Scotland's Navy

[Keith at Tregenna]

Just got XMAS greetings from rellies in Kinsale, Eire: K

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[Red Lead Ted]

Keith I will follow on regarding your prompt payment of benefit cheque or none payment of benefit cheques would be more appropriate.Many people perceive people who attend food banks as the "something for nothing brigade" without realy knowing the history of each individual that is there for the food "hand out".Incidently people are allowed three voucher only,having said that many only use one to get them over the situation that they find themselves in.
Here is a little exercise I wont tell you the outcome but I would like anyone who has been interested in food banks and the people who attend them to tell me what they think the outcome would be.
This is my grandson,has attended college, class and benchwork and out on site from leaving school for two years.Got a great job and was turning to at 7am instead of 8am for an hours overtime,lived a distance from the factory so had to be up very early in the morning.Orders dried up so had to be laid off.Back to college further education in the contruction industry.100% attendance 100% punctuality and 100% or near enough marks for subjects taken.What work experience does he need,he already has it.So attends the Job Centre from college and is told that he must go and work in a YMCA Charity shop for a month for work experience,dont forget its for your benefit only.The week he had to go there he had applied for jobs,he had two interviews to attend on the Monday and a further one on the Wednesday.The question is, if this was you would you go for the interviews or would you go and work in the YMCA Charity shop?If you did attend the interviews didn't get the jobs what would you expect the next time that you attended the job centre.
Regards.
Jim.B.

I would have answered the question for you Jim, I myself have had a busy day and not been online, They are the perfect example the people that the Methodist church on Seaforth road help out. I have seen young men and woman with kids in there 30s and 40s reduced to tears through sanctions. Which is not the only reason imposed on them unlike your unfortunate grandson experienced. I myself when this was introduced by this government and the last labour government.I Had been in hospital for surgery following a hospital blunder after having a steel cage removed from my lower leg and got a letter to attend an interview at the job centre I still have the letter its 3 years old but I throw nothing from D.W.P. Away you never know when you need to refer back to it as proof. Cut a long story short I was diagnosed with Chronic Osteomyelitis by my orphopedic surgeon, Which is a life long condition no cure and I am one of the unfortunate 1% who cop for it after having a steel fixation fitted. My appointment was on my birthday 17th march that's how I cant forget it. I rang the jobcentre after being discharged on the 15 of March to explain there was know way I could attend. I cant mention names but I could put her name on this forum but wont, Her words to me were if you don't attend this interview on the 17th of March I will personally see to it your money will be stopped. I attended the interview in a size 15 slipper on my left foot as my ankle bone was that swollen, I couldn;t have got a letter from the surgeons secretary in time before the interview and the jobcentre refused to contact the hospital. As I walked in on 2 sticks and my foot in bandages I shouted out her name in a full house I have an interview with her. Everyone in the place looked in amazement at me in this size 15 slipper and on 2 sticks. She was stood at a little podium type thing. Yes over here she said, Not possible dear I need to sit, Stuttering she asked security to assist me into a private room, I would rather do it here as you requested, To which I took my video camera out of its bag and placed it on the podium running what can I do for you Miss ........... I was in there 10 minutes came away with an un reserved apology taxi fare in cash for the return journey everything on tape which I still have. And a very red faced Miss............ in my wake. That's the problem everything is black and white with those people who work there which you can only blame the last 2 governments for. If I hadn't attended the interview I would have been sanctioned, This was over 3 years ago know, But the stories I have and no doubt you have been told are unbelievable regarding sanctions my heart goes out to your grandson I meet kids like him all the time. The problem is he has a family like yourself who will support him a lot of these kids don't. That is the reason I took up with Tommy ex seaman I will email you his name he will know you, and you him, We do what we can as far as the food bank goes you are correct in what you say regarding food hand outs. Having said that with my sister in law about to retire from a school meal lady. They know the kids who are fed 3 times a day and those who get lets say as much as they can eat during there lunch hour which helps and believe me mate there are very few drug addicts or alcoholic parents involved and quite a few are in full time work. Regards Jim good luck to your grandson Terry.

[j.sabourn]

Re. Food and hungry kids, most of us more or less survived on fry bread and such, nowadays the experts say this is a no no. The reason why we are such a nation of obese people is that we all eat too much. The dieticians and such make a good living by telling us what and not to eat. For those brought up in the war years a good example of this is the longevity of some of us still being here. The same as exercise, should imagine more joggers have heart problems than most. Finally there is more nutrition in a glass of beer than a lot of other foods. That's my excuse to wife and I'm sticking by it. JS

[Red Lead Ted]

John, These experts on what to eat and what not, All have there own opinions my missis has been following a girl on early morning T.V. Who rejects everything regarding eggs butter most farm products that are suppose to be killing people early in life. And although we are both excellent cooks ourselves we have tried out some of these meals and they are brilliant not anything I have ever tried and both cheap and simple. I say listen to your body. If it feels right eat it. If it makes you ill don't simple. But I must say I still at least 4 times a week have a {Pan Of Scouse} Or a good old pea whack soup made with a pigs trotter split peas and any veg you can get your hands on you cant beat it. Terry.

