Bad beat/Moaning/Venting thread - Wordle Gummidge

[Raoul Duke III]

Nice to wake up to hear Russia has potentially attacked a NATO country. At least markets are saying it's nothing.

Putin declared war on us, the collective West, quite some time ago.

[eamonhonda]

If Roisin Ingle can get paid to be a writer/journalist, you can be anything you want to be

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Got the Cookeo (Instant Pot / multi-cooker) out of storage for the first time in ages. Jaysus its amazing for prepping meals. Did 7starpoos famous jambalaya two nights ago and still feasting off the bounty. Tonight will be the very simple-sounding, but ridic good, boeuf carotte.

[Wombatman]

Woke up. Looked at news.

Poland invaded.
Trump back in the game.
Will be a cnut if I watch the WC.

Back to bed.

[DeadParrot]

Think it's pretty determined it was Ukraine anti aircraft ordnance that fell in Poland

It was an interesting journey last night from the Chicken Littles, the hawks and the more measured responses on twitter.
If anything, it may help whet out the headcases from being reported on as much.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Technically a NATO country has still been attacked by a non-NATO country

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

It is notable in the US news how lowkey the Trump announcement is being covered. I'd imagine its deliberate, but still a far cry from the avalanche of media coverage that sprung him to the top in 2016.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Whats a ballpark figure for fitting out a small house with light fixtures? Decent quality, but not extravagant. Having them fitting too obv. Would it be a grand?

[Strewelpeter]

It is notable in the US news how lowkey the Trump announcement is being covered. I'd imagine its deliberate, but still a far cry from the avalanche of media coverage that sprung him to the top in 2016.

Murdoch has ditched him, Elon endorses him and it should be over

Two more years of Oompa Loompism and with Putin and Saudi firmly behind him nothing is impossible.

[Dice75]

Think it's pretty determined it was Ukraine anti aircraft ordnance that fell in Poland



It was an interesting journey last night from the Chicken Littles, the hawks and the more measured responses on twitter.
If anything, it may help whet out the headcases from being reported on as much.

Fairly obvious its nothing important when the second News item on the radio in the car this morning was how happy Taylor Swift is with some Dublin lads cover of her song.

Like get your priorities right there DP

[coillcam]

Whats a ballpark figure for fitting out a small house with light fixtures? Decent quality, but not extravagant. Having them fitting too obv. Would it be a grand?

I don't think you're looking at big money tbh. I've changed a couple of small ones myself and it didn't take long maybe 40 mins each. Obviouly if I was experienced and had correct tools I'd have done in no time.

The labour cost will be anything from a couple of hours to a day depending on number of fixtures. Might even cost less that the fixtures themselves.

[Raoul Duke III]

Technically a NATO country has still been attacked by a non-NATO country

In fairness, precisely nothing would have happened if RuSSia wasn't trying to murder thousands of Ukrainian civilians by depriving them of the ability to heat their homes.

It is very much not a nothing burger...(do they still exist?)

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

I don't think you're looking at big money tbh. I've changed a couple of small ones myself and it didn't take long maybe 40 mins each. Obviouly if I was experienced and had correct tools I'd have done in no time.

The labour cost will be anything from a couple of hours to a day depending on number of fixtures. Might even cost less that the fixtures themselves.

ah brill. Never thought we'd be at the stage of thinking about light fittings Its been a long auld journey.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Made a first ever visit to a garage. Was ballparking a few hundred for replacing the flat tire. Five minutes later I'm walking out of there with a fixed tire for €15. Gimps. I even glanced in amazement at the garage when I got there and mentioned to the guy I'd never actually seen one before. They could have been dining out for years on what they could have asked for. Hadn't quite occurred to me that tires could be fixed, mentally assumed they were just chucked on a tirefire and in with a new one. Every day is indeed a schoolday.

