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coal. where is it mined?


magnetman

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There is a strange juxtaposition in the demise of our coal industry in that whilst most people will have a view on the Margaret Thatcher / Arthur Scargil argument, few ever consider how much we would now be paying out in compensation for industrial injury and diseases had things continued the way they were.

 

I believe some of our coal does come from China, where 50 miners die every week. Startling as this figure maybe it used to be over 120 per week just a few years ago.

 

Can you imagine the outrcy if that were happening here. We do still have UK coal, producing about seven million tons a year from 2 deep mines,and 6 surface mines.

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Apart from the obvious inherent safety issues involved in conventional mining, there would be very little chance of tempting the current flock of youth down a mine shaft to earn their crust. Not whilst the majority of them appear to leave the school gates with the impression that they're next up on Simon Cowell's short list for stardom, or about to don the shirt of one of the Premier League football clubs.

 

Deluded!

Edited by Doorman
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Apart from the obvious inherent safety issues involved in conventional mining, there would be very little chance of tempting the current flock of youth down a mine shaft to earn their crust. Not whilst the majority of them appear to leave the school gates with the impression that they're next up on Simon Cowell's short list for stardom, or about to don the shirt of one of the Premier League football clubs.

 

Deluded!

Nothing new there - I am sure that in the '60s lads also dreamed of being soccer stars or pop singers. The only difference these days is that they no longer want to be engine drivers.

 

Serious social research question: at that time, I remember that many girls' dream was to be an air hostess: international travel, smart uniform, glamorous job. Is that still the case ?

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Nothing new there - I am sure that in the '60s lads also dreamed of being soccer stars or pop singers. The only difference these days is that they no longer want to be engine drivers.

 

Serious social research question: at that time, I remember that many girls' dream was to be an air hostess: international travel, smart uniform, glamorous job. Is that still the case ?

 

I think that Kate Middleton's mum might be able to answer that one better.

 

With regard to the tyrannical Thatcher, who appeared to be contemptuous of all who dared to be around her. I recall the Spitting Image sketch where the scene was set at Chequers, where she was entertaining members of her cabinet for a working lunch. The humble waiter asked what she would like from the menu, to which she replied; 'roast beef'. When the waiter then asked about the vegetables, she sternly replied; 'let them choose for themselves!'

 

In a comedic way, that just about summed this autocratic, arrogant dictator up nicely. Scargill was not much better.

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Nope. she said "They'll have the same as me" - unless the sketch was run twice with variations in the punch.

 

Was Kate's Mum an air hostess?

 

Stand corrected. :P

 

No, no, no, no, no, no!

 

An Air Attendant please.

 

Simple, ordinary hard working girls are called Air Hostesses, or even trolley dollies if they're really common.

 

Those whom have given birth to princesses are called Air Attendants!

 

Royalty, where everyone is equal, except some are more equal than others. How do they continue to fool the public repeatedly, through centuries of distasteful misdemeanours and crimes?

Edited by Doorman
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I think that Kate Middleton's mum might be able to answer that one better.

 

With regard to the tyrannical Thatcher, who appeared to be contemptuous of all who dared to be around her. I recall the Spitting Image sketch where the scene was set at Chequers, where she was entertaining members of her cabinet for a working lunch. The humble waiter asked what she would like from the menu, to which she replied; 'roast beef'. When the waiter then asked about the vegetables, she sternly replied; 'let them choose for themselves!'

 

In a comedic way, that just about summed this autocratic, arrogant dictator up nicely. Scargill was not much better.

 

running the risk of sounding pedantic - it was steak! B)

 

Waiter - 'How would you like your steak?'

 

Thatcher - 'Raw'

 

(and then the vegetables bit)

 

I can't remember what happened yesterday, but I can remember useless TV trivia from decades ago! :lol:

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Royalty, where everyone is equal, except some are more equal than others. How do they continue to fool the public repeatedly, through centuries of distasteful misdemeanours and crimes?

 

Because the public want them to.

 

It's mad.

Edited by andywatson
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Air Attendant? Never heard that one. I have heard them called Air Stewardesses.

But do girls still dream of being one?

 

I do apologise.

