Systemic Collapse Watch - First Signs

[Harley]

2 hours ago, Kendo said:

An interesting snippet on Newsnight tonight with Danny Kruger MP, who conceded that “the government is no longer run by the government”. Government departments now need to defer many decisions to quangos, arms-length bodies, NGOs, charities, lobby groups, etc, and ministers are now relatively powerless to enact change, even if they want to.

I know this probably won’t come as a surprise to people here - I can remember talk of a bonfire of the quangos back in circa 2004/5 - but it’s quite a stark assessment of the political machinery from an MP and an indication of how real reform will be near-on impossible, owing to how the tentacles of power have spread out over recent decades. 

A legacy of Blairism?

[Democorruptcy]

British prisoners face serving time abroad to ease pressure on jails

Quote

 

British nationals sentenced to jail in England and Wales could be transferred to prisons elsewhere in Europe under radical legislation to address the crisis in the penal system to be announced on Monday.

Justice secretary Alex Chalk will also outline plans to release imprisoned foreign nationals earlier than currently allowed and deport them to their home countries to try to tackle the chronic shortage of space in jails.

The minister will tell the House of Commons that he intends to bring forward legislation — expected in next month’s King’s speech — to reform the justice system, including allowing any prisoner to be held in jail abroad regardless of their nationality.

Government insiders confirmed that preliminary talks were being held with Estonia about housing British prisoners but declined to say which other European countries had been approached.

They accepted the scheme could be costly — not least because the government might have to pay for families to visit relatives in overseas jails — and would only be pursued if it represented value for money.

https://www.ft.com/content/38f77e70-6cbf-4dd0-976c-4d2765038ea4

 

 

[leonardratso]

lets hope its a colombian jail.

[Axeman123]

Chinas housing glut plus propensity to weld people into buildings seems like an obvious solution here...

[Lightly Toasted]

On 16/10/2023 at 10:10, Democorruptcy said:

British prisoners face serving time abroad to ease pressure on jails

https://www.ft.com/content/38f77e70-6cbf-4dd0-976c-4d2765038ea4

"They accepted the scheme could be costly — not least because the government might have to pay for families to visit relatives in overseas jails — and would only be pursued if it represented value for money."

If video calls are acceptable for family contact with dying relatives, they're acceptable for prisoners too.

Not that that makes the scheme any more sensible!

[reformed nice guy]

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/pensions/article-12645515/People-raiding-savings-pensions.html

More people raid savings and take pension cash early to make ends meet, report suggests

"Nearly one in three people are spending savings or pensions sooner than planned to keep up with household bills, new research suggests.

More than half of adults of all ages say the rising cost of living is their most pressing financial worry, followed by running out of money and not saving enough for old age.

Two out of five said money is the issue most affecting their mental health, and one in three experienced a negative shock to their finances over the past three years, according to an annual pension survey by Interactive Investor."

 

[Formerly]

On 19/10/2023 at 14:11, reformed nice guy said:

, and one in three experienced a negative shock to their finances over the past three years, according to an annual pension survey by Interactive Investor."

This suggests that two thirds of the surveyed are ignorant of their financial position. Surely a 30% destruction of the value of your assets is a negative shock to your finances. Even if your only asset is property and you benefitted from the covid boom, it won't have gone up enough to cover the destruction of purchasing power of the £.

[One percent]

46 minutes ago, Formerly said:

This suggests that two thirds of the surveyed are ignorant of their financial position. Surely a 30% destruction of the value of your assets is a negative shock to your finances. Even if your only asset is property and you benefitted from the covid boom, it won't have gone up enough to cover the destruction of purchasing power of the £.

What exactly is a negative shock to finances?  

[jamtomorrow]

Went to the Slightly Bigger Smoke yesterday, retail park was almost gridlocked with punters queueing to get into Costco for the cheap fuel.

Reminded me of the news reports from the 80s from behind the iron curtain showing babushkas queuing outside a shop rumoured to have had a fresh delivery of something or other. Except it's entire families in nearly-new SUVs.

[PETR4]

On 02/10/2023 at 23:57, Kendo said:

An interesting snippet on Newsnight tonight with Danny Kruger MP, who conceded that “the government is no longer run by the government”. Government departments now need to defer many decisions to quangos, arms-length bodies, NGOs, charities, lobby groups, etc, and ministers are now relatively powerless to enact change, even if they want to.

I know this probably won’t come as a surprise to people here - I can remember talk of a bonfire of the quangos back in circa 2004/5 - but it’s quite a stark assessment of the political machinery from an MP and an indication of how real reform will be near-on impossible, owing to how the tentacles of power have spread out over recent decades. 

This is what I'm seeing in my job in central government. The decision making process has gotten too complex for the average person's intelect  to handle and people don't know what they don't know because they dont know it, but pride gets in the way of admiting it. No ability to ask the right questions, seek answers or consequentially think. Lot's of people thinking stuff is working or will work when it needs to. From cyber security to disaster recovery to recruiting the right people.

[Kendo]

I’ve recently seen this advertised on TV - https://www.boundless.co.uk/

They know that retired public-sector pensioners are the ones with all the cash and now an organisation is targeting them to part with it in exchange for discounts on leisure, entertainment, etc. If you’re a private sector retiree, that feels like you’re being trolled.

