Comments for Phil's Ramblings http://blog.nomzit.com Often incoherent, usually random Fri, 20 Apr 2012 07:11:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on Scrap Charities by James M http://blog.nomzit.com/2012/04/18/scrap-charities/comment-page-1/#comment-10207 James M Fri, 20 Apr 2012 07:11:04 +0000 http://blog.nomzit.com/?p=471#comment-10207 To be honest, the "marketing arm of a non-domiciled inter-dimensional corporation" shouldn't even be classed as a religion. It's a thinly veiled pyramid scheme, and should be considered along side other such endeavours -- i.e. a matter for police investigation... To be honest, the “marketing arm of a non-domiciled inter-dimensional corporation” shouldn’t even be classed as a religion. It’s a thinly veiled pyramid scheme, and should be considered along side other such endeavours — i.e. a matter for police investigation…

]]> Comment on Scrap Charities by Phil http://blog.nomzit.com/2012/04/18/scrap-charities/comment-page-1/#comment-10199 Phil Thu, 19 Apr 2012 21:26:12 +0000 http://blog.nomzit.com/?p=471#comment-10199 I quite agree. And there are similarly things which come out of the public purse that really should be done privately. I quite agree. And there are similarly things which come out of the public purse that really should be done privately.

]]> Comment on Scrap Charities by Humphrey http://blog.nomzit.com/2012/04/18/scrap-charities/comment-page-1/#comment-10185 Humphrey Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:20:02 +0000 http://blog.nomzit.com/?p=471#comment-10185 The other part of the argument is functions which are fulfilled by charities that really should be funded by the state out of general taxes. The RNLI springs to mind. The other part of the argument is functions which are fulfilled by charities that really should be funded by the state out of general taxes. The RNLI springs to mind.

]]> Comment on DIY by Laura http://blog.nomzit.com/2012/04/06/diy/comment-page-1/#comment-10036 Laura Fri, 06 Apr 2012 22:56:12 +0000 https://blog.nomzit.com/?p=466#comment-10036 +1 Makita - we have same one and it's brilliant. +1 Makita – we have same one and it’s brilliant.

]]> Comment on Benefits cap by Ian http://blog.nomzit.com/2012/02/01/benefits-cap/comment-page-1/#comment-9305 Ian Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:21:04 +0000 http://blog.nomzit.com/?p=458#comment-9305 A correction on the mobile phone bit there: thought there were five teenagers, not seven. Fixing the maths gives nine (!) mobile phones, averaging £14 a month per person. A correction on the mobile phone bit there: thought there were five teenagers, not seven.

Fixing the maths gives nine (!) mobile phones, averaging £14 a month per person.

]]> Comment on Benefits cap by Ian http://blog.nomzit.com/2012/02/01/benefits-cap/comment-page-1/#comment-9301 Ian Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:03:49 +0000 http://blog.nomzit.com/?p=458#comment-9301 Certainly with you here Phil on the principle. As ever, the media is great at finding extreme cases to drive middle-class outrage at the work-shy. 1262 comments in less than 24 hours certainly proves that. I'd kind of hope that the BBC would be a bit better than this, but there we go. One thing still puzzles me about this: obviously not everyone "on benefits" is claiming over £26k a year (*tax free*), but how many families would this "cap" actually impact? After all this Commons / Lords / public debate, how many people are we talking about? How many people really do get to pocket over £2k a month? If it's a relative handful, well let's get the civil service to look at them more carefully and forego the wasteful and unproductive inclusion of politicians. If we're into the hundreds of thousands, then let's fix the system first, rather than putting a sticking plaster over the cracks. Picking up on a couple of points about income and expenditure too: Sky at £15 is £60 a month. To get a monthly bill that high, you need the full package (all channels incl. movies AND sports), plus one of HD or multiroom. Mobiles at £32 a week? Really? For the five mobiles they apparently *really need* to own that averages over £25 a month each. My wife's contract and my PAYG connection costs less than that in total. You also often receive other public services at a discounted rate if you receive other benefits - for example their council tax at £72 a month... wish mine was that low. That may actually be because it's North Wales, however. They are almost certainly entitled to free school meals too. And no, I don't take a regular annual holiday either. Certainly with you here Phil on the principle. As ever, the media is great at finding extreme cases to drive middle-class outrage at the work-shy. 1262 comments in less than 24 hours certainly proves that. I’d kind of hope that the BBC would be a bit better than this, but there we go.

