Dont ask I dont know exactly but. Weeds and bugs targeted with military precision, yep thats how the article began. You could say well that will be good especially when it then reads that technology being developed could reduce agricultural chemical use by around 90 per cent.
Now that has to be good for as long as we have them, please let someone find and develop safer alternatives.
Anyway this article included such memorable words as; machine vision algorithms, probabilistic programming. Basically it incorporates a camera and precisely targets problems instead of blanket coverage. As I said earlier that has to be good.
Tuesday, 26 January 2016
£83,000
Yep £83,000, thats the minimum salary my local paper the Cambridge News announced you need to earn in Cambridge if you want to buy a house these days. Then I hear on TV today that some national hotel chains only pay about £6.90 per hour. I think that works out around £14,000 a year and you have to wonder where those earning less than the aforementioned larger salary live.
Well yes rented accommodation but even that's ridiculous in Cambridge. So where then further out and then even further. Yep and so logically you have the next issue all those lower paid staff need to travel into the city to work and lo and behold what do we have traffic held up all over the place and believe me its worse in Cambridge than anywhere else. Do all cities say that!
Anyway apparently one way round mortgages and rents is to extend your house and setup granny or the kids in an annexe. Last November there was a headline in the local paper; "Rise of the Waltons tribe as generations live together", together with a nice picture of the old Walton clan on the porch.
Its a growing trend apparently, well I can see the nice bits of this with families living together and helping each other out but wait a minute isnt this how we used to live before we got on our bikes and looked for work! Not completely perhaps but surely it shows the system is struggling and if not the system certainly the people living in it.
Then lets just go back to the traffic. In Cambridge there is a group or something called City Deal which is trying to improve housing jobs and you've guessed it the traffic which is worse than anywhere else or have I said that before? Ideas are flying about all over the place and new groups of residents against some proposal or other are being launched like falling leaves, which leads me onto the prospect of trees beside roads being cut down to make room for bus lanes etc etc. Then there have been proposals for tunnels under Cambridge and monorails and of course a congestion charge. Did I mention the gates on key access routes to regulate the traffic getting in?
Well nothing is right of course especially if it might mean houses get noisier. But then lets go back to the start if houses weren't so expensive perhaps people on lower salaries could live in the the place and there might just be less traffic or driving about.
But then what do I know or most other folk we just put up with it and moan, does it sort anything out no but it makes you feel better, roll on the next proposal.
Well yes rented accommodation but even that's ridiculous in Cambridge. So where then further out and then even further. Yep and so logically you have the next issue all those lower paid staff need to travel into the city to work and lo and behold what do we have traffic held up all over the place and believe me its worse in Cambridge than anywhere else. Do all cities say that!
Anyway apparently one way round mortgages and rents is to extend your house and setup granny or the kids in an annexe. Last November there was a headline in the local paper; "Rise of the Waltons tribe as generations live together", together with a nice picture of the old Walton clan on the porch.
Its a growing trend apparently, well I can see the nice bits of this with families living together and helping each other out but wait a minute isnt this how we used to live before we got on our bikes and looked for work! Not completely perhaps but surely it shows the system is struggling and if not the system certainly the people living in it.
Then lets just go back to the traffic. In Cambridge there is a group or something called City Deal which is trying to improve housing jobs and you've guessed it the traffic which is worse than anywhere else or have I said that before? Ideas are flying about all over the place and new groups of residents against some proposal or other are being launched like falling leaves, which leads me onto the prospect of trees beside roads being cut down to make room for bus lanes etc etc. Then there have been proposals for tunnels under Cambridge and monorails and of course a congestion charge. Did I mention the gates on key access routes to regulate the traffic getting in?
Well nothing is right of course especially if it might mean houses get noisier. But then lets go back to the start if houses weren't so expensive perhaps people on lower salaries could live in the the place and there might just be less traffic or driving about.
But then what do I know or most other folk we just put up with it and moan, does it sort anything out no but it makes you feel better, roll on the next proposal.
Get your Cuts ear, subtitled no more low fruit!
Cuts cuts cuts in public services all over the UK to a greater or lesser extent depending on where you live. We hear about them all the time; Parks and Gardens CUT, Arts CUT, Help for the elderly CUT, and still it goes on. In Cambridgeshire on hearing the latest news re how much funding from central government they will get a Councillor announced words along the lines of; we have already cut the lowest fruit now we will have to cut other areas.
Lowest fruit, no limits to what or where it would appear unless you can make enough noise for the council to think No we will keep that and cut the other thing there is no noise or less noise about.
