Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/video/skyworldnews-14898227/shuttle-heading-home-for-the-last-time-25999590.html

Sky News 16 minutes ago

...More Than 34,000 Police Jobs To Go
....More than 34,000 police jobs will be lost as part of Government cuts, Her inspectors have said.

Around 16,200 police officers will be lost by 2015, giving rise to fears crime could go up by 3%, a report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary said.

Among police staff, 16,100 will lose their jobs, and 1,800 community support officers will also form part of the overall reduction of 14%.

The figures came from the inspectors' survey of 43 forces across England and Wales.

Protecting policing will be "very challenging", the report said, adding: "Forces will have to transform their efficiency if they are to protect frontline services."

HMIC chief Sir Denis O'Connor said: "The police service must adapt to these changing times in order to deliver the best deal for taxpayers and they will need some support to do this."

I wonder if the following information will be of useful humorous information to any of the punters on here?

"A Great Tit produces its waste in enclosed sacs that it later removes from its nest.

The average Great Tit removes approximately 500 sacs of manure from its nest each week."

.

It is not clear from the above whether some of the 'sacs of manure' end up on this BB.

Dreams.

I thought we had the Law and Order Party in place, or were the promises made before the last election, just fairy stories for the gullible?

It would seem to me, with the increasing likelihood of public strife and criminality due to ongoing economic "recession", that reduction of "on the ground" policing numbers will be a folly.

Not against "cutting down" waste, reducing costs of "resourcing", or increasing other "efficiencies", and think these factors should always be considered.

But, any organisation of the size which the Police Authority is, needs an efficient "bureaucracy", or "administration".

Collation of data leads to successful apprehension of "criminals", but is also needed for "protection" of the police against "false" claims for compensation. Unfortunately, and increasing problem with a litigious society.

Also, look at those "necessary" increases in the investigation costs of the "Phone hacking" affair/s.

(Look at the cost of kicking some of the details into the long grass to "save money".)

I think this government is beginning to realise some the responsibilities and "problems" of being in "charge",

I think thinking before knee jerk responses based on outdate ideology may be appropriate/

I hope that Cameron doesn't have to make too many more "mistakes" in order to learn.



====================

Now we know why the government is relaxing/clarifying how much force we can use to both defend ourselves and our homes. It is because we will end up being more self policing than the police themselves.
I know from experience that often when the police look to cut backroom waste, and believe me there is plenty to cut, they often end up cutting the front line more or at least as much.
The reason being that the decision makers are those of high rank, and where do most of these high rankers hide (sorry mean work), thats right in those back room officers.
One major point is 'statistics'. At least 25% of all police work is filling in forms that are nothing more than fulfilling the governments want for figures.
When I retired in 2003, I can state with full confidence that on average each job took at least 3 times as long to complete as when I started my career in 1977.
A simple what was then called 'Breach of the Peace or Drunk and Disorderly' required 4 very simple forms to complete the court file. When I left a Section 5 Public Order (the equal of a B of P or D and D) took 17 completed forms.
A simple theft in 1977 took either 4 or 5 forms (memory not as it was) not counting statements, in 2003 it took 23 plus statements.
I kid you not on both these instances.

Also every station had cells and counter staff where prisoners were dealt with (they are now called custody suites). The staff being bought in from other duties at the smaller stations, if there were any prisonres. If no prisoners, they were out policing the streets.
Now due to 'efficiency measures' bought in about 15 years ago, there are often only 2 to 3 custody suites in any 1 police force area.
This can mean that you can be miles away from such suites.
I can recall many an instance were I made an arrest which required a trip of 36 miles to a cell block (I never called them suites). The prisoner was deposited, then I had to return to the arrest area to obtain statements, (or you found someone else take them and bring them to you, which was difficult), so that was another 36 miles, returning to interview (36 miles) then returning back to your station (36 miles). So in total 144 miles to deal with 1 simple offense. In fact the furthest part of my force area was 41 miles from the nearest cell block.
In the old days of the cell blocks being connected to every station total mileage was a very small fraction of those totals.
So a job that took around 1 to 2 hours max in 1977, could take a whole 8 hour shift in 2003, and I have been old that it has got worse since then.
There are many other examples of such ridiculous policy.
Governments insatiable appetite for form filling takes priority, crime detection comes a poor second
Efficiency, don't make me laugh!

One thing's for sure, the double quote mark will never be out of a job while Fred's around.

Which is odd considering that in most cases single quotes or italics would be correct as the words and phrases are mainly not quotes.

Can I quote you on that!

Ah, I've got it now - Fred's quoting himself.

Amazing that it was 42 years ago - on this day.

.

Yes - I vividly remember watching it with my Dad.

Posting 11756

Data collection is never an irrelevancy.

It may be considered irrelevant at the time of collection, or when wishing to obtain a specific goal.

However, seemingly irrelevant observations collected initially are often recognised later as being important.

Hence, why detailed collection of scientific observations, etc is important.
(Some considered the storage of DNA 10-20 years ago an irrelevancy, but in recent years have help to solve crimes of that period.)

In a computerised society, duplication of inputting of data for a single record, can be, or should be, minimal.

One of the problems Greek appears to be describing, is the lack of sophistication of the software programme, to collect the information and present it on updating screen, and correlation of information on screen.
-----------------------------

As far as the re-organisation, co-ordination and logistics of current working procedures are concerned, any implementation of new ideas should be only after due thought, and generally after small piloted test runs. This can reveal weaknesses in the new processes.

The theory of bigger is cheaper and better is not always valid, except on paper.)

The problem is recent governments (including this one) rush to get ill thought out theories into the market, without considering long term or more global effect of the changes, The instigators often moving on during the chaos to other posts.

Reorganisation and revaluation of procedures within any organisation can be, if managed appropriately valuable and invigorating, but to do so should take in to consideration information from those who will be involved in implementing those changes. They, the workers at all levels should be consulted and consideration of views considered.

I hated paper work until a computer help me to write and record information efficiently. (Ie. without too many embarrassing spelling problems and lousy syntax.)
While I was working, I relied heavily on memory in order to record events and actions and, luckily, rarely called to justify them. I am thankful that I do not have to account for my actions in the current working atmosphere.

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NM.

Agreed.

Being paranoid I have never been let down.

========

Chomsky.

In my early ramblings came across references to his work, but never sat down and tried to swallow them.

I think that the value of his work was to listen to the words of myself and others when pontificating and often laugh at myself and question others.

Can be useful or a pain.

Ps, According to my family I have only been right four times.#









I have four daughters!

Can someone translate that ?

Im not in Freds good book.

He has taken to many pills.