It may be a cynical electioneering ploy to distract us all from Iraq and the whole ‘detention without trial’ thing, but hey, a little manipulation is only to be expected during an election campaign 
Minimum wage to increase to £5.05, and then most likely £5.35 in October 2006. One of New Labour’s most popular policies, it’s especially satisfying after all the shit spouted by the Tories in 1999. “Millions of jobs lost” whine whine whine, and this from the ‘economically challenged’ party which has a special, imaginary friend called £35bn. “Just cause no one else can see it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist!”
Still, they’re managing to climb the polls, after returning to the traditional Conservative stomping-ground of Immigration. (They share the space with the BNP) And this is the party headed by a man who wouldn’t even be here under his own rules. And they say Labour’s cynical!
In other news: the Church is tearing itself apart over homosexuality, again, which is wonderful to watch. Seeing the Pope’s “I’m alive, no I’m not, yes I am” routine is more trying. He’s got an awful lot to answer for, that man, but you can’t exactly attack him when he struggles to speak. Well, OK, you can, but I’ve insulted enough people tonight.
Anyways – I got my nice shiny new ‘Chip and Pin’ enabled Solo card today. Months after my 12 year old sister got hers, but hey. What I don’t quite understand though, is that surely the system is useless until they stop you being able to sign for things instead? When will that happen?
On a different tack, many thanks to Joshua for lending me the brilliant Derren Brown DVD. After watching a depressing programme on Channel 4 a few weeks ago about a Russian girl who had ‘X-Ray vision’ (and a good capacity to lie) it’s always nice to see someone do breaktaking magic without claiming to have physic powers.
Oooh, I have a shiny new chip and pin card too!!
Chip and pin?
Basically, instead of signing the receipt when you use your debit or credit card, you enter your PIN number instead into a machine instead. They’re trying to replace signatures to cut down on fraud.
seems like its easier to copy a number from the person in front of you at the supermarket than a signature
Haha – that’s true! But they’ve tried to stop that happening… http://www.chipandpin.co.uk/consumer/using/paying.html by designing the machines so you can shield prying eyes.
I can tell the future
You really are crazed, aren’t you?
Well the £35bn does not exist yet as its an increase. ie: Labour increase by 5%, we increase by 4%. That 1% attributes to £35 billion pounds. So a smaller increase is not a cut at all. Most misleading, but of course people will believe what they want to believe ie: what shit the Labour spin machine is generating.
I’m only part of a growing notion that the people of Britain are now getting dizzy……
It’s a cut in Labour’s spending plans. It’s ‘magic’ because the Tories are saying that spending £35 billion less (i.e. CUTTING the government’s plans by £35 billion) will not affect anyone at all in any way – because it’ll all come from waste.
Shit smells :-p
…. funny that, so does waste.