No one can impose a contract on anyone. If in my consulting business a client 'imposes' conditions that are unbearable, I walk away from the contract. If it is unpalatable but bearable, I suck it up unless I have better options.
The option to walk - or find better work elsewhere - is also available to junior doctors, and I truly hope some of them exercise it. For at least some, the well is so poisoned they should - for their own good as well as that of the NHS - no longer work in the NHS.
I say this not out of any animus towards the doctors. But we all have to live in the world as it is, and we can't pretend for ever that the world is different for the NHS.
You can't impose a contract on a person in that they do indeed have the option to walk away, but you can impose new terms and conditions on a workforce as a condition of employment.
Indeed, but the option still exists to find better or simply walk away.
At the FCO, we had all sorts of changes of contract imposed without negotiation, including going from simply being posted to an Embassy without consultation, to being able to state one's preferences and usually getting one from within the top three, to having to actually apply and compete through a job interview process. Those who failed to win any jobs were put in the work pool. All that while the number of delegations increased by 10% and the international diplomatic staff was reduced close to 60% (i.e. to 40% of what it had been). I walked, without rancour, as did many others. Others chose to stay. It's called life.
I could have stayed and become bitter about the imposed conditions and changed work environment, but what would be the point in that? And who would suffer? The FCO marginally by having a disgruntled employee, me massively by having drastically reduced the quality of my life.
"At present, Parliamentary constituencies range in size from 22,000 to 108,000 electors. Without the implementation of these boundary reforms, the 2020-25 House of Commons would represent constituencies that are drawn up on electoral register data that is over 20 years’ old"
But aren't we being told that attending to this issue is "gerrymandering"?
On PB there seems to be this idea that anybody who opposes government plans for the public sector is merely a 'vested interest' and not someone with genuine concerns and a legitimate argument.
And on Gove's reforms: I'd be interested to know how much of a difference they've really made to education. During the Blair/Brown days reports seemed to suggest academies weren't a massive failure, but they weren't a massive success either and I haven't seen much regarding any news on the impact (positive or negative) on Gove's reforms.
''If Deutsche Bank goes down, it will go down in the same way RBS did, only with the German taxpayer bailing it out rather than the UK one.''
Its not clear to me what is really threatening DB's viability. I read the term 'litigation' bandied around a lot, surely the regulators can't be fining their way into a financial crisis?
The suspicion is that they are carrying very large volumes of non performing loans, sufficient to undermine their capital and cause short term solvency issues. No idea if that is true or too many people enjoying a good film!
Mr. Mark, the dog's getting a bit better at walks. Missed a trick to take her on the fields this morning. They're normally waterlogged but it was frosty.
Gets a bit ratty when her paws need wiping, though.
What you are saying is almost "if mug punters bet like shrewdies they'd be ok"! V few people bother having more than one account (if any) and even fewer use oddschecker
I am past caring now to be honest, I accept my lot and get on with it. I no longer look at a winner that I would have backed big and get the hump
The Greek Govt have got nothing on the HKJC monopoly... taking best price is a criminal offence there
No, I am saying that mug punters get a far better return than they used to, thanks to the internet & competition. A lot of that has been driven by tighter pricing which obviously increases opportunities for shrewdies - and of course technology has made it easier to track and detect these shrewdies.
The Pinnacle/Asia model of not running as many markets but being prepared to trade the price works fine too but it is a very different model.
I've long since stopped worrying about not getting on too. Just the odd shop trip for politics and AP baseball which is as much about getting one over on them as anything.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35552199 More than 97% of citizens would still be able to reach their required court "by car within an hour" after the closures, [the minister said]
What about by bus or train? How big are court car parks and are they free?
I am going to sound like a proper cold hearted Tory here.
But it is possible to avoid the need to visit a court.
Totally
For one's entire life.
What if you are a victim? Or a witness? Or a juror? I would suggest that the actual accused standing in the box makes up very much a minority of the number of people who have to attend court at some point.
On PB there seems to be this idea that anybody who opposes government plans for the public sector is merely a 'vested interest' and not someone with genuine concerns and a legitimate argument.
And on Gove's reforms: I'd be interested to know how much of a difference they've really made to education. During the Blair/Brown days reports seemed to suggest academies weren't a massive failure, but they weren't a massive success either and I haven't seen much regarding any news on the impact (positive or negative) on Gove's reforms.
There's certainly been a step change in expectations at primary level. That's not to say that it's all good but it certainly stops brighter children coasting.
''The suspicion is that they are carrying very large volumes of non performing loans, sufficient to undermine their capital and cause short term solvency issues.''
Interesting, non-performing loans to what type of borrower, I wonder. Corporate default rates are still below long term averages, there is no real evidence the corporate world is in that much trouble (apart from energy companies, I guess.).
What you are saying is almost "if mug punters bet like shrewdies they'd be ok"! V few people bother having more than one account (if any) and even fewer use oddschecker
I am past caring now to be honest, I accept my lot and get on with it. I no longer look at a winner that I would have backed big and get the hump
The Greek Govt have got nothing on the HKJC monopoly... taking best price is a criminal offence there
No, I am saying that mug punters get a far better return than they used to, thanks to the internet & competition. A lot of that has been driven by tighter pricing which obviously increases opportunities for shrewdies - and of course technology has made it easier to track and detect these shrewdies.
The Pinnacle/Asia model of not running as many markets but being prepared to trade the price works fine too but it is a very different model.
