Jeremy424

Which is why all the parties, irrespective of what they say, encourage immigration. Create an upward trajectory in the minds of people and they become supremely motivated. A stagnant or downward trajectory leads to 'lying flat'.

Indeed. I won't deny there is abuse in the system. Always will be. But how many 'crackdowns' have there been now? Lost count. It isn't real other than for those who are unjustifiably punished and whose lives are made a misery. It's very much punching down. There are certain types of people who are left to exploit the system and syphon off money (both legitimate offshoring profits and fraud) and those whom the state will come down like a ton of bricks on. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/door-is-wide-open-for-fraudsters-to-pocket-covid-grants-say-mps-xsjmng2rc

And not worth eating imo. No one in our family will touch it despite not being fussy eaters in general. The organic one is the one I was scrimping for: https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/duchy-organic-whole-chicken/078250-39829-39830 It turned out to be a dud unfortunately. Drop in standards somewhere down the chain? Really tough and rubbery texture despite being cooked the same as I usually do, just until the juices run clear. I've never figured out why some of them are so chewy and tough and others cook to be almost buttery soft. I've noticed the good specimens release substantial amounts of juice into the tray after a certain time and it is difficult to overcook them. The tough ones release virtually no juice, seem to cook super-fast and have a ropey lack of succulence despite moisture being visible when you press the meat with a fork. I have a very consistent method and years of cooking experience so it drives me crazy.

I stopped drinking almost completely just so I could afford a decent Sunday roast chicken. I woke up today and found the price per Kg has gone up again - £1 this time. It looks like the Sunday roast is going to be on the way out soon.

Regardless of his politics he was hounded out for not 'doing enough to stop antisemitism' (basically not sticking to the neoliberal script and being a bit of a loose cannon). It was either going to be a manufactured racism or sex scandal. Meanwhile the other guy, you know, the one who actually made racist remarks and had a very skewed view of the truth went on to govern the country. I think people will regret not voting for Corbyn. We are basically going in his direction anyway. We seem to subsidise either the lives of the wealthiest or poorest. There is too little investment that will actually boost long term prospects and stop dependence. This was swept under the carpet while we had cheap immigrant labour.

Are the shareholders getting nervous? Meanwhile... 'Lying flat': Why some Chinese are putting work second - BBC News So, who will be lazy next?

Indeed. Was sceptical of those claiming to have 'bad backs', but for the past 5 years I have been having issues with mine with no injury as such (chronic and constant shooting/burning pains in lower back and down leg, but I work, and have not claimed and have never claimed benefits) I'm more careful about how I treat others. The problem is that there's no test as such to quantify the pain and its relation to how much you can/can't do. It also fluctuates so you just know that people are making judgments about you by just seeing you on a better day. Tbh some days you wish you'd just have a limb broken because at least it would heal rather than live with the constant, energy draining pain.

Interesting. I had a similar experience. The papers we did (higher, mid and foundation) were also capped at certain grade boundaries and which you were entered for depended on end of year test results and (I kid you not) how many higher/lower books there were available. There was also some degree of favourtism as we were aware that some in the class were chosen to be taught in a slightly different way based on what the teacher thought they were capable of. The best 22 or so pupils got into the top group and tended to get put up for the higher papers and so forth down to the lowest ability who got enetered for mainly the foundation papers which were capped at 'D' I believe. I knew many who were quite capable but got arbitrarily capped by the system in place. I remember being given the mid level book and entered for the mid level paper (which you had to get 70% for a B I think). It is a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy to give someone a mid level book and teach to a mid level standard. To a certain extent your final grade was determined by the teacher/system in place.

Precisely. It's a game of managing you/our perception. In many cases the reason why the discount is so large is that it was never worth the asking price in the first place, rather than getting a good deal. To use a very apt analogy it's like feeling smug because you manage to get 30% off a house 'worth' £1.8m when 20 yrs ago it was sold for £250k.

On that point, many jobs have stopped or reduced their premiums for working overtime. All part of what I like to call the shrinkflation of work pay and conditions.

All the boomers I know have slap up meals at the local garden centre, take multiple holidays each year, can afford full-price cinema tickets (they don't even look at the special offers or free ticket deals), entertain at least once a month. I'm sure there are plenty of less well-off boomers, but compared to millenials and slightly older they seem to have it pretty good. I don't resent it, but it can be a bit odd talking to some of them as they sometimes take certain things for granted and look surprised when you tell them that you generally can't afford to do much other than work. The killer is precarious employment and the amounts being paid for accommodation by those in the younger demographic. The wages on offer just don't cut it if you want to amass wealth and wan't an independent life. You can either live with relatives and have a decent amount of disposable, or go it alone and see most of your hard-earned disappear into someone else's bank account.

You could put it that way if by 'incentives' you mean an open position. I learned a long time ago that 'shortage' and willingness to employ are two different things. Usually, the people reporting the shortage are not the one's in charge of recruitment and budgets etc.

True, but doesn't decreasing birth-rate among natives create a wonky demographic? More of the elderly with fewer tax generators to support them and therefore the need for more immigration?

Stockholm syndrome perhaps?

I think your suspicions are well-founded. I'm sure they asked them on the BBC yesterday. One of them said they couldn't get a job elsewhere that's why he was driving taxis for a living. I think it really is different this time as people can't seem to amass enough money (after living expense) to get into worthwhile careers or there is just too much competition. Despite low unemployment the truth is more towards underemployment.