Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
So all that matters about every Government announcement is whether the public in a poll support it?
Whether it makes sense, whether it's the right thing to do in the medium or longer term, whether the information behind it is honest and credible - none of that matters now. For the Conservatives, the short, medium and long term are now all the same converging on autumn last year.
Just heard Labour confirm on ITV it will not cancel Sunak's new North Sea licences even though it is against them
Gift to the Greens and SNP no doubt
But that's not news. Labour has always said they won't rescind any licences in place when/if they come to power; they just won't grant any more. So, no change in policy.
Are you saying labour are in favour of these new licences or is it just another fudge
Anything to blame Labour, eh? "They won't cancel the changes my lot made, baaaaad!"
It would be good to have an honest position from Labour but they already have 34 policy reversals and counting
Compared to the "Conservative" Party, Labour have been relatively steady.
In any case, who cares if it is the right policy? If it is, then good for Labour that they are willing to change. it compares well with threatening to imprison everyone in a decisionmaking role in the RNLI, right down to the bloke pulling the poor sods out of the briny, and then chickening out. To name one of the smallest U-turns of the Tory Party.
"Had this crazy Englishman in the back seat, thought I'd have some fun and give him a scare by roaring down those pocked backroads you know, stupid overtaking, the whole nine yards.
He looked tense as hell, but turns out the whole time he was just worried about his phone signal and news about ashes he cared about, probably a dead relative."
Nine *metres* ...
A man is making the final arrangements for his wife's funeral. The vicar says "Any questions you'd like to ask?" and he says, "Yes, what's the wi-fi password here?" The vicar, appalled, says, "It's your wife's funeral!"
I was a bit shocked by the anti-cyclist sentiment of normally erudite PBers earlier today. I'm firmly of the view that cycling can help with three of the great challenges of our times (obesity, climate change, air pollution), as well as reducing road traffic collisions, and their impact on QALYs in particular, noise pollution, congestion, cleaning up the public realm and so on.
From my own experiences with them, the only way cycling will reduce traffic collisions is if you round up every cyclist in the country and break their legs so they can't get on their bike for a while...
Not sure that comes across in the light-hearted way you probably intended.
That's good, because I was going more for "bitter road user who's fed up with moronic cyclists"...
Put simply: I don't trust those who are pushing air-source heat pumps; they all have an agenda.
I'm not risking the comfort and wellbeing of my family and a warm home until I go round to a trusted friend or neighbours house (on a cold and dark night) and feel it for myself, including having a hot bath.
I now have an image in my head of a bloke of a certain age turning up on doorsteps in a frayed shorty terrycloth bathrobe and a towel over his arm, angrily demanding a bath. Not good.
Who's in the bathroom? That angry bloke from next door. He took a picture of the old queen and a cucumber in with him.
I've just cried myself silly laughing. My wife and dog thought I was having a breakdown.
To be fair, even I laughed at that one!
At least @Dura_Ace would offer me a bath, even if not a cucumber.
Picture of a cucumber and the Queen wasn't it?
Or was there a missing Oxford comma?
Not required.
I always carry a picture of the Queen with me.
Paging @Anabobazina - we've got another cash user!
Cash only at the Fairlop Waters fun fair!
My local Thai restaurant (very good, btw) has a sign saying they prefer cash, as the charges on card payments are many hundreds a month.
That's funny because typical card handling charges dropped to less than cash handling charges about a decade ago.
If a business is trying to avoid card transactions nowadays its probably because they're seeking to evade (not avoid) HMRC rather than avoid bank charges.
Let's not associate cash with dodgy practices when most fraud these days is probably electronic.
Seen at Fairlop Waters fun fair a few days ago:
We keep 100% of cash probably means they don’t give any to HMRC.
The counter revolution has begun. There was a thing a few days ago about traders in Suffolk suggesting use of cash.
It's a particular issue which divides opinion, including PB opinion, with no middle ground SFAICS.
Basically I think that up to amount £X (£500?) it ought to be compulsory to take cash in face to face transactions; the other side is happy to see the stuff abolished.
Why the hell should it ever be compulsory to take cash?
People get killed over cash. I had a friend, pregnant, working in retail in Liverpool who had a machete held to her throat by armed robbers to get the Manager to open the safe.
If both sides want to handle cash, that's their choice. If either side does not, then respect free choice.
This is absolutely spot on.
If governments don't actively protect cash - by forcing people to take it - then it will die out. And it will die out because the vast majority of merchants benefit from not having cash handling charges. (And because most of the young people of today are entirely contactless.)
The question, therefore, is to what extent should the government force merchants to do something they don't want to do in order to protect those who cannot (or do not want to) go contactless?
If the government wants to compel merchants to take cash, then the taxpayer should pay for cash handling charges, cash collection services, security, insurance etc too.
The taxpayer is not going to do that. So compulsion is not remotely reasonable.
Phew, it's a difficult one.
What of the unbanked, like Nigel Farage? What of kids? What of the aged?
Perhaps there's a compromise here. During the transition period - i.e. the next five years - all firms with more than 40 employees are required to have at least one till able to accept cash payments for sums under £100?
That means you don't totally fuck over the old and the young and the unbanked. But you don't unduly burden small businesses.
Change the law so that people can't be unbanked, any more than they can have their water supply cut off.
Simples.
My guess is that when it comes to tipping you are Mr Pink from Reservoir Dogs
I have to admit that film is on my Bucket List, I've never seen it. Before my time and I've just never gotten around to watching it.
Card machines handle tipping for you nowadays though. Most restaurant card machines will give you a choice between the option of no tip, a couple of recommended percentage to select, or manually enter your own amount.
The problem with card machines and tipping is the money goes to the restaurant and IF it is then passed on to the waitress it pays tax and NI. And it is shameful how many restaurants don't pass it on at all or only pass on a small percentage.
If I tip the waitresses I want that money to go in their pocket not the owners and the Government's. Hence why I always tip in cash.
That's convincing.
My standard approach has been to ask the member of the serving staff to confirm that tips do indeed go to the staff, and overwhelmingly it is "yes, and they are shared".
But I may switch to cash tips.
In my experience any restaurant operating tip sharing almost certainly has a tip jar for cash to go into and cash tips will be taxed and NI'd just the same if so.
One of my friends was making ChatGPT depressed telling it all the awful things that had happened to the world since September 2021 when it's training data was cut off. Then it cheered up when he told it Apple were likely to use standard USB-C for the next iPhone.
I was a bit shocked by the anti-cyclist sentiment of normally erudite PBers earlier today. I'm firmly of the view that cycling can help with three of the great challenges of our times (obesity, climate change, air pollution), as well as reducing road traffic collisions, and their impact on QALYs in particular, noise pollution, congestion, cleaning up the public realm and so on.
But I'm delighted to report that this is not a PB phenomenon - being anti-cycling is a curiously British trait. So those posters might well be representative of the wider population.
But why? We hold fairly average views of all other forms of transport. We are keen on walking. Not so keen on driving.
My eldest son (57) was a very competitive mountain biker as was his younger brother (48) and we have lots of trophies they won
My grandchildren also are very good on their bicycles and I always respect cyclists on the road, giving then plenty of space, and often giving way to them
Where I do have an issue is when the car driver is seen as the enemy and car use should be dramatically reduced in favour of cyclists and pedestrians
Each user should respect each other
You claimed that a 5 mile cycle across Edinburgh was only achievable for Tour de France riders. You can't expect not to be called out for that.
I lived there and I could not have riden to and from work especially from Morningside up to Fairmilehead every day
Cut across to Mortonhall - easy in the morning, downhill all the way. In the afternoon, easy enough with geared bike after the first few days.
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
So all that matters about every Government announcement is whether the public in a poll support it?
Whether it makes sense, whether it's the right thing to do in the medium or longer term, whether the information behind it is honest and credible - none of that matters now. For the Conservatives, the short, medium and long term are now all the same converging on autumn last year.
Indeed, wait until Big G sees the polling on Brexit.
I am fully aware of the brexit polling and have expressed a desire for a closer relationship with the EU on many occasions
I was a bit shocked by the anti-cyclist sentiment of normally erudite PBers earlier today. I'm firmly of the view that cycling can help with three of the great challenges of our times (obesity, climate change, air pollution), as well as reducing road traffic collisions, and their impact on QALYs in particular, noise pollution, congestion, cleaning up the public realm and so on.
From my own experiences with them, the only way cycling will reduce traffic collisions is if you round up every cyclist in the country and break their legs so they can't get on their bike for a while...
Not sure that comes across in the light-hearted way you probably intended.
That's good, because I was going more for "bitter road user who's fed up with moronic cyclists"...
It came across as a solution to the cyclist problem. A non-interim solution.
Just heard Labour confirm on ITV it will not cancel Sunak's new North Sea licences even though it is against them
Gift to the Greens and SNP no doubt
But that's not news. Labour has always said they won't rescind any licences in place when/if they come to power; they just won't grant any more. So, no change in policy.
Are you saying labour are in favour of these new licences or is it just another fudge
I detest Starmer almost as much as you and BJO, but what do you expect Labour to do after the ink is dry?
Starmer should not have made the commitment in the first place if he really had the country's interests at heart
Starmer is a tedious tactical triangulator who's fumbling his way to an election victory.
What is still unclear is what Starmer will do with this power. Will the real Keir Starmer please stand up....
Put simply: I don't trust those who are pushing air-source heat pumps; they all have an agenda.
I'm not risking the comfort and wellbeing of my family and a warm home until I go round to a trusted friend or neighbours house (on a cold and dark night) and feel it for myself, including having a hot bath.
I now have an image in my head of a bloke of a certain age turning up on doorsteps in a frayed shorty terrycloth bathrobe and a towel over his arm, angrily demanding a bath. Not good.
Who's in the bathroom? That angry bloke from next door. He took a picture of the old queen and a cucumber in with him.
I've just cried myself silly laughing. My wife and dog thought I was having a breakdown.
