Today I'll mainly be moaning about ...

[Malc1]

17 minutes ago, First_Lexus said:

collecting a ticket from an unreliable machine ‘easier’ than turning up, speaking to a human being and buying a ticket?

but sadly, and I'm possibly being a little arrogant myself here ...  but talking to another human being often doesn't result in what one thinks to be an intelligent and understanding conversation ........... another subject on education, staff training ........  and elocution no doubt ....  that might be a part of someone's thinking to simply automate the railway process .  i don't know BUT what I do know is I haven't travelled on a train for many a year and can make zero useful input here sadly

Just my erroneous thoughts on  Lexus forum 😅

Malc

[Cotswold Pete]

15 minutes ago, First_Lexus said:

That’s my rant for the day!

A jolly prescient rant.  I have worked in IT for 45 years (about to retire) and though the new tech does not completely bamboozle me, it is not as 'smooth' as dealing with a human, and eventually all the youngsters will realise that Tech will frustrate even them as it evolves beyond their skills.

On the ticket offices, I am flabbergasted that the government have not looked the data from the 1960's that shows whenever you take the humans away from the function, the vandalism begins (I love railways and have lots of books, and in one recent one this kept coming up) and so what happens when someone decides to take out the ticket machine 'for a laugh'.

One can only hope that one day your local MP will be forced to abandon their Jag and have to suffer the consequences of being fined for not being able to get a ticket coz they wanted to save a few bob (to spend on some other unworthy project).

That's my rant of the morning, actually already had a rant at work about the problems of convincing people about the 2025 PSTN BT switch phone switch off having read a somewhat inaccurate article on the SkyNews web site.

Time to have a cuppa I say and keep it to two rants for this friday.🤐

[dutchie01]

I just hate these machines. I am used to 2 varieties, black or with milk.

Dont even know what these are!! Just give me a cup of coffee please?

 

 

 

 

[First_Lexus]

3 minutes ago, Cotswold Pete said:

On the ticket offices, I am flabbergasted that the government have not looked the data from the 1960's that shows whenever you take the humans away from the function, the vandalism begins (I love railways and have lots of books, and in one recent one this kept coming up) and so what happens when someone decides to take out the ticket machine 'for a laugh'.

I used to work for a German company and travelled there a few times. I understand that they, to this day, retain manned ticket offices at almost every railway station. For the British Railway Companies to claim removal of ticket offices makes the railway more efficient, while the second most efficient railway network in Europe (behind Switzerland) does the opposite…if it wasn’t so sad it might be funny. 

This once great nation is so broken, and in so many different ways, I’ve pretty much given up hope. Sigh. 

[Bluemarlin]

3 hours ago, First_Lexus said:

I used to work for a German company and travelled there a few times. I understand that they, to this day, retain manned ticket offices at almost every railway station. For the British Railway Companies to claim removal of ticket offices makes the railway more efficient, while the second most efficient railway network in Europe (behind Switzerland) does the opposite…if it wasn’t so sad it might be funny. 

This once great nation is so broken, and in so many different ways, I’ve pretty much given up hope. Sigh. 

I feel the same.

The "British way" seems to have turned into a system of either fleecing people or reducing service, whilst telling them that you're doing them a favour.

I'd have less of an issue with ULEZ if they came out said it was a way to raise money, and less of an issue with the railways if they admitted it was about cost cutting. Whilst neither are ideal, I have a greater tolerance for unpleasant things if the need is expressed honestly, rather than being lied to and told that it's somehow being done for my benefit.

I probably wont go as far as gluing myself to a ticket machine, and will largely restrict my protest against automation to continuing to march to the counter in McDonald's to place my order, and declaring my wish to pay by cash when they try to point me to a machine 🙂

[First_Lexus]

3 hours ago, Bluemarlin said:

I'd have less of an issue with ULEZ if they came out said it was a way to raise money, and less of an issue with the railways if they admitted it was about cost cutting. Whilst neither are ideal, I have a greater tolerance for unpleasant things if the need is expressed honestly, rather than being lied to and told that it's somehow being done for my benefit.

Totally agree. It isn’t just companies who won’t speak about ‘uncomfortable’ truths, it seems to be endemic across British society. In France, things would be on fire - and frequently are - but as a nation we just seem to shrug and carry on. Perhaps the ineptitude of successive Governments from 1990 onwards has knocked all of the fight out of us?!

Mind you, that’s hardly surprising. We all know that the ticket office closure ‘consultation’ is nothing of the sort. They think about 500,000 people have taken part. Even if 99.9% of those submissions were opposed, the policy will still proceed. It’s just window dressing - pretend democracy. Planning is the same. How many times have you heard a politician of any party colour say words to the effect “…we’re putting local planning decisions in the hands of local communities.” That’s nothing but a lie. Local development ‘plans’ pitch residents against one another as everybody tries to avoid new building next to them. Consultation for planning permission is just another example of meaningless pretend democracy. If everybody objects, how many times do developments still get approved? Pretty much always.

