On transport, I've just completed a year of cycling to work, 31 mile round trip on the two days per week I typically go into the office. Got to the point now where it's barely slower than going by car on a good car day and quicker on a bad car day (car was ~50 minutes typically, in traffic, bike ~ 55 minutes). Gained 4mph average speed, too (actual cycling speed increased by more than that - the average is dragged down by necessary stops at lights etc; part of that due to a new faster bike, too). In the year, I've taken the car three times (have parking vouchers now, one used per day, rather than blanket permit - I've used three).
But I only contemplated starting this because most of the route (~65%) is on an excellent off-road cycle path (disused railway line) and public parks and the rest, except for one short, low traffic and wide road 40mp stretch is 20mph or 30mph residential roads. The cycle path was briefly closed and I took back roads for a few weeks, but at 60mph limits with a few nutty drivers they weren't that much fun. I wouldn't do them in winter.
Conversely, my eldest child starts school in a few weeks. That's under two miles away, but we'll be taking him by car as the most direct route is not bike/pedestrian friendly, being a 60mph rat run. There's a safer walking route but that's over two miles, which is probably a bit far in time taken and still not cycle friendly for a four year old (or even with a bike trailer etc really, one quite nasty junction and tight on space). With a decent cycle path, he'd be cycling to school. The next nearest school, in the next village but also under 2 miles away, is also down a 60mph road that's too narrow. An off-road cycle path there would also make that easily accessible (and also make it easier for residents there to walk or cycle into the town).
StateCo doesn't work, as a general rule. The overwhelming majority of StateCo's set up are terrible, terrible failures, but you don't think about them as they don't exist anymore or if they do you don't hear about them, its pure survivorship bias. If you want a BritCo to be set up then go set it up yourself, there's nothing stopping you from doing so, but the State shouldn't be doing so that's not rational.
Thinking that StateCo's work because you're looking at the miniscule proportion of legacy StateCo's that had been set up that have survived to the present day and are thriving is as logical as saying that everyone should sign up to play the Squid Game because everyone you've spoken to that has completed the Squid Games have done well from it.
So you're saying every state-owned water company in Europe, every train operator and energy company, postal company, is a terrible failure? This is crazy Bart
No, I never said "every". I said "majority set up".
Survivorship bias means that the majority set up no longer even exist anymore today.
My final point on your absurd attempt to out bollocks even yourself. "Survivor bias". But Today's StateCo rail companies are not remotely the same as they once were.
SNCF used to be state owned and run. Whilst it is still (mostly) state owned, it is split into multiple divisions and subsidiaries which are commercial.
The commercial business running the tram network in Melbourne is not remotely the same business as was when it was just state rail.
So there is no "survivorship" - these are new commercial companies plural, not the state monoliths you are foaming on about.
But that reinforces my point, it doesn't discredit it.
The commercial businesses are working successfully in the commercial sector. That is privatisation working as intended.
If you're cherrypicking looking at the few state-owned firms and saying "we should do that" there's nothing preventing you from doing that, privately, is there? But the legacy firms with the institutional awareness and success that you don't have, isn't something you can just create overnight.
So a StateCo which has the majority of business in France proves that privatisation works? But SNCF isn't privatised....
You keep saying "a few state firms". These are the predominant players in their market, and thanks to being commercially run are minority players in other markets.
StateCo operators are the rule, not the exception. You are simply wrong. The evidence demonstrates you are wrong. So you just change definitions to cling to why you are right after all.
The state can run things very efficiently. As everyone in europe knows. As UK customers of DPD or EDF or Arriva know very well.
The benefits are also clear. In the UK buses are run by the bus companies for profit rather than public service. The company may well be publicly owned (Arriva etc) but local councils cannot say what happens.
Yet in abroad the buses are run for the service they provide *and* generate profits from providing services elsewhere.
You want foreign governments to run your local buses, but won't allow your local government to do so. Which is absurd even for a supposed libertarian free-marketeer like you. Advocate the expulsion of these subsidised rigged operators like Arriva, Abelio, RAPT etc and their replacement by truly free market private companies, or accept the absurdity of your "argument".
Excuse me? I don't want to forbid local governments from setting up firms to compete if they choose to do so. Many have done, where did I say that MerseyRail should be forbidden? Or TfL?
And if those acorns grow into big oak trees that end up running operations across the globe then I never said that should be forbidden.
But its already not forbidden. So why isn't it already happening, if its so easy? Why isn't TfL or MerseyRail or any other existing firm being the next Arriva? Maybe it could be because its not as easy as clicking your heels three times and having Arriva on your hands.
Why not privatise TfL? But what would it achieve?
If it no longer had to answer to dictats from the Mayor of London it would achieve the job of getting it arms length away from the politicians. Since its the plaything of politicians that isn't going to happen any time soon though.
The buses in Warrington, Leigh and surrounding towns are provided not by Arriva or any other foreign state owned firm but by a firm called "Warrington's Own Buses" formerly known as Warrington Borough Transport, whose parent is unsurprisingly Warrington Borough Council.
There's nothing preventing councils from having firms if they want to. Many have tried to set up transport or energy or other firms, if they succeed in the marketplace then I'm OK with that. Its competition that matters the most.
We've seen what happens, they propose closing Tube lines down
If the Tube is efficient then it ought to be able to be profitable without dictats from politicians and without subsidies.
And if its private and profitable it can reinvest those profits in improving the Tube further to attract even more business and even more profits rather than seeing the money diverted to the NHS or whatever else the politicians are trying to win votes on.
Japan's private rail network is so successful its now has more people commuting via rail than via road, unlike the UK, and without subsidies too.
TFL should be a consumer cooperative not a plaything or either politicians or indeed the capital markets
There is no logical reason why British Railways Plc should or could not exist, beyond pointless ideology.
Clearly all of the EU countries and Japan have got it wrong. We know better, so we pay the French...
Define BR PLC.
"British Railways" ran infrastructure, passenger and freight services, built rolling stock and delivered world-leading research.
I disagree with your proposal because: Infrastructure is already state owned Freight is hugely successful, with state-owned DRS one of the competing operators Some rolling stock is now state owned and is largely all state-procured.
So what is needed is to bring the remaining passenger franchise operations in-house and then spin them off. Leave freight as it is, regulate the rolling stock owners (they literally have no other use for their assets), and leave the InfraCo as a separate body.
And "PLC"? That's privatised. You mean "Ltd".
British Railways Limited would run the passenger operations, British Railways Infra Ltd would be in charge of infrastructure management.
The German model.
If a state-owned French company wishes to run an operation they are welcome to do so, they can either build their own railway and manage it all or they can run their own trains or procure them for use on Infra Ltd infrastructure with no subsidy.
We're in agreement - was just confused when you seemed to be proposing that (a) we recreate British Rail and then (b) privatise it.
No problem.
To be honest I am not sure why these rolling stock companies need to exist, why can't we have a state-owned version of that? These companies seem to produce very little
We already have one. There is no market in rolling stock provision - the DfT now dictate which stock is to be used. So the (mainly) banks who own them make a fee for maintaining them. It isn't that big an issue any more.
Oh well I wasn't aware of that.
We should also have a state-company that builds these things.
Why? European rail operators buy rolling stock from the private sector as we do. Competition there is a good thing as it drives innovation. As it did back in the BR days when the likes of GEC and Brush and EE drove development.
What I meant to say is that I don't see why we can't have a state-company that can build, as a competitor in the market.
The man/woman in Whitehall does not know best when it comes to business. The man/woman in Whitehall is an expert at being the man/woman in Whitehall. He/she is by his/her nature bureaucratic and risk averse. For evidence please see all previous nationalised industries. British Leyland best example.
Don’t ever fall for the lie that Royal Family are good for the economy.
Britain’s economy contracted by 0.1% in the three months to June, according to official figures that revealed the weakening outlook for the UK, which is expected to enter a recession later this year.
The Office for National Statistics said two bank holidays to celebrate the Queen’s jubilee contributed to a 0.6% fall in output in June alone.
Wasn't it only one extra Bank Holiday day? One of the two was delayed from the final Monday in May so should be baked into the comparable quarterly figures anyway.
It also smacks of being a load of old bollocks as a reason (there will be reason, but ONE extra bank holiday won't be it). How much extra hospitality was generated from the long weekend off?
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
How is your friend going to spend his millions from his memoirs?
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
Its probably not so bad if it is a novel experience (anything you do for the first time is kinda interesting) but speaking as a fifty something with a grown up daughter from my previous marriage I would defnitely not want to have another kid now -yes you are a little more physically jaded but also more importantly you have done that bought the T-shirt and thus wont be as invested (which is unfair to the kid and mother)
Yes that’s true, too. And my friend hinted at it
I’m sure it will get better - the first 2-3 years are terrible for most parents of any age - but he’s already dreading the teens - because he’ll be in his 70s. It’s not good
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
Bit worrying for me then - wife expecting early Feb, the big 50 for me in October. I am slightly worried, but also hugely excited. This is our first (and almost certainly only).
Congratulations Enjoy your sleep and free time now
On transport, I've just completed a year of cycling to work, 31 mile round trip on the two days per week I typically go into the office. Got to the point now where it's barely slower than going by car on a good car day and quicker on a bad car day (car was ~50 minutes typically, in traffic, bike ~ 55 minutes). Gained 4mph average speed, too (actual cycling speed increased by more than that - the average is dragged down by necessary stops at lights etc; part of that due to a new faster bike, too). In the year, I've taken the car three times (have parking vouchers now, one used per day, rather than blanket permit - I've used three).
But I only contemplated starting this because most of the route (~65%) is on an excellent off-road cycle path (disused railway line) and public parks and the rest, except for one short, low traffic and wide road 40mp stretch is 20mph or 30mph residential roads. The cycle path was briefly closed and I took back roads for a few weeks, but at 60mph limits with a few nutty drivers they weren't that much fun. I wouldn't do them in winter.
Conversely, my eldest child starts school in a few weeks. That's under two miles away, but we'll be taking him by car as the most direct route is not bike/pedestrian friendly, being a 60mph rat run. There's a safer walking route but that's over two miles, which is probably a bit far in time taken and still not cycle friendly for a four year old (or even with a bike trailer etc really, one quite nasty junction and tight on space). With a decent cycle path, he'd be cycling to school. The next nearest school, in the next village, is also down a 60mph road that's too narrow. An off-road cycle path there would also make that easily accessible (and also make it easier for residents there to walk or cycle into the town).
The government to its credit has tried to improve cycleways and footpaths, and provided at least some small funding to councils for it (where locals immediately moan about it, the disruption of a few weeks is too much apparently as per a local example).
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
How is your friend going to spend his millions from his memoirs?
There is no logical reason why British Railways Plc should or could not exist, beyond pointless ideology.
Clearly all of the EU countries and Japan have got it wrong. We know better, so we pay the French...
Define BR PLC.
"British Railways" ran infrastructure, passenger and freight services, built rolling stock and delivered world-leading research.
I disagree with your proposal because: Infrastructure is already state owned Freight is hugely successful, with state-owned DRS one of the competing operators Some rolling stock is now state owned and is largely all state-procured.
So what is needed is to bring the remaining passenger franchise operations in-house and then spin them off. Leave freight as it is, regulate the rolling stock owners (they literally have no other use for their assets), and leave the InfraCo as a separate body.
And "PLC"? That's privatised. You mean "Ltd".
British Railways Limited would run the passenger operations, British Railways Infra Ltd would be in charge of infrastructure management.
The German model.
