The angry thread

[Newportnobby]

The way he carries on, he might have lives over three quarters of his expected life span

Very true, Malc, especially as he'll be in the TT races again next week as one of just 14 riders who are in the '130' club i.e. they've lapped at an average speed of 130+ mph

[Newportnobby]

The annual plague/infestation of tiny red spider mites has started
My conservatory (aka mancave) roof is covered with the little blighters and, being so tiny, they can squeeze in and drop onto the layout. They cannot be blown off and, indeed, are a struggle to vacuum off. The slightest pressure e.g. trying to flick them into next week results in them exploding as a red blob which can badly mark things. I know we humans were once described in an episode of 'Star Trek' as "ugly bags of mostly water" but these damned things are like a thinly encased blob of blood.
Does anyone else have problems with these things and, if so, do you have a solution please?

[daveg]

The annual plague/infestation of tiny red spider mites has started

Does anyone else have problems with these things and, if so, do you have a solution please?

Dunno if this is any help, Mick:

Taken from the RHS website -

Chemical control
Pesticides containing  acetamiprid (e.g. Bug Clear Ultra) or thiocloprid and methiocarb (e.g. Bayer Provado Ultimate Bug Killer, Aerosol)  are available for use on ornamental plants only
Edible plants can be sprayed with plant oils, plant extracts or fatty acids. These pesticides may require frequent applications to control the mite

Dave G

[paulprice]

Can some one help me explain to my company that expecting a chap to be ready to sort out there problems 20+ hours a day is a little excessive??

[daveg]

Can some one help me explain to my company that expecting a chap to be ready to sort out there problems 20+ hours a day is a little excessive??

Sympathies Paul.

I had a boss who texted me at 2 or 3 a.m. with instructions as to what she wanted when she came in at 08:30. I explained that my mobile remained on overnight for my aged and unwell father, not for the business. That subtle hint did the trick.

Dave G

[guest311]

Can some one help me explain to my company that expecting a chap to be ready to sort out there problems 20+ hours a day is a little excessive??

have you tried submitting a report on progress which needs a reply at 03:45 

might do the trick 

[scotsoft]

If they contact you out of office hours, charge them for four hours time every time it happens.

cheers John.

[paulprice]

Can some one help me explain to my company that expecting a chap to be ready to sort out there problems 20+ hours a day is a little excessive??

have you tried submitting a report on progress which needs a reply at 03:45 

might do the trick 

Thanks chaps but if I send out reports they always come back to me, because I do all the jobs, I have so many hats on at the moment its unreal. I send my day swapping hats between, the planner, financial controller, safety managed, compliance, new business retention, new business creation, truck fitter, truck co-ordinator, drivers help desk, stock controller, admin manager, driver rescue, incident investigation, payroll, HR and translator.

At least I get a hour for my lunch, which is good, because since January I have actually had 3, though in one I just happened to do some business at the same time, so in total about 2.5 hours of lunches.

Anyway rant over, I have just spent 2 minutes taking time out to do this, if the Boss finds out, I will have to give me a stern telling off, its a good job having multiple personalities, at least if I fall out with one of them there is still one to talk to 

[Newportnobby]

The annual plague/infestation of tiny red spider mites has started

Does anyone else have problems with these things and, if so, do you have a solution please?

Dunno if this is any help, Mick:

Taken from the RHS website -

Chemical control
Pesticides containing  acetamiprid (e.g. Bug Clear Ultra) or thiocloprid and methiocarb (e.g. Bayer Provado Ultimate Bug Killer, Aerosol)  are available for use on ornamental plants only
Edible plants can be sprayed with plant oils, plant extracts or fatty acids. These pesticides may require frequent applications to control the mite

Dave G

Thanks for that, Dave. I don't want to turn this into 'Gardener's World' but anything outside the mancave doesn't worry me Not sure I'd want to use a pesticide on the layout I have a feeling that, if run over by a loco/coach there will just be blood on the tracks/wheels but I'm not sure what the effect would be if they got inside a loco and exploded
No stock is stored in the conservatory apart from a few pieces of rolling stock on the layout for a play testing sesh.

