I read somewhere that hate attacks against Muslims in the UK, have spiked significantly since the Christchurch attack. Have you seen this in your work Staines?
To be honest no, plenty of assaults, MH cases and even a hanging this week but nothing that I would say was a potentially racist attack. Our area is quite an ethnically diverse area so I’d reckon the community would stick together....at least I’d like to hope so.
Mental Health.......massive problem and massively underfunded. A lot of these people are left out in the community when they really shouldn’t be. I spent 2 hours cleaning the blood from the back of my ambulance this week where someone had tried to bite their fingers off and then proceeded to spray it everywhere. This is the real world.
Ah, of course, should’ve worked it out myself. Thanks. Yes, massive issue and one that I’m experiencing more closely in the form of the son of a friend. Huge respect to you and your colleagues for the difference you guys make. Compared to the things you and Ninesy do/did, the rest of us are just mainly arseholes in suits.
Not at all mate. I was in a lucky position that I was able to do something I really wanted to do and try (in my head anyway) to make a positive impact in the community. I’d lie if I said I never regret it ‘cos I miss the income and the stress is sometimes overwhelming......ive never shed so many tears. Dunno how long I’ll be doing it for and always feel I’m just one bad job away from jacking it in and going to deliver veg for Tesco’s......I’ll just take each shift as it comes. I hope your friends son gets through it......with the proper support, many do.
I hope those countries aren't France, where Paris is burning every weekend, or the US where the white supremacist president is on the edge of impeachment or Spain where peaceful Catalonian independence politicians are imprisoned or Germany where the AfD is on the rise or NZ with its racial tensions or Venezuela with... I could go on...
It seems a lot of it is created by chronic drug use. The weed that was smoked in my youth now seems to be Skunk with is psychotic creating. Then there's all the other stuff like Spice, Meth Amphet etc. Heard a really sad story on Radio 5 last week about a bloke visiting Liverpool who left a party and got lost, asked these two toe rags for directions (they were breaking into a car at the time). They were high on drugs having been using all day, took this bloke to the local park and beat him badly, despite the fact that he gave up his pin number. Not content to leave him unconscious, they dragged him to a pond where he drowned. They both got life. 16 years on, the victims twin brother visits prison and meets one of the perpetrators who is full of genuine remorse. It wouldn't have gone down like that but for the drugs. I'm not against legalisation of mild drugs, and using the money received in taxes in taking dangerous drugs off the menu
You’re not wrong mate. I didn’t realise how strong and psychotic thIs stuff was until I had a guy try to strangle himself in front of me with a lamps electrical cord. And I mean REALLY trying, it took 3 of us to stop him. He then tried to throw himself through a 2nd floor window. Crazy stuff and very dangerous.
An extreme response to a mild comment from Blymie, I should be ashamed of myself. Yeah, thank god the whole world is going to ****, makes us look sane, rational and in control of our ‘destiny’. You forgot the **** going on in Mozambique, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Russia and the big daddy, China. Along with every single other country. Seems like Nigel Farage will find it tough to find a suitable nice place to run away to in the event of a ‘bad’ Brexit, as he has promised to do.
There's upheaval everywhere at the moment. We've been hearing throughout May's incompetent negotiations, that the EU speaks as one and there's more than a hint of arrogance and complacency among the leaders, so I shan't be sorry if, as I expect, the EU is hit by a wave of anti sentiment in the May elections. Yes, it would be schadenfreude on my part
I should stress that my colleagues are asking me questions from curiosity and concern, not in a desire to mock or laugh. They (like me) are finding it all very confusing. Also in my experience people tend to be hyper critical of their own countries (the Germans in particular scoff at any notion that they are efficient. The yanks, even the republican ones, are close to despair) but naturally become more defensive and protective if an outsider is equally as critical. Human nature I suppose. People registering a protest vote at the EU is of course democracy at work. But they should look very carefully at what the AfD and it’s alt right siblings actually stand for. If you agree with the whole programme, fine, don’t be ashamed by it, but they are about a bit more than criticising the EU.
I agree, Stan. The transition to Brexit has turned into a dog's dinner. Will next weeks votes result in a soft Brexit? Perhaps, but if so, I think there will be a period of civil disobedience - it's started already with lorries blocking motorways. And the Tory Party and to some extent Labour will be torn apart, with Farage possibly making real progress with his new party. In Germany, there is a hard right element to the AfD. They mingle with the many who are exercising a protest vote.The gilet jeunes have been getting more violent and now we see soldiers on the streets with live bullets. We are in a period of instability and the world is not even in recession.
Just picking up on Mozambique - apparently the UK public has given over 8million quid to the official appeal. Given the flack flying around recently it's good to know so many still want to support their fellow man when he most needs it. Sure we could debate why it only happens in some cases and not others - I'd prefer to take it as a big positive note to end the week in.
The UK people always have. We gave huge amounts after the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami. Mozambique is just as deserving
No 'might' about it, I think she lost it completely when she called that unnecessary election and it's been rapidly downhill ever since, I think she's just about to hit the 'brick wall'...
