Things that piss you off that shouldn't

[KentVillan]

4 minutes ago, Xann said:

Finite resources.

You trust the Tories to deliver anything but corruption, public debt (with increased interest payments) and failure?

Do the easy fix first. Take stock, then expand.

There's a massive swathe of cuts coming. Let's see what they entail before spunking even more billions on a HS2 where the costs were spiralling out of control before the recent massive hikes in inflation?

There aren’t finite resources… at least, not in the way you mean.

And no, I don’t trust the Tories, but you can use that argument for literally anything that happens while they’re in power. HS2 was supported by all three major parties.

Edited November 29, 2022 by KentVillan

[Xann]

Debt has to be serviced.

Everyone here has put their stalls out.

Let's watch what happens?

[KentVillan]

2 minutes ago, Xann said:

Debt has to be serviced.

Everyone here has put their stalls out.

Let's watch what happens?

When you take on debt to pay for pensions or tax cuts or whatever, then yes, you’re out of pocket and have to find the cash somewhere.

When you take on debt to pay for productive investment, it pays for itself eventually.

[sidcow]

1 hour ago, KentVillan said:

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn06594/

Once you start pitching it as “we should spend more on this infra instead of this infra” you’re just playing along with the short termism.

Pretty much any infra investment that delivers a long term multiplier effect should be done - all of it, in London, in Birmingham, wherever it delivers a benefit. It’s not a zero sum game, there isn’t a finite pool of money.

We’re a rich economy with a good credit rating, there’s absolutely nothing stopping it other than irrationality, Nimbyism and inertia.

Edit: and what's a shame actually is that the Truss / Kwarteng budget has I think made fiscal "responsibility" seem incredibly important in all contexts, but not all deficits are created equal. If you're running up a huge deficit to just fund tax cuts for the rich (etc.) that is different from running a deficit to invest in the infrastructure that supports long-term growth, and I think the markets would react differently. Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know.

This is the thing. Many other countries just spend the money and build public infrastructure without the whole "value for money" thing.

And guess what. Their cities are all much more pleasant and successful than UK provincial cities.

Because the value for money argument never seems in play for London, it's become this global mega city with amazing buildings and transport whilst everyone else is sitting next to a piss stained tramp on an ancient bus.

Investment builds wealth. Public infrastructure builds wealth.

[sidcow]

25 minutes ago, Xann said:

Finite resources.

You trust the Tories to deliver anything but corruption, public debt (with increased interest payments) and failure?

Do the easy fix first. Take stock, then expand.

There's a massive swathe of cuts coming. Let's see what they entail before spunking even more billions on a HS2 where the costs were spiralling out of control before the recent massive hikes in inflation?

The majority of HS2 is inevitably going to be built under a Labour Government.

[Davkaus]

13 minutes ago, Xann said:

Debt has to be serviced.

 

This does not mean that a nation's finances are finite.

[Xann]

4 minutes ago, sidcow said:

The majority of HS2 is inevitably going to be built under a Labour Government.

They'll be looking at Grayling's quotes for acquisition of necessary property, and the increased construction costs of the new era and cursing.

Just now, Davkaus said:

This does not mean that a nation's finances are finite.

UK general government gross debt was £2,436.7 billion at the end of Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2022, equivalent to 101.9% of gross domestic product (GDP).

What's borrowed now comes at greater cost.

Some of the Filth are itching to get at the pension pot too.

I'm no expert on international finance, but I'm expecting worse turbulence to come.

[tinker]

28 minutes ago, KentVillan said:

When you take on debt to pay for pensions or tax cuts or whatever, then yes, you’re out of pocket and have to find the cash somewhere.

When you take on debt to pay for productive investment, it pays for itself eventually.

Would love to see some major investments in renewable energy.  Tidal barrages would be my pick , huge potential for unlimited energy for 100's of years. If it's done right it could be virtually maintenance free. 

If we can become energy self sufficient everything else would become alot easier. 

London has a tidal barrier, stick some turbines in it. 

