Lazy overpaid cold-hearted b*stards. Cost me £16 to get a taxi home
tonight having gone to town to arrange some essential things for my
wife's funeral.

It's not the money, but the principle of being held to random by these
people. Do they live on a completely different planet?
--
Roland Perry

On 30/01/2024 20:36, Roland Perry wrote:
> Lazy overpaid cold-hearted b*stards. Cost me £16 to get a taxi home
> tonight having gone to town to arrange some essential things for my
> wife's funeral.
>
> It's not the money, but the principle of being held to random by these
> people. Do they live on a completely different planet?

My sympathy at the loss of your wife.

As for ASLEF - well - they fail to learn the lesson of Scargill v.
Thatcher.... sometimes you are not going to be allowed to win, no matter
how much trouble you cause, or how many people you upset.

Though the country is no helped when rail staff see cosy little clubs
(a.k.a. remuneration committees) boosting the salaries & bonuses for
people like directors and senior bankers many of whom are already
grossly overpaid.

On 30/01/2024 20:36, Roland Perry wrote:
> Lazy overpaid cold-hearted b*stards. Cost me £16 to get a taxi home
> tonight having gone to town to arrange some essential things for my
> wife's funeral.
>
> It's not the money, but the principle of being held to random by these
> people. Do they live on a completely different planet?

My sincere condolences. I hope the rest of your travels go smoothly.

On 31/01/2024 11:04, Bevan Price wrote:
> Though the country is no helped when rail staff see cosy little clubs
> (a.k.a. remuneration committees) boosting the salaries & bonuses for
> people like directors and senior bankers many of whom are already
> grossly overpaid.

Unlike the pictures often showing groups of Union Barons eating in very
expensive restaurants?

Doesn't at least one of them live in council flat despite his high salary?

On Wed, 31 Jan 2024 11:04:46 +0000
Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> wrote:
>On 30/01/2024 20:36, Roland Perry wrote:
>> Lazy overpaid cold-hearted b*stards. Cost me £16 to get a taxi home
>> tonight having gone to town to arrange some essential things for my
>> wife's funeral.
>>
>> It's not the money, but the principle of being held to random by these
>> people. Do they live on a completely different planet?
>
>My sympathy at the loss of your wife.

Ditto.

>As for ASLEF - well - they fail to learn the lesson of Scargill v.
>Thatcher.... sometimes you are not going to be allowed to win, no matter
>how much trouble you cause, or how many people you upset.

True, but unfortunately things are slightly different with the railways:
1)
There were alternatives to coal, not so much the railways for people who
don't have cars unless they want to risk a round the houses, stuck in traffic
hours long trip on a national express bus.
2)
The tories arn't going to give in to the unions and both sides know it. However
with labour as close as a dead cert as possible to win this year the unions
also know that labour will almost certainly roll over on this just as they
have done with every union dispute so they "only" have to keep it up for
another 9 months or so.

>Though the country is no helped when rail staff see cosy little clubs
>(a.k.a. remuneration committees) boosting the salaries & bonuses for
>people like directors and senior bankers many of whom are already
>grossly overpaid.

True.

On Wed, 31 Jan 2024 12:07:09 +0000
JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> wrote:
>On 31/01/2024 11:04, Bevan Price wrote:
>> Though the country is no helped when rail staff see cosy little clubs
>> (a.k.a. remuneration committees) boosting the salaries & bonuses for
>> people like directors and senior bankers many of whom are already
>> grossly overpaid.
>
>
>Unlike the pictures often showing groups of Union Barons eating in very
>expensive restaurants?
>
>Doesn't at least one of them live in council flat despite his high salary?

Bob Crowe certainly did. Supposedly trumpeting the poor oppressed worker while
depriving a family of accomodation.

Though it seems to be a theme with socialists, Frank Dobson did it and some
MP called Apsana Begum was in the news a few weeks back about living in
council accomodation while earning 80K. Though given its Tower Hamlets the flat
would probably be let out to some cunt who's only been in the country 3 days and
can barely speak english anyway.

