Atomic Systems

Thanks Gaz. I was using wired connection but both IPv6 and a regular network connection showed up. Just off to the airport now so I will have another bash this weekend when I get back.

Now for my grump of the day : been trying to check in online with Lufthansa since yesterday lunchtime with no joy. So it is a case of join the queue at the airport for conventional checkin

Easilyconfused wrote:Now for my grump of the day : been trying to check in online with Lufthansa since yesterday lunchtime with no joy. So it is a case of join the queue at the airport for conventional checkin

Don't Lufthansa have those automatic check in machines at the terminal, to save staff? But they're so complicated they have to have staff standing next to them to show you how to use them?

Re Machines:- Many years ago when I worked for Vauxhall Motors there where ciggy vending machines. When one failed to work on a regular basis the absence of nicotine caused one worker to borrow a stacker truck, take the offending machine to the press shop where a crusher/baling machine existed. After reducing the offending machine to a 12" square cube, ciggies cash and all, he replaced it in the vending area to resounding cheers from all who had lost cash. Strangely, the machine was not replaced. Cannot think why.............

There is something really satisfying about beating a machine. Maybe that is why the slot machines in the arcades are so popular.

P.S. I am not suggesting that people should do this themselves, just stating what happened.

Regards,

Michael

dkightley wrote:

I could never managed to shift it, not being a particularly beefy sort of bloke, but i could usually find a couple of big blokes (or women ) to give me a hand

And I can just imagine the chat-up line:
"Excuse me, darlings. I've got my Jaffas stuck in this machine. I was wondering if you could help me get them out."

Reminds me of the condom machine that says 'Pull'

Thought you had to do that before you put your money in !

I'm a bit grumpy as I saw 34067 Tangmere pound through Wolverton but when I arrived back at Bletchley, I found water troughs must've been reintroduced as it went straight through without taking any.

A couple of class 37's (apostrophe to denote diesels shortened to 's' ) , sandwiched in between two class 92's on the 6X77 slightly made up for it though

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west ... 432553.stm

Spot the word that makes me a GOM?

I work in local government and I am sick and tired (!) of being benchmarked, BVI'd, evaluated, developed (I'm 61 for God's sake!) measured, performance assessed etc etc by an army of people who didn't exist before 1997.

I don't need to make my political affiliations known to those who have followed my posts, and yes, it may well have been with the best of intentions but it needs to change.

Who wants to bet that the 80 jobs to go won't be among the ones doing the measuring but will be from the coal face?

My vote at the next General Election is in danger Gordon (especially with you there).

oldrocker wrote: I work in local government and I am sick and tired (!) of being benchmarked, BVI'd, evaluated, developed (I'm 61 for God's sake!) measured, performance assessed etc etc by an army of people who didn't exist before 1997.

Several years ago I got into a discussion with a Labour voter to say how crazy I thought the paying of subsidies to nationalised industries was. He came back to me with a killer answer of: "You can either pay people to work, or pay them not to." Which neatly summarised the 1980s approach by the two main parties.

Nowadays, however, I'm not so sure that paying people to perform jobs that add no 'value' to those who really are productive are actually doing us any good whatsoever...

Richard

It's not a simple matter of paying people to work or not to work, It's a matter of how many people are available to do the work. Both fluctuate but in my experience those that do the evaluations don't take this into consideration. They don't take into account that a loyal and experienced workforce can possibly do the work of twice the number of mobile and temporary staff.

Employees are a companies greatest asset but treated as costly liabilities.

Companies also want temporary loyalty in that they only respect those who've moved around as they're seen as motivated. They could simply be useless

The old style boss who rewarded loyalty and vice-versa stood or fell on his own judgement of character in hiring and firing and his or her ability to manage people.

I watch Dragon's Den and entrepeneurs who've actually created something themselves and formed a business around it are asked what their exit plan is. What happened to inventing something, seeing it through and handing it on to sons or daughters? They're not ven expected to have long term loyalty to their own invention or business an so how can they expect their employees to have any loyalty to it?

johndibben wrote:It's not a simple matter of paying people to work or not to work,

I think you've missed my point. I was talking about subsidising jobs with tax payers' money or paying people unemployment benefits.

perfnet wrote:I think you've missed my point. I was talking about subsidising jobs with tax payers' money or paying people unemployment benefits.

No I hadn't unless you're only discussing job creation schemes They really are useless and if they are adding value, it should be a proper job with a minimum wage or it's reducing the opportunities for those in work who wish to move or those made unemployed ishing to find a job.

When there's large numbers of people working for state industries, the unemployed can be found useful employment which boosts their self-esteem and lessens the load on existing workers. This also assists those on sick benefit who can work but not under pressure. Even if there's a net loss to the taxpayer, the reduction in the number of people unemployed and sick has to have it's own benefits.

This worked for years until taxation was lowered for idealogical reasons. When I started work in 1969, taxation was well over 30% IIRC and we survived. There's was enough slack in all publicly owned industries to cope with sudden demands in order to maintain services. That was portrayed as waste caused by nationalisation though, staff cut back until the industries couldn't work efficiently which was then used as an excuse to privatise the industries.

These industries and private ones also retained people who'd now be got rid of if they became infirm by giving them lighter duties. That's probably more to do with ridiculous Elf and Safety rules though.

johndibben wrote:

perfnet wrote:These industries and private ones also retained people who'd now be got rid of if they became infirm by giving them lighter duties.

Pretty much what happened to me. I worked in a call centre for 3 1/2 years, and was put out of comission by a really nasty bout of laryngitis. Now, not being able to speak (obviously) negates the possibility of spending 9 hours per day talking on the phone. As my company refused to let me perform alternative duties, I had to go off sick. After a few visits to the ENT people at hospital, I was told that my larynx had been permantly damaged, and if I continued to work on the phones, the problem would keep coming back. After having several written warnings for 'failing to uphold my contractual obligations' I was dismissed under the capability model.

I've had other health issues which I wont go into, but here I am almost 5 years later and haven't been able to find work (even being turned down for a job as a toilet cleaner at Nottingham Station). Doesn't do much for a persons self respect!

Gaz

Johndibben wrote:

water troughs must've been reintroduced as it went straight through without taking any.

As I recall the Southern Region (SR) didn't have water troughs, just very high capacity tenders.

A couple of class 37's (apostrophe to denote diesels shortened to 's' ) ,

We have a saying here, "Good on yer, mate, buy that man a beer!"

Cheers Bazza

Or ever two beer's

NOT when I'm buying!

Cheers (just the one) Bazza