Not to long ago I got chatting to a friend about the Governments latest drive to get more people off of Unemployment and Sickness Benefit. He was saying that a lot of people are unemployed simply because there is no jobs to get. He went on to say that back in the good old days there were plenty of jobs to go round. Now…I am from the back-end of those so called good old days, I’ve been in work since I left school, The only job I could find when I left school was cleaning windows for a living. Not my idea of a living, and the wage was lousy, but hey… you have to start somewhere.

I spent 2 years in that job before another job opportunity came along. What I suppose I am saying is a job is very much like getting your foot on the bottom rung of the property ladder. These days, and back in the supposed good old days, you needed to get your foot on the bottom rung of the job ladder and take it from there. So I was not surprised when I told him I was not to sure he actually knew what he was talking about.

You need to know why I told him this before you judge me. My friend, we’ll call him Dave so he becomes a person rather than a thing, has not held a job for more than 30+ years although he trained and qualified as Arc Welder, since then his main cry has been “I have been for many interviews but the job was not the right kind of work for me.” So he has spent the last 35+ years going between sickness and unemployment benefit.

When he is summoned to undergo a Government Health Medical the doctor there finds nothing wrong with him and takes him off of sickness benefit, he then waddles along to Social Security and registers as unemployed, accepting unemployment benefit for six months. When the six months run out, and before they force him into a job, he waddles back to the doctors where by clever deception he ends up back claiming sickness benefit, although after 30+ years they know him well. And so the circle starts again. So you see that last question is very relevent I know by experience that there are a lot of individuals who go out of their way to avoid working for a living. They would rather sponge off of the Taxpayer than do an honest days work and add a little respect/self-esteem to their lives. To these people I would say enjoy it while you can, your days are numbered no matter which Government is in power.

Thats my little rant out of the way lets get back to the Government and Unemployment. I do not believe there will ever be a scenario where there will be no unemployment, and thats not because of the individuals who do not want to work, and its not because of the particular party in Government at the time. If you really think about it… How many people would you say up and down the country work for The Department Of Unemployment? My guess would be more than several thousand people. Well, what would happen to these individual if all the unemployed workers on their books were found full time employment. My guess would be the Department Of Unemployment workers would then become the unemployed paying out their own unemployment benefit while they sign on as unemployed, sending themselves for training in some other form of work.

So to me it seems like it has gone full circle and is starting again with workers who probably think even today they will never be out of work. Sadly that is not true especially if you work in the forces or the public sector.

Have you noticed the recent advert looking for those individuals who would like to make a career of the T.A. (Territorial Army) Do you smell a rat? The Government is cutting the size of our Army, yet they still advertise for recruits to join the T.A. I am willing to bet that the pay in the T.A. is nowhere near that of a full time service man or woman.

Me thinks a lot more of these recruits will start to spend more and more of there time being sent abroad to troubled spots around the world to replace those that have been sacked., and at half the wage of a full-time service man or woman I bet… That’s life…

Image: Sujin Jetkasettakorn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Serving on the transatlantic run between Bremen and New York included the Mowe, Adler, Schwan and Schwalbe rather small ships weighing in around 500 gross tons built for North German Lines. These were closely followed by the Hudson and Weser built for the same company. These ships weighed in at a massive 2,250 gross tons when compared to the smaller size of the previous ships.

The Guion Line received larger ocean going vessels, ranging between 3,100 to 4,300 gross tons in the 1860′s and early 1870′s these were also designed for transatlantic service. The largest of the collection where the Dakota and Montana. These two ships where launched unusually, with their boilers and engines on board. The other ships were of a smaller size and included the Manhattan, Chicago, Minnesota, Colorada, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming and the wisconsin.

The Guion Line opened their Liverpool to New York service in 1866, the Manhattan was the companies first ship weighing in at a gross tonnage of 2,866, she was 343ft long, and carried 72 first-class passengers and accommodated a further 800 passengers in second class. Even second class accommodation was praised for being above standards for early steamships. To top of the ships size the Manhattan could also take on board 1,500 tons of cargo.

