WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Cathy]

It's your lucky day China, all forgiven.

[PanBiker]

BBC advert telling everyone that the free TV licence for over 70's will end in 2020.

Another news item, average £12.00 to ring 118 118 directory enquiries, can be as high as £20.00 if you go over 90 seconds. Over a million people still use the service, (mainly older folk).

[plaques]

BBC advert telling everyone that the free TV licence for over 70's will end in 2020.

I haven't seen the advert but I've read this. BBC . The normal free licence starts at 75 years old. Introduced by Gordon Brown. (Labour) But with austerity coming to an end (He! He! as Newton would say) and all the honey from the Brexit deal in flow why do we want to to add an extra burden to the pensioners. Perhaps they have given up voting?

[PanBiker]

My mistake P yes 75.

[Stanley]

Ian I think the BBC are saying that it could end in 2020. I suspect that they will cushion the blow a bit if it happens by making some concessions. At the moment they are calling for 'consultations'.
I saw the news item about the cap on 118 calls as well. The £20 figure doesn't surprise me, I stopped using the service as soon as they instituted the first charge when it was privatised but of course I am internet savvy so it was no problem. Perhaps if the cap is put in place those two weird blokes in shorts will be quietly retired...... Never have understood the rationale behind that campaign.

[Stanley]

The news in the BET about the cuts in hours at the few remaining household waste recycling centres. That's bad enough but when the Council spokesman defends them by saying that money must be saved and the actions in this area will not increase fly-tipping all I can say is dream on kid! I don't know what planet our councils are living on or the government that imposes the cuts that trigger actions like this but it bears no relationship to my world.

[Stanley]

THIS BBC account of the report on Agency Pay issued by the Resolution Foundation. A sad story of lower pay than directly employed people and very often ignorance of benefits they are entitled to like holiday pay and pension rights. This can apply at major employers like BT and is, to put it bluntly, a rip-off.
And then these workers are advised to save for their retirement.... Fat chance of that when they are treated like this.

[Stanley]

SEE THIS BBC report that the US and China have agreed on a 90 day moratorium on the increase in tariffs to 25% in January to give time for 'discussions'. China has agreed to buy large but unspecified amounts of US agricultural products which gets Trump off the hook of criticism of one of his power bases, the farmers. Has his 'big stick' disruptive approach worked again?
I know I'm behind the curve but THIS came to my attention this morning because of a World Service piece on Dennis Hof's death. The aftermath is still rumbling on in Nevada.
Only in America?

[Tizer]

Has his 'big stick' disruptive approach worked again?

No, it's not one-way,Trump had to agree not to boost tariffs on $200 billion (£157 billion) of Chinese goods from 10% to 25% on 1 January. Also, we are hearing the US version of the agreement. Let's wait and see what China's version is.

[PanBiker]

Yesterdays, Wine and Cheese event at the Civic Hall. Hosted by Barlick Branch Labour Party. Very well attended with comrades from across the CLP and beyond. We had a guest speaker who spoke very eloquently on electoral reform which was very well received. I think we turned a profit as well which will go towards election expenses when we boot the Tories out of Downing Street.

[Tizer]

..when we boot the Tories out of Downing Street.

I'll drink to that - regardless of who else I might vote for!

[PanBiker]

I have an addendum to make, our profits from yesterday went to our local food bank. This has only been required since the Tory administration so my previous statement of intent still stands. We will use our existing funds to help kick the Tories out.

[chinatyke]

You shouldn't say "We will use our existing funds to help kick the Tories out", you should say "we'll use the funds to help elect a new government" ...

[Stanley]

Good stuff Ian!

[PanBiker]

You shouldn't say "We will use our existing funds to help kick the Tories out", you should say "we'll use the funds to help elect a new government" ...

No, a new government could be the the same one we have now with a new leader. Kicking the Tories out is the correct plan.