To be fair, even I laughed at that one!
At least @Dura_Ace would offer me a bath, even if not a cucumber.
Picture of a cucumber and the Queen wasn't it?
Or was there a missing Oxford comma?
Not required.
I always carry a picture of the Queen with me.
Paging @Anabobazina - we've got another cash user!
Cash only at the Fairlop Waters fun fair!
My local Thai restaurant (very good, btw) has a sign saying they prefer cash, as the charges on card payments are many hundreds a month.
That's funny because typical card handling charges dropped to less than cash handling charges about a decade ago.
If a business is trying to avoid card transactions nowadays its probably because they're seeking to evade (not avoid) HMRC rather than avoid bank charges.
Let's not associate cash with dodgy practices when most fraud these days is probably electronic.
Seen at Fairlop Waters fun fair a few days ago:
We keep 100% of cash probably means they don’t give any to HMRC.
The counter revolution has begun. There was a thing a few days ago about traders in Suffolk suggesting use of cash.
It's a particular issue which divides opinion, including PB opinion, with no middle ground SFAICS.
Basically I think that up to amount £X (£500?) it ought to be compulsory to take cash in face to face transactions; the other side is happy to see the stuff abolished.
Why the hell should it ever be compulsory to take cash?
People get killed over cash. I had a friend, pregnant, working in retail in Liverpool who had a machete held to her throat by armed robbers to get the Manager to open the safe.
If both sides want to handle cash, that's their choice. If either side does not, then respect free choice.
This is absolutely spot on.
If governments don't actively protect cash - by forcing people to take it - then it will die out. And it will die out because the vast majority of merchants benefit from not having cash handling charges. (And because most of the young people of today are entirely contactless.)
The question, therefore, is to what extent should the government force merchants to do something they don't want to do in order to protect those who cannot (or do not want to) go contactless?
If the government wants to compel merchants to take cash, then the taxpayer should pay for cash handling charges, cash collection services, security, insurance etc too.
The taxpayer is not going to do that. So compulsion is not remotely reasonable.
Phew, it's a difficult one.
What of the unbanked, like Nigel Farage? What of kids? What of the aged?
Perhaps there's a compromise here. During the transition period - i.e. the next five years - all firms with more than 40 employees are required to have at least one till able to accept cash payments for sums under £100?
That means you don't totally fuck over the old and the young and the unbanked. But you don't unduly burden small businesses.
Change the law so that people can't be unbanked, any more than they can have their water supply cut off.
Simples.
My guess is that when it comes to tipping you are Mr Pink from Reservoir Dogs
I have to admit that film is on my Bucket List, I've never seen it. Before my time and I've just never gotten around to watching it.
Card machines handle tipping for you nowadays though. Most restaurant card machines will give you a choice between the option of no tip, a couple of recommended percentage to select, or manually enter your own amount.
The problem with card machines and tipping is the money goes to the restaurant and IF it is then passed on to the waitress it pays tax and NI. And it is shameful how many restaurants don't pass it on at all or only pass on a small percentage.
If I tip the waitresses I want that money to go in their pocket not the owners and the Government's. Hence why I always tip in cash.
Tips have always been supposed to be subject to tax (NI only if the business handles it). That they haven't in the past was tax evasion people turned a blind eye to - America is much tougher on this, for obvious reasons.
Restaurants absolutely should pass on 100% and if I ever found out in that past a restaurant doesn't then I would never return to that restaurant. However a law has been passed in Parliament I believe that firms aren't allowed to deduct from tips, as it should be.
Law or not I think you would be very surprised how many establishments do not pass on tips.
And I do not consider a tip as part of pay. I consider it a personal thanks to someone for their service and I vary the amount accordingly. I certainly do not want either the employer or the Givernment to get hold of any of it as they were not the ones being thanked. Hence I always tip in cash.
Also slightly surprised that BR has a much higher faith in the probity of restaurateurs than funfair operators (his comment possibly verging on troublesome for OGH, come to think of it).
Not in the slightest. I don't put my faith in anyone who exhibits signs of tax evasion, like prejudicing against card machines. Which includes restaurants, not just funfairs. Its 2023, there's real and serious reasons people may not want to handle cash, like security, but there's not much of a real reason people wouldn't want card transactions besides the fact they want to cook the books - and restauranteurs are more than capable of doing that.
With a digital record of how many tips are earned by the staff any restauranteurs that short-change their staff on tips can easily get caught out and punished. Ironically cash is again where dodgy restauranteurs can short-change their staff. Many restaurants operate a tip jar policy where all staff cash tips must be put in the tip jar to be shared out (and any that don't can be fired as its theft, as they're taking their share of other people's tips but not sharing their own). A dodgy restauranteur can record the wrong figure for cash, and pocket the difference, they can't do that with card based tips.
That stat needs to be controlled for age though surely.......bit like here and Brexit / Remainer supporters vs insert policy.
However, that been said, the MAGA anti-vax stuff was real and bonkers. I can understand the differences in opinions over when different states should have opened back up. I think in hindsight many places went on too long as did other countries. But the "I am not getting vaccinated because insert whatever Alex Jones style conspiracy was proper crazy" and over here it wasn't a right vs left issue, it was a tiny minority of wingnuts like Jezza's brother.
The irony of MAGA anti-vaxxism is that Donald Trump was pro-vaccination. If it weren't for his more extreme followers, Trump would have had a good story to tell and might well have won against Biden.
There was a guy here at the weekend campaigning with a "un-vaxxed lives matter' t-shirt. I didn't even ask.
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
Just heard Labour confirm on ITV it will not cancel Sunak's new North Sea licences even though it is against them
Gift to the Greens and SNP no doubt
But that's not news. Labour has always said they won't rescind any licences in place when/if they come to power; they just won't grant any more. So, no change in policy.
Are you saying labour are in favour of these new licences or is it just another fudge
I detest Starmer almost as much as you and BJO, but what do you expect Labour to do after the ink is dry?
Starmer should not have made the commitment in the first place if he really had the country's interests at heart
Starmer is a tedious tactical triangulator who's fumbling his way to an election victory.
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
That stat needs to be controlled for age though surely.......bit like here and Brexit / Remainer supporters vs insert policy.
However, that been said, the MAGA anti-vax stuff was real and bonkers. I can understand the differences in opinions over when different states should have opened back up. I think in hindsight many places went on too long as did other countries. But the "I am not getting vaccinated because insert whatever Alex Jones style conspiracy was proper crazy" and over here it wasn't a right vs left issue, it was a tiny minority of wingnuts like Jezza's brother.
The irony of MAGA anti-vaxxism is that Donald Trump was pro-vaccination. If it weren't for his more extreme followers, Trump would have had a good story to tell and might well have won against Biden.
Trump was "pro-vaccination" in a very cack-handed manner. For example, touting the wonders of whatever bogus wonde "cure" he was touting (have mercifully forgotten specifics).
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
Put simply: I don't trust those who are pushing air-source heat pumps; they all have an agenda.
I'm not risking the comfort and wellbeing of my family and a warm home until I go round to a trusted friend or neighbours house (on a cold and dark night) and feel it for myself, including having a hot bath.
I now have an image in my head of a bloke of a certain age turning up on doorsteps in a frayed shorty terrycloth bathrobe and a towel over his arm, angrily demanding a bath. Not good.
Who's in the bathroom? That angry bloke from next door. He took a picture of the old queen and a cucumber in with him.
I've just cried myself silly laughing. My wife and dog thought I was having a breakdown.
To be fair, even I laughed at that one!
At least @Dura_Ace would offer me a bath, even if not a cucumber.
Picture of a cucumber and the Queen wasn't it?
Or was there a missing Oxford comma?
Not required.
I always carry a picture of the Queen with me.
Paging @Anabobazina - we've got another cash user!
Cash only at the Fairlop Waters fun fair!
My local Thai restaurant (very good, btw) has a sign saying they prefer cash, as the charges on card payments are many hundreds a month.
That's funny because typical card handling charges dropped to less than cash handling charges about a decade ago.
If a business is trying to avoid card transactions nowadays its probably because they're seeking to evade (not avoid) HMRC rather than avoid bank charges.
Let's not associate cash with dodgy practices when most fraud these days is probably electronic.
Seen at Fairlop Waters fun fair a few days ago:
We keep 100% of cash probably means they don’t give any to HMRC.
The counter revolution has begun. There was a thing a few days ago about traders in Suffolk suggesting use of cash.
It's a particular issue which divides opinion, including PB opinion, with no middle ground SFAICS.
Basically I think that up to amount £X (£500?) it ought to be compulsory to take cash in face to face transactions; the other side is happy to see the stuff abolished.
Why the hell should it ever be compulsory to take cash?
People get killed over cash. I had a friend, pregnant, working in retail in Liverpool who had a machete held to her throat by armed robbers to get the Manager to open the safe.
If both sides want to handle cash, that's their choice. If either side does not, then respect free choice.
This is absolutely spot on.
If governments don't actively protect cash - by forcing people to take it - then it will die out. And it will die out because the vast majority of merchants benefit from not having cash handling charges. (And because most of the young people of today are entirely contactless.)
The question, therefore, is to what extent should the government force merchants to do something they don't want to do in order to protect those who cannot (or do not want to) go contactless?
If the government wants to compel merchants to take cash, then the taxpayer should pay for cash handling charges, cash collection services, security, insurance etc too.
The taxpayer is not going to do that. So compulsion is not remotely reasonable.
Phew, it's a difficult one.
What of the unbanked, like Nigel Farage? What of kids? What of the aged?
Perhaps there's a compromise here. During the transition period - i.e. the next five years - all firms with more than 40 employees are required to have at least one till able to accept cash payments for sums under £100?
That means you don't totally fuck over the old and the young and the unbanked. But you don't unduly burden small businesses.
Change the law so that people can't be unbanked, any more than they can have their water supply cut off.
Simples.
My guess is that when it comes to tipping you are Mr Pink from Reservoir Dogs
I have to admit that film is on my Bucket List, I've never seen it. Before my time and I've just never gotten around to watching it.
