RMweb Gold BoD Posted June 11 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 11 Is there a medical term for suffering from an overwhelming surfeit of unrealistic/ unachievable promises (a.k.a. bribes*)? If so I have caught it. Can I put in a claim for compensation? *What worries me more though, is that for some (many?), they actually work. 3 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Hroth Posted June 11 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 11 2 minutes ago, BoD said: Is there a medical term for suffering from an overwhelming surfeit of unrealistic/ unachievable promises (a.k.a. bribes*)? If so I have caught it. Can I put in a claim for compensation? *What worries me more though, is that for some (many?), they actually work. Perhaps such a disorder could be included in one of the current bribe collections. We'll find out which collection of bribes* comes out on top on the 5th July.... * AKA Election Manifestos 8 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Sidecar Racer Posted June 11 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 11 1 hour ago, monkeysarefun said: a Are they remunerated well? Heres the tradie rich list. The Top Ten NSW Removalists at $95.21 per hour SA Removalists at $94.83 per hour WA Plumber at $92.22 per hour NSW Plumber at $90.83 per hour WA Removalist at $90.35 per hour QLD Builder at $88.63 per hour QLD Removalist at $87.77 per hour WA Electrician at $85.23 per hour VIC Removalist at $84.50 per hour VIC Plumber at $82.95 per hour I assume ' removalist' is an occupation that would scare Poly to death , slithery and multi legged critters resiting of . 9 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeysarefun Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 (edited) 13 hours ago, jjb1970 said: The UK is not a low tax, poor country (well, not on the surface, it's debatable how well off any country with such debt and deficit spending really is, living on tick) but government services aren't great, infrastructure isn't especially impressive and the excuse we seem to get is 'not enough money'. I just got the video below in my youtube home page.Basically this bloke paid £100 (2 tickets at £40 each plus £20 parking) to visit "Britains biggest Brick festival" (ie Lego...) That is $200, which is insanity money even if it was decent - which this, well, check out the video! Thumbs up to him for having a sense of humour about it all despite his outrage, but sometimes that British trait of "always look on the bright side" and "mustn't grumble" while being generally admirable in situations where you are being bombed by the Luftwaffe or something, but sometimes you just need to put your foot down and let them know you are being ripped off! Edited June 11 by monkeysarefun 2 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium TheQ Posted June 11 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 11 1 hour ago, PhilJ W said: I wonder if the Post Office scandal would have occurred had the Post Office not been privatised? I'm aware that the computer system was instigated before privatisation but the cover up was post privatisation. Privatisation can work in some instances such as BT but being driven by political dogma as here in the UK it can be a disaster. Not wouldn't have happened like that, it would have been worse, the civil service are masters of cover ups, and of course are would have been directly under the " control" of politicians. They'd still be trying to bury the story now... 9 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeysarefun Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 (edited) 10 minutes ago, Sidecar Racer said: I assume ' removalist' is an occupation that would scare Poly to death , slithery and multi legged critters resiting of . The @polybear removalist career was short-lived! https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-surrey-40679679 Edited June 11 by monkeysarefun 16 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium TheQ Posted June 11 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 11 Hedge 40 ft of which has been trimmed both sides, the top has had a once over, needs levelling but arms have had enough for today. There was a 15 minute mid break due to rain.. Wind returned with the rain. Now I'm having a break, before the long walk with Ben. 13 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Hroth Posted June 11 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 11 (edited) 35 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said: I just got the video below in my youtube home page.Basically this bloke paid £100 (2 tickets at £40 each plus £20 parking) to visit "Britains biggest Brick festival" (ie Lego...) That is $200, which is insanity money even if it was decent - which this, well, check out the video! Thumbs up to him for having a sense of humour about it all despite his outrage, but sometimes that British trait of "always look on the bright side" and "mustn't grumble" while being generally admirable in situations where you are being bombed by the Luftwaffe or something, but sometimes you just need to put your feet down and let them know you are being ripped off.. Things like that pop up quite regularly in the uk, especially just before Christmas where at least one "Winter Wonderland" will get front page tabloid coverage, with expressions of shock and disgust from punters who shelled out considerable quantities of cash for their younguns to experience literal sloughs of despond in the corner of a field somewhere. The Willy Wonka Experience in Glasgow this March ended as such a fiasco.... