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Just read this on the BBC website - Teachers lobby Parliament about pay and pensions

Yet again the teachers are threatening a strike over pay and conditions.

Would someone tell me where they expect a massive pay rise to coming from?

I'm a Governor at a local school, not a big one, it has 2 reception years and then 4 years of infants - i cant give exact figures for obvious reasons but a massive chunk of our budget goes on teachers, this figure is necessary to attract quality teachers. 

Our funding is to be cut by the Government next year by nearly 9%, to put that in to context thats over 1 teachers salary!

So not only do we face a budget squeeze, teachers want more of the shrinking budget. Its all well and good saying that a pay rise is fair, but who is going to pay for it if the budget is squeezed anymore - the kids, thats who. There will be no resource left to buy equipment like PC's or even text books soon.

Not surprisingly heard earlier that Sainsburys sales are down slightly yet profits are up 16.3%, proving to me anyway that they are still fleecing us with prices yet state they are helping us with lower costs.

Fully understand all supermarkets need to make a profit but what really annoyed me was that when people really needed to buy cheaper items like their Basics range, these items seemed to increase more than any other product on the shelf. I dont use a lot of bread so their basic loaf is great to stick in the freezer, yet in the height f the credit crunch seem to recall this being the first item they put up!

Keep seeing in the news that the "big 4" are in a price war on eggs, milk & bread, well its not reached my local yet!

Heard on the news this morning that the Passport Issuing Office are working 7 days a week to reduce a 500,000 back log of renewals & new passports.

I was lucky, about 6 weeks ago i applied for a renewal of my youngest son's passport - didnt use the fast track system, in fact did it all online, printed off a declaration, got his fotos done (£6.50 for 8!! only needed 2! )and then sent it off. 3 weeks later arrived safely in the post.

So i'm safe, we can still go away in August 

With the crazy holiday season round the corner anyone affected by this?

EDGY service - i like that - its better than crap service i guess lol

Great customer service is so simple to deliver, really anyone can do it IMHO

Listen to the problem, let the customer rant if he/she wants, long as they dont swear i'm happy to listen - dont interrupt them though, this just adds fuel to the fire!

Once they have finished outlining the problem set out what you can do to resolve it, if you can't do it there and then tell them how you are going to do it and a time frame for that to happen and a call back/email will be arranged. Don't be afraid to say i don't know the answer BUT i will go and find one out & get back to you within xxx hours

If you can't get the issue sorted within your time frame, call them back with an update. The number of times i've been told we will call you back and it never happens, just makes the problem worse - a simple call, really sorry, taking a bit longer than i thought, bear with me another xx hours and i will call you again - simples!

ALWAYS apologise - 75% of the time our queries actually are customers not understanding what they are doing, thats not to say that this is their fault though, we always take feedback and utilise this in our updates - feedback is gold dust!

If appropriate compensate the customer, it doesnt take much for them to feel special & appreciated, quite often i will upgrade customers, or add regions, you will be amazed at how many "friends" i make or turn around from an initital hostile call.

I guess i'm quite lucky that i have the authority to resolve 99% of any queries, i do believe that if companies empowered more of the call answerers with more authority the need to escalate a query could be reduced.

Really it comes down to budget and what you want from a car.

My last 3 cars have been diesels, but did have a MGTF as a 2nd car for a while which was petrol  - that was interesting to remember not to mis-fuel the cars though!

Think if you do less than 10,000 miles then petrol is the way forward as diesel increases costs in the car, fuel and servicing etc, but to be honest as i said above its down to what car you like and find in your price range.

Oh dear - this sounds like its going to get sticky - hope you get it sorted!

Keep us posted

I hired a stretched american limo for my wedding lots of years ago, but thats the only time.

Think there is a local (ish) firm that seems to do lots of hen nights, drunk semi clothed females  screeching out the windows!

Reading an article earlier regarding Tescos launching a new current account (or should i say currants ) offering shopping discounts to those that take an account with them.

Free banking to be offered as long as you deposit £750 a month and interest to be paid on balances up to £3000 at a rate of 3%. If you dont pay in to the account it costs £5 per month.

There were lots of other facts and figures that i cant recall, but sounded all very similar to the 123 account offered by Santandar!

Whats wrong with Banks being Banks & supermarkets being, well supermarkets?

Whats next, are you going to find Barclay's selling tins of beans?

Heard on the news first thing that there are proposals to increase Court fines by 300% - thats a huge increase.

I believe that currently a maximum speeding fine is £2500, which could increase to £10,000.

Yet again the motorist is going to take the brunt of changes!

**Goes off to make a coffee before ranting starts **

Thats a flipping big boiler !!!!!