Security at the Olympics

[Micky]

Whilst the MoD has a remit to provide MACP (Military Aid to the Civil Power) I tend to agree with Alpine to a certain extent - many of our service men and woman have been shat on - plain and simple.

 

Operation Olympics was planned for many months ago, thus those units providing people would have had a good idea of the remit to be filled. No problem - people would have be warned off, leave, holidays and personal commitments could be catered for.

 

To get this close to 'the off' and then radically change the requirement puts a huge burden on HM Forces. Many will have just completed operational tours (been away from home for 6 months), many would have booked familiy holidays (loss of funds), many will just have been expecting to work as normal - and that has all now changed.

 

Also - consider the knock on effect. It doesn't only affect those extra 3500 troops, the duties and military commitments that they were expected to do at their bases will still have to be done - which effectively means the guys/gals left behind also have to work harder, more duties, more pressure.

 

We used to have the best Armd Forces in the world - we are slowly flogging the life out of them, each and every one of them deserve a whole lot better.

 

As I understand it G4S are rumoured to be losing some £50 million of the contract value - how many of you would agree that this money should be divided up and given to the soldiers who are currently filling the huge void left in the original civilian contract.

 

Civilian Aid to the Civil Community and Civil Powers, yes - but let's not take the pi ss out of our finest.

[Thedelldays]

Talk of another 2.5k service personnel may be needed as G4S personnel are not bothering to turn up and G4S are turning away people who are qualified and have contacted them to offer their services

[Micky]

Watching the CEO, Nick Buckles getting grilled by the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee today was quite embarrassing really - he didn't seem to have a clue as to what was going on. That said - I probably wouldn't actually expect him to - G4S is a massive company and his 'chiefs' should have been giving him some top cover in this fiasco. But it appears that they didn't.

 

I actually now wonder about the wisdom of tendering this requirement as a single contract to a single company. It requires a vast amount of people to be interviewed, vetted, trained, hired and positioned - really quite a daunting process. Yes it is evident that G4S were trying to do it on a shoestring, and there is little doubt that they have failed miserably. But had this contract been divided up and awarded to say 4 or 5 different companies, I think that things might have gone a lot better. Either way, Mr Buckle took a lot of flak today, and rightly so:

 

http://news.sky.com/story/961037/g4s-boss-acknowledges-humiliating-shambles

 

So whilst G4S stumble on, guards fail to show up for work, our Police Forces and Military will 'soldier on', as they always do, and always will. There is a very good comment on the sky news link above - only a 1 liner, and although not directly related to this fiasco, it will come back to haunt the Government.

 

sarabee

5:11 PM

on 17/7/2012

You think this is bad? Wait until the Army logistics are 'out-sourced'. This should be a wake up call before our troops are left in the lurch.

 

I really hate to say this but IMO never a truer word has been said, in times of need HM Forces have come to the aid of the public, and rightly so in most cases. Unfortunately I really cannot see that outsourcing logisical operations to support the Military will work in quite the same way.

[View From The Top]

This is my G4S Olympic tale.

 

Jan/Feb time we are contacted by the local JCP+ who we work closely with (as recognised in last weeks OFSTED report into FE under "best practice") & asked if we could run a number of SIA courses as G4S wanted 100+ lads & lasses from Tipton/Oldbury/Smethwick to work at the training bases/venues in & around Brum + Cov' for the football.

 

JCP+ we allocated the funding to pay for the badges & course fees & those people we subsequently badged up. JCP+ pass on all the information of the people including badge numbers to G4S who say they will be in contact & all those 100+ people are guaranteed work.

 

As of yesterday G4S hasn't been in contact with a single person out of that 100+.

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

This is my G4S Olympic tale.

 

Jan/Feb time we are contacted by the local JCP+ who we work closely with (as recognised in last weeks OFSTED report into FE under "best practice") & asked if we could run a number of SIA courses as G4S wanted 100+ lads & lasses from Tipton/Oldbury/Smethwick to work at the training bases/venues in & around Brum + Cov' for the football.

