Off Topic Politics Thread

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To jump on Os' comment, physical exercise is a game changer for my mental health. As a shift worker (especially in winter where I can go days without seeing daylight) if I fall into the trap of being lazy and chinning it off the Mrs picks up on it straight away. I've never been a fan of lifting though, I found BJJ is incredible for giving your mind a break and your body some work. Would recommend it to anyone
 
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StJabbo1 said:
I buy vinyl in charity shops coming across some real goodies cheap but most are aware of the value now days.
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There’s a guy in Finchley has a shop that deals exclusively in vinyl, mostly but not entirely second hand (new releases are common but usually only a few pressings, and pricey). He’s pretty much retired and running the shop as a hobby nowadays, so always gives a good price on used records. On one occasion he wouldn’t take any money at all from me for a handful of old 45s. One of them was White Man at the Hammersmith Palais by The Clash in the original pink sleeve with the revolver on the label, which I had to tell him might be worth something, but he still would only take a pound.

Trouble is I don’t have anything decent to play my vinyl on, and a decent deck, amp and speakers uses a lot of space.
 
Archers Road said:
There’s a guy in Finchley has a shop that deals exclusively in vinyl, mostly but not entirely second hand (new releases are common but usually only a few pressings, and pricey). He’s pretty much retired and running the shop as a hobby nowadays, so always gives a good price on used records. On one occasion he wouldn’t take any money at all from me for a handful of old 45s. One of them was White Man at the Hammersmith Palais by The Clash in the original pink sleeve with the revolver on the label, which I had to tell him might be worth something, but he still would only take a pound.

Trouble is I don’t have anything decent to play my vinyl on, and a decent deck, amp and speakers uses a lot of space.
Click to expand...
There's good compact systems, at a price and the law of diminishing returns applies. That said good cables and optimising speaker locations can improve the sound.
 
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Without wanting to disrupt the new found harmony..

This was exactly the sort of thing I was concerned about. Tax rises lead to job losses. Will also lead to more inflation and education costs going up for students.
 
Agree on the physical exercise bit.

If you are able to, then strength training is excellent, especially the older you get. Everyday I get up at 7-7:30am (i don't want a medal but bear in mind because I work with US teams, my work day is from around 12pm-8/9/10pm, so 7am is early) and do 40-60 mins Apple Fitness+. Normally a combo of HIIT, Strength, Core and Pilates. I also watch what I eat and have given up alcohol. I am healthier and fitter now at 55 than I was in my 30s and 40s. My mental health has improved no ends. No anxieties and except on here, quite level headed :)

I am totally against the pill to fix it culture. Instead of the government offering ozempic, how about a bit of self discipline? I know there are some that can't for medical reasons, but for 90% of overweight people there is no quick fix. Just follow two rules; Eat less, exercise more. Simple really.
 
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thereisonlyoneno7 said:
Agree on the physical exercise bit.

If you are able to, then strength training is excellent, especially the older you get. Everyday I get up at 7-7:30am (i don't want a medal but bear in mind because I work with US teams, my work day is from around 12pm-8/9/10pm, so 7am is early) and do 40-60 mins Apple Fitness+. Normally a combo of HIIT, Strength, Core and Pilates. I also watch what I eat and have given up alcohol. I am healthier and fitter now at 55 than I was in my 30s and 40s. My mental health has improved no ends. No anxieties and except on here, quite level headed :)

I am totally against the pill to fix it culture. Instead of the government offering ozempic, how about a bit of self discipline? I know there are some that can't for medical reasons, but for 90% of overweight people there is no quick fix. Just follow two rules; Eat less, exercise more. Simple really.
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Appreciate all the fitness stuff. This also helps.
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Osvaldorama said:
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Without wanting to disrupt the new found harmony..

This was exactly the sort of thing I was concerned about. Tax rises lead to job losses. Will also lead to more inflation and education costs going up for students.
Click to expand...
Not a great example, though. The universities are very much all on their last legs, and people kicking off about the tiny rise in fees the other week won't have helped. We simply have too many universities, offering too poor a product - which came into stark definition when the Covid years showed what a poor offering most unis were willing to give. Add to that a cost of living crisis, stagnating wages, and the perception that experience is more valuable than education, and you have a ticking time bomb.

I would expect a thinning of the university herd over the next 10 years, and we could easily lose a third of them. We are already totally reliant on Chinese students to keep them going!
 
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Osvaldorama said:
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Without wanting to disrupt the new found harmony..

This was exactly the sort of thing I was concerned about. Tax rises lead to job losses. Will also lead to more inflation and education costs going up for students.
Click to expand...
****ing good news! Get ride of these woke lefty uni staff. Stop the foreign fee paying immigrants and all their freeloading families.
 
