Gordon Brown goes on a visit to Israel

Gordon Brown goes on a visit to Israel. While he is on a tour of Jerusalem he suffers a heart attack and dies. The undertaker tells the British diplomats accompanying him, “You can have him shipped home for £5 million, or you can bury him here for £100.” The diplomats go into a corner and discuss for a minute. They come back to the undertaker and tell him they want Gordon shipped home.

The undertaker is puzzled and asks, “Why would you spend £5 million to ship him home, when it would be wonderful to be buried here, and you would only spend £100? With the money you save you could help pay off some of the deficit, help pay for the Olympic Games, or even help the elderly.”

The diplomats reply, “Long ago a man died here, was buried here, and three days later he rose from the dead. We just can’t take the risk.”

How private and NHS work differs!

My wife runs her own private chiropody practise in the Arches, Park Road, Hartlepool and she works a half day Saturdays,. This morning her first patient didn't turn up and so never one to waste a few idle minutes Sandra logged onto the internet and updated her Facebook status

Sandra Morag Allison is waiting 4 1st patient, 10mins late - a no-show methinks! :-( could have had extra sleep, not happy!

and this resulted in the following reply from one of the people she trained with.....

XXXX XXXX Interesting how private and NHS work differs! A no show first thing is my idea of the perfect start to the working day.... bring on the second cup of coffee!! Hope you're not working all day? :(

Says it all really!

Shame Councillor Brash wasn't "angry" earlier!

I was very interested to read that Councillor Brash was angry at the shortfall in the funding for the Tall Ships race and his demands that someone be accountable. Well in my opinion a fair portion of the blame should be laid squarely at Councillor Brash’s own door as leader of the Labour Group on Hartlepool Council.

While I was a Councillor for St.Hilda Ward I spoke out many times about the costs of the event and even specifically warned that it was folly to rely on the park and ride scheme to fund the Tall Ships. It was obvious to me that the event was going to end up considerably in the red and cost Hartlepool residents a great deal of money unless the project was very tightly controlled and monitored. I remember Councillor Brash having some fairly pointed things to say about my “doom mongering” at the time. It is a shame Councillor Brash refused to listen to what I was saying, preferring to go for party political point scoring rather than taking action to control the overspend. It's all very well being "angry" now it's too late to be of any use.

Hartlepool Councillors had years to question the way the Tall Ships event was being organized but they failed to do so. As almost a lone voice of caution I was told I was being pessimistic and talking Hartlepool down. I take no pleasure in being proved right about the spiralling costs of the event but I think it is wrong of Councillor Brash to now say he is angry about something he and Hartlepool Councillors, especially those who were on the Tall Ships Management Board, all failed to prevent.

Stephen Allison
(Former) Councillor St.Hilda Ward