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Skint Taxpayer has commented 14 times (0 in the last month).
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Books
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A flexible library service for the 21st century?
Following Alan’s piece on libraries, I picked this ‘advertorial’ from Google plus this evening… about how a US county library system is cutting costs and improving flexibility in their free at the point of delivery services by enabling the whole library service act as a functioning unit as opposed to the one discrete library… read our review » -
The lost art of reading (or drowning in too much information)…
Here’s a great review of a fascinating book (H/T reader Rory) on how the Internet is destroying our capacity for intelligent, focused and critical thought. It opens thus: …here is the news that Ulin brings in this slim, meandering book: that reading is “an act of contemplation”; that such an act becomes more difficult in [...] read our review »
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…if University education were universally available and availed of, the country would collapse in one generation
The words of Brian O’Nolan, variously Brian Ó Nualláin, Myles na gCopaleen, Myles na Gopaleen and, of course, Flann O’Brien. That O’Nolan was referencing his own dissolute student days at UCD only mildly distracts from the prophetic undertone of his words: I paid no attention whatsoever to books or study and regarded lectures as a [...] read our review »
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Comment on Will the curb on MLA expenses spell the end of constituency offices?
on 17 March 2012 at 1:24 am
I would be all for an increase on two provisos
1.Reduction in no of MLAs to equivalent per capita ratios to Scotland/Wales
2. If some real work was done…instead of Ministers blazing out calls for investigations into hospital trolley waits etc they should look at the Govt strategic role in planning resources. What have we got? Too many teachers looking jobs and not enough hospital staffing. Now it doesn’t come about suddenly that we have less children and more elderly…demographic trends are known for years and yet our Strategic budgetting failings continue to be at the core. What are MLAs doing?…sort this out and they may find a few backers.
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Comment on Robinson threatens elections over Prison’s symbols..
on 16 November 2011 at 10:19 pm
Typical DUP Leadership another gaffe over something that could be challenged in a different way…..unless Pete wants to retire????
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Comment on Conservatives winding up the UUP?
on 16 November 2011 at 12:56 am
With the last Election pact between them and the Cons, then their existing pact with Circus Castlereagh DUP..the UUP ain’t great strategists. I think if the best of UUP and DUP merged (not many I admit) there would be a sound nucleus to build on.
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Comment on Castlereagh Borough Council hurriedly accept the Deloitte report’s recommendations (updated)
on 28 August 2011 at 5:09 am
Cynic2
I can tell you what’s not selling …this new DUP whitewash cos its not very convincing at the cover up.
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Comment on Castlereagh Borough Council hurriedly accept the Deloitte report’s recommendations (updated)
on 26 August 2011 at 7:47 pm
son of strongbow being apolitical but I see the main whinging is from the DUP. I mean they can’t even allow the alliance to have an opinion on the report …..ref last night’s eulogy where abstainers were accused of a vindictive agenda. Who has the Agenda really?
Rather I see arrogance at Castlereagh nobbling DUP aspirations there as it straddles area into South Belfast. Will they not learn from what the wise constituents of the East did?
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Comment on Castlereagh Borough Council hurriedly accept the Deloitte report’s recommendations (updated)
on 26 August 2011 at 5:30 pm
PS Wonder how much the report cost?
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Comment on Castlereagh Borough Council hurriedly accept the Deloitte report’s recommendations (updated)
on 26 August 2011 at 5:29 pm
I’ve been in and out of that building many times and never had to sign a safety register …even within the last week. How many signed it at last nights Council? I mean the public and press were asked to leave early while the high and mighty discussed the sensitivities of the report. Were they signed out… if not there’s a safety breech. Quick lets have another internal report????
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Comment on Legal Aid Fees Dispute: “It’s a farce.”
on 16 June 2011 at 11:37 pm
ulsterscotnua
Unfortunate though it may be, there are many graduates in professions that earn moderate incomes and have to put up with lay offs eg highly qualified professionals in our wealth creating industries. However remember non graduates also have to put up with threats to their jobs…just because one goes to uni shouldn’t mean a golden ticket to a job for life. Unfortunate if anyone has to leave their chosen profession, this happens in the real world.
Difference is the country needs wealth creation, which pays for health services and education professionals. Further down the national priority list, in my view, is the legal profession which is at times self serving. In fact as part of a licence to practice the profession should undertake a proprtionate no. of legal aid cases at the new rate.
We don’t get our ever decreasing professional wealth creators crying that NI/UK consumers are buying cheaper white goods, cars, clothes, food from outside the country…..they have simply to compete or go under. The same stance should apply to the legal profession …cheaper should be a challenge for efficiency.
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Comment on Legal Aid Fees Dispute: “we cannot guarantee that they receive a fair trial”
on 3 June 2011 at 2:55 am
Lionel,
Look I see where you’re coming from…complex cases of course need prep time. But my case was simply a lot of car damage, no injuries yet it took over a year and plenty of solicitors letters to resolve and apart from a PC no expert witnesses. The delay in getting to court played into the defendant’s hands as the PC didn’t get his unwritten facts right and my badly prep’d lawyer couldn’t challenge him. Add to this the concoction of an Appeal outcome by both legal teams for which I would pay over half a year’s salary if it went wrong, I maintain this is an example of a sordid self serving legal profession which only masquerades as primarily serving the public.
It wasn’t a bad day, it was a badly prepared day. Imagine if this was a surgical procedure. If things go wrong due to a surgeon’s mistake it doesn’t look good to say everyone can have a bad day. If that’s the attitude what’s the point of going to court? Maybe we should use non legal arbitrators for certain Legal Aid cases if you feel that standards in the profession can just casually drop at times.
Going back to the Legal Aid cost issue, I think we need to get back to a society where we put people in need first..we all take a hit in the current climate and we come out together feeling better. I would hope barristers see the light eventually as the work has probably dried up in other spheres and that they adjust to the pains everyone else is going through and, with solicitors’ firms already breaking rank, this dispute will get resolved in a public spirited way rather than fleecing the taxpayer.
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Comment on Legal Aid Fees Dispute: “the Law Society takes the view that this matter should receive early and urgent priority”
on 3 June 2011 at 1:27 am
Cynic 2
Not being Legally ‘in tune’, I am indeed surprised that the Law Society has this monopoly. I wonder what is the criteria for access?… exam results, satifactory probation, cronyism, nepotism?
Wouldn’t it be interesting to see the backgrounds of those who pass V those who fail entry? Maybe this is cynical and its all purely objective.
Ref Legal Aid costs – I agree with open tender. Then once a case is awarded, the legal team clock on and off when working on Legal Aid. Then this is scrutinised over time to see which firms may be milking it. If they do show signs of an upward end of claiming they’re kicked off the panel for good or even done for fraud (with no Legal Aid protection!!)
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