Its funny how you hear so many foreign languages spoken in council estates
while old soldiers and native brits are stuck on council waiting lists.

Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 30/01/2024 20:36, Roland Perry wrote:
>> Lazy overpaid cold-hearted b*stards. Cost me £16 to get a taxi home
>> tonight having gone to town to arrange some essential things for my
>> wife's funeral.
>>
>> It's not the money, but the principle of being held to random by these
>> people. Do they live on a completely different planet?
>
> My sympathy at the loss of your wife.

What he said. It’s going to be rough, I’d guess.

Sam

--
The entity formerly known as Sam.Wilson@ed.ac.uk
Spit the dummy to reply

On 31/01/2024 17:25, Sam Wilson wrote:
> Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On 30/01/2024 20:36, Roland Perry wrote:
>>> Lazy overpaid cold-hearted b*stards. Cost me £16 to get a taxi home
>>> tonight having gone to town to arrange some essential things for my
>>> wife's funeral.
>>>
>>> It's not the money, but the principle of being held to random by these
>>> people. Do they live on a completely different planet?
>>
>> My sympathy at the loss of your wife.
>
> What he said. It’s going to be rough, I’d guess.
>

My condolences as well. From your various comments over the years you
obviously had a very happy marriage.

--
Graeme Wall
This account not read.

On 31/01/2024 15:52, Muttley@dastardlyhq.com wrote:
> On Wed, 31 Jan 2024 11:04:46 +0000
> Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On 30/01/2024 20:36, Roland Perry wrote:
>>> Lazy overpaid cold-hearted b*stards. Cost me £16 to get a taxi home
>>> tonight having gone to town to arrange some essential things for my
>>> wife's funeral.
>>>
>>> It's not the money, but the principle of being held to random by these
>>> people. Do they live on a completely different planet?
>>
>> My sympathy at the loss of your wife.
>
> Ditto.
>
>> As for ASLEF - well - they fail to learn the lesson of Scargill v.
>> Thatcher.... sometimes you are not going to be allowed to win, no matter
>> how much trouble you cause, or how many people you upset.
>
> True, but unfortunately things are slightly different with the railways:
> 1)
> There were alternatives to coal, not so much the railways for people who
> don't have cars unless they want to risk a round the houses, stuck in traffic
> hours long trip on a national express bus.
> 2)
> The tories arn't going to give in to the unions and both sides know it. However
> with labour as close as a dead cert as possible to win this year the unions
> also know that labour will almost certainly roll over on this just as they
> have done with every union dispute so they "only" have to keep it up for
> another 9 months or so.
>

They are likely to be diappointed on both counts.
1. Around 90% of the population rarely, if ever, use railways - and
don't care about how often they strike.

2. Even if Labour win, they cannot afford to appear to be seen as in the
pocket of the unions. They will also want to win the following election(s).

On 31.01.2024 18:57, Graeme Wall wrote:
> On 31/01/2024 17:25, Sam Wilson wrote:
>> Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On 30/01/2024 20:36, Roland Perry wrote:
>>>> Lazy overpaid cold-hearted b*stards. Cost me £16 to get a taxi home
>>>> tonight having gone to town to arrange some essential things for my
>>>> wife's funeral.
>>>>
>>>> It's not the money, but the principle of being held to random by these
>>>> people. Do they live on a completely different planet?
>>>
>>> My sympathy at the loss of your wife.
>>
>> What he said.  It’s going to be rough, I’d guess.
>>
>
> My condolences as well. From your various comments over the years you
> obviously had a very happy marriage.

hear hear. For all the grief he gets, I think we all value Roland's
contributions here, and our thoughts are with him in what must be a
difficult time.

Robin

Graeme Wall <rail@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> On 31/01/2024 17:25, Sam Wilson wrote:
>> Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On 30/01/2024 20:36, Roland Perry wrote:
>>>> Lazy overpaid cold-hearted b*stards. Cost me £16 to get a taxi home
>>>> tonight having gone to town to arrange some essential things for my
>>>> wife's funeral.
>>>>
>>>> It's not the money, but the principle of being held to random by these
>>>> people. Do they live on a completely different planet?
>>>
>>> My sympathy at the loss of your wife.
>>
>> What he said. It’s going to be rough, I’d guess.
>>
>
> My condolences as well.

