Ok - I'll not bring you your Lincomb boerewors then ...
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Don't like the adverts? Click here to remove them
A rip off me thinks
- Thread starter Chris Green90
- Start date
Ahhh those were the days when the unions rulled, my personal experience was when we moved into a house which didn't have a gas meter. As i remember rightly it took 5 men and 4 weeks before we had gas in the house, the first union guy came to survey where the meter should go so he looked under the stairs where the gas pipe was and put a cross next to it and went away then the second guy delivered the meter the third one fixed it to the wall, fourth one conected it and finally the fifth one swichted the gas on after nearly a month.
Well, it looks as though we'll be needing the funeral plan a little sooner than we thought. The Iron Lady has pointed her toes upwards so it seems.
Whatever your views on her, she certainly left a mark on British political history. Certainly couldn't see her involved in any of the shenanigans that this current lot have been accused of.
Chris
Whatever your views on her, she certainly left a mark on British political history. Certainly couldn't see her involved in any of the shenanigans that this current lot have been accused of.
Chris
Yup - RIP Maggie Thatcher.
I only hope that she's chatting to some of the boys and arranging the welcoming party for Bob Mugabe - he can't be too far behind, hopefully ...
I only hope that she's chatting to some of the boys and arranging the welcoming party for Bob Mugabe - he can't be too far behind, hopefully ...
Don't like the adverts? Click here to remove them
Yes, and why is that? I think it stems mainly from what the press, wrongly labeled 'The Poll Tax' which was introduced by Maggie.
It was no such thing; its title was Community Charge, to replace the Rates system.
A lot of the public, mainly council tenants and other rent payers, who thought they didn't pay rates as they paid rent would now have to pay a tax, but if they had only looked in their rent books they would have seen that a portion of their rent was a rates payment (I checked this on my parents council rent book)
Another possibility for the dislike of Maggie could be, again the press, labeling her Thatcher the milk snatcher, very catchy phrase that,
the press are fond of simplistic things like that, they think of the general public as simpletons, trouble is a lot of the time they are right because some are too ready to believe what they read in the papers as gospel.Now don’t get me started on The Falklands issue.
The Iron Lady, that’s how she should be remembered, for a woman she had more balls than all the current politicians put together.
Right, gets off the soapbox.
Last edited:
Paddler Ed
Well-Known Member
Well said Chas; I didn't know the history of the Poll Tax/Rent book thing, that's an interesting twist on things... I do remember the riots, and have a vague recollection of the Brixton Riots as well as the Miners strike.
I'm still in a Union (CYWU) but it was always a cover my back job rather than anything else. The nature of my work could leave me open to accusations where I'd want some legal back up more than my employer (Youth Worker specialising in Outdoor Ed) would give me... The additional cover for the family is quite nice as well.
I'm still in a Union (CYWU) but it was always a cover my back job rather than anything else. The nature of my work could leave me open to accusations where I'd want some legal back up more than my employer (Youth Worker specialising in Outdoor Ed) would give me... The additional cover for the family is quite nice as well.
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2010
- Messages
- 5,524
I've just been watching all the old clips of the Thatcher years. I remember everything very well. After more thought I think New Labour took privatisation, which Thatcher started, too far. And talking of Mrs Blair did anyone one see her Not courtsey to the Queen and then Mrs Thatcher Over courtsey to compensate and make a point? Brilliant. How common and rude Mrs Blair was.
Frank
Frank
chadr
Well-Known Member
A well balanced (IMO) piece about Lady Thatcher and her time in office here;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22076886
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22076886
Last edited:
Very good unbiased article making a pleasant change from all the vitriol we are getting.
I think people should take heed of the Latin saying, Demortuis nihil nisi bonum (Do not speak ill of the dead) death is not something to be celebrated, she was somebodys mother, I know how distraught I was when my mother died, can you imagine what her children go through when they read in the papers what is being said about her by these wicked people?
I think people should take heed of the Latin saying, Demortuis nihil nisi bonum (Do not speak ill of the dead) death is not something to be celebrated, she was somebodys mother, I know how distraught I was when my mother died, can you imagine what her children go through when they read in the papers what is being said about her by these wicked people?
