Do you want to discuss boring politics? (24 Viewers)

[PVA]

The subtlety was lost on me I’m afraid.
Just because you don’t see them as luxuries doesn’t mean they aren’t. They are commonplace and in common usage, but are they actually essential?

luxury
noun
great comfort, esp. as provided by expensive and beautiful possessions, surroundings, or food, or something enjoyable and often expensive but not necessary:

A mobile phone is essential for virtually everyone yes.

A TV is not essential per se but is so commonplace it's silly to call it a luxury. A 200 inch screen, sure that's a luxury item but that's not what we're talking about.

 

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[MalcSB]

I have got my wife to get a part time job. How do I afford the child care for when we are both at work Malc?

A job working different hours would have helped, surely. This is what my wife did when she had my stepson 42 years ago. Provide your own child care, you will enjoy it.

Im now assuming your post is fiction, not fact. If it’s fact and you can (a) persuade your wife to get a job and (b) get her one that quickly, set your own employment agency up. You will be hugely successful.

 

[MalcSB]

Yeah your parents parents didn't have a phone altogether?

Its not the younger generations fault these things weren't invented when you were younger LOL

No, my parents didn’t have a phone altogether. Neither did my wife’s which would have been a decade later.

 

[Ccfcisparks]

No, my parents didn’t have a phone altogether. Neither did my wife’s which would have been a decade later.

I hope you didnt have a landline before you could afford to have children then.

 

[MalcSB]

A mobile phone is essential for virtually everyone yes.

A TV is not essential per se but is so commonplace it's silly to call it a luxury. A 200 inch screen, sure that's a luxury item but that's not what we're talking about.

Anything bigger than 55” is probably a luxury.

 

[wingy]

This may well be what I need to do in order to avoid selling the house. Will basically never see the child, but hey.

Back to the 60s ?

 

[chiefdave]

The subtlety was lost on me I’m afraid.
Just because you don’t see them as luxuries doesn’t mean they aren’t. They are commonplace and in common usage, but are they actually essential?

luxury
noun
great comfort, esp. as provided by expensive and beautiful possessions, surroundings, or food, or something enjoyable and often expensive but not necessary:

We have over 200 clients where I work. Not a single employee at any of those companies can access there email or any company resources without proving their identity using a smartphone app. If you were being generous perhaps 5% of those people are supplied with a company phone or any sort of compensation for using their personal phone.

 

[fernandopartridge]

Alright:

Where’s the country?
What’s its population?
Mineral wealth?
Fishing rights?
What animals are there?
Aggregates?
Who are the neighbours?


Remember:

Gold, land, guns, seeds: the underpin of any nation. Ask your ancestors.

Oh, and never ask a question that you don’t know the answer to unless you want to go in the field.

I'll just ring my ancestors now

 

[wingy]

Anything bigger than 55” is probably a luxury.

40"why would you?

 

[MalcSB]

I hope you didnt have a landline before you could afford to have children then.

Landline, when installed, was necessary to enable on call and hence additional earnings. Therefore essential for that reason.

 

[chiefdave]

I worked in one of the biggest practice accountancy firms in the world, they paid overtime for all assistant managers and below and took it away overnight.

You had 21 year old kids working 50-60 hours a week, without overtime, whilst having to study. Its a bit of a broken way to work in my opinion. I can understand why some people are happy working the bare minimum and not wanting to climb higher on the ladder. If thats at the cost of them affording to have kids so be it.

Incredible isn't it. Remove all the incentives to work hard and then act surprised when people do the bare minimum and productivity goes to shit.

 

[MalcSB]

I'll just ring my ancestors now

On your mobile phone?

 

[Ccfcisparks]

Landline, when installed, was necessary to enable on call and hence additional earnings. Therefore essential for that reason.

How are you considering landlines essential then and mobile phones not?

 

[wingy]

Why austerity? Think when you make such large cuts across the board it doesn't just impact those working in the public sector. But also think it introduced an era of scapegoating.

One year of no pay rises or bonuses because of austerity became two and from there on it was excuse after excuse. There's a reason perma-crisis has made it into the dictionary. As I heard one economist say "there's a generation of workers who are fed up of constantly hearing about 'once in a generation' issues"

Not a surprise that over the same period of time we've seen a record transfer of wealth to the richest.

In my sector at least wages remain largely stagnant while hours and workload increase year on year. Its quite bizarre to be in a culture of you're lucky to have a job while constantly hearing there is a shortage of workers. Does not the basis of capitalism dictate that if there's more demand than supply the price rises? Not when it comes to wages it seems.

And then we're supposed to be grateful for crumbs. If you have a wage increase after 5 years of being told there will be none you get people saying but you've had a x% increase this year, like it magically makes up for all the other years.