If a state-owned French company wishes to run an operation they are welcome to do so, they can either build their own railway and manage it all or they can run their own trains or procure them for use on Infra Ltd infrastructure with no subsidy.
We're in agreement - was just confused when you seemed to be proposing that (a) we recreate British Rail and then (b) privatise it.
No problem.
To be honest I am not sure why these rolling stock companies need to exist, why can't we have a state-owned version of that? These companies seem to produce very little
We already have one. There is no market in rolling stock provision - the DfT now dictate which stock is to be used. So the (mainly) banks who own them make a fee for maintaining them. It isn't that big an issue any more.
Oh well I wasn't aware of that.
We should also have a state-company that builds these things.
Why? European rail operators buy rolling stock from the private sector as we do. Competition there is a good thing as it drives innovation. As it did back in the BR days when the likes of GEC and Brush and EE drove development.
What I meant to say is that I don't see why we can't have a state-company that can build, as a competitor in the market.
The man/woman in Whitehall does not know best when it comes to business. The man/woman in Whitehall is an expert at being the man/woman in Whitehall. He/she is by his/her nature bureaucratic and risk averse. For evidence please see all previous nationalised industries. British Leyland best example.
O2's 3G network was so poor it had to invest when forced to by Ofcom. Those bloody privatised companies
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
A friend had a colleague who had been trying for a bay for years with his wife. They had several rounds of IVF. They reached about fifty, and she thought she hit the menopause. A year later, the wife felt ill and it turned out she was pregnant.
Apparently they're both very tired (the kid is about six now), but utterly in love and devoted with their little bundle of joy.
DPD is a bloody disgrace isn't it? And owned by the French Government too, bloody useless
They used to be one of the more reliable ones in my experience. But in the past month or two I've had nothing but problems with them. Not sure if they've lost staff to other couriers or what - but now I get an almost Hermes/Evri-like dread when I see their name.
UK promised, UK delivered! 🇺🇦🤝🇬🇧 More M270 MLRS arrived in Ukraine. Thanks to @BWallaceMP and all the 🇬🇧 people! Your support is amazing and so important for Ukraine. Our #UAarmy will skillfully use this "replenishment" at the battlefield. P.S. More “gifts” will arrive soon.
DPD is a bloody disgrace isn't it? And owned by the French Government too, bloody useless
They used to be one of the more reliable ones in my experience. But in the past month or two I've had nothing but problems with them. Not sure if they've lost staff to other couriers or what - but now I get an almost Hermes/Evri-like dread when I see their name.
I was being ironic. DPD pioneered time slot delivery, I remember when you had to wait in all day for somebody not to turn up. CityLink was the worst
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
A friend had a colleague who had been trying for a bay for years with his wife. They had several rounds of IVF. They reached about fifty, and she thought she hit the menopause. A year later, the wife felt ill and it turned out she was pregnant.
Apparently they're both very tired (the kid is about six now), but utterly in love and devoted with their little bundle of joy.
yeah as its a novel experience - amazing what energy you can summon up when its interesting and new
Don’t ever fall for the lie that Royal Family are good for the economy.
Britain’s economy contracted by 0.1% in the three months to June, according to official figures that revealed the weakening outlook for the UK, which is expected to enter a recession later this year.
The Office for National Statistics said two bank holidays to celebrate the Queen’s jubilee contributed to a 0.6% fall in output in June alone.
Wasn't it only one extra Bank Holiday day? One of the two was delayed from the final Monday in May so should be baked into the comparable quarterly figures anyway.
It also smacks of being a load of old bollocks as a reason (there will be reason, but ONE extra bank holiday won't be it). How much extra hospitality was generated from the long weekend off?
As you hint a lot of the hospitality is likely to have been diverted from May. And to the extent that people left the country for the first summer long weekend after two years of European travel restrictions, which I imagine was high, it doesn't help UK GDP. But this all shows that GDP isn't everything (though it matters if you work for a living).
By the way Dr John Campbell, not normally one to get swept up by hyperbole, has said he has stopped consuming fresh fruit and milk. Reason being that he’s not confident we will get warning of nuclear fallout from Zaporizhzhia until after the fact.
John Campbell?
Someone who has lost an incredible amount of respect from me and others.
Early in the pandemic, he was sensible and measured, but he found out that it is far more profitable to chase the antivaxxers and conspiracies.
Since the ivermectin debacle, where he fell for it hook, line, and sinker, and found out his subscriber base rocketed, he started to lean into the nuttier commentators and even became a speaker at an antivaxxer conference.
As covid concern dies down, he's flailing about for something else to hold his subscriber base. I really wouldn't worry about it - I'm glugging milk and eating fruit with no concern, and I've had training in atomic and nuclear physics.
DPD is a bloody disgrace isn't it? And owned by the French Government too, bloody useless
They used to be one of the more reliable ones in my experience. But in the past month or two I've had nothing but problems with them. Not sure if they've lost staff to other couriers or what - but now I get an almost Hermes/Evri-like dread when I see their name.
I was being ironic. DPD pioneered time slot delivery, I remember when you had to wait in all day for somebody not to turn up. CityLink was the worst
Oh god, Citylink, they made me go 30 miles to pick up a package once rather than redelivering, leaving it or leaving at a local store or something like every other provider.
“Bit worrying for me then - wife expecting early Feb, the big 50 for me in October. I am slightly worried, but also hugely excited. This is our first (and almost certainly only).”
Good luck. You’re (just) under 50 (which was my cut-off point). I really believe it gets much more difficult, quite swiftly, after 50. It’s fairly insane after 55
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
How is your friend going to spend his millions from his memoirs?
DPD is a bloody disgrace isn't it? And owned by the French Government too, bloody useless
They used to be one of the more reliable ones in my experience. But in the past month or two I've had nothing but problems with them. Not sure if they've lost staff to other couriers or what - but now I get an almost Hermes/Evri-like dread when I see their name.
I was being ironic. DPD pioneered time slot delivery, I remember when you had to wait in all day for somebody not to turn up. CityLink was the worst
Oh god, Citylink, they made me go 30 miles to pick up a package once rather than redelivering, leaving it or leaving at a local store or something like every other provider.
How strange, the NI railways are publicly owned. They must be a disaster - oh wait, they are not.
Perhaps it was deliberate under-investment and flogging off assets on the cheap that did it for the railways we invented.
You see other countries invest, we cut and sell things to their governments for cheap. They must think we're morons
"Perhaps it was deliberate under-investment "
Time for the PB railways lessons again:
Railway infrastructure investment occur in five-year spans called Control Periods (CP). Currently we are in CP6, between 2019 and 2024.
There are three main types of infrastructure investment on the railways: *) Maintenance: maintaining the existing infrastructure - the bread-and-butter work. *) Renewals: renewing life-expired infrastructure such as tracks, signalling and bridges *) Enhancements: work to improve the network's capacity and performance.
Recent governments have invested massively in our railway infrastructure, and to call it 'deliberate under-investment' is more than wrong. In the 13 years under Blair and Brown's governments, just mine miles of railway were electrified, compared to many hundreds under Thatcher/Major and post-2010.
If we're talking electrification, probably worth highlighting the absurdity of the ban on 3rd rail electrification. Merseyrail opening a new station, which needs a 1km extension of the 3rd rail network.
NO comes the edict, so instead they are fitting part of their new train fleet with batteries to run them off the power rail. At quintuple the cost.
Glad to see you making the case for state ownership and investment though - most of the 7 year franchises far too short to make any investment worthwhile. Its only since NR was put in and many of the short franchises finally binned that investment can take place.
Also worth noting the stupidity of the chop and change approach to the investment. Repeated changes in Transport Secretaries have made yes no yes no changes to schemes. A nine-figure sum supposedly wasted on planning and consultation for now binned elements of he Transpennine Route Upgrade as its gone from full renewal to bits and discontinuous electrification and back again...
“Bit worrying for me then - wife expecting early Feb, the big 50 for me in October. I am slightly worried, but also hugely excited. This is our first (and almost certainly only).”
Good luck. You’re (just) under 50 (which was my cut-off point). I really believe it gets much more difficult, quite swiftly, after 50. It’s fairly insane after 55
And it really matters that it’s your first 🥂🥂
I have already had lots of thoughts about picking up from school ('is that your grandad'), touring Unis (is that your grandad) etc. Hugely excited but also terrified.
On transport, I've just completed a year of cycling to work, 31 mile round trip on the two days per week I typically go into the office. Got to the point now where it's barely slower than going by car on a good car day and quicker on a bad car day (car was ~50 minutes typically, in traffic, bike ~ 55 minutes). Gained 4mph average speed, too (actual cycling speed increased by more than that - the average is dragged down by necessary stops at lights etc; part of that due to a new faster bike, too). In the year, I've taken the car three times (have parking vouchers now, one used per day, rather than blanket permit - I've used three).
But I only contemplated starting this because most of the route (~65%) is on an excellent off-road cycle path (disused railway line) and public parks and the rest, except for one short, low traffic and wide road 40mp stretch is 20mph or 30mph residential roads. The cycle path was briefly closed and I took back roads for a few weeks, but at 60mph limits with a few nutty drivers they weren't that much fun. I wouldn't do them in winter.
Conversely, my eldest child starts school in a few weeks. That's under two miles away, but we'll be taking him by car as the most direct route is not bike/pedestrian friendly, being a 60mph rat run. There's a safer walking route but that's over two miles, which is probably a bit far in time taken and still not cycle friendly for a four year old (or even with a bike trailer etc really, one quite nasty junction and tight on space). With a decent cycle path, he'd be cycling to school. The next nearest school, in the next village, is also down a 60mph road that's too narrow. An off-road cycle path there would also make that easily accessible (and also make it easier for residents there to walk or cycle into the town).
The government to its credit has tried to improve cycleways and footpaths, and provided at least some small funding to councils for it (where locals immediately moan about it, the disruption of a few weeks is too much apparently as per a local example).
My parents seem to like ranting about the new on-road (but partitioned) cycle routes that popped up in their city during Covid. Which is bizarre really - I only drive round the city now when visiting, but to me they look like a great idea. My dad always cycled more than he drove - and still does - as did my mum before ill health stopped her getting out. I don't get it.
Needs more investment. Whe the routes are good, they get used. But there's a tipping point, half doing it isn't enough. You need really good connected routes before they get much use. York is a good northern example where you can get to most places in the city by bike without being too bothered about cars, even though the routes are clearly constrained by a lot of existing buildings.
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
Its probably not so bad if it is a novel experience (anything you do for the first time is kinda interesting) but speaking as a fifty something with a grown up daughter from my previous marriage I would defnitely not want to have another kid now -yes you are a little more physically jaded but also more importantly you have done that bought the T-shirt and thus wont be as invested (which is unfair to the kid and mother)
Yes that’s true, too. And my friend hinted at it
I’m sure it will get better - the first 2-3 years are terrible for most parents of any age - but he’s already dreading the teens - because he’ll be in his 70s. It’s not good
I find the teen years are best got through as a parent by not giving much of a toss especially from the age of 15 or so what the kid does and just accepting whatever they do . Mature parents in age might be more inclined to this. I had a much easier pandemic experience for instance when I coudl not care my daughter was meeting up "illegally" with mates on the local parks (even when the police came to clear them off most nights ) - lots of other parents fretting about it and getting into pointless arguments with their offspring about it
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
Its probably not so bad if it is a novel experience (anything you do for the first time is kinda interesting) but speaking as a fifty something with a grown up daughter from my previous marriage I would defnitely not want to have another kid now -yes you are a little more physically jaded but also more importantly you have done that bought the T-shirt and thus wont be as invested (which is unfair to the kid and mother)
Yes that’s true, too. And my friend hinted at it
I’m sure it will get better - the first 2-3 years are terrible for most parents of any age - but he’s already dreading the teens - because he’ll be in his 70s. It’s not good
That depends.
