Hancock's Half Hour

[Rorschach]

Has anyone written to their MP, apparently lots are according to the BBC.

I wrote to mine after I heard that.

The mental is strong at present, once one in 5 lose their jobs and they realise the holiday is over and universal credit is rubbish, they will start to realise there are more important things to sh!tt yourself over.
I'd genuinely say if you're not in discussions with your boss about returning to work then your job is very much on the line.

I am very worried about a few friends for this reason.

 

[Garno]

If Cummings was so squeaky clean then why did he go and make an amendment to his blog to try and make him look like 'The Good Guy' ?

In fairness further down it does say that the original did include links to a site mentioning Covid and that the edited part of the blog was a paragraph that had been taken from there.

 

[Trevanion]

I'd genuinely say if you're not in discussions with your boss about returning to work then your job is very much on the line.

I was chatting with an acquaintance who runs a large glass firm that's just started back up today and they were saying that about half the staff on the work floor have come back to work now and they're still operating at pretty much the same production rate they did before the lockdown when they had twice the staff, it's just that the ones who want to work that are actually in work now. Combined with the fact that they've spent the lockdown period focusing on automating the admin side of things more so that fewer people would be needed there... I was told there was a list of names being produced for the termination in excess of fifty people.

It really is a case of survival of the fittest in many different ways, I think people should spend less time fussing about the really small petty things and start getting their affairs in order and try and be as strong as possible to make it through.

 

[Chris152]

I watched some beeb today whilst stuffing sausages - they seemed very clear that I should be incensed over the actions of Mr Cummings.

If you'd had time you'd have seen the same on ITV and Channel 4. Something of a consensus. Sometimes even the mainstream media are right.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

My wife works for a bank (Swedish) and she says the consensus there is that some firms are doing unbelievably well atm, some will probably get through but some others will go bust shortly. There will then be lull while businesses try to get going again properly then another wave of closures and bankruptcies in the autumn. Also, commercial landlords should be very, very afraid - so many companies are finding that people working from home works perfectly well now that their hand has been forced - her own firm included. (She's been at work while others have been at home (her job is largely paper based) - she says it's bliss just to be able to get on without interuption. )

 

[Rorschach]

I watched some beeb today whilst stuffing sausages - they seemed very clear that I should be incensed over the actions of Mr Cummings.

If you'd had time you'd have seen the same on ITV and Channel 4. Something of a consensus. Sometimes even the mainstream media are right.

I can think of some other things that MSM had consensus on but were wrong. :twisted:

 

[doctor Bob]

I watched some beeb today whilst stuffing sausages - they seemed very clear that I should be incensed over the actions of Mr Cummings.

If you'd had time you'd have seen the same on ITV and Channel 4. Something of a consensus. Sometimes even the mainstream media are right.

If in your opinion they are right then fair enough but as TN says why are they trying to make me apoplectic with rage, I really have more to worry about. The papers are focusing on the wrong story in my opinion.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

...
Also, commercial landlords should be very, very afraid - so many companies are finding that people working from home works perfectly well now that their hand has been forced...

That is going to have quite an impact on pension funds, which have pretty significant commercial office space in their portfolios. Pension funds have spent the last ten years desperate for yield, and under-performing against all their projected expectations. They are now going to start seeing some major yield reduction.

 

[Rorschach]

I wonder if the change in working habits will solve the housing crisis? Convert commercial buildings into affordable housing maybe?

 

[Andy Kev.]

If I were Boris, I would have dealt with this by saying something like, "He acted entirely sensibly and responsibly in making arrangements for the welfare of his child and at no point did he place anybody else in danger. However, he skated a bit close to the limits of the spirit of the rules. Therefore he and I have agreed that he will donate 10k to charities of his choice.

I will ensure that it is made clear to all who work in Whitehall (politicians, civil servants, advisors etc.) that we will be returning to old-fashioned standards of integrity for them i.e. higher standards than we expect of the rest of the public. Anybody who thinks he/she has a case for exemption from rules must apply for dispensations. FWIW I would have granted Cummings a dispensation due to the vital nature of his role.

And that is the end of the matter."

But that's just the way I would have done it.

