I made it back

[Dave]

Hi there people ! Been away - not been feeling top dollar. What's happening ?
Two things I have learned in the last couple of weeks !
When two chaps are wheeling you to the op. theatre with you on a bed wearing nothing but a mini-nightgown open at the back, a certain touch of concern about your virtue is not out of place !
When that is compounded by a Doctor chappie advancing upon your semi-naked form with something about the size of a large knitting needle to stick in just between your ribs saying "It won't hurt at all", then take his testicles between your fingernails, squeeze ever so gently, look him in the eye and whisper, " It had better not Sunshine!"
Secondly, the philosopher who said "What doesn't kill me, makes me stronger" was telling more lies than a McDonald's menu ! For three days afterwards I felt like I'd had a severe talking to by a large pair of Doc Martin's up and down the High Street.

Godd to be back - I'm off for a scroll through to see what I have missed

[Allan]

Welcome back Dave, you've been missed.

Sorry you've been feeling less than spiffing, sounds like a dose of R and R is in order. They tell me Pedi is nice this time of year

[Dave]

Pedi is nice at any time !
Sadly, due to doubt about availability to travel, this year is a no-no.
Plus "She Who Must Be Obeyed" caught me thinking about her future and I agreed to get all the jobs done on the house. Aren't I a nice guy ?
However - next year - some serious chill time helping to remove the Pedi Mythos mountain and food overstocks must be up for serious consideration

[Allan]

Can't travel but well enough to work on the house eh? You've been conned good and proper Dave lad!

Have you told her about Paul's new "Luxury Sunbeds" recently installed in Pedi and still awaiting approval from the Minister for Sunbeds?

[Ozzie Geoff]

Tell you what, Dave. if you and TLG go to Symi next year I promise I'll make every endeavour to join you....don't worry, I won't live in your pocket, just pilfer from it now and again
Although, I fear i may have to hide from some morons that are after my scalp (not that they'd find much )
Something to think about, anyway.
great to see you back, having hurdled that anti spam obstacle.

[Mille]

Sounds like a good idea to me OG. Let's have some dates on the table, and I'll see if I can save some of the household money (kids and hubby can live of oatmeal, right? )

[Adriana]

Hi Mille,

my recipe for bottomless lentil soup is quite good for stretching the household budget...

[Dave]

Oh Geoff ..... he's not a moron. He's just not heard yet that The Chief Guardianista - Polly Toynbee - has gone all right wing on immigration. She sounded just like Richard Littlejohn! And now Ruth Kelly ( one of the High Priestess of Bliarism) has gone the same way. The Temple crumbles.
However, I'll mention it to The Lovely Gail - sounds good to me ...... although my liver would need "high temperature cotton and fast spin" on the washing machine cycle afterwards, I suppose. And only God could help if Norman found out and joined the party !!!!!

[Anthony]

I was intrigued by Dave's remark that that well-known leftie Polly Toynbee had gone all right-wing on immigration, and that Ruth Kelly (who couldn't signal an important shift in policy without the approval of her ultimate boss Tony Blair) seemed to be doing likewise. So I searched the web for more information and - for anyone else who is interested - came up with these links.

Polly Toynbee


Ruth Kelly


To me Polly Toynbee sets out an interesting analysis; and Ruth Kelly's speech very much mirrors my own views on problems that need to be tackled.

On reflection, and with due respect to Dave, I'm not sure that right- and left-wing aren't misleading labels on immigration. If you think about it, both political wings have their own pro- and anti-immigration factions. On the left, we know all too well from the old Chat Page the views of the pro-immigrants: they said something like being motivated by protection of the rights of minorities. Polly Toynbee puts (with a slightly new slant) the anti-immigration view long supported I think by Trade Unions: that immigrants steal jobs from British workers and depress wage rates. On the right wing we have firstly the anti-immigrant view shown in its extreme manifestation by people like the British National Party: England for the English and send the immigrants home. The pro-immigrant view is well described by Polly Toynbee (who of course rejects it): that those immigrants who are willing and able to find work play an invaluable role in the economy. Indeed, how would the National Health Service cope if it didn't poach trained doctors and nurses from developing countries? (Though it and the Government should be ashamed about this!)

[Dave]

Very true, Anthony - and it is a complex equation. I just followed our beloved Leader's example and went for the soundbite to get a cheap laugh - it wasn't a statement of any depth and doesn't mirror my views.
I was working in the office of a national recruitment agency last year and the statements being made now fully reflect what we saw happening then. Young Polish people were house sharing in large numbers back then and the level of qualifications they sported was astonishing. Their work ethic was incredible and the fact that very highly qualified people ( teachers, interpreters, science graduates, electronics specialists) were financially better off at minimum rates in menial jobs (that UK employers could not fill) over here than using their skills at home shakes one's comfortable little perch somewhat .
No wonder it's making their home countries worry about their infrastructure and future generation's prospects. A more dynamic approach to addressing perceived problems across the spectrum from host country to home country and back again would appear to be preferable to the usual two or three year talk-shop ( which will only exacerbate the situation), but I'm not bright enough to imagine how it could be done or even started.