Things that piss you off that shouldn't

[Jon]

36 minutes ago, bickster said:

That’s literally what she gets paid for. She's not in position to make sure the rivers are unpolluted and the water is drinkable, those are PR issues. She's there to make money for the shareholders

Whilst the water companies remain private entities, that won't and can't change unless the regulation changes.

People keep blaming the companies, it isn’t chiefly the companies fault, they legally have fiduciary responsibility to the shareholders.

Let’s be clear what has caused this situation. It's the government and Brexit. Leaving the EU and the subsequent relaxing of regulation is almost entirely to blame here.

Every time obscene profits, ridiculous pay and all the other things are brought up, the focus goes straight to the water companies. They are just making as much money as possible for the shareholders, the law tells them to do that. The blame should be pointed directly at the people who caused this situation. The government. It is within their power to change things. They can toughen the regulations, they can make fines much higher, they can make certain positions at the top of the company personally responsible for the companies actions. Despite all the bad press, they choose not to.

Every water company is a monopoly, water companies provide a vital part of our national infrastructure, vital to business, vital to people, hell clean water is a basic human right. They should never have been nationalised in the first place. Over time by increasing regulation, increasing fines and making them responsible for their actions, the profits will fall. Force them to invest a % of profits into the future and providing yet more clean water. When that happens, the profit incentive will be reduced, the pension companies will slowly divest and eventually they¡ll all come back into public ownership where they should be

But it’s definitely my opinion that pointing the finger at the bogeymen of the water companies absolutely lets the government off the hook.

Well yes.  But I think a lot of people do still consider the water companies an arm of government, even though they aren't. 

Every time some shit (literally) like this happens, it's bad news for the government, as it should be their responsibility to ensure clean, flowing water.  

[Davkaus]

43 minutes ago, bickster said:

They are just making as much money as possible for the shareholders, the law tells them to do that.

Generally agree with your post, but I don't think this is true. Directors of a company have an obligation to act in the best interests of the company and shareholders. This doesn't mean an obligation to extract maximum profits at all costs, and shareholders would struggle to bring a claim for a breach for anything short of direct sabotage or asset stripping, almost anything else can easily be justified as a good business decision even if it harms short term profits.

Directors don't aim for maximum short term profit at all costs because the law tells them to, they do it for their own bonus.

[GarethRDR]

Have accidentally walked into a vegan pizza joint and I'm in too deep now so guess I'm about to find out what vegan mozzarella tastes like.

I welcome your thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.

[GarethRDR]

You know, it's actually alright, just the texture of the cheese is a bit... sticky. Taste wise, fine, and the tomato and the base is very nice.

If only there wasn't an actual pizza place literally across the street, and it's all I can see as I look out the window, taunting me.

Edited May 18 by GarethRDR

[fightoffyour]

2 hours ago, GarethRDR said:

You know, it's actually alright, just the texture of the cheese is a bit... sticky. Taste wise, fine, and the tomato and the base is very nice.

If only there wasn't an actual pizza place literally across the street, and it's all I can see as I look out the window, taunting me.

That wood fire me right up 

[GarethRDR]

2 minutes ago, fightoffyour said:

That wood fire me right up 

[sidcow]

Vegan Leather. **** off.  And when you get there, **** off a bit more. 

Edited May 18 by sidcow

[GarethRDR]

I mean... by definition it's not leather, correct? Which is the one thing that did amuse me about aforementioned "pizza" establishment; all the vegan substituted/mock ingredients had specific "faux" names ("mozzella", for example), all except the pepperoni which was just straight up pepperoni. I took this as a damning indictment of the meat content of actual pepperoni.

[sidcow]

Look at my sugar free sugar. 

Do you want to store something in my roofless sideless shed. 

Personally I prefer cow skin vinyl seats in cars. 

[Davkaus]

Only an environmentalist when it comes to cars eh, @sidcow 

[sidcow]

10 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

Only an environmentalist when it comes to cars eh, @sidcow 

They can make the seats out of what they like, it's the stupid name. 

