Girl in Port

I don't much talk about work on this blog (actually, I don't much talk about anything on this blog) but I have been driven to it. First off I have been off for 8 weeks and returned this week. Same old same old. Nothing changes, apart from I have a diminished ability to put up with nonsense.

I work in local government, for a social work department, a department which is in the financial shit. You can't say the hierarchy aren't addressing the issue, I have spent two full afternoons this week discussing how we can cut costs and evidently, while I was away, there were huge staff meetings and many "task and finish" (cackest phrase of all the cack phrases) have been set up. The task is to identify the opportunities that the crisis will bring. Fuck me, I'm all for a bit of positive thinking, but this really is idiotic.

I have been in the game for many years now, since the Tories forced councils to introduce savage cuts to services for the weak and the vulnerable, the feckless and the fuckless. I remember the false dawn of a Labour victory, when we all thought that, finally, we would be able to deliver a good service to the weak and feckless etc etc. I remember how year after miserable year we have been forced to look for opportunities, to innovate, to fit square pegs into round holes and services were cut, as day centres closed and as charges were introduced. And now there are more cuts and once again it is the neediest who will miss out, whose quality of life will diminish and the idiots tell us to look upon it as an opportunity. Insult to injury.

Why is this happening then? Because we had to bail out the banks who made merry with our money. The nation paid out and paid out and paid out, and now the poorest of all, the neediest of all, those least likely to complain, because they wouldn't know how to complain, will pay the harshest price. I know I'm an innocent, but why the hell isn't the government squeezing the financial institutions and the mega rich until their bastard pips squeak? How come it's always the rich what gets the pleasure and the poor what gets the fucking blame? Capitalism, ain't it grand?

Meanwhile.........................Blues continue to surprise us all with the manner of their play and last week even managed to pick up 3 points. Tomorrow we bid fare thee well to Sully and Brady. I will miss Sully, he is a card, Brady though, can fuck off, can't stand the woman. It's going to be an interesting ride from now on; I'm not convinced that the new owners have any more money than me. We say goodbye to the porn king and welcome in the casino owners; we don't seem to be much good at attracting investment from fine, upstanding pillars of the establishment. Still, I'd prefer a bunch of chancers to a bunch of old Etonians.

I've been labouring under the misapprehension that The Duke and The King are not available on Spotify: they are, you need to do & rather than and. You might also want to spotify the new Chris Smither and the new Richard Hawley while you are at it.

Did I mention I bought a tripod? A really sturdy bleeder, pans, tilts, extends, does all sorts, but must be about 30 years old.............no matter, I love it, which is a good thing as I have got the quick release plate stuck in the damn camera so I will never be able to use another one.