[Stanley]

!!
The fact that daughter Susan is a brilliant Attorney for me under the LPA. She is taking independent action on various fronts looking after my interests, I am very lucky! Even the medical profession sometimes forget what powers she has and they are all registered with them. Perhaps they don't all read the case notes.....
See THIS Guardian account of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report on Poverty in 2018. I have great respect for the JRF and the details in this report confirm that austerity and the decline in living wages is taking its toll despite government mantras about how splendid everything is. Every index is getting worse and there is no sign of any improvement. In fact some of us believe that it will get worse, even the most optimistic government forecasts on the economy admit that whatever the scenario it is going to worsen compared with full membership of the EU.
The JRF, as always, look at the poorest people and identify their numbers and the cause of their plight. What always amazes me is that they are reporting exactly the same causes of poverty as they did in the famous reports that established their reputation in the 19th century. We are looking at Two Nations and the lower echelons are still paying the price while the fat cats at the top order their new yachts. Piketty was dead right, the trend is towards more inequality and the only possible cure is a globally agreed Wealth Tax, 'Trickle Down' theories beloved by the neo-liberal economists simply don't work.
This is not 'The Politics of Envy' it is a realistic assessment of the worsening state of the society that underpins the world enjoyed by the rich. When the deterioration impinges on their world they will ask "How could this happen"? Time they woke up.

[Tizer]

A few months ago I related my difficulties trying to buy stuff from high street shops. Yesterday it was like a re-run of the same problems. I wanted a new electric razor and had sorted out which to buy through searching on the Web. I could buy it on Amazon but had to go into town to collect books from the library so decided to pick it up on the high street. It's a basic, popular model and Boots, Superdrug and Argos all showed it at the same price as Amazon. Superdrug didn't have one in stock. Boots had what might have been the one but I wasn't sure of it being correct. Argos was ridiculous - their catalogue showed prices that were obviously wrong and their customer service PC screen showed the wrong manufacturer's code. In the end I gave up on all of them and decided I'd get it from Amazon after all. To add insult to injury, when I collected my book from the library, logged it out on one of their automatic machines and put my £1 coin in (I'd ordered the book to be sourced from a library elsewhere, charge £1) the machine through a wobbly and seized up. I had to get a real, live, library lady to come and sort it and she had to do it on her computer instead (otherwise I would have had an outstanding unpaid £1 charge on my account). They have about 8 of the machines and there are only ever about half of them in working order.

Got home, made a cup of tea, ordered the razor from Amazon in about 10 minutes from the comfort of my chair and desk. What hope is there for the high street stores (and libraries)?

[Tizer]

Has his 'big stick' disruptive approach worked again?

No, it's not one-way,Trump had to agree not to boost tariffs on $200 billion (£157 billion) of Chinese goods from 10% to 25% on 1 January. Also, we are hearing the US version of the agreement. Let's wait and see what China's version is.

`Trump's China car tariffs claim sows confusion' LINK
`A proposed cut by China to tariffs on US car imports created confusion in Washington, a day after it was announced by US President Donald Trump. Beijing has not yet confirmed the move and President Trump's advisers appeared less certain about the agreement. Uncertainty also surrounded the details of the broader trade war truce struck by the US and China at the G20 summit....'

[PanBiker]

On a steadier note and through thick and thin It's our 42nd wedding anniversary today.

[Tizer]

Congratulations, Ian and Sally!

[Cathy]

Congrats Ian and Sally.
Wow 42 years, you've both done well.
It's a blessing these days. Enjoy

[Wendyf]

Many congratulations Ian & Sally.

[Pluggy]

I could come out with some old gag, but I'll refrain.

Congratulations Ian & Sally.

[Big Kev]

Congratulations Sally and Ian, I'm not too far behind you

[Tripps]

I think I'll apply to be a script writer for Victor Meldrew. how hard can it be - just tell them what happens to me - easy. I spring cleaned the bedroom yesterday - pulled out all the cupboards and units - many spiders are now homeless. Whilst doing this I played the first minidisc that came to hand. It was a recording of a Radio four programme, from 2002, of Shirleyy Collins speaking about Alan Lomax's music gathering expeditions in the Southern states of the USA in the 1940's and 1950's. It was a similar programme in the 50's which started my interest in such music.

It would never be broadcast on today's BBC - frequent use of the N word, but broadcast in context in less politically correct times. I was quite shocked by the description of the treatment and attitude to African Americans, within living memory, and throughout kept having the thought that Uncle Bob should hear this. It fits with his constant theme.

So today I look into getting the audio into an MP3 file to send him in an email. First find a portable Minidisc player. A long hunt in various boxes reveals that in fact, I have five of them! How did that happen? Then make sure your software (Audials) will do the job and find a lead to connect to the laptop.

All done - then I find that laptops don't have an audio input socket. That's a surprise. OK then find an adaptor on eBay. Quickly done from a dealer thought to be in Glasgow, and sit back and wait. I get the sale emails and find that my cheap lead is in fact in China. Whoops.

Quickly find another listing - definitely in UK and order another one. Should be here by Friday and it will be all systems go. What could possibly go wrong?