London Banter - View Single Post - Massive Disruption at Paddington

Chris Tolley[_2_] · April 6th 11, 03:51 PM posted to uk.railway,uk.transport.london

d wrote:

On Wed, 6 Apr 2011 10:39:33 +0100
Chris Tolley (ukonline really) wrote:
So, let's transpose the situation. You've gone to Gazumboland on the
promise of a job, and you are met at the capital's airport by someone
from the firm you are going to be working for, who drives you to the
company's office. On the way, he kindly takes your mobile phone from
you so that he can fit it with the right kind of SIM for the Gazumbo
phone company. Except when the car eventually stops, it's not the
company's office, it's a shack about 125km into the back of beyond where
the only language spoken is Gazimbi and it is written in a script that
looks more like sparrow footprints than letters. Then it turns out there
aren't any prospects at all. And you never got your phone back. All in
all you reckon you want out. I suppose you could try learning the
language, but most folk would have other things higher on their list of
priorities.

Well unless you're suggesting that ALL spouses are effectively kidnapped
and brought here then that example is ********. Sure, there are some but
we're not talking about them.

How do you know we are not talking about people in corresponding
situations? I was.

We're talking about women (and some men) who know full well who
they're going to marry - whether they want to or not is another issue
- and where they will live long before it happens.

You might want to talk about those people, but they are not the people I
was talking about. I'm talking about those who do not have the
wherewithal to help themselves, not those who do.

There is nothing to stop them learning the language first.

As one who has travelled in the third world (and well off the tourist
track) I have learned not to make such rash assumptions. We are
incredibly well-served by the services that are provided by the
government through our taxes. In other places, if you don't arrive at
the school gate with the requisite daily fee in your hand, you don't get
an education.

If I went off to live in India I'd make damn sure I had at least a
working knowledge of Hindi or perhaps the local state language before
i went. Stop trying to excuse lazyness or are you going to say that
all the ex-pat Brits in the costas who can't be arsed to learn
spanish also have a good excuse not to bother?

No, because one of my talents is sticking to the point, no matter how
much obfuscation comes along.
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