 

JCP+ we allocated the funding to pay for the badges & course fees & those people we subsequently badged up. JCP+ pass on all the information of the people including badge numbers to G4S who say they will be in contact & all those 100+ people are guaranteed work.

 

As of yesterday G4S hasn't been in contact with a single person out of that 100+.

 

Pretty appalling but why did you not ring them up and ask them what was going on?

[View From The Top]

Pretty appalling but why did you not ring them up and ask them what was going on?

 

That was the job of the JCP+, we simply facilitated the SIA training & the job application process, & they have been in contact but despite assurances no one has yet been contacted & been told where to go or what to do.

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

That was the job of the JCP+, we simply facilitated the SIA training & the job application process, & they have been in contact but despite assurances no one has yet been contacted & been told where to go or what to do.

 

A total shambles.

[alpine_saint]

This is my G4S Olympic tale.

 

Jan/Feb time we are contacted by the local JCP+ who we work closely with (as recognised in last weeks OFSTED report into FE under "best practice") & asked if we could run a number of SIA courses as G4S wanted 100+ lads & lasses from Tipton/Oldbury/Smethwick to work at the training bases/venues in & around Brum + Cov' for the football.

 

JCP+ we allocated the funding to pay for the badges & course fees & those people we subsequently badged up. JCP+ pass on all the information of the people including badge numbers to G4S who say they will be in contact & all those 100+ people are guaranteed work.

 

As of yesterday G4S hasn't been in contact with a single person out of that 100+.

 

Jesus.

 

I see we need to find another 2K of service personnel today because G4S people arent turning up (I really wonder about the quality of people they have recruited), and this means interrupting basic training and using recruits because the Army has really reached the bottom line.

 

What with breakdowns on the Underground yesterday, this Olympics is going to be a national disgrace/embarrassment which reveals DECADES of underfunding and penny-pinching, especially in the Armed Forces.

[Thedelldays]

Jesus.

 

I see we need to find another 2K of service personnel today because G4S people arent turning up (I really wonder about the quality of people they have recruited), and this means interrupting basic training and using recruits because the Army has really reached the bottom line.

 

What with breakdowns on the Underground yesterday, this Olympics is going to be a national disgrace/embarrassment which reveals DECADES of underfunding and penny-pinching, especially in the Armed Forces.

I got told yesterday at work that there may be a requirement for 2.5k+ more people at very short notice.

in two weeks time you are entering the main summer leave period...so not a good time

 

we were also told that many G4S staff not turning up were for 2 main reasons..they were offered very minimal wage and many were not even british

[alpine_saint]

we were also told that many G4S staff not turning up were for 2 main reasons..they were offered very minimal wage and many were not even british

 

Who was actually monitoring the activity of this company, FFS ?

 

What a bunch of money-grabbing opportunists.

 

As for the summer leave period, I really feel for the poor sods who have to go on the next detail to Afghanistan, a small number (I pray...) of who will be losing the very last chance they have to spend time with their family. And all thanks to a bunch of greedy bastards led by a Cockney wide-boy.

Edited 18 July, 2012 by alpine_saint

[View From The Top]

I got told yesterday at work that there may be a requirement for 2.5k+ more people at very short notice.

in two weeks time you are entering the main summer leave period...so not a good time

 

we were also told that many G4S staff not turning up were for 2 main reasons..they were offered very minimal wage and many were not even british

 

Add to that that plenty are sick of waiting & have got other jobs.

[Thedelldays]

This is where some are staying who have been recent drafted in to cover G4S

 

[saintbletch]

This is my G4S Olympic tale.

 

Jan/Feb time we are contacted by the local JCP+ who we work closely with (as recognised in last weeks OFSTED report into FE under "best practice") & asked if we could run a number of SIA courses as G4S wanted 100+ lads & lasses from Tipton/Oldbury/Smethwick to work at the training bases/venues in & around Brum + Cov' for the football.

 

JCP+ we allocated the funding to pay for the badges & course fees & those people we subsequently badged up. JCP+ pass on all the information of the people including badge numbers to G4S who say they will be in contact & all those 100+ people are guaranteed work.

