Friday, 24 April 2009

Publishing Photos From Flickr

This is the information needed to be put into the URL to pull in the Mr Msrbl image


Example


The bit such as http to jpg id found by clicking on the image and then clicking properties maybe an easier way but this one will work

Must see edit to get all information!!!

Tuesday, 21 April 2009

Genesis (At the Start)

Clustering around and buzzing in the same petulant manner like wasps do around a sugar source were Pat Starksy, Steve Tickle and John Laconic with others coming and going they hovered out side the building where their staffroom was,only two of them smoked but the consensus was held by them all that things hadn't gone to plan for them. The plan had been well actually it was Jack Jackov plan the big-man's plan, big both physically big in height and weight and big in college status in accordance with the seven promotions that took you to principal status, he was currently at stage 4 . They had successfully seen the back of Bob Grey and the intention had been to bring in Steve Tickle to replace him but the bet laid plans of mice and men.



They had kind of shafted themselves on this one as you do often when you try to hard to manipulate a result, Tickle should have got Grey's job when Grey started going off sick. he started going off sick because they were trying to make his job untenable by causing problems for him that is easy to do in lots of ways. Such as you enforce rules that had never been enforced before you didn't have to enforce them but terms and coditions can be vague, you scrutinise his work unfairly, pull him up over time off and sickness or lateness etcnot that he was everlate Bob Grey he was always punctual just as he did have integrity oh he liked money but he would compromise his position and allow students to manipulate him by accepting favours off them, like he wanted a mountain bike for one of his children and a student offered one brand new and top of the range but to his credit Grey would not buy it because it would compromise his dealings with the student clearly there was a strong risk the bike had been obtain dishonestly and that student could and no doubt would raise that should he need to. So at 42 he eventually went on health grounds sweet they thought.



That left Tad Storey as the next in seniority no pushover and a good friend and long time admirer of Bob Grey he had been told that there would be no replacement for Grey's grade at position two on the seven promotion scale when he was finally signed off on health grounds but that was not true Storey he was not wanted he was being sold a lie because they had lined up Steve Tickle who had already been brought in to work part-time but acting almost fully independently this among other things irked Bob Grey the fact that this was allowed to happen so Grey went off sick again. Storey had to go as he would not have tolerated their games at least not at that time he would not have, later perhaps he would have reconsidered but then he still had integrity and in due time Storey went as they anticipated doing Bob Greys work for much less pay.



So it happened Storey had gone Grey was signed off as medically unfit and it was up then up to Jack Jackov to sell to Mr Chinn the principal that a replacement was needed this is the chess that is played a wall is installed saying to Storey no replacement for Bob Grey he cannot question it that is just the answer, of course in the protracted period it took for Bob Grey to shuffle off into the world of daytime TV slippers and dressing gowns in the afternoon the section as it was had kept running largely due to Storey Ged Strait just kept on doing his own job as bottom of the heap he knew he would not get considered ahead of Tad Storey he knew he was not greatly loved by them around him in especially those in the important rock pool, Storey kept things going because he was hoping to be rewarded by a promotion possibly and also in case his friend did return to make his return a viable option. From the point of view the principal it seemed like there was no need to to replace Grey's grade things had been running fine. Of course with Tad Storey leaving Jackov hoped that his argument was strengthened, but the principal was a shrewd negotiator he put-off and put-off making the decision and time and timing is the gift of a good negotiator and lo did thing run fine yes they did.



Jackov also keen when it came to incisive argument continued to ply his case till eventually Mr Chinn relented a broad smile stretched across the large hambone and gristle face having won but as he left the principals office the expert negotiator played his top card saying but at the lower or next grade down (this was kind of postioned at 1.5 on the seven scale) Chinn new he had scored a goal as he saw the shoulders of his opponent clench and tighten they had so already promised to Tickle that higher grade and possible early promotion above that but now that plan was in tatters almost 2yrs of work in the trash it was agreed among the three primary drones a hovering that they would be better off binning the whole idea in favour of Pat Starsky running it voices clanged like angry bells trying to beat out their frustration.



