difflock

As an ex lifetime local Government supervisor=lower middle management. Kevin is absolutly correct in his statement, except for the limited annual increments within the fixed pay scales, unless more "caring" employers finagled a bonus scheme. The unfortunate crux is the virtual unsackability of poor or untrainable employees, who taint all those around them. And the box ticking culture that promotes the *wrong types to senior levels. So, classically we end up with the proven Soviet model; "You pretend to work, and we will pretend to pay you" *wrong meaning those who "fit in" ,keep their paperwork trails correct, always spend all their budget, and never admit to getting it wrong, however dysfunctional & unproductive their organisation clearly is. proper "Battleship Ptomkin" stuff. mth

Jacob Rees Mogg's is my kinda Politican, fiercely intelligent, well educated and informed, a good communicator, funny bytimes and reasonably self-depreceating. He is also proudly British/English, with no time for petulent scheming Eurocrat wannabe overlords. Unlike many feminist and labour upstart brainless nobodies, or indeed that wee git Bercow. mth

Yer a namedropping showoff Kevin , like I was admiring a Sage £1,000.00 espresso machine recently:001_rolleyes: But I understand their may well be a good, i.e. good Design and Engineering reason for the Sage retail prices Our machine is only a "Magimix", which is OK, but requires constant vigilence or it busts the securing tabs/lugs, which are an integral part of the sealed motor unit, almost the instant the icecream starts to thicken, but long before it is solid enough to serve, i.e. it needs time in the freezer. P.S. I actually probably still rather have Hagen Daaz, their vanilla, strawberry or coffee flavours anyway, though SM has just started using a very good American recipice, using nowt but cream, milk, sugar and fruit, and a splash of Sloe Gin to ensure soft scooping ex. freezer. I am determined to prefect Guinness flavoured ice cream btw!

Before I fall alseep this sunny Sunday afternoon ('n ah hafta wait until the icecream maker finishes another batch of supberb Strawberry icecream, from our own Strawberries, natch) post pub Guinness and a nice lunch. Anyway in a pub in Innishowen yesterday for lunch (a fresh seafood platter and very good) I could not help noticing that the old vintage bicycle, with cable brakes, hanging from the ceiling was therefore newer than the bicycle I rallied round on as a teenager, which had bar linkage brakes. The publican, much of an age with myself, admitted he had not "twigged", and could only agree, as he too remembered bar linkage brakes. FFS! What is the world coming to. mth

Indeed, I paid more in PAYE(on about 25k gross ), than a "self-employed" welder cousin did, in a YEAR, even though he was full time employed, by the same firm, for years. Also aware that that loophole/oversight has long since been done away with. But in his case "everything" was tax deductible, pickup, clothes, tools etc etc. Plus aware of the tax breaks=subsidized motoring costs, for starters, enjoyed by most farmers. cheers Marcus

Oddly enough I find little difficulty in recognising and discounting the "fake" news and "fanboy" accounts, from factual material, though obviously I would be susceptible to a well crafted document based on a factual skeleton, with spurious info carefully woven in. Though Wikipedia (and other reasonably independant sources) provide a factual backdrop. Anyway, if I require "insider" info I will merely ask our bridesmaid, and a life long friend, to ask her younger brother, who is a high flying Exec with Royal Dutch Shell. P.S. And for Aeronautical insight I got a contact inside Europe's areospace oversight committee(he left a "high flying" British Aerospace, or Rolls Royce job, for an even more cushy job in this Quango) As in a bloke born in NI who did "A" Levels in NI, then went to Toulouse to study Aeronautical Engineering, in French, nowt like doing things the hard way. cheers mth

But perhaps those lacking a detailed knowledge, said knowledge gained through working some esoteric aspect of any exploitative industry, can have a better holistic understanding of the industry, as a whole, through reading and sageful dispassionate insight. I.e. those working too close to the coalface often cannot see the wood for the trees. So to speak. mth

I was watching a few youtube clips of drilling rig operations, and accidents. FFS! Arduous unrelenting physically demanding work, in a confined space, with apparently, a high risk of getting mangled, maimed or killed. I realize they do not show the periods spent standing about, while the fresh length of drill string is getting drilled in. but nonetheless. mth

Or mine! yet:001_huh:

Since the Yanks bought wood by the cord, the "entrepreneurial" woodcutters would, if possible stack the wood they split around a hollow centre, which left the perfect hiding place for a slave or indeed any lowly paid servant to hide & doze the day away. Hence the expression, or so I understand.