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-68431728 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willy's_Chocolate_Experience Edited June 11 by Hroth Links 7 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeysarefun Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 (edited) 57 minutes ago, Hroth said: Things like that pop up quite regularly in the uk, especially just before Christmas where at least one "Winter Wonderland" will get front page tabloid coverage, with expressions of shock and disgust from punters who shelled out considerable quantities of cash for their younguns to experience literal sloughs of despond in the corner of a field somewhere. The Willy Wonka Experience in Glasgow this March ended as such a fiasco.... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-68431728 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willy's_Chocolate_Experience I'd have paid the £3 to get to see Dismal Land. Edited June 11 by monkeysarefun 10 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lurker Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 2 hours ago, PhilJ W said: I wonder if the Post Office scandal would have occurred had the Post Office not been privatised? I'm aware that the computer system was instigated before privatisation but the cover up was post privatisation. Privatisation can work in some instances such as BT but being driven by political dogma as here in the UK it can be a disaster. probably - the urge to cover up is not limited to private organisations; the NHS infected blood scandal, and the babies that kept on dying at maternity leave hospitals are just too recently reported examples in the public sector. 5 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post grandadbob Posted June 11 RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted June 11 (edited) A'noon. Yahoo! All new gubbins connected and working correctly and no serious GDB "incidents" apart from the aforementioned Pains in The Knees. The longest task was actually scanning QR codes and re-entering passwords etc for the various catch up players and apps. Luckily I am able to remember multiple passwords quite easily and don't get caught out much. However there was one casualty with an older type gubbins ie the blu ray dvd player which has been rather reluctant to open its drawer recently and has finally given up the ghost. It is possible that a certain person known to some here may have hastened its demise by bashing it rather hard in frustration. I now have to contact EE who have today already pointed me in the direction of my first bill as on looking at my online details i seem to have 4 separate accounts with them which is rather puzzling (and disturbing). As Captain "Titus" Oates might have said "I am just going outside on the phone and I may be some time. Edited June 11 by grandadbob 20 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted June 11 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 11 31 minutes ago, grandadbob said: Luckily I am able to remember multiple passwords quite easily and don't get caught out much. I wish I were able to do so! 2 12 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium TheQ Posted June 11 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 11 (edited) 1 hour ago, The Lurker said: probably - the urge to cover up is not limited to private organisations; the NHS infected blood scandal, and the babies that kept on dying at maternity leave hospitals are just too recently reported examples in the public sector. Remembering of course almost all government departments including the NHS, had crown immunity until around 1987 -91, so anything government controlled would most likely be not investigated at all. You can guarantee there's scandals from before that, that have been well and truly buried, probably literally in some cases. Edited June 11 by TheQ 10 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted June 11 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 11 4 hours ago, monkeysarefun said: Dont underestimate the public sectors ability to do a decent scandal! Here we had the "Robo-debt" scandal just played out. THis was a scheme cooked up by the previous government that ran from 2016 to 2019.. Basically it was an automated debt recovery system that was aimed to streamline the process of identifying and recovering overpayments of welfare benefits by using data-matching technology to cross-reference income reported to the Australian Taxation Office with information provided to Centrelink, the government agency responsible for welfare payments. Under Robodebt, discrepancies in reported income triggered automated debt notices, which were sent to welfare recipients demanding repayment of alleged debts. However, the system came under intense scrutiny due to significant flaws and errors. Many people received notices for substantial amounts and the burden of proof was on them to prove they didn't owe anything. From 2016 to 2019, the Robodebt scheme raised more than half a million inaccurate Centrelink debts through a method of ‘income averaging’, which has since been ruled unlawful. Essentially someone might for instance work for 6 weeks, then have 6 weeks off and claim social security for that period, but the Robodebt system averaged out the social security payments