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News and Comment October 2021

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22 October - Khanage everywhere

There has been little time for Council watching this week, sometimes there are other things to attend to, like replace old computers. None of them mine fortunately as they get ever more expensive.

Why does the Government think that everyone is IT literate and if you are not please go away and die?

Monday’s job should have been simple enough. “Can you please change my email address and password on Amazon?”

It took all morning. The ’address is not recognised” despite it being in use for years. I forget some of the details but on three occasions I received the “Success” message but still couldn’t log in. I was asked to answer their CAPTCHA question and the font was so fuzzy and covered with scribble that I couldn’t read it. Then suddenly it worked. At least two hours down the drain.

Next it was “can you set up this brand new laptop please?” It took exactly three and a half hours. Laptops have not had optical drives for a long time but the owner had stored everything he thought he might want to save on an SD card. The new laptop did not have an SD card slot.

I tried to network to an old and barely usable PC which had a card slot for file sharing but it refused to do what I have done many times before. Later I discovered that file sharing the way I have always done it was withdrawn from Windows 10 when version 1803 came along. Eventually that problem was overcome but Microsoft and the laptop manufacturer had fixed the new machine so that it would only install programs downloaded from its own App Store. Another circular obstruction because to solve that one it was necessary to have a Microsoft account! Enough of this but I hate Microsoft even more than before.

Much better was building a new desktop PC from mail ordered component parts. They cost £850 and in retrospect it could have been done a little cheaper without impacting performance. From a collection of cardboard boxes to a fully working Windows 10 computer equipped with the latest 11th Generation i9 processor was a little less than two hours, mainly because Windows 10 Pro allows the installer to circumvent all the obstructions put in the way of laptop users. From switch on to usable Desktop in six seconds! For how long will that last?

I have acquired a new Nigerian neighbour who has foolishly come to London from the north of England. I have explained the complexities of Bexley’s refuse collection services and put their excess into my bin. Tidied up their garden and set them up with free ‘Guest’ access to my wi-fi until they get their own sorted out. Not bad for a racist!

One thing that has shocked them is that they cannot drive their car further into London than the Woolwich Ferry thanks to the cretinous Khan. I found it impossible to answer the enquiry about being able to pollute to your heart’s content if you can afford the £12·50 bung with which to bribe him.

Maybe they are not the only people to never have heard of ULEZ. (Ultra Low Emission Zone.) Below is bit of what has been distributed across the river in Newham but Khan presumably thinks that Bexley residents are unaffected. We don’t get any advice. UEZ Leaflet
Petrol cars must meet the Euro 4 standard and Diesel Euro 6, if not it will cost you £12·50 to visit your aunt in Newham or cousin in Chingford and for goodness sake don’t stay late because after midnight you pay again

The Dartford crossing will be enormously cheaper but the longer distance and extra pollution is perfectly OK. Sadiq says so.

Somewhere on Facebook I saw someone reporting that you could cross the South Circular to get to Queen Elizabeth Hospital without paying the the new tax. This is not true.

There are exceptions to the North/South Circular boundary which you can find at here To save you the bother here is what TfL has to say about Greenwich.


Woolwich High Street
John Wilson Street and Woolwich High Street are outside of the ULEZ. The Woolwich Church Street roundabout is outside the zone but the Woolwich Church Street exit is inside the zone. All exits facing central London, including for St. Mary Magdalene Parish Church and St. Mary Magdalene C of E Primary School are inside the zone.
Royal Artillery Barracks
John Wilson Street and Grand Depot Road are outside of the ULEZ. All exits facing central London, including for Artillery Place, the Royal Artillery Barracks, and Mulgrave Primary School, are inside the zone.
Barrack Field
Grand Depot Road, Woolwich New Road and Woolwich Common are outside of the ULEZ. All exits facing central London, including for Ha-Ha road and Barrack Field, are inside the zone.
Woolwich Common
Woolwich Common and Academy Road are outside of the ULEZ. The Circular Way exit for Woolwich Common is inside the zone.
The Academy
Academy Road is outside of the ULEZ. Any exit for Woolwich Common is inside the zone.


I am really proud of my veterinary surgeon friend who has swapped her diesel engined Beetle for a 1973 MGB GT which is exempt from the ULEZ tax.

It holds no attractions but there is a nearly three hour Scrutiny meeting to report over the weekend.

 

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