[color="#FF0000"]Welcome baaaaack Lex![/color]

Glad everything is ok....and look forward to you posting again.

I'm back! For some reason, my original account disappeared, and WOL wouldn't let me re-register. However, thanks to Shizara's sterling effort, I'm back with WOL.

I'm back! For some reason my account sudedenly disappeared a few weeks ago, and the site wouldn't let me re-register. However, thanks to a sterling effort by Shizara I'm now back with WOL.

Not everyone in this world has paper qualifications and it is has been that way throughout history. When I ventured into the world of working for a living, aged 15, I knew how to type, understood about invoices, statements, receipts etc and had a reasonable command of English. I started on the bottom rung of the ladder as the office junior and over a period of time added to the knowledge that I already had of working in an office. In those days it included making the tea, serving it to management, washing up, ordering tea/coffee stocks - no teabags, we made big pots of tea using tea leaves. The office junior also did the dusting and the vacuuming. After about 6 months you have a good idea of how an office is run, probably able to cover for other staff when they are away and one day someone leaves. Your opportunity to move up the ladder and have someone else come in as the office junior. Today I doubt there are too many who would be prepared to do the tea making and cleaning along with their office duties, but, we didn't have a tea lady or contracted cleaners except to do the windows, in fact, they can become quite indigent at the very mention of the idea. If we wanted to improve our job opportunities for the future we went to night school. Having to do the jobs that some might consider demeaning or beneath them builds stronger characters and can help make us more grounded in life. Yes. it can be difficult financially, your pay structure is lower but you are also learning to cut your cloth according to the pattern. The difficulty with that line of thinking is as future generations have come along those very basics in life appear to be airbrushed away and in many instances the benefit system can be more attractive than working for a living especially if you know how to use or abuse it as the case may be.

Years ago - not in the UK - I remember a system whereby people could apply to the local council to do manual work for the town. Work such as town beautification eg mowing grass verges, gardening, eradicating noxious weeds, helping the elderly who were unable to pay a trades person. The government gave what they would have paid in unemployment benefit to the council, the council topped it up to make a very respectable wage that was probably about your average labourers rate. To give an idea of comparison I worked as an office clerk and those doing the manual labouring jobs like this were actually earning more.

Whilst benefits are no doubt a good safety net (we can all hit a bad patch) they ought not be seen as a long-term solution. In all honesty, I don't know the right way to handle mothers with young children, but surely it's quite reasonable for them to work once their children are at school? Of course, that's assuming that there are any jobs!

I believe that benefits are for the needy, not the greedy.

Most people with children who are on benefits have their bills paid, there are a few exceptions.
I know many people on benefits in the area where my sister lives. Foe example the tattoo lady I mentioned has no rent, gas electricity to pay ,,she actually said 'I'mm glad I dont have bills coming in'
and even begrudges having to take her own bin out.
Don't know how they get away with it.

I don't know a lot about the benefits system here but, correct me if I am wrong, but might that be what is left after all the bills are paid including council tax and rent? I find it hard to believe that they only have £90 in total to pay all things.

Of course, you are quite right, it's not on. Perhaps only giving vouchers for food/clothing/bedding etc. would be the answer? - Mind you, last time I suggested such a thing I was called a fascist.

Last week, I was on the bus and overheard a young lady(18ish) in discussion with someone on the phone. She claimed that she only got £90/fortnight for her and her child to live on. Now, that isn't much and no doubt she actually had other benefits, but she looked very well dressed and her child and pram looked absolutely lovely. I do seriously wonder about how these people survive.

I agree with what you all say but --come on...Tattoos withsocial services money when it's supposed to be for food.

I'm no fan of tattoos, but to each their own.

I do object to people having them removed on the NHS, they chose to have them why should we pay for their mistakes?

But what really tickles me is how these tattoos look on skin that isn't in the first flush of youth. Putting it mildly, it ain't nice.

What is it with tattoos, why do they have to have them, is it some kind of status symbol?
I don't think they are at all attractive.
Beckham has them all over his body, and it must be a goulish sight for his kids, who surely, when the see the father marked like that ask for themselves to have tattoos.
Tattoos used to be confined in British history to sailors in the Royal Navy and then only on the forearms, as far as I know, but now it seem a whole cultural things.

Sorry ot veer off topic.

I have a 3 year old grandson who is good at putting numbers into the right holes, but he's getting a bit bored with it. Perhaps I should ask ozzie
whatthe next stage is. Or ask the child what he thinks Ozzie should do next.

By the way I prefer the name Gideon !

another tale...........and very true.
I cant think I've mentioned this before but if so, well here it is again.
We're back to the social services, of course.
A woman I know is always 'desperate ' for money She has 2 children 2 and 10. In between partners at present.!
The social workers feels sorry, and she gets anything she asks for.beds appliances , and money.
Every time she gets a cheque-- which seems to be often, she has a tattoo 'to cheer myself up'
. 14 up to now.
I didn't say a word !!!

Not totally off topic...

We continue to accept mediocrity and failure when we need to stamp it out.

Yesterday I had the financial report for some shares I hold. I quote, "The board has reviewed the KPIs* above and compared them to the business plan and is disappointed to report the decline in the year."

Yet, they've increased their staff, increased their own remuneration packages and now have the cheek to seek re-election to office for the good they've done. I'll tell you, they don't get my vote!

It's the same with politicians. You can count the good ones on one hand. People complain about them, yet vote for them year after year. Whilst this situation continues things won't change.

Then again, if our vote actually made any difference, we wouldn't get one would we?

*= Key performance indicators

Re: Osborne and Cameron- there you have it Rebonnk. These are their qualifications. Ozzie's as a data inputter - same as he does now- inputs numbers to fit the hole. Cameron losing nuclear missiles - he loses everything- votes most of all. Clegg- well puppet comes to mind.

Osborne has never held down a real job, unless you count folding towels in Selfridges or data inputting for the NHS. The muppet even changed his name to make himself more "electable". - His given name was Gideon.

Camoron [sic] has never had a real job, but managed to lose some nuclear missiles under the Thatcher government ('89). - They have never been recovered.

Frankly, I don't believe either of them could run a proverbial in a brewery, never mind the country. And as for that Clegg chap, best not get me started, the Dr. has warned me about my blood pressure.

The problem is that people think educated means intelligent.
Educated thickos get on in the world, and of course they are the well to do.Thats why we have a government like this lot.
How they would get on in a state school I wouldn't like to guess.
....................................
About leaving the child. When my son was 3 weeks old I took him to the local shop to --show off.
As I started walking up the road someone opened the shop door shouting, HAVENT YOU FORGOTTEN SOMETHING. What does that make me?