Has it all been arranged to put us all in our place? Everyone is suddenly touching their forelock and wringing their caps, taking pay cuts and generally doing anything, so long as they can keep their job. Firms are having a field day slashing jobs and getting who's left to work harder, it's like all their Christmas's have come at once.
Then, we have the sight of the people who put us in this alleged mess all being kept on or playing boardroom musical chairs. Crazy.

the way of the world, eh?
Come the glorious day, brother!!!!

The day never dawns, they just invent new toys to distract you. Once it was let them eat cake, now it's HD 234" flat screens ....... ah well.

and a dozen Trisha-type programmes, there are many who find them shows very distracting

Unfortunately, if you think it's bad now Snowy, just wait.

I'm not bothered now, I'm sorted, but I do feel really sorry for the kids starting out in their working life, it's either retail or IT and a country that doesn't actually make anything any more ...

Anyone leading any form of revolution will be branded a terrorist. We can all see the way to a better life but it's just beyond our grasp. Oh well, there's always football & music to take our minds off of the frustration.

I have a final salary pension with plenty in it to look forward to (if I should live to make it to the ever-rising retirement age that is), and I agree about the types of jobs available to today's kids not being very appealing to me either.
I get the feeling that, as chemical plants close down and more and more of us in that industry are squeezed into fewer areas, along with the "natural wastage" of people being pensioned off, then I don't believe there is any kind of long term future for the industry which this area has become world famous for.

Trouble is, how many firms are going to last the course to the end nowadays, I'm afraid it's grab it and run these days. Constant changes of ownership, looking over your shoulder and I suspect turmoil to keep the workforce on their toes so to speak make the future uncertain and security of employment something that can disappear overnight ... never mind theough, the masses can't vote in a government, but they can vote till they drop for some moronic talent show. We now have a load of under 30's who in general are either totally oblivious to politics or obsessed with green issues, I really do worry, they question fook all and obey orders from the media in a way that's worrying.

but it's great for the Mandelsons of this world