Saturday, 13th February and Sunday, 14th February 2016

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sat 13 Feb, 2016 7:07 pm

Oh no.

mbc1955 · Post by **mbc1955** » Sat 13 Feb, 2016 7:13 pm

So sorry to hear that.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 13 Feb, 2016 7:16 pm

Very sorry to hear it. Cancer is horrible.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 13 Feb, 2016 7:23 pm

Hugs to you Ohso. I hope Mr Ohso will somehow be able to cope with this on top of all that he has had to go through. What a bad and sad start to 2016 it has been for so many.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 13 Feb, 2016 7:33 pm

Mr Ohso goes in for at least 24 hours on Mon, so they can have a good look at his bladder. They've said they'll burn off any bits that might have hung around and fixed themselves in the wall of his bladder, so we're a bit on tenterhooks with that. His blood tests weren't good either. Blood count low and white cell count low.

Oh well. No ducking or getting around it. Have to face and cope with whatever happens.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 13 Feb, 2016 7:39 pm

How the hell can you have a Northern Powerhouse when businesses can't get / afford flood insurance? This opinion piece in the Yorkshire Post - excerpt below - is written by a Conservative MP. Every radio programme I've heard on the subject of flood damage and insurance has had people ringing in to make similar points about businesses (and also domestic properties) that can't get affordable insurance. And every government spokesperson asked to comment on the situation has come out with the same denial statement ...

... I will cite just three of the many examples coming in daily to illustrate some concerns. The first is a leading high-end British furniture manufacturer located in Mytholmroyd. Its insurance cover was due for renewal only last week and it has been told that it will not be able to access flood cover again, even for stock.

At the other end of the Calder Valley, in Brighouse, is a nationally acclaimed climbing centre which opened in 2011 and now has over 30,000 members. Together with its sister business, a bar and a restaurant, it employees 30 local people and occupies a strategic site that is central to the regeneration of the wider area. As the business is located between the river and the canal, it has been unable to access any flood insurance since it was set up. The business incurred losses when it was flooded in 2012 and now, following the latest floods, it faces a very substantial bill and a battle to stay in business.

Last but by no means least, I will mention a large manufacturing firm which has been flooded on four separate occasions over the past decade. The difficulties in accessing insurance, and the losses incurred by being flooded so regularly, now mean that it is likely that this business will close, with the loss of 40 jobs.

Although I am encouraged by the words of the Prime Minister and his assurances that he is looking very closely at this issue, my experience leads me to believe that there are potentially hundreds of businesses in my constituency which are unable to access flood insurance.

With Flood Re, which is for domestic properties, the Government has shown that it is possible to work with the insurance industry to create a scheme that can fill the gaps in the existing market...

Read more: http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opi ... z404vSeGS8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Vordy · Post by **Vordy** » Sat 13 Feb, 2016 7:48 pm

The Chart That Explains Everything.

This is about the US and Quantitative Easing.It sounds a bit like what has been happening here.It rang bells for me anyway.

What the chart shows is that the vast increase in the monetary base didn’t impact lending or trigger the credit expansion the Fed had predicted. In other words, the Fed’s madcap pump-priming experiment (aka– QE) failed to stimulate growth or put the economy back on the path to recovery. For all practical purposes, the policy was a flop.

QE did, however, touch off an unprecedented 6-year bull market rally that pushed stocks into the stratosphere while the real economy continued to languish in a long-term slump. And the numbers are pretty impressive too. For example, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which bottomed at 6,507 on March 9, 2009, soared to an eye-popping 18,312 points by May 19, 2015, an 11,805 point-surge in just five years. And the S&P did even better. From its March 9, 2009 bottom of 676 points, the index skyrocketed to a record-high 2,130 points on May 21, 2015, tripling its value at the fastest pace in history.

What the chart shows is that the Fed knew from 2010-on that stuffing the banks with excess reserves was neither lowering unemployment or revving up the economy. The liquidity was merely driving stocks higher.

Read full story here.

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/01/15/ ... verything/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 13 Feb, 2016 7:49 pm

Best of luck to you both Ohso. Yes - what is going to happen has to be faced - but I hope you have got some good people around you both to support you when times are tough and in the moments when you don't feel at all tough. Lots of good wishes.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 13 Feb, 2016 7:51 pm

And this seems like a good time to send more good wishes to citizenja and Toby L. Get well both of you.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 13 Feb, 2016 7:54 pm

: Free Range Stack.jpg (68.97 KiB) Viewed 5879 times

Free range. My arse.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 13 Feb, 2016 8:00 pm

Jeremy Hunt 'No Confidence' Motion To Be Debated By MPs After Petition Passes 200,000 Signatures
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2016/02 ... _hp_ref=uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jeremy Hunt could face one of his most embarrassing days in office if a group of MPs, including five Conservatives, allow a debate in the Commons chamber on the public's confidence in their health secretary.