[ionapaul]

Hitch, you are like a billionaire who has been asked to go and buy a pint of milk; the cluelessness is somewhat endearing

[dobby]

Fairly obvious its nothing important when the second News item on the radio in the car this morning was how happy Taylor Swift is with some Dublin lads cover of her song.

Like get your priorities right there DP

How are you enjoying the new Taylor Swift album so far?

Ive actually listened to it and enjoyed it more than expected. Not sure I'd go to a gig tho.

[Solksjaer!]

I have a foreboding fear something horrific is going to happen in this world cup. Nothing catastrophic like the English pig types winning it . More like some deaths being added to the stockpile already accumulated along the way.. Got a bad feeling about this sarge. So many cultures mixing in such a strict prohibitively backward place . Its a perfect storm.

[DeadParrot]

https://sorare.com/invite/pl/GPVPIS?referrer=deadparrot

Still time to wave an NFT at Hitch during the world cup

[DeadParrot]

I have a foreboding fear something horrific is going to happen in this world cup. Nothing catastrophic like the English pig types winning it . More like some deaths being added to the stockpile already accumulated along the way.. Got a bad feeling about this sarge. So many cultures mixing in such a strict prohibitively backward place . Its a perfect storm.

I see no issues whatsoever these these fan villages

[ArmaniJeans]

I have a foreboding fear something horrific is going to happen in this world cup. Nothing catastrophic like the English pig types winning it . More like some deaths being added to the stockpile already accumulated along the way.. Got a bad feeling about this sarge. So many cultures mixing in such a strict prohibitively backward place . Its a perfect storm.

Obviously, it could happen.
But I'm old enough to remember 2012 Poland and Ukraine when we were all going to get stabbed by skinheads according to Panorama.
And even before that we were risking instant violent death setting foot in Joburg in 2010. Mere guaranteed kidnapping in the other cities.
And the stadiums were all going to fall down in Brazil 2014 because of the late rush to get them built.

[Solksjaer!]

Obviously, it could happen.
But I'm old enough to remember 2012 Poland and Ukraine when we were all going to get stabbed by skinheads according to Panorama.
And even before that we were risking instant violent death setting foot in Joburg in 2010. Mere guaranteed kidnapping in the other cities.
And the stadiums were all going to fall down in Brazil 2014 because of the late rush to get them built.

This is my 1st foreboding, i'm new to this so i will add the disclaimer. This may not happen.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

A final commitment to the 'living wage' by the gov. They are going to rachet up to it over the next four years, but if it was set for next year it would be €26k minimum annual salary. Two minimum wage earners in a family and they're on over €50k. We've come a long way from the days of Roddy Doyle's Ireland. Fair fucks.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Social welfare, by contrast, has a base rate of about €11k a year, so there's a massive gap now between working and welfare. I guess the issue is that, with the extra benefits like housing, welfare 'can' still pays a bit more? Or maybe HAP is available to workers on lower incomes also.

[Strewelpeter]

[Raoul Duke III]

Bought and paid for.

[Tar.Aldarion]

A final commitment to the 'living wage' by the gov. They are going to rachet up to it over the next four years, but if it was set for next year it would be €26k minimum annual salary. Two minimum wage earners in a family and they're on over €50k. We've come a long way from the days of Roddy Doyle's Ireland. Fair fucks.

Love this, and seeing how many people are being brought upwards, keep it up. Has some upward pressure for those above too when the floor is lowered.

[Tar.Aldarion]

Finally closed this evening!

SO8UxeKl.jpg

[Lazare]

Congrats Tar, delighted for you. Enjoy that buzz.

[6starpool]

Finally closed this evening!

SO8UxeKl.jpg

Welcome to a lifetime of homeowner problems!

[Silver-Tiger]

What's the best Sports book people have read/listened to in the last year?

[Raoul Duke III]

What's the best Sports book people have read/listened to in the last year?

Across the River - I don't even like American football but there is some very good writing about it.

Also, on a more general American theme, liked Glory Days.

