How we can protect against flooding

65 Flood Warnings For UK As Heavy Rains Continue Posted by guildy on September 25, 2012 in News Floods in UK: More than 800 homes flooded as storms hit Posted by BBC News on 26 November 2012

It’s that time of year again and thousands of people in the UK are suffering from the floods – many homes and businesses have been damaged. It’s almost impossible to keep the water out once the rivers burst their banks. Some properties have been flooded more than once this year.

We need a practical, simple solution. The local council is responsible for improving flood defences, and these must continue to be implemented. In addition, I suggest we investigate ways to ‘wrap our property in plastic’ to keep the flood waters out if it breeches the flood defences. The proposed scheme could be funded by the property owner, or Insurance companies.

Rigid sheets of clear plastic (produced from recycled plastic) could be attached to the house to keep out the flood waters. These would slide into a set of permanently attached ‘sliders’. The length and width of the plastic sheets would vary to enable an entire house to be wrapped up to a height of say 1.5 meters (above flood levels in your region). The front door would be the last sheet inserted as you made your escape before the flood reached your property.

Different colours could be made available for the more fashion conscious.

Now over to the inventors to design and perfect this fledgling idea. The scheme could generate local jobs both to the plastic sheet and fixture manufacturers and to local fitters!

The ‘People’s Bank’

I have been thinking of late how I and the many thousands like me who have some savings, can earn a decent rate of interest, but also help the economy. This coalition government needs to find a way to optimise the use of all its resources: that’s us the people, our savings, our desire to work and earn a living, and our ideas. How best to put that to the best interest of our great country.

Well, I have £5000 in a savings account earning me close to 0%, and I am sure there are quite a few pensioners who have that and more earning a pittance. How about someone, a ‘bank’, make us an offer we can’t refuse. How about offering us 5% interest on our savings, tax free (there’s the government buy in to the scheme). Allow us for example one free withdrawal a month, and make it an annual contract. In this way the ‘bank’ will easily accumulate £10billion (that’s £5000 from 2million people), and it will make a substantial difference to the many pensioners dependant on the interest their money earns. According to an article there is over £750billion in pensions and savings accounts, so reaching £10billion shouldn’t be difficult.

The 5% interest rate can be achieved if the Bank lends out the money to small or medium sized UK companies at say 5.5% or 6% (the benefit to the bank is 0.5% – 1% earned). And low interest rate loans to local companies will enable them to employ more local people. Now we’re talking about using under-utilized savings to fund companies desperate for loans to hire more underutilized Brits. It’s a win-win-win, and all it will cost the government is the tax on the interest it would otherwise have received from the savings.

I had thought we would need a government bank (remember Nationwide) to manage this, but I fancy Richard Branson and his Virgin Money could run this. A new bank, looking to make a difference, what do you say Richard, how about a Virgin Bank for the people, or a People’s bank? My money is yours for the asking, at 5% tax free interest, I reckon you’ll have a queue to your door.

1st published 25 September 2012

My first visit to Baden, Switzerland

Monday 13 August 2012, I took the BA flight from Heathrow terminal 5 to Zurich. It happened to be the day many of the Olympic athletes travelled home.  Though as you will see from this photo, it had no impact on my travels, it was all handled incredibly efficiently – just like the London Olympics.  We Brits are feeling so proud of our athletes, and the organisers of what must be considered the quirkiest of all Games. I loved it, what a show.

Baden, Switzerland what a beautiful city, Ken & I walked around the city looking for a restaurant selling local Swiss food – we found what we were looking for back at our hotel, but what a lovely walk.

For more of my travel log please look here.

first published 19 August 2012

Sunday cycle with my buddies

I thought you said cycling! After a long 24 mile off-road ride in the countryside we enjoyed a coffee at Michael’s local (my HTC sat nav unfortunately lost GPS signal half way around). It was a lovely sunny day, I rushed back to watch the final day of the Olympics with Valerie.

First published 12 August 2012

Conversations with my MP

Are we at a UK Tipping Point

Are Brits becoming more dishonest? Driving home the other evening I realised that I was one of many drivers exceeding the speed  limit. I decided there and then to drive within the speed limit. I set my speed control to a couple of mph (kph) below the maximum speed limit, and started counting cars that overtook me. On the motorways (max 70mph) more cars overtook me than I overtook, in 50mph and lower zones fewer cars overtook me. On average 50% of drivers were exceeding the maximum speed limit.

I notice too that many drivers don’t obey the ‘keep clear zones’ outside fire stations (that’s just crazy), on roundabouts, outside schools, etc. And when one person creeps into the “clear” zone others quickly follow, and soon the roundabout becomes jammed – making it worse for everyone.

Too many people make calls on their mobile phones whilst driving, despite numerous adverts aimed at dissuading this dangerous practice. And it’s not just drivers: recently politicians have been exposed claiming expenses fraudulently, newspaper editors involved in phone voicemail hacking, bank managers misrepresenting inter-bank lending rates and claiming excessive bonuses, cigarette butts, drinks cans, and papers discarded on our pavements. These steady incursions into dishonesty must be stopped – read the Tipping Point.

Solution: Install more cameras on roundabouts and traffic lights, harsh fines for all trespasses, the government needs the money, CCD cameras are relatively cheap to install, and harsh fines will discourage dishonesty.  Perhaps even publish photos in local papers of all criminals.

first published 10 August 2012

Check out other conversations-with-my-mp

My Travel Diary

Where I was Today

image reused from Theosophists Way

Sunday 5 August 2012

Despite the rain this morning Michael and I were out bright and early to complete our duathlon training (a 10 mile cycle followed by a 5km run, 14.9miles in total). See mapmyride for details. I enjoyed hours of Olympics this weekend, very inspiring.

Check out my Travel Diary in full  here.

Travel update

Travel log updated, includes my (business) trip last week to Dubai, and a Cycle plus Run on Sunday with Michael. Check it out here.

First published 22 July 2012

Blogged!

Sigh, I managed to delete my Travel page whilst updating it, and I don't have a backup :-(
I'll start afresh!
Take a look : My Travel Diary

Travel log updated

I updated my travel log today. Sunday morning cycling  with a buddy in Surrey. The weather was cloudy and overcast but warm, gorgeous time of the year, flowers in bloom, young sheep and calves in the fields.See my travellog.

More ideas for my MP

I added some suggestions to my MP today regarding better use of UK taxpayers money donated to third world countries.
Check out my comments conversations-with-my-mp

Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas for your MP here.

updated conversations with my MP

I updated my blog with some thoughts for my MP today, with a few ideas, observations and an appeal to help the people of Syria.
See 'My Conversations with my MP'

I came across this photo online last week - it is so beautiful that I'm using it as my summer background on my PC. Stand out, dare to be different. Enjoy the beauty.  ... Keith

Travel log updated

I updated my travel log today. I was out cycling with a buddy in Hampshire and Surrey (supporters of 2012 Olympics).
Oh and I went to Rome this month too! See my travellog.

Conversations with my MP

Many people in the UK offer criticism and complaints about our MPs, I thought I'd try and be different so I will capture some thoughts and ideas for my MP to help him improve the situation. I'll be constructive in my criticism, and  will strive to be helpful. Let me know how I do, check out my conversations here

Welcome to my blog

I plan to capture conversations, most of which take place in my head, with various people in my life: my wife, my sons, my MP, my friends. I'll capture my 'Travel diary', and I'll encourage you, my friend, to participate.

Life is for the living

Life is to enjoy the miraculous,

To appreciate the beauty

and to admire the complexity in its very simplicity

 

Keith E Black

first published April 2012