tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.comments2023-10-26T14:13:58.282+00:00Is there more to life than shoes?Trixyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02015060663707102784noreply@blogger.comBlogger2156125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-56705442449006743682011-04-03T18:48:28.719+00:002011-04-03T18:48:28.719+00:00I'm out of the blogging loop for a year or two...I'm out of the blogging loop for a year or two and everything goes to hell in a handcart. Writs? Defamation? Before I exiled myself from blogland, the last I'd heard of you, Trixy, was that you were flirting with that Chip Dale character. And whatever happened to him?<br /><br />Ah well. Good to see you as feisty as ever. ;o)The Spinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14767961932107057186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-22725181014912971542011-02-21T17:40:33.285+00:002011-02-21T17:40:33.285+00:00Yes, well done in that. I've been getting sti...Yes, well done in that. I've been getting stick lately for telling the truth as well. Keep at it, Trixy.James Highamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14525082702330365464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-63084420417502653782010-12-07T11:30:15.324+00:002010-12-07T11:30:15.324+00:00More to the point, there's about as much evide...More to the point, there's about as much evidence that too much salt is bad for you as there is that Climate Change is man-made; i.e. not a great deal and there's an equal amount to indicate the opposite. It's just more terribly bad science that has been grasped upon by leftie do-gooders, and foisted upon the rest of us.<br /><br />FoxyFoxyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14915135741418721553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-46889484917087768782010-12-04T15:54:16.714+00:002010-12-04T15:54:16.714+00:00Welcome back, I was worried what had happened to y...Welcome back, I was worried what had happened to you.Not a sheephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14123293202225008273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-70854974543951980822010-11-26T21:44:32.455+00:002010-11-26T21:44:32.455+00:00Nice to see you back. Make that bile really vitrio...Nice to see you back. Make that bile really vitriolic, there's a lot of stuff that's needs teeling.The Hickory Windhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02099970252405596982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-70646571947352279672010-11-26T20:18:36.712+00:002010-11-26T20:18:36.712+00:00Great to see your RSS fizz back into life. Looking...Great to see your RSS fizz back into life. Looking forward to more. :)Dick Puddlecotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01481866882188932892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-78688798156631980052010-11-26T19:05:44.409+00:002010-11-26T19:05:44.409+00:00Trixy,
Lovely to see you back! You have been sore...Trixy,<br /><br />Lovely to see you back! You have been sorely missed.Witterings from Witneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11349563961787006775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-39341366206350359742010-11-09T08:30:22.468+00:002010-11-09T08:30:22.468+00:00Are you still ill? That would be most concerning i...Are you still ill? That would be most concerning if true. Your blogging is much missed...Not a sheephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14123293202225008273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-48191014388477779972010-08-22T05:25:10.372+00:002010-08-22T05:25:10.372+00:00Oh yes, Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, has just...Oh yes, Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, has just told an open court that we shouldn't expect him to be telling the truth with his promises, and that no manifesto pledge can be considered to be binding in anyway.<br /><a href="http://errorfixweb.com/" rel="nofollow">error fix</a>davidbieber80https://www.blogger.com/profile/01723593197015652100noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-4488447918020598102010-08-19T11:42:41.211+00:002010-08-19T11:42:41.211+00:00Sorry to hear you unwell young A,trust you recover...Sorry to hear you unwell young A,trust you recover soon.Witterings from Witneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11349563961787006775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-74427123693769445492010-07-18T12:01:35.418+00:002010-07-18T12:01:35.418+00:00But I think I'd like some company. Would anyon...But I think I'd like some company. Would anyone care to join me?!<br /><br />How seductive. :)James Highamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14525082702330365464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-54598775273097387652010-07-17T10:08:12.818+00:002010-07-17T10:08:12.818+00:00Giolla, I don't know about Italy but Northe E...Giolla, I don't know about Italy but Northe European towns and cities make great use of cycle paths. The difference there is that people cycle to work, to the cinema, to the shops and so on. They wear normal clothing and stop at cycle traffic lights. Here, they are in racing kit and they race. That is the big difference. The A316 to London has many miles of cycle path, separate to the footpath and it's been there 50+ years. It is hardly used. Cyclists force traffic into one lane so that they can get there little bit of exercise at others expense.