Euan McGilp
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2011
- Messages
- 210
Well said Chas. I was working with the kids of several 'Hereford Gentlemen' in a small Prep School during the Falklands conflict. Not a wonderful time, but every one who came back had praise for Maggie's cojones & how she held the Nation's covenant with the forces to be important - unlike the present joke... sorry, PM.
Well said sir. Like all politicians, that are also great reformers, except the despots and lunatics like Mugabe, Idi Amin and Gerry Adams, she achieved some great things and changed the world of the UK forever, for good or for bad depending on your personal viewpoint. Personally I thought the poll tax as it became known a great idea, it was and could have been the first step in undoing the damage wrought by Bevan and Atlee when they created the welfare {handout} state. She didn't destroy heavy industry or mining either, simple economics did that. Yes she made mistakes, but so did all the great leaders of the past (Churchill would probably prefer if the Dardanelles was a bad dream for example) btu she brought the British back from the depths of mediocrity and ended, sadly temporarily thanks to Blair, Brown and the EEC, a downward spiral that had been taking place if not from 1900 at least WW1.
Chris Green90
Well-Known Member
Question 1:
If you knew a woman who was pregnant,
Who had 8 kids already,
Three who were deaf,
Two who were blind,
One mentally retarded,
And she had syphilis,
Would you recommend that she undergoes an abortion?
Read the next question before looking at the response for this one.
Question 2:
It is time to elect a new world leader, and only your vote counts..
Here are the facts about the three candidates.
Candidate A:
Associates with crooked politicians, and consults with astrologists.
He's had two mistresses.
He also chain smokes
And drinks 8 to 10 martinis a day.
Candidate B:
He was kicked out of office twice,
Sleeps until noon,
Used opium in college
And drinks a quart of whiskey every evening..
Candidate C:
He is a decorated war hero,
He's a vegetarian,
Doesn't smoke,
Drinks an occasional beer
And never committed adultery.
Which of these candidates would be your choice?
Decide first ... No peeking, and then scroll down for the response.
Candidate A is Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Candidate B is Winston Churchill.
Candidate C is Adolph Hitler.
And, by the way, on your answer to the abortion question:
If you said YES, you just killed Beethoven.
Pretty interesting isn't it?
Makes a person think before judging someone.
If you knew a woman who was pregnant,
Who had 8 kids already,
Three who were deaf,
Two who were blind,
One mentally retarded,
And she had syphilis,
Would you recommend that she undergoes an abortion?
Read the next question before looking at the response for this one.
Question 2:
It is time to elect a new world leader, and only your vote counts..
Here are the facts about the three candidates.
Candidate A:
Associates with crooked politicians, and consults with astrologists.
He's had two mistresses.
He also chain smokes
And drinks 8 to 10 martinis a day.
Candidate B:
He was kicked out of office twice,
Sleeps until noon,
Used opium in college
And drinks a quart of whiskey every evening..
Candidate C:
He is a decorated war hero,
He's a vegetarian,
Doesn't smoke,
Drinks an occasional beer
And never committed adultery.
Which of these candidates would be your choice?
Decide first ... No peeking, and then scroll down for the response.
Candidate A is Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Candidate B is Winston Churchill.
Candidate C is Adolph Hitler.
And, by the way, on your answer to the abortion question:
If you said YES, you just killed Beethoven.
Pretty interesting isn't it?
Makes a person think before judging someone.