Our kids' first couple of years were a nightmare, especially the first, as she didn't sleep for more than two hours at a stretch for two entire years. No way I could do that again now and survive. Their teens were pretty well a breeze, which I'd happily go through again even in a decade's time (& I'm around the same age as you).
On transport, I've just completed a year of cycling to work, 31 mile round trip on the two days per week I typically go into the office. Got to the point now where it's barely slower than going by car on a good car day and quicker on a bad car day (car was ~50 minutes typically, in traffic, bike ~ 55 minutes). Gained 4mph average speed, too (actual cycling speed increased by more than that - the average is dragged down by necessary stops at lights etc; part of that due to a new faster bike, too). In the year, I've taken the car three times (have parking vouchers now, one used per day, rather than blanket permit - I've used three).
But I only contemplated starting this because most of the route (~65%) is on an excellent off-road cycle path (disused railway line) and public parks and the rest, except for one short, low traffic and wide road 40mp stretch is 20mph or 30mph residential roads. The cycle path was briefly closed and I took back roads for a few weeks, but at 60mph limits with a few nutty drivers they weren't that much fun. I wouldn't do them in winter.
Conversely, my eldest child starts school in a few weeks. That's under two miles away, but we'll be taking him by car as the most direct route is not bike/pedestrian friendly, being a 60mph rat run. There's a safer walking route but that's over two miles, which is probably a bit far in time taken and still not cycle friendly for a four year old (or even with a bike trailer etc really, one quite nasty junction and tight on space). With a decent cycle path, he'd be cycling to school. The next nearest school, in the next village, is also down a 60mph road that's too narrow. An off-road cycle path there would also make that easily accessible (and also make it easier for residents there to walk or cycle into the town).
The government to its credit has tried to improve cycleways and footpaths, and provided at least some small funding to councils for it (where locals immediately moan about it, the disruption of a few weeks is too much apparently as per a local example).
My parents seem to like ranting about the new on-road (but partitioned) cycle routes that popped up in their city during Covid. Which is bizarre really - I only drive round the city now when visiting, but to me they look like a great idea. My dad always cycled more than he drove - and still does - as did my mum before ill health stopped her getting out. I don't get it.
Needs more investment. Whe the routes are good, they get used. But there's a tipping point, half doing it isn't enough. You need really good connected routes before they get much use. York is a good northern example where you can get to most places in the city by bike without being too bothered about cars, even though the routes are clearly constrained by a lot of existing buildings.
There was a lot of aggravation about the routes popping up during Covid, often due to not much consultation (although really, how much do you need when most people won't see it or respond anyway), and due to speed some were not well thought out but that was part of the point, to test them. In my area they reformulated a number of them and there are much better routes and connections than previously at relatively little cost.
Still much to do, but it is an area where governments need to push through - the right but unpopular discussion from earlier. Except not even really unpopular, just in the moment unpopular with very vocal figures. Once in people use and like them.
Have to admit I thought it was some kind of joke Starmer's big announcement that prepay and DD should be the same price. I mean this does need to happen but it's pissing into the ocean.
There is no logical reason why British Railways Plc should or could not exist, beyond pointless ideology.
Clearly all of the EU countries and Japan have got it wrong. We know better, so we pay the French...
Define BR PLC.
"British Railways" ran infrastructure, passenger and freight services, built rolling stock and delivered world-leading research.
I disagree with your proposal because: Infrastructure is already state owned Freight is hugely successful, with state-owned DRS one of the competing operators Some rolling stock is now state owned and is largely all state-procured.
So what is needed is to bring the remaining passenger franchise operations in-house and then spin them off. Leave freight as it is, regulate the rolling stock owners (they literally have no other use for their assets), and leave the InfraCo as a separate body.
And "PLC"? That's privatised. You mean "Ltd".
British Railways Limited would run the passenger operations, British Railways Infra Ltd would be in charge of infrastructure management.
The German model.
If a state-owned French company wishes to run an operation they are welcome to do so, they can either build their own railway and manage it all or they can run their own trains or procure them for use on Infra Ltd infrastructure with no subsidy.
We're in agreement - was just confused when you seemed to be proposing that (a) we recreate British Rail and then (b) privatise it.
No problem.
To be honest I am not sure why these rolling stock companies need to exist, why can't we have a state-owned version of that? These companies seem to produce very little
We already have one. There is no market in rolling stock provision - the DfT now dictate which stock is to be used. So the (mainly) banks who own them make a fee for maintaining them. It isn't that big an issue any more.
Oh well I wasn't aware of that.
We should also have a state-company that builds these things.
Why? European rail operators buy rolling stock from the private sector as we do. Competition there is a good thing as it drives innovation. As it did back in the BR days when the likes of GEC and Brush and EE drove development.
What I meant to say is that I don't see why we can't have a state-company that can build, as a competitor in the market.
The man/woman in Whitehall does not know best when it comes to business. The man/woman in Whitehall is an expert at being the man/woman in Whitehall. He/she is by his/her nature bureaucratic and risk averse. For evidence please see all previous nationalised industries. British Leyland best example.
Because the water companies have been brilliant. Those financial engineers in PE have done a bang up job, leaks as bad as ever, companies now saddled with £18bn in debt, billions paid out in dividends and not a single new reservoir in 30 years. Oh yeah, and now half the country is officially in drought conditions.
By the way Dr John Campbell, not normally one to get swept up by hyperbole, has said he has stopped consuming fresh fruit and milk. Reason being that he’s not confident we will get warning of nuclear fallout from Zaporizhzhia until after the fact.
John Campbell?
Someone who has lost an incredible amount of respect from me and others.
Early in the pandemic, he was sensible and measured, but he found out that it is far more profitable to chase the antivaxxers and conspiracies.
Since the ivermectin debacle, where he fell for it hook, line, and sinker, and found out his subscriber base rocketed, he started to lean into the nuttier commentators and even became a speaker at an antivaxxer conference.
As covid concern dies down, he's flailing about for something else to hold his subscriber base. I really wouldn't worry about it - I'm glugging milk and eating fruit with no concern, and I've had training in atomic and nuclear physics.
I read the "not normally one to get swept up by hyperbole" as sarcasm, given Campbell's recent track record. But maybe I was mistaken/applying my own opinion.
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
Its probably not so bad if it is a novel experience (anything you do for the first time is kinda interesting) but speaking as a fifty something with a grown up daughter from my previous marriage I would defnitely not want to have another kid now -yes you are a little more physically jaded but also more importantly you have done that bought the T-shirt and thus wont be as invested (which is unfair to the kid and mother)
Yes that’s true, too. And my friend hinted at it
I’m sure it will get better - the first 2-3 years are terrible for most parents of any age - but he’s already dreading the teens - because he’ll be in his 70s. It’s not good
I find the teen years are best got through as a parent by not giving much of a toss especially from the age of 15 or so what the kid does and just accepting whatever they do . Mature parents in age might be more inclined to this. I had a much easier pandemic experience for instance when I coudl not care my daughter was meeting up "illegally" with mates on the local parks (even when the police came to clear them off most nights ) - lots of other parents fretting about it and getting into pointless arguments with their offspring about it
I gave that a like for the spirit, but there is a happy balance to be struck, surely ?
Mr. Sandpit, a problem with the one room heating approach is that if temperatures fall below zero it's essential to avoid burst pipes.
How mild the winter is will be critical this year.
I think my patient was most depressed about the bleakness of her future, which is fairly short, but now going to be devoid of even simple pleasures like getting a newspaper delivered.
Your patient sounds asset-rich, but income-poor. The best advice to her would be to take out money via an equty release scheme. It means her heirs will inherit less, but why make onself miserable to boost other peoples' inheritance.
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
How is your friend going to spend his millions from his memoirs?
“Bit worrying for me then - wife expecting early Feb, the big 50 for me in October. I am slightly worried, but also hugely excited. This is our first (and almost certainly only).”
Good luck. You’re (just) under 50 (which was my cut-off point). I really believe it gets much more difficult, quite swiftly, after 50. It’s fairly insane after 55
And it really matters that it’s your first 🥂🥂
I have already had lots of thoughts about picking up from school ('is that your grandad'), touring Unis (is that your grandad) etc. Hugely excited but also terrified.
Artistic director argues that ‘theatres do not deal with historical reality’
Nothing wrong with that. It depends on the type of film/play you are making - an attempt at gritty realism would benefit from versimilitude as much as possible, but that is not always the intent.
DPD is a bloody disgrace isn't it? And owned by the French Government too, bloody useless
They used to be one of the more reliable ones in my experience. But in the past month or two I've had nothing but problems with them. Not sure if they've lost staff to other couriers or what - but now I get an almost Hermes/Evri-like dread when I see their name.
I was being ironic. DPD pioneered time slot delivery, I remember when you had to wait in all day for somebody not to turn up. CityLink was the worst
Ah - got you. Yes - they *were* very good. I'd usually pay extra on deliveries if it had a DPD option. But these past few months have been dreadful. Missing items, horrific customer service, getting a delivery slot then the driver just turns up 4hrs early, not getting a slot at all and just a sudden delivery attempt, etc etc. Might be local to me but it's really made me dread dealing with them.
Parcel2Go are still my pet hates though. If you're lucky you'll get a 'We've got your package!' email (though often not). And then... that's it. The tracking webpage will just sit saying something like 'Parcel received' then it'll just turn up at some point out of the blue one random day, 9am, 4pm, 7pm - spin the wheel!
To be committed to privatisation for ideology's sake at a time like this is nuts.
It's time we had a grown up discussion away from "privatisation is always the best option because efficiency" and instead had a discussion about what ought to be in public hands and what not.
Railways clearly. Privatisation has failed on its own terms - and we are now paying private companies to run things in a way we tell them to, so money leaves our country and funds the French's for no tangible benefit at all.
Energy companies are causing people to become homeless or starve. A state provider should be available that is used in times of crisis to stop this. On a purely moral level the debt involved for the government is irrelevant, this is about human lives.
Water. The water companies have done a piss poor job, they either need a massive tax placed on them or they need to be stripped. I note Scotland's water supply is not privatised and I cannot find a single thing the English companies do better.
This is not ideological, this is about what is best for us all. I am not proposing nationalising BP, or BT, or EON, or the National Grid.
On here I've seen robust pushback against rail nationalisation before, but I dont know that I've seen the current water company situation defended.
I'd be very interested in one as from a layman's perspective it's the most obvious in lacking any benefit to the public in service, cost or choice.
Did they use to be worse?
Mixed. There was a decade of significant improvement, but then they stalled and the last twenty years-plus has been not very good.
Leaks:
Almost all the benefit was seen prior to the turn of the century.
"Four companies (Anglian, Thames, Wessex, Yorkshire Water) were rated only 2 stars, which means they require significant improvement. Two (Southern and South West Water) fell to 1 star, the bottom of our star ratings, meaning their performance was terrible across the board."
"The sector’s performance on pollution was shocking, much worse than previous years. Serious pollution incidents increased to 62, the highest total since 2013. There were 8 of the most serious (category 1) incidents, compared with 3 in 2020 and most companies, 7 of the 9, were responsible for an increase in serious incidents compared to 2020."
"Company directors let this occur and it is simply unacceptable. Over the years the public have seen water company executives and investors rewarded handsomely while the environment pays the price. The water companies are behaving like this for a simple reason: because they can. We intend to make it too painful for them to continue as they are."
