tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post4298437850262598813..comments2024-03-13T15:35:30.839+00:00Comments on Tabloid Watch: Littlejohn and 'non-jobs'MacGuffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16894506410560858668noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-3717677623097503742011-02-23T18:02:19.349+00:002011-02-23T18:02:19.349+00:00BBC Covered these stories today with this article,...BBC Covered these stories today with this article, quite interesting.<br /><br />http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12549785Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-30622874931562872972011-02-21T15:05:10.568+00:002011-02-21T15:05:10.568+00:00Whoops! I pressed the wrong number key. I read Nye...Whoops! I pressed the wrong number key. I read Nye Zwerk's posting of 18 February 2011 12:46 before sending my contribution.<br />A few weeks ago, someone pointed out on a Daily Mail comments page that 8% equals 1 in 12.5. The poster did not comment on anything else but, his lesson in basic arithmetic got hundreds of red arrows.Red Meetnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-44624174679385139942011-02-21T13:57:03.375+00:002011-02-21T13:57:03.375+00:00No, it does not follow that a part-time job will b...No, it does not follow that a part-time job will become full-time, but I never said it did. I said 'if' it did. This is why pro-rata rates exist. Nor did I say they will employ other instructors in the event of more money (although they'd find some way to waste it). No, those were what we normaly call 'examples' to illustrate a point. They weren't meant to be taken as definitive statements. I thought that was self-evident, but never mind.<br /><br />As well as Latin, let's take a look at Maths. I think you'll find that the rate based on 17.5 hours a week is 16K, not 17K, given that the pro-rate rate a year is exactly double. Half of 32 is 16, or it was when I was at school.<br /><br />You are right though, in that none of this is furthering the discussion. If Mr. MacGuffin will accept this as my last statement, I shall happily put down my spade.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-70440927341412687242011-02-21T12:06:20.002+00:002011-02-21T12:06:20.002+00:00It does not follow that a part-time job will becom...It does not follow that a part-time job will become a full-time job - Non sequitur from Anonymous 18 February 2011 14:39 <br />It does not follow that if Islington Council get more money, they will employ Tai Chi and Yoga instructors - Non sequitur from Anonymous 18 February 2011 19:25 <br /><br />A realist would realise, at the start, that £32k pro rata for 17.5 hrs equals £17k. <br />A realist would realise that when in a hole, it is not a good idea to keep digging.<br /><br />Unfashionable -ists: archaist, anachronist, obsoletist.Red Meetnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-1695234057399459512011-02-21T08:43:48.496+00:002011-02-21T08:43:48.496+00:00I'm afraid those non-sequiturs are beyond me. ...I'm afraid those non-sequiturs are beyond me. However, I consider myself to be the most unfashionable of -ist among the rather warped world-view of most commentators - the realist.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-18175258229917484102011-02-20T21:53:28.367+00:002011-02-20T21:53:28.367+00:00@Anonymous 19Feb2011, 15:37
If the noughties was ...@Anonymous 19Feb2011, 15:37 <br />If the noughties was the decade of the Islamist and the current "'-st' most in vogue this decade" is Apologist, in what part of space/time are you?<br />I followed your advice and tried imagining that I've exploited a number of tax loopholes but, it hasn't improved my wellbeing one bit. Thankfully, no-one was affected by me fantasising about the weird religious belief system of the hyper-rich capital-ist.<br />I watched "Citizen Kane" last night.Ceiliognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-14852144229933295902011-02-19T15:37:56.789+00:002011-02-19T15:37:56.789+00:00Elegir - I acknowledge your response. However, I a...Elegir - I acknowledge your response. However, I agree with the sum total of none of it. Your assertions about my assertions are quite wrong, and you've ascribed such to me that I didn't actually state. It is truly a unique method of debate.<br /><br />Feel free to label me how you like. I must confess I do enjoy the concept of 'apologism'. It's not that I don't like it, more that it seems to be the '-ist' most in vogue in this decade. From the Fascist 30s to the Racist 90s and the Islamist noughties, we're just not happy until we have an '-ist' to bully, are we?<br /><br />So, you carry on. Feel free to label me how you like. I'd say (again) it was your tax-money that is being wasted, but I doubt that's applicable in your case. If you'll allow me an assumption of my own, imagine you've exploited a number of tax loopholes in order to keep all your monstrous investment-banker bonuses free of it in the first instance, and you're happy to leave people like Sian picking up the tab.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-39314756052288290412011-02-18T22:03:50.811+00:002011-02-18T22:03:50.811+00:00Anon (19.25) - you make some bold assertions in yo...Anon (19.25) - you make some bold assertions in your posts. I happen to analyse business costs for a living (investment banker - a non-job if ever there was one!) and note you've made some standard errors of analysis:<br /><br />1) you equate spending with waste, but "minimum cost"is not a meaningful aim of any enterprise (commercial or public sector) otherwise a "do-nothing"approach would be optimal! The point is to maximise the ratio of good stuff (revenues, healthcare, public services etc) to bad stuff (costs, negative externalities, inconvenience etc). I can assure you that the council will have had to do a cost benefit analysis before placing this position.