It is tough NOW. So how are we coping

ceridwen

...and me I'm just wishing that energies that are devoted to conflict in the world were devoted to more peaceful ends.....I look at the Israelis....and, as I understand it, they know a lot about "making the desert bloom" and would probably have some very constructive suggestions to make about the state of play in Australia right now. I look at the Dutch - and they certainly know a thing or two about reclaiming land from the seas (though - thankfully - they seem to have "grown out" of conflict as a nation) - so would have a lot of useful input for those ****** builders intent on still building on flood plains in this country:mad: . Why the heck cant we learn from each others strengths?

....and, at a personal level, ooooh....I dont like the "sniping at" on other threads...so I think I'll find that "excitement" elsewhere.....'tis not my idea of how I want to spend my time....

geordie_joe

BB1984 wrote: »

As an engineer I can tell you that there are many people within the suffering construction industry who are very thankful for the Olympics and all it's associated construction work...!
BB

That'll be because they can use it as an excuse to hike up the cost.

Most of the money for the Olympics is going to useless things, like logo designers, advertising consultants, celebrities and builders who quadruple the cost of the work the day after the contract is signed.

If all that money had been put into building homes, schools, shops, hospitals etc. it would create a lot more work for good honest people, and not those who just see a chance of making a fast buck.

nannaC

You shall have a fishy on a little dishy when the boooooooaaaaaaaaaaaat comes home.

No NannaC's not lost her marbles its just I made my fav version of fish pie for tea [grumpy grumped all the way through eating his as fish is not a fav with him]. Its very simple and cheap to do. I use the cheapest frozen white fish [currently pollock at Mr A £1.61? for a big bag]. To serve 2, put 2 small pieces in pan with 1/2pint milk [I use powdered] heat gently, cook fish for 5 mins then put all into ovenproof dish, put 1oz plain flour 1oz butter/marg into the pan and make a roux, then gradually add the milk from the dish a bit at a time [leave fish in dish], I know this sounds fiddly but I do not use any more pans/dishes than really needed as I hate washing up, bring sauce slowly to the boil add a little mustard and pepper to taste. Pour over the fish leave to cool. Meanwhile peel some spuds about 1lb the amount can vary on how thick you like your topping, cut into small cubes boil until soft. drain water then mash spuds with little marg/milk/cream, I also add an egg as this makes the top all golden and crispy. When nice and fluffy put over the cooled fish/sauce. Bake in hot oven for 1/2 hour until golden. To make this really special you can add some prawns/finny haddock to the white fish.
Hugs to all who are going through difficult times at the moment with redundancies , my heart goes out to you all. As older OSers grumpy grandad and I have been there a few times, done that, and got several teeshirts, but we survived].
Watched those four bankers on telly today all appologising to the MP committee, I am sure I detected a smirk when they said, yes sir we are very sorry no sir we will not do it again, please have pity on us we too lost money on our shares, [bet a boiled sweet to a stick of rock that the shares were a perk of the job and not bought] :eek: . NONE of them offered to give back some of their millions though.

BB1984

geordie_joe wrote: »

That'll be because they can use it as an excuse to hike up the cost.

Most of the money for the Olympics is going to useless things, like logo designers, advertising consultants, celebrities and builders who quadruple the cost of the work the day after the contract is signed.

If all that money had been put into building homes, schools, shops, hospitals etc. it would create a lot more work for good honest people, and not those who just see a chance of making a fast buck.

I'm not one to start an argument (honest guv!) but it's not the engineers, builders, labourers, plumbers and electricians that are "making a fast buck" - they're just being paid their normal wage/salary. I totally agree that a lot of money is being wasted on logos etc, but that's common to a lot of projects (including hospitals, schools and especially housing ) - it's not particular to the Olympics. I'm not saying that makes it ok, just that there will always be some people making disproportionate money at others' expense. However, you can't escape the fact that many engineers/builders/plumbers etc etc will be in work due to the Olympics, who might otherwise not be.

BB

geordie_joe

BB1984 wrote: »

I'm not one to start an argument (honest guv!)
BB

Me neither, I agree with you. I wasn't attacking the ordinary working man/woman, but the companies they work for and all those people who just see projects like this as a means to screw as much money as possible out of those who are paying.

I know it goes on on other projects too, I used to be a finance officer for a government department and it used to drive me crazy the way we were ripped off.