... "Repeat offenders can now expect criminal prosecutions for less serious environmental incidents where once the Environment Agency would have used civil powers. We would like to see prison sentences for Chief Executives and Board members whose companies are responsible for the most serious incidents. We would also like to see company directors being struck off so they cannot simply delete illegal environmental damage from their CV and move on to their next role."
It is unusual for the Environment Agency to call for jail sentences like this in government publications.
It looks very much to me as if the privatisation system could work (arguably, for the first decade, it did) but needs serious engagement from regulators and public bodies, with real teeth, otherwise the companies will just ignore the issues and cash in instead. And, rationally, why shouldn't they?
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
Its probably not so bad if it is a novel experience (anything you do for the first time is kinda interesting) but speaking as a fifty something with a grown up daughter from my previous marriage I would defnitely not want to have another kid now -yes you are a little more physically jaded but also more importantly you have done that bought the T-shirt and thus wont be as invested (which is unfair to the kid and mother)
Yes that’s true, too. And my friend hinted at it
I’m sure it will get better - the first 2-3 years are terrible for most parents of any age - but he’s already dreading the teens - because he’ll be in his 70s. It’s not good
That depends.
Our kids' first couple of years were a nightmare, especially the first, as she didn't sleep for more than two hours at a stretch for two entire years. No way I could do that again now and survive. Their teens were pretty well a breeze, which I'd happily go through again even in a decade's time (& I'm around the same age as you).
We've been ridiculously lucky with ours. Number three is nine weeks old and goes to sleep around 8.30-9pm, wakes for a feed sometime around 2am and then again at 6-7am typically. The first two were not that dissimilar.
If there's any natural justice then I guess we'll be in for a hell of a time when they become teenagers
Have to admit I thought it was some kind of joke Starmer's big announcement that prepay and DD should be the same price. I mean this does need to happen but it's pissing into the ocean.
It does make a big difference to the poor - analogous to the way in which (as Jack Monroe explored, IIRC) you need to have money to save money on e.g. supermarket food. At the moment, the premium on prepayment is effectively a tax on being poor.
That's very near me. Anecdotally, have heard of a couple of people supposedly taken on at the site, who have had their start dates pushed back.
Do Britishvolt actually have a customer yet for their batteries?
To me, there has always been something fishy about that project...
Not sure. They were recruiting furiously several months ago. Adverts everywhere and interviews at all the nearby job centres. But precious few seem to have actually started work as far as I can tell.
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
Is it possible that the longer the leadership campaign goes on the more Conservative members will realise that Liz Truss will be a disaster for them? Is Sunak, as the most sensible of the two, likely to come through and actually win?
Is it possible that the longer the leadership campaign goes on the more Conservative members will realise that Liz Truss will be a disaster for them? Is Sunak, as the most sensible of the two, likely to come through and actually win?
Artistic director argues that ‘theatres do not deal with historical reality’
Nothing wrong with that. It depends on the type of film/play you are making - an attempt at gritty realism would benefit from versimilitude as much as possible, but that is not always the intent.
It's like the world's worst historical novelist, Brandy Purdy, making Piers Gaveston a rent boy, in The Confessions of Piers Gaveston, and depicting Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard having sex with each other, in Vengeance is Mine.
But, no one would pretend that her works are intended to have any artistic merit.
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
Its probably not so bad if it is a novel experience (anything you do for the first time is kinda interesting) but speaking as a fifty something with a grown up daughter from my previous marriage I would defnitely not want to have another kid now -yes you are a little more physically jaded but also more importantly you have done that bought the T-shirt and thus wont be as invested (which is unfair to the kid and mother)
Yes that’s true, too. And my friend hinted at it
I’m sure it will get better - the first 2-3 years are terrible for most parents of any age - but he’s already dreading the teens - because he’ll be in his 70s. It’s not good
I find the teen years are best got through as a parent by not giving much of a toss especially from the age of 15 or so what the kid does and just accepting whatever they do . Mature parents in age might be more inclined to this. I had a much easier pandemic experience for instance when I coudl not care my daughter was meeting up "illegally" with mates on the local parks (even when the police came to clear them off most nights ) - lots of other parents fretting about it and getting into pointless arguments with their offspring about it
I gave that a like for the spirit, but there is a happy balance to be struck, surely ?
well yes of course , but unless you can intervene effectively to stop something truly horrendous happening then most of the time it is parents trying to influence (through rules,nags and worries) their own way of life or ambitions on their teenager. The amount of parents who for instance the big "university " decision for kids my daughter age is numerous to the point a lot of kids go to university or even do a specific course because their parents expect them to - My daughter decided she did not want to go to university at least this year and I just shrugged my shoulders and am interested in what she does but find it much easier for both of us if I dont even "advise"
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
Bit worrying for me then - wife expecting early Feb, the big 50 for me in October. I am slightly worried, but also hugely excited. This is our first (and almost certainly only).
I got married on my 40th birthday. I was given an ultimatum and made it by 24 hours. First child a year later, next after another 5 years so I was 46. If anything it made me feel younger. I felt the same age as the others at the school gate. Same pre marriage. I did lots of physical activities (skiing, sailing, squash etc) and again felt the same age as those I was with even though I was older.
So @turbotubbs congratulations and it will keep you younger.
By the way Dr John Campbell, not normally one to get swept up by hyperbole, has said he has stopped consuming fresh fruit and milk. Reason being that he’s not confident we will get warning of nuclear fallout from Zaporizhzhia until after the fact.
John Campbell?
Someone who has lost an incredible amount of respect from me and others.
Early in the pandemic, he was sensible and measured, but he found out that it is far more profitable to chase the antivaxxers and conspiracies.
Since the ivermectin debacle, where he fell for it hook, line, and sinker, and found out his subscriber base rocketed, he started to lean into the nuttier commentators and even became a speaker at an antivaxxer conference.
As covid concern dies down, he's flailing about for something else to hold his subscriber base. I really wouldn't worry about it - I'm glugging milk and eating fruit with no concern, and I've had training in atomic and nuclear physics.
I read the "not normally one to get swept up by hyperbole" as sarcasm, given Campbell's recent track record. But maybe I was mistaken/applying my own opinion.
I didn't realise Campbell had gone bonkers. What I shame -he was an excellent voice of sanity during the pandemic.
Is it possible that the longer the leadership campaign goes on the more Conservative members will realise that Liz Truss will be a disaster for them? Is Sunak, as the most sensible of the two, likely to come through and actually win?
Over time Sunak has become the less safe choice. He spent the first three weeks of his campaign saying how sensible he'd be, then when he realised that wasn't going anywhere the last week and a half has been weird pledge after weird pledge to try and seem radical. Fish gasping for air on the riverbank stuff.
Not keen on either, but I expected better from Sunak.
StateCo doesn't work, as a general rule. The overwhelming majority of StateCo's set up are terrible, terrible failures, but you don't think about them as they don't exist anymore or if they do you don't hear about them, its pure survivorship bias. If you want a BritCo to be set up then go set it up yourself, there's nothing stopping you from doing so, but the State shouldn't be doing so that's not rational.
Thinking that StateCo's work because you're looking at the miniscule proportion of legacy StateCo's that had been set up that have survived to the present day and are thriving is as logical as saying that everyone should sign up to play the Squid Game because everyone you've spoken to that has completed the Squid Games have done well from it.
So you're saying every state-owned water company in Europe, every train operator and energy company, postal company, is a terrible failure? This is crazy Bart
No, I never said "every". I said "majority set up".
Survivorship bias means that the majority set up no longer even exist anymore today.
My final point on your absurd attempt to out bollocks even yourself. "Survivor bias". But Today's StateCo rail companies are not remotely the same as they once were.
SNCF used to be state owned and run. Whilst it is still (mostly) state owned, it is split into multiple divisions and subsidiaries which are commercial.
The commercial business running the tram network in Melbourne is not remotely the same business as was when it was just state rail.
So there is no "survivorship" - these are new commercial companies plural, not the state monoliths you are foaming on about.
But that reinforces my point, it doesn't discredit it.
The commercial businesses are working successfully in the commercial sector. That is privatisation working as intended.
If you're cherrypicking looking at the few state-owned firms and saying "we should do that" there's nothing preventing you from doing that, privately, is there? But the legacy firms with the institutional awareness and success that you don't have, isn't something you can just create overnight.
So a StateCo which has the majority of business in France proves that privatisation works? But SNCF isn't privatised....
You keep saying "a few state firms". These are the predominant players in their market, and thanks to being commercially run are minority players in other markets.
StateCo operators are the rule, not the exception. You are simply wrong. The evidence demonstrates you are wrong. So you just change definitions to cling to why you are right after all.
The state can run things very efficiently. As everyone in europe knows. As UK customers of DPD or EDF or Arriva know very well.
The benefits are also clear. In the UK buses are run by the bus companies for profit rather than public service. The company may well be publicly owned (Arriva etc) but local councils cannot say what happens.
Yet in abroad the buses are run for the service they provide *and* generate profits from providing services elsewhere.
You want foreign governments to run your local buses, but won't allow your local government to do so. Which is absurd even for a supposed libertarian free-marketeer like you. Advocate the expulsion of these subsidised rigged operators like Arriva, Abelio, RAPT etc and their replacement by truly free market private companies, or accept the absurdity of your "argument".
Excuse me? I don't want to forbid local governments from setting up firms to compete if they choose to do so. Many have done, where did I say that MerseyRail should be forbidden? Or TfL?
And if those acorns grow into big oak trees that end up running operations across the globe then I never said that should be forbidden.
But its already not forbidden. So why isn't it already happening, if its so easy? Why isn't TfL or MerseyRail or any other existing firm being the next Arriva? Maybe it could be because its not as easy as clicking your heels three times and having Arriva on your hands.
Why not privatise TfL? But what would it achieve?
If it no longer had to answer to dictats from the Mayor of London it would achieve the job of getting it arms length away from the politicians. Since its the plaything of politicians that isn't going to happen any time soon though.
The buses in Warrington, Leigh and surrounding towns are provided not by Arriva or any other foreign state owned firm but by a firm called "Warrington's Own Buses" formerly known as Warrington Borough Transport, whose parent is unsurprisingly Warrington Borough Council.
There's nothing preventing councils from having firms if they want to. Many have tried to set up transport or energy or other firms, if they succeed in the marketplace then I'm OK with that. Its competition that matters the most.
Why? Because its *illegal* for councils to set up new bus companies.
To be committed to privatisation for ideology's sake at a time like this is nuts.
It's time we had a grown up discussion away from "privatisation is always the best option because efficiency" and instead had a discussion about what ought to be in public hands and what not.
Railways clearly. Privatisation has failed on its own terms - and we are now paying private companies to run things in a way we tell them to, so money leaves our country and funds the French's for no tangible benefit at all.
Energy companies are causing people to become homeless or starve. A state provider should be available that is used in times of crisis to stop this. On a purely moral level the debt involved for the government is irrelevant, this is about human lives.
Water. The water companies have done a piss poor job, they either need a massive tax placed on them or they need to be stripped. I note Scotland's water supply is not privatised and I cannot find a single thing the English companies do better.
This is not ideological, this is about what is best for us all. I am not proposing nationalising BP, or BT, or EON, or the National Grid.
On here I've seen robust pushback against rail nationalisation before, but I dont know that I've seen the current water company situation defended.
I'd be very interested in one as from a layman's perspective it's the most obvious in lacking any benefit to the public in service, cost or choice.
Did they use to be worse?