The Loading Political Survey:

Where do I sit on the political spectrum?
What are the three issues most important to me?
What are my views on immigration?
What are my views on taxation?
What are my views on green issues?
What are my views on foreign affairs?
What are my views on big corporations and regulation?
What are my state workers, particularly police, nurses, and teachers?
What are my views on the NHS?
What are my views on private education and healthcare?
What are my views on trans issues?
What are my views on religion?
What are my views on rights over your own body (abortion, suicide, assisted dying)?
 
Where do I sit on the political spectrum? Mostly left.
What are the three issues most important to me? Social services. Social mobility. The environment.
What are my views on immigration? Steady, controlled immigration is good for the country. There needs to be an emphasis on integration for those who come here. Immigrants largely work hard and do important jobs.
What are my views on taxation? I believe taxation is a social responsibility and the narrative that tax is bad does not help poor people. Waste is bad. Tax is good.
What are my views on green issues? This world is for our kids and grandkids. We need to look after it. Climate change is already destroying lives. People who drop litter are the scum of the earth. Look after your spaces.
What are my views on foreign affairs? I would rather we didnt start wars or back up dictators because their belief system matches ours. However, I believe Russia is a genuine threat to Western values and think showing a solid front against them is vital.
What are my views on big corporations and regulation? Multinationals are the empires of today. They are a scourge, sucking wealth out of one area and abusing the poverty of workers in another. Regulation exists to protect workers and is something we should not dispose of.
What are my state workers, particularly police, nurses, and teachers? Underpaid, undervalued. Essential.
What are my views on the NHS? A critical national jewel which has been degraded to almost worthless. We will have to spend a lot and reform a lot if we have any hope of saving it.
What are my views on private education and healthcare? Symbols of wealth inequality and the class system. How can I contribute tax towards a consultant on well over 100k per year, but three days a week he works private? What a scam.
What are my views on trans issues? If someone believes they are a man or a woman, I don't care. They are just as valid as any other human being. I personally am against trans people in sport. There are something like 6 male to female trans people in the whole prison system - and I think it is dogwhistling the way people go on.
What are my views on religion? Religion is the root of so much evil. It should have no place in politics whatsover, and I abhor all fundamentalists.
What are my views on rights over your own body (abortion, suicide, assisted dying)? You should have 100% control over what happens to you.
 
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......loading...... said:
Not a great example, though. The universities are very much all on their last legs, and people kicking off about the tiny rise in fees the other week won't have helped. We simply have too many universities, offering too poor a product - which came into stark definition when the Covid years showed what a poor offering most unis were willing to give. Add to that a cost of living crisis, stagnating wages, and the perception that experience is more valuable than education, and you have a ticking time bomb.

I would expect a thinning of the university herd over the next 10 years, and we could easily lose a third of them. We are already totally reliant on Chinese students to keep them going!
Click to expand...


Price Rises under Starmer PM, who promised not to raise prices (so far):

• Bus Fares up 50%
• Rail Cards up 16%
• Energy Bills up 10%
• Water Bills rising 22-41%
• Tuition Fees rising 13%
• Fiscal Drag on Income Tax up 2%
• Council Tax up 4.99%

As governments go, I would say that already he’s lied more than the Tories. Just as corrupt. Just as much contempt for working people.

Two wings of the same bird.
 
Osvaldorama said:
Price Rises under Starmer PM, who promised not to raise prices (so far):

• Bus Fares up 50%
• Rail Cards up 16%
• Energy Bills up 10%
• Water Bills rising 22-41%
• Tuition Fees rising 13%
• Fiscal Drag on Income Tax up 2%
• Council Tax up 4.99%

As governments go, I would say that already he’s lied more than the Tories. Just as corrupt. Just as much contempt for working people.

Two wings of the same bird.
Click to expand...
TBF our public transport system is an absolute embarassment and has been since I can remember. The government wants us to reduce car usage but many people can't afford or won't pay the ridiculous prices for long distance train travel. Bus services in rural areas are virtually non-existent. It's shameful quite frankly and someone, I don't care if it's Labour, Tories or any other party, needs to do something about it. Otherwise people like me will simply jump in the car and people who don't have a car or can't drive are completely ****ed.
 
tomw24 said:
TBF our public transport system is an absolute embarassment and has been since I can remember. The government wants us to reduce car usage but many people can't afford or won't pay the ridiculous prices for long distance train travel. Bus services in rural areas are virtually non-existent. It's shameful quite frankly and someone, I don't care if it's Labour, Tories or any other party, needs to do something about it. Otherwise people like me will simply jump in the car and people who don't have a car or can't drive are completely ****ed.
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The Gov are giving back control of bus services to Local Authorities and that’s what has resulted in London & Manchester having good Public Transport, so there’s hope there

And we get good value on train fares by having a rail card and booking early, although I understand that’s not enough, they have promised to simplify the ticketing system which has been crazy complicated for years

Maybe HS2 funding will get redirected to something useful too
 
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