Rich

He sent me an email:

Grant Shapps MP <[email protected]>

To: mick

Fri, 8 Oct at 17:25

Dear Michael,

I hope you and your loved ones are doing well.

Given the events on our roads and at the petrol pumps recently, I thought you might appreciate an update on the measures we’re taking to both stop the protesters and alleviate fuel and other distribution strains post-Covid.

First, the Insulate Britain protests. As you will have seen protesters have been walking onto motorways, gluing themselves to carriageways, and blocking traffic on vital roads. Targets have included the M25, the Port of Dover, and the A1M in Welwyn Hatfield.

These protests are reckless and disruptive, as well as being counterproductive when it comes to pollution. The UK has the most ambitious plan to decarbonise transport of any major economy, but preventing people from travelling to work, delivering supplies and, in some cases, trying to get to hospital is simply unacceptable.

As Transport Secretary, I directed National Highways to take out injunctions against these protesters. Now if they attempt to block traffic again, they will be in contempt of court. This can result in up to six months in prison and unlimited fines.

Next, fuel supply and logistics more widely:

Countries from the USA to Europe and beyond are suffering a temporary Covid-related lorry driver shortage. With our excellent vaccine programme having released us from lockdown quicker than elsewhere – the UK economy is growing faster than any G7 (major) economy.

During the lockdowns we were unable to provide HGV licence testing which should have brought 30,000 new truck drivers onto the road. However, since the spring we have been working to get more HGV tests done. And have so far taken more than 24 measures which has hugely expanded capacity.

Even with this Coronavirus-related shortage of 300 tanker drivers, fuel pumps continued as usual for months. However, once the story was widely reported, demand inevitably grew, resulting in the queues for petrol that we recently saw. It is worth saying that at no point was there an actual shortage of fuel at any of the 6 refineries and 47 storage centres in the UK.

Which takes me to a wider point…

Lorry drivers are essential to our economy. They do an incredible job day and night. Yet unfortunately their pay and conditions has been poor for years. Free movement whilst we were in the EU meant that many equally hardworking European drivers were attracted to drive here. A lower cost of living back home meant that lorry driving wages here were suppressed and job retention became a problem. To put numbers on it; 99% of UK lorry drivers are male and the average age is 55. In short, new recruits were not forthcoming because salaries were too low.

Better remuneration means that nearly a thousand HGV provisional licences are being applied for every day. At this rate we will be able to fix the historic shortage of lorry drivers once and for all and in the short-term the country is grateful to dozens of men and women from the army for stepping in to fill up the gap.

As ever, if you have any queries about what’s happening, or anything else that’s on your mind, feel free to reply to this email or call my constituency on 01707 262632.

With warm wishes,

Grant.

P.S. You can view the list of 24 measures I’ve taken to resolve the long-term lorry driver shortage by clicking this link.

You were lucky to get anything. Liam Werrity Fox only ever responds to praise. I'm still waiting for a reply to 2 emails I sent him concerning Dominic Cummings in May 2020.

P.S. You can view the list of 24 measures I’ve taken to resolve the long-term lorry driver shortage by clicking this link.

🤣

And how many have worked?

None!

Who are these demented flagwavers that I know not about?

Tarring? Not at all. I didn't say they were all demented, did I..? There are flag wavers and there are demented flag wavers.

Is "mented" the opposite of "demented"?

I looked up the Heights of Abraham earlier... guess what, they closed for the year on Sunday too

Today, had a lovely walk round the Derwent reservoirs. Tomorrow, it's off to Manchester on the train to visit the Science and Industry Museum.

Starting to think I'm cursed 

Ok, so we took a trip to the MoSI today... I particularly wanted to see the old station & goods shed, and the aerospace building. 

Yup, you guessed it. Both exhibits are closed.

FFS.

Lovely spot Rich, I'm only 40 minutes away but rarely go.  Try and take in Chatsworth if you've not been before

Rather a long way from Dorset, or Berkeley Square...

Pomarance, Italy

Ah well.  Thanks anyway, and I hope it's been back

Better than the bullock that was complaining outside my window all night because his bro bullock escaped yesterday and was deposited in a different field...

Thanks Mick.

My Musical Director in the choir years ago said that I was as sharp as a sausage.  Good to know I can still hack it.

How does one pleasure a turkey, exactly? Asking for a friend

Why, gobble gobble gobble, of course.

I'll post an NBD when it arrives... a Status update, as it were 

Not a Stealthy update then?

Thread here

 https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/488457-nbd-oh-god-what-have-i-done/?do=getNewComment

I get that feeling sometimes listening to Marcus so i have a listen to Glide by Pleasure and remind myself that the best basslines are actually achievable [with quite a lot of work for me ] 

Joe Dart...inspiration or reason to give up playing??

50/50 I reckon

I personally enjoy being challenged in my work - I'm always fearful of stagnation and boredom.  Each to his own

Yeah - 2 of my 3 minions are in similar positions: one is 60something and happy to plod on, the other is my age (late 40s and is fine with being an expert at his middlish sort of level).

I tend to find these HR box-ticking exercises tiresome.

I'm doing what I do, it's the right mix of interesting, challenging, routine, inventive, procedural, ad-hoc, variety, and fulfillment for me; I don't need to fill in forms to say so.

Setting goals and suchlike are an irrelevance; if the business gets to the point where they don't need me then they'll ditch me and if I decide it's time then I'll move on.

I've been working in pretty much the same niche for years and have no desire or ambition to be "promoted" or chase any other perceived progression or career path.

I'm happy in my lane and have no plans to retire.

My first contact with them was in early November, via the Contact Us on the website... emailed them directly on the 4th of this month and again last week. Nothing.

