Also In The News - part 3

[FoxesDeb]

6 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

My eldest is learning to drive and he knows I'm not overkeen....I try to keep sowing with him that cars need respect and I personally don't think (male)  teenagers are capable of that kinda respect (that's not a dig at the poor lads involved btw, just a reminder that cars and kids aren't a reassuring mix) 

I went through some mixed emotions with my sons. My eldest has no interest in driving and I haven't encouraged him. My other son passed his test and I congratulated him, but through well concealed gritted teeth. I hate the idea of him driving, but he's a grown up and I have to trust him.

 

Unfortunately I can remember what a twat I was when I was a young driver, which doesn't help. 

 

Always a tragedy when something like this happens 

 

 

[FoxesDeb]

Reports of more journalists being killed in the conflict, Lebanon blaming the Israelis.

[ClaphamFox]

2 hours ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

Tired cliché that it is and I'm sure everybody would see this as a tragedy, it is weird how you respond to things like this when you become a parent yourself.

 

I was only vaguely aware of them being unaccounted for, and then you see the update and it proper gets you in the stomach. Awful news

I consciously avoid ever starting sentences with the words “As a parent…” because it seems so meaningless and patronising - as if parents have a monopoly on empathy. In my many years as a non-parent I would always be very upset by stories like this, as would any decent human being. 
 

But it does take on a different dimension when you are a parent. It’s because you immediately think of your own living, breathing child succumbing to the same fate. It’s horrible but that’s the way the brain works. And it really hits you hard - right in the guts, as you say. 

Edited 21 November 2023 by ClaphamFox

[Otis]

TikTok menace Mizzy has been locked up for 18 weeks at a young offenders institution and banned from posting videos on social media for two years by a judge who told him that his pranks harassing the public were 'not funny'.

 

 

[LiberalFox]

Reasonable for protesters to call Iain Duncan Smith ‘Tory scum’, court rules

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/nov/21/protesters-iain-duncan-smith-tory-scum-reasonable-court-rules

[WigstonWanderer]

3 hours ago, FoxesDeb said:

I went through some mixed emotions with my sons. My eldest has no interest in driving and I haven't encouraged him. My other son passed his test and I congratulated him, but through well concealed gritted teeth. I hate the idea of him driving, but he's a grown up and I have to trust him.

 

Unfortunately I can remember what a twat I was when I was a young driver, which doesn't help. 

 

Always a tragedy when something like this happens 

 

 

I had a similar experience. Eldest learnt to drive and eventually passed his test but had absolutely no interest in driving. The only time he actually drove since passing his test he had minor accident in a traffic jam and hasn’t driven since. Fortunately for him the world seems to have accommodated his preferences and he just Ubers, trains or buses, and is happy doing so. Now lives an urban life near pubs and restaurants so doesn’t seem to need a car.

 

The other son couldn’t wait to drive, passed his test at the earliest  opportunity.

 

I think sometimes parents (particularly in modern times) beat themselves up for not parenting properly and blame themselves for everything’s their kids do wrong, but when you do the same things with two different children and get chalk and cheese results, you realise it really isn’t all about you.

[westernpark]

5 hours ago, Paninistickers said:

My eldest is learning to drive and he knows I'm not overkeen....I try to keep sowing with him that cars need respect and I personally don't think (male)  teenagers are capable of that kinda respect (that's not a dig at the poor lads involved btw, just a reminder that cars and kids aren't a reassuring mix) 

Don’t know if this is any help but have a feeling you are near to where I grew up (Western Park). I’m late 20s, have two siblings, none of us have learned to drive, we’ve all done alright for ourselves already. I’d tell them to only learn if it really benefits them, like you say it’s a big undertaking and the necessary understanding to go with a car is huge. Once I realised I could walk into town, I didn’t care. My parents discouraged from driving by them(not a financial decision at all), as a result I walk everywhere. I unfortunately know people who have died in a car crashes when they were of a similar age. I really wish it was not the norm to drive by the time you’re 18. 

[WigstonWanderer]

5 hours ago, westernpark said:

Don’t know if this is any help but have a feeling you are near to where I grew up (Western Park). I’m late 20s, have two siblings, none of us have learned to drive, we’ve all done alright for ourselves already. I’d tell them to only learn if it really benefits them, like you say it’s a big undertaking and the necessary understanding to go with a car is huge. Once I realised I could walk into town, I didn’t care. My parents discouraged from driving by them(not a financial decision at all), as a result I walk everywhere. I unfortunately know people who have died in a car crashes when they were of a similar age. I really wish it was not the norm to drive by the time you’re 18. 

