The last days of a once great nation

[Bob U]

London 8 February

 

2 centimetres of snow have fallen in England.  The country is at a standstill and the economy has collapsed.  No food is getting through.  Those with lots of tinned food at home may survive, but most are expected to starve. The great powers are already discussing how to divide an unpopulated Britain amongst themselves.  Andorra, for instance, wants Wales for grazing its goats, and Lichtenstein has put in a bid for London.  Tony Blair, from Silvio Berlusconi’s Tuscan holiday palazzo, spoke of the ’tragedy of this totally unforeseeeable event’.   A nation mourns.

 

[Nobby Diesel]

It's a disgrace.

It's funny though, there seems to be a lack of balance about this.

I've had a quick ring around this morning and of my friends, the ones who run their own businesses, have all got into work...........hmm. What could this mean.

I am pleased to praise the head teacher of my daughters school, who has declared school open. He managed to get in, so why can't the others?, is his philosophy. My daughters teacher managed the 40 mile journey from the other side of Oxford. Mind you, she is newly qualified and keen.

I appreciate that many are more isolated than me and the journey may be difficult. So take it steady.

Having said all that, I am going to finish early today, to go haome and build a snow man . For the kids of course.

[Andy Zarse]

It's terrible. I backed out of my drive this morning and sat there with the wheels spinning unable to go forward due to the snow. (Why-oh-why did I ever sell the Subaru 4x4?) I'm now sat waiting for the emergency services to answer my call but I've dialled 999 countless times and the phone simply rings off the hook. This country is chock full of useless overpaid civil servants.  

And another thing. It said on the TV this morning for everyone to check up on their neighbours. I live next door to an 87 year old woman and the selfish old cow hasn't been round once to see if I'm ok. She's that bone idle she hasn't even bothered to take her milk in for over a week.  

[monkey]

It's a disgrace.

It's funny though, there seems to be a lack of balance about this.

I've had a quick ring around this morning and of my friends, the ones who run their own businesses, have all got into work...........hmm. What could this mean.

I am pleased to praise the head teacher of my daughters school, who has declared school open. He managed to get in, so why can't the others?, is his philosophy. My daughters teacher managed the 40 mile journey from the other side of Oxford. Mind you, she is newly qualified and keen.

I appreciate that many are more isolated than me and the journey may be difficult. So take it steady.

Having said all that, I am going to finish early today, to go haome and build a snow man . For the kids of course.

For what it is worth I run my own business and realising I could just as easily post from home as at the office I called my colleagues and rather than have them potentially damage their very expensive company cars I suggested they stay at home. They seemed to be okay about it. As for the snow man, nose in place by 8.55am this morning. Some things are more important than work.

[Nobby Diesel]

Indeed, it's all a balance.

Hence, some work, some snowman building. As hard as I might try, I don't think I'll be able to get snowman building to pay for the air ticket to Sebring; so some work today is required 

[Lawnmower Man]

This impending doom doesn't surprise me at all.  The councils only had 48 hours warning that it would snow today. That doesn't really give them enough time to organise the meeting to decide what meetings will be required to ensure that they are ready to leap in to action.   Memos need to be typed up sent out notifying those required at the meetings.  A meeting will most likely be required to choose a time for the meeting and which other meeting can be cancelled to make time in the busy schedule for said meetings.

Meeting will no doubt be needed to consider the possibility of fitting snowploughs to the gritters and formulating the cost justification of such actions.

The snow fell overnight and since this is outside the normal working hours. Thus costs will be increased.  Then there is the cost of Salt and fuel.   By not sending out the gritters they save on overtime, materials and fuel.  Since they don't need to replenish the stock of salt they save even more as they don't incur the cost of reordering and all that that entails.

t.

[Lawnmower Man]

And another thing. It said on the TV this morning for everyone to check up on their neighbours. I live next door to an 87 year old woman and the selfish old cow hasn't been round once to see if I'm ok.

At least you've only got one neighbour that doesn't care.  There are 8 other houses in the road I live in and not one has come around to check I'm ok.

t.

[monkey]

This impending doom doesn't surprise me at all.  The councils only had 48 hours warning that it would snow today. That doesn't really give them enough time to organise the meeting to decide what meetings will be required to ensure that they are ready to leap in to action.   Memos need to be typed up sent out notifying those required at the meetings.  A meeting will most likely be required to choose a time for the meeting and which other meeting can be cancelled to make time in the busy schedule for said meetings.

Meeting will no doubt be needed to consider the possibility of fitting snowploughs to the gritters and formulating the cost justification of such actions.

The snow fell overnight and since this is outside the normal working hours. Thus costs will be increased.  Then there is the cost of Salt and fuel.   By not sending out the gritters they save on overtime, materials and fuel.  Since they don't need to replenish the stock of salt they save even more as they don't incur the cost of reordering and all that that entails.

t.

I live on the north Bucks Oxon boarder and am happy to say that my council are a good deal more organised than that, they had a meeting in September last year and decided that in the event of bad weather over the winter, they would..................................................................do nothing at all. No gritting nothing. Can I have my council Tax back please??

[gab]

And another thing. It said on the TV this morning for everyone to check up on their neighbours. I live next door to an 87 year old woman and the selfish old cow hasn't been round once to see if I'm ok. She's that bone idle she hasn't even bothered to take her milk in for over a week.  
[/quote]

 
...the nerve of her Andy, if I was you I would never speak to the old bird again.
 

[Lorry]

Where was everybody this morning?  Slightest excuse and they pull a sickie.  Roads empty, trains empty but Underground Donald Ducked, because its in the dry (well most of it)

[rcutler]

I have resigned from work today so have a couple of days off :-) No notice to give to De Beers so it was straight out the door!

85miles to work this morning, set off at 6am in 6 inches of snow, 8 inches by the time the train arrived at the station (1/2 the length to normal). Arrived on time at Paddington at 0725 (1/2 the passengers to normal!)

1 HOUR ON THE UNDERGROUND DOING 2 MILES!!!
Start working in Wokingham on Monday! 

[Lawnmower Man]

And another thing. It said on the TV this morning for everyone to check up on their neighbours. I live next door to an 87 year old woman and the selfish old cow hasn't been round once to see if I'm ok. She's that bone idle she hasn't even bothered to take her milk in for over a week. 

Andy, 

I think you should pop around and see if there is a stange smell coming from the house. 

If there is I urge you to contact the police It may be she has started growing cannabis. 

t.

[Nordic]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/6343489.stm

The nation really is on its knees. My local pub has just burnt down.

It was a dive, the beer not always the best but it was within walking distance.

[Martini...LB]

100% turnout at work today no skivers because of the weather, mind you it was about 9 degrees and sunny... the joys of Guernsey the Channel Islands (to include Fagey)

Hey Ho, looking forward to work tomorrow...

Good luck in your new job Rick C.

>Martini...

[pretzel]

It's terrible. I backed out of my drive this morning and sat there with the wheels spinning unable to go forward due to the snow.

Oops - forgot to tell you about this particular aspect of the ownership experience The power is quite useless in these conditions. Wheels spinning? Did you have the traction control off then? Mind you with it on the draconian electronics just shuts off all drive when there's b*gger all grip, foot to the floor and ................ nothing.

Today with the 5" plus of white stuff hereabouts the fastest and safest car in the pretzel household was the Focus, which enabled me to get to work even earlier than usual as all the skivers had decided not to bother - so the roads were free of the usual morning traffic.