Yes, from me too.

> From your various comments over the years you obviously had a very happy marriage.

Yes, indeed.

On 31/01/2024 18:17, Bob wrote:
>> My condolences as well. From your various comments over the years you
>> obviously had a very happy marriage.
>
> hear hear. For all the grief he gets, I think we all value Roland's
> contributions here, and our thoughts are with him in what must be a
> difficult time.

My condolences also, and I agree with Robin regarding your contributions
here.

--
Dave
Frodsham

On 31/01/2024 21:15, Davy41 wrote:
> On 31/01/2024 18:17, Bob wrote:
>>> My condolences as well. From your various comments over the years you
>>> obviously had a very happy marriage.
>>
>> hear hear. For all the grief he gets, I think we all value Roland's
>> contributions here, and our thoughts are with him in what must be a
>> difficult time.
>
>
> My condolences also, and I agree with Robin regarding your contributions
> here.
>

And mine as well.

--
Colin

On Wed, 31 Jan 2024 21:29:44 +0000, ColinR
<rail@greystane.shetland.co.uk> wrote:

>On 31/01/2024 21:15, Davy41 wrote:
>> On 31/01/2024 18:17, Bob wrote:
>>>> My condolences as well. From your various comments over the years you
>>>> obviously had a very happy marriage.
>>>
>>> hear hear. For all the grief he gets, I think we all value Roland's
>>> contributions here, and our thoughts are with him in what must be a
>>> difficult time.
>>
>>
>> My condolences also, and I agree with Robin regarding your contributions
>> here.
>>
>
>And mine as well.
>
Me too.

On Wed, 31 Jan 2024 18:09:59 +0000
Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> wrote:
>On 31/01/2024 15:52, Muttley@dastardlyhq.com wrote:
>> True, but unfortunately things are slightly different with the railways:
>> 1)
>> There were alternatives to coal, not so much the railways for people who
>> don't have cars unless they want to risk a round the houses, stuck in traffic
>
>> hours long trip on a national express bus.
>> 2)
>> The tories arn't going to give in to the unions and both sides know it.
>However
>> with labour as close as a dead cert as possible to win this year the unions
>> also know that labour will almost certainly roll over on this just as they
>> have done with every union dispute so they "only" have to keep it up for
>> another 9 months or so.
>>
>
>They are likely to be diappointed on both counts.
>1. Around 90% of the population rarely, if ever, use railways - and
>don't care about how often they strike.
>
>2. Even if Labour win, they cannot afford to appear to be seen as in the
>pocket of the unions. They will also want to win the following election(s).

I wish I could be as optimistic as you but my gut tells me labour will cave.
It might take a strike or 2 after the election but they'll give in eventually.
Their union paymasters will demand it.

Bob <bob@domain.com> wrote:
> On 31.01.2024 18:57, Graeme Wall wrote:
> > On 31/01/2024 17:25, Sam Wilson wrote:
> >> Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>> On 30/01/2024 20:36, Roland Perry wrote:
> >>>> Lazy overpaid cold-hearted b*stards. Cost me £16 to get a taxi home
> >>>> tonight having gone to town to arrange some essential things for my
> >>>> wife's funeral.
> >>>>
> >>>> It's not the money, but the principle of being held to random by these
> >>>> people. Do they live on a completely different planet?
> >>>
> >>> My sympathy at the loss of your wife.
> >>
> >> What he said.  It’s going to be rough, I’d guess.
> >>
> >
> > My condolences as well. From your various comments over the years you
> > obviously had a very happy marriage.
>
> hear hear. For all the grief he gets, I think we all value Roland's
> contributions here, and our thoughts are with him in what must be a
> difficult time.

+1. It sounds like it's been a very difficult few months (or more).
Apologies if we have jumped on you more than was fair in the circumstances.