Because thats how its going or looks to be. If the county cannot afford it say we will cut it and get the district to do it and pay for it, what happens when they cant afford to run it is something else.
Lately there has been much consultation about Lollipop patrols, we are thinking of cutting them say the county. After a lot of comment its we will keep them and investigate other options. But of course by keeping the Lollipop patrol where else are they going to look for the money to run them, dont say that do they.
As I have said before people have got used to councils running all sorts of services some that they think they have every right to like rubbish collection and street lights. They are not safe and nor is anything else. If you dont think it matters ask friends and family, I am guessing at least one is paying extra for a service they used to get for free or its is not provided now. Where will it end?
Lowest fruit, no limits to what or where it would appear unless you can make enough noise for the council to think No we will keep that and cut the other thing there is no noise or less noise about.
Because thats how its going or looks to be. If the county cannot afford it say we will cut it and get the district to do it and pay for it, what happens when they cant afford to run it is something else.
Lately there has been much consultation about Lollipop patrols, we are thinking of cutting them say the county. After a lot of comment its we will keep them and investigate other options. But of course by keeping the Lollipop patrol where else are they going to look for the money to run them, dont say that do they.
As I have said before people have got used to councils running all sorts of services some that they think they have every right to like rubbish collection and street lights. They are not safe and nor is anything else. If you dont think it matters ask friends and family, I am guessing at least one is paying extra for a service they used to get for free or its is not provided now. Where will it end?
Death and money
There's money to be made from every major stage of human life, birth death and marriage/civil whatever etc etc etc. Just lately two planning applications have been submitted locally to meet the death stage.
In one the application is for a 5500 grave cemetery on green belt land south of Cambridge which the developers claim would be able to take people from across the Cambridgeshire region. Local councillors have claimed that it is a commercial venture. Now theres a surprise and perhaps not surprisingly the developers are appealing the refusal of permission.
Meanwhile over St Neots way an application has been submitted for a Neolithic style burial chamber to take cremation urns as cremations are more popular than burials now. The barrow would have 350 niches each capable of holding two or three urns with usage estimated at 130 urns a year.
Interesting stuff eh.
In one the application is for a 5500 grave cemetery on green belt land south of Cambridge which the developers claim would be able to take people from across the Cambridgeshire region. Local councillors have claimed that it is a commercial venture. Now theres a surprise and perhaps not surprisingly the developers are appealing the refusal of permission.
Meanwhile over St Neots way an application has been submitted for a Neolithic style burial chamber to take cremation urns as cremations are more popular than burials now. The barrow would have 350 niches each capable of holding two or three urns with usage estimated at 130 urns a year.
Interesting stuff eh.
Whats the truth about recycling garden waste
So then a few years ago all the councils went to great expense to get us to recycle as much waste as possible from our houses including garden waste.
Last year reports started to crop up about Suffolk county and district councils wanting to charge residents to recycle there garden waste. Why? It has been suggested it wasn't profitable to recycle it for the costs involved. The county council in Suffolk could not afford to keep it going but if districts wanted to carry then they should work out how to do it. And so we have Suffolk district councils deciding yes or no to charging residents to recycle there garden waste. The yearly charge to empty the bin will be £40, and the councils concerned will be taking away the garden waste bin from residents not paying up. Is there an alternative, well you can compost it yourself or take it to a local recycling centre but it will pay to check if you will get charged to do that as most if not all in Suffolk have been palmed of sorry transferred to charities etc.
In Suffolk at least you have to wonder whats next paying to have your household waste taken away?
Meanwhile here in East Cambridgeshire we received a leaflet a few months ago the front of which proudly states "It pays to recycle in East Cambridgeshire".
You have to value consistency and coordinated messages dont you.
Last year reports started to crop up about Suffolk county and district councils wanting to charge residents to recycle there garden waste. Why? It has been suggested it wasn't profitable to recycle it for the costs involved. The county council in Suffolk could not afford to keep it going but if districts wanted to carry then they should work out how to do it. And so we have Suffolk district councils deciding yes or no to charging residents to recycle there garden waste. The yearly charge to empty the bin will be £40, and the councils concerned will be taking away the garden waste bin from residents not paying up. Is there an alternative, well you can compost it yourself or take it to a local recycling centre but it will pay to check if you will get charged to do that as most if not all in Suffolk have been palmed of sorry transferred to charities etc.
In Suffolk at least you have to wonder whats next paying to have your household waste taken away?
Meanwhile here in East Cambridgeshire we received a leaflet a few months ago the front of which proudly states "It pays to recycle in East Cambridgeshire".