Mixed. There was a decade of significant improvement, but then they stalled and the last twenty years-plus has been not very good.
Leaks:
Almost all the benefit was seen prior to the turn of the century.
"Four companies (Anglian, Thames, Wessex, Yorkshire Water) were rated only 2 stars, which means they require significant improvement. Two (Southern and South West Water) fell to 1 star, the bottom of our star ratings, meaning their performance was terrible across the board."
"The sector’s performance on pollution was shocking, much worse than previous years. Serious pollution incidents increased to 62, the highest total since 2013. There were 8 of the most serious (category 1) incidents, compared with 3 in 2020 and most companies, 7 of the 9, were responsible for an increase in serious incidents compared to 2020."
"Company directors let this occur and it is simply unacceptable. Over the years the public have seen water company executives and investors rewarded handsomely while the environment pays the price. The water companies are behaving like this for a simple reason: because they can. We intend to make it too painful for them to continue as they are."
... "Repeat offenders can now expect criminal prosecutions for less serious environmental incidents where once the Environment Agency would have used civil powers. We would like to see prison sentences for Chief Executives and Board members whose companies are responsible for the most serious incidents. We would also like to see company directors being struck off so they cannot simply delete illegal environmental damage from their CV and move on to their next role."
It is unusual for the Environment Agency to call for jail sentences like this in government publications.
It looks very much to me as if the privatisation system could work (arguably, for the first decade, it did) but needs serious engagement from regulators and public bodies, with real teeth, otherwise the companies will just ignore the issues and cash in instead. And, rationally, why shouldn't they?
Of course the population has grown by 10 million since the turn of the century and the leaks there are measured by litres and not per capita. So there's surely been a roughly 20% fall in the per capita level of leaks and they're far lower than they were pre-privatisation.
Agreed that there should be real teeth though, the teeth work in conjunction with privatisation to provide a profit motive to deal with whatever you're applying the teeth to.
It's frustrating to see such a huge strategic mistake being made in real time. It looks like the UK is going to end up importing vast numbers of batteries at enormous cost.
For clarity, I'm not a "nationalisation=good, privatisation=bad" person by default. Nor vice versa (although, to be fair, I tend to lean more towards the privatisation aspect due to the possibility of capital influx, competition raising standards, and making it more arms-length from the Government on a day-to-day basis).
But water, after an encouraging start, has stalled and looks like failing. Nationalise. Rail - I remain to be convinced. Some of the private companies are crap. BR was crap. Looks to me like we need to pinpoint where the source of crapness is first. Energy - to be honest, the fact I'm with Octopus makes me think it could work. Maybe more engagement needed, but the fact that Octopus do seem to lean over backwards to make sure I'm on the best tariff (and I looked at there "Join Octopus" page recently, where their entire landing page consists of:
YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS:
Energy prices are at record highs, and most homes will be better off staying with their current energy supplier right now.
If your fixed term is coming to an end, don't choose a new tariff or switch supplier.
Instead, let your supplier automatically move you to their default tariff, so your prices are protected by the Government's Energy Price Cap.
Would you like an email when prices fall?"
And then, at the bottom, in smaller text
"I've read and understood the above, and I would still like a quote to switch to Octopus"
To me, that's really good behaviour, and they've been brilliant at smart-meter rollout with real incentives for the consumer (I have an EV tariff where I get really cheap electricity for 5 hours overnight and set the car up to charge only then). That sort of thing is exactly what privatisation is for - it's just a shame most companies aren't like that.
Is it possible that the longer the leadership campaign goes on the more Conservative members will realise that Liz Truss will be a disaster for them? Is Sunak, as the most sensible of the two, likely to come through and actually win?
Doesn't seem to be bourne out by much of the polling to date, she seems to be cementing her lead with most.
RH1992 makes a good point about Sunak's rather flustered reaction to being the underdog as well.
Have to admit I thought it was some kind of joke Starmer's big announcement that prepay and DD should be the same price. I mean this does need to happen but it's pissing into the ocean.
It does make a big difference to the poor - analogous to the way in which (as Jack Monroe explored, IIRC) you need to have money to save money on e.g. supermarket food. At the moment, the premium on prepayment is effectively a tax on being poor.
Good news- it's targeted at the right people. Partly because people on prepay are generally vulnerable, also they don't have the "cancel the DD, what are they gonna do?" option. Better than Rishi's "give everyone £200", or Liz's "cut taxes".
Good news- it's a sensible long-term reform that will continue to help after this storm passes, which it eventually will.
Bad news- it is a peashooter in the face of an oncoming steamroller.
Bad news- it helps the wrong people politically, because it doesn't buy many votes.
Artistic director argues that ‘theatres do not deal with historical reality’
Nothing wrong with that. It depends on the type of film/play you are making - an attempt at gritty realism would benefit from versimilitude as much as possible, but that is not always the intent.
It's like the world's worst historical novelist, Brandy Purdy, making Piers Gaveston a rent boy, in The Confessions of Piers Gaveston, and depicting Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard having sex with each other, in Vengeance is Mine.
But, no one would pretend that her works are intended to have any artistic merit.
If you think Brandy Purdy (who I'd never heard of I confess) is the world's worst historical novelist why are you so well acquainted with her oeuvre? I envy your time-management skills - I don't have the time to read the books I want to read, let alone those whose author I despise.
For clarity, I'm not a "nationalisation=good, privatisation=bad" person by default. Nor vice versa (although, to be fair, I tend to lean more towards the privatisation aspect due to the possibility of capital influx, competition raising standards, and making it more arms-length from the Government on a day-to-day basis).
But water, after an encouraging start, has stalled and looks like failing. Nationalise. Rail - I remain to be convinced. Some of the private companies are crap. BR was crap. Looks to me like we need to pinpoint where the source of crapness is first. Energy - to be honest, the fact I'm with Octopus makes me think it could work. Maybe more engagement needed, but the fact that Octopus do seem to lean over backwards to make sure I'm on the best tariff (and I looked at there "Join Octopus" page recently, where their entire landing page consists of:
YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS:
Energy prices are at record highs, and most homes will be better off staying with their current energy supplier right now.
If your fixed term is coming to an end, don't choose a new tariff or switch supplier.
Instead, let your supplier automatically move you to their default tariff, so your prices are protected by the Government's Energy Price Cap.
Would you like an email when prices fall?"
And then, at the bottom, in smaller text
"I've read and understood the above, and I would still like a quote to switch to Octopus"
To me, that's really good behaviour, and they've been brilliant at smart-meter rollout with real incentives for the consumer (I have an EV tariff where I get really cheap electricity for 5 hours overnight and set the car up to charge only then). That sort of thing is exactly what privatisation is for - it's just a shame most companies aren't like that.
just think cooperatives (worker or consumer) are the best option for a lot of these services - do people complain about bad service much at building societies or the Co-op or John Lewis? No , do they with a lot of public sector services like the passport office or the NHS or the local bloody council? yes
Is it possible that the longer the leadership campaign goes on the more Conservative members will realise that Liz Truss will be a disaster for them? Is Sunak, as the most sensible of the two, likely to come through and actually win?
If most of those who will vote have already voted, and they've got rid of the "are you sure you don't want to change your mind?" fix, it doesn't matter. Though a simultaneous realisation that a) Liz will be a disaster and b) there's no realistic way to stop her winning running through the Conservative party would be bantertastic.
Having the bulk of the campaign events after voting has opened looks like a really dumb idea.
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
How is your friend going to spend his millions from his memoirs?
Er, what?
Have a think about it?
I have, and I still don't get it
Is this somehow implying that an alleged indiscretion is ruining my friend's chances of publishing memoirs??
He's French and lives in France, has no interest in British politics (who can blame him) I don't think that's an issue
Or is it something else? A hint that I'm talking about me? I'm not. I mean, I am, but not obliquely
Is it possible that the longer the leadership campaign goes on the more Conservative members will realise that Liz Truss will be a disaster for them? Is Sunak, as the most sensible of the two, likely to come through and actually win?
If most of those who will vote have already voted, and they've got rid of the "are you sure you don't want to change your mind?" fix, it doesn't matter. Though a simultaneous realisation that a) Liz will be a disaster and b) there's no realistic way to stop her winning running through the Conservative party would be bantertastic.
Having the bulk of the campaign events after voting has opened looks like a really dumb idea.
The member's portion of the contest has been far far too long. It should be being announced THIS next monday.
Is it possible that the longer the leadership campaign goes on the more Conservative members will realise that Liz Truss will be a disaster for them? Is Sunak, as the most sensible of the two, likely to come through and actually win?
Over time Sunak has become the less safe choice. He spent the first three weeks of his campaign saying how sensible he'd be, then when he realised that wasn't going anywhere the last week and a half has been weird pledge after weird pledge to try and seem radical. Fish gasping for air on the riverbank stuff.
Not keen on either, but I expected better from Sunak.
Not saying I am the biggest Liz Truss fan but Sunak has no convictions or indeed ideas of way things shoudl be - why woudl he ? he is very rich (beyond needing even to worry about losing it realistically ever) and always has been. He is interested in status and himself - he is not evil or bad just not sharp in idea enough to run a country for all
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
How is your friend going to spend his millions from his memoirs?
Er, what?
Have a think about it?
I have, and I still don't get it
Is this somehow implying that an alleged indiscretion is ruining my friend's chances of publishing memoirs??
He's French and lives in France, has no interest in British politics (who can blame him) I don't think that's an issue
Or is it something else? A hint that I'm talking about me? I'm not. I mean, I am, but not obliquely
Something else still?
I think that the suggestion is that your 'old friend' could be Boris...
Is it possible that the longer the leadership campaign goes on the more Conservative members will realise that Liz Truss will be a disaster for them? Is Sunak, as the most sensible of the two, likely to come through and actually win?
If most of those who will vote have already voted, and they've got rid of the "are you sure you don't want to change your mind?" fix, it doesn't matter. Though a simultaneous realisation that a) Liz will be a disaster and b) there's no realistic way to stop her winning running through the Conservative party would be bantertastic.
Having the bulk of the campaign events after voting has opened looks like a really dumb idea.
It presumably takes a couple of weeks (or at least a week) to mailout all the ballot papers, and if you leave it too late if there's a problem you are screwed I guess.
But really its probably because we would all like to believe people listen to all info and decide, that campaigns change minds, when, notable exceptions aside, they usually do not.
Artistic director argues that ‘theatres do not deal with historical reality’
Nothing wrong with that. It depends on the type of film/play you are making - an attempt at gritty realism would benefit from versimilitude as much as possible, but that is not always the intent.
It's like the world's worst historical novelist, Brandy Purdy, making Piers Gaveston a rent boy, in The Confessions of Piers Gaveston, and depicting Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard having sex with each other, in Vengeance is Mine.
But, no one would pretend that her works are intended to have any artistic merit.
If you think Brandy Purdy (who I'd never heard of I confess) is the world's worst historical novelist why are you so well acquainted with her oeuvre? I envy your time-management skills - I don't have the time to read the books I want to read, let alone those whose author I despise.
Fortunately, Kathryn Warner, who runs the Edward II Blog, has a section devoted to hilariously awful medieval historical novels, quoting their "highlights".
Hence: "I've done what Henry could never do; I've ridden the Flanders Mare."
"Ja, mein liebschen, und it vos ze best ride off my life."
By the way Dr John Campbell, not normally one to get swept up by hyperbole, has said he has stopped consuming fresh fruit and milk. Reason being that he’s not confident we will get warning of nuclear fallout from Zaporizhzhia until after the fact.
John Campbell?
