It's now obvious that Berlin does not want the Greek rebellion to succeed and fears that if Tsipras wins then Podemos in Spain might form a government in Spain with similar demands. The problem with Merkels approach is that she is allowing her dislike of the unruly Greeks take over the part of her brain that should be making rational decisions. Herself and the others in the euro clique will be held responsible for blowing up Europe for the third time in less than 100 years? Did we actually defeat the extremists of the 1st and second world wars...
Nick Venedi
Monday, 29 June 2015
Thursday, 25 June 2015
Greece in the euro
greece was the 10th country to join the EEC in the early 80's and followed Britain, Spain and Portugal arrived years later. The Euro project wanted the Greeks in from the early start but what went wrong was the relationship between the country and the single currency. Today we have a left wing government incapable of understanding the reality of what is happening with an Essex university graduate as it finance minister who lives in a world of fantasy.
I will declare my support for PASOK in advance for the avoidance of any misunderstandings. The fundamental problem with a country like Greece comes from the actions taken by previous governments in the last 20 years. They borrowed large amounts of money to increase the public sector. This allowed them to have 15% of the population working for government and attracted more votes. They forgot that at some stage the state would have to pay back the loans. The shit has now hit the what's it and they are all running around blaming everyone else. Huge reforms need to be imposed to ensure that the economy recovers and that a sensible tax system similar to PAYE is brought it. It will be painful but it needs to be done. The solution to the problem is to recognise that a populist government will not be able to resolve long term structural problems. There should be a new general election so that the people understand what the real choices are...
Nick Venedi
I will declare my support for PASOK in advance for the avoidance of any misunderstandings. The fundamental problem with a country like Greece comes from the actions taken by previous governments in the last 20 years. They borrowed large amounts of money to increase the public sector. This allowed them to have 15% of the population working for government and attracted more votes. They forgot that at some stage the state would have to pay back the loans. The shit has now hit the what's it and they are all running around blaming everyone else. Huge reforms need to be imposed to ensure that the economy recovers and that a sensible tax system similar to PAYE is brought it. It will be painful but it needs to be done. The solution to the problem is to recognise that a populist government will not be able to resolve long term structural problems. There should be a new general election so that the people understand what the real choices are...
Nick Venedi
Monday, 22 June 2015
New writers initiative
I have been openly critical of shows like x Factor and Britain has no talent in the past but it would appear that the method of show casing people's talents using those avenues may be the only way to help aspiring writers get a break? There is a lot of talent out there and very few opportunities for those who have something to offer get the exposure and the break they need so if Simon Cowel is reading this whilst having his breakfast in the greasy spoon he might want to think about it?
Nick Venedi
Nick Venedi
Friday, 19 June 2015
Tigmoo
Tigmoo appears to be a blog roll initiative for those involved in the TU movement. The 'controllers' advertise it as a site where anyone with TU interests can ' get involved' so I did in 2010 and my blog was listed until recently.
Nick Venedi
Nick Venedi
Boris Johnson
What? Just been told I have the same birthday as Boris Johnson? Sufficient to say that the similarities end there? Might have a similar sense of humour as neither of us takes life seriously but I am better looking than him any time! Lol
Happy birthday Boris?
Nick Venedi
Happy birthday Boris?
Nick Venedi
Varoufakis gets his wish
Finance Minister of Greece and Essex Uni graduate Yiannis Varoufakis gets his priorities right and he will be appearing in next Thursday's Bbc Question Time! In the meantime the country is about to collapse! His undergraduate type of policies may appeal to some but not in serious forums where adult behaviour is needed.
Nick Venedi
Nick Venedi
Thursday, 18 June 2015
Screenwriting Festival 2015
The next Screenwriting Festival will be held in October 2015 the three day event is a must for all aspiring screenwriters. An excellent opportunity to see and be seen. There are other pre festival events being held just before the festival that might be of interest.
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/whats-on/sessions/speed-pitching
Nick Venedi
http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/whats-on/sessions/speed-pitching
Nick Venedi
Monday, 15 June 2015
Promoting creative writers
It amazes me how many people I know who are able to write creatively. More amazing though is that most of these people will never be encouraged to develop their skills and talents. That is a great loss to the arts in general.