I've long since stopped worrying about not getting on too. Just the odd shop trip for politics and AP baseball which is as much about getting one over on them as anything.
It doesn't ring true to me, as you are ignoring the fact that they are mug punters... 15 years ago you'd pay 10% tax and could only bet trebles and upwards on football matches, true, but its not as if mugs are now just betting singles at tight over round; if they did, they wouldn't be mugs
In a nutshell, people that shop around, bet in singles at best odds etc ARENT MUGS
As for the shrewdie part, I am in a minority of betting traders in that when I worked for a company I used to relish the challenge of taking them on and hated having to restrict. Then again I love the game for the game not just for the dough
On PB there seems to be this idea that anybody who opposes government plans for the public sector is merely a 'vested interest' and not someone with genuine concerns and a legitimate argument.
And on Gove's reforms: I'd be interested to know how much of a difference they've really made to education. During the Blair/Brown days reports seemed to suggest academies weren't a massive failure, but they weren't a massive success either and I haven't seen much regarding any news on the impact (positive or negative) on Gove's reforms.
The junior doctors are saying "it's not the money, it's the principle". On such occasions, I follow Artemus Ward.
On PB there seems to be this idea that anybody who opposes government plans for the public sector is merely a 'vested interest' and not someone with genuine concerns and a legitimate argument.
And on Gove's reforms: I'd be interested to know how much of a difference they've really made to education. During the Blair/Brown days reports seemed to suggest academies weren't a massive failure, but they weren't a massive success either and I haven't seen much regarding any news on the impact (positive or negative) on Gove's reforms.
I'd say that idea is pretty much widespread, rather than specifically an issue on pb.
If there were proposed new regulations to the antiquarian bookselling industry (probably some suspension of disbelief required here), I'd be a vested interest. However much my expertise might be more than the average man on the Balham Omnibus, and my concerns genuine and legitimate, I'd still be a vested interest.
Thanks for the link below. I'm surprised that this MORI poll has not generated more interest from the usual suspects on this site.
Of course massive SNP leads are commonplace as are dismal Labour ratings. However majorities for independence and substantial majorities on the supposition of a BREXIT are not and therefore should be worthy of substantial commentary.
Also of interest is the MORI polling reversal in the fortunes of the Tory Party and in particular their leader after a few (for them) relatively encouraging polls. This MORI survey has them well cemented in third place but even worse for regular PB posters the MORI leadership which are, by general acknowledgement, the most reliable leadership indicators, expose Ruth Davidson as third rate rather than second rate in the leadership approval stakes. They have now set the bar at coming second. Not do so will represent another failure.
Come to think of it with these sort of figures it is little wonder that the usual suspects are keeping their heads down!
It doesn't ring true to me, as you are ignoring the fact that they are mug punters... 15 years ago you'd pay 10% tax and could only bet trebles and upwards on football matches, true, but its not as if mugs are now just betting singles at tight over round; if they did, they wouldn't be mugs
In a nutshell, people that shop around, bet in singles at best odds etc ARENT MUGS
Sure, but they used to lose a theoretical 29% on a coupon treble (ignoring tax) (1/112%)^3. Now (especially if they're online) they might lose 14% or even less (1/105%)^3.
''If Deutsche Bank goes down, it will go down in the same way RBS did, only with the German taxpayer bailing it out rather than the UK one.''
Its not clear to me what is really threatening DB's viability. I read the term 'litigation' bandied around a lot, surely the regulators can't be fining their way into a financial crisis?
It's unlikely
More seriously, Deutsche Bank's problems are mostly that it tried to "play with the big boys" in investment banking, and has a huge cost base. What Deutsche Bank does not have is a very large number of underwater loans.
Total loans outstanding are EUR433bn. The company has shareholders equity of EUR69bn.
That's barely levered by the standards of most banks. Northern Rock, RBS and the like were levered 50-1 or more, Deutsche Bank's leverage is less than a fifth of that.
And the Germans don't owe very much money. Germany household debt is something like 55% of GDP. On the St Louis Fed numbers, that's the lowest in the developed world. (We, by the way, are on a scary 180+%). Corporate debt has declined since 2007, by roughly a quarter too. There's relatively little exposure to oil & gas or mining companies too.
So, while Deutsche Bank has a great many problems, in particular in terms of spending a lot of money to hire people to compete with Goldman, Morgan Stanley and the like, it would appear to be very far from insolvent.
The only breeding owl on Iceland is the Short-eared Owl. However, Long-eared Owl, European Scops Owl and Snowy Owl have all been recorded as rare vagrants.
"At present, Parliamentary constituencies range in size from 22,000 to 108,000 electors. Without the implementation of these boundary reforms, the 2020-25 House of Commons would represent constituencies that are drawn up on electoral register data that is over 20 years’ old"
But aren't we being told that attending to this issue is "gerrymandering"?
That 22,000 one will stay won't it? Isn't it the Western Isles (or whatever the Gallic is for it)?
And the Germans don't owe very much money. Germany household debt is something like 55% of GDP. On the St Louis Fed numbers, that's the lowest in the developed world. (We, by the way, are on a scary 180+%). Corporate debt has declined since 2007, by roughly a quarter too. There's relatively little exposure to oil & gas or mining companies too.
That 180% isn't a net figure though is it?
I may have a mortgage exceeding 180% of my annual salary but the house is worth double what my outstanding mortgage is so I'm not worried. I seem to recall a recent graphic showing Britons had more in net assets than Germans did, so more debt isn't an issue if it is productive debt.
