Today I'm neither Angry nor Happy about....

[bobo the clown]

A proper re-evaluation should have more or less as many winners as losers Harry. Is this the case or is it a general downward re-evaluation ?

If that is what's happened there are two possible reasons ... a genuine correction of years of grade drift. All those stupid promotions and re-titlings that irritated you at the time do add up over a while. OR ... it's just an opportunistic downgrading and cash saving exercise.

Financially there appear to be far more losers in that those that are losing, are losing a lot. Whereas the gainers are only getting small increases. Hard to know for sure cos while everyone's salary was listed, the Chief Exec and 2 directors were left blank. I could get worked up about it but tbh I'm just keeping mi head down

Very wise.

I can't resist ... professional curiosity, sorry.

[Bruce Rioja]

Right. Suited and booted, Best Man speech in pocket - I need a drink.

[Gooner Girl]

Right. Suited and booted, Best Man speech in pocket - I need a drink.

Good luck! You'll be fine. I expect to see pics on fb!

[Annoyed Grunt]

Right. Suited and booted, Best Man speech in pocket - I need a drink.

Hope it went well Bruce..

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Hey ho, hey ho, it's back to work I go...

[Bruce Rioja]

Right. Suited and booted, Best Man speech in pocket - I need a drink.

Hope it went well Bruce..

Went better than I could've imagined thanks, Grunto.

[Bijou Bob]

Took the dog for his usual morning walk at 7am and wandered round our usual route. We were walking behind a bloke who walks his elderly red setter round some of the same street. He was about 20 yards in front of me and he turned left to walk into a small wooded area. As I drew level with the entrance to the woods, my dog ran towards his to say hello and he was walking back to me, rather ashen faced. Over his shoulder I could see the reason why. A young lad, in his 20's had hung himself from a tree.

Utterly tragic and I really feel for the lad and his parents who have had a cop knock on the door this morning breaking the worst possible news. You always hear the phrase 'Found by a man walking his dog'. Never has it had more resonance. Whoever he was, I hope he has found some peace.

[boltonboris]

Absolutely tragic.

I imagine that will live with you and the other gent for the rest of your lives. Hopefully, it doesn't affect you too much.

[Montreal Wanderer]

Absolutely tragic.

I imagine that will live with you and the other gent for the rest of your lives. Hopefully, it doesn't affect you too much.

Time, surprisingly little time, is a great healer. One never forgets these things but they tend to have no lasting effect - just a sad far off memory.That's how humans work -if we took all the misery of the world too much to heart I think we'd all commit suicide.

[bwfcdan94]

Took the dog for his usual morning walk at 7am and wandered round our usual route. We were walking behind a bloke who walks his elderly red setter round some of the same street. He was about 20 yards in front of me and he turned left to walk into a small wooded area. As I drew level with the entrance to the woods, my dog ran towards his to say hello and he was walking back to me, rather ashen faced. Over his shoulder I could see the reason why. A young lad, in his 20's had hung himself from a tree.

Utterly tragic and I really feel for the lad and his parents who have had a cop knock on the door this morning breaking the worst possible news. You always hear the phrase 'Found by a man walking his dog'. Never has it had more resonance. Whoever he was, I hope he has found some peace.

Very sad, that is the problem with my generation we have just given up hope as my dad said your generation cant even be bothered to riot when you think the government are out to get you. My generation has not got any culture and tbh quite a few of us have just lost hope unlike all the other generations who at least tried to do something about it when times got tough because we know what ever we do nothing is going to change, the fact that were so heavily influenced by social media does not help as it means were unable to deal with real life situations and it means 1to 1 outlets for people with the problems this lad will have had is just not their as much. tbh things aren't really looking on the up for young people , the press/media still target it us, the state America is in another recession is already being predicted. With no real culture having come from our generation unlike the many before us, the fact that it is never been harder to get a job as a young person and the fact that for the first time possibly ever a generation knows whatever they do wont change anything has led to the hopeless generation who as the lost generation of lost generations.

I feel very sorry for the lad and hope that his family get through the coming years of trauma they will experience. Hope you aren't left scarred and all Bjiou.

[boltonboris]

Regardless of all of that Dan, everybody has somebody to turn to, or at least they should have. It's just convincing them to seek that help, that's the difficult thing.

Suicides have unfortunately happened for as long as man has been on earth. It's not a generation thing. But it's incredibly upsetting to think that this young man thought that whatever happened to him when he ended his life, was better than the life he had. That's the tragedy. And the grief he's left behind.

