The coronabrexit thread. I mean, coronavirus thread

[Norman]

11 minutes ago, GboroRam said:

French energy bills only going up 4%. Covid presumably didn't reach France. 

You might want to read up on what will happen down the line on that one. 

No country is safe from the prices. To think otherwise is stupid. 

It's like trying to prove the Russian economy is fine by posting the price of Roubles. Basic economics being ignored. 

Edited August 27, 2022 by Norman

[GboroRam]

25 minutes ago, Norman said:

You might want to read up on what will happen down the line on that one. 

No country is safe from the prices. To think otherwise is stupid. 

It's like trying to prove the Russian economy is fine by posting the price of Roubles. Basic economics being ignored. 

I'll be perfectly honest and say I've no idea what is causing the energy price increase. Ukraine seems to be an excuse as so little of our gas comes from Russia. However it does seem like energy companies are taking advantage of the situation and if we hadn't privatised the suppliers perhaps we could be alleviating some of the pain, in the same way france is doing. 

If its covid related please explain why its disproportionately affecting energy prices? 

[Carl Sagan]

8 hours ago, TexasRam said:

Some of us did warn this was coming when we ridiculously shut down the economy for 2 years 

This. You can't close the economy down for two years, pay people not to work, and not have consequences. And understandably people got used to not working and being given money, and rather enjoyed it. We have a cost of lockdown crisis that has translated into a cost of living crisis, yet people have been conditioned to think the solution is simply to hand out more free money. No wonder inflation is going through the roof. We've entered a situation where, if it's raining in Manchester, the media and all commentators are bemoaning why the government isn't buying everyone umbrellas. Just stop it. 

We had to lockdown when Covid happened. But once we had the vaccines and we'd offered them to the vulnerable population (those over 65 and those with serious health conditions) that needed to be the end of it. It should have been about personal evaluation of risk from then on, and going back to work, not closing the schools and so on. We built all these Nightingale hospitals and never used them. Those with Covid should have been moved there for specialist treatment while the regular hospitals were kept open for the ongoing treatment of more important illnesses and diseases. Now we have to start to learn to think for ourselves all over again and make our own decisions, rather than acting like sheep and expecting to be fed. 

[Gone]

1 hour ago, GboroRam said:

French energy bills only going up 4%. Covid presumably didn't reach France. 

It’s not just energy, have a read, have a look at inflation across the world. Businesses have lost their cash reserves due to covid/lockdowns/restrictions/global supply chain distribution/reduction in supply with the same demand. How do they get cash back? Put up prices, it’s dummy’s for economics…….didn’t think you’d grasp it to be honest 

[maxjam]

For anyone thats bothered, here is a bit of reading about covids effect on energy pricing;

https://theconversation.com/energy-prices-how-covid-helped-them-to-surge-and-why-they-wont-go-down-any-time-soon-175679

And here is an article on why we will be paying more for our energy than the French - certainly in the short term;

https://theconversation.com/energy-crisis-why-french-households-are-largely-protected-from-soaring-costs-while-british-families-struggle-188417

[GboroRam]

1 hour ago, maxjam said:

For anyone thats bothered, here is a bit of reading about covids effect on energy pricing;

https://theconversation.com/energy-prices-how-covid-helped-them-to-surge-and-why-they-wont-go-down-any-time-soon-175679

And here is an article on why we will be paying more for our energy than the French - certainly in the short term;

https://theconversation.com/energy-crisis-why-french-households-are-largely-protected-from-soaring-costs-while-british-families-struggle-188417

Sounds a bit confused. The lockdowns brought a drop in demand, which is now returning causing an increase in price. I can see that would be a cause, albeit a temporary one. 

The bulk of the article talks about a move away from fossil fuels causing the majority of price problems. A problem we've seen coming for decades. The solution could be to increase fossil fuel usage again, and hope the planet can handle it. But what's the solution when fossil fuels run out?

As for the French, I like the government being able to subsidise the industry to manage the cost problem. In fact wasn't that one of the brexit benefits - our government couldn't intervene because the EU wouldn't allow it? Yet here the French, arguably in the EU are doing it and we aren't. 