Theo

In message <upd9ge$1fvf9$1@dont-email.me>, at 11:04:46 on Wed, 31 Jan
2024, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:

>On 30/01/2024 20:36, Roland Perry wrote:

>> Lazy overpaid cold-hearted b*stards. Cost me £16 to get a taxi home
>>tonight having gone to town to arrange some essential things for my
>>wife's funeral.

>> It's not the money, but the principle of being held to random by
>>these people. Do they live on a completely different planet?
>
>My sympathy at the loss of your wife.

Thanks, but it wasn't exactly unexpected. She'd been steadily
deteriorating for the last two years, with five different chemos
none of which worked, treatment withdrawn in early December and
essentially in a coma in a hospital bed in our living room for the
last fortnight.

It was a privilege to have been with her for 35yrs, and but that doesn't
mean that now there's not things to be done to deadlines set by external
agencies. She desperately wanted to end her days in a hospice, but they
said their waiting list was too long. Which with 12 beds for the whole
of Cambridgeshire, one can partly understand.

Her stay as an NHS inpatient over the holiday period (increased by
amongst other things skeleton staffing due to hospital doctor strikes)
was marred by on average one person a day dying noisily in the night.
Eventually we discharged ourselves "you can't do that", to which our
reply was "try stopping us".

>As for ASLEF - well - they fail to learn the lesson of Scargill v.
>Thatcher.... sometimes you are not going to be allowed to win, no
>matter how much trouble you cause, or how many people you upset.
>
>Though the country is no helped when rail staff see cosy little clubs
>(a.k.a. remuneration committees) boosting the salaries & bonuses for
>people like directors and senior bankers many of whom are already
>grossly overpaid.

While I understand where you are coming from, and I also object to CEOs
of charities paid £200k a year, train drivers are slightly different
because they are not in the same league when it comes to pecking order.
--
Roland Perry

On 31/01/2024 16:00, Muttley@dastardlyhq.com wrote:
> On Wed, 31 Jan 2024 12:07:09 +0000
> JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> wrote:

>> Doesn't at least one of them live in council flat despite his high salary?
>
> Bob Crowe certainly did. Supposedly trumpeting the poor oppressed worker while
> depriving a family of accomodation.
>
> Though it seems to be a theme with socialists, Frank Dobson did it and some
> MP called Apsana Begum was in the news a few weeks back about living in
> council accomodation while earning 80K.

Aren't socialists likely to take the traditional position that council
housing is perfectly respectable and should be for everyone, rather than
just a safety net for people with no other options?

--
Arthur Figgis

Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
> In message <upd9ge$1fvf9$1@dont-email.me>, at 11:04:46 on Wed, 31 Jan
> 2024, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:
>
>> On 30/01/2024 20:36, Roland Perry wrote:
>
>>> Lazy overpaid cold-hearted b*stards. Cost me £16 to get a taxi home
>>> tonight having gone to town to arrange some essential things for my
>>> wife's funeral.
>
>>> It's not the money, but the principle of being held to random by
>>> these people. Do they live on a completely different planet?
>>
>> My sympathy at the loss of your wife.
>
> Thanks, but it wasn't exactly unexpected. She'd been steadily
> deteriorating for the last two years, with five different chemos
> none of which worked, treatment withdrawn in early December and
> essentially in a coma in a hospital bed in our living room for the
> last fortnight.
>
> It was a privilege to have been with her for 35yrs, and but that doesn't
> mean that now there's not things to be done to deadlines set by external
> agencies. She desperately wanted to end her days in a hospice, but they
> said their waiting list was too long. Which with 12 beds for the whole
> of Cambridgeshire, one can partly understand.
>
> Her stay as an NHS inpatient over the holiday period (increased by
> amongst other things skeleton staffing due to hospital doctor strikes)
> was marred by on average one person a day dying noisily in the night.
> Eventually we discharged ourselves "you can't do that", to which our
> reply was "try stopping us".
>
>> As for ASLEF - well - they fail to learn the lesson of Scargill v.
>> Thatcher.... sometimes you are not going to be allowed to win, no
>> matter how much trouble you cause, or how many people you upset.
>>
>> Though the country is no helped when rail staff see cosy little clubs
>> (a.k.a. remuneration committees) boosting the salaries & bonuses for
>> people like directors and senior bankers many of whom are already
>> grossly overpaid.
>
> While I understand where you are coming from, and I also object to CEOs
> of charities paid £200k a year, train drivers are slightly different
> because they are not in the same league when it comes to pecking order.

