I first started blogging using the nom-de-blog East Anglian Tory as my initial interests were reading and commenting on other political blogs. But then I widened my interest into reading the many other fascinating blogs out there on the world wide web. In comments people called me EAT which didn't have a great ring to it. Then someone called me East Anglian Troy.
I liked that name.
Meanwhile as I had started blogging on a variety of issues and as well as commenting on many other people's day-to-day life blogs, it seemed more appropriate to call myself first, East Anglian Troy, then later for more ease, just simply Troy. That also enabled the introduction of Mrs Troy and Troy Junior into the blog.
Many of the blogs I read in the early days have ceased although a few notable exceptions have kept going. As my retired life became ever busier though I found less time to write my own blog postings. My readership fell off until now I only have a small handful of (but much treasured) readers. Blogs are either on the up, or failing that, are on a downward spiral. This blog now falls firmly into the latter catagory. Accordingly I've decided to stop posting on this blog.
My other blog, written in my real personal name, which I started when I stood for election in the 2011 local district council elections has now been revamped with a view to blogging on items of "local, national and international interest". It will be primarily focused on political issues with an unashamedly right-of-centre outlook. I hope some of my readers from here will find it of interest. The posting I made there yesterday for example, comments on David Cameron's use of the veto at the EU summit and is written as an antidote to the hysterical negativeness of the BBC on that matter - although I suspect it will reach a much smaller audience!
The link is [SINCE DELETED]
I hope to see some of you over there going forward.
To those that don't follow me there - its been great knowing you and I'll do my best to still get round to your many interesting blogs. I'll most likely comment using my real name which will link to my ongoing blog.
So as this final posting - number 101 - comes to close, I'll sign off.
Sincerely yours, "Troy"
Monday, 12 December 2011
Monday, 17 October 2011
SWAP SHOP
This morning we had to take ten year old Troy Junior into the local hospital for an appointment in the Paediatric Department. We found some empty seats in the waiting area among the hoard of parents/babies/children and settled down, me reading my Daily Telegraph business section (as you do) and Troy Junior and his mother idly looking around. Troy Junior's eyes must have then caught sight of a notice pinned to a door and he asked "Why would parents want to change their babies?". The notice read "Parents wishing to change their babies should ask a member of staff". We explained that it wasn't actually the 'Swap Shop' that he imagined it to be.
Tuesday, 6 September 2011
THE USUAL RUBBISH
Due to the inclement weather this morning I delayed my walk down to the village newsagents until after lunch. So now I've just returned with my "morning" paper - The Daily Telegraph.
I was delighted to read a small article at the bottom of the front page headed "Vacancy to fill : usual equality rubbish applies". It turns out that an advertisement on a NHS website was published with "the usual rubbish about equal opportunities" on the end.
Apparently this was then spotted by a prospective applicant and the advert was swiftly changed to read "we are committed to promoting equality and diversity". I do wonder whether if these words were omitted people would assume that part of the NHS was not committed to equality and diversity.
A couple of years ago I had to draft up an advertisement for a new school Headteacher. These equality wordings plus many more about commitments to child safeguarding had to be incorporated at the end of the advertisement. The advertisement then went into the Times Educational Supplement along with many, many other adverts, in total filling about 300 pages! I suspect without the additional words we would have saved over £100 of the advertising costs and just think how many other schools could have done likewise. All that it actually achieves is to transfer money from schools to Murdoch.
What annoys me most is the meaninglessness of these phrases. The "usual rubbish" sums it up well. Do people seriously think state schools aren't committed to equality and diversity unless it is clearly stated? Do they seriously think that state schools aren't likewise committed to child safeguarding? I mean ITS THE LAW F.F.S.! Do we really need to spend money telling people we are committed to upholding the laws of the land?
It really should go without saying. I didn't need to put at the end of the advert that the school was committed to putting all its staff on the Pay As You Earn tax system. Or that we were committed to providing toilet facilities to staff. Or that we were committed to providing public liability insurance. I could go on and on.