The plea to oust Hunt from his health brief was started by Graham Hillman, and is receiving huge support with up to 6,000 backers an hour. It was started on Thursday - the day junior doctors were told new pay and conditions terms would be foisted on them...

Probably not going to happen - is it? Can you see Cameron and co allowing this while he's trying to pretend everything in his government is rosy pre EU 'deal' and forthcoming elections? Or might he welcome the attention being off his shambolic EU renegotiation and on Hunt's shambolic non management of the health brief?

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sat 13 Feb, 2016 8:14 pm

Petitions Committee 23/2/16
http://www.parliament.uk/business/commi ... ttee/role/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 13 Feb, 2016 8:19 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:How the hell can you have a Northern Powerhouse when businesses can't get / afford flood insurance? This opinion piece in the Yorkshire Post - excerpt below - is written by a Conservative MP. Every radio programme I've heard on the subject of flood damage and insurance has had people ringing in to make similar points about businesses (and also domestic properties) that can't get affordable insurance. And every government spokesperson asked to comment on the situation has come out with the same denial statement ...

... I will cite just three of the many examples coming in daily to illustrate some concerns. The first is a leading high-end British furniture manufacturer located in Mytholmroyd. Its insurance cover was due for renewal only last week and it has been told that it will not be able to access flood cover again, even for stock.

At the other end of the Calder Valley, in Brighouse, is a nationally acclaimed climbing centre which opened in 2011 and now has over 30,000 members. Together with its sister business, a bar and a restaurant, it employees 30 local people and occupies a strategic site that is central to the regeneration of the wider area. As the business is located between the river and the canal, it has been unable to access any flood insurance since it was set up. The business incurred losses when it was flooded in 2012 and now, following the latest floods, it faces a very substantial bill and a battle to stay in business.

Last but by no means least, I will mention a large manufacturing firm which has been flooded on four separate occasions over the past decade. The difficulties in accessing insurance, and the losses incurred by being flooded so regularly, now mean that it is likely that this business will close, with the loss of 40 jobs.

Although I am encouraged by the words of the Prime Minister and his assurances that he is looking very closely at this issue, my experience leads me to believe that there are potentially hundreds of businesses in my constituency which are unable to access flood insurance.

With Flood Re, which is for domestic properties, the Government has shown that it is possible to work with the insurance industry to create a scheme that can fill the gaps in the existing market...

Read more: http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opi ... z404vSeGS8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I find this so hard to understand. Once upon a time the Tories were the party of business; of employers...

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sat 13 Feb, 2016 9:44 pm

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016 ... ked-report" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Leaked report reveals scale of crisis in UK mental health services

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sat 13 Feb, 2016 10:37 pm

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016 ... nstitution" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
'The patient will be at the heart of everything the NHS does'
Julia Jones, writer and co-founder of John’s campaign, reads the recently revised NHS Constitution and urges us all to do the same so that we are confident of our right to accompany our loved ones in hospital

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sat 13 Feb, 2016 10:45 pm

The battles I've had against those with a prison warder mentality,were thankfully rare.Posted in response to the article bemoaning "feminisation".My experience was increasingly shared care,flexibility and mutually beneficial arrangements.ie.the exact opposite of what the writer stated.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sat 13 Feb, 2016 11:37 pm

Irony of remembering it is Valentine's day tomorrow,when I forget 26 years running.I didn't really but always pretended to.I was fortunate,in that my better half had a craft room including card making materials,so I didn't have to spend anything.I was gradually getting more proficient.At least to the extent nothing fell off them

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sat 13 Feb, 2016 11:53 pm

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016 ... es-working" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Fear and fury of tenants who say ‘pay to stay’ policy punishes them for working

Hobiejoe · Post by **Hobiejoe** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 12:08 am

Things just got interesting across the pond...

http://www.theguardian.com/law/2016/feb ... dead-at-79

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 12:17 am

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/ear ... 72726.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Early assessments for young children could used by as a political tool to close down struggling schools

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 9:13 am

Hobiejoe wrote:Things just got interesting across the pond...

http://www.theguardian.com/law/2016/feb ... dead-at-79

Indeed. Kagan's appointment was fought tooth and nail if memory serves. Getting the new justice appointed before leaving could arguably be Obama's greatest legacy for America.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 9:17 am

'US search' for next Ofsted head

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-35572271" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 9:19 am

Scalia's (unexpected and sudden, despite his age) passing is certainly a bit of a minefield for the GOP.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 9:29 am

ohsocynical wrote:'US search' for next Ofsted head

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-35572271" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Contrary to what the ST story says, I'm not so sure this is coming from Morgan.