Ships built for the National Line included the Ontario, Helvetia, England, Scotland and Wales all built of a similar size to those built for the Guion Line all leaving the Palmer works in the 1860s.

For those of you who read my last post Train Of Thought you may remember I finished with closing the cage door. While I was writing that particular post I got to thinking If there is no God or afterlife then where do we go from here.

My thoughts go back in time to the days when cave men became a dominant feature on Mother Earth. If you watch these television documentaries we are told that cave paintings from way back in time depict images of Aliens dropping from the sky in what appears to be… dare I say it?.. flying saucers, and other such futuristic images.

If this is true, and they are there for all to see, perhaps we would be rather silly if not naive to think we are the only intelligent life forms in this vast Universe/Galaxy of ours.

Now supposing these cave painting are fact of what did happen long ago, this could then imply that we were deposited here on Mother Earth in our early stages of development by highly intelligent Alien Beings. Not because we had a part to play in this vast universe/galaxy, but purely as an experiment. Yes, an experiment to see if left alone how we would develop over the centuries while our masters looked on enjoying what they saw, very much like we do with our pets: dogs, cats, rabbits what ever your preference. Is it possible these Super Beings are our masters and we are their pets and Earth is our cage. Now centuries later we are close to visiting the stars our-selves and just maybe, unknown to us, this is where the fun begins.

Suppose we are the pet project of Super Beings, who for many centuries have watched their experiment grow. Could we now be seen as an experiment gone wrong,? has the speed of our evolutionary processes surprised our masters (caught them napping)? Have we been allowed out to play to often? Have we gone passed the expectations of our masters?, have we now become a threat to our masters?, are we now in a position to take our dog eat dog nature to the stars and beyond, so we can infect the rest of those unknown inhabitants of other worlds? are our masters now regretting their experiment of centuries ago?, are they looking on wondering how to stop us?, … So many unanswered questions… Maybe the time is fast approaching and our masters now know of away to stop us reaching the stars and beyond.

The reported sighting of flying saucer shaped craft are just the fore-runner of what is to come. Maybe the day when our masters close the cage door on their experiment permanently, is fast approaching stopping us infecting the rest of the Universe, and watch on as we destroy ourselves…

Well I do say somewhere on this website that I have a weird imagination. Good night, sleep tight watch the bugs don’t bite… Bye for now.

Pit Head

I came across the following eerie story in an old newspaper clipping (Shields Gazette 2005). The story was wrapped around Boldon Colliery Pit.

Boldon Colliery used to be a mining village in the North East of England. The village, more like a small town these days, is still there, but the mine workings were closed in the early 1980′s and has since been replaced with what I would call a beautiful forest and nature trail walk. Despite the closure this story of ghostly happenings seems to have stood the test of time.

When Boldon Colliery Pit closed in 1982 there were only two coal seams being worked. However back in the 1950′s, when this ghost story came to life, there were four seams being worked, these being (I think as paper clipping wasn’t too good) The Yard, Bensham, Five Quarter and Hutton.

There was a fifth seam called Beaumont which was no longer in use and had not been worked since 1869. It is the Beaumont seam that give rise to the story.

As it goes three young miners were busy doing what miners did on a coal seam, when one of them decided it was time to take his bait (lunch break). He headed off to find a nice quiet place to have his bait when he became aware of footsteps behind him. He turned, and seeing no-one there he continued on his way only to hear the footsteps behind him once again. Quickly turning again he still found no-one there.

A little later he mentioned his odd experience to his two mates and was surprised to find that they themselves had experienced the ghostly footsteps. Laughing the experience off, it would appear, was the wrong thing to do. Just a few days later while working the three young men heard cries coming from a distance. Thinking someone had been injured the men went to the rescue. Following the cries they arrived at the old Beaumont coal face. Here the cries for help stopped. feeling a little unnerved the men walked away only to hear the cries start up again louder than ever.