Well done you getting her home. Getting a good death is increasingly
difficult these days in my experience. Lots of fallout from Dr Shipman and
associated defensive medicine by doctors.

In message <FiCdnaxa7J8XeCb4nZ2dnZfqnPGdnZ2d@brightview.co.uk>, at
18:40:10 on Thu, 1 Feb 2024, Arthur Figgis <afiggis@example.invalid>
remarked:
>On 31/01/2024 16:00, Muttley@dastardlyhq.com wrote:
>> On Wed, 31 Jan 2024 12:07:09 +0000
>> JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> wrote:
>
>>> Doesn't at least one of them live in council flat despite his high salary?

>> Bob Crowe certainly did. Supposedly trumpeting the poor oppressed
>>worker while depriving a family of accomodation.

>> Though it seems to be a theme with socialists, Frank Dobson did it
>>and some MP called Apsana Begum was in the news a few weeks back
>>about living in council accomodation while earning 80K.
>
>Aren't socialists likely to take the traditional position that council
>housing is perfectly respectable and should be for everyone, rather
>than just a safety net for people with no other options?

Apart from the fact that successive governments (of all flavours) for a
generation have created a shortage which means the system only has the
capacity to be a safety-net.
--
Roland Perry

On 01/02/2024 18:50, Roland Perry wrote:
> In message <FiCdnaxa7J8XeCb4nZ2dnZfqnPGdnZ2d@brightview.co.uk>, at
> 18:40:10 on Thu, 1 Feb 2024, Arthur Figgis <afiggis@example.invalid>
> remarked:
>> On 31/01/2024 16:00, Muttley@dastardlyhq.com wrote:
>>> On Wed, 31 Jan 2024 12:07:09 +0000
>>> JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> wrote:
>>
>>>> Doesn't at least one of them live in council flat despite his high
>>>> salary?
>
>>>  Bob Crowe certainly did. Supposedly trumpeting the poor oppressed
>>> worker while  depriving a family of accomodation.
>
>>>  Though it seems to be a theme with socialists, Frank Dobson did it
>>> and some  MP called Apsana Begum was in the news a few weeks back
>>> about living in  council accomodation while earning 80K.
>>
>> Aren't socialists likely to take the traditional position that council
>> housing is perfectly respectable and should be for everyone, rather
>> than just a safety net for people with no other options?
>
> Apart from the fact that successive governments (of all flavours) for a
> generation have created a shortage which means the system only has the
> capacity to be a safety-net.

They probably think that was a mistake.

