Something for the weekend

A little light humour from Sacha Baron-Cohen

Borat Buys a House in Americas of United
Video sent by BoratSon

Princess Diana - 10 years on

OK, so where were you when you heard the terrible news? At home, abroad, at sea?

How did you take it? Many in the UK probably suffered a profound sense of shock. A neighbour of mine was in tears and needed comforting.

As for me, I heard the news at 37,000 feet coming back from Malaga.

Facebook marches on!

So the social network, Facebook has forced a major international banking institution to climb down over student loans. Graham Jones has written a wonderful piece about this here. READ IT

I think there are 2 things:

1. The crass stupidity of HSBC. Don't they realise they could have made customers for life of these students? Oh no, short-term thinking and petty-minded arrogance won the day.

2. I getting to love the power of Facebook and other social media sites. How many of you are with me?




Jeremy Jacobs - Corporate Presenter

Does Islam respect other religions?

Interesting story here from Smooth Stone

Whatever the rights and wrongs about the status Judea and Samaria (West Bank) do you think that residents there should be respectful of others?

Are you tuned in?

Dr Blogstein you have competition!!

J-Comm radio is coming your way soon



Jeremy Jacobs - Corporate Presenter

Graphology

One of the things I'm interested in is graphology (the study of handwriting)

I was introduced to this branch of psychology by Erik Rees ( the UK's top graphologist) in 1994. Erik is a remarkable man and is passionate about his profession. If you are keen on self-knowledge or just curious then Erik maybe able to help you. Here's his website






Jeremy Jacobs - Corporate Presenter

Facebook Ban

Did you hear about this? Kent County Council have banned their *32000 employees from using the social utility Facebook.

Employers are great at disciplining staff aren't they? If they spent as much time getting people to "buy-in" to the culture (I know it isn't easy in the public sector) of their organization, valued them more their staff just might do a better and more committed job. Perhaps then they wouldn't feel the need to spend time at Facebook or going outside for a fag.

This sort of thing is so typical of British management. Minimalist, narrow-minded, old-fashioned and unnecessary.


*32, 000 - what do they all do?


Jeremy Jacobs - Corporate Presenter

Bank Holiday Weekend

...consisted of watching football, playing frisbee on Primrose Hill and a 7-mile walk in the countryside around Enfield

Getting to and from the walk today, involved a total of 7 miles by bike. As you can imagine, I was a little tired on my return this evening. Reminded me of that joke about the elderly couple:

From a bedroom on the first floor, a wife shouts:

"Come upstairs and make love to me"

The husband from the kitchen downstairs replies:

"I can't do both"

Have a great week!

Loathe your job?

Then watch this video from the States. Found on a Facebook group:

Blonde Joke

Two friends, a blonde and a redhead, are walking down the street and
pass a flower shop.

The redhead sees her boyfriend buying flowers. Red sighs and says, “Oh, crap, my boyfriend is buying me flowers again.”

The blonde looks quizzically at her and asks, “You don’t like getting
flowers from your boyfriend?”

Replies the redhead, “I love getting flowers, but he always has
expectations after giving me flowers. I just don’t feel like spending
the next three days on my back with my legs in the air.”

The blonde thinks a bit and says, “Don’t you have a vase?”

Thanks to Sexyoldbroad

Jeremy Jacobs - Corporate Presenter

Harry Haddock gets to the point!

A rant blog if there ever was one.

"A Nation of Shopkeepers" Blog.











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I'm a Schmoozer

(as if I didn't already know)

Thanks to Kristee - top girl!








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The new football season.........

...............is now well underway. Yesterday, I took my father along to see Margate battle out a 1-1 draw in the Ryman Premier with Chelmsford City. (Luke Coleman is pictured celebrating his first Margate goal).

I know it was only August 18th yesterday, but it was also the Extra Preliminary Round of the **FA Cup!

Over 730 clubs have been accepted into this years competition and many of the "minnows", according to the brilliant Tony Kempster site, did battle yesterday.

Here a just a few of the results that caught my eye:

Billingham Synthonia 2 Northallerton Town 1 (Billingham Synthonia is derived from "synthetic" and "ammonia")

Dereham 12 (yes 12) Fakenham Town 0

Epsom & Ewell 1 Crowborough 7

The beautifully named Glasshoughton Welfare 1 Liversedge 1 (Glasshoughton managed by Bruce Grobbelaar)

Ledbury Town 2 Boldmere St.Michaels 6

Team Northumbria 0 Consett 11 (yes, 11)



Acknowledgements:

Tony Kempster
Margate "Don"
Non League Paper

** Margate enter the competition in two rounds time. Our opponents will be either Ringmer from the Sussex County League or Chatham from Ryman One South. In December 2002, we were on BBC1 Match of the Day losing to Cardiff City in Round 2. How times change - but that's football.