[bobo the clown]

Took the dog for his usual morning walk at 7am and wandered round our usual route. We were walking behind a bloke who walks his elderly red setter round some of the same street. He was about 20 yards in front of me and he turned left to walk into a small wooded area. As I drew level with the entrance to the woods, my dog ran towards his to say hello and he was walking back to me, rather ashen faced. Over his shoulder I could see the reason why. A young lad, in his 20's had hung himself from a tree.

Utterly tragic and I really feel for the lad and his parents who have had a cop knock on the door this morning breaking the worst possible news. You always hear the phrase 'Found by a man walking his dog'. Never has it had more resonance. Whoever he was, I hope he has found some peace.

Terribly sad and you can't even imagine the anguish he was going through to lead to him deciding that was the solution.

... & his family who now have to hear this and pick up the pieces, well, you simply can't imagine what they will go through now.

Just hope they can cope in the coming days, weeks, years.

As for finding the body ... bloody hell. My sympathies to you and the poor guy you met.

[Bijou Bob]

Cheers. Professionally, I've seen a lot worse sadly and won't dwell on it. I feel for the other guy though who was shaken up. Apparently its the third similar incident in two years in the same spot. Note to self - walk dog elsewhere in the mornings.

[Dujon]

Horrible, BB, my sympathies. Three in two years though? I'd begin to wonder if they were in fact suicides.

Dan, you're a pessimistic bugger at times. You haven't given up have you? You're doing a new course and apparently doing well. You've already had a couple of rough years. For most people life is not a bed of roses from start to finish. Most of us have to work hard and long to get anywhere in life; it's not an new phenomenon. I don't believe that those born in the last twenty years are any worse than those who raised them. Do you remember reading about WW1 and the 'Great Depression' and WW2? Don't you think that they had a pretty rough time? Of course they did.

From my reading most people who kill themselves are classed as being in 'Clinical Depression' which is nothing like being down in the dumps for a bit. Where I live it's called 'The Black Dog'. I profess no expertise in the area, Dan, but I can assure you that I've been through my share of problems over the years which stressed me to the point of physical distress - but at no time did it even enter my mind to escape those pressures by ending my life.

[bwfcdan94]

Horrible, BB, my sympathies. Three in two years though? I'd begin to wonder if they were in fact suicides.

Dan, you're a pessimistic bugger at times. You haven't given up have you? You're doing a new course and apparently doing well. You've already had a couple of rough years. For most people life is not a bed of roses from start to finish. Most of us have to work hard and long to get anywhere in life; it's not an new phenomenon. I don't believe that those born in the last twenty years are any worse than those who raised them. Do you remember reading about WW1 and the 'Great Depression' and WW2? Don't you think that they had a pretty rough time? Of course they did.

From my reading most people who kill themselves are classed as being in 'Clinical Depression' which is nothing like being down in the dumps for a bit. Where I live it's called 'The Black Dog'. I profess no expertise in the area, Dan, but I can assure you that I've been through my share of problems over the years which stressed me to the point of physical distress - but at no time did it even enter my mind to escape those pressures by ending my life.

Well at least that is a positive because not all are blest with such mental clarity. I would have to disagree with you on those from the war era, while they admittedly had to go through hell and back at least they had something to fight for, at least they had hope (even if it was false), at least they lived in a country where everybody rallied behind the cause together and helped each other out. I honestly believe if our nation was to face a national crisis and it be put in the hands of my generation or even the generation before me that we would be f*ck*d as we don't work together in this country anymore in fact I get the feeling at least in some parts of Britain that we don't even care for each other anymore. I am sorry for being such a depressing f**K** I was not really like it before my mum died but you are one of many who have said I always have the most negative attitude possible and that I always fear never mind expect the worst, I have also been told that I have the lowest of expectations. However I am trying to look on the positive side a bit more. Thanks you for the spelling/grammar help, I see you have been conferring with MW. Again I will point out that I hope both this lads family and the families of the 2 who were stabbed in Farnworth can get through the tough years ahead for them. From personal experience I can say it doesn't matter how you get through tough times and bereavement as long as you do.

[Dujon]

Some interesting points, Dan. As far as caring goes I think you are wrong. Whilst there might well be a minority who couldn't give a toss I suspect that the vast majority of people in the UK do care and will step up to help if necessary. Look at all your volunteers who man the lifeboats or belong to mountain rescue teams. What about the thousands upon thousands of volunteers who regularly help out in organisations such as Oxfam, the Salvation Army and the Red Cross. None of those people do it to gather some sort of kudos from their mates - they do it because they can and because they care.