 

As of yesterday G4S hasn't been in contact with a single person out of that 100+.

 

Shocking. But not an isolated tale from the reports I've seen View From The Top.

 

The question for me is whether this this was purely a logistical issue. Did they simply have too many people to deal with or hadn't thought about the logistics of keeping people updated on what was happening.

 

Or did they feel that they could exploit the economic climate and that it would be fine for them to not communicate with anyone for months, and that out of desperation people would be queuing and ready no matter how shabbily they had been treated.

 

Conspiracy or cock-up?

 

It will also be interesting to see how insulated the government is from the blame for this. I watched a little of the select committee questioning of the G4S boss yesterday and he did mention at one point that the government had been regularly kept appraised of the numbers of people trained.

[Ken Tone]

Funny, isn't it, how those that moan about the public sector, forget that whenever the private sector ****s up like this, it has to be the public sector that bails us out.

 

The profit motive isn't always the best way to run a society.

[Saintandy666]

Funny, isn't it, how those that moan about the public sector, forget that whenever the private sector ****s up like this, it has to be the public sector that bails us out.

 

The profit motive isn't always the best way to run a society.

 

In fairness to right wingers, I don't think there are many who advocate privatisation proper of the police and army/security. Do that and you are basically an Anarchist.

[Minty]

It will also be interesting to see how insulated the government is from the blame for this.

 

Quite. In any commercial scenario, I would always ensure that the contractor has sufficient contingencies in place to ensure they fulfil the terms of the contract, especially where it is one where postponement or cancellation is not an option. I would then monitor the contract and expect reports at key milestones to ensure compliance with the stated timescales.

 

As the person commissioning that contract, I might not be responsible for the contract, but i am ACCOUNTABLE for the outcome, whoever gets that contract.

 

The grilling that the G4S boss is getting is fair enough to a point, but it smacks of a PR exercise to divert from the fact that the Govt weren't monitoring the contract closely enough themselves.

[Verbal]

In fairness to right wingers, I don't think there are many who advocate privatisation proper of the police and army/security. Do that and you are basically an Anarchist.

 

Or a member of a British Government. Privatisation of police and army functions, as well as prisons, has been advocated by Home Secretaries of both parties for donkey's years. How do you think G4S became so gargantuan? Only one way: convincing well educated but socially blinkered British senior civil servants, under political direction, that they could do things better. G4S, like the PFI companies and almost all other outsourcing companies are terrifying stupid, inefficient and monumentally greedy state spongers.

 

And their MO is is always and everywhere the same: cut wages to the legal minimum (or get them working for free, in some cases); pay huge salaries, bonuses and dividends to the wide boys (and girls) who run these companies; fail abysmally in their contracted duties; retain the profits from the contracts anyway; hand the job back to the state to pick up the pieces.

[alpine_saint]

Funny, isn't it, how those that moan about the public sector, forget that whenever the private sector ****s up like this, it has to be the public sector that bails us out.

 

The profit motive isn't always the best way to run a society.

 

This. Oh, and the private sector never get punished appropriately when they balls up either.

[alpine_saint]

And their MO is is always and everywhere the same: cut wages to the legal minimum (or get them working for free, in some cases); pay huge salaries, bonuses and dividends to the wide boys (and girls) who run these companies; fail abysmally in their contracted duties; retain the profits from the contracts anyway; hand the job back to the state to pick up the pieces.

 

In most cases I would describe this perspective as downright cynical, but in the case of G4S it appears to be a perfect description.

[Ken Tone]

Quite. In any commercial scenario, I would always ensure that the contractor has sufficient contingencies in place to ensure they fulfil the terms of the contract, especially where it is one where postponement or cancellation is not an option. I would then monitor the contract and expect reports at key milestones to ensure compliance with the stated timescales.

 

As the person commissioning that contract, I might not be responsible for the contract, but i am ACCOUNTABLE for the outcome, whoever gets that contract.

 

The grilling that the G4S boss is getting is fair enough to a point, but it smacks of a PR exercise to divert from the fact that the Govt weren't monitoring the contract closely enough themselves.