I think a lot of people of your generation aren't as in love with cars as previous gens. Good thing too from an environmental perspective. Also probably much cheaper (particularly these days with Uber and other services) than running a car and encourages walking as you say.

[nnfox]

The numbers of road users killed or seriously injured are generally decreasing every year.  Car occupants account for about half of all road deaths every year with pedestrians being the next biggest group.  Given the actual numbers of road users out there, car driving is by far the safest mode of transport and is orders of magnitude safer than cycling or riding a motorbike.

 

We live in a village so my kids will realistically have to learn to drive and I'm fine with that.  I can talk to them about driving safely and being a responsible driver and here's the important bit: I can also impress on them the dangers of getting into a car with an idiot driver.  These four poor lads in Wales died in a car accident, but only one of them was driving, the other three were just passengers.  And for clarity I'm not saying that the driver in that case was an idiot because I don't know the circumstances and some times bad things happen to good people.

 

I have a mate who works on the serious collision team in the police which is an incredibly sad role (but very rewarding, he says).  Most collisions that he deals with are caused by unnecessary risk taking or stupidity, like trying to do a 3 point turn on a blind bend on a country road, for instance.  Risks are greatly increased if drink and/or drugs are used.  Sometimes though, it is the case where perfectly innocent people suffer horrendous injuries or death through no fault of their own by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

 

Using a road by whatever means of transport you choose carries risk.  All you can do is take steps yourself to minimise the risk to yourself and others and hope that other road users do the same.

[Paninistickers]

6 hours ago, westernpark said:

Don’t know if this is any help but have a feeling you are near to where I grew up (Western Park). I’m late 20s, have two siblings, none of us have learned to drive, we’ve all done alright for ourselves already. I’d tell them to only learn if it really benefits them, like you say it’s a big undertaking and the necessary understanding to go with a car is huge. Once I realised I could walk into town, I didn’t care. My parents discouraged from driving by them(not a financial decision at all), as a result I walk everywhere. I unfortunately know people who have died in a car crashes when they were of a similar age. I really wish it was not the norm to drive by the time you’re 18. 

I agree and have told him with e scooters and e bikes, there's no real need for a car 98% of the time

 

7 minutes ago, nnfox said:

I can also impress on them the dangers of getting into a car with an idiot driver

Exactly that. When he gets a lift with some bonehead driver mate, I'm always like FFS, do you have to?

[Lionator]

Budget day or as this year will be known ‘how many people can the tories trick with their tax cuts’. 
 

By the way, with the state of our public services, tax cuts aren’t a great idea? 

[Jon the Hat]

4 minutes ago, Lionator said:

Budget day or as this year will be known ‘how many people can the tories trick with their tax cuts’. 
 

By the way, with the state of our public services, tax cuts aren’t a great idea? 

Tax cuts can boost spending and generate growth, which generates more tax.  The Tax burden is pretty high at the moment.

[Bellend Sebastian]

12 hours ago, ClaphamFox said:

I consciously avoid ever starting sentences with the words “As a parent…” because it seems so meaningless and patronising - as if parents have a monopoly on empathy. In my many years as a non-parent I would always be very upset by stories like this, as would any decent human being. 
 

But it does take on a different dimension when you are a parent. It’s because you immediately think of your own living, breathing child succumbing to the same fate. It’s horrible but that’s the way the brain works. And it really hits you hard - right in the guts, as you say. 

9 times out of 10 when a sentence starts as you've described, it's followed by a completely unreasonable request to get special treatment in the workplace, and it's got F*£@ ALL to do with parenthood and is usually just the latest in an ever growing list of reasons to do less work than your colleagues.

 

I'm fortunate to work in a very family orientated firm where people recognise this and don't push things too far, but crikey I've heard some howlers over the years

[Bellend Sebastian]

9 minutes ago, Lionator said:

Budget day or as this year will be known ‘how many people can the tories trick with their tax cuts’. 
 

By the way, with the state of our public services, tax cuts aren’t a great idea? 

I'm not sure about the populace's understanding of tax generally (but as with most financial things suspect it's close to non-existent) but there's definitely a massive misconception about Inheritance Tax judging by what I read on social media and conversations overheard in the barbers or whatever. You would think you couldn't inherit anything without "most of it" being taken off you by the taxman

 

 

[Jon the Hat]

2 minutes ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

9 times out of 10 when a sentence starts as you've described, it's followed by a completely unreasonable request to get special treatment in the workplace, and it's got F*£@ ALL to do with parenthood and is usually just the latest in an ever growing list of reasons to do less work than your colleagues.