And actually looking at the number of cows that are slaughtered each year regardless, providing the raw material for actual leather, I wouldn't be at all surprised if "Vegan" leather is worse for the environment.  How much oil based materials go into it? How much heat is used in the production process? What chemicals go into it and what is the production process for those chemicals? 

I bet no one asks these questions. They just state it's vegan Leather and loads of people feel they've ticked a bit green box.   If they called it leather effect polyurethane I bet a few more questions might be asked about their green credentials. 

Edited May 18 by sidcow

[Davkaus]

Yeah, the plastic stuff is pretty grim, and probably worse environmentally. There"s been a bit of a drive to reduce it with some hybrid materials but that obviously just reduces rather than eliminates. Pretty much every one I'm aware of at least uses recycled plastic, so I guess that's something.

There's apparently now some that includes no plastic but the longevity is questionable and then you get into the ethical questions of disposal items/fast fashion.

The big problem with the stuff I've had is it just isn't very good, it doesn't age like leather, can't be conditioned in the same way and will inevitably split, and they don't tend to breathe well.

I've got a cupboard full of well made leather shoes that need resoling every few years but the uppers will last a lifetime, there's no real replacement for that.

[GarethRDR]

32 minutes ago, sidcow said:

Do you want to store something in my roofless sideless shed. 

Actually I have got these cushions now you mention it...

[bickster]

7 hours ago, sidcow said:

Vegan Leather. **** off.  And when you get there, **** off a bit more. 

It used to be called leatherette.

The Normal (AKA Daniel Miller of Mute records fame) even wrote a song about it,  which was later covered by Grace Jones who even named her album after it.

 

[TheAuthority]

5 hours ago, bickster said:

It used to be called leatherette.

The Normal (AKA Daniel Miller of Mute records fame) even wrote a song about it,  which was later covered by Grace Jones who even named her album after it.

 

Pleather over here

[TheAuthority]

10 hours ago, GarethRDR said:

I mean... by definition it's not leather, correct? Which is the one thing that did amuse me about aforementioned "pizza" establishment; all the vegan substituted/mock ingredients had specific "faux" names ("mozzella", for example), all except the pepperoni which was just straight up pepperoni. I took this as a damning indictment of the meat content of actual pepperoni.

Vegans are just so lacking in red meat that their brain doesn't function well enough to spell correctly. 

[sidcow]

2 hours ago, TheAuthority said:

Vegans are just so lacking in red meat that their brain doesn't function well enough to spell correctly. 

They were SO happy when Mad Cow disease came about. Some of them even managed to raise enough energy to lift their arms above their heads in celebration. 

[Davkaus]

[Xela]

On 18/05/2024 at 18:48, Davkaus said:

Yeah, the plastic stuff is pretty grim, and probably worse environmentally. There"s been a bit of a drive to reduce it with some hybrid materials but that obviously just reduces rather than eliminates. Pretty much every one I'm aware of at least uses recycled plastic, so I guess that's something.

There's apparently now some that includes no plastic but the longevity is questionable and then you get into the ethical questions of disposal items/fast fashion.

The big problem with the stuff I've had is it just isn't very good, it doesn't age like leather, can't be conditioned in the same way and will inevitably split, and they don't tend to breathe well.

I've got a cupboard full of well made leather shoes that need resoling every few years but the uppers will last a lifetime, there's no real replacement for that.

When I was looking at wallets, I saw these. Look pretty decent

https://olivercompanylondon.com/pages/sustainable-vegan-wallets

Made from apples!

[Davkaus]

2 minutes ago, Xela said:

When I was looking at wallets, I saw these. Look pretty decent

https://olivercompanylondon.com/pages/sustainable-vegan-wallets

Made from apples!

Ooh, never heard of those, pretty smart - and I guess they don't have to go through as much abuse as footwear. I haven't carried a wallet in 5_ years but at the rate I throw my cards around and have to replace them it might be time to treat myself