Giant bubbles – giant waste of money
As economic activity declines still further & the purse strings get ever tighter, it really does take (local) government to find bigger & better ways to spend dwindling revenues
Two giant musical inflatable spheres will be floating across a Norfolk broad to help residents relax. South Norfolk Council is hosting Midsummer Chillax (a combination of the words chill and relax) at Whitlingham Country Park, near Norwich.
One sphere will contain a flautist and the other an aerial dancer. A council spokeswoman said the free event was aimed at "banishing recession blues" and entertaining the "staycation generation of holidaymakers"
Apparently...
Councillor Michelle Monck, South Norfolk cabinet member for leisure, said: "[It is] our attempt to counter the economic doom and gloom with a range of free and low cost, fun and culturally vibrant events for local residents and visitors to enjoy."
No doubt Councillor Mong thinks that the taxpayer will enjoy their hard earned holidays all the more in the clear knowledge that the public’s money is being so frivolously spunked away.
But on a happier note Generalissimo Free Market has already given orders that Light Coastal Forces in the shape of the FMS Bumboat Jollyboy commanded by the redoubtable Admiral of the Rear Free Market be deployed.
Equipped with the very latest naval weapons systems & half a case of Pusser’s gin, the Admiral , eschewing the delights of 00-Buck, reports that the primary armament, the fearsome BBB*, is already loaded with grape sufficient to deal with any watery tarts flautists. Indeed cultural events will be made all the more vibrant by the sight of aerial dancers in giant bubbles being engaged with a couple of pounds of chain shot!
The other half a case of of the Admiral's gin goes to reader BD for uncovering this nonsense
*BBB:- Big Ba*stard Bondook
Comments
Fire at will
Posted by: TimC | June 23, 2009 8:32 AM
Looks like "Rover" to me...
(NOT looking forward to that movie!)
Posted by: D. W. Drang | June 23, 2009 9:05 AM
Councillor Dickhead has obviously never seen The Prisoner, but since she's obviously paying for this bollocks out of her own pocket, I have no objection to her making her town look like a sinister secret police prison. What's that? Oh, I see.
Posted by: John K | June 23, 2009 12:10 PM
Seems like a FINE idea to me.. After about 30 minutes, all the oxygen inside the bubbles should be used up, and viola'! One or two less annoying street performers. The tide should take care of cleaning up..
Posted by: Larry Anderson | June 23, 2009 2:40 PM
Good Christ, I live in Norwich, Norfolk...and none of this is relaxing me (I'll stick with the crack cocaine, thanks very much).
The obvious thing is to give a little hard cash from the council tax back...but no, they'd never dream of doing that.
If only us UK citizens would band together and refuse to pay. It would be the end of local government in one fell swoop. Even the military couldn't do a lot about 60 million people saying no...
Posted by: Jimmy Lee Shreeve | June 23, 2009 2:41 PM
There'd be far more entertainment value if one sphere contained the councillor and the other a starving tiger. I'd go and watch that.
Posted by: Bruce | June 23, 2009 4:33 PM
Pusser's gin? Gin?!! Fie sir! It was Pusser's rum that fed the men of the Senior Service.
Posted by: View from the Solent | June 23, 2009 4:52 PM
Good to see I'm not the only one that thought 'sniper rifle'!
Posted by: PeteR | June 23, 2009 4:53 PM
Psalms 37:7 - But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
And the buggers have. Time for a cull.
++" It is IMPOSSIBLE to have too much amunition "++
Posted by: Mant on a Rant | June 23, 2009 7:03 PM
Keel haul that witch thorugh the fleet.
Double grog ration for all hands!
Posted by: Rum, sodomy and the lash | June 23, 2009 9:48 PM
Haven't sailed in for a while. Hi Mr FM. Well, this weirdo in his giant balloon turned up 4 years ago at the Redditch Air Festival. This was a festival based on the theme of Air, but the main event was a pop concert which sold not very many tickets. This despite the fact that the main attractions were Lemar (Who?) and the beautiful and very sexy Natasha Bedingfield. In the end the tickets were given away and the Tax payer footed a massive bill. This, as you see below, was defended by Cavid Crtwright, looney left councillor who has since been jailed for 3 years for setting up and defrauding a bogus housing charity. The moral of the story is that Government, be it local or national, should not be allowed to support with cash, "The Arts". Most of what the tax payer is expected to subsidise is just pure Bollocks.
Article from the Worcester News......
Counting the cost of festival
From the archive, first published Tuesday 20th Dec 2005.
A TORY councillor claims the former leader of Redditch Council "pooh-poohed" all warnings before the AIR Festival - which led to a £644,000 bill.
Councillor Mike Braley said David Cartwright was warned about capacity, resources available, timing and organisation needed for such an event.
After dismal ticket sales, the Labour group decided to give away free tickets to the two-day music festival.
Mr Braley said: "My colleagues warned Mr Cartwright about what needed to be considered before embarking on this ambitious project but he simply pooh-poohed them.
"This debt will exist for years to come."
He added: "This was a scandalous waste of public money. New Council Leader Phil Mould is a level-headed man and I hope he'll help his colleagues see the light when it comes to a possible 2006 festival."
But Mr Cartwright said: "We said we'd bring a huge festival to Redditch and we delivered.
"Up until the last minute, we were told what the costs would be. The figures were very different to the large figures we ended up with. We as politicians did all we could."
Posted by: Frank | June 23, 2009 10:04 PM
Oh, sorry, forgot to say that Cartwright was a big buddy of Ms Smith, OF BATH PLUG AND GAY FILM FAME. (Allegedly, Raw Meat 3 , starring Tigers Wood). Also, the weirdo in the balloon was blown bya freak wind across Arrow Valley lake in Redditch, out of control and in a big flap.
Posted by: Frank | June 24, 2009 9:00 PM
Ah, cheering people up about the recession. Here in Australia one of our wonderful morning show programs introduced us to the 'Reject the Recession' dancers.
Posted by: CJA | June 25, 2009 3:38 AM
Here they are if anyone wants cheering up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDYla-gjgRs
Posted by: CJA | June 25, 2009 3:56 AM
"But on a happier note Generalissimo Free Market has already given orders that Light Coastal Forces in the shape of the FMS Bumboat Jollyboy commanded by the redoubtable Admiral of the Rear Free Market"
I'll be charitable and assume that would have been funnier if you'd remembered to type the whole sentence.
This giant bubble thing seems like a perfectly good way to spend money, assuming you believe in the 'circuses' bit of 'bread and circuses'.
Personally I approve of anything that makes people stop in their daily routine, look up and say "what the fuck?"
Posted by: Peter | June 25, 2009 1:47 PM
Peter - A fair spot that. Correction made. Regards
Posted by: Mr Free Market | June 25, 2009 7:03 PM