A few weeks ago I met somebody hoping to be selected as a PPC for Labour at the next election. It was an entirely depressing experience. She’d left University and IMMEDIATELY started working as a researcher for an MP. That was about ten years ago I reckon. She’d never had a ‘proper’ job. She didn’t express any political opinions beyond parroting the party line, and it wasn’t like she was being recorded. She didn’t seem to have any real motivation for wanting to be an MP other than wanting to be an MP. It’s no wonder we’re in such a mess. 

[Malc1]

Maybe ALL proposed MPs should be obliged by Law or other to have had at least 10 years in a front line real job understanding " life as we know it " 

But then that would be considered prejudicial no doubt !

Malc

[Mincey]

47 minutes ago, Malc1 said:

Maybe ALL proposed MPs should be obliged by Law or other to have had at least 10 years in a front line real job understanding " life as we know it " 

But then that would be considered prejudicial no doubt !

Malc

Amen to that!

[LenT]

16 hours ago, First_Lexus said:

A few weeks ago I met somebody hoping to be selected as a PPC for Labour at the next election. It was an entirely depressing experience. She’d left University and IMMEDIATELY started working as a researcher for an MP. That was about ten years ago I reckon. She’d never had a ‘proper’ job. She didn’t express any political opinions beyond parroting the party line, and it wasn’t like she was being recorded. She didn’t seem to have any real motivation for wanting to be an MP other than wanting to be an MP. It’s no wonder we’re in such a mess. 

My sentiments entirely, Ed.

For some years I created advertising for the Central Office of Information (COI) and so came into contact with a range of Civil Servants and MPs of both major parties.

I can recall no-one who had a  scientific background or had run their own business; very few who had worked in industry, construction or agriculture.  University qualifications, if any, were predominantly Politics, Philosophy & Economics which had LED straight into some sort of political job,  bypassing real life.

So I encountered Civil Servants drawing up legislation on subjects of which they were totally ignorant.  And MPs who - however sincere - were fobbed off for the short time they were in the job.

It’s depressing to read your account and realise that nothing has changed.

Apart from being over 18, there’s not much that’s required of an aspiring MP.  I doubt that minimum standards of a ‘real life’ could be introduced as a formal qualification.  So it’s really down to the Civil Service to raise its standards (unlikely) and the Electorate to vote for better qualified candidates.

A pretty bleak outlook, sadly. 🙁

 

[First_Lexus]

9 minutes ago, LenT said:

My sentiments entirely, Ed.

For some years I created advertising for the Central Office of Information (COI) and so came into contact with a range of Civil Servants and MPs of both major parties.

I can recall no-one who had a  scientific background or had run their own business; very few who had worked in industry, construction or agriculture.  University qualifications, if any, were predominantly Politics, Philosophy & Economics which had led straight into some sort of political job,  bypassing real life.

So I encountered Civil Servants drawing up legislation on subjects of which they were totally ignorant.  And MPs who - however sincere - were fobbed off for the short time they were in the job.

It’s depressing to read your account and realise that nothing has changed.

Apart from being over 18, there’s not much that’s required of an aspiring MP.  I doubt that minimum standards of a ‘real life’ could be introduced as a formal qualification.  So it’s really down to the Civil Service to raise its standards (unlikely) and the Electorate to vote for better qualified candidates.

A pretty bleak outlook, sadly. 🙁

 

I’ve always been politically interested, if not active. I studied Political History many years ago (combined with Theology, so I certainly wasn’t considering a future career of any sort!). I’ve had the chance to meet or interact with a few MPs over the years. One such occasion sticks in my mind, and may have relevance here…

I’d had a frustrating experience organising care for my Father with my local GP practice. They were following the rules, but the rules made no sense to me. I wrote to Alan Johnson, at the time Labour Secretary of State for Health. He was (still is as I think he’s still living) not typical as an MP even then. A Union man, he had a relatively poor background and worked as a postman before his Union career LED to him entering politics. Not only did he write back - personally - he noted that the rules I had written about had been raised by others and were under review. A few months later, those rules were changed, and he then wrote again to inform me, copying my GP practice. It was very impressive. Coincidence that he wasn’t a typical career politician? Perhaps, but I’d guess it wasn’t. He had ethics, principles, and core beliefs. I didn’t actually agree with that Labour Government on much, but remember fondly his personal attention.

Unfortunately that was the only positive example, apart from a jolly discussion with John Bercow when he was campaigning for one of the General Elections. Yvette Cooper was hopeless as Pensions Minister when a company for whom I worked went bust and we sought support and advice. Bland, formulaic responses and no action at all. Unfortunately Alan Johnson seems to have been the exception rather than the rule.

