My first Blog for a few days my thoughts of bus rally

It has been a funny period recently, lets just say it has been the anniversary of a lose, which came at a very bad time a year ago.  When I was worried myself.  I Suppose I am a natrual worrier.  I am going to try not to rant, even though I find lots of things irriating.  No as it the start of the rally season lets look at the amusing things, well the things I find really funny.

As you can imagine, just like with lots of other hobbies you have the differant factions,  The deadly serious brigade, who take the hobby seriously as they stand there with the note books, cameras and/or video cameras, heaven help anyone who gets in the way as they will be shouted at.  The dress sense of these people are usually a tweed jacket shirt and trousers, they usually belong to the old established societies and have been following the hobby for many years, infact the same people can be found in flowery shirts on the rally photos taken in the 1970's.  To these individuals if the bus is not halfcab and have a trianglular badge on the grill, then it should not be saved, never mind the youths who are buying Dennis Darts.

There are the enthusiasts who go along to meet up with their mates, these are a differant breed of enthuisast, these guys will take the pictures and bring the buses but they tend to by in it for the laugh, and the sense of enjoyment, and most importantly to socialise,  Now these individuals are usually the ones who sit on a bus, usually a Leyland Olympian, or a Leyland National and be chatting aware.  They will usually have the wives and girlfriends with them, which again is a very good thing to see.  Their usual dress sense is usually teeshirt and jeans, these go for the social occasion, and usual involve a trip to the pub.

Verging on the edge of the social scene, is the cranks, no they have a very odd behaviour, but they are generally harmless, and are usually accompanied by the words, dreadful, hellfire, beast, mylordzz.  I find them quite entertaining, plus they sometimes irritate the flatcap brigade. 

There are many subculutres with the preservationists, and enthusiasts.  The above is just a light hearted observation of them, and well if you cant take the piss out of your own hobby then you should not be in it.  after all it hobby and a way to get away from the stresses of work and running a house.  mind you all hobbies attract the ones who are deadly serious.

So This leads me on to something else now, I am a bus enthusiast, and I am a coach driver, and yes the two blend into each other and I have overload to the point where I get home and I dont want to see another bus or coach that evening.  I use things like facebook to socialise, I look things up on the net, even watch the vids on Youtube.  All these things take my mind off sitting behind the steering wheel.  To work in the industry and be an enthusiast for it, you have to separate your enthusiasm from professionalism, but it also helps too. 

I suppose there was a time when I was practically managing a company, as well as being a enthusiast and I must admit it tested that enthusiasm to the very limit, I was looking at other interests to take my mind off things, because it can burn you out if you are not careful.  Working in the industry gets in the blood, and once you get the bug it is the only thing you want to do. 

I will leave you on that thought, but I will also leave you with a nice pic I took at a bus rally.

Being part of the Clique?

It does not matter where we all are, be it at school, work, home and hobbies, there is always the clique,  ie the group of people who gather together around  common opinions looks fashions etc.  People wish to be part of the clique so they can join the social scene.

I was never part of a clique, I hated the idea that in order to fit in you had to conform, with opinions, fashion, even the like of TV programmes, taste in music etc.  Why?  well I am me, I am individual, I like things because I like them and not because the popular person likes it, and therefore it is law that everyone else has to like it. 

You see it in the playground at school, where the differant kids are singled out, as abnormal.  You here people who watch X factor, read those very magazines which want everyone to conform with the glitzy life style, which is beyond the grasp of the reader, centred round over rated disco's which are frequented by complete twats like Katy Price, and complete dickheads like roony, who are paid obscene amounts of money, for what they do. 

Differant fashions have cliques, and some movements such as the none conformists have to conform with their friends in the quest of non-conformity.  Anyway rant over

Saturday 02 April 2011 my views of society, freemasonary and other crap

So it is the weekend and I am here with lots on my mind, as always.  I know I have had some outbursts this week, I think one of bloggs I wrote struck a cord with a few people, I do find that people who preach potlical correctness are the biggest hyprocrits going, along with the so called middle class environmentalists.  You know, the one with the kids called Tarquin, peaches, Apple. 
They preach about saving the planet, yet drive the kids to school in the Mitsubishi Shogun, the are the ones who will buy the free range stuff, yet work for some big global capitalist corporation.  We all know some.