It doesn't ring true to me, as you are ignoring the fact that they are mug punters... 15 years ago you'd pay 10% tax and could only bet trebles and upwards on football matches, true, but its not as if mugs are now just betting singles at tight over round; if they did, they wouldn't be mugs
In a nutshell, people that shop around, bet in singles at best odds etc ARENT MUGS
Sure, but they used to lose a theoretical 29% on a coupon treble (ignoring tax) (1/112%)^3. Now (especially if they're online) they might lose 14% or even less (1/105%)^3.
Haha this could go on all day!
But I would argue, at the time when it was minimum trebles, those only playing trebles were relative shrewdies, and the mugs were doing 7 folds. Hey ho
People who bet in small size for a hobby, work out the odds for themselves and take best price are getting closed/heavily restricted, that is the point
The only breeding owl on Iceland is the Short-eared Owl. However, Long-eared Owl, European Scops Owl and Snowy Owl have all been recorded as rare vagrants.
Brief enough?
Maybe I have got that wrong. I am sure the story was that the chapter was called Owls in Iceland and the text; "There are no owls in Iceland."
There was also the blank page in someone's biography about the knowledge of the average director of a football club. Maybe I should have used that.
On PB there seems to be this idea that anybody who opposes government plans for the public sector is merely a 'vested interest' and not someone with genuine concerns and a legitimate argument.
And on Gove's reforms: I'd be interested to know how much of a difference they've really made to education. During the Blair/Brown days reports seemed to suggest academies weren't a massive failure, but they weren't a massive success either and I haven't seen much regarding any news on the impact (positive or negative) on Gove's reforms.
The junior doctors are saying "it's not the money, it's the principle". On such occasions, I follow Artemus Ward.
The Junior doctor complaint now seems to have boiled down to them not liking their time and a half on Saturday being removed. That seems like a fairly easy issue for most of the population to grasp.
Mr. J2, that's a bit like saying Sturgeon's predicted the sun will set, and crediting her for it when it does.
Hunt's NHS stance will not make any significant difference in Scotland. The SNP have been a day and a half ahead in the polls for months, perhaps years, now.
On PB there seems to be this idea that anybody who opposes government plans for the public sector is merely a 'vested interest' and not someone with genuine concerns and a legitimate argument.
And on Gove's reforms: I'd be interested to know how much of a difference they've really made to education. During the Blair/Brown days reports seemed to suggest academies weren't a massive failure, but they weren't a massive success either and I haven't seen much regarding any news on the impact (positive or negative) on Gove's reforms.
The junior doctors are saying "it's not the money, it's the principle". On such occasions, I follow Artemus Ward.
The Junior doctor complaint now seems to have boiled down to them not liking their time and a half on Saturday being removed. That seems like a fairly easy issue for most of the population to grasp.
The public massively back the doctors. Conservatives on here who think otherwise are deluding themselves. There isn't the slightest evidence that support is weakening.
"At present, Parliamentary constituencies range in size from 22,000 to 108,000 electors. Without the implementation of these boundary reforms, the 2020-25 House of Commons would represent constituencies that are drawn up on electoral register data that is over 20 years’ old"
But aren't we being told that attending to this issue is "gerrymandering"?
That 22,000 one will stay won't it? Isn't it the Western Isles (or whatever the Gallic is for it)?
Presumably, Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Western Isles as was) will keep that distinction of being the smallest, along with Orkney and Shetland. Both together would barely make two thirds of a new 600-seat sized constituency, but given the issue the MP has of getting around to represent the islands, it would be hard to make a case for smashing them together with a vast acreage of, say, Sutherland.
On PB there seems to be this idea that anybody who opposes government plans for the public sector is merely a 'vested interest' and not someone with genuine concerns and a legitimate argument.
And on Gove's reforms: I'd be interested to know how much of a difference they've really made to education. During the Blair/Brown days reports seemed to suggest academies weren't a massive failure, but they weren't a massive success either and I haven't seen much regarding any news on the impact (positive or negative) on Gove's reforms.
The junior doctors are saying "it's not the money, it's the principle". On such occasions, I follow Artemus Ward.
Since the doctors not working weekends would be getting an 11% rise from Hunt and only 4% under the BMA's counter-proposal, maybe for them at least it wasn't about money.
And the Germans don't owe very much money. Germany household debt is something like 55% of GDP. On the St Louis Fed numbers, that's the lowest in the developed world. (We, by the way, are on a scary 180+%). Corporate debt has declined since 2007, by roughly a quarter too. There's relatively little exposure to oil & gas or mining companies too.
That 180% isn't a net figure though is it?
I may have a mortgage exceeding 180% of my annual salary but the house is worth double what my outstanding mortgage is so I'm not worried. I seem to recall a recent graphic showing Britons had more in net assets than Germans did, so more debt isn't an issue if it is productive debt.
That is true in the long-run, but from a bank's perspective they care about your ability to service debts. The lower the household debt load, the less likely there is that loans will become non-performing.
The only breeding owl on Iceland is the Short-eared Owl. However, Long-eared Owl, European Scops Owl and Snowy Owl have all been recorded as rare vagrants.
Brief enough?
Maybe I have got that wrong. I am sure the story was that the chapter was called Owls in Iceland and the text; "There are no owls in Iceland."
There was also the blank page in someone's biography about the knowledge of the average director of a football club. Maybe I should have used that.