One thing still puzzles me about this: obviously not everyone “on benefits” is claiming over £26k a year (*tax free*), but how many families would this “cap” actually impact? After all this Commons / Lords / public debate, how many people are we talking about? How many people really do get to pocket over £2k a month?

If it’s a relative handful, well let’s get the civil service to look at them more carefully and forego the wasteful and unproductive inclusion of politicians.

If we’re into the hundreds of thousands, then let’s fix the system first, rather than putting a sticking plaster over the cracks.

Picking up on a couple of points about income and expenditure too:

Sky at £15 is £60 a month. To get a monthly bill that high, you need the full package (all channels incl. movies AND sports), plus one of HD or multiroom.

Mobiles at £32 a week? Really? For the five mobiles they apparently *really need* to own that averages over £25 a month each. My wife’s contract and my PAYG connection costs less than that in total.

You also often receive other public services at a discounted rate if you receive other benefits – for example their council tax at £72 a month… wish mine was that low. That may actually be because it’s North Wales, however. They are almost certainly entitled to free school meals too.

And no, I don’t take a regular annual holiday either.

]]> Comment on Benefits cap by James http://blog.nomzit.com/2012/02/01/benefits-cap/comment-page-1/#comment-9295 James Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:05:38 +0000 http://blog.nomzit.com/?p=458#comment-9295 There is a problem with means testing though. It needs to allow people who are on benefit to start to work (part time, casual, etc) at low incomes, without immediately subtracting their entire new income from their benefits. There have been stories covered in the past where people have been able to get work - but had to avoid doing so, because the family as a whole would actually be worse off financially if they took it! It needs to work on a sliding scale, so that doing a bit of work lessens their dependence on benefits (and saves the taxpayer a bit), but also leaves them net better off for working... There is a problem with means testing though.

It needs to allow people who are on benefit to start to work (part time, casual, etc) at low incomes, without immediately subtracting their entire new income from their benefits. There have been stories covered in the past where people have been able to get work – but had to avoid doing so, because the family as a whole would actually be worse off financially if they took it!

It needs to work on a sliding scale, so that doing a bit of work lessens their dependence on benefits (and saves the taxpayer a bit), but also leaves them net better off for working…

]]> Comment on Triptych 1 by Phil http://blog.nomzit.com/2012/01/04/triptych-1/comment-page-1/#comment-9016 Phil Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:25:00 +0000 http://blog.nomzit.com/?p=448#comment-9016 Thanks. I am intentionally not saying what I think the viewer should think about it; including not titling the triptych or any of its component panels. Thanks.

I am intentionally not saying what I think the viewer should think about it; including not titling the triptych or any of its component panels.

]]> Comment on Triptych 1 by Michael http://blog.nomzit.com/2012/01/04/triptych-1/comment-page-1/#comment-9015 Michael Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:51:04 +0000 http://blog.nomzit.com/?p=448#comment-9015 You did a good job with this. I particularly like the bottom panel. "Snowflake heart fire"? You did a good job with this. I particularly like the bottom panel.

“Snowflake heart fire”?

]]> Comment on The F1 Experience In Your Living Room by Redbull racing home run « Views from a not quite geeky place http://blog.nomzit.com/2010/11/20/the-f1-experience-in-your-living-room/comment-page-1/#comment-8836 Redbull racing home run « Views from a not quite geeky place Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:56:22 +0000 http://blog.nomzit.com/?p=348#comment-8836 [...] Hubby also got me a souvenir/early Christmas present. These are perfect for our F1 simulator! [...] [...] Hubby also got me a souvenir/early Christmas present. These are perfect for our F1 simulator! [...]

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