 

In any normal circumstance I'd agree with you Minty. However, contracts of such gargantuan scale as this are virtually impossible to monitor, especially if the contractor spins a line.

 

IMO we should not be letting issues such as this go to the private sector in the first place, and I'm extremely worried that political dogma seems to be leading us to do similarly daft things to the NHS.

[Minty]

In any normal circumstance I'd agree with you Minty. However, contracts of such gargantuan scale as this are virtually impossible to monitor, especially if the contractor spins a line.

 

IMO we should not be letting issues such as this go to the private sector in the first place, and I'm extremely worried that political dogma seems to be leading us to do similarly daft things to the NHS.

 

I guess there's two parts to this:

 

1 - I fully agree that it shouldn't have gone to the private sector in the first place. But it did, so:

 

2 - The gargantuan size of the contract made it even MORE important to monitor their preparations IMO.

 

Let's not start heading off down the NHS route, I'll start getting all hot and bothered.

[Verbal]

I guess there's two parts to this:

 

1 - I fully agree that it shouldn't have gone to the private sector in the first place. But it did, so:

 

2 - The gargantuan size of the contract made it even MORE important to monitor their preparations IMO.

 

Let's not start heading off down the NHS route, I'll start getting all hot and bothered.

 

There are many reasons why outsourcing contracts so regularly go pear-shaped, but one of them is that there is absolutely no project management skillsets among senior civil servants. They simply do not know how to begin thinking about managing a contract, setting regular performance targets and ensuring compliance of those targets. People with those skills do exist, but they are so far down the chain of command that their warnings, etc., are ignored.

[Minty]

There are many reasons why outsourcing contracts so regularly go pear-shaped, but one of them is that there is absolutely no project management skillsets among senior civil servants. They simply do not know how to begin thinking about managing a contract, setting regular performance targets and ensuring compliance of those targets. People with those skills do exist, but they are so far down the chain of command that their warnings, etc., are ignored.

Well clearly G4S don't have any either, hence we're a bit buggered.

[Saint_Pedro]

I still think we should prepare the athletes and foreign tourists about what to expect when they arrive at Heathrow.

 

A f*ck1ng big banner reading "Welcome to Britain - its a bit ****"

[aintforever]

I'm glad I didn't get tickets for any London events now, I expect it will just be hours of waiting around in queues while a bunch under-staffed, under-paid and under-trained security staff root through thousands of bags.

 

It's all pointless anyway because a terrorist can do just as much damage blowing themselves up on the overcrowded tube or in one of the entrances which will have thousands waiting outside trying to get in.

 

The way these things are done here are always a joke. You have clueless/corrupt civil servants handing out lucrative contracts to their mates on companies who make millions at our expense. They will do a **** job, make their money at it wont matter because the event will be over and there is nothing any of us can do about it because the politicians only concern will be deflecting blame.

[Thedelldays]

I'm glad I didn't get tickets for any London events now, I expect it will just be hours of waiting around in queues while a bunch under-staffed, under-paid and under-trained security staff root through thousands of bags.

 

It's all pointless anyway because a terrorist can do just as much damage blowing themselves up on the overcrowded tube or in one of the entrances which will have thousands waiting outside trying to get in.

 

The way these things are done here are always a joke. You have clueless/corrupt civil servants handing out lucrative contracts to their mates on companies who make millions at our expense. They will do a **** job, make their money at it wont matter because the event will be over and there is nothing any of us can do about it because the politicians only concern is deflecting blame.

that is true.

there has not been a security incident yet the way the media etc are going on, you would have thought Bin Laden had come back from the dead and caused mayhem

 

having this news being just that keeps security and how the UK is making sure it is beef'd up in peoples minds. not at all saying this was planned but a way of showing off that despite this stupid company letting everyone down. security is not a dirty word

 

having helicopters in the sky, RN ships on the Thames and Anti aircraft missiles on blocks of flats is largely a visible show of force

the real security work is going on behind the scenes and has done for months and will carry on

all this is just "news"

[Verbal]

that is true.

there has not been a security incident yet the way the media etc are going on, you would have thought Bin Laden had come back from the dead and caused mayhem

