Andy Collins

Dean, that brought a tear to my eye, I think our generation did have it tougher than the current one. Clothes now are relatively cheaper, food is relatively cheaper. Schools are better, and in general the facilities for all are better. Yet still kids fall by the wayside, tempted to the "Dark side" for whatever reason. I am no saint, I have not been perfect, but I did see myself duplicating the worst of others at one point, and I stopped myself. I didn't need saving by religion, or anything else, but I have a good and strong wife who deserved better, and got it in me eventually, I just had to grow up a bit first. Kids aren't generally evil, though how they are treated can form how they develop and manifest itself in them later in adult life. They just need the correct form of guidance, somehow, but I don't know the answers.

I don't have time for all this "it's not their fault" brigade, of course it is, they choose their path in life, no-one else. My lads have both grown up in a council house, in a row of council houses. They both went to the local State schools for their education. The high school not being in the top of achievers. Both lads chose who they wished to hang around with, which group to be a part of. My oldest achieved all his gcses and A levels, then his degree, before starting his own business which is now respected through his own hard graft. The other lad did not achieve so well academically, but he knuckled down, spent his spare time working instead of being a bum, is now halfway through an apprenticeship with Honda, where he is constantly attaining 90%+ scores. Both lads know right from wrong, have good morals, but were not brought up in either a strict manner, nor a religious manner. They totally chose their own paths, as do teens everywhere. I cannot claim that I did a good job as a father, I didn't pass a test and get a bit of paper, but the end result is one to be proud of. There are many similar tales out there of our kids, probably many more than those of "bad" kids, it's just we don't hear the good in people. Perhaps a better investment of time and energy from more parents with their kids would be beneficial, but social and financial demands seem to take priority over kids needs.

Yep......fell em

We did a successful derail right of the topic of strikers and the like, and you go and spoil it Mark :

About 30x the weight of water

Lee sat at the back in English pinging elastic bands off the back of the kids in front heads, bless him

If he'd listened at school he wouldn't be cutting trees for a living now

And totally confuse the rest

People keep banging on about what a mess this country is in, yes it's not perfect, far from it. But we do have law and order, we do have a brilliant NHS, we have some of the best trained professionals in the worldin all aspects of business. Somehow we are still one of the richest countries in the world. Of course many things are far from perfect, no one pretends it is, but I'd rather live in this country than just about any other in the world right now. But then I'm English, and proud to be

So is a lie concealed with a smoke screen in actual fact the truth, cunningly disguised as an untruth to fool the unwary?

Good old wiki: The conversion factor for PETROL is .711 so 1 lt weighs .711kg Petrol, Density at 60 degree F 737.22 kg per cubic meter (Mass, Weight, Density or Specific Gravity of Liquids) One cubic meter equals 1000 liters (Liters to Cubic Meters converter) Petrol weight 1Litre = 0.711kg (at 60 deg F)

That'd be the old double bluff

If a litre weighs a kilo, then 42,000 litres should be 42 metric tonnes surely? Or am I mistaken?

I respect your opinion, however strikes will never achieve anything, except the alienation of the strikers from the populace. I cannot remember a time now when the strikers have had the overwhelming support of the general public. Usually striking means that we find a cheaper alternative elsewhere through necessity, then stick with that alternative because it's cheaper, then the strikers have no work to return to. Very effective that!

Ouch!

Another fine example of why unions should be removed from the face of this country. They are a blot on our economy, it's gone beyond supporting workers rights now. When something threatens the security or welfare of the country IMO it is treason. Ok we can't hang them high for that anymore, but it should instantly mean the armed forces take over supply routes to keep the country moving, protecting the greater community.

Little village garage nr me had queues yesterday, blocking the roads! Absolutely stupid, people falling for the hype! This is going to cripple the country at this rate. I heard some garages put up their prices by about 5p per litre to slow down sales, didn't work!! So now we've proved that a) we will pay as much as they want for fuel and b) just the mere mention of a strike and we will panic buy. How very clever, on behalf of the truck drivers, and how very stupid on behalf of the govt. Or was it? Was it just a ruse by them all along? So the garages hiked the prices by another 5p per litre, they will drop it by maybe 3p after the "crisis", yet we will still have yet another fuel price rise. Win win for the government coffers again

I'd like to compliment the OP on his willingness to work voluntarily to get some experience, but ditto what scotspines reply. I think these are tough times for new people coming into the trade, they are tough times for many experienced and many are having to cut back and reassess their own situation. All I can suggest is persistence, keep on trying and get your tickets in, eventually you will succeed.

Always a way around every problem, good on ya

Has the world gone totally insane? The mere threat of a fuel strike and people panic buy! By panic buying they are feeding the very frenzy they say they don't want. Couple that with the stupid government ministers making stupid statements as usual and we end up with a stupid situation. The tanker drivers don't even need to strike to win their argument, they just mention that they might and the whole nation goes into overdrive. Stupid stupid people. Wake up.

My rooting hormones aren't

Local colleges are churning out trainees left right and centre, over-populating an already over-populated area, we are at saturation point in this area. What realistic ideas they are given I have no idea, but expectations seem to exceed abilities. Thankfully, few make the grade and clear off elsewhere.

Worst ever year to date, due to health reasons of course.

Are you insane? Almost certainly anyone who wants to put themselves through the mill day in day out has to be! I would say, on top of your little list, add sickness and accident insurance policies, you never know what little things life will chuck in your way!

Best wishes Bob, went to see a client on Saturday who'd had his 3rd "rewire" in as many years, it'll be fine