You have to value consistency and coordinated messages dont you.
So a conundrum houses or a what!
Never thought I would be saying this but!
Around my this area there a small number of airfields that were once and still are in one case the operating sites of American aircraft. Molesworth, Alconbury and Mildenhall. What to do with them is the thing. They belong to this country and are ripe for development they say. We could cover them in houses, after all it is brownfield land they say. Government looking to get thousands of houses built with as little fuss as possible is eyeing them covetously after all Oakington will soonish become Northstowe complete with a load of state sponsored houses that will count towards the govt's total.
But at the back of my head is the fact that all these airfields were built in the early years of the second world war on agricultural land and the land not needed for buildings and hard standing for planes was managed as cheaply as possible, left as grass and not cut ridiculously short for the most part. Often these airfields are the largest bits of grassland left in otherwise intensively managed agricultural land and yet we can just call them brownfield and build on them.
Meanwhile we have a government that would also like to placate the airport operators and airlines by allowing a new runway or airfield. Being simplistic are the government not missing a trick here? Thats what some folk think anyway and I might share there thinking which amazes me to be honest.
Why not take all goods freight from the London airports and take it to one of those airfields freeing up space at Heathrow and Gatwick instead of building on them. The council close to Moleworth has already said housing there would be poorly served by infrastructure despite being close to the A14, the same could be said for Alconbury in which case add closeness to A1 as well. Mildenhall is already a base for American freight planes of many types with the A11 closeby.
If we really need another airport, I mean really need one surely at least one of these should be considered properly. And I still cannot believe I have said that.
Around my this area there a small number of airfields that were once and still are in one case the operating sites of American aircraft. Molesworth, Alconbury and Mildenhall. What to do with them is the thing. They belong to this country and are ripe for development they say. We could cover them in houses, after all it is brownfield land they say. Government looking to get thousands of houses built with as little fuss as possible is eyeing them covetously after all Oakington will soonish become Northstowe complete with a load of state sponsored houses that will count towards the govt's total.
But at the back of my head is the fact that all these airfields were built in the early years of the second world war on agricultural land and the land not needed for buildings and hard standing for planes was managed as cheaply as possible, left as grass and not cut ridiculously short for the most part. Often these airfields are the largest bits of grassland left in otherwise intensively managed agricultural land and yet we can just call them brownfield and build on them.
Meanwhile we have a government that would also like to placate the airport operators and airlines by allowing a new runway or airfield. Being simplistic are the government not missing a trick here? Thats what some folk think anyway and I might share there thinking which amazes me to be honest.
Why not take all goods freight from the London airports and take it to one of those airfields freeing up space at Heathrow and Gatwick instead of building on them. The council close to Moleworth has already said housing there would be poorly served by infrastructure despite being close to the A14, the same could be said for Alconbury in which case add closeness to A1 as well. Mildenhall is already a base for American freight planes of many types with the A11 closeby.
If we really need another airport, I mean really need one surely at least one of these should be considered properly. And I still cannot believe I have said that.
Get your Tithe Barn ere.
Deep in the middle of the lovely Cambridge village called Landbeach there sits a slightly worse for wear old barn.
Not just any old barn though is the thing, its a typical fen barn with black tarred wooden planking over a wooden frame and in this case a thatched roof. It dates back to the early 16th Century and is rapidly in need of love and care.
Picture by Cambridge News
But its only a barn, yes it is but in its own way it typifies the state this country is in. It was owned by the district council who leased it to a village society who did there best to meet its minor upkeep. But theres a big issue arising, it needs to be rethatched and the council would like to see it out of there hands. Yes cutbacks are the problem, the council cannot afford to have the work done and as far back as 2014 were saying they would sell it unless someone else took it over.
The village society could not do it so a trust was formed, here we are two years later and the trust is in need of help with trustees. Its a building loved by the locals but its part of our cultural heritage and believe me there are lots of barns in need of help, most just slump into delapidation and collapse. What will become of this one. To be honest and in my opinion what hope is there for a small building like this managed by a small trust.
Not just any old barn though is the thing, its a typical fen barn with black tarred wooden planking over a wooden frame and in this case a thatched roof. It dates back to the early 16th Century and is rapidly in need of love and care.
Picture by Cambridge News
But its only a barn, yes it is but in its own way it typifies the state this country is in. It was owned by the district council who leased it to a village society who did there best to meet its minor upkeep. But theres a big issue arising, it needs to be rethatched and the council would like to see it out of there hands. Yes cutbacks are the problem, the council cannot afford to have the work done and as far back as 2014 were saying they would sell it unless someone else took it over.
