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#1

Off the Record / Re: TV/Movies Megathread

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 04:50:52 AM

I realise now that it is old

Honestly the only one of those family ones I've watched has been some Friday Night Dinner so it may be a taste thing too. Maybe Catastrophe too? Although, to your point also very middle class.

I'll give Motherland a go.

Having said all that I just looked at the comedy section of iPlayer and realise I should leave this conversation because I basically don't recognise 90% of the shows there....

#2

Off the Record / Re: TV/Movies Megathread

Last post by Josquius - Today at 04:12:10 AM

Thinking about it the examples that come to mind are all very middle class.
Which says a lot really.

I don't know that that's it. From a UK pov, there's a couple relatively recently like Things You Should Have Done (arguably Gavin and Stacey a bit).

From a UK perspective I think the shift isn't class so much as family isn't the centre of the story anymore. Instead it's friends, flatmates, workplaces far more than it used to be things like This Country or People Just Do Nothing or Stath Lets Flats.

Maybe it's downstream of there not being an audience of families sat around the TV watching the same show anymore who want to see themsleves reflected back?

I've never heard of Things You Should Have Done.
Gavin and Stacy....that's ollllld. :p
I tried to watch series 1 again a year or two back and its amazing how of a different time it is.

But thinking of families my mind went to (the great and should watch) Motherland, Outnumbered, Friday Night Dinner, Modern Family.... All pretty well off families.

But yes. Definitely less of a family focus these days. Where there is, as in Motherland, the kids are often  just a prop for the actual main characters to deal with rather than actual characters.

#3

Off the Record / Re: TV/Movies Megathread

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 03:59:58 AM

Thinking about it the examples that come to mind are all very middle class.
Which says a lot really.

I don't know that that's it. From a UK pov, there's a couple relatively recently like Things You Should Have Done (arguably Gavin and Stacey a bit).

From a UK perspective I think the shift isn't class so much as family isn't the centre of the story anymore. Instead it's friends, flatmates, workplaces far more than it used to be things like This Country or People Just Do Nothing or Stath Lets Flats.

Maybe it's downstream of there not being an audience of families sat around the TV watching the same show anymore who want to see themsleves reflected back?

#4

Off the Record / Re: Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-2...

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 03:54:55 AM

Another narrative that denies non-Western actors of agency and making them playthings of Western preferences. It's not hard to understand why Ukraine would be reluctant to accept Russian assurances of security guarantees, given that Russia violated its treaty with Ukraine in 2014 and then again in 2022.  I don't think you to invoke the persuasive power of Boris Johnson's high wattage mind to understand why Ukraine might not be convinced by "third time's the charm."  One also doesn't need to search for Western influence to understand why the revelation of war crimes at Bucha might have transformed domestic politics in a way to limit Zelensky's negotiating flexibility.

Yes. It is always striking how many who talk about the importance of and their support for "multipolarity" also have zero interest in the actual agency of other countries and peoples.

#5

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 03:52:58 AM

Wouldn't the GP (or whatever specialist) be in a better position to give you a sick note, if we talk about normal illnesses? Esp. if they know you personally?

Over here sick notes are handled that way. Though if you're on long term sick leave, after a few months (2? 3?) the insurance might ask you to see one of their doctors for verification. And if you apply for disability, there's rigorous examinations, obviously.

It is largely about disability:
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/apr/19/sunak-disability-benefit-curbs-sicknote-culture-pip

Practically speaking given that a lot of the rise in disability has been for mental health reasons, and this didn't announce any new support for NHS mental health services, I suspect it's going to shift decisions to less qualified people with a Department of Work and Pensions checklist. I agree with a lot of the criticism in that article, especially as the last 14 years of benefits reform have been pretty disastrous, including for the disabled.

But also it's one of the big differences with a lot of European systems, that we don't have an insurance model at all. It's universal benefits administered by the state that are (relatively) low on their own but cumulatively, depending on eligibility, about average (although a lot of that reflects the housing situation/costs) - but, which is a big difference, have no link to your previous work/salary and there is no insurer. You are entitled or not and if you are, then you can claim them for ever and they don't change.

There is something going on in the UK labour market which is a bit of a mystery at the minute though. This speech prompted the BBC's Ben Chu to post about it - which totally undermined everything I'd understood about it My understanding was that there's been a sharp increase in disability claims basically since the pandemic - and my assumption was that it was probably long covid. That an impact of covid were these syndromes that we didn't really understand and weren't yet able to treat that affected people in different ways, some short of breath, some brain fog etc.

Turns out that there has been a sharp upturn which is still growing - as the Guardian article notes one element of disability benefit is projected to increase by 50% in the next 4-5 years and the overall disability benefit cost is now higher than the schools budget. But Sunak's point, which has been repeated by others, is that this is a cause of a wider issue of rising "economic inactivity" in the UK economy. It's also been thought this might be part of Britain's productivity issue.

That last bit doesn't seem to be true. Zooming out the level of working age "economic inactivity" as measured by the ONS isn't particularly high. It's not at record highs or anything like that, it's about the level it was at in 2015. Similarly in international comparisons of economic inactivity the UK is where it's normally been in a bunch with France, Germany, Canada and Japan.