<br /><br />2) instead of looking at the cost per employee, you need to look at the cost per unit of output and compare it to the alternative (eg, 17k a year on a"walker" to help 50 old people might be far less than sending nurses to each old person's house to check up on them and ensure they're not ill or unable to look after themselves)<br /><br />3) you have the odd beliefthat costs are easy to cut and that everyone else is being inefficient - if it were that easy to just reassign existing employees to new tasks, companies would never hire - why do people always think "I'm incredibly busy at work but that guy over there looks like he could work harder"?<br /><br />4) I can think of few sillier ways to cut costs than to fire staff who have silly job titles. or maybe you'd prefer councils to hire someone to think up better job titles for people?! ;-)<br /><br />In short, you seem to be saying that rlj had a point to make about public spending, failed to make the point well, couldn't back the point up with any proof and made up stories that he claimed were factually accurate, but we should give him the benefit because you think he could have made the point properly if he'd actually tried. Sorry to call you names, but the name for that really is "Apologist", even if you don't like it.Elegirnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-36580077020000260252011-02-18T19:55:02.454+00:002011-02-18T19:55:02.454+00:00Yes but councils are using the cover of ending &qu...Yes but councils are using the cover of ending "non jobs" as an excuse to axe genuine services. In the same way the government wants to call all benefit claimants feckless scroungers.The Big Boppernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-46525428700029213452011-02-18T19:25:52.318+00:002011-02-18T19:25:52.318+00:00'Bimbling about' is an expression for walk...'Bimbling about' is an expression for walking. This job is co-ordinating walking 'initiatives'. How is this difficult to understand?<br /><br />You may have hit the nail on the head though - if it is indeed a combo of public health and administration, it can be serviced by existing resources, quite comfortably. Why create a specific post and throw 17K a year at something the office junior can 'administrate' for one hour a day?<br /><br />What happens when Islington have some more money to waste, and they come up with a Tai Chi initiative, or a Outdoor Yoga initiative? They gonna create a 17k p.a. post for those too?<br /><br />@SAM - Older people - no, that's not what makes it silly. I was just noting that this is the demographic most likely to use this, er, 'service'. What makes it silly is the fact that it is silly.<br /><br />Genuinely, I reckon all of this opposition I'm facing is more out of dislike for Littlejohn rather than out of pure common sense. If a more credible commentator had raised the issue, I think you'd all agree with it. Frankly, I can't see for the life of me how this walking co-ordinator position can be in any way, shape or form NOT be considered a total piss-take on the Islington tax-payer.<br /><br />I would like to apologise for seemingly picking on this particular scheme. It was the first one that I saw. My point is that there are equally useless schemes in councils around the country. It makes me laugh when people try to pin the closure of libraries or sacking of lollipop ladies on the tories, when councils are still busy generating ideas of this banality.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-51833292867777820462011-02-18T18:17:48.758+00:002011-02-18T18:17:48.758+00:00@Anonymous
In what way is it 'bimbling about&...@Anonymous <br />In what way is it 'bimbling about'? If you think they are simply going for walks you haven't really read the description which shows the job to be a combination of public health community outreach and administration. The actual walking is done by volunteers (for free!)<br />Not that 'babysitting (predominantly) senior citizens' would be unworthy at all; is it the fact that they are older that makes it silly?SAMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-33715422422180926872011-02-18T17:58:34.035+00:002011-02-18T17:58:34.035+00:00Another Tory minister has shown himself up as a Li...Another Tory minister has shown himself up as a Littlejohn reader. Whichever one it was, he was pontificating about Council non jobs on Eddie Mair's little show this afternoon (Friday) and listed some of these "non-jobs". Including "walking co-ordinators". Who are, contrary to whatever if is Littlejohn and the Tory party imagine, actually doing a splendid job encouraging people to get out and, well, walk. For their health. To counter, among other things, obesity, another subject on which Littlejohn and his faithful readers in the Toy Party like to pontificate on.Briarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06242731014996459484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-53893137950432177142011-02-18T16:45:53.259+00:002011-02-18T16:45:53.259+00:00Thanks Ian - the most ironic post of the day. If y...Thanks Ian - the most ironic post of the day. If you had done some fact-checking yourself rather than spewing first, you can quite clearly see that my conclusions are absolutely correct. Another taxpayer happy to be getting screwed! Good on yer!<br /><br />And, if it were possible, Anon (14:43) is even more ironic. A ranter moaning about a ranter.<br /><br />Sian - it doesn't have to be about absolutes. You make it sound that I'm cruel and heartless, denying everybody everything. All I'm saying is that these services (for all demographics) can be provided in a far more efficient manner than simply throwing 17.5K (plus all the expenditure that the incumbent will generate - media, etc) at it. I agree with the principle, but it's a non-job, completely and utterly.