A Great Shame

.
Since 1801, with the exception of the war year of 1941, Britain has carried out a National Census every decade until 2001. Past census returns up to 1911 are easily available online (with the exception of Scotland who don’t publish that year until March of next year).

Now the census is to be scrapped under plans announced by the Cabinet Office Minister who says that it is an expensive and inaccurate way of measuring the number of people in Britain. Reports suggest that the Cabinet will approve the plan and that the next census, in March of next year, will be the last one conducted.

It may well be that, as the minister says, there are different and cheaper ways of counting the population of Britain using existing public and private databases. However, a tremendous reference source used by a variety of bodies and private individuals will be lost for ever.

I, for example, have so far been able to track my father’s family back as far as 1851 using the published census returns. I’m still working on this project to see if I can get further back in time and also waiting to see what the family position was in 1911.

So I believe it will be a very great shame if future generations will not be able to research the census returns after 2011.
.

Good Idea!

.
The Transport Minister has suggested that employers be encouraged to let staff work from home one day a fortnight in an effort to cut transport congestion and carbon emissions.

It’s a good idea, for I certainly achieved much more on the odd days I worked from home. Away from the telephone and other interruptions, a quiet day at home enabled me to concentrate on building spreadsheets and working on detailed reports. Access to the internet and emails also aided this considerably.

The downside is that not everyone can work from home as it’s mainly the pen-pushers like me that are able to take their work back home with them. Nonetheless, more flexible working can only be a good thing generally.
.

It’s Possible!

.
I’m not psychic, but I said on Thursday that I thought it very odd that ten alleged Russian spies were arrested at the same time that Russia wanted to exchange them with some alleged American spies.

Now it emerges that the US considered the possibility of a spy swap more than two weeks before it arrested the ten Russian agents.

It seems that the Russian agents were arrested three days after Russian President Medvedev left the US after being entertained by American President Obama. Though it is being denied that the two presidents discussed possible deportations, one can imagine what conversation might have taken place over dinner.

Obama: ‘You’ve got a couple of our chaps we’d like to have back. Could we do a swap?’

Medvedev: ‘Of course - anything in the interests of international harmony. Could we have a few of our back in return?

Well, it’s possible!
.

Silly Man!

.
As someone with a legitimate title, I am not happy with those who falsify theirs.

Take for example, the Malaysian politician who announced in a recent press release that he had been awarded the KGC by the Queen. Accompanying the release was a photograph of the investiture ceremony showing Her Majesty pinning the jewel to a bright red collar.

Unfortunately, it was spotted by those in the know that the collar worn by the gentleman was not the pure gold collar of the British Empire and that, in any event, the knighthood investitures for the 2010 birthday honours have not yet taken place.

It turns out that folk in Malaysia are very impressed by people who have titles and the politician concerned decided he’d up his popularity ratings by doctoring a photo of the Queen investing someone else and then announcing his new knighthood in recognition of his charity work. Now, for all his trouble, he faces expulsion from his party and, possibly, his job.

Silly man. If only he’d bought a little plot of land in the Scottish Highlands, he could have become a legitimate Laird. Thus, I am honoured to be the Laird of Glencairn thanks to a Christmas present from my sons and have a certificate to prove it!
.

What Nonsense!

.
A Leicestershire school has apparently banned parents from attending its sports days as it cannot guarantee that they have valid criminal records checks.

One of the parents went along to see his 12-year-old son and was asked to leave the sports field by a teacher who said that parents were not allowed because they had not been checked by the Criminal Records Bureau.

A spokesman for the school said, ‘... all our policies are subject to regular review and are changed to meet the needs of our students’.

My guess is that this was issued after a spokesman for Leicestershire County Council said, ‘We certainly do not issue any guidance to say parents should have a CRB check to attend school sports days’.

What a lot of nonsense. The school should recognise that at least one father was interested enough in his son to go along and watch him!
.

Very Odd!

.
Am I the only one who considers it odd that ten alleged Russian spies have been arrested in the US at the same time that Russia would like to swap them for ten alleged American and British spies?

Very odd!
.

Hmm

.
The BBC has discovered that the government (by which is meant the last lot) have spent sums of money ranging from £10,000 to £40,000 on developing iPhone applications.

The most expensive app, as they are known, was by the DVLA who was developing one which would give ‘a masterclass for changing your wheel’. What? Don’t car handbooks tell you how to change wheels and do not the motoring organisations exist anymore?

Then there was £32,775 spent by Jobcentre Plus. Over 53,000 supposedly unemployed people downloaded this iPhone app by the end of May. It has rightly been said that anyone needing this particular app would surely not be able to afford the iPhone and its running costs.

One of the cheapest app developments was that of the NHS who spent £10,000 on a ‘Drinks Tracker’ enabling iPhone users to calculate the units in their drinks and log their drinking over the weeks and months. It also lets people find their local NHS Alcohol Service (whatever that is). I really can’t imagine drinkers who have had a bellyful in the pub on a Friday night having sufficient focus to call up this iPhone app for help!

Between 2009 and 2010 the government (obviously the last lot) spent a staggering £94 millions on website development and running costs along with another £32 millions on web staff.

Thank heavens then that the government (by which I mean the current lot) have decided that iPhone and other such developments will in future be scrutinised by the Efficiency and Reform Group, which is chaired by the Cabinet Office Minister and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

Let’s hope also that this worthy group has sufficient knowledge of computers to understand the proposals coming forward!
.