 

Flight Attendant is the correct term for people connected with royalty who previously worked as air hostesses.

 

I can't remember what happened yesterday, but I can remember useless TV trivia from decades ago! :lol:

 

What did you just say.......?

 

Because the public want them to.

 

It's mad.

 

I think that you're right there. We have a great mate who is a big burly lorry driver and a comedian too. Amazingly, he wouldn't have a word said against the parasites.

 

Sorry M'lady! :P

Edited by Doorman
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they're not parasites if the majority of people want them to be there, it's only a slowly winding down continuation of our history, as time goes on they are less and less important, which is just right, but chucking them out never worked anywhere else in history, they probably have zero effect on your daily life anyhow, why are you bothered ?

 

I used to work in a London gun factory, and as an apprentice i cleaned their guns, it employed 10 plebs like me, no posh twits no job ?

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Totally agree

 

Andrew

 

One of the off-shoots of the demise of the coal industry was that well trained engineers emerged from the depths of mine shafts and displayed their talents above ground. I have met many a fitter from the coal industry days who could hold his own against the best that daylight industries could offer.

 

In fact I think that I met one such person at a garden party in Audlem last year, during the transport festival. When I asked him who built his modern narrowboat he proudly exclaimed 'me'. He told me that he'd produced a scaled replica of his boat then once he was satisfied with the result, built the full size version.

 

Fine tradesmen like this are hard to find in these modern days.

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One of the off-shoots of the demise of the coal industry was that well trained engineers emerged from the depths of mine shafts and displayed their talents above ground. I have met many a fitter from the coal industry days who could hold his own against the best that daylight industries could offer.

 

In fact I think that I met one such person at a garden party in Audlem last year, during the transport festival. When I asked him who built his modern narrowboat he proudly exclaimed 'me'. He told me that he'd produced a scaled replica of his boat then once he was satisfied with the result, built the full size version.

 

Fine tradesmen like this are hard to find in these modern days.

 

 

They served a proper apprenticeship and were real tradesmen in my opinion, and I'm a southern softie who over the years employed many of them.

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Yes colliery engineers every time.

 

Our Sea Otter was built by ex NCB workshop engineers in an old NCB workshop. Superb workmanship.

 

My last boss was ex NCB Safety Engineer and my 'partner in crime' was one of the most skilled electrical engineers I ever met. He taught me who was trained in vehicle engineering so much about electrical systems from high voltage to electronics.

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they're not parasites if the majority of people want them to be there, it's only a slowly winding down continuation of our history, as time goes on they are less and less important, which is just right, but chucking them out never worked anywhere else in history, they probably have zero effect on your daily life anyhow, why are you bothered ?

 

I used to work in a London gun factory, and as an apprentice i cleaned their guns, it employed 10 plebs like me, no posh twits no job ?

 

Apologies, completely :smiley_offtopic:

 

Hi Onion,

 

I think that your last sentence summed it up nicely. London and probably the Home Counties benefit most from the parasites. Conversely, northern parts appear less well off from the 'Royal novelty effect'.

 

With regard to the majority of people wanting them to be there, if a referendum had been taken shortly after they murdered Diana, it would have been interesting to see if this was actually the case. If nothing else, they and their lackies in the press, excel in covering up their excesses in moral and financial terms. For every decent one amongst them there are ten hangers-on leaching from the civil list.

 

The only ones benefiting from the Royals up north are the paint companies who supply the hundreds of litres of fresh paint to titivate the buildings that they visit, rarely. Buildings that until then, were left in a sorry state due to perceived lack of funds. It's a joke really.

 

With regard to them having zero effect on my life, that's not quite true when I consider that part of my excessive tax and vat payments that I slogged to afford over my working lifetime, went towards the civil list. If it was well spent on the NHS or looking after the true needy of this country then it wouldn't concern me too much. Seeing the likes of AIRMILES Andy splash our cash around the world on his many jaunts does bother me.

 

No, sorry, it infuriates me!

 

Mike

Edited by Doorman
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I used to work in a London gun factory, and as an apprentice i cleaned their guns, it employed 10 plebs like me, no posh twits no job ?

 

Not the one begining with P by any chance, and if so how long ago?

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