school tomorrow. Shame that the picture came out far too blurred to even identify him as a human being.
Don’t tell him - let him sweat for a bit.
7 Comments | Work | Permalink
Posted by Stan Still
Those of you who read my earlier post regarding a phone call from PSD will be as relieved as I am to note that it was completely innocuous.I blog on!
3 Comments | Work | Permalink
Posted by Stan Still
Tell us something we don’t know!
Read the story here and then we can all wait for someone to blag their way out of it.
The Wolverhampton Express and Star (regular readers will know that this is one of my favourite local papers, cos they generally seem to be on the side of common sense) has made applications under the Freedom of Information Act to get crime figures for car parks attached to local stores.
Now my only criticism of the small part of the article I can read is that it appears to blame the stores for a lack of security.
Could it perhaps have anything to do with the fact that these shops are patronised by complete morons who haven’t got the common sense to take thousands of pounds worth of electrical equipment out of the car? I’ve never had a mobile phone, radio or sat nav taken from my car, cos I wouldn’t be daft enough to leave them in view.
Crime prevention begins with the owners of the property, not with the stores.
2 Comments | Work | Permalink
Posted by Stan Still
In the news today, the Government are publicising a “hard-hitting” (which is media speak for too dark, too loud and completely pointless) video, warning of the dangers of binge drinking.
This is the same Government that changed the licencing laws to allow pubs and clubs to stay open all night. The “logic” behind this was that drinkers would not rush to finish their alcopops and all leave the pub at the same time, thus making them safer, more responsible drinkers (Yeah right)
Some police forces are having to review shift patterns to cover the extra hours that licenced premises are open. This is fine, but a limited number of officers can only work a limited number of hours, so they won’t be available for patrolling the areas that deserve police attention.
Sussex Police is one such force (if I had a subscription to Police Review I would link to the full article) so if the good people of Brighton wonder why crime has gone through the roof, it’s because the overworked, overstretched bobbies are required to stop drunken yobs from beating the crap out of each other all hours of the day and night.
It could be me being cynical as usual, but I fail to see how this video will persuade anyone not to go out and get bladdered, when all the pubs and clubs are doing their best to get as much down their customer’s necks as possible.
On the bright side, while there’s a demand for extra patrols, there is overtime available which should help soften the blow of not having had a payrise this year. Thanks Gordon - don’t hold your breath for MY vote! Of course, there’s another dilemma - Do I volunteer for public order patrols or do I volunteer to look after displaced convicts?
Choices, choices!
No Comments » | Work | Permalink
Posted by Stan Still