Aspiring writers have to be put through many obstacles when trying to break through and it often looks like the 'system' is there to stop them. ITV and Channel 4, for example would only accept a script submission if it comes from an established agency or from a production company that they already work with! This is somewhat regressive in my opinion and they should at least hold annual competitions like the BBC does to allow those who have talent to show case what they have. The BBC for example, use the excellent 'Writers room' concept where a lot of info on how to have a go is given out with two or three windows of opportunity each year.
There is also the Screenwiting festival held at Regents Park in October but the £350 delegate fee means that this is a restricted opportunity?
And of course the best advice to give out is to follow what they say on the Easter islands, which is try and try and try again. It would help though if the 'controlling elite' remember what writing is about and remember that new talent should be encouraged and promoted not supressed!
Nick Venedi
Aspiring writers have to be put through many obstacles when trying to break through and it often looks like the 'system' is there to stop them. ITV and Channel 4, for example would only accept a script submission if it comes from an established agency or from a production company that they already work with! This is somewhat regressive in my opinion and they should at least hold annual competitions like the BBC does to allow those who have talent to show case what they have. The BBC for example, use the excellent 'Writers room' concept where a lot of info on how to have a go is given out with two or three windows of opportunity each year.
There is also the Screenwiting festival held at Regents Park in October but the £350 delegate fee means that this is a restricted opportunity?
And of course the best advice to give out is to follow what they say on the Easter islands, which is try and try and try again. It would help though if the 'controlling elite' remember what writing is about and remember that new talent should be encouraged and promoted not supressed!
Nick Venedi
Friday, 12 June 2015
Supporting motion 106 on Branch Funding
I support motion 106 ( reproduced below ) going to Unison conference this June 2015. As the Treasurer of one of the largest branches in London Unison I support the aims of the motion. Much more needs to be done to ensure that the allocation of resources moves from the centre to local Branch level. The current formula is unfair if not ridiculous and benefits the centre at the expense of local activity!
Nick Venedi
Nick Venedi
Motion 106
Motion 106 on the agenda for UNISON National Delegate Conference, which takes place in Glasgow from Tuesday 16 to Friday 19 June 2015, is the only motion Conference can debate on branch funding.
This is what it says;
Conference notes that a review of branch funding in UNISON has been ongoing since 2011. Conference accepts that branch funding is a complex and controversial topic. However we believe that it is self-evident that, in the years since the current branch funding regime was adopted at National Delegate Conference 2001 there have been substantial changes in the environment in which UNISON operates, and that these have generally increased demands at branch level.
The key changes include;
• Reduced significance of national collective bargaining with an increase in local bargaining;
• The fragmentation of public services leading to almost all branches becoming multi-employer branches;
• Devolution of administrative processes within the Union to branches (e.g. the RMS).
In the opinion of Conference it is clear that there is a general need to devolve UNISON resources to the level at which they can best assist the Union to meet the interests of our members. Conference calls on the NEC to continue with the review of branch resources and report back to conference in 2016 and in so doing to recognise that significant devolution of the Union’s resources to its branches is required. In particular, Conference anticipates that the overall proportion of the Union’s resources allocated to branches will increase significantly over time under a future branch funding regime.
This is what it says;
Conference notes that a review of branch funding in UNISON has been ongoing since 2011. Conference accepts that branch funding is a complex and controversial topic. However we believe that it is self-evident that, in the years since the current branch funding regime was adopted at National Delegate Conference 2001 there have been substantial changes in the environment in which UNISON operates, and that these have generally increased demands at branch level.
The key changes include;
• Reduced significance of national collective bargaining with an increase in local bargaining;
• The fragmentation of public services leading to almost all branches becoming multi-employer branches;
• Devolution of administrative processes within the Union to branches (e.g. the RMS).
In the opinion of Conference it is clear that there is a general need to devolve UNISON resources to the level at which they can best assist the Union to meet the interests of our members. Conference calls on the NEC to continue with the review of branch resources and report back to conference in 2016 and in so doing to recognise that significant devolution of the Union’s resources to its branches is required. In particular, Conference anticipates that the overall proportion of the Union’s resources allocated to branches will increase significantly over time under a future branch funding regime.
