This may come as a big surprise to many of you....
In Las Vegas, there are more Catholic Churches than Casinos.
Some worshippers will give Casino chips rather than cash on the collection platter.
As they get so many chips from all the different casinos, the churches send all their chips to a local Franciscan Monastery, for sorting. The chips are then taken to the Casino of origin and cashed by the Monks.
... Chip Monks
Thursday 28 August 2008
Tuesday 26 August 2008
Olympic table calulated wrong.
According to the medal table based on gold medals won - Britain came 4th. The final Gold table was as follows:
1. China 51 Gold Medals
2. USA 36
3. Russia 23
4. Great Britain 19
5. Germany 16
The calulation should in my opinion be a ratio to the population for all the large industrialised nations - in which case the Olympic top five would be:
1. Great Britian 19 Golds divided by 61 million = 3.1 gold medal per 10m population
2. Germany as above - 82m people = 1.95 per 10m population
3. Russia still 3rd with 141m people = 1.63 per 10m population
4. USA with 305m people = 1.18 per 10m population
5. China with 1,325m people = 0.007 per 10m population
We as a Nation are therefore head and shoulders in front of the rest.
Well done team GB.
1. China 51 Gold Medals
2. USA 36
3. Russia 23
4. Great Britain 19
5. Germany 16
The calulation should in my opinion be a ratio to the population for all the large industrialised nations - in which case the Olympic top five would be:
1. Great Britian 19 Golds divided by 61 million = 3.1 gold medal per 10m population
2. Germany as above - 82m people = 1.95 per 10m population
3. Russia still 3rd with 141m people = 1.63 per 10m population
4. USA with 305m people = 1.18 per 10m population
5. China with 1,325m people = 0.007 per 10m population
We as a Nation are therefore head and shoulders in front of the rest.
Well done team GB.
Thursday 14 August 2008
Statement to Sunday Telegraph
I was asked by the national Sunday Telegraph Newspaper for a statement about Rushmoors plans to replace our existing 240 litre bins with 140 litre bins. The following sums up how I feel about the issue:
1. We, as a nation, put far too much waste in our bins, especially wasted food. We all need to reduce waste, re-use more and recycle more.
2. Central Government should be taking a much harder line on big retailers with regards to excess packaging on goods. They, rather than consumers should be targeted and fined for non compliance. The current situation where Central Government is setting targets for Councils who can only put pressure on consumers is completely unbalanced. Central Government needs to take a lead and go to the source of most of the waste and tackle the large retailers, unfortunately they appear not to have an appetite for this, one has to ask why.
3. Waste collection is the most expensive and most valuable service we provide as a local Council. It should be a five star service to our residents. For this reason I am against two weekly collections, and I am against fining people and making criminals out of people that are in effect our customers.
4. People should have choice in all this and encouragement rather than coercion should be used by Councils, much the same as the approach taken by Central Government towards the people generating the vast majority of waste - the large retailers and manufacturers.
5. Locally I am opposed to "enforcement officers" but support education, I am opposed to enforcement of smaller bins but support encouraging more recycling so smaller waste bins become more practical. I am aware many retired couples would very happily be accommodated with smaller bins, I am also aware that larger families would struggle, and some would find it impossible. A five star waste service to our customer residents should accommodate everyone, and I will support this approach.
6. I did suggest a few changes to some recent recommendations which were not agreed by my fellow councillors, which is why you may be contacting me. The detail of this is on my blog site at: http://cllrclifford.blogspot.com/2008/06/rushmoors-waste-management-panels.html
In summary I want to see us work with not against our resident customers. I am assured by officers at Rushmoor that people who cannot cope with the smaller bins will be entitled to retain the larger bins, I am also aware that some residents have requested larger recycle bins. I am against "green fundamentalists" and support a sensible, practical approach to promoting environmentally friendly behaviour.
1. We, as a nation, put far too much waste in our bins, especially wasted food. We all need to reduce waste, re-use more and recycle more.
2. Central Government should be taking a much harder line on big retailers with regards to excess packaging on goods. They, rather than consumers should be targeted and fined for non compliance. The current situation where Central Government is setting targets for Councils who can only put pressure on consumers is completely unbalanced. Central Government needs to take a lead and go to the source of most of the waste and tackle the large retailers, unfortunately they appear not to have an appetite for this, one has to ask why.
3. Waste collection is the most expensive and most valuable service we provide as a local Council. It should be a five star service to our residents. For this reason I am against two weekly collections, and I am against fining people and making criminals out of people that are in effect our customers.
4. People should have choice in all this and encouragement rather than coercion should be used by Councils, much the same as the approach taken by Central Government towards the people generating the vast majority of waste - the large retailers and manufacturers.
5. Locally I am opposed to "enforcement officers" but support education, I am opposed to enforcement of smaller bins but support encouraging more recycling so smaller waste bins become more practical. I am aware many retired couples would very happily be accommodated with smaller bins, I am also aware that larger families would struggle, and some would find it impossible. A five star waste service to our customer residents should accommodate everyone, and I will support this approach.
6. I did suggest a few changes to some recent recommendations which were not agreed by my fellow councillors, which is why you may be contacting me. The detail of this is on my blog site at: http://cllrclifford.blogspot.com/2008/06/rushmoors-waste-management-panels.html
In summary I want to see us work with not against our resident customers. I am assured by officers at Rushmoor that people who cannot cope with the smaller bins will be entitled to retain the larger bins, I am also aware that some residents have requested larger recycle bins. I am against "green fundamentalists" and support a sensible, practical approach to promoting environmentally friendly behaviour.
Tuesday 12 August 2008
A few things to know about paramotoring ...
Good looks are not required to be a good paramotor pilot!!
It is difficult to describe just how magical it is to run into a light wind at sunrise, to be lifted into the clouds, and be able to gaze at the sleepy world beneath. Few know the experience. It is a wonderfull.
No .. they have not been arrested, impersonating scare crows (much more scary), doing early morning gymnastics or even herding imaginary cattle. They are in fact impersonating a wind sock!! Facing into wind and holding their hands out so incoming paramotor pilots can see which way to fly into wind.
.... stand like that long enough you will definately attract a lost paramotor pilot...
And all your kit fits into a small trailer - including the pilots.
Monday 11 August 2008
Back form Flying in France
Just back today from 10 wonderful days flying in France:
The Gite we stayed in - excuse my foot at the bottom of the pic!! It's hard to fly and take pictures at the same time.
The Gite we stayed in - excuse my foot at the bottom of the pic!! It's hard to fly and take pictures at the same time.Our improvised airfield - our Gite is just below the 12 o'clock position
Flying in to read the traffic signs to find my way back! I am a terrible pilot and even worse navigator!
Flying my new French Tomahawk 2 wing low over the chequered French fields of Bouferre
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