Colonel Mustard Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I have just come back from town, where the kids were having a jolly time celebrating Mardi Gras. They painted their faces, threw petards, sprayed passers-by with gunge (who, expecting this, wore filthy clothes) and a good time was had by all. Then I read that a centuries-old pancake race in Ripon has been cancelled because of elf and safety fears. If I were Supreme Evil Overlord of the UK I would start by putting all the H & S officers on a desert island where they could do 24/7 risk analyses of one another, and the rest of us could get on with our lives. Then I would move on to Ofsted inspectors, caravan owners, dog owners (sorry, Christine A.), and those assistants in Boots who give you the Spanish Inquisition when you want to buy a bottle of aspirins. That'll do to be going on with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Boots ????? You mean Tescos pharmacy assistants, a bunch of self opinionated gestapo cretins.ps. Caravan owners are the salt of the earth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybananasbrother Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 what what, caravan owners assault the Earth. Twue twue.[6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwmcn Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I think th Ripon races were cancelled because they involved children. We had pancake races in St Albans and, unfortunately, the Cathedral team didn't win. There was a team from Boots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renaud Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Col Mustard, my dog wants to know if it is true about you and Miss Scarlett in the billiard room, though he says it was not with the candlestick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybananasbrother Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 If he has any more rants it will be the dog in his boots with the cat on his best pillows.[6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 [quote user="Colonel Mustard"]I have just come back from town, where the kids were having a jolly time celebrating Mardi Gras. They painted their faces, threw petards, sprayed passers-by with gunge (who, expecting this, wore filthy clothes) and a good time was had by all. Then I read that a centuries-old pancake race in Ripon has been cancelled because of elf and safety fears. .[/quote]Not true at all. Health and safety officials had nothing to do with this cancellation at all. The truth if you are interested is that the organisers cancelled it themselves because they could not afford the cost of the insurance premium required in litigation conscious Britain and of the road closures necessary for the event to take place. So blame the right people.Health and safety gets the blame for a lot of crap that its not responsible for and when it is the truth is often distorted. For example the banning of hanging baskets on lamp posts in Norwich was blamed on the council's H&S officers and this was true, but what was not reported was the ban was only after one basket weighing 10 kilos fell off complete with the arm of the lamp post because the arm was rusted through. An inspection found that most of the other lamp posts had similar rusted supports and the baskets werec removed before somebody was killed. Health and safety or common sense? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 They had Pancake races in Reading, just watched the news and a poor guy really came a cropper, but he got up laughing. Raised funds for the local hospital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 They also had races in Ripon but in a playing field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalpa Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 [quote user="Ron Avery"]The truth if you are interested is that the organisers cancelled it themselves because they could not afford the cost of the insurance premium required in litigation conscious Britain and of the road closures necessary for the event to take place. [/quote]Well said, Ron. We were planning to have a millenium street party in our village in the UK during the summer of 2000 but when we (the Parish Council) looked at what we'd have to do to close off the road through the village for the afternoon, the cost of event insurance, the cost of policing (not that a representative from the local constabulary would necessarily be there... it was a just in case charge), the costs of signs notifying of diversions etc etc made the cost of the bureacracy too high to afford. For that year, we'd have had to triple the Parish precept (the bit of the Council Tax levied by the Parish Council) and it just wasn't worth it. But Britain is increasingly a litigious society so we have only ourselves to blame.I read that BA is getting ready to be sued by the people on the flight that had the very successful emergency landing. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/04/nheathrow104.xmlOkay, if it is established that BA are at fault in some way - and there's no evidence to suggest that, as far as I am aware - fines or similar should be slapped but if I'd been on that plane, I'd just be thankful that the escape routines worked so well and the BA staff were well trained - suing for associated stress would not be high on my agenda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I thought the landing was so smooth the passengers hadn't even realised it had been an emergency landing until they got off the plane! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel Mustard Posted February 5, 2008 Author Share Posted February 5, 2008 Ron, can't a chap have a rant without someone spoiling it with facts? I bet when your missus asks "Is the kettle boiling?" you say, "No, it's the water in it that's boiling." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Hear hear!Never let the truth get in the way of a good rant[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I suppose a claim against BA can be passed on to Boeing later should they find that the on board electronics .decided to shut down the auto throttle while it was on its final approach .....I think they will find the engines were fine .. Back in August I think it was 2005 as a 777 was climbing out of Perth its auto throttle was shut down unexpectantly .......but Boeing know all about that .......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybananasbrother Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 [quote user="Colonel Mustard"]Ron, can't a chap have a rant without someone spoiling it with facts? I bet when your missus asks "Is the kettle boiling?" you say, "No, it's the water in it that's boiling."[/quote]Rants for Ron have to pass health and safety rules or no rant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWINKLE Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 If I could, I would ban all drummers who play too loudly. Also - have you noticed since they banned smoking in bars and clubs (halleluiah by the way[:)]) how smelly everyone is?[+o(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 How did this get from pancakes - 777's - loud drummers ??Ron has a lot to answer for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWINKLE Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Smelly people - you forgot the smelly people Gardian! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybananasbrother Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Not Gene Krupa surely, the only drummer ever....[6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybananasbrother Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 Ron wants to ban drummers too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 If drummers are people who repeatedly post pointless disruptive off topic, one line posts all over Forums, they should be exterminated, not banned[kiss] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWINKLE Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Wouldn't you feel a bit lonely on the forum though Ron? Is that kiss for all of us or just for wooly?[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceni Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 [quote user="Ron Avery"]If drummers are people who repeatedly post pointless disruptive off topic, one line posts all over Forums, they should be exterminated, not banned[kiss][/quote]No, Ron, a drummer is someone who hangs around with a group of musicians.Johnnot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWINKLE Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 And makes their lives a misery[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tresco Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 [quote user="Colonel Mustard"]I have just come back from town, where the kids were having a jolly time celebrating Mardi Gras. They painted their faces, threw petards, sprayed passers-by with gunge (who, expecting this, wore filthy clothes) and a good time was had by all. Then I read that a centuries-old pancake race in Ripon has been cancelled because of elf and safety fears. [/quote]Don't worry Colonel, as one great tradition dies, another is born. I just received this from England.As you know Sheffield people call the stew hash 'ash', and do not appear to know it is actually 'hash'.We have just heard two of the staff discussing how today is Ash Wednesday, so they will celebrate by having 'ash.Twinks I'm sure Ron thought I was in this thread, earlier, and that the kiss was intended for me.[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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