Getting the principal to change his mind now after such a projected campaign to carry it one way; getting him to retract now well that would be harder than if not totally impossible so therefore Jackov had given the task to Pat Starsky to try to convince Steve Tickle to take the job anyway even at the lower grade and pay not easy they had been out manoeuvred and little did they suspect things might and would only get worse. Tickle said that he would think about whether he it but in the end decided against it and that brought them here Starksy was sullen, John Laconic considering his own position as a possible full time job as they had plans, plans to expand the section and make space for him Tickles bottom lip cracked into even most lines of angry, anxious tension than was normally shown as he drew on his cigarette.

It did get worse as it had promised it might though as it went ahead the job was advertised at the lower (half) grade and initially only Ged Strait applied Strait had been working there full-time for some time about 6 or 7 yers but had become so marginalised at that time he had been pushed into the furthest murkiest part of the staffroom not sitting with Tad Storey or other members of the section usually those of the same section sat in a cluster of desks basically for communication purposes so that section matters could be discussed easily but Starksy did not really want Bob Grey and Tad Storey so close next to him but he had been given his own job on the premise that he would bring to electrical the same ethos that Judy Tarrt had delivered to hair and beauty therapy Judy Tarrt was was Jack Jackov's boss and erstwhile mentor and well perhaps other things heck he admired her and copied her techniques they suited him they suited his style it consisted of bullying the weak until she got her own way and FE was full of the weak and the easily bullied.

Harry Monks had already discussed with Jackov how things could be made better improved Word had been fed through to Jackov via Nola Carter who looked after a very lucrative side of electrical courses an avenue by stats could be improved the ever essential and important figures and everyone could be made richer. it was taken you see that Mr Chinn because of his own health problems was beyond his own sell by date and would not be in post forever the natural successor might, could, no would be Judy Tarrt all the rest of the possible candidates were weak and this college had a history of internal promotions as it was safest few new appointed grades came from outside. they might turn over some unwelcome stones and there where lost of them ti turn and evil things to come scurrying out.

So the date was set for the interview panel and Pat Starsky left only with the possibility of a single candidate of someone he did not want in the position hence he had to convince a new a fairly recent appointee to also try for the job he stood no real chance as he was too new still learning but what Starsky and the crew hoped was that both nominees would be a disaster on interview both would bomb out and they could make a re-submission to the principal for him to reconsider and go for the high pay rate then they would get Tickle and a result they wanted. Had things gone the other way from the outset then they would have been able to make everything of the skills of the slickness of Steve Tickle and sold that outcome to all concerned including Ged Strait

What they did not account for that very few people deferred to the principal very few ever showed him some respect the respect hei might be due. Love him or hate him he held a significant position of responsibility this though was always one of the problems of some one making those seven promotions that took you from lecturer to principal and doing this in the one and same college everyone knew by experience, by gossip or by osmosis what kind of employee you had been at each stage so when trying to initiatie the unplatable it was made much more difficult.
Ged Strait only arrived to teach when Chinn was already principal, a gossiper he absolutely was no( do not assume this to be a good thing and admirable quality in small village evirons internecine affairs operate via rumour and gossip is its vector), Ged Strait always claimed with some pride that he judged all people as he found them so that ruled out osmosisalso, is it necessary to state therefore that did show some respect to Mr Chinn in a wilderness of tribute and honouring this warmed the principal to Strait so when he interviewed well the principal wanted him to have the job Johnny Corbett who was Pat Starsky's immediate boss also on the panel was willing he had no objections a simple straight forward guy short on stature generally happy if he could find a chair to sit in so his feet rested on the ground. It was only Pat Starsky who was agin, but when Mr Chinn insisted and not being big on backbone he caved to the principals wishes.

