Friday 28th February 2020

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 6:50 am

Mistakenly had mania whiz on Question Time (6,6).

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 8:45 am

Good morfternoon.

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 10:41 am

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... us-say-gps" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

'They have no idea': government failing on coronavirus, say GPs
Doctors say NHS 111 giving wrong advice and not enough patients being tested for virus

Not a great time to have a bunch of clowns in charge. US similarly compromised by ideological cuts to public health by cavalier far right numpties who want the trappings, but not the responsibilities, of power.

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 11:20 am

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51671363" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Leasehold property buyers 'misled by developers'

What is strikingly absent from this article is any questions about the role of the solicitors whose job it is to advise buyers when helping them purchase a new build house. At first I couldn't understand how people didn't know what they were signing up to - until I discovered that developers were offering to pay buyers solicitors fees if they use a solicitor supplied by them. Which explains how people were deceived. What I don't understand is why complaints about poor advice from solicitors hasn't led to compensation and investigations by the SRA leading to solicitors being struck off for clear conflicts of interest.

Anyway, a type of commonhold was introduced into UK law in 2002, to address the very issues associated with leasehold that are now affecting more and more people but it's clear developers aren't going to give up the leasehold racket voluntarily. Indeed, the expansion of leasehold to houses, which would normally be sold with the freehold and have none of the issues that require lease or commonhold in the way flats do, is jawdroppingly exploitative. I'm not expecting our spiv government to do anything to stop this sharp practice any time soon, unfortunately, but it's good these stories are out there to warn off those who may otherwise have been caught unawares.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 11:37 am

Good morning, everyone.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 11:39 am

How do people get mortgages if they're unable to get insurance for their property in the event of floods?

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 11:51 am

Morning all.

This is a worrying development. Did someone mention McCarthy?

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Prof Tanja Bueltmann
‏@cliodiaspora
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So Turning Point UK has set up a website where ppl can anonymously submit evidence of what they call “overt political bias” by “leftist lecturers” — apparently UK unis are “overrun” by them. So, in other words, they are creating lists of academics and gathering data about people.

Post by **adam** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 12:27 pm

Spotted in amongst replies on that twitter feed - is it the case that Johnson is hiding out in his country estates because if he doesn't finish a book sometime very very soon he has to repay a six figure advance?

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 1:22 pm

Willow904 wrote:https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... us-say-gps
'They have no idea': government failing on coronavirus, say GPs
Doctors say NHS 111 giving wrong advice and not enough patients being tested for virus
Not a great time to have a bunch of clowns in charge. US similarly compromised by ideological cuts to public health by cavalier far right numpties who want the trappings, but not the responsibilities, of power.

Excellently put.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 1:45 pm

Not sure whether we've had this before but it's pretty interesting...

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RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 2:03 pm

Well, who'd have thunk it?

Turns out that gazillions of extra customs forms will need loads more people filling them in!

UK races to find extra 50,000 staff for post-Brexit paperwork

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... -says-gove

A race to hire 50,000 people in the next six months to process Brexit paperwork is under way after the government confirmed they would be needed for border operations.

But experts have warned it will be a challenge to train enough people in time to be competent in the complexity of customs declarations and the second layer of red tape involving entry and exit declaration forms that are mandatory for trading with the EU.

The Road Haulage Association has warned that the number of declaration forms for tariffs alone will rocket from the current 50m a year to 200-250m a year.

"What do we want?"
"Red tape!"
"When do we want it?"
"Pretty bloody quickly!"

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 2:10 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:Well, who'd have thunk it?

Turns out that gazillions of extra customs forms will need loads more people filling them in!

UK races to find extra 50,000 staff for post-Brexit paperwork

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... -says-gove

A race to hire 50,000 people in the next six months to process Brexit paperwork is under way after the government confirmed they would be needed for border operations.

But experts have warned it will be a challenge to train enough people in time to be competent in the complexity of customs declarations and the second layer of red tape involving entry and exit declaration forms that are mandatory for trading with the EU.

The Road Haulage Association has warned that the number of declaration forms for tariffs alone will rocket from the current 50m a year to 200-250m a year.
"What do we want?"
"Red tape!"
"When do we want it?"
"Pretty bloody quickly!"