No doubt someone will be fired for writing "the usual rubbish about equal opportunities" on that draft advert. Meanwhile nurses neglecting elderly patients who die from lack of food and water will go unpunished. Surgeons who leave their surgical instruments inside patients will be merely reprimanded. And no doubt an Equality and Diversity Manager being paid well in excess of a nurse's salary will be employed by that NHS Trust.
Here's a link to the article on the Telegraph website.
And I was so eager to blog about it that I've only just seen that there is also an editorial comment about it on page 21 and here on their website
Also it appearshere on the Daily Mail's website
I was delighted to read a small article at the bottom of the front page headed "Vacancy to fill : usual equality rubbish applies". It turns out that an advertisement on a NHS website was published with "the usual rubbish about equal opportunities" on the end.
Apparently this was then spotted by a prospective applicant and the advert was swiftly changed to read "we are committed to promoting equality and diversity". I do wonder whether if these words were omitted people would assume that part of the NHS was not committed to equality and diversity.
A couple of years ago I had to draft up an advertisement for a new school Headteacher. These equality wordings plus many more about commitments to child safeguarding had to be incorporated at the end of the advertisement. The advertisement then went into the Times Educational Supplement along with many, many other adverts, in total filling about 300 pages! I suspect without the additional words we would have saved over £100 of the advertising costs and just think how many other schools could have done likewise. All that it actually achieves is to transfer money from schools to Murdoch.
What annoys me most is the meaninglessness of these phrases. The "usual rubbish" sums it up well. Do people seriously think state schools aren't committed to equality and diversity unless it is clearly stated? Do they seriously think that state schools aren't likewise committed to child safeguarding? I mean ITS THE LAW F.F.S.! Do we really need to spend money telling people we are committed to upholding the laws of the land?
It really should go without saying. I didn't need to put at the end of the advert that the school was committed to putting all its staff on the Pay As You Earn tax system. Or that we were committed to providing toilet facilities to staff. Or that we were committed to providing public liability insurance. I could go on and on.
No doubt someone will be fired for writing "the usual rubbish about equal opportunities" on that draft advert. Meanwhile nurses neglecting elderly patients who die from lack of food and water will go unpunished. Surgeons who leave their surgical instruments inside patients will be merely reprimanded. And no doubt an Equality and Diversity Manager being paid well in excess of a nurse's salary will be employed by that NHS Trust.
Here's a link to the article on the Telegraph website.
And I was so eager to blog about it that I've only just seen that there is also an editorial comment about it on page 21 and here on their website
Also it appearshere on the Daily Mail's website
Thursday, 4 August 2011
NO LONGER TO BE A CLIFFHANGER
Although the Suffolk coast is only a short distance away we do also enjoy trips a little further afield to the Essex coastline. In less than an hour we can be at Harwich, Walton, Frinton, Clacton or Brightlingsea. An interesting feature at Walton is "The Naze". In fact the full name of the town is Walton On The Naze. The Naze extends northwards from the town into the North Sea and provides lovely panoramas towards Harwich, the Walton backwaters and across to the container port of Felixstowe. The ground slowly tapers away from high cliffs at the southern end to sea-level at the north. The cliffs are clay and are being gradually eroded by the sea.
The most noticeable feature on the Naze is man-made. The Naze Tower was built in 1720 as a lighthouse. It was used during WW2 for early radar experiments. It fell into disuse but was then bought and restored by a very enterprising young lady and is now a tourist attraction, art gallery, tearoom and viewpoint. The only problem was that the cliff erosion was bringing the North Sea ever closer. The cliff-edge, that in days gone by was a considerable distance from the tower, is now getting ominously close. Here it is:
It would seem only a matter of time - a few years - before the tower would be lost forever. However a fund raising programme was put together and granite boulders, forming a walkway and viewing platform, have now been placed at the foot of the cliff to prevent further erosion.
and
The granite boulders, each weighing about 4 tonnes, were shipped by barge from Norway and dropped into the sea at high tide. At the moment it looks quite messy between the cliffs and the walkway but the cliffs will gradually collapse just a little further from the vertical at the top to provide a more gentle slope which will grass over and look more attractive.
A lot has been happening since my last post back in May. My father and I had a very enjoyable week in Lanzarote in June with excellent weather - hot, sunny and clear blue skys throughout. We had a fascinating trip out on a submarine - one of only 15 commercial submarines in the world. Highly recommended.