 

[RogerS]

...FWIW I would have granted Cummings a dispensation due to the vital nature of his role.
...

What ? Spin doctor ?

 

[Rorschach]

If I were Boris, I would have dealt with this by saying something like, "He acted entirely sensibly and responsibly in making arrangements for the welfare of his child and at no point did he place anybody else in danger. However, he skated a bit close to the limits of the spirit of the rules. Therefore he and I have agreed that he will donate 10k to charities of his choice.

I will ensure that it is made clear to all who work in Whitehall (politicians, civil servants, advisors etc.) that we will be returning to old-fashioned standards of integrity for them i.e. higher standards than we expect of the rest of the public. Anybody who thinks he/she has a case for exemption from rules must apply for dispensations. FWIW I would have granted Cummings a dispensation due to the vital nature of his role.

And that is the end of the matter."

But that's just the way I would have done it.

The media would turn that into "rich think they can buy their way out of lockdown"

 

[doctor Bob]

I wonder if the change in working habits will solve the housing crisis? Convert commercial buildings into affordable housing maybe?

They tried that in Harlow ........... terminus office block near the bus station, it's been a disaster. crime and drug hotspot now. It's difficult to believe Harlow can go down hill but it has and thats from someone who saw a gang of yobbos put a police car on it's roof outside the Essex skipper in the 90's.

 

[woodhutt]

My wife works for a bank (Swedish) and she says the consensus there is that some firms are doing unbelievably well atm, some will probably get through but some others will go bust shortly. There will then be lull while businesses try to get going again properly then another wave of closures and bankruptcies in the autumn. Also, commercial landlords should be very, very afraid - so many companies are finding that people working from home works perfectly well now that their hand has been forced - her own firm included. (She's been at work while others have been at home (her job is largely paper based) - she says it's bliss just to be able to get on without interuption. )

Philski. My missus has found the same. Working from home (for the local City Council) she says her productivity has increased measurably due to the lack of constant interruption from colleagues dropping in 'for a chat'.
As the council were on the verge (pre-Covid) of closing the building temporarily to carry out earthquake strengthening, it will be interesting to see if they re-evaluate the need for such a big building at all, particularly as the work will cost a few hundred thousand and money is about to get tight.
Pete

 

[Trainee neophyte]

As the council were on the verge (pre-Covid) of closing the building temporarily to carry out earthquake strengthening, it will be interesting to see if they re-evaluate the need for such a big building at all, particularly as the work will cost a few hundred thousand and money is about to get tight.

Government getting smaller? That would be unusual, to say the least. In a few years time, government, or newly nationalised corporations, may be the only employment available.

 

[worn thumbs]

Government getting smaller? That would be unusual, to say the least. In a few years time, government, or newly nationalised corporations, may be the only employment available.

An interesting observation.I would counter by mentioning that a few days ago on the excellent Euronews channel they ran a feature on the food banks operating in Northern Italy and serving the increasingly desperate members of the black economy.Not a small community judging from the length of the queues.I would much rather we all paid our fair share of the nation's tax burden but I suspect the efforts of that sector of our society will have a large part to play.

 

[rafezetter]

Garno, you make some valid observations but the one critical factor that you've overlooked is not whether what he did was right or wrong, legal or illegal, whether he should be sacked or not...all of these matter not one jot. What matters is how his actions are perceived by the general public. We are being asked to carry out a certain way of life for the moment, lockdown etc. But when we see someone in his position doing whatever he wants and not perceived to be 'obeying' the same 'rules' as the rest of us, then it is human nature to say 'Damn that...if he can do that then so can I'.

And therein lies the danger. You only have to look at what happened in the last few days at Weston Hospital to see just how easy things can go pear-shaped quite quickly.

Just my two cents - I agree with the sentiments of Garno, "there but for the grace of god" and all that, but the reality and the political reality for Boris is what Roger has said.

DC (Cummings not Coultard) isn't a man for whom his actions have no real world consequence, unlike the rest of us. Perception can be everything, as Amy Cooper in America (google it) learned recently to her extreme cost.

DC's situation could well have been utterly unavoidable, but then lying about it (or what looks like it) and the "drove 30 miles for an eyetest" stretched credulity - it's all downhill after that.

