Q-Continuum

Just back from a couple of days away including a stopover in south yorkshire. One month's rain in just under 24 hours, totally ruined a row of homes opposite and no chance that the flood water will subside before the next wave of heavy rain hits over the weekend. The met office already have a weather warning in force.. We can expect a further two days of downpours on Saturday. 

I'd always thought I understood the power and devestation that flooding can cause but I was being approached by people asking to use my mobile so they could let people know they were ok - they had been evacuated from their homes and have no chance of getting back for weeks.. There are council centers but mostly people are relying on their friends and neighbours. Most of the homes are mud filled on the ground floors and their property destroyed. On one level you understand that but when you see it first hand it really hits home.

Cars had been picked up and swept away and so far there have been 5 deaths as a result of the flooding. If I'm feeling like this as an observer I can only imagine what those involved must be going through.

As a former police officer I've been following developments in the UK police with some interest but can't work out what current policy is aiming at?

This weekend, I met some former colleagues who are still in the job and I'm afraid to say it confirmed my decision to leave was correct.

Under current "thinking" serious crime should be managed by specialist agencies such as SOCA; uniformed police (pc level) shouldn't get involved in traffic matters - most traffic departments are closing and being dealt with by the new highways agency.

Similarly, more complex investigations should be handled by fewer in force central specialist units. Anti social behaviour and low level nuisance should be managed by Police community support officers and noise is now managed by local authority environmental health officers.

To add to the list, credit card fraud is now NOT the responsibility of the police to investigate but should be referred to your bank who may refer it on if they chose to. So far since April, there have been less than 60 cases of credit card fraud reported by the banks nationally. A cynic may say it's not in their interest for us to know how bad the problem is.

Finally, child protection matters should be focused towards specialist joint investigation teams and animal offences are probably handed off to the RSPCA..

Given all this .... what exactly do the police have left to do ? (And why are we all still paying as much for them to do so much less)

Apologies for those of you who may not know the current faces on the BBC, but I read an article on the way back from London that made me more angry than I have been for some time.

The two presenters shown here are Nick Ross (59) and Fiona Bruce (43) although to me their ages are not relevant. They are the anchor presenters for Crimewatch UK, a monthly hour long appeal for help on some of the country's most difficult crime cases. So what was it that made me fume like Shrek?

Well in the BBC's wisdom they have decided that this programme is so apparently youth based and culturally significant (irony) that both presenters are simply too old to be on the screen. - So forget the programme or these people in particular, its the drive for youth and bin anyone over 35 that gets me !!

To me, they both appear far from the final stages of decrepitude so what exactly is the problem ? Equally, when is too old ?

The same article told how news presenters are now too old if over 35 and two applicants for a fashion programme were turned down at 28 !

So make way for the next inexperienced embrio to honour our screens, lose others purely on a sense that they're "knocking on a bit" .. If anyone has read Logan's run it brings Carousel to mind..

So I think we can be sure I'm having a bad day !

Am I alone or does anyone else feel this place is on a big slippery slope to somewhere not too nice? By this place I mean this green and not so pleasant land. Just reading through my friends blogs has made me conscious of a few trends.

As a country we're over surveilled. Cameras everywhere, working harder that most other places to stand still - we work the most hours of any European country - and more people departing for pastures new every day (LandersUK off to Ireland, HUWBY to Bulgaria etc etc) ..

Although all governments go bad (and without getting overtly political) this one seems to have dragged us into a total mess as far as foreign policy goes - if thats not an oxymoron.

Everybody seems totally celebrity obsessed and drawn into the latest big-brother celebrity death match island rubbish - but then looks at you like you're some kind of alien if you don't know who Jade Goodey is. (I do but found the information of no use so draw the line there). 

I have always found it hard to imagine living anywhere other than the UK, but now a quiet patch of Alberta or British Columbia has a rapidly growing appeal (Musings .. see what you've done to me with your wide open Canadian spaces).
 
Remind me - what is it about the UK that's so good ?

Have you ever had one of those days when all the news is poor and all the work demands are increasing?

