Marc’s Musings and Random Rants

Last night a major fire devastated Southend‘s world famous pier. It is one of the landmarks of my home town that helps to hold the place together and certainly keeps the tourists flooding in, blue rinse in tow. It doesn’t have (can’t get?) insurance, yet this is the fourth time since its construction that fire has broken out on the supposed non-smoking structure. It is estimated that it will cost millions of pounds to repair.

Most recently it was the bowling alley that was detroyed in 1995 where I enjoyed many birthday parties with schoolmates (it was never rebuilt) and nine years earlier, a boat trying to take the shortcut straight through the middle caused major damage. In 1976 another major fire destroyed most of the Victorian pier head, with repairs to the damage only being completed in 2002. The first fire of 1959 lead to the construction of the bowling alley to replace the original gutted Pavilion.

The pier’s feature – being the longest pleasure pier in the world – was also its downfall when attempting to deal with the blaze. Its 1.3 mile length was required in order to reach commercial and leisure vessels coming up/down the Thames Estuary at all tides. Anyone who has been on seafront will know how far out the mud stretches at low tide, and this was exactly the situation late last night when fire crews attempted to get their equipment to the pier head. Hovercrafts and other specialist equipment had to be called in.

A good BBC video clip can be found in this article, along with a great quote from a witness to the 1995 fire:

I also saw the fire back in 1995, and remember seeing bowling balls falling into the sea in clouds of steam.

Maybe those great balls of fire are still down there, buried in that pesky mud?

Everywhere I walk around Bromley at the moment I seem to see red rubber bands on the pavement.

What are they for? Where have they come from?

Are they following me?

I have just seen the most ridiculous advert in a newspaper for a long time:

Thinking about a Florida Vacation?
Please Ensure Your Family is Safe
A new law in the Sunshine State may encourage Floridians to "shoot first" when they feel threatened.
In Florida, avoid disputes that could escalate into violence. Use special caution in arguing with motorists on Florida roads.
Police and prosecuters are concerned about the potential for uneccessary violence.

The advert is supported by the Brady Campaign "To Prevent Gun Violence" and has a link to www.shootfirstlaw.org.

There are three things that strike me about this ad: firstly, that residents are being encouraged to "shoot first" rather than sit down and discuss whatever is on their tits; secondly, that roads are the most dangerous place to argue with a "Floridian" (and accordingly to the website, eventually all Americans); and finally, that the whole campaign seems to be supported by an anti-gun group!

I can see the idea behind the campaign but I feel that this particular advert is going about it the wrong way. The details outlines in this PDF download make much more sense and are much more subtle. It does however, make you wonder why is this particular law being changed anyway, allowing the "threat to be eliminated" without (m)any repercussions.

I haven't watched The Bill in over six years, long before the ex-cast of EastEnders decided to drop in, but after the death of Tosh and the subsequent departure of most of the remaining feasible characters. I gave in tonight however, to watch the ITV (pronounced Shite-TV) 50 Year Special and the so called 'stunt filled' episode (courtesy, the Guardian Guide) was about as realistic as the cast contained therein and about as tense as test match cricket (thank heavens the Ashes is over at last). That an armed psychopath can walk into a cop shop doesn't show much for the security of today's police force, never mind the weedy attempt a PC had at an attempted apprehension of said psycho.

After seeing a boom in shot, I now realise that this is one of those special 'live' episodes. Not that that's any excuse.

I couldn't bear the tension any longer and unfortunately went flicking through the channels, only to find a program whose title wins all the points. Just what is the point of Five's Britain's Worst Celebrity Driver Live!? And is that supposed to be an ironic title? I don't think I can even come to waste any space talking about this poor excuse of a programme, nor any other reality 'TV', come to think of it. Although today's news of Dutch TV's sex & drugs 'experiment' may get a mention when it comes to Five…

My final TV mention of the night must go to the conclusion of EastEnders and an irate Peggy pushing two-expression Chrissie into Den's open grave. Oh, how I laughed! Try and catch it again on Sunday if you can.

And the saga continues. Today I received yet another letter from Powergen asking me to stay as a customer, even though I had been assured that I was still a customer the last time we spoke three weeks ago. 25 minutes, three offices and two locations later I manage to find out what has happened: for the fourth time this year, an E/T has gone through on my gas. How on Earth could this have happened?

A quick call to Transco to find out who is supplying my gas and a 15 minute phone call with a rude Seeboard operator, I can confirm… da dadda daaa… that the EDF muppets have E/T-ed me once again. And taken £20 out of my bank account. And they want to bill me for gas usage that Powergen have already billed me for (and owe me over £100 for over-payment).

This is getting rediculous and far from funny now. At least Powergen "can confirm" my electricity is back with them, but for how long? The notice I asked them to put on the account to prevent further E/Ts has obviously, once again, been ignored. And are they ever going to send me a bill? Nine months with free electricity is bound to add up… I have a feeling regulator Ofgem will be hearing from me in the not too distant future.

I have a feeling once (if?) everything settles down, I'll be looking for a better deal elsewhere anyway.