We took Troy Junior to Silverstone to see the Silverstone Classics which included a parade celebrating the 50th birthday of the jaguar E-type (XKE)
That is just a snapshot. They were hoping to get close to 1,000 E-types into the parade to set a new world record. I haven't heard the final results yet.
Sorry I've been such a poor blogger recently. Today is the first day in ages (wet and cloudy) when I've had time to post. Hopefully it won't be as long a gap until the next time.
The most noticeable feature on the Naze is man-made. The Naze Tower was built in 1720 as a lighthouse. It was used during WW2 for early radar experiments. It fell into disuse but was then bought and restored by a very enterprising young lady and is now a tourist attraction, art gallery, tearoom and viewpoint. The only problem was that the cliff erosion was bringing the North Sea ever closer. The cliff-edge, that in days gone by was a considerable distance from the tower, is now getting ominously close. Here it is:
It would seem only a matter of time - a few years - before the tower would be lost forever. However a fund raising programme was put together and granite boulders, forming a walkway and viewing platform, have now been placed at the foot of the cliff to prevent further erosion.
and
The granite boulders, each weighing about 4 tonnes, were shipped by barge from Norway and dropped into the sea at high tide. At the moment it looks quite messy between the cliffs and the walkway but the cliffs will gradually collapse just a little further from the vertical at the top to provide a more gentle slope which will grass over and look more attractive.
A lot has been happening since my last post back in May. My father and I had a very enjoyable week in Lanzarote in June with excellent weather - hot, sunny and clear blue skys throughout. We had a fascinating trip out on a submarine - one of only 15 commercial submarines in the world. Highly recommended.
We took Troy Junior to Silverstone to see the Silverstone Classics which included a parade celebrating the 50th birthday of the jaguar E-type (XKE)
That is just a snapshot. They were hoping to get close to 1,000 E-types into the parade to set a new world record. I haven't heard the final results yet.
Sorry I've been such a poor blogger recently. Today is the first day in ages (wet and cloudy) when I've had time to post. Hopefully it won't be as long a gap until the next time.
Thursday, 26 May 2011
WHAT BUSY DAYS!
For those of you (the Politics Yawn Brigade)that didn't follow my separate election blog, I'm pleased to rather belatedly tell you that I won my local district council election. So now I'm officially Councillor Troy although an old friend has advised "I hope you don’t use that ridiculous affectation in real life!" Mrs Troy, in contrast, seems to quite like the concept of being the councillor's wife and has gone out on a clothes shopping spree in anticipation of being invited to future events.
With a council chamber dress code* of "jacket/suit and tie", Troy has also had to delve into his wardrobe to find garments much under-utilised since he stopped working back in 2007. And I'm proud to announce that they all still fit perfectly. With the suits having been hand-tailored in Hong Kong and each with an additional pair of trousers (obviously not worn at the same time!), its nice to be making use again of that previous investment. Fastening the top button of the shirts and adding a tie is actually taking some getting re-used to. However it does feel nice to be smartly dressed for a change and Mrs Troy welcomed seeing her husband in something other than the usual casual gear.
The reason I just got round to blogging now is that I've been SO BUSY! There is a tremendous amount of training and induction involved for new councillors. Unlike with both the school governor's role and being a parish councillor, this training is all upfront rather than spread over the first year. So my calendar has been pretty full and I've had to co-ordinate a lot more with Mrs Troy as a lot of it spreads over into the evenings. In fact some weeks, with all my various activities, I'm now out on three or four evenings! I felt pleased to get involved on the Planning Committee as those meetings start at 9.30am so I could go to those whilst Mrs Troy is at work. Of course this rather forgot the several meetings in school holidays which will present its own child-minding issues.
There are a handful of new councillors - "Newbies" we call ourselves - and by and large they are a very friendly and social bunch of people as most of us are in the same party. Some of the more experienced councillors, in contrast, have been there for twenty or more years and have seen a lot of changes in that time. Overall its a good mix.