17 ways to improve your public speaking in London

Live in the London area and fancy improving your public speaking or leadership skills?

Always wanted to get up speak but you either don't have the confidence or get tongue-tied? Then check out the London Speaker. It's a brand new on-line magazine for members of Toastmasters International speaking clubs. Guests are always welcome at the 17 clubs located in the London.






Jeremy Jacobs - Corporate Presenter

A sense of loss

August 14th marked the 19th anniversary of the passing of my brilliant sister, Jacqui. (Pictured here in 1986)

Many of you left supportive comments on this blog and here. Also, some of you kindly donated something at my "Just Giving" site.

Despite the passage of time, one can never forget.








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Aaaahh!

Jeremy Jacobs - Corporate Presenter

Bush & Sarko - a tale of two Presidents

Saw this at Superfrenchie and was asked to make a caption:

I replied.............

"And this is called a finger and it's spelt f-i-n-g-e-r"






Jeremy Jacobs - Corporate Presenter

Sites of the Week

Theo Spark has suggested that we all take a look at Maggie's Farm and Jules Crittenden.

They seem like fun.






Jeremy Jacobs - Corporate Presenter

Lesley Morrissey's Inside News - thanks

We all have suppliers, friends and associates who help us out by providing various services. I'd like to publicly thank Lesley Morrissey at Inside News for providing me with some excellent copy in recent months.

If you are looking to "tidy-up" your web-site or get your message across more effectively, then call Lesley on +44(0)1245 473296.






Jeremy Jacobs - Corporate Presenter

Yet another wonderful blog to read - Celluloid Blonde

Hot stuff!




Jeremy Jacobs - Corporate Presenter

Another wonderful blog to read - Fay Young

Have a butchers at Fay Young. Nice layout, good writing, great photos.

Jeremy Jacobs - Corporate Presenter

Amy Winehouse - just brilliant (UPDATE)

Many of you have linked to this from a few days ago. Looks as though Camden's finest has had a little off-stage trouble.

I wish her well.







Jeremy Jacobs - Corporate Presenter

Glory, glory, Leeds United..........NOT

How the mighty have fallen. Leeds must now start their campaign, in football's third senior tier, with a 15-point deduction.

Story here



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According to the BBC.................

My home town of Margate no longer exists!

On BBC Radio this morning, there was a report about Thanet becoming a Fairtrade town. One of several in the country, apparently. The reporter kept on saying "town" in relation to Thanet.

Geography and History, in addition to honesty and integrity, clearly needs to be taught at the BBC

Jeremy Jacobs - Corporate Presenter

Amy Winehouse - just brilliant

This stupid country (7)

Beggars belief!

English girl barred from Government job...because she is wrong kind of white

By MARK NICOL - More by this author » Last updated at 11:27am on 6th August 2007

Comments (65)

A teenage science student has been banned from applying for a training programme with the Environment Agency because she is white and English.

The recruitment agency handling the scheme told Abigail Howarth, 18, that there was no point in her submitting an application because of her ethnic background.

But bizarrely she could have applied if she had been white and Welsh, Scottish or Irish.

Scroll down for more

Turned down: Abigail Howarth

Abigail, who wanted to join the Agency's flood management programme, saw an advert in a local newspaper offering positions in the Anglia region where she lives, complete with a £13,000-a-year tax-free grant.

It made no mention of the ban on white English applicants, merely noting that candidates from ethnic minorities, such as "Asian, Indian' and "White Other, e.g. Irish, Welsh, Scottish', were encouraged to put themselves forward.

Abigail, of Little Straughton, Bedfordshire, said: "I was really disappointed. To be told being "White English" ruled me out in my home county shocked me. I know why there are positive action training schemes to assist those who are genuinely discriminated against but when it's broken down to this level it seems crazy to me.

"I really wanted to work for the agency and I was very excited - followed by feeling very disappointed.

"I would not have minded had I been beaten for the position by somebody better able than me."

Scroll down for more

Abigail, who is awaiting the results of A-Levels in environmental science, geography and geology, emailed PATH National Ltd, the company handling applications.

She asked: "Am I correct in assuming that as I am English (White) I need not apply as the preference is for the minorities you have listed, or can I apply anyway?'

