How to Get Through The Tough Times The Old Style Way.

mrswive

Had a great OS day today; the weather has been fantastic (sorry Mardatha!) so have done loads in the garden.
OH was given 2 butternut squashes yesterday so I've made my favourite pasta sauce, enough for tomorrow and the freezer, and a spicy soup, which I haven't done before, and has turned out really well.
We did a Waitrose 'bargain run' this evening and got some lovely goats cheese and some ham, both for 19p per 100g, 4 organic pork burgers for 95p and loads of bread - I'm making a bread pudding tomorrow;my friend at work was asking for the recipe the other day as she hasn't had bread pud for years, so I thought I'd make one to take in on Friday as well as the recipe.
PS. my DGD is a redhead - no-one knows where that came from! DD has the full set, as well as the redhead she has a brown-haired boy and a white-blonde boy

HariboJunkie

Primrose wrote: »

We really need a public campaign to "name and shame" these people. Splash their names and photos across the front of some of the newspapers, including the local ones so all their neighbours can find out what petty little tyrants are living in their street. Sadly all that seems to happens to them is that they negotiate nice redundancy or early retirement deals with a big fat pension.

There are two sides to this story.

The Foreign office is saying that

"the team did not have logistical, transport or language support and the Japanese government had made it clear they could not supply it."

....while the team say;

"We have been doing this for a long time. We had permission from the country, we had a translator, we had sourced vehicles, we are completely self-sufficient. We had registered with the UN. All we needed was a piece of A4 paper to continue, and we couldn't get it,"

I suppose it just depends which one you choose to believe. I would prefer to have all the facts before naming or shaming anyone.

Full BBC coverage here.

mardatha

My husband's cousin used to be in that group. He is a fireman. They went all over the world to many disasters and were fully organised and competent.

lostinrates

Tips for poor dh stuck in tough times at work? He left here at 6:30 yesterday for his office, and is still there now looking at the second all nighter in a row. He gets food at work, good food, but he no longer keeps a sleeping bag there. I think he should again, and some uber casual clothes....one step up from pjs...being tired seems worse in ''proper'' clothes to me. He has a fresh smelling showergel and is ff for a quick shower but he's flagging tonight. Any other long hours office workers got survival items/tips?

ceridwen

mardatha wrote: »

My husband's cousin used to be in that group. He is a fireman. They went all over the world to many disasters and were fully organised and competent.

Thank you Mardatha.

The article points out it was the 32nd World disaster this group of people had gone to assist in - one assumes they've learnt long ago what is likely to be involved in helping assist with these disasters. I expect they've added "what to do in the event of being stymied by a missing bit of paper" onto their "how-to" list now.

I would imagine a list of foreign embassies - headed by the American ones might be a useful "tool" to have in those circumstances in case the same thing happens again??

-There must be some sort of reciprocal arrangements between Western embassies to help each others citizens out if their "own" embassy isnt functional for some reason - so maybe this sort of provision could be "spun around" by any team of rescuers in a situation like this in future? -

Maybe another way round getting stymied like this in future would be to have one foreign national (with appropriate useful skills of course!) with them and the "foreign national" would maybe be able to go through "their" embassy if the British one wouldnt provide the "bit of paper" required.

- Greenpeace send mixed nationality teams out onto the seas for things like blocking whaling ships and the like. Maybe a few Greenpeace "brains could be picked" as to the ways and means of having a mixed nationality team being more useful than sending people from just one nationality (hmm....that one useful "foreign national" coupled with Greenpeace how-to hints on using a multinational team to help in situations....hmmm......goes off pondering......).

- maybe Medicins San Frontieres might be a useful "how to get around missing bits of paper" contact? (French-based organisation - dont know how many other foreign nationals get involved with them?). Found 'em:

www.msf.org.uk/

ceridwen

lostinrates wrote: »

Tips for poor dh stuck in tough times at work? He left here at 6:30 yesterday for his office, and is still there now looking at the second all nighter in a row. He gets food at work, good food, but he no longer keeps a sleeping bag there. I think he should again, and some uber casual clothes....one step up from pjs...being tired seems worse in ''proper'' clothes to me. He has a fresh smelling showergel and is ff for a quick shower but he's flagging tonight. Any other long hours office workers got survival items/tips?

