This flying of flags malarkey

[Casino]

2 minutes ago, kent_white said:

The other elephant in the room is that our country has an aging population. 

I can't remember who I saw in TV last week, I think it might have been Alistair Campbell. His point was back in the not too distant past - there were around 20 people working for every one person claiming a state pension. Demographic changes mean that that number is close to 3 working people for everybody claiming a state pension. 

So one way or another - the country is unsustainable without big increases in the number of people coming into work. We just don't like to talk about it because the unpleasant fact is that barring some population explosion/fertility miracle amongst the indigenous white British population - this country is going to be in its arse in relatively short order. 

Like I said last week

We aint breeding

[Not in Crawley]

4 minutes ago, kent_white said:

The other elephant in the room is that our country has an aging population. 

I can't remember who I saw in TV last week, I think it might have been Alistair Campbell. His point was back in the not too distant past - there were around 20 people working for every one person claiming a state pension. Demographic changes mean that that number is close to 3 working people for everybody claiming a state pension. 

So one way or another - the country is unsustainable without big increases in the number of people coming into work. We just don't like to talk about it because the unpleasant fact is that barring some population explosion/fertility miracle amongst the indigenous white British population - this country is going to be in its arse in relatively short order. 

On my street there are only 5 bed houses (not ours) and all have 80 year old single or couples in them. They shouldn't have to move out but they want to stay in the area, but the gardens and upkeep of their homes are too much.

Our next door neighbours would.love to move into a flat local to the area and the house be sold to a family, but there isnt the properties and there isnt loads of families who can now afford the property.

And still they are building 5/6 bed homes locally because thats what makes the money.

As a nation we need to seriously sort this out, other nations do but for some reason we seem to be incapable.

[kent_white]

4 minutes ago, Casino said:

Like I said last week

We aint breeding

But also people shouldn't be allowed to breed unless they have enough money to pay for their offspring which the visionaries pointed out last week! 👍

[kent_white]

Just now, Not in Crawley said:

On my street there are only 5 bed houses (not ours) and all have 80 year old single or couples in them. They shouldn't have to move out but they want to stay in the area, but the gardens and upkeep of their homes are too much.

Our next door neighbours would.love to move into a flat local to the area and the house be sold to a family, but there isnt the properties and there isnt loads of families who can now afford the property.

And still they are building 5/6 bed homes locally because thats what makes the money.

As a nation we need to seriously sort this out, other nations do but for some reason we seem to be incapable.

It's always going to be a problem with a system where a government is only in charge for 5 years. There needs to somehiw be a long term strategy that becomes a general consensus. Otherwise it leads to short termism - which you can hardly blame a ruling party for. 

People don't want boring long term solutions. They want it sorting tomorrow. 

[Not in Crawley]

2 minutes ago, kent_white said:

But also people shouldn't be allowed to breed unless they have enough money to pay for their offspring which the visionaries pointed out last week! 👍

We have three dependants. Me and my other half have been together 13 years, when we met we were young enough to have a child together but with the girls, just wasn't affordable. My partner has had to forgo being a birth mum.

It was hard when I had my first but god knows its insane now with childcare costs. Again, another thing we cant seem to get right.

[Not in Crawley]

2 minutes ago, kent_white said:

It's always going to be a problem with a system where a government is only in charge for 5 years. There needs to somehiw be a long term strategy that becomes a general consensus. Otherwise it leads to short termism - which you can hardly blame a ruling party for. 

People don't want boring long term solutions. They want it sorting tomorrow. 

The housing issue was started in the early 80s and we did nothing about it. We've got a lot of pigeons coming home to roost at the moment - lack of investment in education, pre school care, housing etc

Sure Start is the biggest example of failure. Because only now we are seeing some of those benefits it was an easy choice to cut. As a nation we need to look at grandchildren futures now, but no - let's paint a few roundabouts.

[Sweep]

Just now, Not in Crawley said:

The housing issue was started in the early 80s and we did nothing about it. We've got a lot of pigeons coming home to roost at the moment - lack of investment in education, pre school care, housing etc

Sure Start is the biggest example of failure. Because only now we are seeing some of those benefits it was an easy choice to cut. As a nation we need to look at grandchildren futures now, but no - let's paint a few roundabouts.

....and Zebra Crossings

[Casino]

@Not in CrawleyWhen one partner has already had one go at it, its always going to be difficult

The country cant plan for that

But we do need to come up with something that allows both parents to work

 

[BobyBrno]

17 minutes ago, kent_white said:

The other elephant in the room is that our country has an aging population. 

I can't remember who I saw in TV last week, I think it might have been Alistair Campbell. His point was back in the not too distant past - there were around 20 people working for every one person claiming a state pension. Demographic changes mean that that number is close to 3 working people for everybody claiming a state pension. 

So one way or another - the country is unsustainable without big increases in the number of people coming into work. We just don't like to talk about it because the unpleasant fact is that barring some population explosion/fertility miracle amongst the indigenous white British population - this country is going to be in its arse in relatively short order. 

Perhaps if you look more closely at the figures you’ll see that well over half of pensioners pay tax. More than ever in history. Some pensioners pay more tax than some on here who ‘dodge’ tax due to their self employed status. 
 

[Sweep]

And Bollards of course... 