Three days later, PATH recruitment officer, Bola Odusi, replied: "Thank you for your enquiry unfortunately the traineeship opportunity in <\[>sic] targeted towards the ethnic minority group to address their under representations in the professions under the Race Relations Act amended 2000."

Such a policy may breach Race Relations legislation as employers must prove ethnic groups are under-represented before using positive discrimination strategies.

The Environment Agency admitted it had 'no evidence that white Welsh, Scottish or Irish workers were under-represented' in the Anglia region.

South West Bedfordshire Tory MP Andrew Selous said: "I think this is complete nonsense and the Environment Agency should be taking the best people, irrespective of their background.

"This is obviously borne out of some idiotic quota system. Abigail should have been able to apply and been judged on her own merits. I will raise this when I have a meeting with the Environment Agency next month."

PATH National's organisational development manager, Mary McDowell, said: "The "White Welsh", "White Irish" and "White Scottish" is a technicality in law - if they are a minority, they are entitled to places on these schemes - they are not part of the majority group, which is "White English".

"The "White English" in this area are the majority group and hence could not apply.

"That is the way the law is laid. This is a chance for people who might be less employable to gain experience, just experience. Public-sector organisations have a duty to ensure they reflect the make-up of the society they serve."

The Environment Agency says 387 of its 12,000 workers claim BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) status. A spokesman added: "The Commission for Racial Equality has confirmed we are acting legally."

A CRE spokeswoman said: "The Commission will be checking with the Environment Agency to clarify the current situation regarding their positive action initiatives.

"Positive action can only be used to encourage or train particular under-represented groups."

Someone posted a comment at the Daily Mail suggesting that Abigail gets a proper job rather than waste her time at the Environment Agency. I concur.

Don't do this at home

....slip in the shower and give your ribs a nasty whack. 10 days on and it's still ouch. The only remedies - Cuprofen, a stiff vodka and some TLC.

Then there's this at Net Doctor. I wasn't attacked but the prognosis is the same.

This maybe of help to others with a similar predicament.

How can I tell whether my ribs are cracked or not?

I was assaulted about one month ago. Initially my whole chest had bruises. The bruises are gone now, but one month later the sides of my chest are tender to the touch, slightly below my armpits.

I can breath normally, however I am now concerned that my ribs have been cracked and this wasn't picked up by the hospital.

Answer

I'm sorry to hear about your attack, but I hope I will be able to put your mind at rest about this.

From what you tell me, it is quite possible that you did indeed suffer a bruised, cracked or even broken rib when you were assaulted, but as far as your health is concerned you do not need to worry.

If a rib is cracked, or even broken but not displaced, that means it is not out of position and likely to stick into and damage your lung, then it is held in place and naturally splinted buy the other ribs and muscles around it.

Initially it is very painful to breath deeply, or cough or sneeze, but this gradually settles over a period of three to four weeks until there is just some local tenderness at the site of injury. It sounds as if this is what has happened to you.

Even if you did suffer a cracked or broken rib, and this had been detected at the hospital by an X-ray, they would not have done anything else about it.

Strapping the chest relieves pain but restricts lung movement and is not a good idea, so all they would have done would be to give you some painkillers and an explanation.

I guess it would have been nice to know, so you wouldn't be worrying now.

There is no need to go and have X-rays now, as from a medical point of view nothing further would be done.

However, if there is likely to be some legal action as a result of your assault - for example, you were in a position to sue your attackers for injury - then evidence of a broken rib on an X-ray would strengthen your case.

This would still be visible for some weeks as there would be evidence of healing on an X-ray. But you would obviously need legal advice before going to this trouble.

I think you will find that it may be six to eight weeks before all signs of your injury can be completely forgotten - but you will be fine after that and as good as new!

Yours sincerely

Dr Keith Barnard, GP

Simon Weisenthal - Nazi Hunter

Last night I went along to see "I Have Never Forgotten You", the life and legacy of Simon Weisenthal. A quite moving bio-pic, beautifully narrated by Nicole Kidman.

The film was directed by Oscar winning Richard Trank and uses some previously unseen footage.

Hollywood reporter described it as a film....

that will be viewed by generations to come.

Let's hope so.

My concern is with the current generation and their attitude to the latest genocide in Sudan and the rhetoric from various "leaders" in the Middle East.

Hell Drivers

Marvellous film from 1957 starring Stanley Baker, William Hartnell and Herbert Lom. On tonight as part of BBC's British Film Season. Here's the synopsis of this black and white thriller.

What other British classic films do you enjoy?

Dunkirk

The Ladykillers

Albert R.N.