Monday, 8 June 2015
Jon of the Rogers re elected
Great news for all. Jon of the Rogers otherwise known as Jon of the Rogers has, once again, been re elected to the Unison NEC. He is great at irriating the great and the mighty and that's one good reason to vote for the old chap. Well done mate!
Nick Venedi
Nick Venedi
Friday, 5 June 2015
Thursday, 4 June 2015
MPs Pay
I don't know how they manage to do it but they keep bringing the issue about increasing MPs pay back every year. Only this time they seem to have managed to convince the media that they deserve an 11% pay rise?
I will keep the emotions out of this but I am not aware of any public sector Job Evaluation Scheme ( I am an expert on the Single Status Scheme ) that would give an MP more than £45,000 a year. I challenge the body looking at this matter to come up with how they decided that someone who simply could advocate on behalf of a constituent would attract £80,000? totaly ridiculous. But if they produce a scheme that can justify this then I want to use it to get nurses a pay rise in which case they will be on 90K Will someone challenge them? Or use the same formula ( if there is one..) to pay Trade Union reps the same amount! The argument that it would attract better people if the pay was higher is a ridiculous one. It will attract more opportunist career politicians like Milliband!! No Way!!
Nick Venedi
http://lawatwork.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/mps-pay_12.html
http://lawatwork.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/mps-pay.html
I will keep the emotions out of this but I am not aware of any public sector Job Evaluation Scheme ( I am an expert on the Single Status Scheme ) that would give an MP more than £45,000 a year. I challenge the body looking at this matter to come up with how they decided that someone who simply could advocate on behalf of a constituent would attract £80,000? totaly ridiculous. But if they produce a scheme that can justify this then I want to use it to get nurses a pay rise in which case they will be on 90K Will someone challenge them? Or use the same formula ( if there is one..) to pay Trade Union reps the same amount! The argument that it would attract better people if the pay was higher is a ridiculous one. It will attract more opportunist career politicians like Milliband!! No Way!!
Nick Venedi
http://lawatwork.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/mps-pay_12.html
http://lawatwork.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/mps-pay.html
Wednesday, 3 June 2015
Vote NO in the EU Referendum
I have always been a Euro Federalist. The basic principles for European integration are based on the desire to be united and avoid constant wars between nations. But what we have today is a controlling beast that has totally violated the fundamental aims of a United Europe. We now have the northern states trying to impose their hegemony over those in the South. This will never work and the UK was right to avoid staying out of the Euro.
The argument that the UK will lose out by not staying in the EU is total nonsense. We can have a treaty with the EU similar to the one the Swiss and Norway have. The EU needs the UK more than we need them. If people want to be told what to do and how to do it by Berlin then vote yes if you don't then vote NO!
Nick Venedi
The argument that the UK will lose out by not staying in the EU is total nonsense. We can have a treaty with the EU similar to the one the Swiss and Norway have. The EU needs the UK more than we need them. If people want to be told what to do and how to do it by Berlin then vote yes if you don't then vote NO!
Nick Venedi
Tuesday, 2 June 2015
Greek government not prepared to surender..
The persistence of the Tsipras government has surprised everyone. The new government has stuck to the lines they drew early on and have not deviated much.
I am in two minds as to whether Greece is in a position to dectate terms to the greedy bankers who are only interested in getting back their money and making profits on the 6% interest they have imposed. I think that the latest extension of deadlines ( the 3rd so far since January ) shows that the EU is also in two minds on how to play this. The reality is that a collapse of the Greek economy and the rise of Podemos in Spain will create a huge psychological blow to those running the EU project and it will bring the Euro down! So think again guys!
Nick Venedi
I am in two minds as to whether Greece is in a position to dectate terms to the greedy bankers who are only interested in getting back their money and making profits on the 6% interest they have imposed. I think that the latest extension of deadlines ( the 3rd so far since January ) shows that the EU is also in two minds on how to play this. The reality is that a collapse of the Greek economy and the rise of Podemos in Spain will create a huge psychological blow to those running the EU project and it will bring the Euro down! So think again guys!
Nick Venedi
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