Story has a happy ending; I emailed Lord Of The Strings earlier, from whom I bought the strings, and they have just replied to say that they've put a replacement string in the post. A 90 minute turnaround, now that's proper customer service, and the reason why I shall be buying from them again in the future. But I've bought my last set of DRs. 

I put DRs on my bass... Lo-Riders... absolutely love them.  Sold all of my spare packs of Ernie Balls!  

contact eBay I guess

GDPR doesn't apply to private individuals.

Data Protection Act does but I'm not sure what Ebay does to ensure it is observed as ultimately they act as the third party in the transaction and the name and address details must be given to ensure delivery from the seller.

Would say to discuss with Ebay, not sure they can do anything in all honesty

I saw it... crappy little blob, really underwhelming

You had a ganglion on your ärse finger? Bummer.  

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

I have a ganglion in my right hand, just underneath my little fingers.  It used to flare up when I (an electrician) rewired properties and used my SDS hammer drill to chisel out chases in brick for cables.  I would get pain up my arm for several days afterwards and it would stop me sleeping.

Most of my work these days involves inspection and testing, with a lot less 'house bashing' so now it's not noticeable but its not gone away.

Hope you recover from your surgery quickly.

Yep, me too 😜

Same...2 mins of my life i'll never get back 😂

👍

Could have been worse side-effects: you might have started to GAS after a Rick 4001...

How did the trial work? Were you exposed to the virus to test the vaccines efficacy, or was it only to test side affects?

Blimey, 10 years already? Was thinking about him only the other day on a thread on here.

It's scary how quickly tempus just fugits away, innit?

That doesn't seem possible, ten years.

It's a great result BUT we must remain wary. It wouldn't surprise me if they instead quietly closed the offices one by one while using distraction to avoid publicity.

I’m pleased about this. Whilst they - going from reports - aren’t used much they are pretty essential to those that do use them.

Fortunately, I've managed to avoid using rail services for the past few years.

It occurs to me, though, that perhaps they should look to attract customers (like me) back rather than save costs.

Jah im tole me ta buy dis hat.

My dad had one vaguely similar, made of yak wool, from visiting Bhutan.  The locks are to direct rain away from the body, I think.

That`s awesome Rich, really like that

Yup. 'Other people' being anyone who isn't straight, white, christian and male. 

America sliding steadily down the slope into barbarism.

To be fair they were already close to the bottom of pretty much every sensible league table where Big Nations are concerned. I feel sorry for the tens of millions whom this will affect, and despise the tens of millions who think this is Jeebus answering their Thoughts and Prayers, and the millions who did not vote for Hillary because of her emails...

https://oshpark.com/

Free shipping world wide. I've used them dozens of times very happily. Not the cheapest, but great quality and no language barriers, hidden costs, etc.

I recently used http://pcbway.com to make some micro usb breakout boards. 20 boards cost $21 inc shipping, as there was a $5 voucher for your first order. Would have been quick, but I missed the Chinese New Year deadline. I'm going to order some more pcbs from them soon as my design has evolved.

Thanks guys excellent tips

The swearing. Oh my word, the swearing. I'd have made a docker blush.

Couldn't quite hear you from here...

Enough to void the warranty though, I reckon.

I feel your pain brother....

Probably means it’s not in Bb 😂

It's been so dinned into me since day 1 as a saxist that I should learn the 'not nice chords' that guitarists prefer like A and E, that it throws me totally if someone makes concessions for hornists with a so-called brass-friendly key. .

I've been listening to quite a bit of The Interrupters. I also watched the KROQ DTS Sound Space gig on You Tube. I really like them.

He's a tidy player that Justin Bivona.

How topical!

Yesterday I bought my first ever five string (used) and although it's generally in good nick the jack socket is dodgy. I've taken it out and cleaned with WD40 and a rag but I later found that although it was fine with the cable I was using my Xvive transmitter doesn't like it at all.

Where's a good place to get replacement sockets? Strings Direct do a Pure Tone Full Contact one that looks pretty good and I have one in my basket atm but any other suggestions?

@plankspanker I get most of my electronics components from Bitsbox - they have Neutrik and Switchcraft jacks amongst others.

All sorted now... new jacks, new switch, totally rewired... the only original thing left is the enclosure. It's Trigger's broom  

Ditto South Cumbria for wedding anniversary.

It can still be - there are no instructions to return home, just be aware that attractions (few given the season?), restaurants, pubs/bars etc will be closed.  If you've rented a little retreat away from everything then that should still be good?

Ah - just read the guidelines and not returning only affects overseas holidays...bummer!

Come to Scotland, only the central belt is in partial lockdown. The midges are away now.

Ignore the rain

New bits but no means of rotating them and thrusting them into virgin territory whilst remaining absolutely perpendicular and plumb?

It's as if Ian Dury had just called the LP "...and panties."!

It's true that your present interlocutor was highly desirous of such a reliable means of ensuring accuracy within the vertical plane in the creation of circular orifices in various materials; however, such an apparatus proved to be fiscally beyond my immediate wherewithal.

Bwahahahahahaha!

Sorry, no TLRTs left.  I owe you one.

PS:  Sorted.

Won't be long before your name becomes "Grandad can I have"...

Hope the wedding goes off without a hitch.

NIce Ride SIR!!

Oh man, what an amazing day!

Did you receive the goods yet?  Is it everything you hoped for?

Yes and yes  photos when I get it installed in my rack case.

Aw... we don't get to see it nude then?  Heeheehee.

Ignore me.  I am widely known as a twit - at least I think that's what I overheard.  Looking forward to the press release photos.