Unaware how the interview had gone exactly when old Starsky came tapping on the classroom door like a woodpecker and not the praying mantis he usually appeared like, stick and twig like in a black tight tailored suit on his lean fat scarce frame the suit seemed like an insect shell suitable to melt down for shellac and giving him that overall insect appearance maybe now he was tapping like a death watch beetle. He had come around to congratulate Ged Strait but to this day Strait who through his life printed certain things had still burned into his mind into his retina was the look on Pat Starsky's face that hand shake the only time physical contact was made between the two it was a skeletal hand bony beyond lean but not clammy it had thick black, black coarse creep-out hairs, it was cheerless handshake and lacking in warmth as was the look in his eye that look to this day bothered it bothered Strait how could he know what it all implied Bob Grey knew he understood but it was a look that would markedly and dramatically affect the whole of Straits life what did breeze across his mind why, why to do congratulate some one without any real warmth but he cast the thoughts quickly to one side much to his later regret. Maybe it was of look of join with us there is money to make here follow us to the land of plenty we can dip our hands in but funny and I know I know you wil not believe but money had not been primary in Straits mind if it had been maybe he would hav eheld out for the proper grade what had been more important to him was nmot getting some absolute knobhead in charged ahh if only we could see the future.

One person who held out some hope was not in the current cluster of conspirators that did not mean he was not a conspirator he knew Ged Strait from long past Joe Slurr had been the person who had initiated Ged Straits movement into Further Ed teaching Strait had initially been thinking of going into teach in secondary education Slurr who was a troubled individual if he met someone someone he felt he could influence he felt it hard to let them go not because he wanted a long true and abiding friendship he did not he did not know or understand what friendship was friendship was not a concept with in the range of his cold emotionless personality not that he lacked charm he was artful guileful enough to be able to feign charm you might say that that is the best charm it never gushes he could deliver it just the way that Paul McCartney is able to do if that makes sense to the perceptive it involves hard work but no sincerity and the perceptive see through it see it for what it is those less insightful partly because it involves flattery who accept it on face value.

Joe Slurr wanted to convince himself and the rest because he was a sometime aquaintance of Steve Tickle and thus Pat Starsky although Joe Slurr worked at a different college it was a college that was quite close by they all supported the same local football team that had bound both Slurr and Tickle together early doors both took football absurdly seriously for mature (use that term loosely) adult males it secureed a place in their mentality that should be reserved for a wife and children and parents but it has already been established that Joe Slurr was emotionally pathological. The surrogacy of a hobby best left largely behind beyond the age of 11 years old slid in easier OK maintain an interest but at the end of each season when trophies have been apportioned and the league tables zeroed the whole ridiculous pursuit begins again all over again sport especially as a spectator is only a distraction for adults they are or should be long past believing the will the next lance Armstrong does not stop you enjoying a bike ride. So grow up please! we can all like sport but most of us treat it as a back burner interest if national teams do badly we do not take it personally or feel it reflects on ourselves in anyway.

Hope beyond hope Joe Slurr believed he could convince Ged Strait to join their conspirators coterie to do what was mixed into that curious handshake he had had with Pat Starsky. He felt he could influence Strait and therefore make use of him to his own personal benefit and gain. When they met for the first time long before either thought of a career in a college the most revealing thing that Slurr had ever told Ged Strait was about someone who he knew who he had known back in their school days a true alpha personality type both then and since although Slurr never decribed him that way he had landed himself a good job in sales working for a large chocolate and confectionery company who had earned himself big bucks touting sweeties to shops and stores across this blessed land with a company car and a good comission and he would goad Slurr with this money his earning and his company car and this edged and niggled Slurr To Slurr money ready cash and getting one over on some one over money was everything to Slurr it was his greatest satisfaction it was the closest thing that he experienced to emotion he liked what it meant to him when one of his schemes or scams worked such as simple as if invited to a wedding he would go and buy a suit from a shop with a strong returns policy he would wear the suit then return it later, if necessary unpicking a seam to further his claim for a refund petty small minded exchanging dignity for cash yes forgivable if someone is in need but Slurr was not in need his life was comfortable but he could not settle or be satisfied he wanted more and he also enjoyed the manipulation of others to benefit himeself firstly and then afterwards his own family. Does this paint a picture of how things where set out there is more and much much better to come the surface has only been grazed.