Virtually everyone who retires will tell you that they don't know how they ever found the time to work. I think that one paces oneself differently but it is amazing how the calendar fills up and the days race by. I certainly don't regret retiring early and having all these new experiences in my "older age". Talking about "older age" - I insured my car through Saga and subsequently got a offer from them to subscribe to their Saga magazine at £7.95 for three years (22p per issue!). Never one to resist a bargain, I now will find myself reading the Saga Magazine which makes me feel very old indeed!
(* at least for the Conservative councillors)
With a council chamber dress code* of "jacket/suit and tie", Troy has also had to delve into his wardrobe to find garments much under-utilised since he stopped working back in 2007. And I'm proud to announce that they all still fit perfectly. With the suits having been hand-tailored in Hong Kong and each with an additional pair of trousers (obviously not worn at the same time!), its nice to be making use again of that previous investment. Fastening the top button of the shirts and adding a tie is actually taking some getting re-used to. However it does feel nice to be smartly dressed for a change and Mrs Troy welcomed seeing her husband in something other than the usual casual gear.
The reason I just got round to blogging now is that I've been SO BUSY! There is a tremendous amount of training and induction involved for new councillors. Unlike with both the school governor's role and being a parish councillor, this training is all upfront rather than spread over the first year. So my calendar has been pretty full and I've had to co-ordinate a lot more with Mrs Troy as a lot of it spreads over into the evenings. In fact some weeks, with all my various activities, I'm now out on three or four evenings! I felt pleased to get involved on the Planning Committee as those meetings start at 9.30am so I could go to those whilst Mrs Troy is at work. Of course this rather forgot the several meetings in school holidays which will present its own child-minding issues.
There are a handful of new councillors - "Newbies" we call ourselves - and by and large they are a very friendly and social bunch of people as most of us are in the same party. Some of the more experienced councillors, in contrast, have been there for twenty or more years and have seen a lot of changes in that time. Overall its a good mix.
Virtually everyone who retires will tell you that they don't know how they ever found the time to work. I think that one paces oneself differently but it is amazing how the calendar fills up and the days race by. I certainly don't regret retiring early and having all these new experiences in my "older age". Talking about "older age" - I insured my car through Saga and subsequently got a offer from them to subscribe to their Saga magazine at £7.95 for three years (22p per issue!). Never one to resist a bargain, I now will find myself reading the Saga Magazine which makes me feel very old indeed!
(* at least for the Conservative councillors)
Saturday, 30 April 2011
A VERY AMUSING COMPOSITION
A very amusing ditty appearing on Youtube, explaining the AV system and how it gives second votes to the extreme parties, has made me chuckle. I thought I'd share it with you. Worth a few minutes of your time before going out to vote on Thursday.
Brilliant eh?
VOTE NO TO AV on THURSDAY 5th MAY
Brilliant eh?
VOTE NO TO AV on THURSDAY 5th MAY
Sunday, 10 April 2011
BLOG LETHARGY
Oh dear! Blogging mojo seems to have vanished this year. I'm not the only one as several people I follow seem to be suffering in a similar way - not sure why. Over the last few weeks I've been tagged twice which should provide blogging impetus - so watch this space and I will get round to it.
I was out in the garden earlier this morning and took this photo of our tulips
The daffodils seemed to come then go very quickly this year but I prefer the multi-coloured aspect of the tulips - they make a beautiful display with the sun shining through them.
I'm running in our local District Council elections in May. Readers who have been with this blog for a couple of years may remember my rookie campaign in the 2009 County Council elections. I finished a credible second then and hope to go one better this time. Actually finishing second this time would be okay as there are two seats in our election ward. There are eight (8!!!) candidates standing so there is plenty of opposition. Rather belatedly we found a second candidate to stand for the same party as me. That's useful because with each voter having two votes I was concerned that even my supporters could be helping the opposition with their second vote. Of course it is quite possible that this second candidate who is younger, female and more photogenic than Troy, may beat me!
If you'd like to follow my campaign I'm doing a separate blog about it. I'm putting in a link here [link since deleted] but will delete it after a few days. So do save it if you want to follow the progress of my campaign. If you comment there do remember to use my real name there rather than my nom de blog Troy.