I suppose I have grown up being a very quiet shy person, I have been bullied through life, but quite alot of the time the biggest bully in my life is the person I look at in the mirror, I try to be honest.  I know the biggest thing that holds me back is me.  I am baby of the 1970's born in 1977 the year when punk burst on the scene, I was a gurgleing bundle of joy when we had the winter of discontent.  I saw the thatcher years as a child, and remember the violent clashes between the police and the Miners, the strike busters.  I saw crap government replace crap government,  So I feel I have alot to say, We all have alot to say.  We can all influence change, it is just that society is full of people who can be easily manipulated.  Infact we are all lemmings heading towards to cliff, guided by mainstream media. 

Lots of things annoy me, but before the bloggs I had few things to channel that annoyance.  I have been watching footage of the TUC marches, and well BBC and the media sensationalised it.  I just looked at it with the view that lots of people are extremely pissed off. 

I will admit I also have a dislike of freemasonary and other secret societies, now what is so special about them?, but when you think that Judges, policemen town planners and even some members of the criminal fraternity are members then it makes a mockery of the justice system.  I have known some freemasons, and whilst they havent done me any harm personally, I just dont see a point, but having said that I do not like elitieism full stop.  We are all born equal, it is only when we enter this world when life is mapped out.

I believe we are shaped through life, Society pidgeonholes us, and the ones who chose to say bollocks and do their own thing, and make a success, well they get my respect.  I like the mavericks of the world, they push the boundaries and make the differance.  afterall with out the mavericks we would not be where we are today.  On that note TTFN

April fools day, this is not a joke

Ok, This morning, I was driving the bus on one of my regular school runs and had the local mediocre radio station on for traffic reports, when an announcement was heard. It sucked me in at first, basically the report said that as of 12 noon standard eastern time and 5 pm uk time, Facebook was being forced to close down, due to content in the film the social network.  Now it did get me going and thinking, due to the recent loss of fotopic, the host site for my photographic adventures, which contained over 5000+ images.  I am working on a flickr photostream, but it will be a long process, putting the pictures on there.

There were comments from listeners, some of whom were glad it was finishing, due to lots of reasons which I will go in to shortly.  Some people live there lives on there, but, most people use it for catching up with old friends.  With the number of users world world wide, and if you put all these users together, it would be the population of a country,  not bad for something started as a college project.  Mind you conspiracy theorists have some sort of idea that it was started by the CIA to gather info on the world population for the new world order, but they think that for most things though.

We also learned that Eddie Stobart died at the age of 56, he was the man who inherited the family business, and built it up to a well known brand.  The lorries still have the impact and look very smart.  He also cashed in on people taking numbers of his lorries and started a fan club, which sell a wide range of merchandise, and organise depot visits.

 My thoughts are also with a friend who lost a very close member of the family this week, a very sad occasion.  I suppose lose is a terrible thing, and we grow up as children thinking that our parents are going to be there forever, we also meet friends some of whom will move on different things, we might lose some friends through tragic circumstances, life can be very cruel at times, and as time goes by, we pair up, some may start families.  I suppose losing someone in their prime really hurts, because of the future they will miss out on.  I suppose we have our friends, and the close ones we love, and we wish nothing bad happens to them, but we all have to go one day, and make way for future generations, but we do our best to leave a legacy, usually our children, who will continue that legacy and the cycle goes on.  I believe someones life is to be celebrated and the East Europeans have a custom, that when a family meal takes place, such as  Christmas, an empty place is set at the table complete with cuttlery and plate and this is for the absent friends who cannot join them.

Yes it is mothering sunday, and to many our mother is like a best friend, they are there for you, they offer unconditional love, they are a shoulder to cry on, they patched you up when you grazed your knee, So even if you cannot be with your mother, have a thought for her, No one can replace your mother.

I'm not going to rant tonight, I will save that for another occasion.  I will leave you on those thoughts TTFN

Cut backs cut backs and more cutbacks Thurs 31st March 2011

Right, I have been following the news recently and it looks like there are to be cutbacks in Derbyshire with bus services and library services.  So people who cant drive and use the internet suffer.

The intentions are good, but, as a nation we are chasing our tails.  or even fire fighting.  you cut back one thing, which affects lots of other things and all you do is juggle.  Lets face it, the nation is f**ked, and it is now good blaming the previous adminstration.  the problem as gone on for years, and we have all played a part.  How many use credit cards?  well the nation has been doing this for many years, and living beyond its means,  So the Defence is being cut, which will leave the country wide open. 