His either extreme naivety of how this would be perceived - or extreme stupidity that this could be ridden out has just inflamed the situation tenfold.

Hence the burning torches and pitchforks - because the polite and calm calls for his resignation or sacking have been loudly ignored.

The other side of this equation that many of the more cogniscent are understanding is that Boris is buying himself a major problem come the next election - wholesale - during a time when the country needs govt stability; regardless of what you think of the Conservatives, a forced change of Govt via a no confidence situation, and all that goes with that, would be a bloody distaster over the next 12 / 24 / 36 months, and Boris isn't exactly swimming in an excess of political capital to squander away on this. I absolutely beleive that Labour, given half a sniff, would use this situation to force that no confidence vote, regardless of how costly it would be to the country, for the opportunity to reverse Brexit and further thier own agenda.

Those that see all this are practically screaming at Boris to cut this guy loose - and those who aren't seeing this other side of the equation are assuming the pleb(ian)s of the "braying hounds" pitchfork carrying persuasion and the political "this is going to cost you bigtime Boris" group are one and the same.

So all is not quite as it seems Garno, a little temperance may be in order.

 

[woodhutt]

As the council were on the verge (pre-Covid) of closing the building temporarily to carry out earthquake strengthening, it will be interesting to see if they re-evaluate the need for such a big building at all, particularly as the work will cost a few hundred thousand and money is about to get tight.

Government getting smaller? That would be unusual, to say the least. In a few years time, government, or newly nationalised corporations, may be the only employment available.

Not necessarily smaller, although a few positions could be lost if a large 'Town Hall' were no longer needed. As far as I can see, there are only a few departments that would require a publicly accessible office (planning, building consents spring to mind). Much of the work is already conducted remotely - from the public, I mean - via email and over the website rather than face-to-face. A smaller public footprint would certainly save ratepayers money.
A couple of years back we successfully fought off an attempt to marginalize the individual councils in the region by setting up a 'Super Council' based in Wellington and who would oversee the collection and distribution of monies to the various sub-councils. We knew where this would lead to and who would be the main beneficiary. Rather like (say) the GLC collecting rates for all the councils in the London area who would then have to go cap in hand to plead their individual cases. (Perhaps that is the situation in London, I don't know :| )
However, IMO, downsizing would certainly re-focus the local council's attention on its core functions - that of providing essential services to its ratepayers.

Anyway, haven't we long been told that this is our future? Working and shopping from home via the interweb, paperless society etc. It's taken this pandemic to force the experiment to begin in earnest. As for pension fund investment being heavily focused on property, perhaps it's time they began to look further afield. I would imagine smart investors are already looking at what future society will look like and moving their money in that direction - perhaps with beneficial results.
Pete

 

[Trainee neophyte]

As for pension fund investment being heavily focused on property, perhaps it's time they began to look further afield. I would imagine smart investors are already looking at what future society will look like and moving their money in that direction - perhaps with beneficial results.

Long term, the smart money will get out early and already be investing in domestic coffee making machines or whatever, but leviathan pension funds as a group can not do this: firstly, they are colossal and cumbersome, and secondly they have a limited range of assets they are allowed to invest in, and thirdly they have assumptions for growth and income that they use to cover their liabilities, which are the future payments to their retirees. If they miss earning sufficient to pay out to pensioners, the capital is used instead, which then depletes the fund, which must then chase an even higher yield, taking more risk (but limited by law as to what assets are eligible). You see the vicious circle? 10 years of near zero interest rates have already caused chaos. Luckily the stock markets have found a "permanently high plateau", otherwise we would all be in trouble.

(Stock prices have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau. I do not feel there will be soon if ever a 50 or 60 point break from present levels, such as (bears) have predicted. I expect to see the stock market a good deal higher within a few months.”
– Irving Fisher, Ph.D. in economics, Oct. 17, 1929)

What could possibly go wrong?

 

[woodhutt]

Just an aside. A friend of SWMBO's works in the bullion trade in Wellington. She says there has been a marked increase in US customers buying and depositing bullion in NZ. There is also a reported upswing in applications from the US for NZ residency.
Well, it makes a change from the Asian invasion, I suppose.
Pete