[Silver-Tiger]

Across the River - I don't even like American football but there is some very good writing about it.

Also, on a more general American theme, liked Glory Days.

Top one downloaded there. Thanks a mill. Right up my street.

[Tar.Aldarion]

Welcome to a lifetime of homeowner problems!

I don't even know what a dozen things are let alone how to deal with them if something goes wrong!

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

UK budget statement today. It's looking pretty grim for them, with almost no flexibility to do anything except cut cut cut. E.g. most of the public sector are getting an effective 8% pay cut (11% inflation and 3% pay rise), when they are already quite low-paid. Even their personal tax system, which used to be far better than ours, is starting to turn far worse, when you factor in that everyone also pays significant council tax, and most people under the age of 30 are saddled with 8% extra tax due to their student loan scheme, and will be for quite a bit of their 30s also.

I wonder can we ride out the storm ourselves, in terms of retaining corporation tax receipts? A few years of maintained growth like we saw this year, allowing budgets like this year, and we'll have fully broken through the 'catching up' gap with our past. Just that sustained effect of consistently large public investment for a few years in a row.

We'd have the motorway network essentially finished, allowing a much bigger switch towards substantial public transport schemes like rail and light rail. We'd be finally on track with housing (long term demand is about 30k homes a year, and we'll do 28k this year, but there's a massive backlog of demand). We'd have the social care system much closer to Europe, especially in things like childcare.

It feels like, if we can keep it up, it would essentially be like when you move into an old house and need to spend loads of time on the core fabric of the house, but eventually you get to the point of choosing the light fixtures. That we'd be moving a lot closer towards the light fixtures stage if we can luck ourselves into a few more years of boom-time tax receipts.

[Solksjaer!]

I don't even know what a dozen things are let alone how to deal with them if something goes wrong!

Did you know the word homeowner has a 'meow' in it ?

Important to know.

[Raoul Duke III]

Did you know the word homeowner has a 'meow' in it ?

Important to know.

Would have thought 'ow' was more relevant myself.

[Raoul Duke III]

UK budget statement today. It's looking pretty grim for them, with almost no flexibility to do anything except cut cut cut. E.g. most of the public sector are getting an effective 8% pay cut (11% inflation and 3% pay rise), when they are already quite low-paid. Even their personal tax system, which used to be far better than ours, is starting to turn far worse, when you factor in that everyone also pays significant council tax, and most people under the age of 30 are saddled with 8% extra tax due to their student loan scheme, and will be for quite a bit of their 30s also.

I wonder can we ride out the storm ourselves, in terms of retaining corporation tax receipts? A few years of maintained growth like we saw this year, allowing budgets like this year, and we'll have fully broken through the 'catching up' gap with our past. Just that sustained effect of consistently large public investment for a few years in a row.

We'd have the motorway network essentially finished, allowing a much bigger switch towards substantial public transport schemes like rail and light rail. We'd be finally on track with housing (long term demand is about 30k homes a year, and we'll do 28k this year, but there's a massive backlog of demand). We'd have the social care system much closer to Europe, especially in things like childcare.

It feels like, if we can keep it up, it would essentially be like when you move into an old house and need to spend loads of time on the core fabric of the house, but eventually you get to the point of choosing the light fixtures. That we'd be moving a lot closer towards the light fixtures stage if we can luck ourselves into a few more years of boom-time tax receipts.

The problem is that we have very little control over that good MNC fortune. I'm amazed the recent tech downsizing news hasn't been analysed more in the media here. Like, for every tech job that goes - there goes (easily imo) 2/3 of a nurse\teacher\garda salary.

[Solksjaer!]

Would have thought 'ow' was more relevant myself.

Dont be a pussy .

[shrapnel]

UK budget statement today. It's looking pretty grim for them, with almost no flexibility to do anything except cut cut cut. E.g. most of the public sector are getting an effective 8% pay cut (11% inflation and 3% pay rise), when they are already quite low-paid. Even their personal tax system, which used to be far better than ours, is starting to turn far worse, when you factor in that everyone also pays significant council tax, and most people under the age of 30 are saddled with 8% extra tax due to their student loan scheme, and will be for quite a bit of their 30s also.