[Archied]

2 hours ago, Carl Sagan said:

This. You can't close the economy down for two years, pay people not to work, and not have consequences. And understandably people got used to not working and being given money, and rather enjoyed it. We have a cost of lockdown crisis that has translated into a cost of living crisis, yet people have been conditioned to think the solution is simply to hand out more free money. No wonder inflation is going through the roof. We've entered a situation where, if it's raining in Manchester, the media and all commentators are bemoaning why the government isn't buying everyone umbrellas. Just stop it. 

We had to lockdown when Covid happened. But once we had the vaccines and we'd offered them to the vulnerable population (those over 65 and those with serious health conditions) that needed to be the end of it. It should have been about personal evaluation of risk from then on, and going back to work, not closing the schools and so on. We built all these Nightingale hospitals and never used them. Those with Covid should have been moved there for specialist treatment while the regular hospitals were kept open for the ongoing treatment of more important illnesses and diseases. Now we have to start to learn to think for ourselves all over again and make our own decisions, rather than acting like sheep and expecting to be fed. 

Not just that but vast swathe’s of the population are still not back at work , sitting round in they’re pants all day telling us how much more productive they are now and demanding it’s they’re right to do so forever on 

[Carl Sagan]

18 minutes ago, Archied said:

Not just that but vast swathe’s of the population are still not back at work , sitting round in they’re pants all day telling us how much more productive they are now and demanding it’s they’re right to do so forever on 

100% this. Nothing is getting done because no one can be arsed to actually go to the office and make it happen.

[GboroRam]

10 hours ago, Carl Sagan said:

100% this. Nothing is getting done because no one can be arsed to actually go to the office and make it happen.

Oddly enough, most of the offices at my work remain mainly empty and performance is through the roof. Strangely they managed to include a few IT team members in an email extolling our record profits, and will have a hard time trying to avoid demands for decent pay increases. 

[Gone]

It’s keeps coming https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/little-by-little-the-truth-of-lockdown-is-being-admitted-it-was-a-disaster-5b5lrlgwk

[Crewton]

"Right-wing libertarian criticises lockdowns" isn't the massive gotcha you think it is. Sunak's election pitch to the libertarian wing of the Conservative Party is doing allot of mileage there. This is just the latest in a long line of Lord Gumption's articles pushing his own philosophy and agenda. Actually, Lord Assumption would suit him well too. 

[Archied]

Them scummy right wingers wanting to be with family when they’re dying , go to they’re funerals , send they’re kids to school , earn a living , choose what to put in they’re own bodies , see they’re friends and family if they choose and not turn round and sack the people they have been out on the streets clapping for for putting themselves at risk to care for others ,,,,

[maxjam]

Lets hope we've seen the back of covid now cos I'm not taking any new lockdown or health advice from an obese, cigar smoking 'Health' Minister ?

 

[Eddie]

On 27/08/2022 at 20:50, Carl Sagan said:

100% this. Nothing is getting done because no one can be arsed to actually go to the office and make it happen.

 

[Tamworthram]

On 27/08/2022 at 20:50, Carl Sagan said:

100% this. Nothing is getting done because no one can be arsed to actually go to the office and make it happen.

Massive generalisation there and you're sounding like the Daily Mail who are obsessed with everyone going back into the office.

I know it's not the same for all types of business but It's largely only the ineffective organisations that are unable to manage the productivity of their staff. Speaking from my own experience, the last project I worked on (ironically Covid Bounce Back Loans) the timescales we had to work to and expectations were exactly the same as if I'd been commuting into the office (over the whole 9 month contract I never once met any of the rest of the team face to face). Same for my daughter who has now been working from home since the first lock down. She has the same productivity targets (in terms of the number of cases) that she has to meet.

[Carl Sagan]

2 hours ago, Tamworthram said:

Massive generalisation there and you're sounding like the Daily Mail who are obsessed with everyone going back into the office.