Part of it might be that this is an area where the old method of statistics pre-pandemic doesn't work in a post-pandemic with a significant chunk of WFH workers economy. So the numbers on disability benefits and the costs are increasing. The number of workers registered and paying tax are also increasing. So there's now a gap between the ONS' Labour Force Survey and the ONS' Workforce Jobs Survey (based on actual tax etc data):


So I think there is probably an ill health issue in the British economy (I'd suggest solving that by treating more people not making the process of getting benefits while you wait for treatment more humiliating). But I think that's often tied, not just by Tories, to a wider issue of economic inactivity - which might just be bad statistics. So the end result wouldn't be that you'd actually boosted the economy, you would just have added cruelty to the process of obtaining disability benefit.

#6

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by HVC - Today at 03:00:57 AM

Never got the obsession with sick time. Either you get one person perhaps slacking, or you chance getting more people in the office sick. Second outcome seems worse to me. And besides, if someone is slacking then chances they're doing more wrong than just calling in sick and are underperforming so you fire them... we'll, from a NA perspective I guess, don't know how easy it is to fire someone over yonder.

#7

Off the Record / Re: TV/Movies Megathread

Last post by Josquius - Today at 02:58:38 AM

I was watching a retrospective of All in the Family yesterday and it left me wondering - what are contemporary shows that fall into that niche? Working class families, dealing with everyday struggles/prejudices? The sitcom format is obviously no longer en vogue, but are there still any shows like that? Shameless comes to mind, but beyond that I seem to draw a blank. There used to be more, I feel - like Married With Children, or Roseanne (not counting the last few seasons).

Thinking about it the examples that come to mind are all very middle class.
Which says a lot really.

#8

Off the Record / Re: The AI dooooooom thread

Last post by garbon - Today at 02:52:35 AM

After I performed my first task for work with ChatGPT (at a spead I'd never have managed on my own), I then asked it to create me a story about a woman who won the marathon against underwhelming odds in the style of Jane Austen.

In the quaint village of Longbourne, nestled amidst the rolling English countryside, there lived a spirited young woman named Elizabeth Bennet. Elizabeth was known for her intelligence, wit, and independent spirit, qualities not always appreciated by the more conventional society around her.

One fine autumn day, Longbourne was abuzz with excitement as news spread that a marathon race was to be held in nearby Meryton. This event, unusual for its time, attracted athletes from far and wide, including the dashing Mr. Darcy, whose impressive athleticism and serious demeanor had captured the attention of many a young lady.

Intrigued by the prospect of such a spectacle, Elizabeth found herself drawn to the event despite the protests of her mother, Mrs. Bennet, who could not understand her daughter's fascination with "such unseemly pursuits." Undeterred, Elizabeth resolved to attend, her curiosity piqued by the challenge and the chance to witness Mr. Darcy's prowess firsthand.

On the morning of the marathon, a colorful crowd gathered at the starting line in Meryton. Elizabeth, dressed in a practical but elegant running gown, stood amongst the spectators, her eyes fixed on the determined faces of the runners. Mr. Darcy, tall and composed, exuded an air of confidence that both intrigued and annoyed Elizabeth.

As the race commenced, Elizabeth's attention quickly shifted from Mr. Darcy to a lesser-known competitor, Miss Jane Bingley, a gentlewoman of refined manners and surprising athletic ability. Miss Bingley's grace and stamina caught Elizabeth's eye, and she found herself silently cheering for this unexpected heroine of the track.

The course wound through the picturesque countryside, and as the hours passed, the runners faced various challenges—hilly terrain, unpredictable weather, and their own physical limitations. Elizabeth observed with admiration as Miss Bingley, with quiet determination, steadily gained ground on the leading pack, which included Mr. Darcy.

As the marathon neared its conclusion, Elizabeth's excitement grew. Miss Bingley, previously an underdog in the eyes of many, was now closing in on victory. With a burst of speed that surprised even herself, Miss Bingley crossed the finish line, cheered on by a jubilant crowd.

In that moment, Elizabeth realized the significance of what she had witnessed. It was not merely a race won by physical prowess but a triumph of spirit and determination. Miss Bingley's victory challenged societal norms and proved that women were capable of achieving greatness beyond the confines of traditional expectations.

As Elizabeth made her way back to Longbourne that evening, her heart was filled with a newfound sense of possibility. She had witnessed a woman overcoming underwhelming odds with grace and fortitude—a testament to the indomitable spirit that resided within each of them.

Inspired by Miss Bingley's example, Elizabeth vowed to pursue her own dreams with unwavering determination, undeterred by the obstacles that society might place in her path. For in the fields of Longbourne, amidst the whispers of the autumn breeze, a new kind of heroine had emerged—one whose story would be told and celebrated for generations to come.

#9

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Josquius - Today at 02:50:38 AM

The point isn't to properly handle sick notes and actually attempt to do whats best for patient health.
Its to get as many people as possible off the sick no matter whether they're actually ill or not.
See also: Daniel Blake and the Tory benefits reforms.


The whole film uploaded to youtube but the call is in the opening minute... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiiOHvyBEQY

#10

Off the Record / Re: Football (Soccer) Thread

Last post by Josquius - Today at 02:48:00 AM

A 30 second video
Anyone else noticed the increase in injured keepers lately?
Hadn't really thought of it but...makes sense.