Hedganian

You'll get no argument from me. Unfortunately, a lot of things are left to private organisations and/or charities rather than being done by the government.

People act like this is a new thing but it's literally been going on since forever. Back in Napoleon's day, wounded soldiers and sailors were just left at the nearest town to fend for themselves, most didn't even make it home to the UK. Welfare support for veterans is better than it has ever been. Mostly dispite government rather than because of it, but still.

That looks like it would. Thanks. In other news, I've been filling in this application/CV/ form thing for the Cadet Force commissioning process. It's mostly straightforward, but there's the obligatory "describe yourself and list your major strengths and weaknesses" section that's really getting on my nerves. Been reworking it for days, still not happy. Describing yourself is harder than it seems, even more so when you only have 100 words to do it. I loathe this type of thing.

I miss the side handle I had for my old one. Nowhere seems to sell them any more.

I've got one by my bed. In case I have to get up in the night, and don't want to put the lights on to wake the wife.

Anyone ordering from Taiwangun anytime soon? There's a couple of mags I want, but the shipping is almost as much as the goods...

Not as such, however: if you return the vehicle in good condition you get £500 back. If you had an accident in it, you won't get that. So there's that.

I'm on board.

The NHS desperately needs accountability. Desperately. I see people screw up all the time, nothing seems to happen, even if I report it. The individual responsible for a mistake needs to be personally held to account for the consequences. Then - and only then - will they be prevented from doing the exact same thing to someone else.

Private companies still have oodles of redundant layers of management. From what I hear, US hospitals are essentially the same as ours just give you a huge bill at the end of your stay. For the most part, they're not run any better. Obviously, if you're richer, you go to a "better", more expensive one, but rich people do that here anyway. You could reform the NHS without privatising it - why have companies profiting from these things? Same with utilities, internet, public transport, telecommunications and that sort of thing. These are things people *need* and they shouldn't be left to the whims of profit margins in my opinion.

They're not insured as such, you get a certificate thing which is legally equivalent to insurance. Previously, the mobility people wouldn't issue any sort of proof of a clean record, but even though they now will, most insurers won't accept it, or only give you like one or two years even if you've been driving a mobility car for thirty years without incident. Because insurance companies are thieves. They'll use any excuse to charge more for cover and any excuse to avoid paying out on claims either.

I need to go on the ACF clay shooting course, we *have* shotguns and clay traps, etc, but no one qualified to use them. So many courses on my list...

Perhaps, but I operate under the idea that they'd be paid the same as anyone else based on their qualifications, skills, etc. The only difference would be that they're not allowed to quit for a certain period.

I didn't say unpaid. Conscripts under National Service were still paid, and I wouldn't suggest otherwise for any future 'required public service' except in the case of convicted criminals who should be required to work to earn their keep.

I'm the scenario presented, they wouldn't be volunteers as much as conscripts - just mot for the armed forces.