Workers or Shirkers?

I was passing Jessops in Reading yesterday. It is a place I used to work and a place where I still have some friends.

My friends were cleaning up the shop and, I guess, doing a stock take for the administrators. It struck me that there was an important question. My friends, soon to be unemployed, were up until Jessops going in to administration "workers" but will the Government now call them "shirkers" because they have lost their jobs in the Clegg/Cameron double dip and now possibly triple dip depression.

I am sorry to see Jessops fail they are one of the high sts stalwalts. I fear however that my friends will be branded by the government as "shirkers" despite losing their jobs through no fault of their own.

They are a great bunch of guys at Jessops and I hope they get paid for the time they spent stocktaking and will be working again soon.

Reading Station Redevelopment

Reading Station Redevelopment, a set on Flickr.

The Reading Redevelopment continues apace. I was lucky enough to see yesterday possibly the first train on the new tracks and new platforms. I was very very excited to see some kind of rolling stock on the tracks.

I have tried to get some more unusual shots, but access is difficult. Will keep trying and who knows what I will be able to shoot.

Reading Station Redevelopment

Reading Station Redevelopment, a set on Flickr.

Reading Station keeps on changing. Here are the latest pictures of the development

Vive le Velo Boris.......

Just got back from my summer holidays.....ok I know that its October, but as I say just got back from my hols in Northern France.

We stayed near Calais and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the town has just launched its own version of the Boris Bike.

Cheap, easy, and being French, very stylish. They got me thinking. Calais is a bit smaller than Reading and if they can do it, can we.

Looking around Calais they are all over the town, in the West, East, South, but not in the North. Obvs can't be in the North as the North of the city is sea. For a couple of Euros you can bike anywhere in the city.

I love the Boris Bikes in London, when I worked in London I regularly cycled from Paddington to Canary Wharf on one. Its a l killer journey but so so so much fun. Also cheap fun since it only cost me a quid or so to get from one side of the city to the other.

So if French can do it.....why can't Reading?