The newspaper cutting went on to say that the story was soon the talk of the village and the three young miners were adamant that they hadn’t been the victims of a practical joke.

The reporter himself thinks the young miners could have heard a replay of a tragic accident. Back in 1873 John Wardle was employed at Boldon as a driver guiding horses on the main road underground. Mr Wardle, only 12 years of age at the time, was working near the Beaumont seam when unwisely he attempted to alight from the truck while it was still being drawn by the horses.

Sadly young Mr Wadle was crushed between the truck and the coal face, his cries for help as he lay dying, could be heard throughout the rest of the pit. The reporter himself feels that this is what the three young miners had heard, or maybe the eerie cries of other miners who had died at the Beaumont seam before it closed.

One of the young miners involved was a Mr Chris Lawler who according to the news clipping has since long ago moved to the Midlands. As for his two friends, the reporter is unaware of their location.

Since this report was made in 2005 the reporter may have gotten his wish for the men involved to get in touch with him… I don’t know.

Although the mine shaft at Boldon Colliery has been filled in I am left wondering if the cries can still be heard and how lonely, sad and terrifying it must be to be buried underground with no-one ever to answer your cry for help… Ghost, or no ghost.

The pic. above is taken from that particular news clipping. Although the clipping has seen better days I managed to get some of it scanned the rest I have added to, it adds a little atmosphere… me thinks!

Post Old Railway Street Train Station

With tickets now being purchased on the trains there was no-longer need for a manned ticket station. This sounded the death Nell for staff, with a lose of probably all jobs. As you can see from the photo all the old style buildings were demolished leaving the platforms bare apart from two simple (very simple) structures. In the then passenger only station these simple buildings would be used to shelter passengers from the elements.

Jarrow Metro Station

The scene above shows yet another change to the station, gone are the poorly built shelters to be replaced by a modern rapid travel metro system with a train schedule which far out weighed the old train station time table. To be precise metro trains run every 10 minutes

Photo Taken: In the Nineteen Hundreds

Ormonde Street itself is no-longer filled with the hustle and bustle of shoppers. A new shopping centre was built at the time to the left and the rear of these building out of shot of this photograph. The old Burton building still stands today (2010) and has been re-vamped into a carpet shop.

Close by these buildings stood Jarrow’s old market square which was centred around an old Victorian theatre. The square and theatre also went under the hammer of the demolition company in the 1960′s and the area was used to build council housing. After the build completion it was given the name North Court.

Ormonde Street 2010

Now at this moment in time North Court council housing has been demolished and has made way for new private town housing. The now photo shows what is left of the council housing. Built around the same time as North court the now photo shows Ellen Court one of three tower blocks towering above the Burton building.

Ben lomond Taken some time during the 1930's

It was rented from Newcastle Breweries by Derek Armstrong, owner of both the Cavalier Club and the County Hotel. He brought the interior up to a very high standard and renamed the building to The Viking. Sadly by about 1995/6 it had fallen back in to disrepair and came close to being demolished. This is where Witherspoons stepped in, bought the property and refurbished the grand old building as well as changing the name, back to its original The Ben Lomond.

Ben Lomond, Ellison Street: Present Day 2010

It goes like this. Tory policies have in the past, and it will never change, been good for the working individual that is unless you sit on the board of directors, own your own or some piece of another’s company or looking to reinstate Fox Hunting. As far as Joe Soap is concerned, no matter how much The Tory leader Mr David Cameron tries to be seen walking to the shops for a bottle of milk and his daily paper, or embracing a Hoody or Chav, remember it looks good for business, but when his guard is down, his concerns for poor Joe Soap fly out the window.

If you put the Tory leader or any other party leader (if it comes to push or shove) in to office this time around believing he/they will do a better job for this country, then you are still getting your Christmas presents from Santa Clause.

