Will Lloyd's TSB Retain Their Title

On the home page of their Internet Personal Banking site Lloyd's TSB proudly display the following statement. Internet banking provided by Britain's most trusted bank* Incidentally, the star refers to a footnote at the bottom of the page which states Readers Digest most trusted bank survey 2008. It was announced just yesterday that the bank have agreed to forfeit $350m in return for US Justice Department not pursuing the case against Lloyd's after the bank admitted responsibility for criminal conduct. The US Justice Department said that as early as 1995 Lloyd's falsified wire transfers involving countries or individuals on the US sanctions list. Countries involved included Sudan, Iran and Libya. The bank was accused of deliberately removing customer information or 'stripping' as Lloyd's employees called it, so that wire transfers could pass through the system undetected. Over a period of more than twelve years hundreds of millions of dollars were involved. I wonder if Lloyd's will come out top of the Readers Digest 'most trusted' survey for 2009. I suspect they probably will!

Site Access Problems

There seems to be problems accessing the Journal. The original address created through Blogger http://blankneyblog.blogspot.com appears to have been merged into Google. If you have Google Search on your computer then simply type Blankney Journal into your search box. If you are still having difficulties please e-mail me by clicking the following link garlant@btinternet.com and I will try to help.

Today's Flutter

Despite the disappointment we had with Ann Stokell's Came Back last Tuesday at Southwell, we rely on the same stable again to get us off the mark, in the Ree Handicap run over 6f at Great Leigh today.

Sunday 11th January. Great Leigh 2.30

*First Order*

The selection was beaten just 1/2 length by Rebel Duke last time out. However, that was over 5f and today's 6f trip should prove more ideal for the 8.y.o. gelding. The 5lb allowance claimed by the trainer/jockey may prove decisive. Fingers crossed.

Yesterdays Brain Teaser - An Apology

Yesterday I set readers a brainteaser. The task was to construct a sentence in which the word and appeared seven times consecutively. Unfortunately, I asked the question wrongly, it should have said five times consecutively. I don't doubt if I had asked the question correctly you would all have got the right answer. I do apologise for the error, but here is the answer had the question been asked correctly.

The landlord at the Pig And Whistle was stood outside looking at his pub sign. It was looking pretty tatty so he called the local sign writer and asked if he would make him a new one and hang it for him. The sign writer made the new sign, took it to the pub and hung it. He then went into the pub and asked the landlord to go outside and tell him what he thought of it. The landlord took one look at the new sign, turned to the sign writer, and said "that looks awful, I can't have that hanging outside my pub" The sign writer looked perplexed and asked the landlord "what is wrong with it". To which the landlord replied "you have left too much space between pig and and and and and whistle"

Straw

Remember the story of the three little pigs? The first little pig built a house made from straw. Then along came the big bad wolf and blew his house down. Excuse me one moment. Sniff,sniff. Sorry about that I always fill up when I hear that story. No, its not nursery rhyme time it simply brings me onto the subject of straw. I see that North Kesteven District Council, who happen to be my local council, have set up a project to build straw homes. The plan is currently at the planning application stages. if approved, four such houses will be built on two seperate sites. Permission has been sought for a pair of semi-detached dwellings to be built at West Grove, Martin and a similar pair at Brumsby Crescent, Waddington. Work could start as early as April this year. A previous possible site at Rowston has been considered unsuitable. Thank goodness there are no big bad wolves residing in Lincolnshire. Still on the subject of straw. A company by the name of ECO2 biomass are expected to commence work in the spring on building a straw burning Energy Plant in Boston Road, Sleaford, Lincolnshire. During construction the development will bring 80 million pounds of investment into North Kesteven. Once operational it is estimated the plant will generate a further 8 million pounds in the local economy, with local farmers providing the straw. The plant is said to be capable of providing enough energy to power 65,000 homes. No wonder North Kesteven are regarded as one of the best district councils in the entire country.