T2, customer service has ,deteriated, partially as a result of Retail pressures.

Consumers increased demand for the best deal is one, as the conversion rate of customer enquiry To a sale has taken a dive, as so many today do so much research and cost comparisons prior to buying, much of which involves unpaid service (from an employers view) which after a while gets quite frustrating.

Add to this the huge increase in online sales, and growing, and whamo, we pushed for a better PRICE and we don't like the consequences.

While most involved In in retail, myself included, saw this coming, all the warnings were ignored.

People have to understand, that for every action, there is a reaction.

As for employer/employee relationships, I have no doubt that is a result of the likes of union demands and government policies, the likes of unfair dismissal.

You see, to catch the bad guy, you must also wreck perfectly good working relationships between the good guys.

Again, a reaction to an action.

I see there is a review of UFD laws, and about time I say.

As part, some suggestions are that any cases must be lodged within 21 day of the dismissal and, if found to be a witch hunt, as if often the case, costs can be awarded to the unfairly treated employer.

ABOUT TIME.

The original contributor has pointed to but just a few of the present symptoms of a very sick global society, one in which there are many indicators of decline. But in my opinion they merely describe symptoms of a much more serious malaise, and that is the increasing bankruptcy and inadequacy of the present world order to meet the needs of the time and of humanity as a whole. It is based on a system of division, disunity, prejudices and limited allegiances, at a time when we can see a new holistic global society emerging. But as there is increasing decline and obsolescence on the one hand, there is clear evidence of the emergence of a new and much more united system on the other, its just that the media concentrates mainly on the former. You have to get with the positive movement of the times and you start to see things in a completely different and much more positive light. There is much hope.

' that someone not having lived in earlier times could not possibly understand or perceive.'

You're not being ageist now are you thinker?

Ah, the good ol' days! When sport was sport.

'With the big issues now off the agenda, driven from the scene by the media, particularly in the western world'

We have more information than ever before, but we are not spoon fed like we once were. If you want to find out about something you have so many more tools available than you once did. Were the bastions of old media any more honest in years gone by?

'I have suffered the separation between the cost of something and what a consumer is expected to pay for it.'

Only if you refuse to shop online.

'I have watched customer service deteriorate too a mere surface response instead of an intention understood by all to be beneficial. '

Again, internet. You can get the specs of any product in a second, at your leisure. You can read hundreds of reviews, from those in the industry and from those who are using the product.

'I watched the treatment of hardworking loyal employees by employers deteriorate to an exploitive relationship, instead of a mutually beneficial one. '

Oh, so there was never a need for workers to unionise in the good old days?

All I can say is you take the good with the bad. We have also lost a lot of bad things. Things change for better and worse.

'Things are not as bad as many believe.'

They are what you make of them Bazz.

Hello there THINKER 2...

Em, as they say, '...life's a bitch 'n then you die...'. I wonder if there's any truth in that statement ?

I (personally) believe it's very true. Over my lifetime I've seen so much injustice, and hurt occasioned too, so many people who least deserve it.

How many times have I heard '...if only I/we could get a break...'? Yet, we've all witnessed over and over, people who least deserve it, 'get that break' !

Then, what do we mere mortals really know, what's in the heart and mind of those who get that break ? The 'break' that we don't believe is either justified or morally correct ?

My closest friend, a man I loved like a brother, survived some of the heaviest contacts near the villages of Long Dieu and Dat Do during the time of 'Coral'. We lost 9, with nearly 30 odd wounded during Coral. We survived Vietnam, repatriated back home, and generally made a good life for himself and his kids ?

Then the miserable bastard, had a couple of bad headaches, got himself a malignant Brain Tumour (he'd do anything for attention!) and died 11 weeks after diagnosis. He had no appreciation of how I felt. Both of us Veterans, and he left me. No, David Frank R.....s wasn't the victim. I was ! You see, the dead know nothing.

My point is, life is unpredictable. None of us know what's around the corner. And, it's not a dress-rehearsal either. So, don't worry about tomorrow or yesterday, merely live for the moment and 'enjoy' whatever life throws at you.

Count your 'blessings' THINKER 2, we've all got 'em. Even though they tend to be a bit overshowed by our negative thoughts and daily occurances. I'm now seventy, so I value each and everyday, I sincerely hope you do to. Remember, try to 'value add' to each of your days, it does work...truely.

Take care - THINKER 2.

I think the nature of an analytical mind leads to negativity. An analytical mind wants to solve problems, so it looks for problems, so much so that all it sees is problems.

I agree, Houellie.

I'm prone. as you may have noted, to over analyse. But I'm not particularly prone to depression. I do occasionally take a dive, but seem to bounce back within twenty-four hours (which I'm quite pleased about)

My saving grace, as it turns out, was a particularly lean childhood with an alcoholic gambling father. I've lived in a very crappy three-room flatette, with no sink, people always chasing dad for monies owing, 10 changes of school, etc - no jumper or shoes or decent blanket in winter, hands covered in chilblains, etc. I looked like the waif that I was...

But, jeez, now I feel like millionaire - so fortunate.

That always helps me when I'm feeling hard done by.