Now I personally believe it is time we said to the banks, right you greedy bunch of wankers, cut back on your bonuses for a couple of years and help get the country going again.  but It will not happen.  The government needs to control, and the best way is make austerity, force people in to debt, Now banks are perfectly happy to throw money at you when times are good, but when the shit hits the fan, they dont want to know.  interest rates are altered for their benefit, but try getting something out of them when times are tough. 

Industry has been moved abroad because labour rates are cheaper, so our economy suffers,  Fuel prices have been sky high recently it has doubled in the last 10 years, but to lower it would get the economy going again, The wankers in government dont want that because they would lose out on tax, but who will pay the taxes when we are all on the dole, because industry has been shut down due to recession.  Yes it is a noble attempt, but in the wrong way.  I will be interested to see the results of the forthcoming council elections, and I will be voting independantly, simply because I have no faith in the mainstream,  They probably go to the same lodge.

When I was learning about marketing one thing I was taught was the greed factor, this is very true, because everyone wants something for nothing, I will give you an example,

There was a coach company, who registered a service to take advantage of the free travel for concession holders, and It took off, maybe a bit too well.  Telephone calls went along the lines of when does the free pensioner bus to the coast go?   No what is wrong?  well the words free and pensioner, which implies that it is only for them,  now argue that in a discrimination case, but anyway,  the bus became swamped, and some were going for the sake of it.  Well they are getting on and want some pleasure from life.

This affect the cash sales, because people with families, who didnt have a car, couldnt afford the train fare were being turned away, because the bus was swamped,  Now bus companies have to wait for the returns on concessions,  the cash is instant for a bus company, end of the day bills have to be paid, the bus needs fuel, the driver needs paying etc.  So the cashfares turned down, affected the cashflow of the bus company.

Some companies have actually come out of the concession schemes because of this.  Anyway, when the families were on the coach, a very small number of the concession holders resented the fact that they were on the coach, as it was there for them to go to the coast for free.  I found this offensive, because the word bus originates from the word omnibus, which is basically Latin for "for all".  The service was really a victim of its own success, but anyway, the free travel was basically a carrot dangled by the government of the time, in a way to persuade them to vote for them, but that backfired didnt it,

 All top politicians are the same, IE self serving bastards, the good ones are usually the back benchers who fight for the constituents.  If Cameron, Osbourne and the rest of the public school tossers want us to cut back, then they should lead by example, and cut back on things.    Rant over  TTFN

Political correctness is a load of Bollocks

Right, there have been quite a few things that have really got up my nose recently, the main thing is all this political correctness, ie denying people to right to speak their minds just incase it may happen to upset someone.  Some people say I am not politically correct, but it is due to the point I speak my mind, but so what, as I often say, if you dont like what I put in these blogs then dont read.

Its like Mary Whitehouse going to see Roy Chubby Brown, seeing the show, listening to the crude jokes, then being disgusted, and complaining that she found the show offensive,  absolutely no need.  Dont watch it if it offends you.  By the same tolken, a load of white supremists having a reading of Mein Kampf, then going out and causing trouble, well that is bad.

How often have you been making a cup of coffee, when asking how do you like it, and some one says "white", then you get someone else saying "you cant say that it is racist",  what utter bollox.  Colour is only an issue because people have made it that way.  everyone has the same capabilities, and underneath we all bleed red. 

Most of the race cases involve a white person being in the wrong, but racism goes alot further, it is only that people dont notice, or want to live in ignorance  And as for all these fat overweight people who dont work and moan the foreigners are taking all the jobs, all I can say is get off your fat arses and go and do those jobs no one else wants to do.  It is a common fact these people keep the country going to a degree, ok the immigration will visit a few places and send people back, but by and large we need them. 

So what else is wrong, well parents cars and schools,  I drive buses and coaches, and as you can imagine most of my days will involve a school run.  I am paid to safely get those kids to school,  infact, it is my legal responsibilty to ensure they get to the school gates.  How the hell can I do that when I cant get anywhere near, because the place is full cars, driven by parents who live just round the corner!.
 When I was a kid I either went on the bus, or I walked, and on the way I would meet my mates, and we would talk about what we saw on tv the night before.  Walking to school with your mates was part of growing up and engaging in social interaction.  No wonder there are so many social problems,  the parents drive them 100yd to school then allow them to sit in a room with the curtains shut, whilst having a simulated slaughterfest courtesy of the PS3,  Isnt society great yippeeeeee.  That last thing was sarcasim, something people dont understand anymore.