Hunt’s main problem is, as has been stated before, that if you insist on “normal” services on a seven day basis in hospitals, there are a lot more people involved than just doctors. And he seems to have the simplistic view that doctors can, and do, do everything, except perhaps that which nurses do.
Now, as someone who used to ‘cover” at night and weekends in the managed NHS, I’ve got a lot of sympathy with the idea of seven day working, but Hunt’s trying to bring it about in a ham-fisted, thoughtless fashion which will almost certainbly cause more problems for everyone concerned.
On PB there seems to be this idea that anybody who opposes government plans for the public sector is merely a 'vested interest' and not someone with genuine concerns and a legitimate argument.
And on Gove's reforms: I'd be interested to know how much of a difference they've really made to education. During the Blair/Brown days reports seemed to suggest academies weren't a massive failure, but they weren't a massive success either and I haven't seen much regarding any news on the impact (positive or negative) on Gove's reforms.
The junior doctors are saying "it's not the money, it's the principle". On such occasions, I follow Artemus Ward.
The Junior doctor complaint now seems to have boiled down to them not liking their time and a half on Saturday being removed. That seems like a fairly easy issue for most of the population to grasp.
The public massively back the doctors. Conservatives on here who think otherwise are deluding themselves. There isn't the slightest evidence that support is weakening.
Well of course they do. But what good is that going to do the doctors? Or indeed, what harm to the government? It's easy to have an opinion; how many people will act on it?
Care to comment that momentum seems to be swinging behind the Govt?
Not in any significant way - what's happened according to the poll is an element of polarisation, with 8% swinging from "tend to support" to "strongly support" and 7% swinging from don't know/neither to "oppose", especially "strongly oppose". The overall balance is a 3-1 lead for the doctors, with opinion hardening. If you were Jeremy Hunt, would you treat the news that 14% strongly support you with jubilation?
It's brave in the Yes Minister sense. But e's obviously got contract imposition cleared, so better on him still being in post in January looks sensible.
On PB there seems to be this idea that anybody who opposes government plans for the public sector is merely a 'vested interest' and not someone with genuine concerns and a legitimate argument.
And on Gove's reforms: I'd be interested to know how much of a difference they've really made to education. During the Blair/Brown days reports seemed to suggest academies weren't a massive failure, but they weren't a massive success either and I haven't seen much regarding any news on the impact (positive or negative) on Gove's reforms.
Miss Apocalypse, changes to education take many years before their effects become apparent. It is much too early to come to a judgement on Gove's very limited reforms. Which is a bit of a pisser really, both for the children involved and the nation as a whole.
However, there are some eternal verities in the world of UK education. Well, if not eternal then dating back to the 19th century. Firstly, a system designed to produce a few paladins to run an empire is no basis for a national education system. Secondly, not every child wants, needs or is cut out for academic based education and the UK needs to get serious about vocational and technical education. Those two points were in the conclusions of a parliamentary commission into education in 1874 - we still haven't taken them on board. Thirdly, as a rule of thumb, if the educational establishment and particularly the teachers' unions oppose an idea than that idea is probably worth adopting.
The only breeding owl on Iceland is the Short-eared Owl. However, Long-eared Owl, European Scops Owl and Snowy Owl have all been recorded as rare vagrants.
Brief enough?
Maybe I have got that wrong. I am sure the story was that the chapter was called Owls in Iceland and the text; "There are no owls in Iceland."
There was also the blank page in someone's biography about the knowledge of the average director of a football club. Maybe I should have used that.
There are owls pretty much everywhere on the planet (bar Antarctica). They are very strong flyers and are able to move great distances if their food source, for example, dives over a cliff...
That said, in the time I have been birding, there hasn't been a Hawk Owl made it down from Finland. The next Hawk Owl will be a mighty twitch - virtually nobody has seen one in the UK.
Care to comment that momentum seems to be swinging behind the Govt?
Not in any significant way - what's happened according to the poll is an element of polarisation, with 8% swinging from "tend to support" to "strongly support" and 7% swinging from don't know/neither to "oppose", especially "strongly oppose". The overall balance is a 3-1 lead for the doctors, with opinion hardening. If you were Jeremy Hunt, would you treat the news that 14% strongly support you with jubilation?
It's brave in the Yes Minister sense. But e's obviously got contract imposition cleared, so better on him still being in post in January looks sensible.
Since when does a Government make decisions on opinion polls. A strong Government does what it considers it has been mandated to do irrespective of popularity. Mind you Labour wouldn't recognize that concept as it has never made a decision that doesn't involve spending more and more of other peoples money
Hunt’s main problem is, as has been stated before, that if you insist on “normal” services on a seven day basis in hospitals, there are a lot more people involved than just doctors. And he seems to have the simplistic view that doctors can, and do, do everything, except perhaps that which nurses do.
I expect thats why he explained in his HoC statement that work remains to be done in the area of support services.....
Thirdly, as a rule of thumb, if the educational establishment and particularly the teachers' unions oppose an idea than that idea is probably worth adopting.
"At present, Parliamentary constituencies range in size from 22,000 to 108,000 electors. Without the implementation of these boundary reforms, the 2020-25 House of Commons would represent constituencies that are drawn up on electoral register data that is over 20 years’ old"
But aren't we being told that attending to this issue is "gerrymandering"?
That 22,000 one will stay won't it? Isn't it the Western Isles (or whatever the Gallic is for it)?
Presumably, Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Western Isles as was) will keep that distinction of being the smallest, along with Orkney and Shetland. Both together would barely make two thirds of a new 600-seat sized constituency, but given the issue the MP has of getting around to represent the islands, it would be hard to make a case for smashing them together with a vast acreage of, say, Sutherland.