But what really drove me crazy was the civil servants who didn't care and just paid whatever they were asked to pay even though they knew we were being ripped off big time.

Hardup_Hester

My DD works for a bank, she's not very well paid but works hard, meets her targets & her quarterly bonus means she gets a better wage yearly, she was told earlier this month that the bonuses will not be paid, despite the fact that they are written into her contract. The bank are blaming 'the government' but the big bosses are still getting their bonuses as they are 'written in to their contract'.
It's a good job she realises that lifes not fair.
Hugs Hester

ceridwen

nannaC wrote: »

Hugs to all who are going through difficult times at the moment with redundancies , my heart goes out to you all. As older OSers grumpy grandad and I have been there a few times, done that, and got several teeshirts, but we survived].
Watched those four bankers on telly today all appologising to the MP committee, I am sure I detected a smirk when they said, yes sir we are very sorry no sir we will not do it again, please have pity on us we too lost money on our shares, [bet a boiled sweet to a stick of rock that the shares were a perk of the job and not bought] :eek: . NONE of them offered to give back some of their millions though.

Quite! NannaC - words come very cheap - most people would say any number of any words wanted if it would save them large amounts of money. Sometimes the word "sorry" comes with a cheque attached to it - ie to make good the financial losses one has caused someone to have. The concept of personal responsibility is obviously something that is totally lost on people like this. I know, I know that the reason banks have given for bankers getting huge bonuses still is that "the agreed contract says its due". I do understand the point they are making - ie that an agreement has been made and should be honoured - but <cough> a lot of "yer ordinary people in the street" have got agreements made with THEIR employers - but those agreements arent being honoured - they're being pushed into short-time working or made redundant (and maybe not even getting notice pay/holiday pay/redundancy pay they are due for in the process!!!). If there's one big lesson that needs to be learnt in a lot of lives its the concept of personal responsibility - I only woke up this morning thinking about the fires in Australia right now and I quite agree that those responsible for deliberately starting some of them should be had up for manslaughter or murder - those were wicked actions on their part to do that - and I then fell to thinking that I would probably have been burnt to death myself years ago because of the irresponsible actions of one person (except that I wasnt in the wrong place at the wrong time - which is how come I am safe) - several other people did die because of this person (but I dont recall noticing that he got tried for manslaughter - in fact I know he didnt - he got away with it....on the face of it.......).

Don't some people ever stop and think of the impact of their actions?

Pitlanepiglet

Sorry to hear about your daughter's bonus Hester, at least with the government having bailed the bank out she has still got a job, there are lots of people who would love to be in her position I'm sure.

I don't understand why the Govt didn't insist on the suspension of bonuses as a condition of the bail out.

The firm I work for has just allowed me to avoid redundancy by transferring to a different department. I've taken a 20% pay cut in the process although I get a bit of compensation to balance out until August. I can't tell you how relieved I am to be "safe" for the next year or so and my heart goes out to those that are facing redundancy. OH was made redundant 4 years ago and it's taken us that long to get back on our feet and to be facing it again just ripped me apart.

As for the Olympics, it's a forthcoming Olympic project that is keeping my old department in work, they are keeping some people for the next six months or so as they have to be in a position to service the project when it comes online at the end of this year. IMO the Olympics is the only thing that is going to power us out of this recession so whilst it is a vast amount of money I think it might be the turning point in our economy.

<<<<hugs to all who are suffering>>>>

ceridwen

Hardup_Hester wrote: »

My DD works for a bank, she's not very well paid but works hard, meets her targets & her quarterly bonus means she gets a better wage yearly, she was told earlier this month that the bonuses will not be paid, despite the fact that they are written into her contract. The bank are blaming 'the government' but the big bosses are still getting their bonuses as they are 'written in to their contract'.
It's a good job she realises that lifes not fair.
Hugs Hester

Gawd! Then they're not even showing a bit of consistency in the application of that particular "rule" then....sorry to hear that Hester. In that case - how can the Government let the banks get away with this - when they're only sticking to the "bonus rule" for the higher-paid staff? Surely the Govt has got those banks "bang to rights" now and can insist that the higher-paid staff dont get those huge bonuses - if they point that fact out?

Well past time for nationalising the banks totally methinks....

ceridwen

Pitlanepiglet wrote: »

I don't understand why the Govt didn't insist on the suspension of bonuses as a condition of the bail out.

<<<<hugs to all who are suffering>>>>

QUITE agree!:T