[Red Lead Ted]

Jim, i would hate to be young and looking for a job, absolutely soul destroying. I have said on other posts here, we came from a generation on the crest of a wave, plenty of work, a large merchant fleet etc, so we were very lucky. All my previous post was to say that we have lost a lot of the cooking skills, and ability to create meals from leftovers etc. I have a lovely daughter in law, very good wife, but is afraid of cooking, and comes from the generation of *ping cruisine*, ie micro wave meals, but as i said she works full time like a load of other wives. This situation your grandson is in has been running for some time, i remember work exoerience, just an excuse to give people work for little money, KT

Keith, After putting the wheel amidships in 1980, { All Gone } I got a job in Forge St of Derby Road Metal Polishing, I didn't have a bloody clue what I was doing but was lucky enough to be put on a machine that you ran copper tubes through that were later chrome plated, After watching the metal polishers closely I picked it up and became a dab hand. After that closed down I worked on building sites all over London, Harrow, West Hampstead, City Centre, I was earning £80 a shift in 1983 to 1988, When that finished my old man got me a job on the local railway on the northern line as a train guard, Bloody hated it. So decided to go on the work experience myself I had a head start because before I went to Gravesend I was serving my time as a painter and decorator with the local council, That only lasted a few months then off to sea. But while I was on work experience we would go into single parent family's and local pensioners houses and do a room for them, Which we got a weekly wage for not a tenner on your dole. Cut a long story short I was working with a guy who was the business when it came to paper hanging, He once said to me you can buy any floor covering and get free fitting, You wont get that offer in this game that got me thinking there would always be a call for this job, So I wanted to be as good as him worked at it and did become as good as him. I read a piece in the local paper a few years later that he had won the decorator of the year award in the North West. That made my mind up, I walked into Nobles Bank Hall decorators yard one day and applied for a job, I got a phone call one Friday they asked me to make my way to the Crest Hotel the back of Lime St station L,Pool. Meet up with George he will show you what we want that day. It was a room in the Hotel you had a day to sling it or paper it which I did. I never looked back and would still be at it until I am 67 if I hadn't had been involved in a R.T.A. In a taxi and smashed my tibia and fibula bone to bits. What I am saying is this when a young lad gets an interview for a job these days the first thing they ask is what work experience do you have, If they cant get a start on the ladder they will never get experience. Yes we certainly had the best of it I agree work for all. Then again we never had 250.000 a year cheap migrants to contend with. And we were backed by a union in whatever job, To any young lad these days I would say GO WEST!!!!!!!!!!! Young Man you are Terry.

[Roger Dyer]

.............would you please explain the "preferential voting" system . For the life of me I cannot understand how someone with such low voter appreciation could possible win an election.
Thanks in advance, Rodney

Hi Rodney,

Sometimes, it seems we in Australia spend half our waking moments inside a 'polling booth. For all
Australian residents eligible to do so, it is compulsory to register to vote in all Federal, State and Local Government elections, with the exception of Sth. Australia, W.A. and Tasmania wherein Local Gov.elections ar not compulsory (lucky b-gg-rs). On 'Polling Day' as a prospective voter, you are required to attend your nearest polling booth and register your attendance there.. Your name will be checked against the 'electoral roll' and recorded. At this point your obligation as a 'voter' has been carried out. Those wishing to vote will be handed two ballot papers. The first (which resembles a long strip of toilet-paper - Pixies,for the use of) contains a list of all local candidates seeking election to the 'Lower House' (The House of Representatives). The smaller paper lists the names of candidates seeking election to the 'Upper House' (Senate). The name of each candidate is then required to be numbered in order of personal preference or as recommended by the party ticket of your choice. There are variations to this procedure for absentees (those local residents who with
good reason are not physically able to attend e.g. persons currently abroad, etc).

Whilst I could give you an explanation of what occurs on 'Polling Day', Rod, I think it better if I refer you to the following link -Voting system - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - which will explain it far better than I ever could. For what it's worth I believe the 'preferential voting' system, as applied here in Australia, was born of sound democratic principle, but in practice it is a 'dog's breakfast' and unsafe, as the recent election of Ricky Muir and the obtuse, less than delectable, Jacqui Lambie, will testify. Not for a very long time have I seen two persons less suited for political office than these two. However, we live in a democracy (thank goodness) and as such must accept the chaff with the wheat, but it does make one wonder about the intelligence of some voters.