I wonder can we ride out the storm ourselves, in terms of retaining corporation tax receipts? A few years of maintained growth like we saw this year, allowing budgets like this year, and we'll have fully broken through the 'catching up' gap with our past. Just that sustained effect of consistently large public investment for a few years in a row.

We'd have the motorway network essentially finished, allowing a much bigger switch towards substantial public transport schemes like rail and light rail. We'd be finally on track with housing (long term demand is about 30k homes a year, and we'll do 28k this year, but there's a massive backlog of demand). We'd have the social care system much closer to Europe, especially in things like childcare.

It feels like, if we can keep it up, it would essentially be like when you move into an old house and need to spend loads of time on the core fabric of the house, but eventually you get to the point of choosing the light fixtures. That we'd be moving a lot closer towards the light fixtures stage if we can luck ourselves into a few more years of boom-time tax receipts.

Have to say the UK is a fairly depressing place these days. Prices are through the roof on everything, crime is getting way worse, politics are a shit show, and there's no real sign things will ever change. I know they will but seems a lifetime away at this stage.

Personally in a pretty shitty place due my my leg dragging on and on, and sick to death of my job where my division has been sold to a bigger and better competitor and we're being told it's all brilliant and will be even better, which means fuck waiting around for redundancies and get out of there before it becomes a shit show, and you're left holding the baby.

On that note, there is now a very good chance we're moving on to pastures new, and the more i think about it the better it feels. i really thought London would be our home until retirement, but looks like there may be an extra step before then, as my wife has been offered a new role in a foreign land. Currently in the process of negotiating the package, and if it's approved, off we go next summer. Eldest son will be off to uni, so we'd most likely be saying good bye to him anyway, although we were hoping he'd get in to imperial and live at home, and he's now said he'll apply to unis where we're going as there are a couple of great ones there too, and he'd be happy to move with us. And then there's the youngest, who's not too keen on moving as he's happy here, and loves his new school, but will do what needs doing for the family (for him anyway, the hardest part would be getting separated from his brother).

Only real issue i foresee is that i'm no spring chicken and not sure how many new jobs i'll be offered. Pretty sure i'll find one over there, but it's when we come back and i'm in my late 50s, how easy will it be then? Guess i'll just have to be a kept man at that stage. the wife will be able to afford it.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

The problem is that we have very little control over that good MNC fortune. I'm amazed the recent tech downsizing news hasn't been analysed more in the media here. Like, for every tech job that goes - there goes (easily imo) 2/3 of a nurse\teacher\garda salary.

Its better to have it and be trying to work out how to keep it, than to not have it and be trying to work out how to get it

We do have some 'control' imo. As in, we're such a strong global base on tech human capital, that that at least keeps us 'sticky' in terms of tech companies probably choosing Dublin retention over somewhere else deemed 'less critical'. Plus there are the IDA relationships, that tend to be quite long-term and personal, rather than purely transactional. Obv, if the whole world goes to shit, then we go to shit with it, but we're not quite a willowing flower at the pure beck and call of some guy in downtown SanFran. We have some social capital in the game.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Have to say the UK is a fairly depressing place these days. Prices are through the roof on everything, crime is getting way worse, politics are a shit show, and there's no real sign things will ever change. I know they will but seems a lifetime away at this stage.

Personally in a pretty shitty place due my my leg dragging on and on, and sick to death of my job where my division has been sold to a bigger and better competitor and we're being told it's all brilliant and will be even better, which means fuck waiting around for redundancies and get out of there before it becomes a shit show, and you're left holding the baby.