<br /><br />On a more personal note, look at it from a copywriter's POV. How banal a title is 'walking co-ordinator'? How well does this sell to the sceptics? At least put some spin on it and call it something that sounds halfway credible. It might then avoid us cynics' bullshit radar. I reckon Islington council could benefit from some good copywriting advice...:)<br /><br />Have a good weekend everyone. I'm off, believe it or not, for a walk around my city. Un aperitivo, then tapas! :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-58036867574953702512011-02-18T15:47:01.515+00:002011-02-18T15:47:01.515+00:00Professional people in Islington, who have dogs as...Professional people in Islington, who have dogs as pets, are missing out on a great idea.<br />With a dog, there are food and vet fees and you have to pay someone to walk it at a minimum of £15 for 45 mins.<br />Why not sell the dog and get a granny? <br />Grannies get a govt pension and a bus pass so, there's no need for you to spend any of you hard-earned money on them. In fact, you might make of profit by having a granny.<br />Walks for grannies are provided free by the Council and once granny has passed the age of self-mobility, she can be packed off to a residential care home and you can get another one.<br /><br />The idea above is pro bono and has not been tested on Marketing Bogons or any similar parasites.Nye Zwerknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-17928941176456925292011-02-18T15:03:02.579+00:002011-02-18T15:03:02.579+00:00This piece highlight how RLJ (and Anonymous poster...This piece highlight how RLJ (and Anonymous poster up there) just read the job title on an advert and draw their own conclusions. No amount of research or fact-checking is required. Just spew your thoughts onto a keyboard.Iannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-41373320379334657972011-02-18T14:39:24.022+00:002011-02-18T14:39:24.022+00:00Yes, Hutcho - true. Although, you could still buil...Yes, Hutcho - true. Although, you could still build an argument that its a 32k a year post. If it does go full -time, then bam! 32K please. I don't like seeing pro-rata rates - the job is the job. If it's 17.5 hours a week, it's 17.5 hours a week, end of. But that's beside the point.<br /><br />So, 16k for what, 3.5 hours a day? And what? Not bad for bimbling about. Also, as an aside, it's a 35-hour week at this council - 12.5% less than your average working man. Ace!<br /><br />Conservative/Labour controlled councils? Yes, quite right, good point. I recognise the whole conservative/labour wastage - that's why I explicitly noted it in my opening post for fear of getting hammered on exactly those grounds.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-29090482294773554042011-02-18T13:41:33.375+00:002011-02-18T13:41:33.375+00:00That's cool Anonymous. When you're old and...That's cool Anonymous. When you're old and living in the city, and can't go out and enjoy a walk in the spring fresh air, because there's no support services there to look after and give older people a bit more quality of life, at least you'll know that you're not wasting other tax payers' money.sianandcrookedribhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00959715300131969670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-88895644033772927942011-02-18T13:05:43.930+00:002011-02-18T13:05:43.930+00:00It's worth mentioning that the Walking Co-Ordi...It's worth mentioning that the Walking Co-Ordinator isn't paid over 30K. It's a part-time position so that salary is pro-rata.<br /><br />Furthermore, there's a story on the Mail site now about the non-jobs and it squarely lays the blame at Labour's door in the headline, yet the first two responsible councils I looked up (Medway and Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead) are both Conservative controlled. <br /><br />If this is an actual story worth covering and there's serious wastage on 'non-jobs' in our town halls then it's only fair that they should criticise the responsible councils and not simply, lazily blame Labour.Hutchonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-73786105001667929572011-02-18T13:02:22.399+00:002011-02-18T13:02:22.399+00:00You reckon the description above - no point of whi...You reckon the description above - no point of which has any real measurable context and is couched in typical HR-speak - is worth 30k a year? In the real world, all this job boils down to is someone to babysit (predominantly) senior citizens on walking trips through an urban area a few times a week.<br /><br />2. The principle of the 'initiaive' is not the issue. The issue is the fact that someone has seen fit to create a designated post (the name of which is woefully under-stated if we are the believe the description) at a massively over-inflated rate to staff it.<br /><br />Of course I'd support people who do jobs to help the public, but this is stretching credibility to breaking point on that score. But hey, it's your money - you're happy to pay for 30 people to do 30 jobs that could be done by one person - that's your affair.<br /><br />Sure, Littlejohn's paid privately. You started by saying HE had a non-job, which may be true, but his(non)job can be justified on the grounds it is at least subject to market forces. Our walking co-ordinator's position here, is simply based on having a pot of money that needs to be wasted somehwere lest it be removed. The 'use it or lose it' principle.<br /><br />And the real shits & giggles part of this is that it's YOUR money. I'd go out and buy a new pair of Timberland's this weekend if I were you -go and get your money's worth rambling around Islington all day.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-36016315520850448372011-02-18T12:46:00.606+00:002011-02-18T12:46:00.606+00:00Thanks Sian.