I was out in the garden earlier this morning and took this photo of our tulips
The daffodils seemed to come then go very quickly this year but I prefer the multi-coloured aspect of the tulips - they make a beautiful display with the sun shining through them.
I'm running in our local District Council elections in May. Readers who have been with this blog for a couple of years may remember my rookie campaign in the 2009 County Council elections. I finished a credible second then and hope to go one better this time. Actually finishing second this time would be okay as there are two seats in our election ward. There are eight (8!!!) candidates standing so there is plenty of opposition. Rather belatedly we found a second candidate to stand for the same party as me. That's useful because with each voter having two votes I was concerned that even my supporters could be helping the opposition with their second vote. Of course it is quite possible that this second candidate who is younger, female and more photogenic than Troy, may beat me!
If you'd like to follow my campaign I'm doing a separate blog about it. I'm putting in a link here [link since deleted] but will delete it after a few days. So do save it if you want to follow the progress of my campaign. If you comment there do remember to use my real name there rather than my nom de blog Troy.
Thursday, 10 February 2011
HOURS OF FREE ENTERTAINMENT
When you look at the price you have to pay for entertainment - sporting events, concerts, the cinema - most are expensive. Some excessively so, in my opinion. There's not a lot of free entertainment available is there? Or is there?
Yesterday afternoon I went to my local library. Its a three mile drive to the nearest village library and its opening times vary day-to-day so I need to check each time from a handout pinned to our noticeboard to ensure I'll be going when its open. Its only a small library but it has a decent selection of books - reference and novels - as well as a few newspapers and periodicals. Whilst there I always have a quick browse of the local newspapers and a couple of magazines. Recently the council announced that they would be closing this library unless it was taken over "by the community". You are perhaps now expecting me to rant and rave about council spending cuts. Not on Troy's blog. With the parlous state of our economy after thirteen years of socialist mismanagement I fully understand the need to bring public spending back under control. However I think in many instances that councils are picking soft targets to cut rather than say their layers of over-paid middle managers for diversity and equality.
Troy has another idea to save the local libraries. Yesterday I borrowed four novels. Here they are:
None of these could be described as educational. They are just entertaining fiction. In fact I'm hoping to have hours of free entertainment over the next three weeks reading these novels. "Found Wanting" by Robert Goddard is I think the 16th book of his that I'll have read so I'm confident that I'll enjoy it. Likewise the collection of short stories by John Grisham. The other two are gambles based on reading the blurb of their back covers.
So I'm getting hours of entertainment - reading is better I believe than the cinema if you've got a good imagination - and all for "free". Well I say "free" but of course I pay an excessive amount each month in council tax, but like the NHS, libraries are free at the point of use. Now my idea to save the libraries would be to charge a modest amount for each book lent - say 25p. So I'd walk in, pay £1.00 for my four books and come out with hours of very cheap entertainment. At our library we check in and check out books ourselves using the technology. It wouldn't be difficult to put a prepaid amount(say £5) onto a card and then when checking the books out the system would take the charge off the prepaid card. Children could be exempt from the charges - but then adults would use their kid's cards to take out books. My answer to that would be to just have childrens book as exempt from charge (zero rated on the computer system) so that adult books would still be charged whoever took them out.
I can't believe that a modest 25p charge would deter readers. Even "poorer people" like those ahead of me in the queue at the local newsagents buying lottery tickets and cigarettes shouldn't find 25p per book excessive for a few hours of enjoyable reading.
There is apparently an Act of Parliament from 1964 that prevents libraries from charging for books. DVDs etc. can be charged out, but not books. So it would need parliament to rescind that law. I think that should be done, enabling councils to make modest charges for book lending and thus saving our libraries.
But that's just my opinion, I'd be very interested in hearing via the comments box what my readers think?
Yesterday afternoon I went to my local library. Its a three mile drive to the nearest village library and its opening times vary day-to-day so I need to check each time from a handout pinned to our noticeboard to ensure I'll be going when its open. Its only a small library but it has a decent selection of books - reference and novels - as well as a few newspapers and periodicals. Whilst there I always have a quick browse of the local newspapers and a couple of magazines. Recently the council announced that they would be closing this library unless it was taken over "by the community". You are perhaps now expecting me to rant and rave about council spending cuts. Not on Troy's blog. With the parlous state of our economy after thirteen years of socialist mismanagement I fully understand the need to bring public spending back under control. However I think in many instances that councils are picking soft targets to cut rather than say their layers of over-paid middle managers for diversity and equality.
