Hmmm, cut off from the rest of the world as we seem to be at the moment, I can't help but imagine the disruption it is causing further down the supply chain.
My brother-in-law was due to fly to Delhi yesterday, en route to the Himalayas to climb K2 or some similar high peak. He was unable to go and at this stage is unsure whether a reschedule will be possible. He is frustrated, but think of the Sherpa's who are on standby to help, and the whole infrastructure over there that is dependent on mountaineers coming from Europe. They are their lifeline to a reasonable standard of living, and they are losing out.
Maxines parents nearly booked a last minute cruise last week. They would not have been able to make the flight to Athens to pick up the ship. What happens in that situation, does the ship sail half full, or less? Do they lay off half the staff for the duration of the cruise? Imagine the effect of a half full cruise liner arriving at various ports where the people survive on the back of t-shirt and souvenir sales. It could last a couple more months.
The flip side of the coin sees members of the 1st Rifle brigade stranded in Lisbon on their way back from Afghanistan. They are no doubt glad to be safe, but separated once more from their family and friends, just when they anticipated some R & R. (none of that in Lisbon then eh?....ed)
Airlines face crippling losses particularly when they need to accommodate their clients for extra days, and hoteliers will struggle to account for the lost revenue from tourists unable to travel to their destination of choice.
And what of my GPS system which I sent back to the States to get repairs.....will it be coming by sea or do UPS have contingency plans for such events....it will be interesting to see. We are away ourselves in a couple of weeks, hopefully Eyjafjallajokull has run its course now and not woken up its big sister Katla. If she gets grumpy we could be stranded for weeks.
Monday 19 April 2010
Friday 9 April 2010
Take your own luv....
I have just spend the Easter weekend, and some, repairing the fence and refurbishing the front gates. As I was applying the third coat of wood stain, and wondering what Michael Caine must be thinking about (a) the Wood Preservation Society, and (b) his support for the Conservative Party, I cast my mind back to Easters past when I was a lad, and I was forced into that scouting tradition 'Bob a Job week.
In years gone past Bob a Job was one of the biggest events of the year for Scouts and Cubs and one which, in general, scouts hated! So what was a Bob? well it was a shilling in those days, five new pence in later times For the week of Easter scouts spent their school holidays going around door to door all over the area, walking miles, knocking on door and saying 'Hello, this is Bob a Job week, do you want any jobs done?' Scouts took on tasks like cleaning out garages, walking pets, gardening, car washing, shopping, and so on....and the charge? One Shilling.....a BOB!,
Newspapers always cashed in on the good stories and it was a great publicity week for scouts, people thought it was great for young boys (no girls back then) to earn money for scouting....through slavery!!! This Bob A Job week went on for years and years until someone decided that it should be changed to Scout Job Week as the shilling was consigned to history when decimalisation took over. Five pence a Job week just did not have the same ring to it!
As time went on the idea of any young child knocking on any strangers door became a no-no and the great Bob a Job week came crashing down! Bob A Job was phased out, but it had generated much needed funds for scouting, and the days were more innocent then...and perhaps....dare I say....a lot more fun.?
Some Scout and Cub packs continue to embrace the concept, although work is confined to family, friends and near neighbours. There must have been undesirable adults around when we did it, but I can't recall any incidents in our area.
Ah well, looks like the fence will have to last a few years until the grandkids are old enough to join up, then they can all have a dib dib dib at it.
In years gone past Bob a Job was one of the biggest events of the year for Scouts and Cubs and one which, in general, scouts hated! So what was a Bob? well it was a shilling in those days, five new pence in later times For the week of Easter scouts spent their school holidays going around door to door all over the area, walking miles, knocking on door and saying 'Hello, this is Bob a Job week, do you want any jobs done?' Scouts took on tasks like cleaning out garages, walking pets, gardening, car washing, shopping, and so on....and the charge? One Shilling.....a BOB!,
Newspapers always cashed in on the good stories and it was a great publicity week for scouts, people thought it was great for young boys (no girls back then) to earn money for scouting....through slavery!!! This Bob A Job week went on for years and years until someone decided that it should be changed to Scout Job Week as the shilling was consigned to history when decimalisation took over. Five pence a Job week just did not have the same ring to it!
As time went on the idea of any young child knocking on any strangers door became a no-no and the great Bob a Job week came crashing down! Bob A Job was phased out, but it had generated much needed funds for scouting, and the days were more innocent then...and perhaps....dare I say....a lot more fun.?
Some Scout and Cub packs continue to embrace the concept, although work is confined to family, friends and near neighbours. There must have been undesirable adults around when we did it, but I can't recall any incidents in our area.
Ah well, looks like the fence will have to last a few years until the grandkids are old enough to join up, then they can all have a dib dib dib at it.
Wednesday 7 April 2010
The Aye's have it
The Country waits.........but for what I wonder? The World Cup in June, and news of the first footie fan to be mugged for his or her scarf ? I do hope they are not seriously hurt. Alternatively we could be waiting for England to win the World Twenty/20 in the West indies. I suspect the ladies will have a better chance than the chaps, so who said its not a game for girls Mr Peterson.
No, I think the Country is waiting for the excitement and cracking repartee and riposte which will engulf us all as we prepare for the general election on May 6th . I know I am. President Obama does not care much for our Gordon, so will he become a pub quiz question by virtue of being added to the list of Prime Ministers who have never been elected? He must be hoping we all like him a bit more than they do over the pond.
I can't wait for the battle buses to pull up outside our house and the massed ranks of canvasser's descend on us with their questions and answers and bits of paper and coloured rosette's. It's all a bit like FA Cup Final day.
Consider as well that we have the joy of television debates featuring the party leaders, and no election would be complete without the BBC swingometer now would it?
So yes, the Country waits, and as Haggar The Horrible once said, while sitting in a bar, 'All things come to those who wait, and this looks as good a place to wait as any'
No, I think the Country is waiting for the excitement and cracking repartee and riposte which will engulf us all as we prepare for the general election on May 6th . I know I am. President Obama does not care much for our Gordon, so will he become a pub quiz question by virtue of being added to the list of Prime Ministers who have never been elected? He must be hoping we all like him a bit more than they do over the pond.
I can't wait for the battle buses to pull up outside our house and the massed ranks of canvasser's descend on us with their questions and answers and bits of paper and coloured rosette's. It's all a bit like FA Cup Final day.
Consider as well that we have the joy of television debates featuring the party leaders, and no election would be complete without the BBC swingometer now would it?
So yes, the Country waits, and as Haggar The Horrible once said, while sitting in a bar, 'All things come to those who wait, and this looks as good a place to wait as any'
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