Never mind the, as yet untapped Falklands oil reserves, never never never mind the potential even furthur south .. .. .. P.S. Technology, including AI Robotics will make smaller, more difficult to access reserves financially viable to exploit, and allow for the more efficient scouring of previously depleted fields.

All of our dogs are neutered, but if you are prepared to put up with his wanderings, AND he always returns(whether led by his balls, or not?) Meh, Or "Suck it and see" A lovely looking dog btw. mth

For me, just back from another 200 mile jaunt to Malin Head and back, stopping for a long lunch. "Bring it on" The self driving bit, even if only practical on "A" roads,(at first) at least the humdrum motoring to get there could be more relaxing, AND if it becomes practical on the scenic bits of road/track,even better, I can then rubberneck better. N.B. Some of the L12345 =local roads in the ROI will be a proper challenge for a self driving car!

Gonna need fornicating big batteries to get a 747 airborne mind.

The only specific I quoted was Saville, I totally agree it was wrong that it took so long to get to the bottom of the Police wrongdoing at Hillsborough,(though whether better Police planning could entirely have prevented deaths or a disaster is a moot point?, bearing in mind supporter violence at football matches at that time) I too was appalled, but hardly surprised re the Rotherham sex abuse scandal. And I dont doubt the Thatcher backed Police attitude to the miners, in which I might add, as a non Scargill following bolshie miner supporter, Mrs. T had my wholehearted support, and I not unreasonably suspect there were many others of the same mind. etc etc etc But I still think we risk loosing any hope of finding the absolute truth, however distasteful or unpalatable it may be to some who were, or were related to, or knew persons directly involved, due to the media led lynch-mob court of hysterical public opinion. fact Like my father knew an old country gent, well into his seventies, who got a badly bust arm as a result of a well-weilded RUC baton the time of our Duncree protest. His reaction? I should have known better, than to be there, so he sucked it up and said no more. End of.

Except that any Public Enquiry, in todays society of permenant dissaffection, and absolute refusal to accept any responsibility for ones own misfortunes. Cannot work, nor certainly not please all "sides". And I cite our very own, and badly abused Saville enquiry. mth PS The parents behavouir in the Charlie Gard case was another facet of our "blame" sombody else culture, if they had of had any feelings for the wee tot, they would gladly have let it "slip away", instead of courting publicity/milking it for all it was worth, and for whose ends?, certainly not the tots, in my experienced cynical opinion.

At the time I could only figger barstardchops Brown, sold the UK Gold cheap, to help nobble the £ Stirling's value, against the Euro, to make "their" machinations to get us to join the Euro easier?

I like yer tyres Sur!

Working on canal gates perhaps, using/working with Ironwood perhaps?

Possibly?

Capped, or on a decreasing scale, after say 3 no, then capped, to keep it open ended is as feckless an approach as the breeders who avail of it. tough.

Actually, and inevitably and unfortunately the genuinely "poor" effectively target themselves, through either being unable to know how to claim, or so feckless with the monies that they DO get, that it can never be enough. While the savvy benefit claiming underclass are up to all the dodges and know how to maximize their, more than generous, claims. Tough, but that is life in all its manifest variety. And, despite regarding the Bible with a deal o healthy scepticism, there is a lot of soundly observed wisdom, regarding the foibles of human nature contained therein; such as "the poor will always be with us", as indeed they will, regardless of funds, however generous or unlimited, directed towards their welfare, and for the forseeable future. cheers mth

Ye know whut, hit werks better after a pint o Guinness Sur! So! The Peach tree is hiding directly ahindt the Left Hand Door pillar, the swinging side i.e. tother side fray the handle, beside/below the switches. EDIT (i) Bill 'n Ben are coming back in July to finish off. (ii) Should be surfaced later this year, since I couldnay surface finish until I was done importing a few thou tonne o hardfill up the front lane/ave. cheers MtH

Oh Er Mrs. that whatchamacallit looks wile handy Rob, ah wile pity ah dony actually need one o them. cheers mth

Well she sure is a peach as well, plenty o action photos on Facebook too. PS This bloody computer as decided to update itsel and no longer recognise my wee Sony camera, gerrr!