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15181284810099059375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-18974330417319521882010-07-10T09:24:10.717+00:002010-07-10T09:24:10.717+00:00Nothing like an analogy to make the point.Nothing like an analogy to make the point.James Highamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14525082702330365464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-73288996638192929732010-07-08T19:48:17.536+00:002010-07-08T19:48:17.536+00:00Jeremy Clarkson for Prime Minister, Richard Hammon...Jeremy Clarkson for Prime Minister, Richard Hammond for Chancellor.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.grenteethmm.com/electric_car_mini_adventure.shtml" rel="nofollow">Electric Car Mini Adventure</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-38040387985605114992010-07-08T14:01:03.012+00:002010-07-08T14:01:03.012+00:00"remove ALL traffic lights from roundabouts.&..."remove ALL traffic lights from roundabouts."<br /><br />In principle, yes, I understand why you'd say this, but I must point out that <i>when properly engineered</i> (which is hardly ever), lights on roundabouts actually help.<br /><br />Near where I live (that's the only clue you're getting) there is a large roundabout on a busy 'A' road, where it crosses two minor roads both of which happen to be main routes into the county town, of which this A road is also the by-pass. This roundabout used to be a notorious bottleneck, with huge queues building up at rush hour, since there were effectively no gaps in the main road traffic to allow the roundabout to work properly.<br /><br />The solution - put in place about five years ago - was extra lanes on the main road's approaches, plus very cleverly phased lights - and it works. The jams are a thing of the past. I didn't expect this, and I'm impressed.<br /><br />Just goes to show, traffic engineering isn't all mince. But it has to be done with a view to improving traffic flow, not with a view to obstructing it, as most changes are - especially in London.Weekend Yachtsmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04262853091154005651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-36774949925214703362010-07-06T11:29:14.894+00:002010-07-06T11:29:14.894+00:00Whilst, I'd agree with a lot of this, the one ...Whilst, I'd agree with a lot of this, the one bit I would argue with hugely is this:<br />"Force cyclists to use cycle lanes where they are available."<br /><br />Most cycle lanes seem to be designed for an average speed of about 10 mph, if I'm forced to use a cycle lane that restricts me to that sort of speed the main benefit of cycling vanishes. Also I from time to time ride a trike, pulling a trailer which is too wide for an awful lot of the cycle lanes I've ridden along side of.<br /><br />Plus of course current cycle lane design means that if you use the cycle lane you cross far more junctions and thus increase your risk of being involved in an accident and again reduce the speed of your journey.<br /><br />But if we were to get cycle lanes which were wide enough for bike trailers and over taking, suitable for speeds of up to 20Mph (maybe more, along the A20 I regularly hit 25-30Mph on my ride into work)then it'd be less of a problem. Of course in many places there isn't room for that.Giollahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506590396277806919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-3920402700779423472010-07-05T19:21:00.594+00:002010-07-05T19:21:00.594+00:00Just humanely shoot the buggers with a good airgun...Just humanely shoot the buggers with a good airgun, (nothing fancy, just twice in the head each usually does it) and put the body into one of your recycling bins to make into coats etc. The council want to go environmentally friendly, pest control and free fur coats for everyone! How more eco friendly can you be?Siennahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18096042756958915526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-37844277901383417072010-06-29T17:43:05.649+00:002010-06-29T17:43:05.649+00:00I think a Fundamental change required for English ...I think a Fundamental change required for English football and I have some ideas on it<br /><a href="http://bracknellblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/fundamental-change-required-for-english.html" rel="nofollow">http://bracknellblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/fundamental-change-required-for-english.html</a>dazmandohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14859994295771083457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-40147937855685881632010-06-26T20:33:50.451+00:002010-06-26T20:33:50.451+00:00Hi Trixy, I'm a married man with two kids and ...Hi Trixy, I'm a married man with two kids and I despise all those ridiculous bungs, so I hope the government does get shot of them. More to the point benefits should be there to support people over the short term so they can focus on getting back to work, they don't. Instead they just keep the indolent squeezing out more and more brats.King Athelstanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08796189127188811779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-58238735773261003842010-06-26T15:51:59.495+00:002010-06-26T15:51:59.495+00:00Wrong, I'm afraid.