On that note, there is now a very good chance we're moving on to pastures new, and the more i think about it the better it feels. i really thought London would be our home until retirement, but looks like there may be an extra step before then, as my wife has been offered a new role in a foreign land. Currently in the process of negotiating the package, and if it's approved, off we go next summer. Eldest son will be off to uni, so we'd most likely be saying good bye to him anyway, although we were hoping he'd get in to imperial and live at home, and he's now said he'll apply to unis where we're going as there are a couple of great ones there too, and he'd be happy to move with us. And then there's the youngest, who's not too keen on moving as he's happy here, and loves his new school, but will do what needs doing for the family (for him anyway, the hardest part would be getting separated from his brother).

Only real issue i foresee is that i'm no spring chicken and not sure how many new jobs i'll be offered. Pretty sure i'll find one over there, but it's when we come back and i'm in my late 50s, how easy will it be then? Guess i'll just have to be a kept man at that stage. the wife will be able to afford it.

fuuuuck, that's exciting! Whereabouts?!

[coillcam]

The problem is that we have very little control over that good MNC fortune. I'm amazed the recent tech downsizing news hasn't been analysed more in the media here. Like, for every tech job that goes - there goes (easily imo) 2/3 of a nurse\teacher\garda salary.

Sure we have a "rainy day fund" . Unfortunately, it's not a "goodbye inflated tech-boom returns" fund.

On a serious note, it still remains to be seen what's going to happen but it was a make-hay type arrangement. I hope that this tech contraction/correction or whatever they're calling it doesn't extend further. 2023 could yet be the year of growing lettuce on the windowsill.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Sure we have a "rainy day fund" .

meh, theres always going to be a bit of a tradeoff on these things. Plus, we've massively ramped up infrastructure investment on the back of these receipts, which is probably a better way of spending the money than putting it in a savings account, as it generates better returns. In the same way as you aren't putting your surplus cash in a savings account, but rather into a stockmarket-led pension fund. Investment is usually always better than saving.

Things like investing €3bn in the national broadband network, meaning people can work from anywhere on the island, are vastly better long-term uses of money than having that €3bn sitting on deposit in the ECB. We could also say the same about the investment in reducing the cost of childcare, which has big returns in terms of the availability of mothers in the workplace.

[shrapnel]

fuuuuck, that's exciting! Whereabouts?!

Geneva! boring i know, but at the same time we've become very outdoorsy people in our middle age. i'm in to Golf and wind surfing (i love to ski also but sadly with my leg, it's just not an option anymore), wife's into open water swimming and skiing, and the son is into rock climbing, mountain biking, and although he's never tried it yet, i have no doubt he'll absolutely love skiing/snowboarding, so being less then 30 minutes from the nearest ski lift, and 10 minutes from the nearest lake access point, is going to be pretty cool!

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Geneva! boring i know, but at the same time we've become very outdoorsy people in our middle age. i'm in to Golf and wind surfing (i love to ski also but sadly with my leg, it's just not an option anymore), wife's into open water swimming and skiing, and the son is into rock climbing, mountain biking, and although he's never tried it yet, i have no doubt he'll absolutely love skiing/snowboarding, so being less then 30 minutes from the nearest ski lift, and 10 minutes from the nearest lake access point, is going to be pretty cool!

Lovely. Some decent unis around there also. I guess Lyon could even be considered.

[Keane]

Is your wife French as well Shrap?

[Raoul Duke III]

Its better to have it and be trying to work out how to keep it, than to not have it and be trying to work out how to get it

We do have some 'control' imo. As in, we're such a strong global base on tech human capital, that that at least keeps us 'sticky' in terms of tech companies probably choosing Dublin retention over somewhere else deemed 'less critical'. Plus there are the IDA relationships, that tend to be quite long-term and personal, rather than purely transactional. Obv, if the whole world goes to shit, then we go to shit with it, but we're not quite a willowing flower at the pure beck and call of some guy in downtown SanFran. We have some social capital in the game.

Yes, of course. And, to your point, we've been decades in this game now without it all falling apart.