While I’m on a rant, where are the big issues now? When I was a student we campaigned against apartheid in South Africa, we had the ‘poll tax’, we had CND. There were lots of big causes that we felt important. Now? I don’t see the same vigour amongst the young for really big issues - even global warming. They seem instead to obsess over relative trivia. 

Grumpy old man signing off!

[Bluemarlin]

2 hours ago, Malc1 said:

Maybe ALL proposed MPs should be obliged by Law or other to have had at least 10 years in a front line real job understanding " life as we know it "

Malc

The trouble with that is that if they were successful in a real job they wouldn't want to get into politics. The only difference to today is that we'd end up with the failures instead of those who couldn't be bothered to try.

[eightk]

The Greeks invented parliament. The idea (I think!) was a broad selection of various people from all walks of life selected to do some law making and governing for a while, before going back into their original jobs.

Now look what we've got. Career idiots purely in it for power, publicity or some misguided notion their idealogy is better than the other lot.

*****, this is the first time I've been on this thread and I'm already grumpy just reading this last page. Meh.

[Mincey]

McDonalds. For the second time in succession, my Double Cheeseburger has arrived as a single, and the Happy Meals I've ordered (one with book, one with toy) have both come with books. What is this country coming to?

[Mincey]

2 minutes ago, Mincey said:

McDonalds. For the second time in succession, my Double Cheeseburger has arrived as a single, and the Happy Meals I've ordered (one with book, one with toy) have both come with books. What is this country coming to?

And just to show how angry I am about this, I meant to type "Quarter Pounder" and not "Cheeseburger". Ronald McDonald - hang your head in shame!

[First_Lexus]

23 minutes ago, Mincey said:

And just to show how angry I am about this, I meant to type "Quarter Pounder" and not "Cheeseburger". Ronald McDonald - hang your head in shame!

Meanwhile at Burger King…

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/aug/30/burger-king-whopper-lawsuit

[Boomer54]

Oh, I can see how a thread like this could just run and run !

With the Rugby world cup about to start let's rip with the state of English Rugby. I seriously wonder which is coming first for this sport. Will it be (toss a coin); major structural reform to change our model from destructive to something that befits this decade), the French did it a number of years ago with great success, or will it be a form of extinction. The latter will be abject failure on the International stage will see major money spigot turnoff from sponsorship, dropping gates and a whittling down of the pro game. I have no idea which will happen, but really there is no real inbetween scenario that I can picture.

[Malc1]

The Worlds gone totally nuts 

bringing a Class Action over the size of a Whopper when theres ‘00,000’s of young men dying in Ukraine 

wtf is going on with our Society  ????? 
 

Malc 

[Boomer54]

As for politics including the Greek version, I have long held the view it really is a shell game, a deception that the ordinary person actually has some control.. Just a means of real power giving the rest just enough to keep them plodding along in their lives without reaching for the guilllotine. Indeed, when that outcome is not achieved the guillotine is a reality ,or some equivalent, is often what restores it as one power group replaces the last failed group.

[Mincey]

1 hour ago, First_Lexus said:

Meanwhile at Burger King…

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/aug/30/burger-king-whopper-lawsuit

It just gets worse and worse, doesn't it!

[LenT]

1 hour ago, Malc1 said:

The Worlds gone totally nuts 

bringing a Class Action over the size of a Whopper when theres ‘00,000’s of young men dying in Ukraine 

wtf is going on with our Society  ????? 

But it’s not an either / or situation is it.

If one took the view that no small transgression could possibly match the importance of major humanitarian crises, then the many slight - but significant- improvements to our lives would never be justified.

I speak as one who is actually quite partial to a Whopper!  And telling whoppers to prospective customers is not acceptable.  If I hand over good money for a meaty meal, I don’t expect to receive a Not So Much Of A Whopper.

As an ex-ad man, I was always aware that deliberate misdescription was an Offence.  It’s an insidious process by which manufacturers obtain a pecuniary advantage by gradually reducing the product but not the price.

When I was a lad, a Walnut Whip was a serious proposition, but gradually they diminished - along with Wagon Wheels - to a mere trifle!

There’s not much that I can personally contribute to assisting Ukraine.  But that doesn’t mean that I should accept diminishing standards in every day life.

[dutchie01]

 

[First_Lexus]

18 minutes ago, dutchie01 said:

 

Ah yes, both of the great Universities. Cambridge and…Hull.

 

[Stompe]

People who block Supermarket isles! 😡

[steve2006]

1 hour ago, Stompe said:

People who block Supermarket isles! 😡

I’ve always wanted to fit air horns to my trolley 😀

[LenT]

8 hours ago, Stompe said:

People who block Supermarket isles! 😡

Speaking of supermarkets…

I note that this is not just any apostrophe, it’s an M&S apostrophe.