Unless you’re in the UK you might not get the significance of today’s update. If there’s one thing there hasn’t been much of, it’s sun!
I set out for work this morning unaware that there was a strike taking place by bus drivers. I’m not sure how I feel about it to be honest; the reason for the strike is basically the bus driver unions are complaining that their members will have to work harder during the Olympics so as a result they should get bonuses and the £500-£600 being offered is not enough.
Now, I have a lot more respect for bus drivers than tube drivers; on the underground you have no-one competing with you; bus drivers on the other hand have lunatic motorists, cyclists and taxi-drivers. I include taxi-drivers in a league of their own because quite honestly they are a law unto themselves. I have never quite fathomed why they feel they have priority over everyone else but 99% of them act as if they own the road and everyone else should clear off!
Anyway, whilst I have the utmost respect for bus drivers a large chunk of me says, “why do you deserve a bonus for doing your regular shift?” because essentially this is what is happening. Bus, train and tube drivers are not being forced to work extra shifts. They are doing their regular shifts and if they want they can put themselves down for overtime. If they don’t want to do the work they can simply say no and no doubt plenty of their colleagues will take the available slots.
However, as I understand it, the unions are demanding that every member gets a bonus regardless of whether they work or not. Forgive me if I sound mean but Come On?! A) they are just doing their regular job, they won’t be working longer than usual and B) If they do take longer shifts they get paid the overtime rate for them. Striking for a bonus, especially if you don’t work is called one thing in my book GREEDY!
Whilst on the subject of greed there has been a lot of noise made about a comedian, Jimmy Carr, who made use of a legal tax manoeuvre to avoid paying tax, not completely but much less than he ordinarily would have. Now before I start ranting let me make one thing clear, I don’t find Jimmy Carr that funny. In fact I had to look him up on YouTube to see the quality of his work as I’d never seen him before (the joys of not having a TV). However regardless of whether you think him funny or not, the guy has done nothing wrong. So he has taken advantage of a few laws that let him pay less tax than the average guy in the street, big deal! How many people reading this can put their hand on their hearts and say that given the choice between legally not paying as much tax as they could they wouldn’t do what he did? I know I sure as hell would, first in the queue would be Mr Omneo, you better bet your bottom dollar.
What I find fascinating is the way public opinion reaches pitchfork frenzy mode when it’s an individual like James Carr Esq. but when it’s a multi-national conglomerate like Vodafone no one gives a flying fuck. Jimmy Carr avoids paying around £1.65m in tax legally and we’re baying for blood, Vodafone illegally avoid/refuse to pay £4.75bn in tax and no one bats an eyelid, instead we give them a call and check when we can upgrade to the latest overpriced smart phone they have on offer and our twat of a Prime Minister, David Cameron, calls James immoral while conveniently ignoring the fact that one of his supporters, Gary Barlow, also uses legal loopholes to reduce his tax bill. Priorities people, priorities!
Right, well that’s my rant out-of-the-way. I’m sorry I didn’t have time to tell you about the AWESOME mix my friend Fritz von Runte created for me or about the excitement I have knowing one of my favourite artists, Scott Saw, has agreed to design a tattoo for me or even the fact that I kissed a girl and liked it. You’ll just have to hope I remember to tell you all about it in another post!