--
Arthur Figgis

In message <upgot0$26eba$1@dont-email.me>, at 18:45:52 on Thu, 1 Feb
2024, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
>Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
>> In message <upd9ge$1fvf9$1@dont-email.me>, at 11:04:46 on Wed, 31 Jan
>> 2024, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:
>>
>>> On 30/01/2024 20:36, Roland Perry wrote:
>>
>>>> Lazy overpaid cold-hearted b*stards. Cost me £16 to get a taxi home
>>>> tonight having gone to town to arrange some essential things for my
>>>> wife's funeral.
>>
>>>> It's not the money, but the principle of being held to random by
>>>> these people. Do they live on a completely different planet?
>>>
>>> My sympathy at the loss of your wife.
>>
>> Thanks, but it wasn't exactly unexpected. She'd been steadily
>> deteriorating for the last two years, with five different chemos
>> none of which worked, treatment withdrawn in early December and
>> essentially in a coma in a hospital bed in our living room for the
>> last fortnight.
>>
>> It was a privilege to have been with her for 35yrs, and but that doesn't
>> mean that now there's not things to be done to deadlines set by external
>> agencies. She desperately wanted to end her days in a hospice, but they
>> said their waiting list was too long. Which with 12 beds for the whole
>> of Cambridgeshire, one can partly understand.
>>
>> Her stay as an NHS inpatient over the holiday period (increased by
>> amongst other things skeleton staffing due to hospital doctor strikes)
>> was marred by on average one person a day dying noisily in the night.
>> Eventually we discharged ourselves "you can't do that", to which our
>> reply was "try stopping us".
>>
>>> As for ASLEF - well - they fail to learn the lesson of Scargill v.
>>> Thatcher.... sometimes you are not going to be allowed to win, no
>>> matter how much trouble you cause, or how many people you upset.
>>>
>>> Though the country is no helped when rail staff see cosy little clubs
>>> (a.k.a. remuneration committees) boosting the salaries & bonuses for
>>> people like directors and senior bankers many of whom are already
>>> grossly overpaid.
>>
>> While I understand where you are coming from, and I also object to CEOs
>> of charities paid £200k a year, train drivers are slightly different
>> because they are not in the same league when it comes to pecking order.
>
>Well done you getting her home. Getting a good death is increasingly
>difficult these days in my experience. Lots of fallout from Dr Shipman and
>associated defensive medicine by doctors.

Yes, Dr Shipman was mentioned as one of the reasons why it can take a
week to get a death certificate (which legally you need to have done
within five days). Apparently the current target for getting an OOH GP
to scribble a note so the funeral directors can take the body away is
6hrs.

Then another week for the NHS to come and pick up the empty hospital bed
from the living room.

<Thread convergence> this is all another reason for increased pressure
on the ambulance service, because they often get the job of carting
dead bodies to A&E (where it stops being their responsibility), which at
least means they can get back on the road again at least once that
working day.
--
Roland Perry

In message <QjmdnQehr6CWcSb4nZ2dnZfqnPWdnZ2d@brightview.co.uk>, at
19:07:54 on Thu, 1 Feb 2024, Arthur Figgis <afiggis@example.invalid>
remarked:
>On 01/02/2024 18:50, Roland Perry wrote:
>> In message <FiCdnaxa7J8XeCb4nZ2dnZfqnPGdnZ2d@brightview.co.uk>, at
>>18:40:10 on Thu, 1 Feb 2024, Arthur Figgis <afiggis@example.invalid>
>>remarked:
>>> On 31/01/2024 16:00, Muttley@dastardlyhq.com wrote:
>>>> On Wed, 31 Jan 2024 12:07:09 +0000
>>>> JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>>> Doesn't at least one of them live in council flat despite his high
>>>>>salary?
>>
>>>>  Bob Crowe certainly did. Supposedly trumpeting the poor oppressed
>>>>worker while  depriving a family of accomodation.
>>
>>>>  Though it seems to be a theme with socialists, Frank Dobson did it
>>>>and some  MP called Apsana Begum was in the news a few weeks back
>>>>about living in  council accomodation while earning 80K.
>>>
>>> Aren't socialists likely to take the traditional position that
>>>council housing is perfectly respectable and should be for everyone,
>>>rather than just a safety net for people with no other options?

>> Apart from the fact that successive governments (of all flavours)
>>for a generation have created a shortage which means the system only
>>has the capacity to be a safety-net.
>
>They

Who?

>probably think that was a mistake.