Whilst I am talking about buses and schools, you have the school trip(sadly possibly to become a thing of the past with all these cuts  thank you Cameron and Osbourne you tossers),.  Now on these school trips you have to have so many kids per helper, (who has to undergo CRB check), plus a risk assessment has to be done, seatbelts worn etc.  Now this applies between 9am and 3:30pm monday to friday.  So the end of the school day, then a lone bus driver, has to look after 30+ kids, keep them in order, make sure they are safe and drive the vehicle, while all round there are other road users to contend with, weather conditions to take note of, so where is the risk assessment?  No out of sight out of mind once the day has ended at school. 

Race relation issues are only issues if make them that way, walk round any city and you will find areas with large numbers of Afro Carribeans Hindu's Muslims Polish, Latvian and so on !!!.  Most of the racism actually goes on amongst these communities, leading to gang culutre, which has gone on since time began, and problems.  People need to learn to intergrate, but no some areas are technically no go areas.  We are all humans and we share a very small insignificant planet, which we all call home.

Now how many people can hold there hands up and say they are not prejudiced?  Thought so,  We all have our own prejucices, I have mine, and well why beat about the bush,  this world is totally full of hypocracy, and crap like that.

England is a very weak country, we once had a mighty empire, under the rule of the royal family, ( a family who took the country by force and claimed it as there own, nearly a 1000 years ago), but it has all been given back, One colony we were given on a lease, only to develop it in to a leading place of commerce, then we hand it over to another nation so they can reap the reward.  what muppets.  We are dictated to by the USA, the EU.  Blair was basically Bushes lap dog, and I bet he still has the brown marks on his nose.  We are the only nation who follows every EU directive to the letter, then wonder why we all get wrapped up in directives and laws to the point od strangulation.  Oh yes why does the EU make up stupid impossible laws which are not worth the paper they are written on, but confuse the fuck out of us?  simple,  it justifies there existance.  That is my rant over.  and Bollocks to them all !!!     TTFN

27thMarch 2011, A week of going to a chocolate factory

So it has been a few days since my last blog, well what have I been up to?, Well after my day off, which was put to good use, taking some photo's for my portfolio, er sorry newly established flickr site, and catching up with my good friend Mr Bramley at the Vat and Fiddle.

Well nearly 100 pictures had been taken on that day, and 3 pints drunk,  I must admit the bar maid was nice, but I am not in the market, even though she smiled and kept looking in my direction.

Tuesday was just a day of school runs, and yard.  I spent the day sorting the Scania out ready for its 2 days of outings.

Wednesday after my school run and I was off to Cadbury's World along with a colleague.  As it was my first visit I had a wander round after having some scoff.
Well the walk round involved lots of interactive things designed for the kids, with a couple of choccy bars handed out as you walk in followed by another half way round.  where you see the packing process. I made referances to umpalumpas which made the other driver crease with laughter.  I made a return visit the following day.

So what else has gone on?  Well we have had the budget and the government lowered the price of fuel by a penny.  The fuel companies on the eve of the budget raised the prices by a penny, so no real benefit.  The crafty bastards eh?

To top it off there was the TUC march in London and a couple of anachists where giving cries of battle on you tube, to storm Parliament and Buckingham Palace.  But I dont think it will happen.  There were some clashes, but by and large it went well.  I think the protest was a firm message to the Government that by and large the people are not happy.  But they are only the people who elect the tossers in, we have some local elections coming up, and I think that we will learn about the try opinion.  

One last note dont forget to fill in your census forms, give the CIA the info they need, or you will be fined.  It is bad that the company that is contracted to collate the information just happens to be a large US arms company.  What that bloody hell is wrong?  The questions are going in to everything, bar how many times we go to the toilet.  The £1000 fine thing is interesting, well it is a good way to control the people,  basically telling them do what we say or we will hurt you financially.  I suppose one way to beat the system is give the form to an 8 year old and tell them to write what they want, or fill the form in whilst pissed up, both ways will give some interesting answers and confuse the CIA. woohoo. 

TTFN