Card machines handle tipping for you nowadays though. Most restaurant card machines will give you a choice between the option of no tip, a couple of recommended percentage to select, or manually enter your own amount.
The problem with card machines and tipping is the money goes to the restaurant and IF it is then passed on to the waitress it pays tax and NI. And it is shameful how many restaurants don't pass it on at all or only pass on a small percentage.
If I tip the waitresses I want that money to go in their pocket not the owners and the Government's. Hence why I always tip in cash.
Tips have always been supposed to be subject to tax (NI only if the business handles it). That they haven't in the past was tax evasion people turned a blind eye to - America is much tougher on this, for obvious reasons.
Restaurants absolutely should pass on 100% and if I ever found out in that past a restaurant doesn't then I would never return to that restaurant. However a law has been passed in Parliament I believe that firms aren't allowed to deduct from tips, as it should be.
Law or not I think you would be very surprised how many establishments do not pass on tips.
And I do not consider a tip as part of pay. I consider it a personal thanks to someone for their service and I vary the amount accordingly. I certainly do not want either the employer or the Givernment to get hold of any of it as they were not the ones being thanked. Hence I always tip in cash.
Also slightly surprised that BR has a much higher faith in the probity of restaurateurs than funfair operators (his comment possibly verging on troublesome for OGH, come to think of it).
Not in the slightest. I don't put my faith in anyone who exhibits signs of tax evasion, like prejudicing against card machines. Which includes restaurants, not just funfairs. Its 2023, there's real and serious reasons people may not want to handle cash, like security, but there's not much of a real reason people wouldn't want card transactions besides the fact they want to cook the books - and restauranteurs are more than capable of doing that.
With a digital record of how many tips are earned by the staff any restauranteurs that short-change their staff on tips can easily get caught out and punished. Ironically cash is again where dodgy restauranteurs can short-change their staff. Many restaurants operate a tip jar policy where all staff cash tips must be put in the tip jar to be shared out (and any that don't can be fired as its theft, as they're taking their share of other people's tips but not sharing their own). A dodgy restauranteur can record the wrong figure for cash, and pocket the difference, they can't do that with card based tips.
Staff are allowed access to the books?
If there's a reason they become suspicious and it goes to tribunal then that information will need to be declared.
A dodgy businessman can write the wrong cash figure down for the tip jar and there's no evidence after that. He can't so easily do so for electronically recorded transactions.
Just heard Labour confirm on ITV it will not cancel Sunak's new North Sea licences even though it is against them
Gift to the Greens and SNP no doubt
But that's not news. Labour has always said they won't rescind any licences in place when/if they come to power; they just won't grant any more. So, no change in policy.
Are you saying labour are in favour of these new licences or is it just another fudge
I detest Starmer almost as much as you and BJO, but what do you expect Labour to do after the ink is dry?
Starmer should not have made the commitment in the first place if he really had the country's interests at heart
Starmer is a tedious tactical triangulator who's fumbling his way to an election victory.
Put simply: I don't trust those who are pushing air-source heat pumps; they all have an agenda.
I'm not risking the comfort and wellbeing of my family and a warm home until I go round to a trusted friend or neighbours house (on a cold and dark night) and feel it for myself, including having a hot bath.
I now have an image in my head of a bloke of a certain age turning up on doorsteps in a frayed shorty terrycloth bathrobe and a towel over his arm, angrily demanding a bath. Not good.
Who's in the bathroom? That angry bloke from next door. He took a picture of the old queen and a cucumber in with him.
I've just cried myself silly laughing. My wife and dog thought I was having a breakdown.
To be fair, even I laughed at that one!
At least @Dura_Ace would offer me a bath, even if not a cucumber.
Picture of a cucumber and the Queen wasn't it?
Or was there a missing Oxford comma?
Not required.
I always carry a picture of the Queen with me.
Paging @Anabobazina - we've got another cash user!
Cash only at the Fairlop Waters fun fair!
My local Thai restaurant (very good, btw) has a sign saying they prefer cash, as the charges on card payments are many hundreds a month.
That's funny because typical card handling charges dropped to less than cash handling charges about a decade ago.
If a business is trying to avoid card transactions nowadays its probably because they're seeking to evade (not avoid) HMRC rather than avoid bank charges.
Let's not associate cash with dodgy practices when most fraud these days is probably electronic.
Seen at Fairlop Waters fun fair a few days ago:
We keep 100% of cash probably means they don’t give any to HMRC.
The counter revolution has begun. There was a thing a few days ago about traders in Suffolk suggesting use of cash.
It's a particular issue which divides opinion, including PB opinion, with no middle ground SFAICS.
Basically I think that up to amount £X (£500?) it ought to be compulsory to take cash in face to face transactions; the other side is happy to see the stuff abolished.
Why the hell should it ever be compulsory to take cash?
People get killed over cash. I had a friend, pregnant, working in retail in Liverpool who had a machete held to her throat by armed robbers to get the Manager to open the safe.
If both sides want to handle cash, that's their choice. If either side does not, then respect free choice.
This is absolutely spot on.
If governments don't actively protect cash - by forcing people to take it - then it will die out. And it will die out because the vast majority of merchants benefit from not having cash handling charges. (And because most of the young people of today are entirely contactless.)
The question, therefore, is to what extent should the government force merchants to do something they don't want to do in order to protect those who cannot (or do not want to) go contactless?
If the government wants to compel merchants to take cash, then the taxpayer should pay for cash handling charges, cash collection services, security, insurance etc too.
The taxpayer is not going to do that. So compulsion is not remotely reasonable.
Phew, it's a difficult one.
What of the unbanked, like Nigel Farage? What of kids? What of the aged?
Perhaps there's a compromise here. During the transition period - i.e. the next five years - all firms with more than 40 employees are required to have at least one till able to accept cash payments for sums under £100?
That means you don't totally fuck over the old and the young and the unbanked. But you don't unduly burden small businesses.
Change the law so that people can't be unbanked, any more than they can have their water supply cut off.
Simples.
My guess is that when it comes to tipping you are Mr Pink from Reservoir Dogs
I have to admit that film is on my Bucket List, I've never seen it. Before my time and I've just never gotten around to watching it.
Card machines handle tipping for you nowadays though. Most restaurant card machines will give you a choice between the option of no tip, a couple of recommended percentage to select, or manually enter your own amount.
The problem with card machines and tipping is the money goes to the restaurant and IF it is then passed on to the waitress it pays tax and NI. And it is shameful how many restaurants don't pass it on at all or only pass on a small percentage.
If I tip the waitresses I want that money to go in their pocket not the owners and the Government's. Hence why I always tip in cash.
Tips have always been supposed to be subject to tax (NI only if the business handles it). That they haven't in the past was tax evasion people turned a blind eye to - America is much tougher on this, for obvious reasons.
Restaurants absolutely should pass on 100% and if I ever found out in that past a restaurant doesn't then I would never return to that restaurant. However a law has been passed in Parliament I believe that firms aren't allowed to deduct from tips, as it should be.
Law or not I think you would be very surprised how many establishments do not pass on tips.
And I do not consider a tip as part of pay. I consider it a personal thanks to someone for their service and I vary the amount accordingly. I certainly do not want either the employer or the Givernment to get hold of any of it as they were not the ones being thanked. Hence I always tip in cash.
Also slightly surprised that BR has a much higher faith in the probity of restaurateurs than funfair operators (his comment possibly verging on troublesome for OGH, come to think of it).
Not in the slightest. I don't put my faith in anyone who exhibits signs of tax evasion, like prejudicing against card machines. Which includes restaurants, not just funfairs. Its 2023, there's real and serious reasons people may not want to handle cash, like security, but there's not much of a real reason people wouldn't want card transactions besides the fact they want to cook the books - and restauranteurs are more than capable of doing that.
With a digital record of how many tips are earned by the staff any restauranteurs that short-change their staff on tips can easily get caught out and punished. Ironically cash is again where dodgy restauranteurs can short-change their staff. Many restaurants operate a tip jar policy where all staff cash tips must be put in the tip jar to be shared out (and any that don't can be fired as its theft, as they're taking their share of other people's tips but not sharing their own). A dodgy restauranteur can record the wrong figure for cash, and pocket the difference, they can't do that with card based tips.
Staff are allowed access to the books?
If there's a reason they become suspicious and it goes to tribunal then that information will need to be declared.
A dodgy businessman can write the wrong cash figure down for the tip jar and there's no evidence after that. He can't so easily do so for electronically recorded transactions.
In an infamously un-unionised industry? I do wonder.
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
I was a bit shocked by the anti-cyclist sentiment of normally erudite PBers earlier today. I'm firmly of the view that cycling can help with three of the great challenges of our times (obesity, climate change, air pollution), as well as reducing road traffic collisions, and their impact on QALYs in particular, noise pollution, congestion, cleaning up the public realm and so on.
But I'm delighted to report that this is not a PB phenomenon - being anti-cycling is a curiously British trait. So those posters might well be representative of the wider population.
But why? We hold fairly average views of all other forms of transport. We are keen on walking. Not so keen on driving.
I seem to remember that one of Count Binface's policies was to give a free bike to everyone in the UK. The two main benefits being drastically reduce obesity and drastically reduce bike theft.
I was a bit shocked by the anti-cyclist sentiment of normally erudite PBers earlier today. I'm firmly of the view that cycling can help with three of the great challenges of our times (obesity, climate change, air pollution), as well as reducing road traffic collisions, and their impact on QALYs in particular, noise pollution, congestion, cleaning up the public realm and so on.
But I'm delighted to report that this is not a PB phenomenon - being anti-cycling is a curiously British trait. So those posters might well be representative of the wider population.
But why? We hold fairly average views of all other forms of transport. We are keen on walking. Not so keen on driving.
