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Post by beef on Sept 21, 2021 19:53:31 GMT
...and that somehow (hello most of the uk media!) the people are persuaded that the Tories are the safe, responsible party while anything called "Labour" would be a crazy mistake to make at the ballot box. Factor in our useless FPTP election system and you have a prediction of the last decade in a not very well sealed envelope.
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Post by mikey on Sept 21, 2021 21:51:42 GMT
As I understand it, gas prices are rising but because the government has introduced a price cap, the gas companies are unable to pass on the extra cost to the customer. Good news for the customer, bad news for the gas suppliers, even worse news for the smaller companies that were breaking down monopolies by creating a bigger competitive market place and reducing prices.
The government has two options to protect the competitive market, provide support for the smaller companies or raise the cap limit to allow prices to reflect the tru cost (which hopefully is only a short term blip). Being the government of the free market, they do nothing but say to the consumers ‘do not worry, if your supplier goes bust you can transfer to a supplier of last resort to safeguard your supply’. Bad news for the small companies, bad news for the big suppliers? Good news for consumers?
As the supplier of last resort, the new supplier can increase the price tariff to charge a more realistic price for energy and not restricted by the price cap. Good news for the big companies, bad news for the consumers who will see increases beyond their expected winter budgets. In the long term, the market place is stifled with less energy providers, less competition leading to higher prices and bigger profits for the large energy companies.
All a bit pants when you think about it.
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Post by beef on Sept 21, 2021 22:05:32 GMT
The concept of the market always fails... either requiring government subsidy (directly or indirectly - eg selling off social housing but paying private landlords billions via housing benefit to their struggling tennants) or allowing the failure of the smaller and more vulnerable. So, in this case, ultimately allowing the inevitably biggest, most share-holder-pleasing energy companies to flourish.
Why not just have a well-regulated state energy provider, with the buying power to get good prices for energy and the strength to absorb global price spikes when they happen? They could favour and support green energy, keep prices stable and not have shareholders and a plethora of CEOs, senior managers, marketing and associated staff etc to pay.
Plus not ditching the essential gas storage capacity for when things go wrong... duh!
oh...but that wouldn't fit the competition-is-all mantra.
Unfortunately, we've lacked a strong opposition in parliament to present convincing alternatives to the brainwashed electorate
...and maybe all the shit that's been flying around our heads in recent years needs to really hit the fan... how much shit does it take? Is the fan switched on?
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Post by deserttraveller on Sept 21, 2021 22:45:15 GMT
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Post by deserttraveller on Sept 21, 2021 22:52:51 GMT
State controlled utilities without shareholders and a profit margin, I always thought that would be good. - not that Bulb have been making a profit, their finance is Hedge funded. Call me cynical but is that Boris just looking after his mates again; cant have the hedge funds taking a big hit.
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Post by deserttraveller on Sept 22, 2021 13:29:47 GMT
I realise the energy crisis is being caused by brexit deniers getting their deflector shields energised. Taking back control; Get Brexit Done, Build Back Better. May be some others. No Direction Britain. Boris mates rates, Profit before sense, Supporting outside festivals. This may be funny but is actually very dispiriting, they are the only game in town and they are making a mess of it. As Beef points out "Unfortunately, we've lacked a strong opposition in parliament to present convincing alternatives to the brainwashed electorate".
BTW. two more energy co's went bust today. There are no deals cheaper than the cap AND no one wants to take the customers on because any company that takes them on at the existing prices will make a potential loss of £500/ customer. The situation would have been less critical if we had invested in PV panels on house roofs at the same rate as wind farms- when it's calm the sun is usually out.
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Post by Zenrider on Sept 27, 2021 1:25:27 GMT
Arrrgggg!!! Why are there so many stupid people in my world?!
Just found out Covid has been making the rounds at my barn for the last couple of weeks. So far, no one has had a serious case.
It would have been good to know. The worse is, since they haven't been hospitalized and died, yet, they have decided it's no worse than a cold.
The good thing is, I know they haven't been careful, so have been keeping my distance from people at the barn anyway.
I'm sad to find out it seems they are going down the Q rabbit hole. Ugh, ugh, ugh. Unbelievable.
Not worried about me, as I had it and am vaccinated, so am likely the best protected at the barn. If I do get it I should be fine.
Glad I can get doses of sanity here at the pub.
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Post by Zenrider on Nov 6, 2021 17:14:16 GMT
FYI America is not as divided about Covid vaccinations as the news would like you to think. Nearly 80% of us are vaccinated. Granted we have large pockets in certain Republican majority states that are far less than that. They are also loud, obnoxious and vocal about their stupidity. They also make up the majority of Covid cases in the states.
The media, even the generally more reliable sources, seem to prefer the drama of conflict over the majority being sensible and getting vaccinated.
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Post by Zenrider on Dec 8, 2021 3:16:06 GMT
I've been thinking of ways to encourage people to wear masks where appropriate. I wonder if the signs on the entrance doors said, "Masks only required for Smart people." 😷 would get more people to wear masks. After all, it would just make it more obvious that only stupid people were the ones not wearing masks. 😆
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Post by beef on Jan 12, 2022 22:09:56 GMT
Hilarious... even by the moronic standards of the Daily Express... and people buy this crap ..  |
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Post by Zenrider on Jan 14, 2022 9:02:05 GMT
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Post by sc on Jan 16, 2022 13:40:20 GMT
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Post by beef on Jan 30, 2022 17:01:48 GMT
Brexit... fucking Brexit. It became such a political whirlpool for 3 years after the referendum, and despite what the blond turd in Downing Street (to borrow Zenrider's term of endearment for the orange turd who used to occupy the White House) says, is far from being "done"... politically, economically or in terms of healing the split across the nation. But it's easy to forget, in all the political bullshittery, that what it is really about are ordinary people and the disruption to their lives, suddenly caught in an unexpected and chaotic divide. My family are all quite right wing and brexity and I struggle to forgive them for the threat that their attitude presented to my family - Mrs beef is Italian, thankfully with right to remain and beef junior luckily has the pleasure of both UK and IT nationality. But back in 2016 there was no guarantee that people from other EU countries could "remain". And it was a lot of applying-for-these-things hassle and stress and I still don't trust those bastards... those bizarre dinner table conversations talking about immigration, where they would say, looking at Mrs beef, "we don't mean you"... or the so-called government's or any authority's future honouring of what right to remain means. But here are some stories from people who have really had a hard time because of the morons who thought they could take back control... www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jan/29/brexit-pubs-curry-pg-tips-but-not-weather-what-exiles-miss-about-uk |
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Post by Zenrider on Feb 25, 2022 0:01:43 GMT
Thoughts and prayers to the Ukrainian people. I can't imagine what they are going through. It's a threat that has hung over them like a dark cloud since they gained their freedom from Russia (USSR). To see the cloud fall on a country unprovoked is infuriating. FOX news and the USA Republicans have wrongly and traitorously taken Putin's side. I wish I could do more than offer the people fighting for their lives and freedom more than my thoughts and wishes, but it will have to do for now. Be Strong Ukrainian. Be Brave. |
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Post by beef on Mar 5, 2022 22:21:27 GMT
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