What makes Britain great?

[Spitfire]

If we didn`t have litter louts or vandals roaming about in the first instance, we wouldn`t have need for all this surveillance.
If all the `do-gooders` and those of a similarly relaxed attitude from the 70`s and 80`s hadn`t existed, then I`m sure that Big brother wouldn`t get a mention today. People would still have respect both for people and property.

[muffers]

My memory doesnt serve me very well but was it in Leyland that they had a little drinking fountain that had been used for many year. I think there was a picture of children drinking from it. But no more it had been broken or had to have a chain on the cup I forget which but it does show a change in children and older people.

[muffers]

3 Firefighters are facing disiplinary action after being found sleeping on the floor instead of on the recliner chairs newly supplied. There was a spot check which found them in sleeping bags. Apparently they were not allowed to sit on the chairs until they had read a 4 page manual on how to use to the chair.
1. Put your personal head cover on chair.
2. Sit back on chair and get ready to recline
3. Release the lever under your right arm
4. To recline hold onto the arm rests and push back
5. To upright the chair sit up slightly and push back with your feet.

The chairs did not come with a manual but the fire service decided it should make one up.

Have shortened the original version of 'How to'

These men could now face dismissal now isnt this one of the things that makes Britain great......[][]

[LDunlop76]

I think the main disciplinary issue is that they were asleep (not allowed on duty) instead of resting (allowed on duty)!

[Lynne]

I think Mick is quite right.
Many of the complaints we hear about Britain are the same globally.It seems to me that no country now is immune from immigration problems and dangers from both real and potential terrorist attacks. There are examples everywhere.
Sure there is a lot to criticise Britain for and how, but anyone who has been watching Andrew Marr's History of Modern Britain can see how successive leaders have so often dragged this country down when it was just pulling itself up from its knees.
I could relate to Marrs picture of late forties and 50's Britain. The lack of good food,rationing -the disgusting snoek-and boy was it awful-my mum made it into fishcakes and we still couldn't eat it.
The bomb sites which remained for a long time, the gloomy winter of 47 -the lack of jobs for the servicemen as they came back after years of duty.
The loans which had to be fought for from America and have only just last year been repaid.
For many of todays ills I blame politicians who are in it for the power and glory and continue to brow beat the populace with their hare- brained, badly -thought out schemes until people give up and become apathetic.
Just look at the long farewell jetting around of our still current P.M. when there are so many matters needing attention .
Watch for the way that we will be further sold down the line in Europe.
What about the terrible treatment of top serving officers like Colonel Jorge Mendonca.So much for serving your country in such dangerous and unpleasant conditions.
Whatever the circumstances they have been investigated over two years and he was cleared.
Surely that is enough and it has ruined his carreer and damaged his life.
Decent folk are fed up.
Why play down Sir Edward Elgar for being too patriotic in his music.It's not P.C.
There is still so much beauty in Britain but you have to search for it more carefully.
These are just my observations.

[Spitfire]

Lynne, Well said. I agree with every word. Having just watched two brilliant TV programs last night (`Coast` and David Dimbleby`s `Building of Britain`) I still think you will have to travel a long long way to find somewhere better than these islands.
Only the negative things hit the headlines.

[noel]

And even Gordon Brown isn't looking so bad now compared to Cameron. Once again it looks like the Tories have shot themselves in the foot.
Defeat snatched from the jaws of victory, just like North End.

[Lynne]

Cameron just has to watch out for the enemy within.
A pity since he seemed to be the answer to the self- seeking lot we have now. I still think that the old Tory guard need to consider whether they want to be elected, and if so to show a bit more loyalty to the one man who may be able get them back to power. Talk things over with their leader instead of bleating to the Media and judging his comments about Grammar Schools based on their own experiences many years ago in a quite different climate.
It is difficult for a a party in opposition to prove themselves
Whether Brown will be an improvement remains to be seen but quite honestly I think he too will have trouble from his own party members when he tries to take a different tack from the Blairites.
Time will tell.
I have no particular party affiliation but I know who has done a great deal of lasting damage.
Going back to the topic I see that there are arrests in America against terrorists plotting to blow up JFK Airport amongst other targets.
The resulting comments heard from Americans sound familiar.
How can a man who has been given shelter in the United States plot against the country which has helped him!
How can there be home grown terrorists here!
How is it one managed to escape and presumably escape to Trinidad!
Have we not heard these sentiments used against this country time and time again!
In Sydney I read that there are would-be plotters to blow up significant targets in Australia on charges.
So what is new!
We spent a glorious week in Devon a fortnight ago.
Beautiful sunshine and great scenery all over South Devon and also streets free of dog muck and spit.
Pleasant service in shops and friendly folk all round.
Also in Exmouth where we were based was evidence of a happy community.
Posters advertising all sorts of activities for locals and a central well- kept park full of roses.The groundsmen were preparing for the summer and were happy to talk about what they were planting. It was a joy to walk around.
The Exmouth Festival had started and groups from schools,the local theatre groups ,operatic society and other craft and music groups were obviously keen to share their talents.
It was to me a feeling of being in a different Britain from the one that is so often in the news.
I have my own thoughts on Grammar Schools as they were.
Perhaps another time.

[Lynne]

Have watched those programs.Jim, great stuff.
The previous series with Dimbleby as he looked at Britain through art and music was stirring too.
Can't get enough of that sort of thing.

[Alan Marsden]

When recently in London,walking past the vehicular access point to Parliament ,I noted a group of protestors on the grass across the road shouting abuse about Tony Blair, GWB and the west in general, they ( in particular a youngish scruffy female dressed in rags and bearing rings all over the place )to the annoyance of passers by they were using a megaphone to amplify their abuse . It was difficult to discern just what they were protesting about, but certainly everything about the west was wrong. The policeman at the entrance to Parliament told me that they had been there protesting daily and living in their ragged nearbye tents for over ten years! I crossed the road to ask them what they were protesting about. Apparently they were from the middle east,Palestine and the like , they berated everything western. Finally I asked them as they were so beligerent to the UK, why didn't they return to their homelands ? I received no response. No doubt they were all on Soc. Sec. I wondered how long these layabouts would have been allowed to protest had they been in their homelands !

Although I dislike the notion of the Civil List,peerages and such, I'm pleased that the Uk Government had the guts not to be unduely influenced by the 'muslim radicals' , that they have recognised Salmon Rushdie http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmon_Rushdie.

Note the fact that the Rushdie wikipedia site has been subjected to vandalism on this issue, now isn't that just what one would expect from such narrow minded religious bigots,here we are allowing protest for years, even providing sustanance for the layabouts ( they don't work)and they have the gall to decry our societies whilst receiving police protection to do so, although admirable,are we not shooting ourselves in the foot ?
Why o why do we allow them to get away with their repressiveness ,especially in our own countries ?