My eldest son (57) was a very competitive mountain biker as was his younger brother (48) and we have lots of trophies they won
My grandchildren also are very good on their bicycles and I always respect cyclists on the road, giving then plenty of space, and often giving way to them
Where I do have an issue is when the car driver is seen as the enemy and car use should be dramatically reduced in favour of cyclists and pedestrians
Each user should respect each other
You claimed that a 5 mile cycle across Edinburgh was only achievable for Tour de France riders. You can't expect not to be called out for that.
I lived there and I could not have riden to and from work especially from Morningside up to Fairmilehead every day
Cut across to Mortonhall - easy in the morning, downhill all the way. In the afternoon, easy enough with geared bike after the first few days.
I grant you going in would be easy but coming home was not even considered
Additionally in the winter the Braids can be one long frozen skid pan
"Had this crazy Englishman in the back seat, thought I'd have some fun and give him a scare by roaring down those pocked backroads you know, stupid overtaking, the whole nine yards.
He looked tense as hell, but turns out the whole time he was just worried about his phone signal and news about ashes he cared about, probably a dead relative."
Nine *metres* ...
A man is making the final arrangements for his wife's funeral. The vicar says "Any questions you'd like to ask?" and he says, "Yes, what's the wi-fi password here?" The vicar, appalled, says, "It's your wife's funeral!"
And the man says, 'Is that all lower case?'
h/t Barry Cryer
Rather lame joke, seeing as setup was NOT the actual funeral?
Maybe the widower wanted to convey some "final arrangement" details to other morners?
I was a bit shocked by the anti-cyclist sentiment of normally erudite PBers earlier today. I'm firmly of the view that cycling can help with three of the great challenges of our times (obesity, climate change, air pollution), as well as reducing road traffic collisions, and their impact on QALYs in particular, noise pollution, congestion, cleaning up the public realm and so on.
But I'm delighted to report that this is not a PB phenomenon - being anti-cycling is a curiously British trait. So those posters might well be representative of the wider population.
But why? We hold fairly average views of all other forms of transport. We are keen on walking. Not so keen on driving.
I seem to remember that one of Count Binface's policies was to give a free bike to everyone in the UK. The two main benefits being drastically reduce obesity and drastically reduce bike theft.
Reminds me of the web newspaper that set up a quiz - you were presented with a number of policies from the party manifestoes of the MRLP and UKIP and asked to decide which policy came from which party. The MRLP actually came out as a pretty sane lot behind the odd joke.
Put simply: I don't trust those who are pushing air-source heat pumps; they all have an agenda.
I'm not risking the comfort and wellbeing of my family and a warm home until I go round to a trusted friend or neighbours house (on a cold and dark night) and feel it for myself, including having a hot bath.
I now have an image in my head of a bloke of a certain age turning up on doorsteps in a frayed shorty terrycloth bathrobe and a towel over his arm, angrily demanding a bath. Not good.
Who's in the bathroom? That angry bloke from next door. He took a picture of the old queen and a cucumber in with him.
I've just cried myself silly laughing. My wife and dog thought I was having a breakdown.
To be fair, even I laughed at that one!
At least @Dura_Ace would offer me a bath, even if not a cucumber.
Picture of a cucumber and the Queen wasn't it?
Or was there a missing Oxford comma?
Not required.
I always carry a picture of the Queen with me.
Paging @Anabobazina - we've got another cash user!
Cash only at the Fairlop Waters fun fair!
My local Thai restaurant (very good, btw) has a sign saying they prefer cash, as the charges on card payments are many hundreds a month.
That's funny because typical card handling charges dropped to less than cash handling charges about a decade ago.
If a business is trying to avoid card transactions nowadays its probably because they're seeking to evade (not avoid) HMRC rather than avoid bank charges.
Let's not associate cash with dodgy practices when most fraud these days is probably electronic.
Seen at Fairlop Waters fun fair a few days ago:
We keep 100% of cash probably means they don’t give any to HMRC.
The counter revolution has begun. There was a thing a few days ago about traders in Suffolk suggesting use of cash.
It's a particular issue which divides opinion, including PB opinion, with no middle ground SFAICS.
Basically I think that up to amount £X (£500?) it ought to be compulsory to take cash in face to face transactions; the other side is happy to see the stuff abolished.
Why the hell should it ever be compulsory to take cash?
People get killed over cash. I had a friend, pregnant, working in retail in Liverpool who had a machete held to her throat by armed robbers to get the Manager to open the safe.
If both sides want to handle cash, that's their choice. If either side does not, then respect free choice.
This is absolutely spot on.
If governments don't actively protect cash - by forcing people to take it - then it will die out. And it will die out because the vast majority of merchants benefit from not having cash handling charges. (And because most of the young people of today are entirely contactless.)
The question, therefore, is to what extent should the government force merchants to do something they don't want to do in order to protect those who cannot (or do not want to) go contactless?
If the government wants to compel merchants to take cash, then the taxpayer should pay for cash handling charges, cash collection services, security, insurance etc too.
The taxpayer is not going to do that. So compulsion is not remotely reasonable.
Phew, it's a difficult one.
What of the unbanked, like Nigel Farage? What of kids? What of the aged?
Perhaps there's a compromise here. During the transition period - i.e. the next five years - all firms with more than 40 employees are required to have at least one till able to accept cash payments for sums under £100?
That means you don't totally fuck over the old and the young and the unbanked. But you don't unduly burden small businesses.
Change the law so that people can't be unbanked, any more than they can have their water supply cut off.
Simples.
My guess is that when it comes to tipping you are Mr Pink from Reservoir Dogs
I have to admit that film is on my Bucket List, I've never seen it. Before my time and I've just never gotten around to watching it.
Card machines handle tipping for you nowadays though. Most restaurant card machines will give you a choice between the option of no tip, a couple of recommended percentage to select, or manually enter your own amount.
The problem with card machines and tipping is the money goes to the restaurant and IF it is then passed on to the waitress it pays tax and NI. And it is shameful how many restaurants don't pass it on at all or only pass on a small percentage.
If I tip the waitresses I want that money to go in their pocket not the owners and the Government's. Hence why I always tip in cash.
That's convincing.
My standard approach has been to ask the member of the serving staff to confirm that tips do indeed go to the staff, and overwhelmingly it is "yes, and they are shared".
But I may switch to cash tips.
These days its very rare for there not to be a 10 or 12.5% service charge added. Now, you can ask the waiter/waitress to re-print the bill without the service charge and then pay a cash tip but I suspect that you'll just be adding hassle to their job by doing that.
Just heard Labour confirm on ITV it will not cancel Sunak's new North Sea licences even though it is against them
Gift to the Greens and SNP no doubt
Yes, a campaigning gift. The Greens will say Labour & Tories are burning the planet. The SNP will say they are stealing Scotland's oil.
Ironically it is Shetland's oil who want independence from Scotland !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Any update on the burgeoning Shetland Indy Movement? If one believed the Times and various smelling salts sniffers on here, the council was about to declare UDI a few weeks ago. Edit: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
'It’s baby steps' 'the motion’s “selling point” was that the “actual words of the motion don’t commit the council to action”' 'Shetland councillor Robbie McGregor said little had happened in Shetland since it held a similar vote in 2020'
etc
is that Boris Johnson with a pair of the King Crabs that have been invading Norwegian waters from the north, or did he finally got to grips with John Prescott and Peter Mandelson?
Put simply: I don't trust those who are pushing air-source heat pumps; they all have an agenda.
I'm not risking the comfort and wellbeing of my family and a warm home until I go round to a trusted friend or neighbours house (on a cold and dark night) and feel it for myself, including having a hot bath.
I now have an image in my head of a bloke of a certain age turning up on doorsteps in a frayed shorty terrycloth bathrobe and a towel over his arm, angrily demanding a bath. Not good.
Who's in the bathroom? That angry bloke from next door. He took a picture of the old queen and a cucumber in with him.
I've just cried myself silly laughing. My wife and dog thought I was having a breakdown.
To be fair, even I laughed at that one!
At least @Dura_Ace would offer me a bath, even if not a cucumber.
Picture of a cucumber and the Queen wasn't it?
Or was there a missing Oxford comma?
Not required.
I always carry a picture of the Queen with me.
Paging @Anabobazina - we've got another cash user!
Cash only at the Fairlop Waters fun fair!
My local Thai restaurant (very good, btw) has a sign saying they prefer cash, as the charges on card payments are many hundreds a month.
That's funny because typical card handling charges dropped to less than cash handling charges about a decade ago.
If a business is trying to avoid card transactions nowadays its probably because they're seeking to evade (not avoid) HMRC rather than avoid bank charges.
Let's not associate cash with dodgy practices when most fraud these days is probably electronic.
Seen at Fairlop Waters fun fair a few days ago:
We keep 100% of cash probably means they don’t give any to HMRC.
The counter revolution has begun. There was a thing a few days ago about traders in Suffolk suggesting use of cash.
It's a particular issue which divides opinion, including PB opinion, with no middle ground SFAICS.
Basically I think that up to amount £X (£500?) it ought to be compulsory to take cash in face to face transactions; the other side is happy to see the stuff abolished.
Why the hell should it ever be compulsory to take cash?
People get killed over cash. I had a friend, pregnant, working in retail in Liverpool who had a machete held to her throat by armed robbers to get the Manager to open the safe.
If both sides want to handle cash, that's their choice. If either side does not, then respect free choice.
This is absolutely spot on.
If governments don't actively protect cash - by forcing people to take it - then it will die out. And it will die out because the vast majority of merchants benefit from not having cash handling charges. (And because most of the young people of today are entirely contactless.)
The question, therefore, is to what extent should the government force merchants to do something they don't want to do in order to protect those who cannot (or do not want to) go contactless?
If the government wants to compel merchants to take cash, then the taxpayer should pay for cash handling charges, cash collection services, security, insurance etc too.
The taxpayer is not going to do that. So compulsion is not remotely reasonable.
Phew, it's a difficult one.
What of the unbanked, like Nigel Farage? What of kids? What of the aged?