Yes, I'd agree to an extent (I do think that 22000 is very much on the low side - it should be possible to include some of the Inner Hebrides without placing too much on the MP), but it's right that there is some consideration of constituency size.
It just seemed odd to use it as a case for reform when the legislation then protects it from that reform!
On PB there seems to be this idea that anybody who opposes government plans for the public sector is merely a 'vested interest' and not someone with genuine concerns and a legitimate argument.
And on Gove's reforms: I'd be interested to know how much of a difference they've really made to education. During the Blair/Brown days reports seemed to suggest academies weren't a massive failure, but they weren't a massive success either and I haven't seen much regarding any news on the impact (positive or negative) on Gove's reforms.
The junior doctors are saying "it's not the money, it's the principle". On such occasions, I follow Artemus Ward.
The Junior doctor complaint now seems to have boiled down to them not liking their time and a half on Saturday being removed. That seems like a fairly easy issue for most of the population to grasp.
The public massively back the doctors. Conservatives on here who think otherwise are deluding themselves. There isn't the slightest evidence that support is weakening.
There is actually evidence that undecideds are swinging towards the government. Supporting Docs is an emotional reaction. Their stock will only go down from here.
And what of their support? They're some of the most trusted middle class employees, not seeking office. It won't prevent the imposition of the policy or affect the standing of the government.
The only breeding owl on Iceland is the Short-eared Owl. However, Long-eared Owl, European Scops Owl and Snowy Owl have all been recorded as rare vagrants.
Brief enough?
Maybe I have got that wrong. I am sure the story was that the chapter was called Owls in Iceland and the text; "There are no owls in Iceland."
There was also the blank page in someone's biography about the knowledge of the average director of a football club. Maybe I should have used that.
Thirdly, as a rule of thumb, if the educational establishment and particularly the teachers' unions oppose an idea than that idea is probably worth adopting.
Would it be fair to assume that the choice of the new presenters was a committee decision?
I once did research at the BBC archives in Caversham. They have on display the two letters which created Desert Island disks - Roy Plomley's letter suggesting it, the other saying 'what a wonderful idea, lets do it'.
And that's it.
No management consultants No quantitative consumer research No focus groups No pre-market testing No committee minutes No Management reviews....
Care to comment that momentum seems to be swinging behind the Govt?
Not in any significant way - what's happened according to the poll is an element of polarisation, with 8% swinging from "tend to support" to "strongly support" and 7% swinging from don't know/neither to "oppose", especially "strongly oppose". The overall balance is a 3-1 lead for the doctors, with opinion hardening. If you were Jeremy Hunt, would you treat the news that 14% strongly support you with jubilation?
It's brave in the Yes Minister sense. But e's obviously got contract imposition cleared, so better on him still being in post in January looks sensible.
Yes, although that's down from 4:1 last time. Clearly not where the government would want it to be, of course.
On the practical politics, yes. Hunt won't have taken a flyer on this - the PM will have to back it at PMQs and elsewhere - so if he is sacked, it'll be for his handling of the issue rather than the decision itself.
The only breeding owl on Iceland is the Short-eared Owl. However, Long-eared Owl, European Scops Owl and Snowy Owl have all been recorded as rare vagrants.
Brief enough?
Maybe I have got that wrong. I am sure the story was that the chapter was called Owls in Iceland and the text; "There are no owls in Iceland."
There was also the blank page in someone's biography about the knowledge of the average director of a football club. Maybe I should have used that.
Would it be fair to assume that the choice of the new presenters was a committee decision?
I once did research at the BBC archives in Caversham. They have on display the two letters which created Desert Island disks - Roy Plomley's letter suggesting it, the other saying 'what a wonderful idea, lets do it'.
And that's it.
No management consultants No quantitative consumer research No focus groups No pre-market testing No committee minutes No Management reviews....
.....just an idea, and agreement to do it......
I can't even start to imagine how many people and how much money they spent on the decision to "scrap" BBC3, complete with new logo and a decision process that took best part of 2 years.
The only breeding owl on Iceland is the Short-eared Owl. However, Long-eared Owl, European Scops Owl and Snowy Owl have all been recorded as rare vagrants.
Brief enough?
Maybe I have got that wrong. I am sure the story was that the chapter was called Owls in Iceland and the text; "There are no owls in Iceland."
There was also the blank page in someone's biography about the knowledge of the average director of a football club. Maybe I should have used that.
Hunt’s main problem is, as has been stated before, that if you insist on “normal” services on a seven day basis in hospitals, there are a lot more people involved than just doctors. And he seems to have the simplistic view that doctors can, and do, do everything, except perhaps that which nurses do.
Now, as someone who used to ‘cover” at night and weekends in the managed NHS, I’ve got a lot of sympathy with the idea of seven day working, but Hunt’s trying to bring it about in a ham-fisted, thoughtless fashion which will almost certainbly cause more problems for everyone concerned.
As has also been stated before, the plan is clearly to get doctors in place 24/7 and then the other staff. It can't happen the other way around.
Thirdly, as a rule of thumb, if the educational establishment and particularly the teachers' unions oppose an idea than that idea is probably worth adopting.
Amen
Unions oppose scrapping Trident.
Does your theory only apply in education.
It's a misapplication of the theory. As a rule of thumb, all unions oppose all change. Scrapping Trident would be a change.