The village society could not do it so a trust was formed, here we are two years later and the trust is in need of help with trustees. Its a building loved by the locals but its part of our cultural heritage and believe me there are lots of barns in need of help, most just slump into delapidation and collapse. What will become of this one. To be honest and in my opinion what hope is there for a small building like this managed by a small trust.
Wednesday, 20 January 2016
Load of punts, well it is Cambridge
"Sabotage on the Cam as axe attacker sinks punts" well that's the headline and whats it about yes punts and them being sunk and not for the first time lately.
Seems there are punt wars and someone is going round and putting axe blade size holes in the bottoms of them, not surprisingly they then sink. But then in dear old Cambridge we have licensed and unlicensed punts and with punts come touts trying to get you in one.
Its mad at times with touts shouting at each other and visitors for not going with there company. Complaints of name calling and fist fights between touts has led to a call for touting by unlicensed punters to be made illegal.
But hang on a minute if they are unlicensed surely they should and can be stopped anyway or am I not seeing something???
Seems there are punt wars and someone is going round and putting axe blade size holes in the bottoms of them, not surprisingly they then sink. But then in dear old Cambridge we have licensed and unlicensed punts and with punts come touts trying to get you in one.
Its mad at times with touts shouting at each other and visitors for not going with there company. Complaints of name calling and fist fights between touts has led to a call for touting by unlicensed punters to be made illegal.
But hang on a minute if they are unlicensed surely they should and can be stopped anyway or am I not seeing something???
Tuesday, 5 January 2016
leccy ciggies and whatever and wherever
So being sick I was watching a lot of television, how come we have adverts for those electronic cigarettes I saw at least two one so full of high tech this and that the vaping bit is a last minute add on also supposed to impress you with the technology involved in the electronic cigarette no doubt?
Then there are the number of adverts where they are using the words, whatever and wherever repeatedly and not just one advert I reckon three different products at least. Same script writer or trendy words???????
Then there are the number of adverts where they are using the words, whatever and wherever repeatedly and not just one advert I reckon three different products at least. Same script writer or trendy words???????
Go for three get one, shop local eh...
Well yes I'm still here despite being laid low by something nasty in early December and still I'm not right or back working but slowly getting better.
Anyway on to other things some catching up. Went into Cambridge, well Newmarket Road superstores to be honest, on Sunday 2nd Jan to buy three items, a vacuum cleaner, a very simple camera and an office chair. Research done before left stuff in stock according to web pages. With the vacuum its why we went there and not the usual supplier whose website said none in stock, shall come back to that later.
Into a well known electrical store with stores all over for the vacuum and simple camera to keep in my pocket for work. Finds camera and buys, should have listened for heavenly music as it all went downhill from there, finds the vacuum and tries to buy, you have two the webpage says. Off goes young lad, comes back sheepish look on face ten minutes later, ahem, webpage is not right we havn't got any, hmmnn.
So off to store two another national chain , look for office chair and find, but hang on its not got the adjustment suggested, ask manager, they used to have! And so we left, not impressed and with only one out of three items.
Back home, while I'm looking at the camera Elaine is phoning the Cambridge branch of usual shop where there web pages say nationally they have none, oh that model I will just check says the chap on the phone, we have four in the warehouse here. So one is bought and it arrived by post today, as did the almost identical office chair I found later on while surfing the web.
Is there a moral, dont buy anything!
Anyway on to other things some catching up. Went into Cambridge, well Newmarket Road superstores to be honest, on Sunday 2nd Jan to buy three items, a vacuum cleaner, a very simple camera and an office chair. Research done before left stuff in stock according to web pages. With the vacuum its why we went there and not the usual supplier whose website said none in stock, shall come back to that later.
Into a well known electrical store with stores all over for the vacuum and simple camera to keep in my pocket for work. Finds camera and buys, should have listened for heavenly music as it all went downhill from there, finds the vacuum and tries to buy, you have two the webpage says. Off goes young lad, comes back sheepish look on face ten minutes later, ahem, webpage is not right we havn't got any, hmmnn.
So off to store two another national chain , look for office chair and find, but hang on its not got the adjustment suggested, ask manager, they used to have! And so we left, not impressed and with only one out of three items.
Back home, while I'm looking at the camera Elaine is phoning the Cambridge branch of usual shop where there web pages say nationally they have none, oh that model I will just check says the chap on the phone, we have four in the warehouse here. So one is bought and it arrived by post today, as did the almost identical office chair I found later on while surfing the web.
Is there a moral, dont buy anything!
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