Megawd!

Sorrees - maybe you've put in your posts as to why these all-nighters are happening and I've missed it somehows.

So - my first question is why are the all-nighters happening?

redlady_1

Oh Gawd, the mortage valuer is turning up today! I am really flipping nervous as I really need to remortgage at this new rate. £173 saving though would be spent on diesel. I am asking for some divine intervention to help me out here!

Charis

ceridwen wrote: »

Thank you Mardatha.

The article points out it was the 32nd World disaster this group of people had gone to assist in - one assumes they've learnt long ago what is likely to be involved in helping assist with these disasters.

This would be almost unique as they were planning to go to an area with high risk from nuclear fallout and possible further tremors, hence higher than normal (and completely unpredictable) risk to the rescuers. There has never been a disaster quite like this one. One can never be sure if the host country are playing down the risks for fear of public panic.

If the embassy had approved their stay they would have been liable for the consequences of that decision. It might also have been a good idea for the team to have taken more than one translator with them, for their own safety as much as anything.

One silver lining to all this is that several countries have called a temporary halt to their nuclear building programmes. I was surprised to see that China is one of them. Even if they all recommence eventually, they will be built in the full knowledge of the events in Japan, so hopefully with more safety measures that actually work in an emergency. Meanwhile the alternatives will be more attractive than ever. Maybe we will go back to the old style alternatives - wind and water power - but with newer technology.

ceridwen

Valid points Charis. I tend to think humanitarian considerations should have come first though - and not a "protect own backs" 'fiasco'.

Long back I read this book on "enlightened self-interest". Cant recall the name - but the basic premise was "to do the right thing - because ultimately it would be the right thing for YOU as well" as I recall. In this case "doing the right thing" - ie not having a "piece of paper fiasco" would have resulted in goodwill/gratefulness for the help from the Japanese government. Many British people are still "reaping the benefits" all these years later of the Dutch being grateful for British food aid at the time of the 2nd World War (its well-known that the Dutch tend to like the British and will often put themselves out to help us when we are on holiday there). Instead - the effect of this "piece of paper" fiasco is further distrust of the British Government by other Governments and by its own citizens.

Surely all the Embassy had to do was get the team to sign a "bit of paper" saying "We are doing this at our own risk"? One doesnt join a rescue team like that unless you're pretty darn hardy and prepared to take personal risks for the sake of helping others out.

Say the Embassy had provided the "bit of paper" and things HAD gone wrong for the rescuers? Then what would be the "worst case analysis"? Just how much would be due in compensation to them - and who from? I cannot imagine there would be that much compensation due to people who had voluntarily chosen to put themselves in such a dangerous situation anyway (rather than having been forced to go into it against their will).

I still think the "piece of paper" should have been provided - rather than trying to find excuses not to do so.

I would be willing to bet the Embassy COULD have cobbled together a "Sign here that its at your own risk" AND "we'll give you that piece of paper" strategy.:cool:

I do honestly think for future such occasions (and there are more coming.....) that these teams need to work out how to "get round/under/over/straight through if need be" to deal with this particular type of problem from the British Embassy. I imagine "not providing the relevant bit of paper" has likely become the policy now for British Embassies in the World and wasnt just something this particular Embassy did off its own bat...Hopefully it was just one particular Embassy wishing to "protect ITS own back" and won't be common policy now for British Embassies. However - it would be wise for rescue organisations to work out a coping strategy - just in case they all have this policy now.

Hence - my wondering whether a Foreign Embassy would be more appropriate to go to in future such instances (American and French might be the first choice ones;)).

Pitlanepiglet

Positive thoughts for you today RedLady