Anyway on a completely different vein, I intend to buy a flame thrower to do the weeding in my garden.
I did a bit of research on the web and decided I want a Sheen x 300. I just don't like the idea of using pesticides as I don't want traces of them in my food. I thought if I gave all the weeds a thorough shake, and picked off any ladybirds I could find and put them in the greenhouse before I start on each patch, I can clear my very badly neglected veg plot area fairly quickly. There realy is an anarchist lurking within!
I like the idea of this, because even with this glorious rain we are having at the moment, the scorch will still work on the cellulose in the weeds. The idea is that this then drains the roots of nutrients, and the roots die as well. Anything that gets incinerated is a light dusting of potash too.
I do wonder why it is preferred to use pesticides on our food when so many people are unemployed. Wouldn't it be better to employ people on farms to actually do manual weeding and soil improvement.
Surely a co-operative workforce can be legislated for. With the relevent liability insurance. Basic gardening/odd job courses of 4 weeks on community gardens and farming projects. Then if I needed someone with those skills to help me in my garden, I could phone the job center and see if there is someone available. They also get some free veg! Probably a meal, and any cake that is going.
At least a minimum wage payment per hour from me would offset the cost to the taxpayer for unemployment. Having had to do tax and administration of my business for other people in my employment for years has left me exhausted. I don't want a commitment to employing a gardener on a regular basis, besides I couldn't afford it.
All I would want to do is open an online account with the employment center, and pay for hours worked at a flat rate by debit card. I would be able to give a reference at the same time, so that the person has feedback and an 'employment rating'. If I thought that someone was a bit of a slacker it would show up on feedback and give the person concerned a reason to put more effort in. Done on an aggregate it would soon show who should be offered work positions, and those that would end up getting their benefits docked.
My Parent's didn't hand out pocket money without us doing our respective household jobs to satisfaction.
Everyone has a true gift. When you get made unemployed, surely this is a time to encourage someone to find out what this unique gift they are given truly is, rather than just focus on the negativity of unemployment.
The same goes for the prison system, I know I keep banging on about this, but I think the majority of people who are locked up for being unacceptably light fingered haven't found the real gift they have that contributes to their own sense of self worth. It costs a fortune to keep people in prison who aren't an actual physical threat to society.
Where is the mercy in condeming someone to prison, who can be given education and rehabilitation and therapy. I bet it actually wouldn't cost as much in the end, because they would be productive during training, and pay tax when they get out.
When I was in business, I used this adage;
If you don't like the result:- Change the system...
I find it difficult to understand that unemployment benefit is just handed out to people who have nothing to do. Surely there must be some way of tying this together with community projects, that help teach the values of co-operative skills. At least if someone who is unemployed gets some kind of project to contribute to, they won't end up in dispair. Things that remain of benifit to community are great, because when you find work, you can walk past your contribution to that effort and remember your time wasn't wasted on the scrap heap of life.