Saturday, March 30, 2013
Friday, March 29, 2013
Guess how I spent my birthday?
Jae Jae was separated from Melati when I first arrived. He was where Melati had been last week.
He was spending the time chomping on a bone.
Melati was in the place that last week had been Jae Jae's domain. She was very relaxed.
Suddenly she became more alert.
They'd opened up the whole enclosure, and Jae Jae was looking for a chance to sneak up on his girl. But he had to content himself with waiting, wondering and dreaming.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Once a landmark birthday...
...now 60 is just another year older.
Time was I would have started to collect my old age pension today. I understand the need for fairness by equalising men's and women's retirement ages - but I'd always assumed they'd bring the men's age down as well as raising the women's.
I was in my 50s when they decided to raise the women's. We were assured that women already in their 50s would not be affected. They lied.
They recently changed it again so that my friend, whose birthday is not till July, instead of retiring in September, has to wait till next March.
On the plus side for her, she will receive the new higher flat rate pension, while I will miss it by days. My male school friends will be similarly recompensed.
Meanwhile, the retirement age for all will eventually rise to 67. And there are mutterings that it will one day in the not too distant future rise to 70.
This is because we are all living much longer. For now.
Bad luck for those who don't. Bad luck for those in hard physical jobs who just can't do them any more. Bad luck for those with problems that restrict their ability to continue to work, or cause them to collapse in exhaustion at the end of a challenging day. (Try teaching 30 of other people's recalcitrant children in your late 60s. There will be a lot of teachers - the group I know most about - dying before they even draw their pensions.)
And bad luck for any young person who thought the very high unemployment rate among under-25s was likely to reduce any time soon. Sorry. The oldies are going to be stuck ahead of you for years to come. Whether they want to, or are capable of it, or not.
Well at least I can get free prescriptions now, and travel around London for free.
Time was I would have started to collect my old age pension today. I understand the need for fairness by equalising men's and women's retirement ages - but I'd always assumed they'd bring the men's age down as well as raising the women's.
I was in my 50s when they decided to raise the women's. We were assured that women already in their 50s would not be affected. They lied.
They recently changed it again so that my friend, whose birthday is not till July, instead of retiring in September, has to wait till next March.
On the plus side for her, she will receive the new higher flat rate pension, while I will miss it by days. My male school friends will be similarly recompensed.
Meanwhile, the retirement age for all will eventually rise to 67. And there are mutterings that it will one day in the not too distant future rise to 70.
This is because we are all living much longer. For now.
Bad luck for those who don't. Bad luck for those in hard physical jobs who just can't do them any more. Bad luck for those with problems that restrict their ability to continue to work, or cause them to collapse in exhaustion at the end of a challenging day. (Try teaching 30 of other people's recalcitrant children in your late 60s. There will be a lot of teachers - the group I know most about - dying before they even draw their pensions.)
And bad luck for any young person who thought the very high unemployment rate among under-25s was likely to reduce any time soon. Sorry. The oldies are going to be stuck ahead of you for years to come. Whether they want to, or are capable of it, or not.
Well at least I can get free prescriptions now, and travel around London for free.
Whitney
By special request.
Sadly, Botophucket, that amazingly incompetent photo site, has decided to rearrange my pictures in an order which is only non-random to them ie. 1, 10, 100; 18, 180 etc. The option to see the whole album has disappeared, with no alternative. And they also fail completely to answer any contacts.
Arseholes.
Sadly, Botophucket, that amazingly incompetent photo site, has decided to rearrange my pictures in an order which is only non-random to them ie. 1, 10, 100; 18, 180 etc. The option to see the whole album has disappeared, with no alternative. And they also fail completely to answer any contacts.
Arseholes.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Tiger Territory
At last! Today was the big day - the preview day for London Zoo members to see the new tigers in their new territory. It didn't disappoint.
Unlike Photobucket, which has repeatedly failed to upload my pictures so I can make a slideshow. They don't answer queries any more, either, now they've imposed their new system on those who did not want it.
So here are some pictures direct from my computer, smaller than I would like, but lovely nonetheless.
Inside and out
But Melati has other ideas.
Fed up with sleeping...
...she remembers seeing Jae Jae off earlier.
Unlike Photobucket, which has repeatedly failed to upload my pictures so I can make a slideshow. They don't answer queries any more, either, now they've imposed their new system on those who did not want it.
So here are some pictures direct from my computer, smaller than I would like, but lovely nonetheless.
There's a tiger-sized climbing frame.
And a nice new pond.
Jae Jae seems to be master of all he surveys
Inside and out
But Melati has other ideas.
Fed up with sleeping...
...she remembers seeing Jae Jae off earlier.
And now she's arrived he's made a total retreat
and is nowhere to be seen.
Olee Again
I just can't resist him.
But you might have to do without him for a few days while I get my breath back. I just did a couple of concerts as well as going to work, not to mention failing completely to find time to do any shopping, so it's catching up on sleep and chores now for a few days.