I don't particularly have a view either way on Margaret Thatcher's "achievements" but they raise some interesting comments. Most of the posts here deride the government for it's policies on welfare, but pre Thatcher, the mining and steel industries for example were indeed bankrupt and heavily state subsidised. Not good everyone said and supported Thatcher when she applied the rules of simple economics and shut them down. However, the shorter view on the economics of the industries led to severe suffering for the communities that relied 100% on the industries that disappeared. Welsh mining villages became desolate, folks moved out for work and the communities died a death. The state subsidises the jobless now whereas in those days they subsidised the industries that kept people working, proud and upright. Either way the state pays, and in some respects I prefer the latter, at least people had jobs and the term permanently unemployed didn't exist. Pros and cons either way. Chas is right, she had balls and that was a refreshing change that we probably won't see again in a political leader, certainly in my lifetime. On the community charge debate, I never understood why the personal tax was so high. At the time I was a house owner paying something like £250 a year on rates. When the poll tax came in, my household (ex wife and I) were paying over £200 each, almost double. As there were only two of us, the average household of something like 3.5 persons over 18 was paying more than £700. The revenue from the community charge compared with the old rates system must have sky-rocketed. No wonder there were riots. I always supported the change in principle, it had to be a fairer system, but I was always against the massive increase that almost all families faced. the only ones that benefited were the elderly and single persons living alone. Many of them were of course much better off especially the rich ones living in large houses in high rate rural areas. Again, conservatives looking after themselves... nothing really seems to change too much in real terms, does it?
PS. RIP Maggie, whatever people remember you for, you'll never be forgotten.
PS. RIP Maggie, whatever people remember you for, you'll never be forgotten.
Last edited:
I certainly mourn the passing of 'industry' as it was - it's where I began. Regardless of how and why it disappeared it was in fact a fantastic institution. A great learning place. But more than that, it was the starting point, in my view, for the UK economy. I have done some self learning on this over the years to try to convince myself otherwise, but I can't say I've truly changed my mind. At some point, I feel, someone has to create something that someone else wants; isn't that the basis of an economy? And has to be able to sell it for more than it cost them. So, people pulling fish from the sea or carrots from the earth, it all has to start somewhere. Industry then supports a plethora of other people like net makers, boat builders, tractor suppliers, hauliers etc etc. Plus and this I feel is really important, these manual jobs gave somewhere for the less 'academically gifted' we'll call them, to work. Many left school early and went down t'pit around here.
So without that - where do people go? Not even the Army now, really. Everyone has the opportunity to go to university - or so they seem to suggest in this politically correct era. Anything to keep them off the dole for a bit longer, hmm. So, my Uncle -in-law is an economics lecturer and he's telling me that this is nonsense and we can have an economy based on banking and brains. He's a knob. But anyway for a while it did seem as though we could. In fact we can in part and it's a decent part of the economy now that I understand it much better. But it was interesting to hear, over the last couple of days since MT's death, people saying "and as we all know, you can't run a country simply on banking and brains"
Oh that's good then. Truth is that the equivalent to industry now is the service sector. I was in my local McD the other day, it's a very small one, and I counted at least 20 employees in there. TWENTY! All in order to make a couple of burgers. Thing is, who are they going to hire when there's a queue of young people looking for work? Why wouldn't they pick the very best. I keep telling my lad who's off to Uni this year, that he'll need a degree just to serve fries in a bit. And as almost everyone will have one, he'd better have a good one and some other talents beside.
At least back then you had manual labour to fall back on.
If everyone works in banking, who's doing the real work?
It has me worried, I have to say.
C
So without that - where do people go? Not even the Army now, really. Everyone has the opportunity to go to university - or so they seem to suggest in this politically correct era. Anything to keep them off the dole for a bit longer, hmm. So, my Uncle -in-law is an economics lecturer and he's telling me that this is nonsense and we can have an economy based on banking and brains. He's a knob. But anyway for a while it did seem as though we could. In fact we can in part and it's a decent part of the economy now that I understand it much better. But it was interesting to hear, over the last couple of days since MT's death, people saying "and as we all know, you can't run a country simply on banking and brains"
Oh that's good then. Truth is that the equivalent to industry now is the service sector. I was in my local McD the other day, it's a very small one, and I counted at least 20 employees in there. TWENTY! All in order to make a couple of burgers. Thing is, who are they going to hire when there's a queue of young people looking for work? Why wouldn't they pick the very best. I keep telling my lad who's off to Uni this year, that he'll need a degree just to serve fries in a bit. And as almost everyone will have one, he'd better have a good one and some other talents beside.
At least back then you had manual labour to fall back on.
If everyone works in banking, who's doing the real work?
It has me worried, I have to say.