across the entire 12 weeks thus deeming that the recipient had been claiming while working. When people challenged their penalty they often received an amended calculation which was substantially lower than the original. Many paid this lower amount just because it WAS lower, despite them feeling that they owed nothing but without proof ( the government expected people to keep bank statements and pay slips for seven years in order to challenge a robodebt claim) they were helpless. Others lost their homes or went into debt attempting to repay the amount the government claimed they owed, which could be several thousand dollars. Some committed suicide. Critics of Robodebt highlighted concerns regarding its legality, fairness, and transparency. They argued that the automated system disproportionately targeted vulnerable populations, including low-income earners, students, and people with disabilities, exacerbating existing inequalities. Additionally, there were accusations of inadequate oversight and insufficient safeguards to protect the rights of welfare recipients. The scandal reached a tipping point in 2019 when a landmark legal challenge exposed the fundamental flaws of the Robodebt system. In a class-action lawsuit, the Federal Court of Australia ruled that the government's reliance on income averaging to calculate debts was unlawful and lacked a sound legal basis. Subsequently, the government announced the cessation of income averaging and the suspension of thousands of debt notices. While there haven't been criminal charges, the fallout from the scandal led to various consequences, including: Policy Changes: The government suspended and later abandoned the use of income averaging, the controversial method used to calculate debts under Robodebt. This was a significant policy shift in response to the legal and ethical concerns raised by the scandal. Compensation and Repayments: Following a class-action lawsuit and other legal challenges, the government agreed to compensate affected individuals and refund incorrectly raised debts. This acknowledgment of wrongdoing and financial restitution was seen as a form of accountability for the harm caused by the flawed system. Inquiries and Reviews: Multiple inquiries, including those conducted by parliamentary committees, the Commonwealth Ombudsman, and the Australian National Audit Office, scrutinized the Robodebt system and its implementation. These inquiries played a crucial role in uncovering the systemic issues and informing recommendations for reform. Resignations and Political Fallout: While no criminal charges were filed, the Robodebt scandal contributed to political pressure and public criticism of government officials and agencies involved in its implementation. This led to resignations of some officials and broader political repercussions. While there have been significant repercussions and accountability measures taken in response to the Robodebt scandal, including policy changes, compensation, and inquiries, no individuals have been criminally charged in connection with the scandal so far. So if the government there announces they're going to implement a brilliant social security income checking scheme, turn it upside down and make sure it doesnt have a "Made In Australia" sticker on the bottom! I don't suppose there is the teeniest, tinyest chance it was written by Fujitsu? 3 2 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Popular Post TheQ Posted June 11 RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted June 11 More accounting done, found a couple of minor oops. There's still one in there somewhere, but on a spreadsheet 1 to 300, and A to AE, feeding another sheet of 1 to 50, A to K it's hard to find. Having a break now. But I'm writing minor tests to crosscheck each section to find it.. 20 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold grandadbob Posted June 11 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 11 The phone call to EE took 33 minutes but has (I think) produced some results and I will be getting some money back and the four accounts will become one. Multiple thanks and a slice of cake to Wayne of EE. I hope I'm not being too premature with that. Muggatea and biscuit time and then the next task is to look for an new dvd player so farewell for now. 18 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted June 11 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 11 4 hours ago, monkeysarefun said: The @polybear removalist career was short-lived! https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-surrey-40679679 30 cm, thats a whole 12 inches! 3 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Hroth Posted June 11 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 11 2 minutes ago, PhilJ W said: 30 cm, thats a whole 12 inches! But the one they found was "only" 18 cm/7 inches. Don't go worrying PB with theoretical maxima! 