Well I'll goto the top of the page!
I read the news today oh boy! Page 935
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ July 18 2012, 11:16 PM BSTThey tried to do that over here, but it failed massively. All of the volunteer agencies are overwhelmed with the number of applicants. They just don't have enough open positions for people. They also have limited budgets, so can only take on so many people.
The UK military is cutting personnel like nobodies business, not sure about the US. The Cold War has been over for 20 years and the troop numbers can't be justified apparently. Again, sticking the unemployed in the military, especially when they don't want to join isn't the best option. I'd rather have a professional military staffed by people who actually wanted to be there to defend our country.
I meant things like picking up trash on the side of the road and other menial work. Better yet, make everyone sit on a chair in a boring auditorium for 8 hours every day before handing them their checks. That'll sort out the slackers pronto.
As for the military, I meant that kids who complain that they can't find jobs should consider enlisting. I did, and 25 years later I have a good career because of it.
Quote: keewik @ July 18 2012, 11:34 PM BSTIt would be fair to say our break was ruined by having to be so watchful constantly.
Was your break actually 'ruined' or is that just some hyperbole because you were slightly inconvenienced?
Quote: keewik @ July 18 2012, 11:34 PM BSTI don't care where they're from. I think the bastards should be gunned down *waits for applause from Da Butt*
Never heard of them in states where you can carry guns. Send 'em our way. 
Quote: sootyj @ July 18 2012, 11:29 PM BSTnb Sootyj has no interest in the olympics
not since they won't have a minutes silence for the victims of Munich
incase the Arabs walk out
If today's bombing in Bulgaria is any indication, it didn't work out that well.
Quote: DaButt @ July 18 2012, 11:41 PM BSTI meant things like picking up trash on the side of the road and other menial work. Better yet, make everyone sit on a chair in a boring auditorium for 8 hours every day before handing them their checks. That'll sort out the slackers pronto.
As for the military, I meant that kids who complain that they can't find jobs should consider enlisting. I did, and 25 years later I have a good career because of it.
Okay, you didn't really comprehend what I stated. Picking up trash or other menial tasks is a punishment. If the economy is in the crapper because the banks screwed things up and there aren't any jobs, why are you punishing the unemployed? It isn't their fault there aren't enough jobs.
Besides, to take on an extra million menial workers would require another 200,000 supervisors, managers, health and saftey people, etc. That kind of investment would cost far more then just giving out unemployment benefit. Then all the people in the Unemployment Office would lose their jobs, so you'd have to retrain them or put them in the picking up trash scheme.
Look at the size of the military 25 years ago when the Cold War as happening, look at the size of the military today. How much tax money would it cost to put a million extra troops through basic training, never mind billeting them, feeding them, equipping them.
You are literally throwing money down the toilet in your desire to punish the innocent.
EDIT: not literally
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ July 18 2012, 11:44 PM BSTWas your break actually 'ruined' or is that just some hyperbole because you were slightly inconvenienced?
No, not inconvenienced. We just couldn't get away from the worry, couldn't relax after all the stories we'd heard. We'd never have gone there if we'd known and we wouldn't go again. A friend who knows lots of people who've gone there to conferences and all been robbed, reckons the police are in on it. A pity tourists don't boycott it, then maybe the authorities would do something.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ July 18 2012, 11:50 PM BSTPicking up trash or other menial tasks is a punishment.
No, it's called earning a paycheck. I wouldn't say things like that if it were true that there aren't any jobs to be had. But I can't drive down the street without seeing a 'help wanted' sign on a restaurant and the booming oil industry in this state has thousands of unfilled jobs. People shouldn't be able to collect benefits until the 'right' job comes along.
My neighbor was a sales rep for a large brewery. He lost his job (his own fault) and spent a year on unemployment. His neighbors offered him 3 different jobs that he turned down because they were 'beneath him.' That's not how the system should work.
How much tax money would it cost to put a million extra troops through basic training, never mind billeting them, feeding them, equipping them.
Again, I'm not talking about throwing every unemployed person into uniform. I'm complaining that kids want government assistance to pay for higher education and then they want more assistance when their philosophy degrees don't land them jobs, but they'll never consider enlisting in the military.
re the bus drivers . . .
I so want to watch the men's 100m final that I would want £500 if I were forced to miss it live because I was working !
(Yes, yes Jeremy. I'm coming to do the lie detector test . . )
Quote: keewik @ July 19 2012, 12:01 AM BSTWe just couldn't get away from the worry, couldn't relax after all the stories we'd heard.
I can't really comment on your psychological state during the holiday. Luckily, my holidays get ruined in the usual ways - sunburn, alcohol poisoing, trots from the local food, delayed flights, crappy hotels and shagging a fat Geordie bird.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ July 19 2012, 12:06 AM BSTshagging a fat Geordie bird.
San or Tray ?
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ July 19 2012, 12:06 AM BSTI can't really comment on your psychological state during the holiday. Luckily, my holidays get ruined in the usual ways - sunburn, alcohol poisoing, trots from the local food, delayed flights, crappy hotels and shagging a fat Geordie bird.
My psychological state was such that I only felt safe up on the roof ( cue for a song) of the hotel ... That's the hotel where Russian tourists had all their bags nicked as they waited to get in, in the early hours of the morning.
We reckoned we were targeted twice (unsuccessfully), once being when I had the great idea of exploring the wrong side of the Ramblas.
Quote: DaButt @ July 19 2012, 12:03 AM BSTPeople shouldn't be able to collect benefits until the 'right' job comes along.
but they'll never consider enlisting in the military.
You can look at this two ways - an ideological Christian work ethic philosophy or an actual real world, dollars and cents, best use of time and effort economic philosophy.
The military doesn't want people who don't want to be there. Full stop.
You will always find 'workers needed' signs with any menial job - they are incredibly low paid, there are no benefits, the job is terrible and the turnover is high.
The highly educated in this country are leaving university and taking jobs in supermarkets, coffee shops, the Post Office, etc. All that is doing is reducing the amount of jobs for the less educated, limiting their own future career prospects in their chosen field and forcing other valuable workers - especially those with science and engineering knowledge - to leave the country and seek higher paid work abroad. All of these factors are weakening the country and the economy.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ July 19 2012, 12:24 AM BSTThe military doesn't want people who don't want to be there.
No kidding. And I wasn't suggesting that they do so.
Quote: DaButt @ July 19 2012, 12:31 AM BSTNo kidding. And I wasn't suggesting that they do so.
But you were suggesting that unemployed people should join the military instead of claiming welfare. Or am I totally confused?
Nonetheless, it does make me wonder how much tax money is going on the medical needs of ex-service people who've come back from Iraq and Afghanistan with their arms and legs blown off because they were sent to steal oil for Haliburton or enforce the corrupt Karzai regime?
I mean, if you've had half your head blown off and you need constant residential care, that's going to cost some major dollars and there's no way you can work to make that money back.
Weirdly, most of the people who join the military are usually unemployed to begin with. So instead of paying them a small amount of government money, we end up paying them a huge amount of government money. Doesn't seem very cost effective to me.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ July 19 2012, 12:39 AM BSTthey were sent to steal oil for Haliburton
Ok, I'm done with this discussion. 