October 26th, 2010
“Councils in London are arranging to move local housing allowance claimants into accommodation as far away as Hastings, following cuts to housing benefit confirmed in the comprehensive spending review.”
(Inside Housing, 22/10/2010)
Hastings? Hastings!!? HASTINGS!!? That’s a resort! Why would anyone even want to ever get off their behind and go looking for work while being paid to live in a beautiful tranquil location like that!? Relocating benefit seekers to a resort is hardly going to encourage them working. Although purely financially the benefits system these days doesn’t make it feasible for low earners to look for work making it a lot more convenient to just stay at home: this calls for a system change, relocating will simply delay bringing up the next generation of people incapable to care for themselves. The only unemployed to go looking for work these days are people with average/above average earning potential or the ones that are hoping for future career improvements who simply aren’t enjoying staying at home doing nothing. Hence, in my personal opinion, social housing should be moved to a lot less inviting surroundings than seaside resorts: there are enough of cheap barely populated areas in the UK where accommodation costs a fraction of what it is in London and Hastings.
This whole situation is similar to the way GP doctors operate: trying to cure the symptoms with Paracetamol without looking at the source of illness until the patient needs emergency treatment.
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October 26th, 2010
Previously the results of personal development test failed me year to year despite the anticipation of improvement. The results suggested I was a good performer when told exactly what to do and that’s about it. Suddenly over a year later after leaving permanent job for contracting there’s a massive change:
“As a Contender, you’re likely to believe at times it is necessary for work to come before the family, with the knowledge that the family will benefit in the long run from your success.
You believe that in a world of opportunities, the strongest thrive. Fortunately, you’re a person that makes things happen. You’re able to set goals and focus on achieving them, not afraid to make difficult decisions or take risks. The last thing you want is a dead end job, you want to move on up and be rewarded for your efforts and ability.”
I believe there are so many people out there who are not realising their potential and perhaps never will only because they are afraid to start at a deep end and learn to deal with any new ways of working that are thrown at them. It really isn’t that hard doing something new and different every day. The fact that you have never done it before makes it exciting.
Advantages of contract work
1. You earn more. This pays for your time off and even if there was a lot of it, you still work less while earning at least the same amount.
2. You get to do something different every day: work is never routine.
3. You pick up new skills continuously and people are always willing to share their knowledge if you share yours.
4. You make new friends.
Disadvantages of contracting
1. Basic bookkeeping: recording timesheets and expenses
2. Tracking payments
3. First payment delay of up to several months.
If you are good, you will be always in demand, any good umbrella company will offer you statutory sick pay and do invoicing and accounting.
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April 20th, 2010
Something my friend texted me:
“Being British is all about driving in a German car to an Irish pub for a Belgian beer then on the way home, grab an Indian curry or a Turkish kebab to sit on a Swedish sofa to watch US shows on a Japanese TV. And most of all being suspicious of anything Foreign. Oh and… Only in Britain can you get a pizza to your home faster than an ambulance. Only in Britain do banks leave both doors open and chain pens to the counter, supermarkets make sick people walk to the back of the shop for prescriptions whilst healthy people get their fags at the front of the shop. We might be British… but f*** we are funny!”
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March 31st, 2010
Couldn’t help it: the blog’s unfinished, but couldn’t wait to publish rubbish results of one of the blog analyzers.
Following one of the most fun ex-colleague’s example, analyzed my Twitter messages on www.typealyzer.com
The results were a pile of rubbish:
“soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead – they are always in risk of exhausting themselves.
The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation – qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.”
It is hard to judge yourself, but I am almost certain at least the first part of this is the total opposite of what I actually am.
The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead – they are always in risk of exhausting themselves.
The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation – qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.
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