...............Roger

[j.sabourn]

#115... Terry you did well to get 80 pounds a shift. The year that you mention some British seafarers in the so called high earning sector of the North Sea were on 23 pounds a day. Some of the cheaper outfits believe it or not were on 18 pounds a day. The oil Companies and such when they come out with their various statements are as bad as politicians. The 18 pound a day companies gave 3 days paid leave after 4 to 5 weeks, and was either back to sea or on the dole. Most had too much pride to go on the dole. A total different generation than what we have at present by the looks of it. At the time I was well off by some standards as was on 31 pounds a day and a weeks leave after 4 away. JS

[happy daze john in oz]

Rodney and Roger, there may be hope for us yet. Bosth sides of feral parliament, or should I say the asylum in which the lunatics arte in charge, have decided there must be a change to the preferential voting system. Labor are more in favor as it is their votes mainly that go to the Greens. If it is changed then it will flow to all state elections as well. With the current dogs breakfast in the senate both sides now realise it just no longer works.

But to add insulkt to injury a long time ,30 year, senator is to retire in January and will be replaced by an ex Union boss, now why am I not shocked at this?? Yes Rodney when a senator leaves like this there is no need for a by election, odd, bloody well odd if you ask me.

But here in Victoria we havea strike by the dockers, oh mercy me what is new there, obviously they have been swating up on the hsitory books.
The president of the Trade Union movement here in Victoria, each state has it's own, has said this is very unfair. The ownesr want to cut out penalty rates and som eof our members need this to feed their family or pay bills. Well if you need such rates to exist you are living way beyond your means.

Now for those of you who do not understand penalty rates let me explain.
Normal time Mon to Fri and unless you are on an enterprize agreement thta is anormal week. If you work weekends you will get penalty rates
but in many cases it is killing industry. For example a winger in a restaurant who works Sunday must be paid 2.5 times normal and in many cases this would be as high as $70 per hour. So a number now no longer open Sunday. The union appears to have forgotten that the world is now a 24/7 society with so many forms of business on the go all the time. But the unions want rediculous rates of pay for som eof the hours.
Result, many companies have now moved off shore where they can get cheaper labour. But the end result is that any wage cost is passed on to the consumer, many of whom now buy on line for a much cheaper rate even after postage is paid.

So where to now, the breakers ayrd if we continue on this path.

[Roger Dyer]

John (Happy Daze),

While I see merit in much of what you say, mate, I would hate to see us return to a time when the Barons of Industry and Big Business where allowed to operate with minimal governmental oversight. A time when fortunes were made from the toil of underpaid, underprivileged and (very often) undernourished employees. A time when most employers gave little real consideration for the welfare of those they employed. There were, of course, instances where the very opposite was true and a lucky few enjoyed the beneficence of wise and enlightened men and women who employed them. Unfortunately, such people were 'thin on the ground' and but for the rise of trade unionism most working men might never have had the time or incentive to stop and smell the roses. It's a shame, but somewhere along the way there were unions who became excessively demanding and by their seeming eagerness to call for strike action (which often inconvenienced the general public), much of the moral support they had once enjoyed slowly ebbed away. Nowadays, talk of unions will usually draw a negative response....perhaps they have themselves to blame for that.

Now, increasingly, we hear of unscrupulous employees who make a very healthy profit from the manipulation of others who for their labour receive minimal reward. Some see noble purpose in the policy of companies such as MacDonald's who, mostly, employ youngsters, some still at school (like my own granddaughter) or others in their late teens. Some applaud the opportunity this gives to youngsters who might otherwise find employment hard to obtain, yet others view the practice as another blatant example of exploitation. Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in between, I don't know, it depends on ones perception I suppose.

...............Roger

[Captain Kong]

When I was in the Gulf on Sea Island, I had my left leg crushed between the platform and the dolphin. I was taken ashore by boat, and left on a jetty at 2 am . I saw my ship sail past outward bound for Singapore. Attacked by huge rats, fighting them off with a broom. them taken by taxi for an six hour ride to Al Khobar to a rat and cockroach infected hospital. By this time I had lost a lot of blood. The doctor told me he was going to autate my leg and gave me a paper in Arabic to sign. I refused, I told him to just patch it up and I would fly to England and have it done there.
I asked for some morphine to kill the pain, He was crunching the bones together pulling what flesh was left over it. I was screaming in Pain. He says , " What's the matter for you, you big tough guy American, " I had to scream with an American accent, so he would not think the British were soft.
I got the Agent to get me on the first plane out of Dhahran. I went to the hospital in Bolton and they sorted out the bones but not a lot of flesh, a lot of the bones were exposed and would take a long tong time to grow over it.
I applied for sickness benefit. and they called me in to the Office, Only three flights up stairs, no lifts, it took me half an hour to climb those stairs an crutches.
Two so called doctors said they would examine the leg and took off the dressing, the bones were shining white uncovered by flesh. They just said
"You are fit to work, " I said "I cannot walk" they said , "You can get a job sat at a desk" and threw me out, No money,
I had to walk half a mile on me crutches to the hospital to have my leg dressed again. I was out of work for nine months without any sick pay before the hospital would clear me for sea going again.
There are a lot of evil bastards in those offices.
So next time it happened I wrote to Maggie Thatcher and she got my money back with back pay.
So I always tell people in those circumstances to go to the very top. Write to the PM he is head of the Civil Service, he has to do something or you go to the papers.
Cheers
Brian.