Someone who has lost an incredible amount of respect from me and others.
Early in the pandemic, he was sensible and measured, but he found out that it is far more profitable to chase the antivaxxers and conspiracies.
Since the ivermectin debacle, where he fell for it hook, line, and sinker, and found out his subscriber base rocketed, he started to lean into the nuttier commentators and even became a speaker at an antivaxxer conference.
As covid concern dies down, he's flailing about for something else to hold his subscriber base. I really wouldn't worry about it - I'm glugging milk and eating fruit with no concern, and I've had training in atomic and nuclear physics.
I read the "not normally one to get swept up by hyperbole" as sarcasm, given Campbell's recent track record. But maybe I was mistaken/applying my own opinion.
I didn't realise Campbell had gone bonkers. What I shame -he was an excellent voice of sanity during the pandemic.
I watched a couple of videos after seeing a number of mentions on here. One was about ivermectin and another about alleged over-counting. I wasn't impressed by either (I could see that he was either ignorant on some points or disingenuous - my work is in epidemiology, so I have some idea).
I didn't see any of his earlier stuff which, as I understand it, was better. He's a good communicator, but he's either gone beyond his expertise or decided there's more money to be made by going sensationalist.
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
How is your friend going to spend his millions from his memoirs?
Er, what?
Have a think about it?
I have, and I still don't get it
Is this somehow implying that an alleged indiscretion is ruining my friend's chances of publishing memoirs??
He's French and lives in France, has no interest in British politics (who can blame him) I don't think that's an issue
Or is it something else? A hint that I'm talking about me? I'm not. I mean, I am, but not obliquely
Something else still?
Suggestion is your mate is phatboi Johnson, I think. recent child in 50s, memoirs..
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
How is your friend going to spend his millions from his memoirs?
Er, what?
Have a think about it?
I have, and I still don't get it
Is this somehow implying that an alleged indiscretion is ruining my friend's chances of publishing memoirs??
He's French and lives in France, has no interest in British politics (who can blame him) I don't think that's an issue
Or is it something else? A hint that I'm talking about me? I'm not. I mean, I am, but not obliquely
“Bit worrying for me then - wife expecting early Feb, the big 50 for me in October. I am slightly worried, but also hugely excited. This is our first (and almost certainly only).”
Good luck. You’re (just) under 50 (which was my cut-off point). I really believe it gets much more difficult, quite swiftly, after 50. It’s fairly insane after 55
And it really matters that it’s your first 🥂🥂
I have already had lots of thoughts about picking up from school ('is that your grandad'), touring Unis (is that your grandad) etc. Hugely excited but also terrified.
I had mine at around 44, not so much younger. It was absolutely fine
if I'd been 54, yikes
I actually have a number of friends who became dads relatively old (must be a generational thing or the fact all my friends are selfish hedonists like me; let's face it, probably the latter)
I think all of them would say they wish they'd done it ten years earlier, or even 20. One of them is having a mare.
There is one other friend who has just had his second kid in his mid 50s (first with new woman). He seems pretty cool with it, but he is literally a billionaire so he's in the Mick Jagger situation. And he would also have preferred to do it 5 years back
Have Kids Younger is generally good advice, especially if you are 57
By the way Dr John Campbell, not normally one to get swept up by hyperbole, has said he has stopped consuming fresh fruit and milk. Reason being that he’s not confident we will get warning of nuclear fallout from Zaporizhzhia until after the fact.
John Campbell?
Someone who has lost an incredible amount of respect from me and others.
Early in the pandemic, he was sensible and measured, but he found out that it is far more profitable to chase the antivaxxers and conspiracies.
Since the ivermectin debacle, where he fell for it hook, line, and sinker, and found out his subscriber base rocketed, he started to lean into the nuttier commentators and even became a speaker at an antivaxxer conference.
As covid concern dies down, he's flailing about for something else to hold his subscriber base. I really wouldn't worry about it - I'm glugging milk and eating fruit with no concern, and I've had training in atomic and nuclear physics.
I read the "not normally one to get swept up by hyperbole" as sarcasm, given Campbell's recent track record. But maybe I was mistaken/applying my own opinion.
I didn't realise Campbell had gone bonkers. What I shame -he was an excellent voice of sanity during the pandemic.
I watched a couple of videos after seeing a number of mentions on here. One was about ivermectin and another about alleged over-counting. I wasn't impressed by either (I could see that he was either ignorant on some points or disingenuous - my work is in epidemiology, so I have some idea).
I didn't see any of his earlier stuff which, as I understand it, was better. He's a good communicator, but he's either gone beyond his expertise or decided there's more money to be made by going sensationalist.
I have seen the suggestion that ivermectin is miraculous in populations with heavy parasite burdens in the first place, because covid makes you parasite-vulnerable. Plausible.
Remember when Christopher Biggins played Widow Twankey in panto. Sickening wokitude.
How the old Tories laughed at Danny LaRue, Stanley Baxter and Dick Emery dragging it up on the BBC. Woke b*******! Where was Mary Whitehouse when we needed her... oh wait, demanding the BBC pull hetrosexual intimacy from our screens. Another woke b******!
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
How is your friend going to spend his millions from his memoirs?
Er, what?
Have a think about it?
I have, and I still don't get it
Is this somehow implying that an alleged indiscretion is ruining my friend's chances of publishing memoirs??
He's French and lives in France, has no interest in British politics (who can blame him) I don't think that's an issue
Or is it something else? A hint that I'm talking about me? I'm not. I mean, I am, but not obliquely
Apparently the Enough is Enough website is being flagged as "adult content" and blocked by some ISP porn filters. Who could have foreseen such a use of giving people the power to censor the internet?
Every IT guy, civil libertarian, and observer of countries which already had a similar system in place?
There are also independent living Housing Association flats for the over 55's (sometimes 50), which are purpose built. With communal wardens, social facilities, laundry, gardens and the like. Which takes away many of the day-to-day problems of maintenance and provide company and support. We need more of them (and private ones too obviously). The stigma is of being moved into a "care home". But these places aren't. You just rent or own a manageable sized property in a building with peers. If we could somehow get folk to want to live in these (and it wouldn't suit everyone), it would free up a lot of housing capacity.
I'll have a teenager when I'm 55 lol
I have one at 55 right now! The 55 is the lower entry limit obviously. Most residents are considerably older. As I say, not for everyone, but there are advantages to moving before issues of health and bereavement occur.
Good morning
My youngest son and his wife are expecting their third child (our 5th grandchild) on the 1st September and our son will be 60 when the little one becomes a teenager
Indeed my son in law was 61 when their son became 13
I spoke to an old friend yesterday, for the first time in a couple of years. He’s in his later 50s and has just had a baby with his much younger wife
I was deeply curious as to how it is going. Because I very nearly made the same life choice for similar reasons
He hates being a new dad (again), and bitterly regrets the decision. Told me: “I’m just too old. I physically can’t do it. And I’ll probably be dead by the time my new daughter is 20”
It gave me some consolation that I made the right, tough choice. But I feel terribly sorry for him of course. And the family
You’re not meant to be a new dad after 50. Your crocked knees are nature’s way of telling you this
How is your friend going to spend his millions from his memoirs?
Er, what?
Have a think about it?
I have, and I still don't get it
Is this somehow implying that an alleged indiscretion is ruining my friend's chances of publishing memoirs??
He's French and lives in France, has no interest in British politics (who can blame him) I don't think that's an issue
Or is it something else? A hint that I'm talking about me? I'm not. I mean, I am, but not obliquely
Something else still?
Boris. You gave an almost perfect description.
Ah, yes. Whoosh
SPOILER: it's not Boris
Tho when I look at Boris he does seem to be ageing very quickly
Is it possible that the longer the leadership campaign goes on the more Conservative members will realise that Liz Truss will be a disaster for them? Is Sunak, as the most sensible of the two, likely to come through and actually win?
If most of those who will vote have already voted, and they've got rid of the "are you sure you don't want to change your mind?" fix, it doesn't matter. Though a simultaneous realisation that a) Liz will be a disaster and b) there's no realistic way to stop her winning running through the Conservative party would be bantertastic.
Having the bulk of the campaign events after voting has opened looks like a really dumb idea.
The Truss phenomenon is curious. Back in the day Rishi would have run away with it. The fact that he hasn't suggests that the membership has developed an ultra-contrarian mindset - 'Liz will piss off the Left and the establishment so let's make her PM for shits and giggles.' I think this all started with the Brexit/Boris/Cummings thing. The Tories suddenly became punks in old age and it's buzz whose craving they haven't yet been able to shake off.
“Bit worrying for me then - wife expecting early Feb, the big 50 for me in October. I am slightly worried, but also hugely excited. This is our first (and almost certainly only).”
Good luck. You’re (just) under 50 (which was my cut-off point). I really believe it gets much more difficult, quite swiftly, after 50. It’s fairly insane after 55
And it really matters that it’s your first 🥂🥂
I have already had lots of thoughts about picking up from school ('is that your grandad'), touring Unis (is that your grandad) etc. Hugely excited but also terrified.
I had mine at around 44, not so much younger. It was absolutely fine
if I'd been 54, yikes
I actually have a number of friends who became dads relatively old (must be a generational thing or the fact all my friends are selfish hedonists like me; let's face it, probably the latter)
I think all of them would say they wish they'd done it ten years earlier, or even 20. One of them is having a mare.
There is one other friend who has just had his second kid in his mid 50s (first with new woman). He seems pretty cool with it, but he is literally a billionaire so he's in the Mick Jagger situation. And he would also have preferred to do it 5 years back
Have Kids Younger is generally good advice, especially if you are 57
Often think fifty somethings are ideal to adopt or foster teenagers (I doubt many do though) - mature enough to chill out with older kids , not needing to do much physical work like you need to with younger kids and old enough for the foster or adopted kids to naturally respect you. Still connected through work to the big bad world so the youngster can relate and learn through osmosis
Apparently the Enough is Enough website is being flagged as "adult content" and blocked by some ISP porn filters. Who could have foreseen such a use of giving people the power to censor the internet?
Every IT guy, civil libertarian, and observer of countries which already had a similar system in place?
OK, I am lost. Is this the cost of living campaign, and who decides that it constitutes adult content and on what criteria?
18 November 2015 – UK becomes first major country to announce coal phase-out
UK Energy Secretary Amber Rudd announced that the UK would close all its coal-fired power plants by 2025, with proposals to replace coal power generation with gas and nuclear plants. The announcement came less than two weeks before the start of the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, which negotiated the Paris Agreement.
LOL
Who though now disputes anthropogenic climate change? And that it is going to be an increasing problem?
Whether we mitigate with infrastructure or attempt to limit emissions it is going to be costly.
The impact on the anthropocene from keeping the UK's coal stations running a while longer whilst we transitioned to sustainable green energy would have been absolubtely MINUTE...
Is it possible that the longer the leadership campaign goes on the more Conservative members will realise that Liz Truss will be a disaster for them? Is Sunak, as the most sensible of the two, likely to come through and actually win?
If most of those who will vote have already voted, and they've got rid of the "are you sure you don't want to change your mind?" fix, it doesn't matter. Though a simultaneous realisation that a) Liz will be a disaster and b) there's no realistic way to stop her winning running through the Conservative party would be bantertastic.
Having the bulk of the campaign events after voting has opened looks like a really dumb idea.
The Truss phenomenon is curious. Back in the day Rishi would have run away with it. The fact that he hasn't suggests that the membership has developed an ultra-contrarian mindset - 'Liz will piss off the Left and the establishment so let's make her PM for shits and giggles.' I think this all started with the Brexit/Boris/Cummings thing. The Tories suddenly became punks in old age and it's buzz whose craving they haven't yet been able to shake off.