Troy has another idea to save the local libraries. Yesterday I borrowed four novels. Here they are:
None of these could be described as educational. They are just entertaining fiction. In fact I'm hoping to have hours of free entertainment over the next three weeks reading these novels. "Found Wanting" by Robert Goddard is I think the 16th book of his that I'll have read so I'm confident that I'll enjoy it. Likewise the collection of short stories by John Grisham. The other two are gambles based on reading the blurb of their back covers.
So I'm getting hours of entertainment - reading is better I believe than the cinema if you've got a good imagination - and all for "free". Well I say "free" but of course I pay an excessive amount each month in council tax, but like the NHS, libraries are free at the point of use. Now my idea to save the libraries would be to charge a modest amount for each book lent - say 25p. So I'd walk in, pay £1.00 for my four books and come out with hours of very cheap entertainment. At our library we check in and check out books ourselves using the technology. It wouldn't be difficult to put a prepaid amount(say £5) onto a card and then when checking the books out the system would take the charge off the prepaid card. Children could be exempt from the charges - but then adults would use their kid's cards to take out books. My answer to that would be to just have childrens book as exempt from charge (zero rated on the computer system) so that adult books would still be charged whoever took them out.
I can't believe that a modest 25p charge would deter readers. Even "poorer people" like those ahead of me in the queue at the local newsagents buying lottery tickets and cigarettes shouldn't find 25p per book excessive for a few hours of enjoyable reading.
There is apparently an Act of Parliament from 1964 that prevents libraries from charging for books. DVDs etc. can be charged out, but not books. So it would need parliament to rescind that law. I think that should be done, enabling councils to make modest charges for book lending and thus saving our libraries.
But that's just my opinion, I'd be very interested in hearing via the comments box what my readers think?
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
HURRY UP! IT'S TIME FOR SCHOOL
I wonder how many households are like Troy's on a weekday morning. Putting an ear to our front door, all you would hear is increasingly loud shouting.....
"Hurry up! It's time for school"
"Are you still in the bathroom?"
"Aren't you dressed yet?"
"It's nearly twenty five to nine already!"
Mrs Troy has already long got up, made Troy Junior's packed lunch and headed off to work. She starts work at 8.30am so leaves home before eight o'clock. So that leaves me with the responsibility of getting Troy Junior to school on time. It is only an eight minute walk door-to-door to the school and children are not supposed to be left there on their own before 8.45am when the doors open and the school assumes responbility for the children. So getting there at the right time should be easy.
And in fact it is. We normally arrive at 8.45am if not a minute or two earlier. We have never ever in the last four years since moving here been late. So you are probably wondering why all the stress and shouting in our household every morning?
Frankly I don't understand it. I get up at 8.15am and am washed and dressed and ready to walk out the front door at 8.35am - prompt, every day - you could set your watch by me. So I ask you - why does Troy Junior need to shout and make such a fuss every morning!
"Hurry up! It's time for school"
"Are you still in the bathroom?"
"Aren't you dressed yet?"
"It's nearly twenty five to nine already!"
Mrs Troy has already long got up, made Troy Junior's packed lunch and headed off to work. She starts work at 8.30am so leaves home before eight o'clock. So that leaves me with the responsibility of getting Troy Junior to school on time. It is only an eight minute walk door-to-door to the school and children are not supposed to be left there on their own before 8.45am when the doors open and the school assumes responbility for the children. So getting there at the right time should be easy.
And in fact it is. We normally arrive at 8.45am if not a minute or two earlier. We have never ever in the last four years since moving here been late. So you are probably wondering why all the stress and shouting in our household every morning?
Frankly I don't understand it. I get up at 8.15am and am washed and dressed and ready to walk out the front door at 8.35am - prompt, every day - you could set your watch by me. So I ask you - why does Troy Junior need to shout and make such a fuss every morning!
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