BS: working NewYears Eve

Subject: RE: BS: working NewYears Eve
From: RangerSteve
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 06:56 PM

At no time did Gareth say that he was glad the kid died, so quit all your fighting. This is my thread, I started it, so I'm telling all of you to stop fighting NOW or I'm going home and I'm taking my thread with me.

Subject: RE: BS: working NewYears Eve
From: Firecat
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 03:46 PM

Getting back on topic, I was working NYE. I was childminding in Barnsley for a little gem of a kid. Mind you, I've looked after her before so I knew what I was letting myself in for.

Subject: RE: BS: working NewYears Eve
From: Gareth
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 02:02 PM

As I Said "as that was a car thief, who wrapped the car he stole around a tree," he may well have been one of lifes unfortunates, would you have prefered that he had hit an unfortunate pedestrian, or other motorist ???

Yes I have some sympathy for the next of kin - but I am not one who automatically blames society, and sees the criminal as victim.

Tell me ?? What social ills are solved by stealing a fellow citizens car and playing "boy racers" in the streets of Cardiff at 4 in the morning.

Tell me ?? What sympathy have you for the person whose old "F" reg car was stolen, and who will not get a replacement paid for by his company, or a massive pay out by the insurance company ??

"All you care about is your cosy, middle class happiness, and damn the rest."

Er ?? Who has the cosy middle class idea and does not care about the rest ???

Gareth

Subject: RE: BS: working NewYears Eve
From: GUEST,Tom
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 11:51 AM

I'm with Jenny. Though I have never personally been on the frontlines, I have a nephew who is a paramedic, and a mother who is an emergency room nurse. I never hear them talking flippantly and callous like that. I do, however, often hear how difficult some of their patients are, but the difficulty has nothing to do with criminality. Rather, it has to do with the patient/victim's inability to cope with the crisis situation they are in at the moment. I'm fully aware of the black humor of people who work in these professions, as I was raised with it. But that isn't the same thing as being callous, lacking compassion and empathy, and an inability to see how tragedy always weaves a web which extends far beyond one person.

I do, however, often hear them voice the sentiment "there but for the grace of god go I and mine..."

Subject: RE: BS: working NewYears Eve
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 11:06 AM

Well, I was on my feet for 7 hours straight at the video shop on New Year's Eve day -- came home totally zonked after dealing with continuous long lines of renters and no time to a) breathe, b) sip water or c) go to the bathroom.

Really wanted to go to sleep when I got home, but did actually go out for a short time to be with friends (very close by) New Year's Eve, despite my yawns (not at the company).

But I had to leave early because I was opening the shop up early morning New Year's Day -- to make sure people could rent movies as an option to all the football games on TV. Had to miss what was probably a good music party New Year's Day as well.

Not heroic, but, I guess, necessary. (At least according to Corporate.)

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: working NewYears Eve
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 06:42 AM

Back to the subject, (If a little late) I was working overnight at one of the new British Directory Assistance firms, and we had our busiest night shift so far.
As the staff on nights tend to be the forgotten army, and having noticed that even our local Tesco (24 hr superstore) had closed its 24 hr garage as I was heading to work, I left the folowing penned on on of our notice boards.

At Tesco the garage was closed; the staff gone,
But Direct'ry assistance were still working on.
So all through the night "The Number" were there
With Julie, Joy, Janet, Mike, Nigel, & Clare.*
Through midnight we worked to see '03 begin
As the phones were all ringing the New Year in.

*(and Tony on security!)

No tune was intended, but it seems Clement Moore-ish

Nigel

Subject: RE: BS: working NewYears Eve
From: JennyO
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 06:37 AM

Alanabit, I hear what you are saying, but I still stand by what I said. I'm sure doctors have to have this natural defence, too, but that doesn't mean they stop caring. I think we as a society are in danger of becoming conditioned into accepting the suffering, horror and misfortune of other people as normal and detaching ourselves from it, and when we do that, we become less than human.

Jenny

Subject: RE: BS: working NewYears Eve
From: alanabit
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 04:32 AM

Jenny, I don't know exactly what job Gareth does, but I can guess that it involves some sort of public service. What you perceive as callousness is a natural defence of people who see human disaster far too often. They cannot afford to become emotionally involved in every case. Believe me, the general public does not get to hear every word spoken by police officers, firemen or hospital staff - but neither should it! They are entitled to withold sympathy (although not assistance) from those whom they believe do not deserve it. My guess is that Gareth has too frequently seen (and possibly cleared up the mess) of what car thieves or drunken drivers have inflicted on innocent third parties. I do not want to see car thieves killed either, but their well being will always rank as a much lower priority than that of other road users for me. Like you, I do feel sorry for his family.

Subject: RE: BS: working NewYears Eve
From: JennyO
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 03:41 AM

No, I agree with GUEST - that's pretty cold blooded, Gareth. You don't know his circumstances or that of his family. Certainly he shouldn't be stealing a car, but did he deserve to die? It's your kind of thinking that helps keep the great divide in society in place. You've obviously never been in desperate circumstances yourself, or you would not be so callous. Don't forget that saying:

"There but for the grace of God go I"

Don't forget we are all part of a greater whole and what harms one harms all. We are all connected, whether you recognise it or not, so don't get too comfortable - life has a way of catching up with people and teaching them lessons they need to know!

Jenny

Subject: RE: BS: working NewYears Eve
From: Greycap
Date: 02 Jan 03 - 03:45 AM

No. I go with Gareth on this one. While we are on society's failures,
I don't care for the woman who tried to stab my son ( a cop ) in the back, whilst he was arresting her husband for battering her ( she called the police ).
Education and society doesn't fail people, they have to contribute to society as well.

Subject: RE: BS: working NewYears Eve
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jan 03 - 04:37 AM

Jeez, Gareth

You're all heart aren't you?

Did the dreadful family that the (I assume) boy came from never cross your mind? Where education and society failed him? The fact that he was a human in a mess?

No. All you care about is your cosy, middle class happiness, and damn the rest.

Subject: RE: BS: working NewYears Eve
From: Gareth
Date: 01 Jan 03 - 04:20 AM

Well I've just got in from a 10 hour shift. Busy, very busy, but these things must go on. Only one road fatality in Cardiff tonite, and as that was a car thief, who wrapped the car he stole around a tree, I will not loose any sleep over that !!!!!

Gareth

Subject: RE: BS: working NewYears Eve
From: Sorcha
Date: 01 Jan 03 - 01:26 AM

I am not, but of course Mr. is. I just hope there are not any Human Frisbees tonight...........

Subject: RE: BS: working NewYears Eve
From: DancingMom
Date: 01 Jan 03 - 01:04 AM

I worked a 13-hr. shift New Year's Eve at the hospital; "the joint was jumping", as they say. My patient that was so sick is doing better, so that felt pretty good, and now I'm home eatin pizza and sippin some delightfully dry champagne. It's nice to peek in on the Mudcat and say "Happy New Year, folks."

Subject: RE: BS: working NewYears Eve
From: Dave Swan
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 10:01 PM

Thanks Steve. So far so good, but it's only 1900. I'm glad you've got the night off. Happy new year.
D

Subject: BS: working NewYears Eve
From: RangerSteve
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 09:29 PM

I'm not. I'm staying home and sleeping late tomorrow. But for you folks who have to: police, fire fighters, medical people, and the rest who have to work outside of music, have a safe evening and I hope it's not too busy.