That last one named...when Rachel Wolf left the UK to go to the US she worked for Amplify. CEO of Amplify was...Joel Klein.

This almost looks like a "No 10 says that Morgan wants" when in fact she probably wants a tame academy CEO who won't criticise her policies. Hiring someone from outside is too much of a risk for the DfE - you never know what they might come out with.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 10:00 am

norman smith ‏@BBCNormanS 6m6 minutes ago
If UK leave the EU " the contagion will spread" and other countries will look to quit EU says Philip Hammond @MarrShow

The ever persuasive Hammond. He really knows how to pick out the most winning selling points eh.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 10:02 am

Morning all.

Big hugs for OhSo - I'm so sorry that you and yours are having such an awful time. Everything crossed for Mr.OhSo's op.

And hoping Toby and JA are ok too.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 10:15 am

Lovely day yesterday - daughter and nearly son came bearing gifts (exactly what I wanted - they're so kind) and we had a lovely lunch out.

And Wales won!

We were talking about housing - if the kids weren't buying, they'd be renting privately or (if they got social housing - unlikely) they'd have to Pay To Stay. Where they live, it would cost them more than their mortgage. Madness.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 10:20 am

Rawnsley in the Observer - Cameron needs Labour to keep us in the EU.

Just like IndyRef, then. Slimy Dave needs Labour to rescue him from his own stupidity.....

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 11:01 am

ephemerid wrote:Rawnsley in the Observer - Cameron needs Labour to keep us in the EU.

Just like IndyRef, then. Slimy Dave needs Labour to rescue him from his own stupidity.....

Yes. Labour should stay well away from Slimy's mess.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 11:04 am

John Rentoul ‏@JohnRentoul 36m36 minutes ago
Oliver Letwin wants to leave EU – but not yet. Great story from @ShippersUnbound STimes £ http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/new ... 668153.ece" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Apparently he wants to wait until Cameron has stepped down as leader - he wants Out but now is not the right time - now is the time to support the PM.

How stupid is that? No answer necessary - it's Letwin after all.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 11:06 am

How the hell is Letwin so bombproof? He's an arse.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 11:11 am

Oh the irony. Here's a Torygraph article bigging up Zac Goldsmith's credentials as a rebel - making him apparently a much more credible candidate to lead London.

His voting record in the Commons backs up his reputation for independence, showing that he rebelled against the whip (or voted against the majority of MPs in his party in the event of a free vote) many more times than Sadiq Khan did.

To win London, Zac Goldsmith must become David Cameron's worst nightmare
The Conservative Mayoral candidate has to show he can stand up to David Cameron, as well as work with him, to win the keys to City Hall
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... Mayor.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 11:38 am

Tim Shipman ‏@ShippersUnbound 18m18 minutes ago
.@afneil points out that none of the manifesto pledges on Europe is part of Cameron's renegotiation. Hancock resorts to "let's see". Oh dear

Nicholas Watt ‏@nicholaswatt 16m16 minutes ago
Interesting use of past tense. We have hit the pre-election fiscal surplus...in the forecast @MattHancockMP tells @afneil

Tim Shipman ‏@ShippersUnbound 14m14 minutes ago
Hunting vote in this parliament says @MattHancockMP

Glad I'm not watching that. I'd probably have hit the telly - hard.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 11:41 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Tim Shipman ‏@ShippersUnbound 18m18 minutes ago
.@afneil points out that none of the manifesto pledges on Europe is part of Cameron's renegotiation. Hancock resorts to "let's see". Oh dear

Nicholas Watt ‏@nicholaswatt 16m16 minutes ago
Interesting use of past tense. We have hit the pre-election fiscal surplus...in the forecast @MattHancockMP tells @afneil

Tim Shipman ‏@ShippersUnbound 14m14 minutes ago
Hunting vote in this parliament says @MattHancockMP
Glad I'm not watching that. I'd probably have hit the telly - hard.

He is such a fool - how on earth is he in the cabinet?

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 12:09 pm

Whenever you despair about the state of the UK, you can always read an article on Syria and reflect on how it could be worse.

Syria: The winners and losers are becoming clear in this war
The war is far from over, but the faint shape of an endgame is coalescing amid the bloodbath
Patrick Cockburn
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 72636.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 12:17 pm

#Cams7dayScam – Time to revisit that pledge, otherwise patient safety becomes a ‘pick n mix’

http://sochealthwellbeing.org/patient-s ... ick-n-mix/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 12:29 pm

http://labourlist.org/2016/02/leaked-do ... ity-plans/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Leaked documents reveals Labour’s potential “fiscal credibility” plans

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... -migration" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 12:31 pm

Greater love. Mr Ohso very down this morning, so I made up a couple of rolls, filled a flask and suggested we go to Windsor Great park for a couple of hours...He likes to watch the planes coming into Heathrow, I read, and we listen to the radio etc. It just gets us out of the house for a bit...

