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Conference tallis::celt

Title:	Celt Notefile

Moderator:	TALLIS::DARCY

Created:	Wed Feb 19 1986
Last Modified:	Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	1632
Total number of notes:	20523

1253.0. "Meow" by TALLIS::DARCY (Alpha Migration Tools) Thu Jul 29 1993 12:08

------- Start of forwarded message -------
Subj:   The rat patrol is hoping the cats get lost in the shuffle...
Subj:	Do cats have a union?
Subj:	British Rail Privitisation Deal Forgot About the Cats (true.)
Subj:   Privatization question on British Rail's cats
Date: Sun, 25 Jul 93 7:21:59 PDT


	LONDON (UPI) -- The plans to privatize British Rail apparently failed
to consider some of the railroad's most valued employees -- 200 cats
deployed as vermin catchers in and near stations.
	Olive, Katie, Pickles and scores of other rail cats have been
recognized as BR employees for years, with food and medical expenses
paid out of petty cash for the regulars who catch rats that chew through
cables and worry passengers.
	Under government plans for privatization of the state-owned rail
network, fixed assets like the track will be transferred to the control
of a new organization called Railtrack while route franchises and
stations are sold to private operators.
	The cats were not included in the plans, however, and their future is
becoming yet another question mark in the controversial privatization
process.
	The Sunday Times said Railtrack will ask the government's rail
minister for a ruling on who gets the cats.
	``We know we get the cat baskets as part of the assets,'' the Sunday
Times quoted a senior Railtrack source as saying. ``But we do not know
whether we are responsible for finding other roles for the vermin
patrols, or whether we simply pass them on, alongside other staff, to
eventual winners of rail franchises.''
	The paper quoted a manager involved in preparing a bid for part of
British Rail's service in the English Midlands as saying the cats might
be crucial to the service.
	``It may amount to no cat, no bid,'' the potential bidder said.
	A British Rail spokesman said there are about 200 cats throughout the
system, usually about one per station but up to four at some larger
mainline stations in London.
	``They are treated as employees,'' the spokesman said.

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1253.1		PLAYER::BROWNL	Video ergo ludo	`Thu Jul 29 1993 12:49`	5
	I often struggle to see the relevance to Ireland in this conference. Sometimes it just seems to be a vehicle for some people to knock anything British. Laurie.
1253.2		TALLIS::DARCY	Alpha Migration Tools	`Thu Jul 29 1993 13:52`	6
	Oh lighten up a bit Laurie. I thought the article was funny so I posted it... I have 2 mousers... I think you're reading something that's not there... I can't see how a cat story is knocking Britain in any way whatsover. I mean really... /George
1253.3		KOALA::HOLOHAN		`Thu Jul 29 1993 13:57`	3
	Perhaps they were Irish cats eating British mice! Tiocfaidh �r meow
1253.4	Didn't the rats once take over the Muppet show?	CSLALL::KSULLIVAN		`Thu Jul 29 1993 14:35`	13
	No way, if the cats were Irish, they'd probably be guilty of helping the rats eat through the wires etc. causing untold mischief and the English press would certainly not be raising concerns about their future/benefits. Perhaps it's the rats who are Irish......I'm sure there's a conspiracy here somewhere worth STRUGGLING over. M(eoW).
1253.5		NOVA::EASTLAND		`Thu Jul 29 1993 14:48`	5
	We need some public cats here in Boston to eat the rats that are predicted to start running all over the streets when the 'depressed artery' project begins to disturb them.
1253.6		LJOHUB::HORGAN	Craicailte indiadh damhsa	`Thu Jul 29 1993 14:53`	2
	I nominate this as "note of the year".
1253.7		NOVA::EASTLAND		`Thu Jul 29 1993 16:06`	2
	It's the cat's ass!
1253.8		BONKIN::BOYLE	Tony. Melbourne, Australia	`Thu Jul 29 1993 22:40`	8
	I have to agree with Laurie here. This is a completly non-relevant note to a Celtic conference. It would be better off in one of the children's conferences like Soapbox or EF93. Perhaps the mods should start a 'The Odd Topic Note' entry for ad-hoc contributions like this one. Tony.
1253.9		PLAYER::BROWNL	Video ergo ludo	`Fri Jul 30 1993 06:17`	5
	Actually, Tony, that was my main point. I'd forgotten that most of our American cousins think irony is like bronzy and silvery except made from iron. Laurie.
1253.10	George Darcy IS the moderator.....	HILL16::BURNS	ANCL�R	`Fri Jul 30 1993 09:37`	8
	re: .8 Tony, See Note 539, its just what's you're looking for ... :-) keVin
1253.11	A curse upon you Oliver......	CSLALL::KSULLIVAN		`Fri Jul 30 1993 12:09`	21
	Well then, in an effort to return this misguided note to the exalted heights of relevancy to matters celtic, has anyone seen/heard the new advertisement for Maine/lobster (I think) that is using the Pogues' intro to "Young Ned of the hill". Could this lead to a renewed interest in their music, a reunion, a tour? It worked for the Clash. History has shown that the "odd topic note" idea is unlikely to work, so how about an "odd/sensitive writers" note, where only items uniquely celtic would be constructively, and even more important, seriously examined, in relatively cocoon-like privacy. Chief Wild Eagle: Old Hacowie saying..."Irony is like bronzy and silvery except made from iron" Corp. Agorn: What does that mean, Chief? Cheif Wild Eagle: Who knows? Probably a throwback to the redcoat days! M.