Perhaps there's a compromise here. During the transition period - i.e. the next five years - all firms with more than 40 employees are required to have at least one till able to accept cash payments for sums under £100?
That means you don't totally fuck over the old and the young and the unbanked. But you don't unduly burden small businesses.
Change the law so that people can't be unbanked, any more than they can have their water supply cut off.
Simples.
My guess is that when it comes to tipping you are Mr Pink from Reservoir Dogs
I have to admit that film is on my Bucket List, I've never seen it. Before my time and I've just never gotten around to watching it.
Card machines handle tipping for you nowadays though. Most restaurant card machines will give you a choice between the option of no tip, a couple of recommended percentage to select, or manually enter your own amount.
The problem with card machines and tipping is the money goes to the restaurant and IF it is then passed on to the waitress it pays tax and NI. And it is shameful how many restaurants don't pass it on at all or only pass on a small percentage.
If I tip the waitresses I want that money to go in their pocket not the owners and the Government's. Hence why I always tip in cash.
Tips have always been supposed to be subject to tax (NI only if the business handles it). That they haven't in the past was tax evasion people turned a blind eye to - America is much tougher on this, for obvious reasons.
Restaurants absolutely should pass on 100% and if I ever found out in that past a restaurant doesn't then I would never return to that restaurant. However a law has been passed in Parliament I believe that firms aren't allowed to deduct from tips, as it should be.
Law or not I think you would be very surprised how many establishments do not pass on tips.
And I do not consider a tip as part of pay. I consider it a personal thanks to someone for their service and I vary the amount accordingly. I certainly do not want either the employer or the Givernment to get hold of any of it as they were not the ones being thanked. Hence I always tip in cash.
Also slightly surprised that BR has a much higher faith in the probity of restaurateurs than funfair operators (his comment possibly verging on troublesome for OGH, come to think of it).
Not in the slightest. I don't put my faith in anyone who exhibits signs of tax evasion, like prejudicing against card machines. Which includes restaurants, not just funfairs. Its 2023, there's real and serious reasons people may not want to handle cash, like security, but there's not much of a real reason people wouldn't want card transactions besides the fact they want to cook the books - and restauranteurs are more than capable of doing that.
With a digital record of how many tips are earned by the staff any restauranteurs that short-change their staff on tips can easily get caught out and punished. Ironically cash is again where dodgy restauranteurs can short-change their staff. Many restaurants operate a tip jar policy where all staff cash tips must be put in the tip jar to be shared out (and any that don't can be fired as its theft, as they're taking their share of other people's tips but not sharing their own). A dodgy restauranteur can record the wrong figure for cash, and pocket the difference, they can't do that with card based tips.
Staff are allowed access to the books?
If there's a reason they become suspicious and it goes to tribunal then that information will need to be declared.
A dodgy businessman can write the wrong cash figure down for the tip jar and there's no evidence after that. He can't so easily do so for electronically recorded transactions.
In an infamously un-unionised industry? I do wonder.
Even de-unionised employees can take matters to tribunal. Indeed many ambulance chasers can offer try and do it for you even if you're not a member of one.
Cash is far easier to commit fraud by recording the wrong number on than card is. Especially if the restaurant has a tip jar policy, which many do, for cash not just cards.
I was a bit shocked by the anti-cyclist sentiment of normally erudite PBers earlier today. I'm firmly of the view that cycling can help with three of the great challenges of our times (obesity, climate change, air pollution), as well as reducing road traffic collisions, and their impact on QALYs in particular, noise pollution, congestion, cleaning up the public realm and so on.
But I'm delighted to report that this is not a PB phenomenon - being anti-cycling is a curiously British trait. So those posters might well be representative of the wider population.
But why? We hold fairly average views of all other forms of transport. We are keen on walking. Not so keen on driving.
I seem to remember that one of Count Binface's policies was to give a free bike to everyone in the UK. The two main benefits being drastically reduce obesity and drastically reduce bike theft.
We've tried subsidising posh bikes but I'm not sure how many were used for commuting, as intended.
I was a bit shocked by the anti-cyclist sentiment of normally erudite PBers earlier today. I'm firmly of the view that cycling can help with three of the great challenges of our times (obesity, climate change, air pollution), as well as reducing road traffic collisions, and their impact on QALYs in particular, noise pollution, congestion, cleaning up the public realm and so on.
But I'm delighted to report that this is not a PB phenomenon - being anti-cycling is a curiously British trait. So those posters might well be representative of the wider population.
But why? We hold fairly average views of all other forms of transport. We are keen on walking. Not so keen on driving.
My eldest son (57) was a very competitive mountain biker as was his younger brother (48) and we have lots of trophies they won
My grandchildren also are very good on their bicycles and I always respect cyclists on the road, giving then plenty of space, and often giving way to them
Where I do have an issue is when the car driver is seen as the enemy and car use should be dramatically reduced in favour of cyclists and pedestrians
Each user should respect each other
You claimed that a 5 mile cycle across Edinburgh was only achievable for Tour de France riders. You can't expect not to be called out for that.
I lived there and I could not have riden to and from work especially from Morningside up to Fairmilehead every day
Cut across to Mortonhall - easy in the morning, downhill all the way. In the afternoon, easy enough with geared bike after the first few days.
I grant you going in would be easy but coming home was not even considered
Additionally in the winter the Braids can be one long frozen skid pan
TBF bikes have improved, and in the winter there are buses and salt. Maybe more of the latter these days is my impression.
Apple would make a separate iphone just for the EU? Seems unlikely, for a corp in the US where they bundle EMEA as one small and niche market.
Crossover point: on US based cycling forums, of the small minority of side-of-the-road commenters who realise not everyone drives on the right, most think that all of Yurrup drives on the left.
Put simply: I don't trust those who are pushing air-source heat pumps; they all have an agenda.
I'm not risking the comfort and wellbeing of my family and a warm home until I go round to a trusted friend or neighbours house (on a cold and dark night) and feel it for myself, including having a hot bath.
I now have an image in my head of a bloke of a certain age turning up on doorsteps in a frayed shorty terrycloth bathrobe and a towel over his arm, angrily demanding a bath. Not good.
Who's in the bathroom? That angry bloke from next door. He took a picture of the old queen and a cucumber in with him.
I've just cried myself silly laughing. My wife and dog thought I was having a breakdown.
To be fair, even I laughed at that one!
At least @Dura_Ace would offer me a bath, even if not a cucumber.
Picture of a cucumber and the Queen wasn't it?
Or was there a missing Oxford comma?
Not required.
I always carry a picture of the Queen with me.
Paging @Anabobazina - we've got another cash user!
Cash only at the Fairlop Waters fun fair!
My local Thai restaurant (very good, btw) has a sign saying they prefer cash, as the charges on card payments are many hundreds a month.
That's funny because typical card handling charges dropped to less than cash handling charges about a decade ago.
If a business is trying to avoid card transactions nowadays its probably because they're seeking to evade (not avoid) HMRC rather than avoid bank charges.
Let's not associate cash with dodgy practices when most fraud these days is probably electronic.
Seen at Fairlop Waters fun fair a few days ago:
We keep 100% of cash probably means they don’t give any to HMRC.
The counter revolution has begun. There was a thing a few days ago about traders in Suffolk suggesting use of cash.
It's a particular issue which divides opinion, including PB opinion, with no middle ground SFAICS.
Basically I think that up to amount £X (£500?) it ought to be compulsory to take cash in face to face transactions; the other side is happy to see the stuff abolished.
Why the hell should it ever be compulsory to take cash?
People get killed over cash. I had a friend, pregnant, working in retail in Liverpool who had a machete held to her throat by armed robbers to get the Manager to open the safe.
If both sides want to handle cash, that's their choice. If either side does not, then respect free choice.
This is absolutely spot on.
If governments don't actively protect cash - by forcing people to take it - then it will die out. And it will die out because the vast majority of merchants benefit from not having cash handling charges. (And because most of the young people of today are entirely contactless.)
The question, therefore, is to what extent should the government force merchants to do something they don't want to do in order to protect those who cannot (or do not want to) go contactless?
If the government wants to compel merchants to take cash, then the taxpayer should pay for cash handling charges, cash collection services, security, insurance etc too.
The taxpayer is not going to do that. So compulsion is not remotely reasonable.
Phew, it's a difficult one.
What of the unbanked, like Nigel Farage? What of kids? What of the aged?
Perhaps there's a compromise here. During the transition period - i.e. the next five years - all firms with more than 40 employees are required to have at least one till able to accept cash payments for sums under £100?
That means you don't totally fuck over the old and the young and the unbanked. But you don't unduly burden small businesses.
Change the law so that people can't be unbanked, any more than they can have their water supply cut off.
Simples.
My guess is that when it comes to tipping you are Mr Pink from Reservoir Dogs
I have to admit that film is on my Bucket List, I've never seen it. Before my time and I've just never gotten around to watching it.
Card machines handle tipping for you nowadays though. Most restaurant card machines will give you a choice between the option of no tip, a couple of recommended percentage to select, or manually enter your own amount.
The problem with card machines and tipping is the money goes to the restaurant and IF it is then passed on to the waitress it pays tax and NI. And it is shameful how many restaurants don't pass it on at all or only pass on a small percentage.
If I tip the waitresses I want that money to go in their pocket not the owners and the Government's. Hence why I always tip in cash.
Tips have always been supposed to be subject to tax (NI only if the business handles it). That they haven't in the past was tax evasion people turned a blind eye to - America is much tougher on this, for obvious reasons.
Restaurants absolutely should pass on 100% and if I ever found out in that past a restaurant doesn't then I would never return to that restaurant. However a law has been passed in Parliament I believe that firms aren't allowed to deduct from tips, as it should be.
Law or not I think you would be very surprised how many establishments do not pass on tips.
And I do not consider a tip as part of pay. I consider it a personal thanks to someone for their service and I vary the amount accordingly. I certainly do not want either the employer or the Givernment to get hold of any of it as they were not the ones being thanked. Hence I always tip in cash.