Work pressure has been increasingly difficult over the past few weeks with loads of working away (London for 5-6 weeks) and extended hours. I know it happens to all of us from time to time, but it seems like this is becoming the norm.  Now to add to that a letter lovingly crafted from our HR team informing all staff that they are subject to a corporate regrading exercise.

Now although I haven't had my letter yet, (it's already late and past the deadline for delivery) all those I have spoken to tell me regrading is not so coded for down-graded with most people "red-ringed". This sounded particularly painful then I found out it meant no payrise next year and I realised it was very painful.

So it would appear that its more work, more hours for less pay .. Ever thought it might be time to brush up the old CV?

Well it's situation normal at present with just one day to unpack last weeks bag, do the washing and ironing before packing it again for the week ahead.

Just to say I am keeping up with friends blogs as much as I can, but where I am working I can only read not submit new entries so please excuse the relative lack of comments etc - I will try to catch up when I'm back in more normal circulation.

Just spent the last 30-40 minutes watching the commemoration ceremony for the Falklands conflict (now 25 years ago). Was it only me who thought the marching was a little bit below par? I thought I saw so many step-changes it reminded me of a tap routine. Otherwise a great spectacle though

I had an unexpected and quite challenging phone call this evening from the secretary of a very good local amateur dramatic group. They put on a large scale musical each year at the towns theatre which runs for a couple of weeks.

Before I went off to study performing arts (in the dim and distant past) I took part in a number of their productions and thoroughly enjoyed it. However, I haven't been involved with them since then and only followed them from a distance.

Today's call wasn't to take part as such - but was a request to provide sign language interpreting for this years production Fiddler on the Roof. I have been signing for over 11 years and they just found out and made the connection.

To be honest they haven't really thought through the implications of a signed performance and although I've agreed to help them understand these I'm still wondering if it's something I should take on.

It's not that I wouldn't find it interesting, but its a very tricky subject matter and has some fairly "way out" signing.. Not to mention the fact that it would be something of a signing marathon. I'm sure it would be a challenge and I'm sure I could get through but there's always the worry of not doing a good enough job.

One to sleep on I think..

Just before the lateness of the hour catches up with me and I head for bed I had to share details of a petition I was asked to sign today.
I was coming out of Chancery Lane tube when a clipboard was thrust at me by two people who proudly announced they were mature students. I was asked to sign on the weighty subject of bringing back proper kids tv programs rather than (in their view) the current crap on kids television.

When I asked what sort of thing they would like to see back they suggested Hong Kong Phooey, Rhubarb and Custard, Chorlton and the Wheelies and Banana Splits.

It got me wondering what I would return to the schedules if I was given the power ... Any suggestions ?

Ps If you don't know who/what Chorlton and the wheelies are it's a lost cause - you'd never believe me if I explained..

I've just had one of those pieces of news that brings events full circle, albeit a circle that took eight years to complete.
In the summer of 1999 I went to New York and was walking from Time Square to 5th Avenue when I saw café called Bellamy's.
Naturally, given that this was my surname and given my interest in family history I went in and chatted with the family. They told me they came from Canada in the late 1880's and we chatted about visits to the UK.
Eight years later while investigating family links in Ontario I found a missing family member. I'd been scouring the Canadian cities around the great lakes and totally missed one set of emigration records.
To cut a long story short, that family member left Canada, moved to Yonkers before moving to central New York. On tracing that family through records - you've guessed it they opened a restaurant between Time Square and 5th Ave, where they still are today..

What a truly small world !

The world is turning me into a grumpy old fart judging by my blog - and really I'm not - it's just that I'm increasingly out of step with the times (without the grumpy bit)..

We've been asked How do you solve a problem like Maria and more recently told Any Dream will do in a bid to cast the leading roles in two west end productions (The Sound of Music and Joseph) - Not to mention Grease is the word and Menapause the musical.

Is there anyone in London's theatre land who hasn't been cast by the public? Please God don't escalate this trend and spawn more reality shows to cast more shows. It's the only place I had left to go to avoid the reality tv world.

I'm getting worried that when I need to go to hospital I may get a surgeon wannabee elected by phone vote on Any splean will do The worrying thing is I suspect someone somewhere in some producers think bubble the idea is already gaining ground.

Splean vented, off to grump !