You obviously miss your mother, Dan. I miss mine too; she died a little over a year ago. I also miss my father who died in '77. My experience tells me, others might well disagree, that you must stop dwelling on your parent's passing. It's your life now and you cannot change the past. I'm almost certain that your mother would say the same.

Me and Monty colluding? No, we're both foreigners these days, Dan. The bold bits were there merely to stress the words, in a feeble attempt to copy what I might have done should I have been speaking to you over the kitchen table.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Harmonisation. In order to cut down on the number of different contracts across all the business units my work has just decided to harmonise us all (key mental images of getting the blender out...).
Marvellous, but what does it mean for me, specifically?
Well, as of the first of January 2014, my annual leave entitlement will be slashed from 30 days down to 20. I will be awarded 5/260th of my salary in compensation, and I can elect to sacrifice at the deducted rate of 1/260th of my salary per day in order to potentially top up my annual leave entitlement to a maximum of 25 days per annum. But I must elect that salary sacrifice within a two week window in October of the prior year and notify my manager which days I will be taking in advance.
Also, my contractual hours will be harmonised to the same standard across the business, which is 37 hours per week. As I currently work a 40 hour week, I will in effect gain three hours per week in extra leisure time. The downside is that I will be paid 7.5% less salary to compensate for my loss of available working time. But, crucially, my contract as it currently stands gives me a dinner hour each day within my 40 hour window, so although I'm at work for 40 hours, I only actually work 35 of those hours. The new contract has me working 37 hours per week, but in addition I must take a half-hour of my own time for lunch each day, so I'll still be at work from 7:30 til 4 (except Fridays, when I'll leave at 3:30), but I'll have only half an hour for lunch, and I lose 7.5% of my salary for this privelege.
On the proper positive side, my sick entitlement goes from 4 weeks full pay and four weeks half pay to a whopping 28 weeks full pay.
Harmonisation - more like bloody rip off.

[malcd1]

Harmonisation. In order to cut down on the number of different contracts across all the business units my work has just decided to harmonise us all (key mental images of getting the blender out...).
Marvellous, but what does it mean for me, specifically?
Well, as of the first of January 2014, my annual leave entitlement will be slashed from 30 days down to 20. I will be awarded 5/260th of my salary in compensation, and I can elect to sacrifice at the deducted rate of 1/260th of my salary per day in order to potentially top up my annual leave entitlement to a maximum of 25 days per annum. But I must elect that salary sacrifice within a two week window in October of the prior year and notify my manager which days I will be taking in advance.
Also, my contractual hours will be harmonised to the same standard across the business, which is 37 hours per week. As I currently work a 40 hour week, I will in effect gain three hours per week in extra leisure time. The downside is that I will be paid 7.5% less salary to compensate for my loss of available working time. But, crucially, my contract as it currently stands gives me a dinner hour each day within my 40 hour window, so although I'm at work for 40 hours, I only actually work 35 of those hours. The new contract has me working 37 hours per week, but in addition I must take a half-hour of my own time for lunch each day, so I'll still be at work from 7:30 til 4 (except Fridays, when I'll leave at 3:30), but I'll have only half an hour for lunch, and I lose 7.5% of my salary for this privelege.
On the proper positive side, my sick entitlement goes from 4 weeks full pay and four weeks half pay to a whopping 28 weeks full pay.
Harmonisation - more like bloody rip off.

What is it you do LLS? I would say it is probably time you started job hunting.

Harmonisation my arse. Why don't they just call it what it is - Cost cutting or ripping off their employees.

[boltonboris]

Looks like you need a 28 week sick note

[Lost Leopard Spot]

What is it you do LLS? I would say it is probably time you started job hunting.

Harmonisation my arse. Why don't they just call it what it is - Cost cutting or ripping off their employees.

I work for a huge multinational civil engineering firm that has fingers in many pies. My slice is running a team of engineers who provide database support to the industry. The firm expands by utilising an aggresive acquisitional approach to rivals, sheds the bits it doesn't want and retains a slimmed down rump of the bits that can be integrated into its core businesses. Hence why there are so many different contracts. I'd do what they're doing too, if I ran the place... it just seems to me, though, that me and a few others have copped the raw end of the deal. There are a number of employees who are getting win/win/win deals out of it - I'm not one of them.