Forum home The potting shed
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

🐌CURMUDGEONS' CORNER XIV🐌

1707173757697

Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    One wonders who thought white trousers were suitable for infantry
    Devon.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    It was so that the soldiers looked pretty  on parade. A lot of uniforms were uncomfortable and downright dangerous.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    B3 said:
    It was so that the soldiers looked pretty  on parade. A lot of uniforms were uncomfortable and downright dangerous.
    Apparently Scots soldiers were made to wear kilts in WW1 even though they got wet, froze and actually cut their legs 
    Leadership eh?
    Devon.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    If you look at paintings of battles such as Waterloo all the various soldiers are in their regimental colours so the Allie could tell who was friend and who was foe.   For the French army everyone was foe.

    The first time the Brits used khaki was when they sent Indian troops as an "expeditionary" force to Abyssinia in 1868.   I believe the British army only adopted khaki and camouflage as battle dress across the regiments at the end of the 19th C after the highly visible redcoats were roundly whupped by the Boers using guerilla tactics to make the most of their small numbers and ability to move fast on horseback plus landscape coloured clothing so they were almost invisible.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • steephillsteephill Posts: 2,841
    No-mow May was a big hit with the tick population, picked up 3 of the little sods dealing with the long grass round the veg patch today. That brings this year's running total to 9 so far and now every itch needs a thorough inspection instead of a quick scratch. I hate ticks.
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    not tickity boo or dandy then?
    Devon.
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    In 2013 I started a garden almanac, recorded plot rotation,what I planted and where,dates,back pages things I wanted to buy,yeald from veg. I kept packs from plants, seed packets, EXCEPT,... last autumn I grew sweet peas,(, I have 2 cutting beds wanted both scent AND long stems) the smell is unbelievable, just one stem on the kitchen,you can smell everywhere,you know what's coming!! I didn't keep the seed packet,why didn't I glue it into the book
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    The palm tree with the overpoweringly smelly blossoms is at it again. If it was more subtle, it would be lovely  but it's cloying and tarty. If it was human, it would have surgical enhancements, clothing two sizes too small,  black fishnet tights and white stilettos. Less is more - my dear.😒
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    Our Sambucus has lots of flower this year. Took a while for us to work out where the smell of cat pee was coming from. 😕
    AB Still learning

  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    Hostafan1 said:
    KT53 said:
    Hostafan1 said:
    KT53 said:
    Hostafan1 said:
    Obelixx said:
    It doesn't make any difference what shade of government is in power @Hostafan1

    Most of the staff at DWP and similar government areas are overworked underpaid and under qualified, have lousy managers and horrendous working environments.  Ever heard the expression "pay peanuts, get monkeys"?  
    PIP was set up by THIS government and the "assessment" is done by outside "providers",  ( probably mates of Boris or sundry ministers ) not the DWP.

    For the sake of accuracy, PIP was implemented in 2013 by the Conservative/Lib Dem coalition.  Most new benefits take many years from inception to implementation so it's entirely possible that the first steps in its creation were during the Labour government prior to 2010.
    I agree with Obelixx assessment of DWP staff, but 'under trained' was missed from the list, and I would suggest not all are under qualified at least in the educational sense. 
    As an example of the training, or lack thereof, when I started working in a department processing Income Support claims, we had 6 weeks training and were then basically told to get on with it.  There was one mentor per 10 new staff.  When that mentor was trained some years previous to do the same job, the training was 13 weeks and then another 6 weeks with a 1 to 1 mentor.
    Most of the managers I came across in my 7 years at DWP would not have held a job down for more than a few months in private industry (the time it might take to be found utterly wanting in ability).
    PIP assessments are run by Private Sector agencies.

    The assessments are but that doesn't change the fact that PIP is run by DWP.  DWP still make the final decision on entitlement to PIP, just as they do/did with ESA where the assessment was made by a 3rd party company.
    DWP have passed my application to private sector provides, it's THEY, NOT DWP who have a 3 - 6 month backlog. DWP have processed my application and passed it on.
    You seem determined to blame  the DWP / public sector, but you're wrong , it's private sector inefficiency in this case.

    Who gave the job to a private sector company and therefore has the ability to take the job back off them if they don't perform?  The Government did precisely that with the company charged with doing the assessments on ESA.
Sign In or Register to comment.