[Frank Hovis]

9 hours ago, Kendo said:

I’ve recently seen this advertised on TV - https://www.boundless.co.uk/

They know that retired public-sector pensioners are the ones with all the cash and now an organisation is targeting them to part with it in exchange for discounts on leisure, entertainment, etc. If you’re a private sector retiree, that feels like you’re being trolled.

 

I've had a couple of jobs where I could have joined this.

It was only worthwhile if you visited a lot of attractions and especially if you were going as a family with young kids.

Other than that it was on a par with these "shop local" cards that you sometimes see start up with 10% off massively overpriced restaurants, craft shops and expensive clothes shops. None of which you were going to anyway.

[Kendo]

2 hours ago, Frank Hovis said:

 

I've had a couple of jobs where I could have joined this.

It was only worthwhile if you visited a lot of attractions and especially if you were going as a family with young kids.

Other than that it was on a par with these "shop local" cards that you sometimes see start up with 10% off massively overpriced restaurants, craft shops and expensive clothes shops. None of which you were going to anyway.

Yes, I can see that being the case. Not sure it’s really a sign of systemic collapse either but it just struck me that there are now business models around extracting money from public sector pensioners and their families having the time and cash to enjoy themselves. Probably not a new thing but not seen something like that advertised on TV before.

[Frank Hovis]

2 minutes ago, Kendo said:

Yes, I can see that being the case. Not sure it’s really a sign of systemic collapse either but it just struck me that there are now business models around extracting money from public sector pensioners and their families having the time and cash to enjoy themselves. Probably not a new thing but not seen something like that advertised on TV before.

 

I thiink you're right - public sector workers as cash cows.

Some people who are ineligible for these schemes resent their not being allowed to join but if they had a proper look at the benefits then they would realise that they probably wouldn't join even if they had the opportunity.

[Chewing Grass]

33 minutes ago, Frank Hovis said:

 

I thiink you're right - public sector workers as cash cows.

Some people who are ineligible for these schemes resent their not being allowed to join but if they had a proper look at the benefits then they would realise that they probably wouldn't join even if they had the opportunity.

I think you just described COSTCO.

[Frank Hovis]

4 hours ago, Chewing Grass said:

I think you just described COSTCO.

 

I did look into Costco because someone I know mentioned using them, their business model appears to be to draw in blokes who want to buy regular groceries in unfeasibly large quantities such as you would transport in the back of a big old pick up truck in order to look flash.

There was no cost saving from these bulk purchases.

[Bear Hug]

1 hour ago, Frank Hovis said:

 

I did look into Costco because someone I know mentioned using them, their business model appears to be to draw in blokes who want to buy regular groceries in unfeasibly large quantities such as you would transport in the back of a big old pick up truck in order to look flash.

There was no cost saving from these bulk purchases.

Fuel is cheap but annual saving probably wouldn't cover cost of membership. 

Sometimes ipads are cheaper than elsewhere. 

[Bobthebuilder]

1 hour ago, Frank Hovis said:

 

I did look into Costco because someone I know mentioned using them, their business model appears to be to draw in blokes who want to buy regular groceries in unfeasibly large quantities such as you would transport in the back of a big old pick up truck in order to look flash.

There was no cost saving from these bulk purchases.

I thought the whole point of these places was that you can defer the VAT onto your customers, cafe, corner shop etc.

[Chewing Grass]

All part'n'parcel of systemic collapse as another cheapskate cost cutting councils 'development work' is found out when new bridge construction causes flooding.

Class action launched against corrupt council.

Add to Derby development flooding.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12800545/121million-bridge-left-villages-underwater-Furious-homeowners-say-new-structure-blame-floods-threaten-massive-class-action-lawsuit-against-council.html

[Democorruptcy]

One of the campaigning pledges made by Rochdale by-election winner George Galloway was to "clean the town hall clock". If that isn't a sign of the times I don't know what is.

[HousePriceMania]

11 minutes ago, Democorruptcy said:

One of the campaigning pledges made by Rochdale by-election winner George Galloway was to "clean the town hall clock". If that isn't a sign of the times I don't know what is.

[Kendo]

6 hours ago, HousePriceMania said:

I guess you guys aren’t ready for lower house prices yet, but your kids are gonna love em.

[Chewing Grass]

Just come back from my parents place and the pot holes on the A Road are now so horrendous near every main side ride they have merged into long furrows with added carpet bombing.

Worst places is where cars pull out sharpish, never used to be a problem in the days of Ford Capri's and Mini's etc but now cars are 2 to 3 times heavier and 4 times more powerful.

 

[Boglet]

On 31/10/2023 at 15:46, Bobthebuilder said:

I thought the whole point of these places was that you can defer the VAT onto your customers, cafe, corner shop etc.

As a business you could claim the VAT back on your input goods if you bought them from Tesco or anywhere else couldn't you?

[Boglet]

On 31/10/2023 at 14:28, Frank Hovis said:

 

I did look into Costco because someone I know mentioned using them, their business model appears to be to draw in blokes who want to buy regular groceries in unfeasibly large quantities such as you would transport in the back of a big old pick up truck in order to look flash.

There was no cost saving from these bulk purchases.

Agree with this. We've got a costco card but go there fairly rarely. Nothing really appears that cheap in there, I always feel like I'm missing something.

One thing it does seem to be good for is electricals - you get a 5 year warranty on TVs and 2 years on pretty much everything else.