 

having this news being just that keeps security and how the UK is making sure it is beef'd up in peoples minds. not at all saying this was planned but a way of showing off that despite this stupid company letting everyone down. security is not a dirty word

 

having helicopters in the sky, RN ships on the Thames and Anti aircraft missiles on blocks of flats is largely a visible show of force

the real security work is going on behind the scenes and has done for months and will carry on

all this is just "news"

 

You'd think that would be the case, but the Boat Race this year suggests otherwise. The visible show of force - lots of speedboats rushing up and down, etc - succeeded in dissuading all the nice white middle class spectators from committing an act of terror or disruption. However, the one person intent on stopping the race hung out on Chiswick Eyot (google map it) - the one and only place on the course where you could attack the boats without having to be on either shore AND see the race coming for about a quarter of a mile. He had remained completely undetected on the Eyot for hours (having got onto it at low tide).

 

Not reassuring.

[dubai_phil]

that is true.

there has not been a security incident yet the way the media etc are going on, you would have thought Bin Laden had come back from the dead and caused mayhem

 

having this news being just that keeps security and how the UK is making sure it is beef'd up in peoples minds. not at all saying this was planned but a way of showing off that despite this stupid company letting everyone down. security is not a dirty word

 

having helicopters in the sky, RN ships on the Thames and Anti aircraft missiles on blocks of flats is largely a visible show of force

the real security work is going on behind the scenes and has done for months and will carry on

all this is just "news"

 

Security at the Olympics is PR designed to deter on the spur of the moment nutters. It's all about making people think it is impossible and then at the event creating "LAYERS"

 

That is designed to avoid "Embarrassment" but still would not stop a nutter streaking in front of Usain Bolt in the 100m final

 

The REAL security is, as you say, at a level that normal "internet users" have no concept of. Probably between 2 or 3 million software agents or "super viruses" will have been distributed around the email systems, FB & Twitters of the world, Internet Cafes etc.

 

They can detect ANY specific sequence of keystrokes, they can turn on web cams, GPS in mobiles or just tell the authorities the location.

 

The REAL threat is that it is simple to subvert ANY system, but it needs HUMAN couriers and message carriers. Until the nutters work out that airlines record ALL flight information and track people accordingly.

 

Want to get a courier into the UK? Use a frequent flier with a Gold Card out of SA or LAM. Luckily the nutters haven't thought of that

 

Yet

[pap]

that is true.

there has not been a security incident yet the way the media etc are going on, you would have thought Bin Laden had come back from the dead and caused mayhem

 

having this news being just that keeps security and how the UK is making sure it is beef'd up in peoples minds. not at all saying this was planned but a way of showing off that despite this stupid company letting everyone down. security is not a dirty word

having helicopters in the sky, RN ships on the Thames and Anti aircraft missiles on blocks of flats is largely a visible show of force

the real security work is going on behind the scenes and has done for months and will carry on

all this is just "news"

 

Crevice is a dirty word. Leak is a positively disgusting word

[um pahars]

Funny, isn't it, how those that moan about the public sector, forget that whenever the private sector ****s up like this, it has to be the public sector that bails us out.

 

The profit motive isn't always the best way to run a society.

 

This G4S shambles is the simple retort when anyone claims;

 

 

Private Sector = good & efficient,

 

whilst

 

Public Sector = bad & profligate

 

 

Neither have a monopoly on good and bad practice and neither have a monopoly on efficiency. And whilst neither have a monopoly with regards a duty of care, I can't help thinking that sometimes, just sometimes the desire to make £££££s sometimes clouds the judgement of some.

[Thedelldays]

after an 18 hour shift as there is no accommodation for them at the mo

[Ken Tone]

Shocking

[trousers]

@BBCNews: Lord Coe: "You can probably go to the Games wearing Nike trainers" - @bbcr4today #London2012

[buctootim]

after an 18 hour shift as there is no accommodation for them at the mo

 

Thats a disgrace. I cant believe it beyond the wit of anybody in authority to at the very least go out and buy inflatable mattresses and sleeping bags.