I ask you. One idea put forward by Mr Kit Malthouse of the opposition party is to scrap all tax completely with the exception of VAT. and move taxes over to being on VAT. One report I read estimated it would raise Value Added Tax to around 120% percent as opposed to the 17.5% percent at the moment. Stop and think about it for a second 120%, an Item costing £1.00 which could buy you maybe two loafs of bread would cost you £2.25p at the low end, and here is something for you gamers out there, if you take an average price for the Play Station games machine around say £300.00 and add your VAT. to that price, allowing for the 17.5 that is already on the games machine, that would add another 105.5% percent to that particular product doubling its price.

You can’t eat drink and survive on the Play Station so lets go back to that loaf of bread, if it will more than double the price of bread what is it going to do to other life essentials. This is just one of the pre-election ideas from the Tory Party and you still want vote for a party that has no idea on how to get our country back on its feet.

So you see I have a bit of a dilemma. While I am unhappy with the labour party at this moment in time, do I still vote Labour? when the time comes, if not, then who do I give my vote too. I need to vote for someone. (don’t I?)

I believe a vote for the other parties will not work either, because in truth it would appear that they’re as bad as each other. You just need to look at the expenses row across all parties. Labour may have a few right wing policies and have been seen as naughty boys (they’re all guilty), but at the end of the day they have done more for the pensioner, the working man/woman and yes even the business man has little to moan about over their time in office than any other party ever has.

If you put one of the other parties in to office pensioners and working individuals will suffer as they take back if they can, that which Labour has given to workers and pensioners. Is that not also known as bully boy tactics stealing from the most vulnerable in society, which in truth have no teeth to bite back, broadening the gap between the rich and the poor even further.

No one has proved their worth more than Gordon Brown. If anybody can pull us out of a recession it is him. Do not vote in someone who has no track record, is unable to stop jumping on band wagons, does not know is own way home and thinks VAT is away to put this country back on her feet. Don’t vote a none starter in or I feel that the hole we are now crawling out of, thanks to a man who knows money problems backward and a proven track record to back it up, will suddenly collapse and we start again. That is those of us not at the top of the Tory money tree.

Some Labour party members are saying Mr. Brown does not communicate to well… It would not bother me if he only spoke gibberish… he is the right money man for the job to take our country out of this mess and put us back at the top of the tree again. If I remember rightly our and other countries problems started in the good old U.S of A so do not use it as an excuse to put an unsuitable party with no experience into office… Well, I guess I do know who to vote for after all (when the time comes)… Don’t leave it to others… Don’t moan and groan if the Tory party do get in and you don’t like their policies… If you do not vote you have no right to moan about party policies…

Remember! whether you are a Labour party supporter, a Tory party supporter, a Liberal supporter or an Independent supporter, which ever party you vote for this is not about who’s wife looks best in what dress or who loves a Hoody. It’s about getting this country back on its feet… O’ and by the way don’t blame the recent Greece and Spain money problems on Gordon Brown either… When the time comes use your vote. If you are enjoying the extra bonuses the Labour party have put your way then vote to keep them. As sure as apples grow on trees, if an other party gets into power at this particular time one, our country goes back down the drain. Two, you will loose those extra bonuses or they will have a good try to take them back and three, better the devil you know and not a pretender.

From what I understand the Economy Bill they are trying to get through goes against the Digital Act (breaks the law ), was rushed through parliament, and passed its third run by the Tory party when few MP’s were present, certainly if not all the members that voted have no idea how internet policy operates.

What they suggest is foolish and is just not workable. Apart from being full of holes and unlawful it is spearheaded by uneducated web fools.

If the piece of information I read about is true it would appear the Government can be dismissed by the people they serve, on the grounds that they are going against the people who hired them with an unworkable Bill put together by uneducated web fools, all it takes is enough people and a spokesman to go before the Queen. Her Government was hired to serve and protect the people this Digital Bill does neither. Having said that there is no Government at the moment… is there…

We can not make up rules to suit our selves so why should the Government be allowed to make themselves exempt when they break the law to get the information they require to prove people have uploaded.