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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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 Posted -
28/04/2011
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07:37
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Political comment is a high risk activity on the site these days so I thought I'd try again to give those who are interested in politics a safe haven!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk
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panbiker
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Posted - 24/06/2011 : 09:49
And how long has that plot of ground laid fallow? My dad had his allotment down there from the mid 50's until he died. I always feel sad when I look at how the land has been abandoned and am glad that this stae of affairs happened after his time. It would have broken his heart to have been evicted.
Ian  |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 25/06/2011 : 06:59
True Ian. Nobody really got to the bottom of that one. Perhaps the hedge fund owners will see it as an asset and sell it?
Mervyn King has been reading my posts again. Very downbeat view of Greece. Says that the latest EU loan only buys time and the structural problem remains. Also said that it was impossible for us to escape the affects of any reneging on debt as in addition to the amounts loaned direct to Greece many of the banks have lent to other banks more heavily involved and because nobody can quantify these exposures it will affect inter-bank confidence and money flows. He sees this as probably the biggest danger. It was of course the same mechanism, collapse of confidence and inter-bank lending that triggered the last collapse. External events? Plan 'B' Ossie?
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 27/06/2011 : 06:25
Good news for Ossie this morning. After one warm day it is reported that summer weather will revitalise the housing market. Why do the words 'clutching' and 'straws' come to mind?
Latestsuggested plan forGreece is that as loans become due the banks re-lend 70% of the principle for a period of 30 years. During that time of course interest will be paid. How does this help? I still think that what we are seeing are desperate attempts to stave off the inevitable. I can see no alternative to a default which will have consequences for the Euro. Imagine having a credit card maxed out to 130% of your annual income. This is effectively the position the Greek economy is in and no amount of shuffling the deckchairs can alter this.
Liam Fox today will announce a redical shake-up of the MOD, getting rid of many ex-officers and injecting more financial control into the administration. Top Brass in the services are to be weeded out as well. Does this mean less admirals than ships? If this is a serious initiative and not just window-dressing I wish Mr Fox well. It is long overdue. Mind you, he's going head-on against the Whitehall Machine and better men than him have tried and been frustrated.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 28/06/2011 : 07:35
Former governor of Illinois is found guilty of trying to trade Barak Obama's senate seat for high political office. They do things differently in the US. Have a read of Hughie Long's biography, 'Boss Politics' is alive and well!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
frankwilk
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Posted - 28/06/2011 : 09:21
The UK, Greece, Spain,Italy all with the same problem a Structual Deficit, looks like we are the only Country trying to bring ours under control.Well done Ossie and the Coalition.
We will save a few bob on Thursday when the Public Sector go on Strike, no need to pay them. Wonder why they decided on Thursday could it be they will have Friday on holiday to make a long weekend of it.
I would like to see the figures published for say a Teachers Salary, Hours Worked, Prospects, Pension, and how long they tend to live safter retiring, bet it's a lot longer than the Average Worker.
Frank Wilkinson Once Navy Always Navy |
frankwilk
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Posted - 28/06/2011 : 09:24
" Mind you, he's going head-on against the Whitehall Machine and better men than him have tried and been frustrated ".
But he has put himself( Fox ) that is, in Charge of the Committe over seeing the changes, smart move.
Time to sack some Generals/Admirals etc who have lost touch with reality.
Frank Wilkinson Once Navy Always Navy |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 29/06/2011 : 06:26
No comment from Ossie about the High Street chain closures we've seen over the last few days. Thorntons is the latest and what interests me about their approach is that they are going to concentrate on franchising and putting their own operations inside existing stores like supermarkets. Another change in the character of the High Street? Less individual shops and bigger mall-type supermarkets?
I heard an interesting discussion triggered by the centenary of Ernst Schumacher (listen again on this LINK) during which the links between his work and Cameron's 'Big Society' were discussed. Interesting and intelligent analysis. Well worth listening to.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
frankwilk
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Posted - 29/06/2011 : 08:57
The High Street has changed just like we have all changed, there is no answer to the demise of small Town Centers. It started in the 60s with Arndale Centers, and that is what the majority of people want. They don't want to stand in a Butchers Queue then go and stand in the Bakers Queue etc. Could you comprehend the traffic problems with delivery lorries in town centers. Now that we have so many people able to afford meat everyday Small Butchers just couldn't cope, afraid the Cathederal of Choice is here to stay.
If you are running a chain of shops and you can't sell your merchadise what do you do?? shut up shop !!can't see what Ossie can do about that, can you Stanley ??
Frank Wilkinson Once Navy Always Navy |
Bruff
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Posted - 29/06/2011 : 09:53
''The UK, Greece, Spain,Italy all with the same problem a Structual Deficit''
There would be a lot of truth in that statement if it wasn't for the fact that Spain is not facing a fiscal crisis. Indeed, it ran a surplus for much of the past few years, for which it was praised. Ireland's problems similarly don't stem from a fiscal crisis (they too ran a surplus). There is a structural problem in the UK, largely due to the collapse of receipts during global downturn and spending to attempt to ride this. The only country experiencing a purely (essentially) fiscal crisis is Greece.