It's the concentration of tax revenue (literally 10 tech and bio companies contribute over half) that represents the biggest risk. And the high earners that work for the MNCs contribute well over half of all income taxes, hence my comment about tech downsizing.
We've actually narrowed our tax base since the crash. That's scary.

[MysteryGuest]

Seem to be in a minority here but I thing Banshees of Inesherin is seriously overrated

[shrapnel]

Is your wife French as well Shrap?

yes she is

[shrapnel]

Lovely. Some decent unis around there also. I guess Lyon could even be considered.

best one seems to be zurich eth, but you're expected to speak German there so fuck that!! going to aim for ecole polytechnique de lausanne . know anyone there who could help?

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

I know its still far better than here, but that's a tough cut.

The annual exempt amount for capital gains tax will be cut from £12,300 to £6,000 next year and then to £3,000 from April 2024

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

.

Just looking at the disposable income here of the median household its, give or take a few quid, no change in two decades. There hasn't been an increase in household income in two freaking decades.

Edit: Ireland over the same period had a 36% increase in median household income. 20 years ago we were just slightly above the UK, now about 40% higher.

[shrapnel]

I know its still far better than here, but that's a tough cut.

that is a tough cut, but at the same time, there is a great ISA here (20k per annum)with no CGT, and no CGT on your main property

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

that is a tough cut, but at the same time, there is a great ISA here (20k per annum)with no CGT, and no CGT on your main property

ah - thats separate to the ISA? Okay, carry on so. Man, wish we had an ISA scheme here.

[Kayroo]

.

Just looking at the disposable income here of the median household its, give or take a few quid, no change in two decades. There hasn't been an increase in household income in two freaking decades.

Edit: Ireland over the same period had a 36% increase in median household income. 20 years ago we were just slightly above the UK, now about 40% higher.

Surely that is a *deeply* misleading stat? I don't know exactly how the median income is calculated so could be wrong here but surely if the high end income rises but the lower end of the scale remains static then the median income rises despite it having no real impact on the overwhelming majority of people?

[Wombatman]

Yes, of course. And, to your point, we've been decades in this game now without it all falling apart.

It's the concentration of tax revenue (literally 10 tech and bio companies contribute over half) that represents the biggest risk. And the high earners that work for the MNCs contribute well over half of all income taxes, hence my comment about tech downsizing.
We've actually narrowed our tax base since the crash. That's scary.

If the recent report from the Commission on Taxation and Welfare is anything to go by we won't be mitigating the dependency anytime soon. The recommendations seem quite wishy washy and mainly targeted at Joe public. Tar will be happy to hear that relief from capital gains tax from the sale of a principal private property is recommended to be restricted.

[Murdrum]

Surely that is a *deeply* misleading stat? I don't know exactly how the median income is calculated so could be wrong here but surely if the high end income rises but the lower end of the scale remains static then the median income rises despite it having no real impact on the overwhelming majority of people?

The median would be the person in the middle of the sample. If the bottom stays the same and the high end increases that doesn’t necessarily mean the median will rise.
The average would rise in that instance but median would be more indicative of a rising tide lifts all boats scenario.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Yeah. Median is the correct stat. Its the mean, or average, measure that is skewed by very high incomes (the thing you are talking about). The median person is literally the person right bang in the middle. Its precisely the measure that you use when you don't want to be 'misleading'.

Edit: A decent TheJournal fact-checking article addressing the precise point.

[Murdrum]

That tweet and article got a lot of traction a few months ago.

Pretty sure it was shared here and Noahpinnion (Noah Smith) wrote a piece on it about the headline being misleading but irrespective of the narrative it’s interesting to see how different segments of societies are better or worse than others.

He quoted McWilliams too and highlighted Ireland so we’re in there somewhere.

Yeah that’s us:

[eamonhonda]

Top one downloaded there. Thanks a mill. Right up my street.

Assume you've read Boys Will Be Boys about the 90s cowboys team?