I know it's not the same for all types of business but It's largely only the ineffective organisations that are unable to manage the productivity of their staff. Speaking from my own experience, the last project I worked on (ironically Covid Bounce Back Loans) the timescales we had to work to and expectations were exactly the same as if I'd been commuting into the office (over the whole 9 month contract I never once met any of the rest of the team face to face). Same for my daughter who has now been working from home since the first lock down. She has the same productivity targets (in terms of the number of cases) that she has to meet.

I'm pleased if you and your daughter are working effectively, although I worry for the younger generation of workers, alone in their bedrooms, with no one to bond with or ask how something works or how to do things. 

Wokists scoff at the Mail when it is the most read newspaper in the UK so gets more right than it gets wrong. Sadly from personal experience, most people you call post-covid are in their bedrooms completely incapable of sorting any problem out. 

The one good thing about the cost of lockdown crisis we're now experiencing is that everyone will finally be rushing back into the office once they see how much their fuel bills are going up. 

[nottingram]

16 minutes ago, Carl Sagan said:

I'm pleased if you and your daughter are working effectively, although I worry for the younger generation of workers, alone in their bedrooms, with no one to bond with or ask how something works or how to do things. 

Wokists scoff at the Mail when it is the most read newspaper in the UK so gets more right than it gets wrong. Sadly from personal experience, most people you call post-covid are in their bedrooms completely incapable of sorting any problem out. 

The one good thing about the cost of lockdown crisis we're now experiencing is that everyone will finally be rushing back into the office once they see how much their fuel bills are going up. 

Perhaps the younger generation of workers prefer it at home where they don’t have to listen to people, unable to keep up with the way of the world, droning on about “wokists” because they don’t read the Daily Mail.

Or maybe they quite like having an extra couple of hours a day back not commuting, agency of their own work, better work life balance, spending time with pets or loved ones, increased productivity and simply, the trust of their colleagues to get their own work done. 

Could be either. It’s the latter for me, lucky enough not to work with any of the former.

[Crewton]

The Daily Mail is a monumental crock of sh** and always has been. It's got sod all to do with their political views and everything to do with their habit of being totally wrong and stigmatising people they think their readers hate. 

The puzzle pages are quite good though. 

[Archied]

7 hours ago, nottingram said:

Perhaps the younger generation of workers prefer it at home where they don’t have to listen to people, unable to keep up with the way of the world, droning on about “wokists” because they don’t read the Daily Mail.

Or maybe they quite like having an extra couple of hours a day back not commuting, agency of their own work, better work life balance, spending time with pets or loved ones, increased productivity and simply, the trust of their colleagues to get their own work done. 

Could be either. It’s the latter for me, lucky enough not to work with any of the former.

Those pets will have to go to effect climate change ,so I’m told, we should have far fewer loved ones if we are to make / keep space for rewilding 

Edited September 7, 2022 by Archied

[Tamworthram]

8 hours ago, Carl Sagan said:

I'm pleased if you and your daughter are working effectively, although I worry for the younger generation of workers, alone in their bedrooms, with no one to bond with or ask how something works or how to do things. 

Wokists scoff at the Mail when it is the most read newspaper in the UK so gets more right than it gets wrong. Sadly from personal experience, most people you call post-covid are in their bedrooms completely incapable of sorting any problem out. 

The one good thing about the cost of lockdown crisis we're now experiencing is that everyone will finally be rushing back into the office once they see how much their fuel bills are going up. 

I don’t work anymore as my contract came to a natural end and I’ve not bothered to find another but, it isn’t/wasn’t just me and my daughter. Pretty much the whole of my project team (quite a big team) worked from home and my daughter is not the only one in her organisation that does so. As I say, it’s not possible in every organisation but many businesses should be able to manage the productivity of their home based staff. I really do think it’s an unhelpful myth that everyone working from home staggers out of bed just before they are due to start work, are distracted by daytime TV and have constant breaks for cups of tea, to take the dog for a walk, hang the washing out and generally doss around. I suspect there are many that put more hours in -starting a little earlier and finishing a little later by using their previous commuting time.

With regard to the Daily Mail, I actually receive the digital version every day and once you have ploughed your way through the nonsense stories about Megan Markle, misleading manipulation of statistics and intense political bias there isn’t much left. I only have for the sport and the puzzles ? and because I suspect all newspapers are pretty much the same