 

I'm fortunate to work in a very family orientated firm where people recognise this and don't push things too far, but crikey I've heard some howlers over the years

The workforce needs parents to be able to work, ergo they need to be flexible - especially when childcare is so insanely expensive.  Keeping people, usually Mums, out of the workplace is bad for everyone.  

[Lionator]

25 minutes ago, Jon the Hat said:

The workforce needs parents to be able to work, ergo they need to be flexible - especially when childcare is so insanely expensive.  Keeping people, usually Mums, out of the workplace is bad for everyone.  

If you want parents to work then surely you make childcare more affordable? Making people work more to pay for expensive childcare seems cyclical and stupid. 

[Jon the Hat]

20 minutes ago, Lionator said:

If you want parents to work then surely you make childcare more affordable? Making people work more to pay for expensive childcare seems cyclical and stupid. 

Yes that would work better imo, but is very expensive so not likley at this point.  The simplest way would be to reduce the ratios, but that has a risk factor.

[Bellend Sebastian]

1 hour ago, Jon the Hat said:

The workforce needs parents to be able to work, ergo they need to be flexible - especially when childcare is so insanely expensive.  Keeping people, usually Mums, out of the workplace is bad for everyone.  

I completely agree. As a working parent - and one afforded a generous level of flexibility by a very family friendly employer, I might add - it would be extremely hypocritical of me to take issue with that.

 

I'm talking about the mindset where an employee is always on the lookout for the things they can use to basically justify not doing any work. It's really damaging and undermines employee rights as it can make employers sceptical about genuine cases to everyone's detriment.

 

There's more of this about at the minute than there has been, I think partly because work has been relatively easy to come by. In this instance nothing to do with parenting but I've heard some ASTONISHING tales from the workplace recently that may go part way to explaining the mysterious levels of productivity in the UK relative to other similar countries

[UniFox21]

Always horrible to hear young people losing their lives in an accident.

 

Always think the way we do driving tests and lessons needs drastically improving, we're taught to pass a test not to drive.

[kenny]

44 minutes ago, Lionator said:

If you want parents to work then surely you make childcare more affordable? Making people work more to pay for expensive childcare seems cyclical and stupid. 

What we get for what we pay its hard to see how nurserys make any money.

 

The staff are very well qualified and experienced and in the main earn minimum wage for it.

 

We pay under £60 a day for childcare for 10 hours including 3 meals. Its a bargain really.

[Nalis]

33 minutes ago, UniFox21 said:

Always horrible to hear young people losing their lives in an accident.

 

Always think the way we do driving tests and lessons needs drastically improving, we're taught to pass a test not to drive.

Life is badly set up this way in a lot of things when the focus is to cram for a result rather than learning a skill. Driving, exams, job interviews, etc.

[Finnegan]

2 hours ago, Jon the Hat said:

Tax cuts can boost spending and generate growth, which generates more tax.  The Tax burden is pretty high at the moment.

 

Significant tax cuts can boost spending, sure. 

 

A 1% reduction to something like NI makes absolutely no difference what so ever to my monthly paycheck it's just a PR exercise from the Tories to try and get votes from working people. 

 

Never mind that it'll create a hole to the tune of literal billions at the other end. 

 

Edited 22 November 2023 by Finnegan

[Spiritwalker]

3 hours ago, Bellend Sebastian said:

I'm not sure about the populace's understanding of tax generally (but as with most financial things suspect it's close to non-existent) but there's definitely a massive misconception about Inheritance Tax judging by what I read on social media and conversations overheard in the barbers or whatever. You would think you couldn't inherit anything without "most of it" being taken off you by the taxman

 

 

Yeah, if you’re a couple and passing on an estate which includes a property to your children, inheritance tax kicks in

after £1million. Anyone inheriting more than £1million can afford to contribute some money back to society.

[st albans fox]

1 hour ago, Spiritwalker said:

Yeah, if you’re a couple and passing on an estate which includes a property to your children, inheritance tax kicks in

after £1million. Anyone inheriting more than £1million can afford to contribute some money back to society.

They should put the IHT system right first 

Those who can afford it the most generally pay nothing due to complex trust arrangements. It’s the wealthier middle classes (especially down south) who end up paying it more. 

[Lionator]

This budget is fundamentally flawed by the chancellor telling everyone how wonderful the economic situation is when for 90% of people it is continually dire.

 

Nobody has even attempted to properly adapt post 2008. Just cuts, cuts and further austerity measures (minus covid years).