[KentVillan]

2 minutes ago, tinker said:

Would love to see some major investments in renewable energy.  Tidal barrages would be my pick , huge potential for unlimited energy for 100's of years. If it's done right it could be virtually maintenance free. 

If we can become energy self sufficient everything else would become alot easier. 

London has a tidal barrier, stick some turbines in it. 

I hope this kind of investment (I don’t know much about relative merits of tidal, wind, etc but whatever) will be one of the unexpected positive consequences of the Russia-Ukraine situation.

[one_ian_taylor]

38 minutes ago, tinker said:

Would love to see some major investments in renewable energy.  Tidal barrages would be my pick , huge potential for unlimited energy for 100's of years. If it's done right it could be virtually maintenance free. 

If we can become energy self sufficient everything else would become alot easier. 

London has a tidal barrier, stick some turbines in it. 

I would like to see investment  in tidal. But I'd rather see investment in energy efficiency,  improving existing  housing  and cycling 

[tinker]

26 minutes ago, one_ian_taylor said:

I would like to see investment  in tidal. But I'd rather see investment in energy efficiency,  improving existing  housing  and cycling 

Yea your right, efficiency is an easy effective measure. Be nice to see some government money used to develop some new ideas. I know cladding has a bad rep but for wall insulation it's seems a good place to start, especially for small scale properties, houses etc. 

It's an area that the government is really lacking in , forward thinking and it pisses me off that the people in charge seem to be the most lacking in any sort of inventive thought, just self serving salesmen and women. 

Edited November 29, 2022 by tinker

[sidcow]

I'd like to see some kind of accreditation and guarantee for insulation. 

I need a room above a garage in our house looked at and I don't really know where to start or who to trust. 

[KentVillan]

26 minutes ago, sidcow said:

I'd like to see some kind of accreditation and guarantee for insulation. 

I need a room above a garage in our house looked at and I don't really know where to start or who to trust. 

It’s an area absolutely riddled with scammers. That’s the problem with just relying on govt cash incentives - needs good regulation and enforcement too.

[I Make Pies]

Commentators who reference players by their clubs during international matches. I.e. Man Utd's Rashford rather than England's Rashford. Internationals are supposed to be an escape from club rivalries.

[KentVillan]

2 hours ago, Xann said:

They'll be looking at Grayling's quotes for acquisition of necessary property, and the increased construction costs of the new era and cursing.

UK general government gross debt was £2,436.7 billion at the end of Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2022, equivalent to 101.9% of gross domestic product (GDP).

What's borrowed now comes at greater cost.

Some of the Filth are itching to get at the pension pot too.

I'm no expert on international finance, but I'm expecting worse turbulence to come.

To use a personal finance analogy (which is still wrong because we’re a major economy, not Joe Bloggs relying on his Experian credit rating) there’s a difference between borrowing money to buy a sports car and borrowing money to pay for a university degree or double glazing for your house.

The latter have a long term positive return in increased income / reduced costs. That type of borrowing is almost always sensible.

[Xann]

1 minute ago, KentVillan said:

The latter have a long term positive return in increased income / reduced costs. That type of borrowing is almost always sensible.

Spend on infrastructure does reap rewards.

Then factor in form (criminal incompetence, rampant corruption), and risk (billions).

There's an easy initial fix for rail with little risk.

There's other areas that need the investment more, and there you all are chatting about energy generation and efficiency  

[KentVillan]

1 minute ago, Xann said:

Spend on infrastructure does reap rewards.

Then factor in form (criminal incompetence, rampant corruption), and risk (billions).

There's an easy initial fix for rail with little risk.

There's other areas that need the investment more, and there you all are chatting about energy generation and efficiency  

It’s not a turn based game where you can only do one thing at a time

[Xann]

2 minutes ago, KentVillan said:

It’s not a turn based game where you can only do one thing at a time

I don't really play computer games these days, but I'm familiar with the concept of managing resources.

[Chine]

The postal service currently !! Still waiting on paperwork that should have been delivered last Friday 

[bickster]

8 minutes ago, Chine said:

The postal service currently !! Still waiting on paperwork that should have been delivered last Friday 

Royal Mail?