Also slightly surprised that BR has a much higher faith in the probity of restaurateurs than funfair operators (his comment possibly verging on troublesome for OGH, come to think of it).
Not in the slightest. I don't put my faith in anyone who exhibits signs of tax evasion, like prejudicing against card machines. Which includes restaurants, not just funfairs. Its 2023, there's real and serious reasons people may not want to handle cash, like security, but there's not much of a real reason people wouldn't want card transactions besides the fact they want to cook the books - and restauranteurs are more than capable of doing that.
With a digital record of how many tips are earned by the staff any restauranteurs that short-change their staff on tips can easily get caught out and punished. Ironically cash is again where dodgy restauranteurs can short-change their staff. Many restaurants operate a tip jar policy where all staff cash tips must be put in the tip jar to be shared out (and any that don't can be fired as its theft, as they're taking their share of other people's tips but not sharing their own). A dodgy restauranteur can record the wrong figure for cash, and pocket the difference, they can't do that with card based tips.
Staff are allowed access to the books?
If there's a reason they become suspicious and it goes to tribunal then that information will need to be declared.
A dodgy businessman can write the wrong cash figure down for the tip jar and there's no evidence after that. He can't so easily do so for electronically recorded transactions.
Don't think your last assertion is quite correct, based on recent media reports in USA re: workers being defrauded of tips by food delivery services and the like, which are strictly electronic payments only.
Just heard Labour confirm on ITV it will not cancel Sunak's new North Sea licences even though it is against them
Gift to the Greens and SNP no doubt
But that's not news. Labour has always said they won't rescind any licences in place when/if they come to power; they just won't grant any more. So, no change in policy.
Are you saying labour are in favour of these new licences or is it just another fudge
Anything to blame Labour, eh? "They won't cancel the changes my lot made, baaaaad!"
It would be good to have an honest position from Labour but they already have 34 policy reversals and counting
Just heard Labour confirm on ITV it will not cancel Sunak's new North Sea licences even though it is against them
Gift to the Greens and SNP no doubt
But that's not news. Labour has always said they won't rescind any licences in place when/if they come to power; they just won't grant any more. So, no change in policy.
Are you saying labour are in favour of these new licences or is it just another fudge
I detest Starmer almost as much as you and BJO, but what do you expect Labour to do after the ink is dry?
Starmer should not have made the commitment in the first place if he really had the country's interests at heart
Starmer is a tedious tactical triangulator who's fumbling his way to an election victory.
I was a bit shocked by the anti-cyclist sentiment of normally erudite PBers earlier today. I'm firmly of the view that cycling can help with three of the great challenges of our times (obesity, climate change, air pollution), as well as reducing road traffic collisions, and their impact on QALYs in particular, noise pollution, congestion, cleaning up the public realm and so on.
But I'm delighted to report that this is not a PB phenomenon - being anti-cycling is a curiously British trait. So those posters might well be representative of the wider population.
But why? We hold fairly average views of all other forms of transport. We are keen on walking. Not so keen on driving.
My eldest son (57) was a very competitive mountain biker as was his younger brother (48) and we have lots of trophies they won
My grandchildren also are very good on their bicycles and I always respect cyclists on the road, giving then plenty of space, and often giving way to them
Where I do have an issue is when the car driver is seen as the enemy and car use should be dramatically reduced in favour of cyclists and pedestrians
Each user should respect each other
You claimed that a 5 mile cycle across Edinburgh was only achievable for Tour de France riders. You can't expect not to be called out for that.
I lived there and I could not have riden to and from work especially from Morningside up to Fairmilehead every day
Cut across to Mortonhall - easy in the morning, downhill all the way. In the afternoon, easy enough with geared bike after the first few days.
I grant you going in would be easy but coming home was not even considered
Additionally in the winter the Braids can be one long frozen skid pan
There's no problem riding a bike on ice or snow. That's what studded tyres are for.
Admittedly the problem for cyclists on snowy roads are the out of control cars.
No more England test cricket for 6 months and more than likely half today's team won't be playing in India.
I am failing to get at all excited by the Hundred starting tomorrow....
I’m going to five of the games, I’m excited.
I wouldn't be surprised if most of the England team are rested for it or only play a bit part, especially the ODI WC coming up. And the standard of overseas pros is piss poor or only playing a few games*. Major League Cricket had better overseas pros.
* Rashid Khan who was only going to play 3 games pulled out today.
I was a bit shocked by the anti-cyclist sentiment of normally erudite PBers earlier today. I'm firmly of the view that cycling can help with three of the great challenges of our times (obesity, climate change, air pollution), as well as reducing road traffic collisions, and their impact on QALYs in particular, noise pollution, congestion, cleaning up the public realm and so on.
But I'm delighted to report that this is not a PB phenomenon - being anti-cycling is a curiously British trait. So those posters might well be representative of the wider population.
But why? We hold fairly average views of all other forms of transport. We are keen on walking. Not so keen on driving.
I seem to remember that one of Count Binface's policies was to give a free bike to everyone in the UK. The two main benefits being drastically reduce obesity and drastically reduce bike theft.
Second one would work just fine. When did you hear of someone having their telly and stereo burgled now they are both effectively free?
No more England test cricket for 6 months and more than likely half today's team won't be playing in India.
I am failing to get at all excited by the Hundred starting tomorrow....
I’m going to five of the games, I’m excited.
I wouldn't be surprised if most of the England team are rested for it or only play a bit part, especially the ODI WC coming up. And the standard of overseas pros is piss poor. Major League Cricket had better overseas pros.
Fair enough but I’m still excited, I’ve really enjoyed it the last two years
I was a bit shocked by the anti-cyclist sentiment of normally erudite PBers earlier today. I'm firmly of the view that cycling can help with three of the great challenges of our times (obesity, climate change, air pollution), as well as reducing road traffic collisions, and their impact on QALYs in particular, noise pollution, congestion, cleaning up the public realm and so on.
But I'm delighted to report that this is not a PB phenomenon - being anti-cycling is a curiously British trait. So those posters might well be representative of the wider population.
But why? We hold fairly average views of all other forms of transport. We are keen on walking. Not so keen on driving.
My eldest son (57) was a very competitive mountain biker as was his younger brother (48) and we have lots of trophies they won
My grandchildren also are very good on their bicycles and I always respect cyclists on the road, giving then plenty of space, and often giving way to them
Where I do have an issue is when the car driver is seen as the enemy and car use should be dramatically reduced in favour of cyclists and pedestrians
Each user should respect each other
You claimed that a 5 mile cycle across Edinburgh was only achievable for Tour de France riders. You can't expect not to be called out for that.
I lived there and I could not have riden to and from work especially from Morningside up to Fairmilehead every day
Cut across to Mortonhall - easy in the morning, downhill all the way. In the afternoon, easy enough with geared bike after the first few days.
I grant you going in would be easy but coming home was not even considered
Additionally in the winter the Braids can be one long frozen skid pan
TBF bikes have improved, and in the winter there are buses and salt. Maybe more of the latter these days is my impression.
I am of course talking about the year 1962 to 1964 when bicycles were very different and I can remember many times in winter when the Braids was impossible even for buses
However, the wider point is I am not anti cyclists not least from my own children's trophy cabinet and the way my grandchildren use their bikes but I do push back at the suggestion car drivers are an enemy and roads should actively be given over to cyclists
Hello from Gatwick. My 19:55 to Aberdeen is delayed by a lack of ground crew to do things like operate the air bridge and put bags in the hold. And it's not just us - lots of people on twitter complaining...
Not-Jock O'Vitch beats Jock O'Vitch after the 51st deuce tie-break set point of the match, or match point of the set, or whatever. The excitement was so much I had to recalibrate my pacemaker. And don't get me started on the Let - first services.
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
As for CCS, geologists were discussing it when I shared coffee tables with them, and that was thirty years ago. At some point, we may have to accept that for now, it doesn't work at a scale and price we can use, no matter how much we try, and we need to make to plan B.
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
As for CCS, geologists were discussing it when I shared coffee tables with them, and that was thirty years ago. At some point, we may have to accept that for now, it doesn't work at a scale and price we can use, no matter how much we try, and we need to make to plan B.
Hello from Gatwick. My 19:55 to Aberdeen is delayed by a lack of ground crew to do things like operate the air bridge and put bags in the hold. And it's not just us - lots of people on twitter complaining...
I don't quite get how the electric car marries with the internal flights, but maybe that's just me.
Not sure if this has been posted but Moeen Ali confirms his retirement from test cricket
Re-retirement.....Don't blame him as he is still top class in T20 and big money available to go and play that 12 months a year around the world (and for England).
The worry for England is so many of the stand out players from this Ashes are retiring or have at most have a year or two left, with the replacements a definite step down.
Hello from Gatwick. My 19:55 to Aberdeen is delayed by a lack of ground crew to do things like operate the air bridge and put bags in the hold. And it's not just us - lots of people on twitter complaining...
In the post-apocalyptic The Road hellscape that post will be taught in schools as an example of pre-The Event problems. My INV-BRS flight was 35 minutes late last night. The suffering. The humanity.
I was a bit shocked by the anti-cyclist sentiment of normally erudite PBers earlier today. I'm firmly of the view that cycling can help with three of the great challenges of our times (obesity, climate change, air pollution), as well as reducing road traffic collisions, and their impact on QALYs in particular, noise pollution, congestion, cleaning up the public realm and so on.
But I'm delighted to report that this is not a PB phenomenon - being anti-cycling is a curiously British trait. So those posters might well be representative of the wider population.
But why? We hold fairly average views of all other forms of transport. We are keen on walking. Not so keen on driving.
My eldest son (57) was a very competitive mountain biker as was his younger brother (48) and we have lots of trophies they won
My grandchildren also are very good on their bicycles and I always respect cyclists on the road, giving then plenty of space, and often giving way to them
Where I do have an issue is when the car driver is seen as the enemy and car use should be dramatically reduced in favour of cyclists and pedestrians
Each user should respect each other
You claimed that a 5 mile cycle across Edinburgh was only achievable for Tour de France riders. You can't expect not to be called out for that.