[guest311]

driver rescue, incident investigation, payroll, HR and translator



have you thought of giving yourself a rise 

or even paying yourself one salary for each job 


slightly off topic, but some years ago I was working security on a site, and my manager demanded that we phone him and tell him of any problems / incidents so that he was aware when he went in to work in the morning.

so one night something happened, I dealt with it, and then phoned him, it was only 23:30 

conversation went something like this,

me - " hi xxxxx, sorry to bother you but susch and such has happened, I've done so and so, and it should be ok till the day shift come in. I've lft one camera on the area and will make extra checks"

him - "do you realise I'm on holiday?"

ahh, that explains the noise in the back ground 

me - "sorry, I didn't know or I wouldn't have phoned you"

him - "I e-mailed every one, don't you read your e-mails?"

me - "don't you remember, we haven't got e-mail on this site, did you ask anyone to print and send us a hard copy, or phone us and let us know?"

...

...

...

him - "oh"

used to love nights 

[lionwing]

Work frustrations...

Yes I have a few of those.

I work for a great family owned company involved in food distribution.  Part of my remit is to manage a two hundred strong supplier base and everything that comes along with it.  Regular meetings with suppliers are a feature of my working week and to help manage my time / workload keeping a calendar or upcoming meetings is essential to allow for proper preparation and to make sure I achieve what I need to do within my working hours!

Nothing frustrates me more than a "cold caller" who arrives unannounced at reception explaining they were "just passing" (because everybody "just passes" a industrial estate at the end of a back street in a small town) and asks if I am available for thirty minutes of so while they introduce themselves and their company etc. 

Now this will happens several times a week and while you cannot fault their desire to do a good job for their employer but we live in a day and age when this method is considered a bit "old school" considering the broad range of communications methods we are blessed with in the 21st Century. 

Ring, send a email, write a letter...I'm sure (if what you have is relevant) I will see you at the earliest date possible but really to ask me to step into a meeting with no preparation, knowledge or background on who you work for...not happening sunshine...here is my card...now drop me a email with dates when you are "in the area" next and we will see what we can do!

These type of operators aren't far behind the "PPI" brigade in my book!

Rant over...

[Malc]

I was working abroad and had a text at 2am, my time, from a pal wishing me happy Chinese New Year. I was starting  work at 6am, so waited until I got up to ring him and thank him. He only said one word that started with b and ended in d. He didn't do it again.

[lionwing]

I was working abroad and had a text at 2am, my time, from a pal wishing me happy Chinese New Year. I was starting  work at 6am, so waited until I got up to ring him and thank him. He only said one word that started with b and ended in d. He didn't do it again.

How insensitive of you!

[Ditape]

I work 12 hour night shifts 1900-0700 in the middle of a run of shifts I got a message from my boss asking me to pop into the office for a informal meeting at 1400 I replied that it was not convenient at 1400 as I would be still in bed but would be quite happy to have a meeting at 0300, guess what that was not convenient for them. The information to be passed at the meeting was did I ask a junior to take a certain course of action this was eventually handled via e-mail. So I can sympathize with your displeasure at texts in the middle of the night. 

[DELETED]

Can some one help me explain to my company that expecting a chap to be ready to sort out there problems 20+ hours a day is a little excessive??

Ha, yes I sympathise.  I sold my soul to the offshore oil and gas industry and I have done some crazy hours in my time.  One of the reasons I probably wouldn't ever accept  a raspblackberry again and I'm lucky the mobile network is so poor at the house now anyway.

My anger this week is mainly:

• RBS sending me a damaged replacement Visa Debit card -looks like it was mashed before it was put in the envelope
  Taking BoS / Halifax to the ombudsman for poor customer support for some 7 months now
  Tearing my hair out with Halifax / St Andrews insurance customer support and getting closer to taking them to the ombudsman also
  RAC trying to fleece me for an extra £70 on my breakdown policy for 2015-16
  Trying to job hunt for something engineering wise.  There's almost absolutely nothing there -if I want to get back into the offshore industry my bet is it'll be a 2 year wait before it every recovers (all the agents are saying similar) :'( Also, every job I apply for either doesn't actually exist or is just advertised externally because they have to -they are only recruiting internally