Mr. Urquhart, one fears they'll axe BBC4, but keep The Voice, and other assorted nonsense.
No the Voice is gone. The idiots at ITV have decided that they are willing to pay more money for it as a replacement for X-Factor.
I don't really understand how the best of BBC3/BBC4 couldn't be just shown on BBC2. There is little need to repeat shows multiple times a week, given iplayer and dvr's etc...but thats what we get e.g. HIGNFY, then the extended version with stuff they didn't think was funny enough for a 30 min show a few days later.
Mr. Urquhart, good, (except that the BBC squandered millions on it whilst doing a deal to shaft free-to-air viewers of F1, which they have also completely lost).
By the way, I don't know if any of you are fans of Desert Island Discs? I find it quite a relaxing listen in the bath... but anyway, last weeks was Bill Gates and I guess that may be of interest to some on here
Thirdly, as a rule of thumb, if the educational establishment and particularly the teachers' unions oppose an idea than that idea is probably worth adopting.
''If Deutsche Bank goes down, it will go down in the same way RBS did, only with the German taxpayer bailing it out rather than the UK one.'' Its not clear to me what is really threatening DB's viability. I read the term 'litigation' bandied around a lot, surely the regulators can't be fining their way into a financial crisis?
It's unlikely
More seriously, Deutsche Bank's problems are mostly that it tried to "play with the big boys" in investment banking, and has a huge cost base. What Deutsche Bank does not have is a very large number of underwater loans.
Total loans outstanding are EUR433bn. The company has shareholders equity of EUR69bn.
That's barely levered by the standards of most banks. Northern Rock, RBS and the like were levered 50-1 or more, Deutsche Bank's leverage is less than a fifth of that.
And the Germans don't owe very much money. Germany household debt is something like 55% of GDP. On the St Louis Fed numbers, that's the lowest in the developed world. (We, by the way, are on a scary 180+%). Corporate debt has declined since 2007, by roughly a quarter too. There's relatively little exposure to oil & gas or mining companies too.
So, while Deutsche Bank has a great many problems, in particular in terms of spending a lot of money to hire people to compete with Goldman, Morgan Stanley and the like, it would appear to be very far from insolvent.
Credit Suisse Group AG plunged to a 27-year low as a selloff across the industry compounded doubts about Chief Executive Officer Tidjane Thiam’s restructuring plans. A rout in bank stocks deepened on Thursday after France’s Societe Generale SA missed fourth-quarter profit estimates, with earnings declining 35 percent at the investment bank. Credit Suisse shares dropped as much as 9 percent, before trading at 12.39 Swiss francs, down 7.8 percent at 5:25 p.m. in Zurich. That’s the lowest level since October 1989... Something's up.
On PB there seems to be this idea that anybody who opposes government plans for the public sector is merely a 'vested interest' and not someone with genuine concerns and a legitimate argument.
And on Gove's reforms: I'd be interested to know how much of a difference they've really made to education. During the Blair/Brown days reports seemed to suggest academies weren't a massive failure, but they weren't a massive success either and I haven't seen much regarding any news on the impact (positive or negative) on Gove's reforms.
The junior doctors are saying "it's not the money, it's the principle". On such occasions, I follow Artemus Ward.
The Junior doctor complaint now seems to have boiled down to them not liking their time and a half on Saturday being removed. That seems like a fairly easy issue for most of the population to grasp.
The public massively back the doctors. Conservatives on here who think otherwise are deluding themselves. There isn't the slightest evidence that support is weakening.
There is actually evidence that undecideds are swinging towards the government. Supporting Docs is an emotional reaction. Their stock will only go down from here.
And what of their support? They're some of the most trusted middle class employees, not seeking office. It won't prevent the imposition of the policy or affect the standing of the government.
If the Government is winning this argument I'd hate to see what losing one would look like.
Mr. Urquhart, one fears they'll axe BBC4, but keep The Voice, and other assorted nonsense.
No the Voice is gone. The idiots at ITV have decided that they are willing to pay more money for it as a replacement for X-Factor.
I don't really understand how the best of BBC3/BBC4 couldn't be just shown on BBC2. There is little need to repeat shows multiple times a week, given iplayer and dvr's etc...but thats what we get e.g. HIGNFY, then the extended version with stuff they didn't think was funny enough for a 30 min show a few days later.
By the way, I don't know if anyone has been watching Channel 4's "The Jump", but they seem to be smashing up celebrities* at an alarming rate. They have lost 4 competitors in the past week, including Beth Tweddle, who has just taken a few steps after having two of her vertebrae fused with a bit of her hip, to fix a back broken in training...eek!
"At present, Parliamentary constituencies range in size from 22,000 to 108,000 electors. Without the implementation of these boundary reforms, the 2020-25 House of Commons would represent constituencies that are drawn up on electoral register data that is over 20 years’ old"
But aren't we being told that attending to this issue is "gerrymandering"?
That 22,000 one will stay won't it? Isn't it the Western Isles (or whatever the Gallic is for it)?
Presumably, Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Western Isles as was) will keep that distinction of being the smallest, along with Orkney and Shetland. Both together would barely make two thirds of a new 600-seat sized constituency, but given the issue the MP has of getting around to represent the islands, it would be hard to make a case for smashing them together with a vast acreage of, say, Sutherland.
Yes, I'd agree to an extent (I do think that 22000 is very much on the low side - it should be possible to include some of the Inner Hebrides without placing too much on the MP), but it's right that there is some consideration of constituency size.
