chrisp65

Post budget. There was my usual Radio 4 in the car, picking up snippets as they were coming out. There was a sky news channel in the reception of the company I was visiting mid afternoon (no idea on presenter names or what the actual channel / prog was as I don't normally do sky). Then picking through it in the P.M. slot back on radio 4. Then some 'Five Live' analysis when I had a lift off a chavvy type the next day. It was sort of around me.

I don't think that was me. This place thrives on quotes and references, name some names.

To be fair on this one, there was a lot of early talk about the NI contribution going to contribute to Social Care. Now, it might be that group think within the media meant that Sky and BBC ran with this idea at the same time when explaining the budget. Or it could be that there was some low level intern type going around spinning it as hypothecation. There were a number of talking heads on a couple of channels warning of the danger of hypothecation, so I guess that must have come from ‘somewhere’. I would suggest it’s a double cock up. A bad idea, badly justified. By bad idea, I don’t mean equalising N.I. is a bad idea, I mean saying you’re screwing the self employed out of ‘fairness’ when you’re letting their employers off scot free. That was a patently unfair idea. Had they said all N.I. is being levelled, including for all types of employers, you couldn’t really argue with that. Who knows, might even have convinced some large employers to do away with the fraudulent practise of ‘self employment’.

Hmmm, I’m fairly sure I saw personal jet packs and hover boots advertised in a similar manner on a 1981 edition of Tomorrow’s World. EV is clearly becoming more and more accessible, but in my experience things reducing down in cost to be cheaper than the thing they replace rarely really happens. To look at my own little family example. I'm not wedded to burning fuel on the road, I'm happy for it to be burnt at a power station where I can't see it. So I would be happy to buy an EV equivalent car. Equivalent in price and functionality. The urban run around car we have is a Toyota Aygo. Tax free, £130 per month and currently averaging about 70 miles to the petrol gallon. If there is an equivalent sub £10k EV car available in 3 years time I would happily consider it. Then there’s the millennium falcon that I’m driving up and down the motorways. I guess I’m averaging about 30,000 miles a year often carrying either the whole family or kit for my job of work. So again, if there is an estate car capable of 30,000 miles a year that doesn’t involve me programming building trades around my need to recharge batteries, I’ll be mightily impressed. I’m not saying it won’t happen. I’m just saying it won’t. Not least, to have a car in 3 years that would be priced to undercut traditional cars, would kick the guts out of the resale value of any EV car bought today. So perhaps you could say, if EV cars will be that good and cheap in 3 years, you’d be mad to buy one today. (I’m not really a dinosaur, I know they are coming, just no jet packs by 2021 imo) Incidentally, does anybody know when we are due the first 'scandal' expose on what happens to used EV car fuel cells?

that's fascinating you've identified something I kinda knew but hadn't formed in to a conscious thought WHSmiths in Hammersmith Westfield, I always have to remind myself not to buy a drink in there on my way through as their fridges have been 'broken' for a year. I also avoid the one at the train station, as their fridges appear to be broken and serving up luke warm drinks. Hadn't put the two together as a company policy of serving tepid drinks. But you're right. Would anyone be surprised if Smiffs was the next big chain to go under?

I have finished my sausage, egg and chips. I'm off to watch some low grade football, under lights, in the drizzle.

why she's a member of the SNP is a mystery to us both mate

Sir, I'm not going to insult you with another dull power point presentation. You are a smart guy, you know a good thing when you see it. I'm doing this through the medium of interpretive dance...

Monkman is on UC

not gonna happen very poor wifi reception in the kitchen

The UK had previously voted by a stomping 67% to 33% to join the grand european project. End of? No, because circumstances change. Like, being told if you want to remain in the EU you have to vote to remain in the union. Except that turned out to be not all that accurate. Personally, I don't think they'll vote to re negotiate a lesser deal with their major trading partner in the hope something unknown might turn up and be better. You'd have to be a bit 'special' to vote for that.

I think that's what I was trying to say, whilst typing angrily. That quarter of a million isn't my definition of a starter home, that's what the tory government think a starter home in Burney can be reasonably defined as. Inside the M25, obviously a couple of 22 year olds with a kid are looking for a starter home at £400,000 (govt figure).

I'm going to stick my neck out, and say homes that people within the average wage band (£23,000 to £28,000) can afford to live in. The very definition of a Doncaster, Wrexham or Cambourne 'starter home' being £250,000 shows a system, a political class and a house building cabal totally out of touch and out of control.

I'm going to guess they've realised that privateer house builders won't do the turkeys voting for Christmas thing and ease supply. So to make sure we have enough housing the government will tell councils to start a massive programme of true social housing with proper facilities and schools and shops and community as this is more important than share holder dividend and land banking. They'll make them build houses that aren't to the minimum legal standard and are made with materials designed to last longer than the mortgage. You know, like those red brick houses from the 1920's that are still around today, but houses built in the 1990's look like a discoloured / second set of windows already/ needs a new kitchen piece of shite. Am I right?

jeeeezus advice from 1972

never in all relationship thread history has a two line review had such contrasting prospects...

if you like a bit of Neu! you might just like pinky blue squared CD in the background: Nisenenmondai anyway, home now, time for a whisky and some Ogden's

this has proven very effective next up, people that watch channel 5

I'm ok with Monty Python, it's slightly dated middle class chuckles. What I despise, is the **** autistics that quote sections to each other verbatim in hilarious funny voices. I've fallen out with people over it.

today's motorway selection

mine's quite nice like a family sized flask with a german helmet* on top and gloss painted man pink *WW2, not those WW1 one's with a spike on top

I watched it for the first time in a very long time. I’d stopped watching the Clarkson era Top Gear as it was just too painfully try hard. I don’t recall watching any of the Chris Evans episodes. I certainly haven’t bothered watching an episode of the new Clarkson car programme. So yeah, I watched this week’s TG and thought it was perfectly ok. But then, I’m currently driving an old automatic Merc that has indeed been to the moon and is now on the way back. When I bought it, it had just under 20K on the clock. It now has 250K on the clock. If you discount regular servicing at a competent garage, and if you discount damage caused by an idiot driver ignoring his reversing beeps and lights, then the total cost of breakdowns and mechanical failure in the 230,000 miles I’ve owned it currently totals: £728.00 I’m constantly told they aren’t made as well as they used to be. So I guess Mercedes’ slack modern standards have cost me that seven hundred quid.

just take a handful of my popcorn go on pop your hand in