Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[madwullie]

3 minutes ago, pandarilla said:

What a dreadfully misinformed post.

To run down these universities in general is such a lazy stereotype.

But when you actually look at what it takes to be an effective and engaging teacher you realise that academic excellence is way down the pecking order. Loving your subject is much more important than being at a certain academic level, but actually it's about you connect with people.

Relationships is everything in teaching, it's what allows the wee magic moments to happen. And I've met plenty of intellectuals who are crap teachers, and plenty of folk from newer universities who are outstanding.

And just for the avoidance of doubt I got a 2:1 honours degree from the university of glasgow, so not taking offence on my own behalf.

Had a student once who had achieved a first in English from Oxford. She was incredibly knowledgeable about the subject (as you'd imagine) and some of the resources she created were absolutely fantastic. Kids hated her. Classes i loved and got on so well with, the kind of classes you dream of having, when I sat and observed them with her I couldn't believe what I was seeing. They were horrible, cheeky, disruptive. I'm talking about a fast track higher class. She turned it round eventually and I'm pretty sure she went on to start a probation year, but it just proved that there is much much much more to teaching then knowing your onions subject wise. 

 

[bendan]

10 minutes ago, MixuFixit said:

or just, y'know, not do any of that

You mean just print more money? What could possibly go wrong?

[Michael W]

9 minutes ago, bendan said:

You'd hope they'd lump much of the burden of this onto things like fuel duty (with oil prices low) and alcohol duty (protect the NHS!).

Unless these are raised to genuinely punitive levels (and the UK's alcohol duties are already amongst the highest in Europe), this isn't going to raise nearly enough. 

Income tax, VAT and NI are the big three, but there's a problem - the Conservatives pledged not to increase any of them in their last manifesto. Exceptional circumstances, yes, but the nuances of these things matter. 

[madwullie]

HS2? 

[bendan]

3 minutes ago, MixuFixit said:

My rejoinder: Why do we need to pay back bonds with tax in the next 2 years?

We don't. I think you're being optimistic about the extent of the deficit over the next couple of years. 

[ICTChris]

University College London have written a report analysing activity levels across a number of U.K. cities and urban areas throughout the last few months. All areas reduced activity hugely around the lockdown was announced but activity levels have been rising in late April. Some sectors, like construction and agriculture, have had the smallest drops and are coming back the fastest whereas retail appears to be coming back slowest

https://amp.ft.com/content/cc70d690-99a6-4056-9ebe-d0b39c40a359?__twitter_impression=true

They took the data from 400 mobility apps and analysed each area. Greater Glasgow activity fell relatively modestly and has risen the last few weeks as has activity in Edinburgh. Glasgow has only seen falls in four of the seven weeks whereas Edinburgh has seen drops in six out of seven weeks.

[coprolite]

1 hour ago, Granny Danger said:

I employ various folk who are self-employed.  The nature of the construction industry means there’s plenty of people who are not going to get the security of full time, permanent employment and self employment is the only practical route.

Tax avoidance bad. Employers NI avoidance good!

[Michael W]

1 hour ago, sparky88 said:

The difference between England and rUK isn't that there are different measures . It is that the measures are being taken earlier - mainly because England is further along the curve than rUK. That's not to say the measures aren't unwise. But I suspect there will be plenty of issues when restrictions are lifted in Scotland .

Inevitable really that cases will rise when measures are relaxed. Just depends on the extent of the rise. 

That said, crowding onto public transport is nuts. I am struggling to understand why these people now piling into central London apparently can't work from home - crap IT infrastructure from their employers one imagines. That said, anyone who is going in and who hasn't been recently unfurloughed, is an idiot. Needless risk taking. 

[dirty dingus]

Sky getting the " blame the public" message in early.  

 

Edited May 13, 2020 by dirty dingus

[Aufc]

"Everyone not in my exact situation is a scumbag/idiot/lazy" - about 60% of this thread

Wasn’t sure if my comment came under this. No issue with self employed people nor declaring everything and paying less tax. Upto themselves. However, they cant then complain about the grant being offered to them being based on declared earnings.

[coprolite]

34 minutes ago, MixuFixit said:

My rejoinder: Why do we need to pay back bonds with tax in the next 2 years?

So that we get the debt down. Maxed out the credit card, hyperinflation etc etc

[Granny Danger]

20 minutes ago, coprolite said:

Tax avoidance bad. Employers NI avoidance good!

The hourly rate you have to pay means the cost implications are no benefit.

 

[Granny Danger]

2 hours ago, Day of the Lords said:

A lot do.

I am however quite enjoying the spectacle of self-employed folk who've fiddled their returns for years, now getting f**k all help and crying about "only" getting £100 a week of Universal Credit on Facebook. Even funnier as they used to regularly post shite memes about folk lazing about on benefits whilst they "grafted". 

Un-fucking-lucky. 

So we can lump them with pensioners in the category of people you don’t like, whilst sucking on the public teat yourself.

[coprolite]

Compared to the hourly rate + 13.8%? 

I get what you are saying but HMRC would be unsympathetic. If they were to see you refer to the relationship with those individuals as employment they would see that as evidence indicating an employer /employee relationship. Which i'm sure it isn't. 

[Granny Danger]

Just now, coprolite said:

Compared to the hourly rate + 13.8%? 

I get what you are saying but HMRC would be unsympathetic. If they were to see you refer to the relationship with those individuals as employment they would see that as evidence indicating an employer /employee relationship. Which i'm sure it isn't. 

There are very strict rules determining the status of employed v self employed workers.  Every month I do an on-line CIS return for tax purposes I have to acknowledge the status of such workers.

As far as I am aware the casual use of language in a thread on a football forum when discussing the matter does not breach those rules.

[coprolite]

2 minutes ago, Granny Danger said:

There are very strict rules determining the status of employed v self employed workers.  Every month I do an on-line CIS return for tax purposes I have to acknowledge the status of such workers.

As far as I am aware the casual use of language in a thread on a football forum when discussing the matter does not breach those rules.

False declarations on Cis returns too? Quite a David Murray. 

[Granny Danger]

1 minute ago, coprolite said:

False declarations on Cis returns too? Quite a David Murray. 

I know you’re at it but the first line of that post makes the point.

Is lockdown boredom getting to you?

[Detournement]

36 minutes ago, coprolite said:

So that we get the debt down. Maxed out the credit card, hyperinflation etc etc

That's the nonsense we'll hear from the geniuses on the right.

The real threat though is deflation. If the government impose even greater austerity it's a cert to happen. 

Edited May 13, 2020 by Detournement

[Silverton End]

9 hours ago, peasy23 said:

 

The wee guy on the bicycle is doing a wheelie as he goes down the hill.

[coprolite]

11 minutes ago, Granny Danger said:

I know you’re at it but the first line of that post makes the point.

Is lockdown boredom getting to you?

Yes.