It just seemed odd to use it as a case for reform when the legislation then protects it from that reform!
The 3 highland seats will remain undersized as well. This means the other 50-odd Scottish seats will have to a relatively higher number of votes on average than elsewhere
Would it be fair to assume that the choice of the new presenters was a committee decision?
From one extreme to the other regarding PC
I think it's a spoof.
Oh good that line up looks dire
It's not a spoof, but the midget chap, Gok Wan, and the wheelchair using athlete have been added for poetic license. Who are this bunch? One of them is either Barry Gibb or a very aged David Baddiel.
900 scientists spread over numerous laboratories with years of results processed by a supercomputer manage to prove something anticipated by 1 guy before the invention of the electronic calculator.
The human mind is surely the most astonishing thing in the known universe.
It's a pity Einstein can't get a Nobel Prize for his work on General Relativity - too late now, of course.
A posthumous award would be nice. Given that he never got one for relativity....
I notice from the BBC article one of the lead scientists was eagerly saying that this was sure to get them the Nobel Prize. I am afraid this puts me right off scientists. Gravity is the warping of spacetime. Gravity waves do tend to suggest that there really is 'literally' a fabric, a substance, to 'empty' space itself - that space 'is' something. Question is, is there such a thing as a graviton?
900 scientists spread over numerous laboratories with years of results processed by a supercomputer manage to prove something anticipated by 1 guy before the invention of the electronic calculator.
The human mind is surely the most astonishing thing in the known universe.
Yes true enough, but the thing they are looking for is pretty damn ephemeral. So much so that Einstein himself suggested that it would be impossible to detect.
900 scientists spread over numerous laboratories with years of results processed by a supercomputer manage to prove something anticipated by 1 guy before the invention of the electronic calculator.
The human mind is surely the most astonishing thing in the known universe.
Well, the human mind "anticipated" a whole pile of bollocks as well.
It's a pity Einstein can't get a Nobel Prize for his work on General Relativity - too late now, of course.
That is a spectacular blot on the Committee's reputation, particularly given that Einstein lived so long. Yes, he won an award for other work but come on, it's one of the greatest works in Physics of all time.
It's a pity Einstein can't get a Nobel Prize for his work on General Relativity - too late now, of course.
A posthumous award would be nice. Given that he never got one for relativity....
I notice from the BBC article one of the lead scientists was eagerly saying that this was sure to get them the Nobel Prize. I am afraid this puts me right off scientists. Gravity is the warping of spacetime. Gravity waves do tend to suggest that there really is 'literally' a fabric, a substance, to 'empty' space itself - that space 'is' something. Question is, is there such a thing as a graviton?
Why does the hunger to win the Nobel put you off scientists?
It's a pity Einstein can't get a Nobel Prize for his work on General Relativity - too late now, of course.
A posthumous award would be nice. Given that he never got one for relativity....
I notice from the BBC article one of the lead scientists was eagerly saying that this was sure to get them the Nobel Prize. I am afraid this puts me right off scientists. Gravity is the warping of spacetime. Gravity waves do tend to suggest that there really is 'literally' a fabric, a substance, to 'empty' space itself - that space 'is' something. Question is, is there such a thing as a graviton?
There could be but we have no evidence for it. Two great theories of science are relativity and quantum mechanics. We havent worked out how to combine them. Gravity waves discovery fall entirely within relativity theory, but says nothing about combination mechanism. Gravitons are a proposed combination theory.
Comments
At the FCO, we had all sorts of changes of contract imposed without negotiation, including going from simply being posted to an Embassy without consultation, to being able to state one's preferences and usually getting one from within the top three, to having to actually apply and compete through a job interview process. Those who failed to win any jobs were put in the work pool. All that while the number of delegations increased by 10% and the international diplomatic staff was reduced close to 60% (i.e. to 40% of what it had been). I walked, without rancour, as did many others. Others chose to stay. It's called life.
I could have stayed and become bitter about the imposed conditions and changed work environment, but what would be the point in that? And who would suffer? The FCO marginally by having a disgruntled employee, me massively by having drastically reduced the quality of my life.
But aren't we being told that attending to this issue is "gerrymandering"?
And on Gove's reforms: I'd be interested to know how much of a difference they've really made to education. During the Blair/Brown days reports seemed to suggest academies weren't a massive failure, but they weren't a massive success either and I haven't seen much regarding any news on the impact (positive or negative) on Gove's reforms.
Gets a bit ratty when her paws need wiping, though.
The Pinnacle/Asia model of not running as many markets but being prepared to trade the price works fine too but it is a very different model.
I've long since stopped worrying about not getting on too. Just the odd shop trip for politics and AP baseball which is as much about getting one over on them as anything.
Interesting, non-performing loans to what type of borrower, I wonder. Corporate default rates are still below long term averages, there is no real evidence the corporate world is in that much trouble (apart from energy companies, I guess.).
In a nutshell, people that shop around, bet in singles at best odds etc ARENT MUGS
As for the shrewdie part, I am in a minority of betting traders in that when I worked for a company I used to relish the challenge of taking them on and hated having to restrict. Then again I love the game for the game not just for the dough
Astonishing levels of self-delusion.
If there were proposed new regulations to the antiquarian bookselling industry (probably some suspension of disbelief required here), I'd be a vested interest. However much my expertise might be more than the average man on the Balham Omnibus, and my concerns genuine and legitimate, I'd still be a vested interest.
Thanks for the link below. I'm surprised that this MORI poll has not generated more interest from the usual suspects on this site.
