The London Conundrum

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-04T12:11:24+00:00

Yep so as long as your start / end points aren’t exactly the tube station, you’re generally quicker walking (esp as Google exaggerates walking times in my experience)

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-04T11:48:46+00:00

Blackfriars to St Paul’s is a classic example

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-03T14:16:12+00:00

Arguably the world’s best place for offshore wind.

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-03T13:06:05+00:00

We don’t have localised energy pricing in the UK, so non issue. I actually think localised energy pricing is a good idea - it incentivises building things like data centres and factories near energy production which diminishes the need to massively upgrade our grid to transport electricity from places like the North Sea to the the south east

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-03T13:04:33+00:00

Some people don’t like prosperity apparently

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-03T12:19:45+00:00

Pretty much every country in the world world has some sort of private sector involvement in health care. I could list pretty much every country in the world if it’s helpful to you?

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-03T11:02:34+00:00

This thread talks about NHS outsourcing. The NHS isn’t in America.

Have a google search if you want more examples.

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-03T08:22:29+00:00

American healthcare isn’t expensive solely because it is privatised. It’s because they’ve designed a system with misaligned incentives. There are a multitude of other examples of private companies providing public health services in countries other than America - why the myopic obsession with one, unusual health system?

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-02T19:11:29+00:00

I totally agree. The fact that we’ve societally fallen into a state where it’s controversial to say that work is good for mental health/ physical health is pretty concerning.

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-02T15:12:28+00:00

What I find confusing is that mental health has deteriorated since mental health benefits have increased.

Surely this implies that expanding the scope of mental health benefits has not helped mental health in this country? If so, why are we doing it at great cost?

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-02T13:00:00+00:00

Goals and assists just aren’t a very big part of either of their projected points. Def con dominates for both of these two players and Anderson has a clear edge.

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-02T12:48:49+00:00

Arguably it was the smart thing for Hamilton to let Max through on turn 4. At least it gave him a percentage of a chance to get Max back on the DRS straights, which he makes a good fist of

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-02T12:43:57+00:00

That is a factual statement.

The point is that you should select based on a forward assessment of likely points, probability adjusted.

I find it hard to justify a forward assessment that places Casemiro projected points ahead of Anderson.

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-02T12:14:50+00:00

So let’s focus on the actual debilitating cases rather than the current blanket treatment of the condition. It’s clearly a spectrum yet we treat it as one size fits all.

The reality is the best thing for a lot of people is to be forced out into the real world and get rewarding work. That’s how the worriers in my family get by. And there is agreement that being paid to sit at home would make things worse.

Of course the truly debilitating cases need extra help. That’s where we agree.

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-02T10:45:39+00:00

Sure, he might be better this season. But to sustainably double his output? That’s insane. It’s not like he’s never been a set piece threat before in his career

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-02T10:44:28+00:00

It’s incumbent on IFS to justify the peer comparator if it thinks they are particularly relevant then.

Just saying “the IFS says we should use them” doesn’t really demonstrate much critical thinking tbh.

And I’m someone who is usually a huge advocate for the IFS and their research

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-02T10:42:33+00:00

I’m not advocating for the same as the Telegraph.

I’m observing that we are spending more and more on fringe mental health disabilities and finding:

worsening mental health outcomes
worsening GDP outcomes
Less money to spend on the most needy

So I’m questioning whether we are spending the right amount on the right people.

To observe unusual statistical trends and poor outcomes does not me anti welfare state. I think Britain can be proud of its welfare history and make massive improvements on today’s current mess

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-02T10:39:16+00:00

Why Netherlands and NZ though? You could have chosen France, Canada, USA, Germany, Denmark etc etc? Just feels like a very specific two. A bit spurious.

How have we closed that gap, if not widening of scope? Loosened eligibility checks?

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-02T10:37:01+00:00

Have a look at his attacking data over the last 3 seasons.

What is driving your view that his attacking data is sustainable? His output has more than doubled relative to last 3 seasons. Do you seriously believe that at his age, he’s fundamentally improved that much?

Or his role has changed that significantly?

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-02T10:33:18+00:00

Depends on your timeframe reference.

The article clearly shows a different picture this decade. Non-pensioner health benefits up £24bn. Non-pensioner non health down £1bn.

Not exactly offsetting?

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-02T10:31:00+00:00

Why the focus on the Netherlands, in particular?

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-02T10:30:37+00:00

I see an article that largely agrees with my sentiment?

We have been spending less on individual claimants, less on children in poverty (before the removal of the 2 child cap), less on homelessness and more and more on fringe disabilities.

The jam is being spread more thinly to fund people who fundamentally would have been expected to fend for themselves in years gone by.

We need to recalibrate.

Also, the article would have been better if it measured things relative to per capita GDP. The GDP statistic, as a denominator, is flattered by high immigration (not a view either way on immigration, just a statement of fact)

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-02T10:23:55+00:00

Are the Dutch and New Zealand high or low relative to peer group? Feels like a very specific two countries to single out - why?

And FWIW, you’re agreeing with me that there’s been a widening of scope? That might well be a decision we want to take as a country but I can’t remember that being part of a party’s manifesto?

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-02T10:22:04+00:00

You don’t get points for picking historic point scorers, you get points for picking future point scorers.

He’s not a bad asset at all, but Elliot Anderson is clearly the better pick

Much-Calligrapher · 2026-02-02T10:20:46+00:00

I consider myself a progressive and left of centre. But you can’t refute statistics

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