[Not in Crawley]

1 minute ago, Casino said:

@Not in CrawleyWhen one partner has already had one go at it, its always going to be difficult

The country cant plan for that

But we do need to come up with something that allows both parents to work

 

Totally agree, im lucky that I have a very understanding partner, but i understand why that doesnt always happen.

Anyway, ive done my bit - any advice on the snip within these ranks?

[mickbrown]

Not seen one painted roundabout or 50p Ali Express St George’s Flag halfway up a lamp post where I live.

Thank fuck. 

[Sweep]

And whatever these are called. 

 

[Not in Crawley]

Have to say, I drove from Dover to Whitstable yesterday, not one flag. In fact not seen anything.

[Not in Crawley]

2 minutes ago, BobyBrno said:

Perhaps if you look more closely at the figures you’ll see that well over half of pensioners pay tax. More than ever in history. Some pensioners pay more tax than some on here who ‘dodge’ tax due to their self employed status. 
 

Its not about tax though- no one is having a pop at pensioners, its the inability for young families to have the 2.4 family anymore without it being eye-wateringly expensive just to go to work.

[Sweep]

Just now, Not in Crawley said:

Have to say, I drove from Dover to Whitstable yesterday, not one flag. In fact not seen anything.

I'd not seen any until this weekend either, give it a week or so, they'll be all over the place. Generally, I suspect, more in areas full of scrubbers and scrotes. 

[Not in Crawley]

2 minutes ago, Sweep said:

I'd not seen any until this weekend either, give it a week or so, they'll be all over the place. Generally, I suspect, more in areas full of scrubbers and scrotes. 

Even the local reform candidate (who has a flag pole) doesnt seem to be flying anything. Be chip paper this by Thursday.

[kent_white]

4 minutes ago, BobyBrno said:

Perhaps if you look more closely at the figures you’ll see that well over half of pensioners pay tax. More than ever in history. Some pensioners pay more tax than some on here who ‘dodge’ tax due to their self employed status. 
 

You may well be right - iev no idea. But even taking what you're saying at face value, there isn't enough money to pay the state pension and it's going to get worse. 

Anyway - these spray painted flags should sort things! 😁

PS - I dislike spray painting flags on everything because it looks chavvy as fuck and for similar reasons that I disagreed with pushing that statue into the sea in Bristol. 

It's not one section of societies choice to take unilaterally - no matter how righteously indignant they might feel. 

[kent_white]

5 minutes ago, Sweep said:

I'd not seen any until this weekend either, give it a week or so, they'll be all over the place. Generally, I suspect, more in areas full of scrubbers and scrotes. 

Yeah - till it gets cold in a month or two when it will no doubt dry up. 

[Cheese]

There's a mini roundabout near me that's had a red cross painted over it. I was almost chuffed to see it a couple of days ago as it brought the story closer to home. I expect more to follow, but fuck knows what they think they're achieving. The only flag I've noticed around here before is a Leeds United flag that says "BIELSA FOREVER", and it's been tatty and sunbleached for years.

[Duck Egg]

35 minutes ago, kent_white said:

The other elephant in the room is that our country has an aging population. 

I can't remember who I saw in TV last week, I think it might have been Alistair Campbell. His point was back in the not too distant past - there were around 20 people working for every one person claiming a state pension. Demographic changes mean that that number is close to 3 working people for everybody claiming a state pension. 

I'm pretty sure this oft repeated statistic has been proven to be way off.  I'll have a dig around but iirc the figures are nothing like as frightening. Something like 1 in 4 in the 1960s and 1 in 3 now. Still an issue like and not one painting a roundabout or shouting "rag head" at passing pedestrians is going to solve.

[Dimron]

26 minutes ago, kent_white said:

It's always going to be a problem with a system where a government is only in charge for 5 years. There needs to somehiw be a long term strategy that becomes a general consensus. Otherwise it leads to short termism - which you can hardly blame a ruling party for. 

People don't want boring long term solutions. They want it sorting tomorrow. 

We've just had a similar discussion on the England thread... everyone's looking for a Moses to lead them to the promised land be it Starmer, Farage or a political party and it ain't going to happen.

I suggested an AI programme replaced Westminster and people were given more devolved politics... the more I think about it the more I convince myself

 

[BobyBrno]

10 minutes ago, kent_white said:

You may well be right - iev no idea. But even taking what you're saying at face value, there isn't enough money to pay the state pension and it's going to get worse. 

 

The pension is the only benefit that you have to earn. ie. if you don’t pay in you don’t get it. There are many more benefits that are claimed without having to pay a penny in. Start there if we are skint. 

[Duck Egg]

9 minutes ago, BobyBrno said:

The pension is the only benefit that you have to earn. ie. if you don’t pay in you don’t get it. There are many more benefits that are claimed without having to pay a penny in. Start there if we are skint. 

That's not right is it or am I missing something amidst the semantics? Someone who's been unemployed all their working life will still get a state pension at 66, no?

[BobyBrno]

3 minutes ago, Duck Egg said:

That's not right is it or am I missing something amidst the semantics? Someone who's been unemployed all their working life will still get a state pension at 66, no?

You need 35 years of NI contributions to get a full pension. Other benefits are available as I said for those that haven’t paid in a penny. 
Not sure why genuine hardworking pensioners keep cropping up but there you go.