You're right Ken, 'Robert Tressel' was actually one of those painter and decorators that he bases his novel on. In the book the 'Hero' is a man called Owen, who sees the corruption and double standards of the moneyed classes that he works for, and longs for a better way.

Smiffy It's a very entertaining read, as once you have become familiar with all the characters you keep picking it up again to see what they get up to next!

DA there are lots of really lovely people in this land, and don't get me wrong it's not the British people in general that I have a problem with, but the developing culture of 'self first - self last' in certain quarters, politicians included, no make that politicians especially.

Those that live like chavs in big towns and cities do so because it's all they know, I don't hate them for that, but I don't want to live next door to them either. Been there done that. So one day I looked around and decided that rather than grow into a moaning old bastard I would change that which didn't please me, and sadly living in Britain was one of the things that no longer pleases me, hence the French place.

The pessimism that you may perceive in me is borne of experience, and I think that until our leaders face up to the inconvenient truth of the damage that is being done to British society by such things as poor education, radical Islam, and rampant political correctness, then things won't improve.


Denial ain't just a river in Egypt you know.

Smiffy ... try George MacDonald Fraser's "Flashman" books. Brilliant.

I don't disagree, O-N. I despair too. What happened recently in Tower Hamlets should worry us all - maybe it'll be the wake-up call... Ironically, as a fairly 'Liberal' Labour-voting person, it might take to Tories to turn things around


Anyways, a good read... If you ain't read Bill Bryson's 'A Short History Of Nearly Everything' then - really - it's essential reading. You will have a permanent grin - as you become enlightened. If you don't (a) blurt out audible "Blimey"s and "Wow"s and (b) pester other people with "Did you know"s, then I will eat my own copy and post it on here.

And then you can go on to his other books - ALL wonderful.

I have, it's a favourite of mine. In fact, my copy is currently 3 feet from me, on my bookshelf I agree that Bill Bryson books are a good read, I also enjoy his 'Mother Tongue' book, which is a history of the English language.

He may be American, but he lives in GB, so...Bill Bryson for Prime Minister!! Why not? He loves this country more than most Brits.

Crikey James, I hope you're registered with 'Gas Safe' There are laws in this country

Absolutely, Jonathan - he's a British Institution!

James - it is ILLEGAL to do gas work for payment unless GasSafe registered. You can do your own gas repairs - provided you are 'competent'. The definition of 'competence' has never been nailed down, but suffice to say that should any problem arise - say a bad case of death - then a lay-man's incompetence should be pretty easy to prove.

I would urge you - under no circumstances whatsoever should you help anyone (paid or not) with anything to do with a gas appliance.

That's a bit of a 'catch all' comment, I know. No doubt you can judge when a job isn't risky that way - say, wiring a power supply to a boiler. But, even that is technically illegal these days! I guess scrapping soot from a flue is something you can judge to have been done safely, but - you know what I mean.

Another example of something that pisses me off. Why on earth should it be illegal to muck about with gas or electric? Its down to the person who wants the work done to judge whether the person doing the job is competent. It's just another way of ensuring the public are ripped off so as to avoid a few compo payouts. The whole system fueled by people being too proud to take the blame for something stupid they've done.

The whole thing is fuelled by people who are too idiotic to know when they're out of their depth and bodge away without any regard to the consequences. At which point you end up with legislation. It is very difficult to only legislate only for idiots.

That gas explosion in Salford last week looks to be down to faulty workmanship, and they were presumably Corgi registered or whatever the new body is. Four houses blown off the face of the earth, and the final irony is that British Gas will charge those homeowners 7% more for the gas that did it when their bills come in.

I've been meaning to buy that Bill Bryson book, next on my list I think.

As a (now out of work) qualified electrician I'm a bit narked that I can't do my own work at home* without notifing the council which will cost me a couple of hundred quid and then I'd have to pay someone from buildings control to test and sign off, esp as no one at the council could give me a straight answer to which form/part of the form I need to fill in to apply (as the forms seem geared to extension/full builds):

Me: "Dear BC, which form will I need to submit to notify you of a partial rewire on my house."
BC: "Please fill in the form and refer to fee sheet."

Great. Very handy.

As it goes I've got a local electrician to run through exactly what he wants where, I've done the first fix (probably the most difficult part of the job in time/physical terms, esp at 7months pregnant) and he'll come and second fix, test and sign off. Its just irritating that really all thats left (bar the tests which I know are important) is to whack some socket fronts on. Until he comes I've got no electric in my kitchen. I've already had him IR test the cables so I know they're sound so I'd like to choose to "risk" running the appliances without a full test while I wait for him to fit us in.

I could sign up to scheme where I sign off my own work, but I'm not going to be working for a while and it wouldn't be worth it for DIY jobs. My old boss (job before last) keeps pestering me to do stuff for him and his friends, but I can't legally and more so their house wouldn't have the correct documents either.

*in fact I couldn't do DIY at home even when I was employed because it was the company I worked for that was registered not me. So I could spend 8hrs wiring a house for them but it would then be illegal to put a new circuit in my own home that evening. Mad.