Of course massive SNP leads are commonplace as are dismal Labour ratings. However majorities for independence and substantial majorities on the supposition of a BREXIT are not and therefore should be worthy of substantial commentary.
Also of interest is the MORI polling reversal in the fortunes of the Tory Party and in particular their leader after a few (for them) relatively encouraging polls. This MORI survey has them well cemented in third place but even worse for regular PB posters the MORI leadership which are, by general acknowledgement, the most reliable leadership indicators, expose Ruth Davidson as third rate rather than second rate in the leadership approval stakes. They have now set the bar at coming second. Not do so will represent another failure.
Come to think of it with these sort of figures it is little wonder that the usual suspects are keeping their heads down!
http://tinyurl.com/gkrd6bo
More seriously, Deutsche Bank's problems are mostly that it tried to "play with the big boys" in investment banking, and has a huge cost base. What Deutsche Bank does not have is a very large number of underwater loans.
Total loans outstanding are EUR433bn. The company has shareholders equity of EUR69bn.
That's barely levered by the standards of most banks. Northern Rock, RBS and the like were levered 50-1 or more, Deutsche Bank's leverage is less than a fifth of that.
And the Germans don't owe very much money. Germany household debt is something like 55% of GDP. On the St Louis Fed numbers, that's the lowest in the developed world. (We, by the way, are on a scary 180+%). Corporate debt has declined since 2007, by roughly a quarter too. There's relatively little exposure to oil & gas or mining companies too.
So, while Deutsche Bank has a great many problems, in particular in terms of spending a lot of money to hire people to compete with Goldman, Morgan Stanley and the like, it would appear to be very far from insolvent.
Date?
Brief enough?
I may have a mortgage exceeding 180% of my annual salary but the house is worth double what my outstanding mortgage is so I'm not worried. I seem to recall a recent graphic showing Britons had more in net assets than Germans did, so more debt isn't an issue if it is productive debt.
But I would argue, at the time when it was minimum trebles, those only playing trebles were relative shrewdies, and the mugs were doing 7 folds. Hey ho
People who bet in small size for a hobby, work out the odds for themselves and take best price are getting closed/heavily restricted, that is the point
She did not say anything else, nor did she need to.
How big will the SNP victory be in May? BIG :-)
There was also the blank page in someone's biography about the knowledge of the average director of a football club. Maybe I should have used that.
Did you get my mail? A ricket or is it a deliberate gift to the punters in this age of giveaways???
Hunt's NHS stance will not make any significant difference in Scotland. The SNP have been a day and a half ahead in the polls for months, perhaps years, now.
Now, as someone who used to ‘cover” at night and weekends in the managed NHS, I’ve got a lot of sympathy with the idea of seven day working, but Hunt’s trying to bring it about in a ham-fisted, thoughtless fashion which will almost certainbly cause more problems for everyone concerned.
It's brave in the Yes Minister sense. But e's obviously got contract imposition cleared, so better on him still being in post in January looks sensible.
However, there are some eternal verities in the world of UK education. Well, if not eternal then dating back to the 19th century. Firstly, a system designed to produce a few paladins to run an empire is no basis for a national education system. Secondly, not every child wants, needs or is cut out for academic based education and the UK needs to get serious about vocational and technical education. Those two points were in the conclusions of a parliamentary commission into education in 1874 - we still haven't taken them on board. Thirdly, as a rule of thumb, if the educational establishment and particularly the teachers' unions oppose an idea than that idea is probably worth adopting.
That said, in the time I have been birding, there hasn't been a Hawk Owl made it down from Finland. The next Hawk Owl will be a mighty twitch - virtually nobody has seen one in the UK.
Amen
It just seemed odd to use it as a case for reform when the legislation then protects it from that reform!
And what of their support? They're some of the most trusted middle class employees, not seeking office. It won't prevent the imposition of the policy or affect the standing of the government.
Does your theory only apply in education.
And that's it.
No management consultants
No quantitative consumer research
No focus groups
No pre-market testing
No committee minutes
No Management reviews....
.....just an idea, and agreement to do it......
On the practical politics, yes. Hunt won't have taken a flyer on this - the PM will have to back it at PMQs and elsewhere - so if he is sacked, it'll be for his handling of the issue rather than the decision itself.
I don't really understand how the best of BBC3/BBC4 couldn't be just shown on BBC2. There is little need to repeat shows multiple times a week, given iplayer and dvr's etc...but thats what we get e.g. HIGNFY, then the extended version with stuff they didn't think was funny enough for a 30 min show a few days later.
"Huge science news - gravitational waves detected":
It's a pity Einstein can't get a Nobel Prize for his work on General Relativity - too late now, of course.
Unions are conservative!!!
A rout in bank stocks deepened on Thursday after France’s Societe Generale SA missed fourth-quarter profit estimates, with earnings declining 35 percent at the investment bank. Credit Suisse shares dropped as much as 9 percent, before trading at 12.39 Swiss francs, down 7.8 percent at 5:25 p.m. in Zurich. That’s the lowest level since October 1989...
Something's up.
Gold and Silver certainly are...
* a term used loosely.....
The human mind is surely the most astonishing thing in the known universe.
Gravity is the warping of spacetime. Gravity waves do tend to suggest that there really is 'literally' a fabric, a substance, to 'empty' space itself - that space 'is' something.
Question is, is there such a thing as a graviton?
Mr. Flightpath, jein. If such desire for the prize leads to scientific advancement, isn't that a positive thing?