Will these 500 people be from the economically inactive sector?

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 2:22 pm

So...50,000 new staff.

Say £20k each.

Add NI/Pension of 30%

Additional cost to business just for this....£1.3bn.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 2:41 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:Not sure whether we've had this before but it's pretty interesting...

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B-b-BuT.......i ThOuGhT bRoWn SoLd AlL oUr GoLd????

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 3:39 pm

Who's getting their gold out of the UK? Why?

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 4:36 pm

Storm damage leaves councils facing big cuts to pay for repairs

Public services to suffer after tens of millions of pounds of damage to roads and bridges (Guardian)

https://www.theguardian.com/society/202 ... or-repairs

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 4:37 pm

Of course, the government could offer to help out there. But will they?

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 5:09 pm

citizenJA wrote:Who's getting their gold out of the UK? Why?

If you get down to the end of that thread it would seem that the gold didn't actually physically move...

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 5:13 pm

Holy crap.

Not only did I pass my WCA, they've moved me to the Support Group so no messing about with jobcentre appointments 'preparing for work' and all that nonsense. Now maybe I'll calm the fuck down. I hope so because I'm literally shaking after getting off the phone. I do believe a little dance is called for then a trip to Tesco to splurge on their most expensive bottle of wine. I've been afraid to spend money for months. I can't explain what it feels like to have this weight lifted off my shoulders (and brain). Now I can actually think about other things for the first time in what feels like aeons. And hopefully contribute something other than angst crazed nonsense. I'm sorry you've had to put up with it.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 5:18 pm

@Sky'sGoneOut

Here you go. Or isn't this what you had in mind?

[youtube]Wq7ASMbOpmo[/youtube]

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 5:22 pm

Sky'sGoneOut wrote:Holy crap.

Not only did I pass my WCA, they've moved me to the Support Group so no messing about with jobcentre appointments 'preparing for work' and all that nonsense. Now maybe I'll calm the fuck down. I hope so because I'm literally shaking after getting off the phone. I do believe a little dance is called for then a trip to Tesco to splurge on their most expensive bottle of wine. I've been afraid to spend money for months. I can't explain what it feels like to have this weight lifted off my shoulders (and brain). Now I can actually think about other things for the first time in what feels like aeons. And hopefully contribute something other than angst crazed nonsense. I'm sorry you've had to put up with it.

Don't worry, your contributions are always interesting. Even if sometimes in the Chinese sense of that word......

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 5:32 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Don't worry, your contributions are always interesting. Even if sometimes in the Chinese sense of that word......

Thanks AK that genuinely made me laugh out loud.

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 5:37 pm

More this kind of thing PF.

[youtube]FQUCKLzQemI[/youtube]

Post by **refitman** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 6:02 pm

Sky'sGoneOut wrote:Holy crap.

Not only did I pass my WCA, they've moved me to the Support Group so no messing about with jobcentre appointments 'preparing for work' and all that nonsense. Now maybe I'll calm the fuck down. I hope so because I'm literally shaking after getting off the phone. I do believe a little dance is called for then a trip to Tesco to splurge on their most expensive bottle of wine. I've been afraid to spend money for months. I can't explain what it feels like to have this weight lifted off my shoulders (and brain). Now I can actually think about other things for the first time in what feels like aeons. And hopefully contribute something other than angst crazed nonsense. I'm sorry you've had to put up with it.

Very happy to hear this update Sky.

Would 3 bottles at 1/3 the price not be better?

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 6:38 pm

Credit where credit is due and stopped clock etc but it was good to see this.

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

spiked
‏@spikedonline
Follow Follow @spikedonline
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Right-wing student group Turning Point UK is encouraging students to rat on their left-wing professors who they say are ‘indoctrinating’ students. One example cited is of a professor offering a Marxist perspective on health policy. This is mini McCarthyism

I'm left wondering whether, as there are a fair number of Spiked contributors that are actually employed in universities, that they know the "Unis are full of lefties" is utter bollocks.

Or that maybe someone might start up a similar one t'other way round...