I think most people of my generation are happy with an honest days work for an honest days pay but it feels the scales have tipped way too far in one direction. Overworked and not paid enough to be able to afford anything even remotely approaching the standard of living our parents had.

At the same time that generation seems to have a complete block on being able to accept that anything is different and therefore any complaints are met with an implication that you're just lazy or want everything handed to you. No we just want what we were promised when we entered the workforce, the same things you had.

Suspect that's why we have a big problem coming down the line with the younger generation who aren't prepared to do that. They've seen us give up our lives for work with little in return and just think whats the point. I'll do the minimum I need to. Who can blame them really?

Just apply the same rules of the self employed and build it in to the tax bands?

 

[MalcSB]

This may well be what I need to do in order to avoid selling the house. Will basically never see the child, but hey.

You have chosen to do a postgraduate qualification, so personal decisions have had an impact.

 

[wingy]

A job working different hours would have helped, surely. This is what my wife did when she had my stepson 42 years ago. Provide your own child care, you will enjoy it.

Im now assuming your post is fiction, not fact. If it’s fact and you can (a) persuade your wife to get a job and (b) get her one that quickly, set your own employment agency up. You will be hugely successful.

But that's bending the rules!

 

[wingy]

You have chosen to do a postgraduate qualification, so personal decisions have had an impact.

Those decisions can be time sensitive?
What's in vogue one year can be outdated in 5-10.
Does prepare you for general adaptation though?

 

[MalcSB]

Pop to the bank and see if you are able to get a lower interest rate on your mortgage?

Interest rates on the way down, again.

Bank lowers interest rates to 4.25% and hints at more to come

The Bank cuts rates for the second time this year, saying the slowdown in inflation was behind the move.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[MalcSB]

40"why would you?

Depends on size of room and how far you are sitting from the tv to view it.

“To determine the right TV size, measure the distance between your seating position and the potential TV location. For Full HD TVs, aim for a viewing distance of 1.5 to 2.5 times the screen size. For 4K TVs, a viewing distance of approximately the same as the screen size is recommended. Consider the room's size and if you're planning on using the TV for movies or gaming, which may influence your preferred viewing distance.

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

1. 1. Measure the Viewing Distance:
   Use a tape measure to determine the distance from your seating position to the wall where the TV will be placed.
   
   
2. • 2. Consider TV Type and Resolution:
     4K TVs generally require closer viewing distances compared to Full HD TVs.
   • 3. Calculate Recommended Screen Size:
     • • Full HD: Divide the viewing distance by 1.5 or 2.5 to get the recommended screen size.
       • 4K: Aim for a viewing distance that is approximately the same as the screen size.
   • 4. Factor in Field of View:
     The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) recommends filling 30 degrees of your field of vision with the TV. This means the screen should appear to stretch approximately from your left eye to your right eye.
   • 5. Consider Room Size and Use:
     • • Smaller Rooms: For bedrooms or kitchens, smaller TVs (under 50 inches) might be ideal.
       • Larger Rooms: Living rooms can accommodate larger TVs, with 50 to 65 inches being a common range.
       • Home Cinema: For a truly immersive experience, screens of 70 inches or larger are a great choice.
   • 6. Experiment with Tape:
     You can use painter's tape to outline different TV sizes on the wall to get a visual representation of how they'll look.

Example:
If you're sitting 8 feet (96 inches) from the TV and you have a Full HD TV, you could divide 96 by 2.5 to get a recommended screen size of around 38.4 inches. A 40-inch TV might be a good fit.

Additional Tips:
Don't be afraid to go slightly larger: If you prefer a more immersive experience, you can go slightly larger than the recommended screen size.
Consider your budget: TV prices vary widely depending on size and features.
Read reviews: Check reviews from reputable sources to get insights into different TV models.”

There are a lot of reasons to go greater than 40”. Some rooms you would see nothing with a 40”, unless you were using binoculars.

 

[MalcSB]

@wingy why laughing? Google it yourself, it’s what I did before buying the last tv I purchased as the 55” was simply too small when put up on the wall.

 

[wingy]

@wingy why laughing? Google it yourself, it’s what I did before buying the last tv I purchased as the 55” was simply too small when put up on the wall.

I'm laughing along with you, thought you were posting all that info to bamboozle or something, anyway,60-70's was better, I mean if we're measuring our tellies to sort our social standing it's a bit of a novelty for most, average room size 12m2-15m2, just no need for all that neck ache, although we do need a replacement for cars?

 

[Marty]

Interest rates on the way down, again.

Bank lowers interest rates to 4.25% and hints at more to come

The Bank cuts rates for the second time this year, saying the slowdown in inflation was behind the move.

www.bbc.co.uk

Exactly, it sounds like he's got stung on high interest rates when buying/remortgaging and I just suggested he looks into that as if he can get a lower rate he maybe better off.