[Micky]

Thats a disgrace. I cant believe it beyond the wit of anybody in authority to at the very least go out and buy inflatable mattresses and sleeping bags.

 

That would cost money - we don't have any money, we spent all the money, all £300 million of it on the security company that these boys and girls are now bailing out. We have no money to help out these guys now. You can bet your bottom dollar that none of the atheletes, officials, politicians, organisers, hangers on or general olympic scroungers are living anywhere near in these conditions. Olympic Vilages, best hotes is my guess.

 

Yet this is what we afford those people who, at the end of the day, sacrifice most for us.

 

Bring on the next round of Military redundancies.....

[alpine_saint]

after an 18 hour shift as there is no accommodation for them at the mo

 

FFS.

 

I am ashamed to be British at the moment.

[Thedelldays]

FFS.

 

I am ashamed to be British at the moment.

agree with you for once

 

these are some of the lads (and lasses) that are part of the short notice lot that got stitched because of G4S

[pap]

Just when you thought that this farce couldn't get any worse.

 

According to the linked Guardian article, G4S has been cheating on the training for its security positions. Trainees were given as little as 20 minutes training time on x-ray scanners, allowed to answer the same questions multiple times until they hit upon the correct one. They were also allowed to confer with other trainees.

 

20 minutes training to determine whether something has a home-made bomb in it. Bang up job, G4S. Are we feeling safe, Britain?

[bridge too far]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-18959672

[Saintandy666]

Just when you thought that this farce couldn't get any worse.

 

According to the linked Guardian article, G4S has been cheating on the training for its security positions. Trainees were given as little as 20 minutes training time on x-ray scanners, allowed to answer the same questions multiple times until they hit upon the correct one. They were also allowed to confer with other trainees.

 

20 minutes training to determine whether something has a home-made bomb in it. Bang up job, G4S. Are we feeling safe, Britain?

 

Why the hell did we give something like security, when it is so important to a private company which is naturally going to want to maximise profit and save on costs?! Madness.

[Patrick Bateman]

I still think we should prepare the athletes and foreign tourists about what to expect when they arrive at Heathrow.

 

A f*ck1ng big banner reading "Welcome to Britain - its a bit ****"

 

But it isn't - this is a really great country! Those of you that live here, speak to foreign people you work with and ask them a) why they are here, b) what do they think compared to their country and c) would they go back.

 

Working for a large company with worldwide offices, many people choose to work in London/the UK. Of the French, Germans, Americans and Hungarians I work closely with, most slag off their own country and only see the good about the UK. Of course there are a couple who are here for the short term, but most love it here and want to stay, most think everything is "far better" here.

In fact I spent a short time today talking to one of my Hungarian mates who was slagging off (yet again) one of their Government offices. He tried to sort out his Hungarian driving license on their website and it failed, so he called up. The response was basically "and, what do you want us to do about it?".

 

I think we're too happy to slag our country off really, it isn't that bad!! Stop watching BBC news, stop reading the tabloids and life will be a lot more tolerable and relaxed!!

[buctootim]

But it isn't - this is a really great country! Those of you that live here, speak to foreign people you work with and ask them a) why they are here, b) what do they think compared to their country and c) would they go back.

 

Working for a large company with worldwide offices, many people choose to work in London/the UK. Of the French, Germans, Americans and Hungarians I work closely with, most slag off their own country and only see the good about the UK. Of course there are a couple who are here for the short term, but most love it here and want to stay, most think everything is "far better" here.

In fact I spent a short time today talking to one of my Hungarian mates who was slagging off (yet again) one of their Government offices. He tried to sort out his Hungarian driving license on their website and it failed, so he called up. The response was basically "and, what do you want us to do about it?".

 

I think we're too happy to slag our country off really, it isn't that bad!! Stop watching BBC news, stop reading the tabloids and life will be a lot more tolerable and relaxed!!

 

 

 

What do you care? You want to emigrate to Oregon!

[pap]

Why the hell did we give something like security, when it is so important to a private company which is naturally going to want to maximise profit and save on costs?! Madness.