The 'welfare state'...Wrong, I'm afraid.<br /><br />The 'welfare state' pays for children in two ways:<br /><br />1. Child Benefit - which is non-means tested and flat rate. So for most people, it's just a tax rebate and has much the same effect as being given extra personal allowances for children. It is far less than the 'cost' of having a child so is non-distortionary. Fraud, error, overpayments and admin costs are immeasurably small (and net off to, literally, less than nothing because some people don't claim it).<br /><br />This is a Good Benefit, it does not contribute to the poverty trap and the Tories froze it. And even if you never intend to have children, don't forget that your parents claimed it for you.<br /><br />2. Child Tax Credits, which are a massive subsidy to 'single' mothers and are savagely means-tested. So they add to the poverty trap, exceed the 'cost' of having a child and are highly distortionary. Fraud, error and overpayments are absolutely massive and the system is hugely complicated.<br /><br />This is a Bad Benefit and the Tories increased it for people at the bottom and intend to means test it even more savagely, thus worsening the poverty trap. Further, the children of those mothers who lived off Child Tax Credits are less likely to find work and pay tax (and hence repay it in future).Mark Wadsworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07733511175178098449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-27321859144219437872010-06-19T12:48:25.762+00:002010-06-19T12:48:25.762+00:00Re what J says, logic usually tells us whether it ...Re what J says, logic usually tells us whether it is causation (and what causes what) or correlation (in which case, there must be a third factor that causes both) or coincidence.<br /><br />It is quite clear that increasing the amount of EU regulations cannot be the cause of EU enlargement. what attracts new entrants is all the bribes they can get for the first decade or so. <br /><br />So either EU enlargement causes more regulation (1), or they both stem from a third factor (2) or it's coincidence (3).<br /><br />1) It is easily observable that the larger the state or organisation, the more tiers of bureaucracy there are. This is a diseconomy of scale, which is why empires fall apart and businesses only ever reach a certain size. So possibly, EU enlargement causes more regulations.<br /><br />2) The third factor (which underlies the first two) is that the EU love imposing rules on people (at the behest of various lobbyists); the more rules that they can impose on more people, the better.<br /><br />3) It's not coincidence, is it?<br /><br />Simples!Mark Wadsworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07733511175178098449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-54401196646997074982010-06-18T14:53:16.068+00:002010-06-18T14:53:16.068+00:00Trixy, in your qestion why do you assume that the ...Trixy, in your qestion why do you assume that the two possibilities are mutually exclusive?View from the Solenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00930587784230398787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-89980089273070425882010-06-18T14:29:16.561+00:002010-06-18T14:29:16.561+00:00I don't believe we need stats to understand we...I don't believe we need stats to understand we're being shafted. EU expansion, integration, and the democratic deficit are not necessarily dependent on each other. They happen regardless.McGonagallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14887321534801112949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-28873386420957185582010-06-18T11:14:43.320+00:002010-06-18T11:14:43.320+00:00no, it doesn't which is why we end up doing lo...no, it doesn't which is why we end up doing lots of tests and we analyse.<br /><br />One could get perfect correlation between phases of the moon and the purchase of custard but we'd hope that the person doing the test was either<br /><br />a) bored<br />b) trying to show that one had to look at the stats one was regressing and not just relying on one number.<br /><br />The fact is that there is a direct correlation and so saying that increased membership of the EU causes less power grab and central control is not true. it's just not fucking accurate.Trixyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02015060663707102784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12147812.post-76020873262117560752010-06-18T11:09:11.050+00:002010-06-18T11:09:11.050+00:00Rule: Correlation does NOT imply causation.
The t...Rule: Correlation does NOT imply causation.<br /><br />The two effects could both be affected by the same factor independently of each other.<br /><br />Or it could be coincidence... and so on.<br /><br />Knowing stats is only part of understanding them.Jackarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04477130724830922566noreply@blogger.com