4 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold DaveF Posted June 11 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 11 It's been a useful day so far. The remaining family bits (a file called "Mum and Dad's souvenirs") and a box have been examined. Much of the file contained letters and cards from people Mum and Dad knew and I didn't, so they were simply binned. Letters I'd written to them many years ago when I was a student were likewise binned. That left newspaper cuttings, some of which were interesting and have been photographed along with a few more useful letters which have put a couple of things in context for me. There were also documents which provide evidence of how items came to be in my part of the family which could be useful if I want to dispose of them by selling them. In all about 40 documents were photographed and then copied onto hard drives. The box was as I thought bits from Mum and Dad's wedding, some have been photographed, the rest has gone. Time had not been kind to a few things. Then I put away a number of items which have been lying about so my office/railway room is a great deal tidier at last. I managed a walk at the beach, I got there just as one shower finished and left just as the next one started, good timing. The rest of the day will be the usual book, music and TV. Tomorrow, so far, I don't seem to have anything vital to do!! David 12 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PupCam Posted June 11 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 11 28 minutes ago, Hroth said: But the one they found was "only" 18 cm/7 inches. Don't go worrying PB with theoretical maxima! It’s not the size it’s what you do with it. Or am I getting mixed up again? 🤔 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Abel Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 Chewsday... Lovely late afternoon walk yesterday around one of the man-made lake areas in a multi-use development close by. The amphitheater in the picture (rear view) was where Trevor and Meagan were married. Not much else to report. Today, Mrs off to a PT session, then later she has a book club, time for me to get together with my #1 local driveler to discuss the various stupidity going on over here 🤣 Weather today not quite as nice as yesterday, light rain first thing and 15c, clearing later, so they say, with a high of 25c. Carry on. 18 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iL Dottore Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 (edited) Evenin' Peeps, Looking for some music to soothe the soul whilst doing some rather tedious data tabulation when I came across this song from the New Slash Album 0rgy of The Damned. It's a cover of an old Steppenwolf song: The Pusher (by Hoyt Axton) Now Slash isn't one of my favourite guitarists, but he really nails this song and doesn't get self indulgent with all the widdling. I think that it's a better arrangement than the original Steppenwolf version (only few of the Steppenwolf live bootlegs of the song come close to this version). It has so fired me up that my guitar playing Mojo may have returned (even for a fleeting visit). So time to dust off the Gibson Les Paul Goldtop (one of my favourite guitars in my collection) dig out the modelling amp, dial in the Marshall JCM800 and ROCK. I might even get the band back on the road... So crank it up to 11 and enjoy! Edited June 11 by iL Dottore I don’t believe it 0rgy got censored! Had to work my way around it to give the name of the album 9 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium polybear Posted June 11 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 11 1 hour ago, Hroth said: But the one they found was "only" 18 cm/7 inches. Don't go worrying PB with theoretical maxima! Anything over** an inch is more than enough to focus Bear's attention.... (** And also under, if the circumstances are right wrong....) 16 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted June 11 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 11 Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Time for the best before date lottery to decide whats for dinner, dessert is sorted, bread and butter pudding. I did purchase another Crosta & Mollica pizza yesterday but thats for lunch later in the week. 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium polybear Posted June 11 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 11 (edited) Bear here..... Yet another Warehouse day - and another Donation Day... Bear was the Wheel Bear yet again - I also had a Volunteer Helper that I've not met before (plus another at the location, unexpectedly) - both were really nice guys & interesting to talk to. Lots of donations yet again (it was pretty manic for the first hour) - in fact we struggled to get them all in the van but did manage it; the vast majority of items were very nice, but sadly you always do get some cr@p that is literally only fit for the Bin - one bloke today brought some items and you feel like saying "Excuse me, Sir - but would you be tempted to buy this sh*t? No? So what makes you think anyone else will??" For some strange reason we're unfortunately not allowed to ask things like that....can't imagine why.... During a wee wee break I spotted this in the Garden Centre close by: About 12 quid to you, Sir.... (and no, you don't put them in the oven.....). Tempted? Well, yes.....but that's four LDC's worth...... I didn't get around to checking how many calories.... edit: 1322 cals for the entire (240g) Pizza. Poo. Various versions are available, including a strawberry one...but not a lemon one, sadly ☹️ edit: It seems the shelf life is 9 months. In Bear Towers? Try 9 seconds.... Harry the Honda continues to generate interest - someone has now messaged to ask if I'd be prepared to end the sale early "for the right offer"?" My gut feeling is no, but if the offer is obscene enough..... BG Edited June 11 by polybear 18 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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