I lived there and I could not have riden to and from work especially from Morningside up to Fairmilehead every day
Cut across to Mortonhall - easy in the morning, downhill all the way. In the afternoon, easy enough with geared bike after the first few days.
I grant you going in would be easy but coming home was not even considered
Additionally in the winter the Braids can be one long frozen skid pan
TBF bikes have improved, and in the winter there are buses and salt. Maybe more of the latter these days is my impression.
I am of course talking about the year 1962 to 1964 when bicycles were very different and I can remember many times in winter when the Braids was impossible even for buses
However, the wider point is I am not anti cyclists not least from my own children's trophy cabinet and the way my grandchildren use their bikes but I do push back at the suggestion car drivers are an enemy and roads should actively be given over to cyclists
Cyclists do deserve to have some consideration, even if some are nasty shites. The way things are going, with te tax on petrol disappearing, the cyclists will be paying almost as much tax to use the roads as the motorists. Probably rather more, per unit of space actually occupied.
Hello from Gatwick. My 19:55 to Aberdeen is delayed by a lack of ground crew to do things like operate the air bridge and put bags in the hold. And it's not just us - lots of people on twitter complaining...
In the post-apocalyptic The Road hellscape that post will be taught in schools as an example of pre-The Event problems. My INV-BRS flight was 35 minutes late last night. The suffering. The humanity.
BTW how did you find the Inverness [edit[] airport railway station? Bit of a trek to the terminal but under cover I believe?
I was a bit shocked by the anti-cyclist sentiment of normally erudite PBers earlier today. I'm firmly of the view that cycling can help with three of the great challenges of our times (obesity, climate change, air pollution), as well as reducing road traffic collisions, and their impact on QALYs in particular, noise pollution, congestion, cleaning up the public realm and so on.
But I'm delighted to report that this is not a PB phenomenon - being anti-cycling is a curiously British trait. So those posters might well be representative of the wider population.
But why? We hold fairly average views of all other forms of transport. We are keen on walking. Not so keen on driving.
My eldest son (57) was a very competitive mountain biker as was his younger brother (48) and we have lots of trophies they won
My grandchildren also are very good on their bicycles and I always respect cyclists on the road, giving then plenty of space, and often giving way to them
Where I do have an issue is when the car driver is seen as the enemy and car use should be dramatically reduced in favour of cyclists and pedestrians
Each user should respect each other
You claimed that a 5 mile cycle across Edinburgh was only achievable for Tour de France riders. You can't expect not to be called out for that.
I lived there and I could not have riden to and from work especially from Morningside up to Fairmilehead every day
Cut across to Mortonhall - easy in the morning, downhill all the way. In the afternoon, easy enough with geared bike after the first few days.
I grant you going in would be easy but coming home was not even considered
Additionally in the winter the Braids can be one long frozen skid pan
TBF bikes have improved, and in the winter there are buses and salt. Maybe more of the latter these days is my impression.
I am told that Edinburgh is like Cambridge - it has a very notable network of "quiet ways", whilst its prominent cycle routes tend to be poor. Note, for example, the shitshow created by the current Edinburgh Council.
As for winter, you can either use winter tyres with rubber compounds tuned for temperatures just above zero - which have been easily available for at least a decade, or if it is properly icy use studded tyres.
It's really a very similar choice to motor vehicle tyres - there are at least a dozen brands of low temperature rubber available and some of them even share a name eg Pirelli Cinturato Velo.
One way is to have 2 wheelsets, or even 2 cycles if you also need different gears.
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
Which is even more damning. The public (and I speak with authority as a member of the public) is often wrong because their leaders keep bullshitting them - as here. Populism is telling people what they want to hear. Leadership is telling them what they need to hear.
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
Which is even more damning. The public (and I speak with authority as a member of the public) is often wrong because their leaders keep bullshitting them - as here. Populism is telling people what they want to hear. Leadership is telling them what they need to hear.
At the moment they want cheaper fuel bills and a UK energy sector less reliant on Putin.
They also know that unless the US, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia and China drastically reduce fossil fuel usage what we do is largely irrelevant on climate change and we have less fossil fuel use than the G20 average anyway
No views on this specifically, but it is worth asking why we need a massive Dept of Health admin when there is a gigantic NHS administration as well, and whether it would be better if the government's task was limited to writing an annual cheque for £200 billion.
At the moment the NHS is praised for all that is good, and the government blamed for all that is bad in the NHS. This is nonsense.
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
Which is even more damning. The public (and I speak with authority as a member of the public) is often wrong because their leaders keep bullshitting them - as here. Populism is telling people what they want to hear. Leadership is telling them what they need to hear.
It used to be called "winning the argument" but there is no more argument.
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
Which is even more damning. The public (and I speak with authority as a member of the public) is often wrong because their leaders keep bullshitting them - as here. Populism is telling people what they want to hear. Leadership is telling them what they need to hear.
At the moment they want cheaper fuel bills and a UK energy sector less reliant on Putin.
They also know that unless the US, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia and China drastically reduce fossil fuel usage what we do is largely irrelevant on climate change and we have less fossil fuel use than the G20 average anyway
As detailed above we import a massive 4% of our gas from Russia.
What happened to “Global Britain”? Are we not supposed to be setting an example? Are other countries not taking notice of what we do? Your sneering at our great country is a disgrace and tantamount to treason.
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
Which is even more damning. The public (and I speak with authority as a member of the public) is often wrong because their leaders keep bullshitting them - as here. Populism is telling people what they want to hear. Leadership is telling them what they need to hear.
At the moment they want cheaper fuel bills and a UK energy sector less reliant on Putin.
They also know that unless the US, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia and China drastically reduce fossil fuel usage what we do is largely irrelevant on climate change and we have less fossil fuel use than the G20 average anyway
As detailed above we import a massive 4% of our gas from Russia.
What happened to “Global Britain”? Are we not supposed to be setting an example? Are other countries not taking notice of what we do? Your sneering at our great country is a disgrace and tantamount to treason.
Hello from Gatwick. My 19:55 to Aberdeen is delayed by a lack of ground crew to do things like operate the air bridge and put bags in the hold. And it's not just us - lots of people on twitter complaining...
In the post-apocalyptic The Road hellscape that post will be taught in schools as an example of pre-The Event problems. My INV-BRS flight was 35 minutes late last night. The suffering. The humanity.
BTW how did you find the Inverness railway station? Bit of a trek to the terminal but under cover I believe?
I didn't, lift from airport one way and taxi the other. But the local verdict is it's a disaster, massive trek - esp with luggage - I heard the claim the assumption was that it would be easy to get someone to operate a free shuttle service and when it was put out to tender nobody was interested in supplying it for the money on offer.
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
Which is even more damning. The public (and I speak with authority as a member of the public) is often wrong because their leaders keep bullshitting them - as here. Populism is telling people what they want to hear. Leadership is telling them what they need to hear.
At the moment they want cheaper fuel bills and a UK energy sector less reliant on Putin.
They also know that unless the US, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia and China drastically reduce fossil fuel usage what we do is largely irrelevant on climate change and we have less fossil fuel use than the G20 average anyway
As detailed above we import a massive 4% of our gas from Russia.
What happened to “Global Britain”? Are we not supposed to be setting an example? Are other countries not taking notice of what we do? Your sneering at our great country is a disgrace and tantamount to treason.
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
Which is even more damning. The public (and I speak with authority as a member of the public) is often wrong because their leaders keep bullshitting them - as here. Populism is telling people what they want to hear. Leadership is telling them what they need to hear.
At the moment they want cheaper fuel bills and a UK energy sector less reliant on Putin.
They also know that unless the US, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia and China drastically reduce fossil fuel usage what we do is largely irrelevant on climate change and we have less fossil fuel use than the G20 average anyway
As detailed above we import a massive 4% of our gas from Russia.
What happened to “Global Britain”? Are we not supposed to be setting an example? Are other countries not taking notice of what we do? Your sneering at our great country is a disgrace and tantamount to treason.
Just looking at age of Australia's current team, there aren't going to be many of their players in the next Ashes. A lot of the back-up players are also not exactly spring chickens.
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
Which is even more damning. The public (and I speak with authority as a member of the public) is often wrong because their leaders keep bullshitting them - as here. Populism is telling people what they want to hear. Leadership is telling them what they need to hear.
At the moment they want cheaper fuel bills and a UK energy sector less reliant on Putin.
They also know that unless the US, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia and China drastically reduce fossil fuel usage what we do is largely irrelevant on climate change and we have less fossil fuel use than the G20 average anyway
As detailed above we import a massive 4% of our gas from Russia.
What happened to “Global Britain”? Are we not supposed to be setting an example? Are other countries not taking notice of what we do? Your sneering at our great country is a disgrace and tantamount to treason.
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
Which is even more damning. The public (and I speak with authority as a member of the public) is often wrong because their leaders keep bullshitting them - as here. Populism is telling people what they want to hear. Leadership is telling them what they need to hear.
At the moment they want cheaper fuel bills and a UK energy sector less reliant on Putin.
They also know that unless the US, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia and China drastically reduce fossil fuel usage what we do is largely irrelevant on climate change and we have less fossil fuel use than the G20 average anyway
As detailed above we import a massive 4% of our gas from Russia.
What happened to “Global Britain”? Are we not supposed to be setting an example? Are other countries not taking notice of what we do? Your sneering at our great country is a disgrace and tantamount to treason.
Sunak has now decided after some fluke by-election win to become the motorists champion !
The poor thing seems to flailing around trying to find any cause where he can dupe the thick section of the public that he’s on their side.
Anyone believing his latest guff should be kept away from the polling booth and sterilized to stop the rising idiocy amongst the countries gene pool .
Too many educated people are having too few kids whilst Shazza keeps popping out babies at an alarming rate.