I am chilled to the bone. It looks like not a bad day when you're indoors but it's flippin cold!

We were laughing at all the dogs. Every single one apart from little ones frolicked in the deep puddles. They were plastered

And how nice these days to see so many breeds with their tails, including two boxers...

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 12:35 pm

http://www.dominickevans.com/2016/02/ho ... -disabled/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A view : HOLLYWOOD PROMOTES THE IDEA IT IS BETTER TO BE DEAD THAN DISABLED

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 12:36 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Tim Shipman ‏@ShippersUnbound 18m18 minutes ago
.@afneil points out that none of the manifesto pledges on Europe is part of Cameron's renegotiation. Hancock resorts to "let's see". Oh dear

Nicholas Watt ‏@nicholaswatt 16m16 minutes ago
Interesting use of past tense. We have hit the pre-election fiscal surplus...in the forecast @MattHancockMP tells @afneil

Tim Shipman ‏@ShippersUnbound 14m14 minutes ago
Hunting vote in this parliament says @MattHancockMP
Glad I'm not watching that. I'd probably have hit the telly - hard.

Hunting vote "in this parliament" - its being pushed back all the time.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 12:47 pm

Wow !!! 254,878

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 12:56 pm

HindleA wrote:#Cams7dayScam – Time to revisit that pledge, otherwise patient safety becomes a ‘pick n mix’

http://sochealthwellbeing.org/patient-s ... ick-n-mix/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's good, wish we saw some of it in the MSM.

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 1:32 pm

Afternoon all.

Best wishes to ohsocynical, citizenJA and Toby Latimer. It's a rather worrying time to be unwell or caring for someone who is unwell.

From the Independent:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 73151.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

George Osborne has received a dividend pay-out worth £1,230 from his family’s wallpaper business, despite the company not paying any corporation tax for the last seven years, according to reports.

I'm sure their convoluted accounting led to a zero tax bill purely by accident and was in no way one of those completely legal but morally repugnant aggressive tax avoiding actions Osborne's so often condemned in the past.

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 1:54 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:Oh the irony. Here's a Torygraph article bigging up Zac Goldsmith's credentials as a rebel - making him apparently a much more credible candidate to lead London.

His voting record in the Commons backs up his reputation for independence, showing that he rebelled against the whip (or voted against the majority of MPs in his party in the event of a free vote) many more times than Sadiq Khan did.

To win London, Zac Goldsmith must become David Cameron's worst nightmare
The Conservative Mayoral candidate has to show he can stand up to David Cameron, as well as work with him, to win the keys to City Hall
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... Mayor.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Very interesting this really. It's clear in the capital that Cameron is now an electoral liability - indeed London didn't seem wildly enthusiastic about him in the GE. Shame the rest of the country didn't feel the same...

Post by **PaulfromYorkshire** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 1:54 pm

And all best from me too Ohso.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 2:44 pm

: Polling for dead peoples opinions.jpg (31.4 KiB) Viewed 5498 times

It is very hard to build up any respect for pollsters ...

Is this how they think they can rekindle interest in what they have to say? If this is going to be the scene setting for the EU ref they are going to surpass their dreadful record at the general election - beyond dumbing down.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 2:49 pm

NHS chiefs 'handed £35 million in pay rises'

http://www.itv.com/news/2015-04-20/nhs- ... pay-rises/

mbc1955 · Post by **mbc1955** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 3:26 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Polling for dead peoples opinions.jpg
It is very hard to build up any respect for pollsters ...

Is this how they think they can rekindle interest in what they have to say? If this is going to be the scene setting for the EU ref they are going to surpass their dreadful record at the general election - beyond dumbing down.

Britain Believes that Winston Churchill would have:

(a) been heavily into the Prodigy, or

(b) head-banged to Led Zeppelin

The nation awaits...

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 3:33 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
NHS chiefs 'handed £35 million in pay rises'

http://www.itv.com/news/2015-04-20/nhs- ... pay-rises/

Remind me where NHS accountability lies these days when Hunt can 'impose' a contract on junior doctors yet seems unable to do anything about executive pay rises?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sun 14 Feb, 2016 3:36 pm

Ha! I know what my sis is doing today. Just seen a tweet from a west London householder thanking her for delivering a Sadiq Khan flyer through his door with a little message.

I do find it strangely touching and a little unnerving to have this kind of remote viewing of her activities.