Ian J Cottee <ian@cottee.org> wrote in message news:<864quxygw7.fsf@littledevil.internal.zobbo.org>...
> "thegoons" <thegoons@bigpond.com> writes:
> 
> > We have all seen it:
> > 
> > - three men waving flags on a highway to indicate a lane closure
> > 
> > - five policemen standing at the pedestrian crossing outside Lumine in
> > Shinjuku to direct pedestrians across a street that maybe 1 car in 5 minutes
> > uses
> > 
> > - five security guards directing traffic/pedestrinas at a quiet intersection
> > outside JRA betting-hall in Shirahama, Fukushima-ken
> > 
> > - the seemingly pointless lone flag-waver/whistle-blower directing buses
> > into/out of the bus terminal at Nagoya Station
> > 
> > Is this disguised unemployment on the downturn or still a "necessity" of
> > Japan? I am not totally against it, as it keeps people off (living on) the
> > streets in a country with such a poor social welfare system.
> 
> You forgot the lady in the car park who either passes the ticket from
> the machine to you at the entrance or takes the ticket from you and puts
> it in the machine at the exit - just in case you are so moronic that you
> might dribble into the slot. Before then there's usually somebody to
> help you pay for your ticket at the payment machines in most department
> stores as even that level of technology is thought to be beyond your
> average department store shopper. And that day in the month when
> everyone helps you across the road but who then leave you to fend for
> your very life for the other 30. Just how the hell do we survive? And
> the elevator ladies who train for upto 10 years in the secret and arcane
> world of the elevator control panel. And the rubbish collection for the
> bottles and cans even though the homeless pick it all up about five
> hours earlier.
> 
> Anyway, the flag wavers can't just be for the sake of employment as they
> have those model ones they use on highways as well. Many people aspire
> to become a flag waver but for sheer machismo I believe you can't beat a
> whistle and luminous baton.



When I grow up I want to hand out the baskets to shoppers at the
supermarket. I wonder if I'll need to go on a course?