This is distorting the country moving forward . The government needs to start handing out sweeteners for those with a decent IQ to have more kids .
It’s a race against time !
The day before yesterday you were talking about Nazi ovens. Yesterday you were complaining post-brexit immigrants are less likely to be white. Today you are pushing eugenics.
Hello from Gatwick. My 19:55 to Aberdeen is delayed by a lack of ground crew to do things like operate the air bridge and put bags in the hold. And it's not just us - lots of people on twitter complaining...
In the post-apocalyptic The Road hellscape that post will be taught in schools as an example of pre-The Event problems. My INV-BRS flight was 35 minutes late last night. The suffering. The humanity.
BTW how did you find the Inverness railway station? Bit of a trek to the terminal but under cover I believe?
I didn't, lift from airport one way and taxi the other. But the local verdict is it's a disaster, massive trek - esp with luggage - I heard the claim the assumption was that it would be easy to get someone to operate a free shuttle service and when it was put out to tender nobody was interested in supplying it for the money on offer.
Hmm, I see it's 10-15 min walk, but in practice if taking a train from the north west I'd walk over to the bus station at Inverness (from the Inverness reailway platform end - no need to go out the frontage) and get a direct bus. Not so obvious what to do from the other end towards Aberdeen - depends. There is a commercial bus operating, though, at the airport.
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
Which is even more damning. The public (and I speak with authority as a member of the public) is often wrong because their leaders keep bullshitting them - as here. Populism is telling people what they want to hear. Leadership is telling them what they need to hear.
At the moment they want cheaper fuel bills and a UK energy sector less reliant on Putin.
They also know that unless the US, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia and China drastically reduce fossil fuel usage what we do is largely irrelevant on climate change and we have less fossil fuel use than the G20 average anyway
Just because what we do may be "largely irrelevant", does that mean in your view we shouldn't do it?
As has been so often the case, Britain will advance the case through technological ingenuity and best practice - setting an example. Should we not be setting an example for the world in how to achieve sensible and viable sustainability in our politics and economics?
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
As for CCS, geologists were discussing it when I shared coffee tables with them, and that was thirty years ago. At some point, we may have to accept that for now, it doesn't work at a scale and price we can use, no matter how much we try, and we need to make to plan B.
Chris Skidmore, who is leaving Parliament to take up a new career working on the path to net zero. He was never going to be a fan.
Excellent report on @Channel4News We export 80% of N Sea oil. We import 4% of our gas from Russia. And we buy & sell both on the international market which we can’t control. Today’s Govt/Sunak announcements aren’t even spin - they’re total bullshit.
Which is even more damning. The public (and I speak with authority as a member of the public) is often wrong because their leaders keep bullshitting them - as here. Populism is telling people what they want to hear. Leadership is telling them what they need to hear.
At the moment they want cheaper fuel bills and a UK energy sector less reliant on Putin.
They also know that unless the US, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia and China drastically reduce fossil fuel usage what we do is largely irrelevant on climate change and we have less fossil fuel use than the G20 average anyway
Just because what we do may be "largely irrelevant", does that mean in your view we shouldn't do it?
As has been so often the case, Britain will advance the case through technological ingenuity and best practice - setting an example. Should we not be setting an example for the world in how to achieve sensible and viable sustainability in our politics and economics?
Update from Shatwick. A stack of people on other flights all stuck in the same boat. We're about 90 minutes late with luggage loading. And a time curfew on operations at Aberdeen airport is starting to be a concern...
I was a bit shocked by the anti-cyclist sentiment of normally erudite PBers earlier today. I'm firmly of the view that cycling can help with three of the great challenges of our times (obesity, climate change, air pollution), as well as reducing road traffic collisions, and their impact on QALYs in particular, noise pollution, congestion, cleaning up the public realm and so on.
But I'm delighted to report that this is not a PB phenomenon - being anti-cycling is a curiously British trait. So those posters might well be representative of the wider population.
But why? We hold fairly average views of all other forms of transport. We are keen on walking. Not so keen on driving.
My eldest son (57) was a very competitive mountain biker as was his younger brother (48) and we have lots of trophies they won
My grandchildren also are very good on their bicycles and I always respect cyclists on the road, giving then plenty of space, and often giving way to them
Where I do have an issue is when the car driver is seen as the enemy and car use should be dramatically reduced in favour of cyclists and pedestrians
Each user should respect each other
You claimed that a 5 mile cycle across Edinburgh was only achievable for Tour de France riders. You can't expect not to be called out for that.
I lived there and I could not have riden to and from work especially from Morningside up to Fairmilehead every day
Cut across to Mortonhall - easy in the morning, downhill all the way. In the afternoon, easy enough with geared bike after the first few days.
I grant you going in would be easy but coming home was not even considered
Additionally in the winter the Braids can be one long frozen skid pan
TBF bikes have improved, and in the winter there are buses and salt. Maybe more of the latter these days is my impression.
I am of course talking about the year 1962 to 1964 when bicycles were very different and I can remember many times in winter when the Braids was impossible even for buses
However, the wider point is I am not anti cyclists not least from my own children's trophy cabinet and the way my grandchildren use their bikes but I do push back at the suggestion car drivers are an enemy and roads should actively be given over to cyclists
Cyclists do deserve to have some consideration, even if some are nasty shites. The way things are going, with te tax on petrol disappearing, the cyclists will be paying almost as much tax to use the roads as the motorists. Probably rather more, per unit of space actually occupied.
I hate the way they run red lights, even at pedestrian crossings, and the way they creep up silently from behind on the pavement without ringing their bell.
Comments
In any case, who cares if it is the right policy? If it is, then good for Labour that they are willing to change. it compares well with threatening to imprison everyone in a decisionmaking role in the RNLI, right down to the bloke pulling the poor sods out of the briny, and then chickening out. To name one of the smallest U-turns of the Tory Party.
And the man says, 'Is that all lower case?'
h/t Barry Cryer
Swings and roundabouts.
Somehow I don't think certain users will be calling for that though.
Rather similar to his alleged pro-Ukrainianism?
A dodgy businessman can write the wrong cash figure down for the tip jar and there's no evidence after that. He can't so easily do so for electronically recorded transactions.
Additionally in the winter the Braids can be one long frozen skid pan
Maybe the widower wanted to convey some "final arrangement" details to other morners?
And that "the vicar" was PB's own Vicar!
I am failing to get at all excited by the Hundred starting tomorrow....
Cash is far easier to commit fraud by recording the wrong number on than card is. Especially if the restaurant has a tip jar policy, which many do, for cash not just cards.
The Ashes would have been exciting even without Stokes and Baz. They were even in the 90s.
Stokes and Baz have helped ensure we didn't lose and nearly regained the Ashes, but lets not overegg the pudding.
Crossover point: on US based cycling forums, of the small minority of side-of-the-road commenters who realise not everyone drives on the right, most think that all of Yurrup drives on the left.
Thank you Baz.
Admittedly the problem for cyclists on snowy roads are the out of control cars.
* Rashid Khan who was only going to play 3 games pulled out today.
Right to do so: 42%
Wrong to do so: 27%
67% of Conservative voters think the government was right to issue new oil and gas licenses as do 48% of Scots, even higher than the UK average there.
47% of Labour voters opposed to just 24% in favour however, LD voters also opposed 38% to 32%
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/survey-results/daily/2023/07/31/aac1f/1
However, the wider point is I am not anti cyclists not least from my own children's trophy cabinet and the way my grandchildren use their bikes but I do push back at the suggestion car drivers are an enemy and roads should actively be given over to cyclists
Health Secretary slashes bureaucracy so more money can be directed to front-line services
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2023/07/31/steve-barclay-cuts-civil-servants-roles-department-health/ (£££)
"worryingly, this decision has also been announced when MPs are on recess, unable to hold the government to account..."
https://twitter.com/CSkidmoreUK/status/1685948524033130498
As for CCS, geologists were discussing it when I shared coffee tables with them, and that was thirty years ago. At some point, we may have to accept that for now, it doesn't work at a scale and price we can use, no matter how much we try, and we need to make to plan B.
I'm wondering if this is going to close off May 2024 as a GE option and it's going to be October 2024.
The poor thing seems to flailing around trying to find any cause where he can dupe the thick section of the public that he’s on their side.
Anyone believing his latest guff should be kept away from the polling booth and sterilized to stop the rising idiocy amongst the countries gene pool .
Too many educated people are having too few kids whilst Shazza keeps popping out babies at an alarming rate.
This is distorting the country moving forward . The government needs to start handing out sweeteners for those with a decent IQ to have more kids .
It’s a race against time !
The worry for England is so many of the stand out players from this Ashes are retiring or have at most have a year or two left, with the replacements a definite step down.
As for winter, you can either use winter tyres with rubber compounds tuned for temperatures just above zero - which have been easily available for at least a decade, or if it is properly icy use studded tyres.
It's really a very similar choice to motor vehicle tyres - there are at least a dozen brands of low temperature rubber available and some of them even share a name eg Pirelli Cinturato Velo.
One way is to have 2 wheelsets, or even 2 cycles if you also need different gears.
Lots of options.
They also know that unless the US, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia and China drastically reduce fossil fuel usage what we do is largely irrelevant on climate change and we have less fossil fuel use than the G20 average anyway
At the moment the NHS is praised for all that is good, and the government blamed for all that is bad in the NHS. This is nonsense.
What happened to “Global Britain”? Are we not supposed to be setting an example? Are other countries not taking notice of what we do? Your sneering at our great country is a disgrace and tantamount to treason.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/blow-for-putin-as-uk-marks-one-year-free-from-russian-gas
It's a school night.
HerculeanEngland-ean proportions.Are you ok?
And instead has very expensive doctors doing the paperwork..
As has been so often the case, Britain will advance the case through technological ingenuity and best practice - setting an example. Should we not be setting an example for the world in how to achieve sensible and viable sustainability in our politics and economics?