--
Roland Perry

Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
> In message <upgot0$26eba$1@dont-email.me>, at 18:45:52 on Thu, 1 Feb
> 2024, Tweed <usenet.tweed@gmail.com> remarked:
>> Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
>>> In message <upd9ge$1fvf9$1@dont-email.me>, at 11:04:46 on Wed, 31 Jan
>>> 2024, Bevan Price <bevanprice666@gmail.com> remarked:
>>>
>>>> On 30/01/2024 20:36, Roland Perry wrote:
>>>
>>>>> Lazy overpaid cold-hearted b*stards. Cost me £16 to get a taxi home
>>>>> tonight having gone to town to arrange some essential things for my
>>>>> wife's funeral.
>>>
>>>>> It's not the money, but the principle of being held to random by
>>>>> these people. Do they live on a completely different planet?
>>>>
>>>> My sympathy at the loss of your wife.
>>>
>>> Thanks, but it wasn't exactly unexpected. She'd been steadily
>>> deteriorating for the last two years, with five different chemos
>>> none of which worked, treatment withdrawn in early December and
>>> essentially in a coma in a hospital bed in our living room for the
>>> last fortnight.
>>>
>>> It was a privilege to have been with her for 35yrs, and but that doesn't
>>> mean that now there's not things to be done to deadlines set by external
>>> agencies. She desperately wanted to end her days in a hospice, but they
>>> said their waiting list was too long. Which with 12 beds for the whole
>>> of Cambridgeshire, one can partly understand.
>>>
>>> Her stay as an NHS inpatient over the holiday period (increased by
>>> amongst other things skeleton staffing due to hospital doctor strikes)
>>> was marred by on average one person a day dying noisily in the night.
>>> Eventually we discharged ourselves "you can't do that", to which our
>>> reply was "try stopping us".
>>>
>>>> As for ASLEF - well - they fail to learn the lesson of Scargill v.
>>>> Thatcher.... sometimes you are not going to be allowed to win, no
>>>> matter how much trouble you cause, or how many people you upset.
>>>>
>>>> Though the country is no helped when rail staff see cosy little clubs
>>>> (a.k.a. remuneration committees) boosting the salaries & bonuses for
>>>> people like directors and senior bankers many of whom are already
>>>> grossly overpaid.
>>>
>>> While I understand where you are coming from, and I also object to CEOs
>>> of charities paid £200k a year, train drivers are slightly different
>>> because they are not in the same league when it comes to pecking order.
>>
>> Well done you getting her home. Getting a good death is increasingly
>> difficult these days in my experience. Lots of fallout from Dr Shipman and
>> associated defensive medicine by doctors.
>
> Yes, Dr Shipman was mentioned as one of the reasons why it can take a
> week to get a death certificate (which legally you need to have done
> within five days). Apparently the current target for getting an OOH GP
> to scribble a note so the funeral directors can take the body away is
> 6hrs.
>
> Then another week for the NHS to come and pick up the empty hospital bed
> from the living room.
>
> <Thread convergence> this is all another reason for increased pressure
> on the ambulance service, because they often get the job of carting
> dead bodies to A&E (where it stops being their responsibility), which at
> least means they can get back on the road again at least once that
> working day.

Nobody is allowed to die at home, or so it seems, so ambulances are tied up
taking those in their final days back to hospital. This then tIes up A&E
etc etc. Well done you for avoiding this at the end.

On 01.02.2024 19:40, Arthur Figgis wrote:
> On 31/01/2024 16:00, Muttley@dastardlyhq.com wrote:
>> On Wed, 31 Jan 2024 12:07:09 +0000
>> JMB99 <mb@nospam.net> wrote:
>
>>> Doesn't at least one of them live in council flat despite his high
>>> salary?
>>
>> Bob Crowe certainly did. Supposedly trumpeting the poor oppressed
>> worker while
>> depriving a family of accomodation.
>>
>> Though it seems to be a theme with socialists, Frank Dobson did it and
>> some
>> MP called Apsana Begum was in the news a few weeks back about living in
>> council accomodation while earning 80K.
>
> Aren't socialists likely to take the traditional position that council
> housing is perfectly respectable and should be for everyone, rather than
> just a safety net for people with no other options?

An individual generally held in high esteem by such people was fond of
saying, "Jeder nach seinen Fähigkeiten, jedem nach seinen Bedürfnissen"
(From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs).
One might suppose adherents of this maxim, would recognise that in a
situation where some individuals have the income or wealth to procure
housing for themselves and other don't, and a limited pool of social
housing exists, that those who have the ability to house themselves
ought to forego social housing in favour of those who have a need of it.

Robin