Isn't your average Tory member of the correct age to have been punk in their youth?
Is it possible that the longer the leadership campaign goes on the more Conservative members will realise that Liz Truss will be a disaster for them? Is Sunak, as the most sensible of the two, likely to come through and actually win?
If most of those who will vote have already voted, and they've got rid of the "are you sure you don't want to change your mind?" fix, it doesn't matter. Though a simultaneous realisation that a) Liz will be a disaster and b) there's no realistic way to stop her winning running through the Conservative party would be bantertastic.
Having the bulk of the campaign events after voting has opened looks like a really dumb idea.
The Truss phenomenon is curious. Back in the day Rishi would have run away with it. The fact that he hasn't suggests that the membership has developed an ultra-contrarian mindset - 'Liz will piss off the Left and the establishment so let's make her PM for shits and giggles.' I think this all started with the Brexit/Boris/Cummings thing. The Tories suddenly became punks in old age and it's buzz whose craving they haven't yet been able to shake off.
Isn't your average Tory member of the correct age to have been punk in their youth?
They'd all have been listening to Kenny Rogers though.
By the way Dr John Campbell, not normally one to get swept up by hyperbole, has said he has stopped consuming fresh fruit and milk. Reason being that he’s not confident we will get warning of nuclear fallout from Zaporizhzhia until after the fact.
John Campbell?
Someone who has lost an incredible amount of respect from me and others.
Early in the pandemic, he was sensible and measured, but he found out that it is far more profitable to chase the antivaxxers and conspiracies.
Since the ivermectin debacle, where he fell for it hook, line, and sinker, and found out his subscriber base rocketed, he started to lean into the nuttier commentators and even became a speaker at an antivaxxer conference.
As covid concern dies down, he's flailing about for something else to hold his subscriber base. I really wouldn't worry about it - I'm glugging milk and eating fruit with no concern, and I've had training in atomic and nuclear physics.
I read the "not normally one to get swept up by hyperbole" as sarcasm, given Campbell's recent track record. But maybe I was mistaken/applying my own opinion.
I didn't realise Campbell had gone bonkers. What I shame -he was an excellent voice of sanity during the pandemic.
I watched a couple of videos after seeing a number of mentions on here. One was about ivermectin and another about alleged over-counting. I wasn't impressed by either (I could see that he was either ignorant on some points or disingenuous - my work is in epidemiology, so I have some idea).
I didn't see any of his earlier stuff which, as I understand it, was better. He's a good communicator, but he's either gone beyond his expertise or decided there's more money to be made by going sensationalist.
I have seen the suggestion that ivermectin is miraculous in populations with heavy parasite burdens in the first place, because covid makes you parasite-vulnerable. Plausible.
Getting confused. Ivermectin gets rid of (some) worms, right, but not covid? So it treats what is in context a real symptom of covid, ie more worms, but not the covid itself? Like some flu patients need antibiotics, not for the virus, but the secondary bacterial infection?
I saw a great quote on r/bristol about this. "So yes, a city with no stadium and no transport links is rejected for hosting."
I hope Liverpool get it, but our bid will be the weakest one - smallest stadium, transport links are NOT good between the airport and city centre - it's a bus to LSP, train to either Central or Moorfields then either walk or taxi from there, or if you're clever, hop on the Wirral line to James Street - but even then its a fifteen minute walk. So flight, bus, TWO trains and then a good walk..... hardly ideal.
Alternatively, taxi from LJL airport, but that'll cost a fortune that week as the Taxi firms all triple their prices.
“Bit worrying for me then - wife expecting early Feb, the big 50 for me in October. I am slightly worried, but also hugely excited. This is our first (and almost certainly only).”
Good luck. You’re (just) under 50 (which was my cut-off point). I really believe it gets much more difficult, quite swiftly, after 50. It’s fairly insane after 55
And it really matters that it’s your first 🥂🥂
I have already had lots of thoughts about picking up from school ('is that your grandad'), touring Unis (is that your grandad) etc. Hugely excited but also terrified.
I had mine at around 44, not so much younger. It was absolutely fine
if I'd been 54, yikes
I actually have a number of friends who became dads relatively old (must be a generational thing or the fact all my friends are selfish hedonists like me; let's face it, probably the latter)
I think all of them would say they wish they'd done it ten years earlier, or even 20. One of them is having a mare.
There is one other friend who has just had his second kid in his mid 50s (first with new woman). He seems pretty cool with it, but he is literally a billionaire so he's in the Mick Jagger situation. And he would also have preferred to do it 5 years back
Have Kids Younger is generally good advice, especially if you are 57
Often think fifty somethings are ideal to adopt or foster teenagers (I doubt many do though) - mature enough to chill out with older kids , not needing to do much physical work like you need to with younger kids and old enough for the foster or adopted kids to naturally respect you. Still connected through work to the big bad world so the youngster can relate and learn through osmosis
Yes, hard agree
My kids are in their teens and I'm absolutely fine with it, for all the reasons you say. Probably better than I would have been in my 40s or 30s. I am still working but less stressed and manic so able to focus on them, when it is needed. Also I was a smack addict in my early 30s, which is unideal. Tho I do have a smack addict friend (now clean for 15 years) who told me that heroin is the perfect drug if you're minding a baby, you don't care about the boredom (heroin cures that) or the squalor (you're already a smack addict) or the hard work (heroin is a beautiful painkiller)
There is no logical reason why British Railways Plc should or could not exist, beyond pointless ideology.
Clearly all of the EU countries and Japan have got it wrong. We know better, so we pay the French...
Define BR PLC.
"British Railways" ran infrastructure, passenger and freight services, built rolling stock and delivered world-leading research.
I disagree with your proposal because: Infrastructure is already state owned Freight is hugely successful, with state-owned DRS one of the competing operators Some rolling stock is now state owned and is largely all state-procured.
So what is needed is to bring the remaining passenger franchise operations in-house and then spin them off. Leave freight as it is, regulate the rolling stock owners (they literally have no other use for their assets), and leave the InfraCo as a separate body.
And "PLC"? That's privatised. You mean "Ltd".
British Railways Limited would run the passenger operations, British Railways Infra Ltd would be in charge of infrastructure management.
The German model.
If a state-owned French company wishes to run an operation they are welcome to do so, they can either build their own railway and manage it all or they can run their own trains or procure them for use on Infra Ltd infrastructure with no subsidy.
We're in agreement - was just confused when you seemed to be proposing that (a) we recreate British Rail and then (b) privatise it.
No problem.
To be honest I am not sure why these rolling stock companies need to exist, why can't we have a state-owned version of that? These companies seem to produce very little
We already have one. There is no market in rolling stock provision - the DfT now dictate which stock is to be used. So the (mainly) banks who own them make a fee for maintaining them. It isn't that big an issue any more.
Oh well I wasn't aware of that.
We should also have a state-company that builds these things.
Why? European rail operators buy rolling stock from the private sector as we do. Competition there is a good thing as it drives innovation. As it did back in the BR days when the likes of GEC and Brush and EE drove development.
What I meant to say is that I don't see why we can't have a state-company that can build, as a competitor in the market.
The man/woman in Whitehall does not know best when it comes to business. The man/woman in Whitehall is an expert at being the man/woman in Whitehall. He/she is by his/her nature bureaucratic and risk averse. For evidence please see all previous nationalised industries. British Leyland best example.
A bigger problem with nationalised industries is that the priorities tend to be
1) politics 2) reducing the spend to keep the treasury happy …. 26) workforce …. 1,455,567) customers
The best modern example I can think of is NASAs SLS project - which may or may not produce any actual space flight. But hey, the politicians it’s got elected… the company profits…. the workforce…..
Is it possible that the longer the leadership campaign goes on the more Conservative members will realise that Liz Truss will be a disaster for them? Is Sunak, as the most sensible of the two, likely to come through and actually win?
If most of those who will vote have already voted, and they've got rid of the "are you sure you don't want to change your mind?" fix, it doesn't matter. Though a simultaneous realisation that a) Liz will be a disaster and b) there's no realistic way to stop her winning running through the Conservative party would be bantertastic.
Having the bulk of the campaign events after voting has opened looks like a really dumb idea.
The Truss phenomenon is curious. Back in the day Rishi would have run away with it. The fact that he hasn't suggests that the membership has developed an ultra-contrarian mindset - 'Liz will piss off the Left and the establishment so let's make her PM for shits and giggles.' I think this all started with the Brexit/Boris/Cummings thing. The Tories suddenly became punks in old age and it's buzz whose craving they haven't yet been able to shake off.
Isn't your average Tory member of the correct age to have been punk in their youth?
And their hero Lydon pretty much mirrors their journey to own-the-libs reactionism.
Is it possible that the longer the leadership campaign goes on the more Conservative members will realise that Liz Truss will be a disaster for them? Is Sunak, as the most sensible of the two, likely to come through and actually win?
If most of those who will vote have already voted, and they've got rid of the "are you sure you don't want to change your mind?" fix, it doesn't matter. Though a simultaneous realisation that a) Liz will be a disaster and b) there's no realistic way to stop her winning running through the Conservative party would be bantertastic.
Having the bulk of the campaign events after voting has opened looks like a really dumb idea.
The Truss phenomenon is curious. Back in the day Rishi would have run away with it. The fact that he hasn't suggests that the membership has developed an ultra-contrarian mindset - 'Liz will piss off the Left and the establishment so let's make her PM for shits and giggles.' I think this all started with the Brexit/Boris/Cummings thing. The Tories suddenly became punks in old age and it's buzz whose craving they haven't yet been able to shake off.
Isn't your average Tory member of the correct age to have been punk in their youth?
How odd, someone off topiced that comment. Fat finger, I hope. Though I remember student friends coming back from the Sex Pistols and telling me enthusiastically about the spitting.
18 November 2015 – UK becomes first major country to announce coal phase-out
UK Energy Secretary Amber Rudd announced that the UK would close all its coal-fired power plants by 2025, with proposals to replace coal power generation with gas and nuclear plants. The announcement came less than two weeks before the start of the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, which negotiated the Paris Agreement.
LOL
Who though now disputes anthropogenic climate change? And that it is going to be an increasing problem?
Whether we mitigate with infrastructure or attempt to limit emissions it is going to be costly.
The impact on the anthropocene from keeping the UK's coal stations running a while longer whilst we transitioned to sustainable green energy would have been absolubtely MINUTE...
China's going to sh*t on humanity's head regardless of what we do.
We could reach Net Zero in 2045 and it still make jack-all difference to the climate because they are reckless, destructive, dystopian morons.
Carbon tax on imports.
Fuck me, this is like Iranian clerics raping girls and then prosecuting them for prostitution. China produces our carbon because it does our manufacturing, it hugely outperforms everyone else on all renewables metrics and undershoots the USA by about 50% on emissions per capita. What is the message here? The west got rich, you missed the boat, and we have pulled the ladder up, so tough? What are they meant to do? If the price of me remaining rich is them remaining poor that's a pay off I am happy not to rock the boat about, but it isn't easy to see the underlying moral justification.
Comments
But I only contemplated starting this because most of the route (~65%) is on an excellent off-road cycle path (disused railway line) and public parks and the rest, except for one short, low traffic and wide road 40mp stretch is 20mph or 30mph residential roads. The cycle path was briefly closed and I took back roads for a few weeks, but at 60mph limits with a few nutty drivers they weren't that much fun. I wouldn't do them in winter.
