Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Why I Read The Guardian

Here's justification enough. Two letters, on the same page: one about tax transparency; and the other about whistleblowers and the appalling behaviour of HMRC.
like the idea that information collected by the government should be available to anyone (Cameron prescribes NHS reform in bid for economic upturn, 5 December). But it's not just the NHS data that might be interesting. What about the Inland Revenue? It has an equally large data bank. I will be quite happy to toss information about my prostate, varicose veins and mild asthma into the limpid pool of transparency, if the chief executives of big pharma and other FTSE 100 companies will share the intimate details of the development of their taxes over a similar period. They are also welcome to my tax details as an incentive. I propose two sets of online directories, one containing all information about everybody's health and the other holding all information about everybody's earnings and the tax paid on those earnings. That would be a start for a hugely transparent society. Will Taylor Cheriton Fitzpaine, Devon
• I was shocked to hear the HM Revenue and Customs solicitor Osita Mba is "facing disciplinary procedures" for disclosing to parliament details of the Goldman Sachs tax debacle (Report, 9 December). These documents were not furtively leaked for personal profit, but presented honourably to parliament to enable it to better perform its duty of holding the Revenue properly to account. Mr Mba is a public benefactor who deserves praise for his courage, not intimidation from his embarrassed bosses. This squalid hounding of a courageous whistleblower should be seen as a contempt of parliament, and the HMRC managers responsible should be hauled before the relevant parliamentary committee to explain themselves. Dr Martin Treacy Cardigan, Ceredigion
No further comment required.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Come On In

Here's a welcome, make yourself at home sign outside a pub in Cromford, Derbyshire:
Muddy boots, wet bums, soggy dogs, Welcome

Noties at Arkwright's Mill

Here's a "noties" from the site of Arkwright's Mill at Cromford
Arkwright's Mill Site Noties (sic)
And here's some info from another notice:
Arkwright's Mill - history and work in progress notice

Don't borrow my towel notice by anonymous

Some people like putting up notices:
don't use my towel you immoral cad- locker sign
Feel the passive aggressive rage in that notice. And see that it's an anonymous angry message.