C
I hate London and I've always consciously avoided the place but I have to go there fairly regularly for meetings with lawyers in the City. Surprisingly, there's more beggars in the street there than I see here in Bucharest. There's little or no welfare here and it's not unusual to see a single young mum with babe dressed in rags or an elderly homeless woman or man touring the cars at the traffic lights for change. Last visit to London I dropped a 50p piece in the hand of a smelly dirty beggar bloke, who shouted after me "that's not even enough for a coffee" cheeky bastard! I felt like turning back to take it off him.
Here, if you give a beggar the equivalent of 50p, they would openly bless you with an Orthodox good will "thank you" and mean it. Through an interpreter, I once asked a young street kid (about 10 yo) what he would do with 20 lei if I gave it to him (equal to about £4). He looked shocked and a bit upset because he didn't believe I'd give so much. He said, I'd go across to the bakery over there and by half the shops' bread to take home to my sisters and mom. I gave him the money and he ran all the way, came out with his arms full of fresh bread, ran back across the road to me with tears in his eyes, thanked me and ran all the way home.
When it comes to monetary wealth, there are some extremely poor people here, but they are so rich in manners, gratitude and pride. They are richer by far than the slobs I see on the streets of London. Sorry London, but I'm ashamed to be British when I visit you.
In the other extreme, in Bucharest you'll see more Porsche Cayennes, Maebachs, Ferraris, Lambourginis and Mercedes AMGs and the like than in London, black money I'm afraid, from God knows who's misery they live off.
Here, if you give a beggar the equivalent of 50p, they would openly bless you with an Orthodox good will "thank you" and mean it. Through an interpreter, I once asked a young street kid (about 10 yo) what he would do with 20 lei if I gave it to him (equal to about £4). He looked shocked and a bit upset because he didn't believe I'd give so much. He said, I'd go across to the bakery over there and by half the shops' bread to take home to my sisters and mom. I gave him the money and he ran all the way, came out with his arms full of fresh bread, ran back across the road to me with tears in his eyes, thanked me and ran all the way home.
When it comes to monetary wealth, there are some extremely poor people here, but they are so rich in manners, gratitude and pride. They are richer by far than the slobs I see on the streets of London. Sorry London, but I'm ashamed to be British when I visit you.
In the other extreme, in Bucharest you'll see more Porsche Cayennes, Maebachs, Ferraris, Lambourginis and Mercedes AMGs and the like than in London, black money I'm afraid, from God knows who's misery they live off.
From Frank:
These are letters from a time when Britain ran the world. I found them when surveying a factory in 1980. There was an attic with millions of letters there. When I started in industry in 1965 little had changed and in the atmosphere in the factory where I worked you could sense the history. All gone now.
These are letters from a time when Britain ran the world. I found them when surveying a factory in 1980. There was an attic with millions of letters there. When I started in industry in 1965 little had changed and in the atmosphere in the factory where I worked you could sense the history. All gone now.
Crushers
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2011
- Messages
- 499
here it is common practice to pull out other locals should they be stuck.
mind you, i usually have someone with me. i always say "I'm not liable for any damages, agreed?" with in hearing of my passenger. as soon as they agree then out they come. if they won't agree then i won't risk it. i never expect anything for the effort.
in today's "sue sue sue" society you have to cover your butt.
at the same time, i never expect anything for free. especially from a business (big or small), they have to keep the doors open and if they give away time for free then sooner or later ... they won't be.
the cost did seem a bit high but then you didn't ask for free ... and, i am willing to gamble, you won't be referring others that expect cheap work to go to him. this will keep the freeloaders from wasting his time.
mind you, i usually have someone with me. i always say "I'm not liable for any damages, agreed?" with in hearing of my passenger. as soon as they agree then out they come. if they won't agree then i won't risk it. i never expect anything for the effort.
in today's "sue sue sue" society you have to cover your butt.
at the same time, i never expect anything for free. especially from a business (big or small), they have to keep the doors open and if they give away time for free then sooner or later ... they won't be.
the cost did seem a bit high but then you didn't ask for free ... and, i am willing to gamble, you won't be referring others that expect cheap work to go to him. this will keep the freeloaders from wasting his time.