The walking co-ordinator job is part ...Thanks Sian.<br />The walking co-ordinator job is part of "Walking for Health - Natural England".<br />Advertised as £31,935 pro-rata for 17.5 hours per week. In other words, £15,967.50 per year.<br />http://www.wfh.naturalengland.org.uk/walkfinder/london/islington-walksNye Zwerknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-64854886579268973312011-02-18T12:30:36.890+00:002011-02-18T12:30:36.890+00:00Here's the walking co-ordinator job descriptio...Here's the walking co-ordinator job description:<br /><br />'An opportunity has arisen for an individual to take on the existing successful Health Walks Programme in Islington that has been continuously developing since 2002. The programme currently attracts 300 users per week and supports 25 volunteer walk leaders. The Walking Coordinator will be key in ensuring this scheme continues to thrive by developing new walks, working with partners and supporting and recruiting a team of volunteer walk leaders.<br /><br />The successful candidate will be expected to have:<br /><br />• Experience of project management including producing reports, delivering presentations, event planning and monitoring of budgets.<br />• Experience in outreach work or with community groups and their development in a voluntary or paid capacity<br />• The ability to work as a team and independently<br />• Awareness of healthy walking initiatives<br />• The ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing with a wide variety of people including partners, funders and the local community.<br />• Experience of working with and recruiting volunteers in an inner city environment'<br /><br />So, encouraging health initiatives in inner cities, encouraging people to get out and about, making a difference to the local community - all a load of silliness isn't it? total waste of time. <br /><br />Of course i'd get pissed off if Littlejohn was paid out of the public purse. But he isn't. I don;t get annoyed that people who do jobs to help the public and support the local community get paid out of taxes. i think you've made rather a non point tbh.sianandcrookedribhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00959715300131969670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-44865574244543348852011-02-18T12:15:48.045+00:002011-02-18T12:15:48.045+00:00Yeah, I find the word 'apologist' a very o...Yeah, I find the word 'apologist' a very over-used accusation on here. To express a mildly contrary opinion does not an apologist make.<br /><br />I take the point about the silly title, although I think your point is naive. I doubt if I could write a job description for a walking co-ordinator and make it appear to be worth 30K...and I'm a specialist in marketing communications! <br /><br />I think he's entitled to laugh at such. If I met a 'walking co-ordinator' at a party, I'd laugh at them too. And I'm pretty sure I'd be shaking my head in exasperation even after they attempted to justify it as credible employment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-26379456294364204862011-02-18T11:28:36.594+00:002011-02-18T11:28:36.594+00:00"I have a hard time accepting allocation of t..."I have a hard time accepting allocation of the best part of 30 grand of your tax money to fund a 'walking co-ordinator'."<br /><br />but what does a "walking co-ordnator" do? it's easy to point and laugh at a silly job title but you really can't dismiss it as a "non job" untill you know what it actually entails. <br /><br />all littljohn is doing here is laughing at job titles, and as the hopscotch example neatly demonstrates what something is called and what it is are two very different things.ACGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06981655938953570438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-7094411842692398292011-02-18T11:28:35.324+00:002011-02-18T11:28:35.324+00:00@Anonymous
Being an apologist for Richard Coeur d...@Anonymous <br />Being an apologist for Richard Coeur de Legume is a non-job.Ceiliognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2092552783161885712.post-34986682438810499662011-02-18T10:04:29.248+00:002011-02-18T10:04:29.248+00:00Sian,
I don't think it stretches common sense...Sian,<br /><br />I don't think it stretches common sense too much to recognise what LJ terms as 'non-jobs', although I agree that peoples perceptions make some controversial.<br /><br />LJs colummns may offend you, but he gets paid by the enterprise funded by the cover price. No harm, no foul, as far as I can see. If you're daft enough to pay for the Daily Mail, then you deserve what you get. Besides, you'd be pissed if he got paid out of your tax the same way he gets pissed over some of these jobs?! Also, I'm sure some Mail Readers will say that he does indeed improve the quality of lives.<br /><br />I was a copywriter also for many years. Of course it in itself isn't a non-job, but I occasionally found myself producing copy for offical organisations etc that I considered totally bogus. Not so much that I refused the cheques though :) call me a hypocrite - it's an easy charge!<br /><br />Clearly, I'm not suggesting that one must be a brain surgeon or a fireman to have a job that is considered 'valuable', but I have a hard time accepting allocation of the best part of 30 grand of your tax money to fund a 'walking co-ordinator'.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com