http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/blogs/johnbird/ York Press /news/blogs/johnbird/ en-gb Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:18:17 +0000 Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:18:17 +0000 http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/blogs/johnbird/rssterms/ M6 nvincent@newsquest.co.uk (Nigel Vincent) webmaster@digitalmedia.newsquest.co.uk (Tim Joy) http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/resources/images/1001327/?type=rsslogo http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/blogs/johnbird/ http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/blogs/johnbird/5057317.Snail_Rail_for_York/?ref=rss Snail Rail for York Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:16:13 +0000 1dedf188b2405db8d9b96423231ad10c http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/blogs/johnbird/4884108.Still_Fighting_The_Iraq_War_/?ref=rss Pointless Iraq Inquiry Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:14:57 +0000 e48098e87687f2944970bdee71aede9e http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/blogs/johnbird/4787221.Why_The_Budget_Panic_/?ref=rss I’m a simple man but I still can’t see why there is all the doom and gloom about the future of the UK economy. Isn’t the deficit we see slightly artificial? Yes there’s been a depression (yes past tense), yes we eventually spent billions buying shares in banks to stop a major economic disaster and along the way avoided millions of minor disasters for individual savers and investors (you and me). There has been a lot of individual pain for many and it isn’t all over yet, but come on get real folks, it’s time to wake up and smell the flowers. Our “investments” in various banks are listed as spending. When is someone going to start to talk more clearly about the fact that these investments will grow as bank shares recover and they will pay back everything they borrowed! There will be share dividends coming in to the exchequer and this will help too. The longer-term view is not so bleak so cheer up people and pundits, it’s nearly Christmas. So what is holding us back? We are fighting a war on terror and shouldn’t pretend that a peacetime economy and peacetime taxation is really going to pay that bill. Don’t forget that the first Income Tax 10% arrived in WW1 and never went away. Does anybody really know what the real economic costs of the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and on the Home Front? I’m not arguing for or against them here, but we should all recognise that wars are expensive and have to be paid for eventually, which is why depressions follow wars. So when people are talking about the economy let’s not just hear about 1.5% here and 2.5% there, let’s hear about true total costs in each area and what we need to pay to balance the books. All this sniping and politicking about budgets and who wins and loses is boring me silly! Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:06:20 +0000 66dcfae46d34c6d4d0a94c5320dde5dc http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/blogs/johnbird/4706764.British_Summer_Time_Cruelty/?ref=rss BST is cruel to animals and people. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:32:30 +0000 02d043e8c3ec29d9dba0e87d5adebb00 http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/blogs/johnbird/4700193.Zombies_Rule/?ref=rss What a brilliant week for entertainment in York. The Zombies at the Duchess on Wednesday were brilliant. Four part harmonies and in tune, wonderful. To see Colin Blunstone (“Say You Don’t Mind”) back with Rod Argent (“God Gave Rock and Roll To You”) ably supported and complemented by Jim Rodford on bass (Argent, Kinks and Animals), Mark Johns on guitar (who has recorded with Jeff Beck, Tina Turner and Sting) and Steve Rodford (also Animals). They played a string of hits (“Time of the Season” and “She’s Not There”) as well as a range of other songs, old and new, that kept the audience enthralled. The sound quality in the Duchess was impressive! Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:11:38 +0100 dd5a9f5ec575d153dfc036ba5c8c1955 http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/blogs/johnbird/4578845.War_Prevention_Tax/?ref=rss I remember that many people of my parents generation saw voting for a Common Market as a way of joining with our neighbours to prevent happening in the future. Well we have had 64 years without he UK engaging in a war in Europe so maybe they were right. In the same way that the union that formed the UK has prevented all out war in Britain for hundreds of years. Although in Europe’s case, maybe the fear of mutual destruction in a nuclear holocaust has something to do with it as well of course. However, as we continue to send money out of the country, upping our daily contribution to the EC from £39,000,000 per day to £45,000,000 per day to help pay for roads and other infrastructure in eastern Europe, I wonder - should we send money further to avoid war? How much would it cost us to spend money not having to fight a war in Afghanistan? To pay for whatever part of the Opium Crop might be considered fair to stop its production. To support and enable a peaceful way of life that may be different from our own, that may be more tribal, but may suit Afghanistan. Could we achieve a lasting result and a supporting role over there without losing any more of our young fighting men and women? Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:19:50 +0100 fde6652e47b1a49f0329484419de7638 http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/blogs/johnbird/4478448.Southampton_To_Be_Asset_Stripped_/?ref=rss Southampton To Be Asset Stripped? Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:33:08 +0100 157dec59389e8979d675a7b53cc43f45 http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/blogs/johnbird/4447150.TAX_Giveaway_or_BT_Re_nationalised_/?ref=rss So the Government wants to spend our money to upgrade the phone and data network across the UK, to enable faster broadband access to the Internet. Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:04:41 +0100 39558b6d2488e58999a8d89a340b1333 http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/blogs/johnbird/4446251.Sodje/?ref=rss I can’t help but feel sorry for the staff and management at York City Football Club on reading about the departure of Onome Sodje. YCFC seem to have done everything to support and help him in his fight to stay in the UK to play football. This effort was not without cost to a club that is always short of funds. However, with the help of Archbishop Sentamu and York MP Hugh Bailey, the appeal was ultimately successful and Onome has been allowed to stay and work in the UK. Just not at York! Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:02:32 +0100 1a3d82c27534bb81afad374409c69a77 http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/blogs/johnbird/4376658.Two_Legs_Bad__Four_Legs_Good_/?ref=rss Does anyone else feel like Boxer, the loyal horse in Animal Farm? Mon, 18 May 2009 11:53:11 +0100 4e43ca071cf93cfb989d2be0a05f2f65 http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/blogs/johnbird/4200368.Back_to_Willy_nilly_Money_/?ref=rss Staggering to see the money supply being increased manually, because the attempts to make credit available haven’t worked so far. I seem to remember when analysts were wailing about the money supply being out of government control because credit was so available the money supply was growing willy-nilly. How times change! Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:59:41 +0000 58e02b1db9edfde52e8322169e01de6a http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/blogs/johnbird/4168993.Is_it_Service_/?ref=rss I’m a late convert to busses having always driven everywhere since I passed my test aged 17. I recently worked in the centre of York and the only way to get there at a sensible cost was by bus. Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:44:07 +0000 62226717d0d9c377e5328d4850854889