 

[MalcSB]

I'm laughing along with you, thought you were posting all that info to bamboozle or something, anyway,60-70's was better, I mean if we're measuring our tellies to sort our social standing it's a bit of a novelty for most, average room size 12m2-15m2, just no need for all that neck ache, although we do need a replacement for cars?

There’s nothing about measuring tellies to suit social standing, it’s to measuring them against room size. No need for neck ache if your room is big enough to sit far enough away to see whole screen without moving your head.

Why on earth do we need a replacement for cars?

 

[Ccfcisparks]

There’s nothing about measuring tellies to suit social standing, it’s to measuring them against room size. No need for neck ache if your room is big enough to sit far enough away to see whole screen without moving your head.

Why on earth do we need a replacement for cars?

Not 15% though.

Malc there’s a game on

 

[MalcSB]

Exactly, it sounds like he's got stung on high interest rates when buying/remortgaging and I just suggested he looks into that as if he can get a lower rate he maybe better off.

Not 15% though.

 

[Marty]

Not 15% though.

Maybe not, but I do know that colleagues of mine have had their mortgages jump up £400-£500 a month. It's huge money and if you borrowed towards the top end of your budget, then you're going to start struggling with those increases.

 

[shmmeee]

Maybe not, but I do know that colleagues of mine have had their mortgages jump up £400-£500 a month. It's huge money and if you borrowed towards the top end of your budget, then you're going to start struggling with those increases.

This is the thing. I bought at 90% LTV in 2021 on a two year fix, when Truss hit my payments jumped from £850 to £1300 a month, they’re back down to £890 on a fix now but that was a tough period.

 

[MalcSB]

Malc there’s a game on

There is, not that enthralling though so I can multi task, (well, duo task as can you by the looks of it).

This is the thing. I bought at 90% LTV in 2021 on a two year fix, when Truss hit my payments jumped from £850 to £1300 a month, they’re back down to £890 on a fix now but that was a tough period.

it’s a lot of extra money to find with little or no warning. My mortgage went up to £1300 pcm or so when the 15% came in in late 80s early 90s. A huge percentage of my take home pay.

 

[MalcSB]

Get the ferry to France then come back on a small boat. Absolutely guaranteed free housing, healthcare, new trainers and nice watches for life!!!!!

I got a ferry to France and came back, but on another ferry. Got none of those things at the time.

 

[MalcSB]

Every generation benefits from new inventions or breakthroughs that improve quality of life. That's not exclusive to younger generations.

And people shouldn't have to give up what are pretty basic 'luxuries' in order to be able to afford to buy a house.

Don’t you see that inventions improving quality of life are improving standards of living. It’s the denial of this that I think makes these things a bit catnippy. 50 years ago I wouldn’t have wanted to be contacted out of the blue, 24/7 via a mobile phone.

 

[MalcSB]

We have over 200 clients where I work. Not a single employee at any of those companies can access there email or any company resources without proving their identity using a smartphone app. If you were being generous perhaps 5% of those people are supplied with a company phone or any sort of compensation for using their personal phone.

Poor, but presumably an enabler for WFH so got to be worth it. How much time and fuel does it save you with not needing to commute to office every day?

 

[MalcSB]

Maybe not, but I do know that colleagues of mine have had their mortgages jump up £400-£500 a month. It's huge money and if you borrowed towards the top end of your budget, then you're going to start struggling with those increases.

Perhaps why the lending criteria have been tightened up.

 

[chiefdave]

Poor, but presumably an enabler for WFH so got to be worth it. How much time and fuel does it save you with not needing to commute to office every day?

We're not allowed to WFH despite it all the data for my profession showing it improves productivity. We're required to have reliable internet at home for 'emergency' calls at evenings and weekends.

Obviously when we get those calls, which are rarely emergencies, we don't receive any overtime or on call allowance.

The smartphone requirement for our clients is to allow them to log in when at the office so again they aren't getting any WFH benefit in return for allowing their personal devices to be used by their employer. Technically we can wipe and disable someones personal device if they leave the company.

 

[SBT]

Poor, but presumably an enabler for WFH so got to be worth it. How much time and fuel does it save you with not needing to commute to office every day?

Also an enabler for my boss to contact me at all hours of the day, including outside my billable time. How much does that save him?

 

[fernandopartridge]

This is the thing. I bought at 90% LTV in 2021 on a two year fix, when Truss hit my payments jumped from £850 to £1300 a month, they’re back down to £890 on a fix now but that was a tough period.

It's not only tough on people but terrible for the wider economy, spending power literally removed from it through arbitrary interest rates. The whole system needs reform imo, the city is a leech.