''I would like to see the figures published for say a Teachers Salary, Hours Worked, Prospects, Pension, and how long they tend to live safter retiring, bet it's a lot longer than the Average Worker.''
Ahh, the average worker. What is an average worker? Is it 'the man in the street'? Or linked to this concept, 'the real world'?
It's easy to check a teachers salary. All the scales are online. It's then a matter of policy/viewpoint whether they are 'worth' this, and on what measures you make an assessment of this worth. Hours worked? Well this will vary but it certainly isn't from the start of the school day (9ish) to the end (3.30ish). My niece is a teacher at Threshfield School. She starts at 7.30 and is generally home at 6.30 - 7ish at night, unless there are staff meetings/parents evenings etc. Mon-Fri. She typically works for a couple of hours each evening at home. Plus a few hours Sat and Sun. As with many 'flexible' occupations, some may work less hours then this. Some might do more. Is it typical? I don't know, but the friends I have who are teachers tend to put in 50/60 hours a week. And they don't tend to complain, except when folk assume the long holidays and short school day means they hardly work at all.
It seems we're all experts in education in this country as we all went to school. But of course, if we assumed we're experts in aviation because we've travelled on a plane folk would think us idiots.
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Tardis
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Posted - 29/06/2011 : 10:47
certainly was interesting Stanley
There are apparently only two copies in the Lancashire Library system, both in the stack at Preston, and a queue of people waiting to borrow.
quote:
Stanley wrote:
No comment from Ossie about the High Street chain closures we've seen over the last few days. Thorntons is the latest and what interests me about their approach is that they are going to concentrate on franchising and putting their own operations inside existing stores like supermarkets. Another change in the character of the High Street? Less individual shops and bigger mall-type supermarkets?
I heard an interesting discussion triggered by the centenary of Ernst Schumacher (listen again on this LINK) during which the links between his work and Cameron's 'Big Society' were discussed. Interesting and intelligent analysis. Well worth listening to.
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frankwilk
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Posted - 29/06/2011 : 16:08
Agree
Teachers salary scales are online
But I did ask the question of life expectancy, and what the pension is for the average teacher.
40/60 30/45 etc. Our son has applied for the Teach First scheme the same as his Girlfriend is on, so he will start on the unqualified scale.
Frank Wilkinson Once Navy Always Navy |
thomo
Barlick Born Old Salt
2021 Posts
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Posted - 29/06/2011 : 16:58
On the grand scale of things, I cannot imagine that teachers are badly paid, nor will their pensions be a pittance. I also appreciate that they put in a fair amount of effort. But tomorrow, they should be teaching, they have jobs, there are many who have not. The countries burden is something that we all share, and when, as we all hope, the situation improves, that is the time for negotiation, or if needs be, action, "NOT NOW" and the same goes for all other like minded people. Its others who will suffer for it.
Edited by - thomo on 29/06/2011 7:07:25 PM
thomo |
panbiker
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Posted - 29/06/2011 : 21:06
The problem there Peter is that their pensions and working conditions are being threatened now by the governments position. They are not bothering to wait until they have recovered the economy, (if that ever happens with their chosen strategy in the next few years). Teachers and other public sector workers have been pushed into a corner, I have experienced this myself and fortunately had an exit strategy which was available to me at the time and was beneficial to me and a means to an end. I do not take your point that they should wait, they have been pushed into a corner and have no other forn of redress other than to withdraw their labour. Having worked in support roles in education for the last 10 years I have a good knowledge of the pay scales and who gets what, all I can say there is that I would not do it for what they get paid and the hours that they have to put in. My daughter teaches in Primary school and I know how many hours she spends outside of the school day in preparation and planning. The vast majority of teachers see their role as a vocation rather than a job and put up with the hours that they have to give to do justice to the role. Thie fact that most are dedicated should not be used to target them or exclude them from having a decent pension.
Ian |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 30/06/2011 : 05:54
What nobody is mentioning is that the 3% rise in the pension contribution rate with wages static and inflation rising is a significant pay cut. Of course it's more complicated than that and yes, there could be better times to strike according to those not in their position. This is always put forward as a reason for not doing anything. Bottom line is that they have reached the end of their tether.
I heard a statement this morning from an EU politician that political courage is still alive and well in Greece after the narrow vote to go ahead with the fresh round of cuts that will trigger the €28billion temporary bail-out. Sounds a bit overblown to me... Then a contribution pointing out that Greece hasn't put in place the last round of cuts yet that triggered the first bail-out. One promise was to improve tax collection, it has gone down. The same commentator said that there was no way that the Greeks would, or could, privatise €50billion of state assets. Who would buy them and at what price? Anyone who thinks this is the start of a solution is mistaken. A lot of smoke and mirrors here.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 30/06/2011 : 05:57
Michael. try this LINK. A copy for £2.68 inc P&P.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
POLITICS CORNER