Conversely, my eldest child starts school in a few weeks. That's under two miles away, but we'll be taking him by car as the most direct route is not bike/pedestrian friendly, being a 60mph rat run. There's a safer walking route but that's over two miles, which is probably a bit far in time taken and still not cycle friendly for a four year old (or even with a bike trailer etc really, one quite nasty junction and tight on space). With a decent cycle path, he'd be cycling to school. The next nearest school, in the next village but also under 2 miles away, is also down a 60mph road that's too narrow. An off-road cycle path there would also make that easily accessible (and also make it easier for residents there to walk or cycle into the town).
I’m sure it will get better - the first 2-3 years are terrible for most parents of any age - but he’s already dreading the teens - because he’ll be in his 70s. It’s not good
Apparently they're both very tired (the kid is about six now), but utterly in love and devoted with their little bundle of joy.
Huge UK electric car battery factory on ‘life support’ to cut costs
Exclusive: Britishvolt’s 95-hectare site seen as great hope for car industry, but construction severely limited until February
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/aug/12/huge-uk-electric-car-battery-factory-on-life-support-to-cut-costs
We're not going to be moving up this list any time soon.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_motor_vehicle_production
Someone who has lost an incredible amount of respect from me and others.
Early in the pandemic, he was sensible and measured, but he found out that it is far more profitable to chase the antivaxxers and conspiracies.
And he knows exactly what he's doing.
https://twitter.com/thebadstats/status/1501736675168292870
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhZf0of-gwE
Since the ivermectin debacle, where he fell for it hook, line, and sinker, and found out his subscriber base rocketed, he started to lean into the nuttier commentators and even became a speaker at an antivaxxer conference.
As covid concern dies down, he's flailing about for something else to hold his subscriber base. I really wouldn't worry about it - I'm glugging milk and eating fruit with no concern, and I've had training in atomic and nuclear physics.
“Bit worrying for me then - wife expecting early Feb, the big 50 for me in October. I am slightly worried, but also hugely excited. This is our first (and almost certainly only).”
Good luck. You’re (just) under 50 (which was my cut-off point). I really believe it gets much more difficult, quite swiftly, after 50. It’s fairly insane after 55
And it really matters that it’s your first 🥂🥂
NO comes the edict, so instead they are fitting part of their new train fleet with batteries to run them off the power rail. At quintuple the cost.
Glad to see you making the case for state ownership and investment though - most of the 7 year franchises far too short to make any investment worthwhile. Its only since NR was put in and many of the short franchises finally binned that investment can take place.
Also worth noting the stupidity of the chop and change approach to the investment. Repeated changes in Transport Secretaries have made yes no yes no changes to schemes. A nine-figure sum supposedly wasted on planning and consultation for now binned elements of he Transpennine Route Upgrade as its gone from full renewal to bits and discontinuous electrification and back again...
Anecdotally, have heard of a couple of people supposedly taken on at the site, who have had their start dates pushed back.
Needs more investment. Whe the routes are good, they get used. But there's a tipping point, half doing it isn't enough. You need really good connected routes before they get much use. York is a good northern example where you can get to most places in the city by bike without being too bothered about cars, even though the routes are clearly constrained by a lot of existing buildings.
Our kids' first couple of years were a nightmare, especially the first, as she didn't sleep for more than two hours at a stretch for two entire years. No way I could do that again now and survive.
Their teens were pretty well a breeze, which I'd happily go through again even in a decade's time (& I'm around the same age as you).
Still much to do, but it is an area where governments need to push through - the right but unpopular discussion from earlier. Except not even really unpopular, just in the moment unpopular with very vocal figures. Once in people use and like them.
To me, there has always been something fishy about that project...
Why do institutions like to spend so much time alienating their supporters?
We'd possibly have had Tesla's Germany factory without it, for example.
Nothing wrong with that. It depends on the type of film/play you are making - an attempt at gritty realism would benefit from versimilitude as much as possible, but that is not always the intent.
Parcel2Go are still my pet hates though. If you're lucky you'll get a 'We've got your package!' email (though often not). And then... that's it. The tracking webpage will just sit saying something like 'Parcel received' then it'll just turn up at some point out of the blue one random day, 9am, 4pm, 7pm - spin the wheel!
There was a decade of significant improvement, but then they stalled and the last twenty years-plus has been not very good.
Leaks:
Almost all the benefit was seen prior to the turn of the century.
River cleanliness:
The EA has been really pissed off with them over the past, well, several years.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-and-sewerage-companies-in-england-environmental-performance-report-2021/water-and-sewerage-companies-in-england-environmental-performance-report-2021
"Four companies (Anglian, Thames, Wessex, Yorkshire Water) were rated only 2 stars, which means they require significant improvement. Two (Southern and South West Water) fell to 1 star, the bottom of our star ratings, meaning their performance was terrible across the board."
"The sector’s performance on pollution was shocking, much worse than previous years. Serious pollution incidents increased to 62, the highest total since 2013. There were 8 of the most serious (category 1) incidents, compared with 3 in 2020 and most companies, 7 of the 9, were responsible for an increase in serious incidents compared to 2020."
"Company directors let this occur and it is simply unacceptable. Over the years the public have seen water company executives and investors rewarded handsomely while the environment pays the price. The water companies are behaving like this for a simple reason: because they can. We intend to make it too painful for them to continue as they are."
... "Repeat offenders can now expect criminal prosecutions for less serious environmental incidents where once the Environment Agency would have used civil powers. We would like to see prison sentences for Chief Executives and Board members whose companies are responsible for the most serious incidents. We would also like to see company directors being struck off so they cannot simply delete illegal environmental damage from their CV and move on to their next role."
It is unusual for the Environment Agency to call for jail sentences like this in government publications.
It looks very much to me as if the privatisation system could work (arguably, for the first decade, it did) but needs serious engagement from regulators and public bodies, with real teeth, otherwise the companies will just ignore the issues and cash in instead. And, rationally, why shouldn't they?
I'd have thought there'd be a sizeable market for house batteries developing...
Yes I know they're car batteries but perhaps a different angle to go for now ?
If there's any natural justice then I guess we'll be in for a hell of a time when they become teenagers
Merrick Garland calls Trump’s bluff
After Trump allies demanded he reveal the warrant behind the search of Mar-a-Lago, the attorney general moved to do just that. And the former president agreed.
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/11/merrick-garland-trump-bluff-00051297
They were recruiting furiously several months ago. Adverts everywhere and interviews at all the nearby job centres. But precious few seem to have actually started work as far as I can tell.
Remember when Christopher Biggins played Widow Twankey in panto. Sickening wokitude.
But, no one would pretend that her works are intended to have any artistic merit.
So @turbotubbs congratulations and it will keep you younger.
Not keen on either, but I expected better from Sunak.
Agreed that there should be real teeth though, the teeth work in conjunction with privatisation to provide a profit motive to deal with whatever you're applying the teeth to.
But water, after an encouraging start, has stalled and looks like failing. Nationalise.
Rail - I remain to be convinced. Some of the private companies are crap. BR was crap. Looks to me like we need to pinpoint where the source of crapness is first.
Energy - to be honest, the fact I'm with Octopus makes me think it could work. Maybe more engagement needed, but the fact that Octopus do seem to lean over backwards to make sure I'm on the best tariff (and I looked at there "Join Octopus" page recently, where their entire landing page consists of:
YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS:
Energy prices are at record highs, and most homes will be better off staying with their current energy supplier right now.
If your fixed term is coming to an end, don't choose a new tariff or switch supplier.
Instead, let your supplier automatically move you to their default tariff, so your prices are protected by the Government's Energy Price Cap.
Would you like an email when prices fall?"
And then, at the bottom, in smaller text
"I've read and understood the above, and I would still like a quote to switch to Octopus"
To me, that's really good behaviour, and they've been brilliant at smart-meter rollout with real incentives for the consumer (I have an EV tariff where I get really cheap electricity for 5 hours overnight and set the car up to charge only then). That sort of thing is exactly what privatisation is for - it's just a shame most companies aren't like that.
RH1992 makes a good point about Sunak's rather flustered reaction to being the underdog as well.
Good news- it's a sensible long-term reform that will continue to help after this storm passes, which it eventually will.
Bad news- it is a peashooter in the face of an oncoming steamroller.
Bad news- it helps the wrong people politically, because it doesn't buy many votes.
Conclusion: it's better government than politics.
It looks as if Liz Cheney is going to get punished for defying Trump.
Having the bulk of the campaign events after voting has opened looks like a really dumb idea.
Is this somehow implying that an alleged indiscretion is ruining my friend's chances of publishing memoirs??
He's French and lives in France, has no interest in British politics (who can blame him) I don't think that's an issue
Or is it something else? A hint that I'm talking about me? I'm not. I mean, I am, but not obliquely
Something else still?
But really its probably because we would all like to believe people listen to all info and decide, that campaigns change minds, when, notable exceptions aside, they usually do not.
Hence: "I've done what Henry could never do; I've ridden the Flanders Mare."
"Ja, mein liebschen, und it vos ze best ride off my life."
I didn't see any of his earlier stuff which, as I understand it, was better. He's a good communicator, but he's either gone beyond his expertise or decided there's more money to be made by going sensationalist.
It was a joke.
if I'd been 54, yikes
I actually have a number of friends who became dads relatively old (must be a generational thing or the fact all my friends are selfish hedonists like me; let's face it, probably the latter)
I think all of them would say they wish they'd done it ten years earlier, or even 20. One of them is having a mare.
There is one other friend who has just had his second kid in his mid 50s (first with new woman). He seems pretty cool with it, but he is literally a billionaire so he's in the Mick Jagger situation. And he would also have preferred to do it 5 years back
Have Kids Younger is generally good advice, especially if you are 57
SPOILER: it's not Boris
Tho when I look at Boris he does seem to be ageing very quickly
Baykar plans to assemble new unmanned fighter jet in Ukraine
https://en.hromadske.ua/posts/baykar-plans-to-assemble-new-unmanned-fighter-jet-in-ukraine
...Bayraktar Kizilelma is a jet supersonic stealthy carrier-capable UAV with a Ukrainian engine, developed by the Turkish defense company Baykar. Its prototype was demonstrated in March 2022....
Much more pleasant imho.
Carbon tax on imports.
"So yes, a city with no stadium and no transport links is rejected for hosting."
I hope Liverpool get it, but our bid will be the weakest one - smallest stadium, transport links are NOT good between the airport and city centre - it's a bus to LSP, train to either Central or Moorfields then either walk or taxi from there, or if you're clever, hop on the Wirral line to James Street - but even then its a fifteen minute walk. So flight, bus, TWO trains and then a good walk..... hardly ideal.
Alternatively, taxi from LJL airport, but that'll cost a fortune that week as the Taxi firms all triple their prices.
My kids are in their teens and I'm absolutely fine with it, for all the reasons you say. Probably better than I would have been in my 40s or 30s. I am still working but less stressed and manic so able to focus on them, when it is needed. Also I was a smack addict in my early 30s, which is unideal. Tho I do have a smack addict friend (now clean for 15 years) who told me that heroin is the perfect drug if you're minding a baby, you don't care about the boredom (heroin cures that) or the squalor (you're already a smack addict) or the hard work (heroin is a beautiful painkiller)
1) politics
2) reducing the spend to keep the treasury happy
….
26) workforce
….
1,455,567) customers
The best modern example I can think of is NASAs SLS project - which may or may not produce any actual space flight. But hey, the politicians it’s got elected… the company profits…. the workforce…..
This must literally be a first in the entire history of the United Kingdom