 

Same argument can be applied to healthcare and prisons, Andy. How'd you get repeat business in those industries?

[Thedelldays]

But it isn't - this is a really great country! Those of you that live here, speak to foreign people you work with and ask them a) why they are here, b) what do they think compared to their country and c) would they go back.

 

Working for a large company with worldwide offices, many people choose to work in London/the UK. Of the French, Germans, Americans and Hungarians I work closely with, most slag off their own country and only see the good about the UK. Of course there are a couple who are here for the short term, but most love it here and want to stay, most think everything is "far better" here.

In fact I spent a short time today talking to one of my Hungarian mates who was slagging off (yet again) one of their Government offices. He tried to sort out his Hungarian driving license on their website and it failed, so he called up. The response was basically "and, what do you want us to do about it?".

 

I think we're too happy to slag our country off really, it isn't that bad!! Stop watching BBC news, stop reading the tabloids and life will be a lot more tolerable and relaxed!!

 

This is true

We are now a nation of massive moaners

 

Unless something is handed to us on a plate or exactly perfect then we must moan like fuk

[bridge too far]

Same argument can be applied to healthcare and prisons, Andy. How'd you get repeat business in those industries?

 

A number of the private healthcare providers have MPs on their boards / are shareholders.

[Patrick Bateman]

What do you care? You want to emigrate to Oregon!

 

Pah! Well I considered it (Seattle, not Oregon), but having spoken to a lot of Americans (who had made the opposite move) and some over there, the decision is to stay here. It ties in to what I said above to be honest - this IS a good country! It's busy in places, but it's still good.

 

Also, if you lived in Seattle, where can you get to after 2 hours flying? Southern Canada and that's about it. You can't even reach Chicago, Vegas, New York etc. Where can you get to within 2 hours flying from London? A shed load of places, cultures, sights and sounds!

[saintfully]

But it isn't - this is a really great country! Those of you that live here, speak to foreign people you work with and ask them a) why they are here, b) what do they think compared to their country and c) would they go back.

 

Working for a large company with worldwide offices, many people choose to work in London/the UK. Of the French, Germans, Americans and Hungarians I work closely with, most slag off their own country and only see the good about the UK. Of course there are a couple who are here for the short term, but most love it here and want to stay, most think everything is "far better" here.

In fact I spent a short time today talking to one of my Hungarian mates who was slagging off (yet again) one of their Government offices. He tried to sort out his Hungarian driving license on their website and it failed, so he called up. The response was basically "and, what do you want us to do about it?".

 

I think we're too happy to slag our country off really, it isn't that bad!! Stop watching BBC news, stop reading the tabloids and life will be a lot more tolerable and relaxed!!

 

It is a great country no doubt but it could be sooo much better. FWIW maybe the reason that it is a great country is that we're never satisfied? Moaning brings improvement - dialectic basically.

[derry]

Security brought in in the late seventies is probably the biggest scam of all time. Totally ineffective unless it's run by El Al. How many people have had their bags searched by idiots who find nothing in the first four compartments or don't go to the bottom of the bag and don't bother searching the rest? I've lost count of the number I've reamed out over not doing the search thoroughly after starting to search my bags. The looks on their colleagues faces is worth the extra few minutes wasted. Even better if you have to demonstrate that they have missed something at the end. I used to carry a hefty bag of small change in the bottom of my briefcase to pay the crew their exact expenses. It showed up on the scanner as a black lump but it was hardly ever picked up in a hand search.

[badgerx16]

G4S "security" in the news again

 

http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/community/olympic-security-fiasco-firm-face-embarrassment-1-4767555

Edited 24 July, 2012 by badgerx16

[Thedelldays]

another 1200 troops deployed today...no summer hols for them then

 

thank god my days of getting involved in this crap are long gone

 

remember the foot and mouth crisis....helped out in that and it was a bit of a laugh....I remember jumping up on a dead cow that was just shot and my feet went through its guts and I was knee high in cow....

 

Op Fresco was the one that still gets me mad (and nearly everyone else that was involved)...utter toss pots those firemen for doing that (for what they were demanding)