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 6:39 pm

Oh my.

Really? I mean, really?

CNN International
‏
Verified account

@cnni
5h5 hours ago
More
38% of Americans wouldn't buy Corona beer "under any circumstances" because of the coronavirus, according to a recent survey.

Just to be abundantly clear: There is no link between the virus and the beer.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 6:49 pm

I mean, when you think you might have possibly underestimated the potential of humans for gullibility - they do something to prove you wrong

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 7:00 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:I mean, when you think you might have possibly underestimated the potential of humans for gullibility - they do something to prove you wrong

It's one of my daughter's fall-back home-consumption beers when she visits me. I warned her that this would happen. It was only a matter of time.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 7:01 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:
citizenJA wrote:Who's getting their gold out of the UK? Why?
If you get down to the end of that thread it would seem that the gold didn't actually physically move...

I got that. It's a private entity moving gold off their UK balance sheets. Why? Why now?

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 7:05 pm

@Sky'sGoneOut

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 7:06 pm

Who else thinks of the Corona soft drinks that were around when we were kids?

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 7:09 pm

Cigar producers must also be getting twitchy.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 7:13 pm

Sky'sGoneOut wrote:---
I can't explain what it feels like to have this weight lifted off my shoulders (and brain). Now I can actually think about other things for the first time in what feels like aeons.
---

(cJA edit)
I know a bit about what you're describing above. Government shouldn't do this to people. It's not helpful, safe or justifiable.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 7:14 pm

PorFavor wrote:Cigar producers must also be getting twitchy.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 8:36 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Who else thinks of the Corona soft drinks that were around when we were kids?

Me!

Mondays - and if you were lucky he'd come after I came home from school in which case I'd get to choose what to have.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 8:46 pm

Where's HindleA?

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 8:50 pm

PorFavor wrote:Where's HindleA?

trying to score some lasagna

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 8:52 pm

More rain predicted the next few days

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 8:58 pm

Labour and the Culture Wars of Modern Politics

Labour therefore needs to believe in and champion a vision of the general public as decent, progressive, and reform‐minded. It helps that there is plenty of evidence to back up such a reading, but the point about myths is that they represent powerful tools for understanding, and hence, defining the social world. It is a real problem, therefore, that we so often find the left perpetuating derogatory, judgmental myths about small town and suburban Britain. Arguments about ‘left behind’ Britons or the ‘white working class’ perpetuate unhelpful myths which simultaneously flatten the complexity of lives lived and give succour to voices from the radical right.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 9:14 pm

https://www.theguardian.com/society/202 ... re-workers" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Highlights some of the issues,I keep banging on about.

There is a school of thought that suggests what the sector needs to solve its very real problems is more regulation, more training and qualifications for workers and more money.

"Years ago, I realised that using a traditional care agency, with its regulation and training, would not enable me to thrive. The care workers seemed to lose sight of me as a person in the quest to undertake the tasks they saw as their primary role. I heard about a different way to get the help I need and since then have used a direct payment to employ my own assistants; a decision I have never regretted."
"resonate with the values, beliefs and understanding of people who use services – in other words, the experts."

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 9:18 pm

This is not removed by (in various ways less likely to) local authority employees)

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 9:19 pm

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Who else thinks of the Corona soft drinks that were around when we were kids?

Were they the ones who would drive around in a truck and give you a refund for bottles?

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 9:20 pm

https://www.thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 9:22 pm

Sky'sGoneOut wrote:
AnatolyKasparov wrote:Who else thinks of the Corona soft drinks that were around when we were kids?
Were they the ones who would drive around in a truck and give you a refund for bottles?

Yes.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 9:24 pm

My first "venture" was picking up (glass)coca cola bottles from the beaches in Cyprus returning them for a piastre each(if memory serves)

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 9:26 pm

You've got money on the brain . . .

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 9:26 pm

I saw that!

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 9:28 pm

At mine ,in between two homes for the foreseeable ,the idea was to bounce about a bit,unfortunately the weather" interfered "

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 9:29 pm

Predictive text

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Fri 28 Feb, 2020 9:32 pm