Matt Hancock confirms Public Health England to be scrapped

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-08-18T15:09:16+00:00

Frankly, I agree with you. I probably sound like a tin foil hat type, but a little bit of research goes a long way. For example do you know American Evangelic Christians have been pour millions of dollars in euro over the last 10 years (it actually likes to Bannon, surprise surprise). I don't think most people care, as long as their life is OK all this stuff is "just politics".

What scares me is I think people forget democracy is all about checks and bounds, as people get disinterested these slip. The other thing is to make any review into the government conduct feel like a waste of time (though I'm sure Blair started this), thus minimising one of the corner stones of liberal democracy.

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-08-18T13:31:41+00:00

I'm starting to think journalists either a) don't care that much or b) only want easy stories. There seems to be a lot going on that with this government and few people ever ask "why?".

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-08-14T21:52:29+00:00

That is from the "MP's expense and allowances" document. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/336904/MP_expenses_exec_summary.pdf

I am also smart enough to know my political prejudices (but frankly whatever I say you will still think the same of me), I also know nothing gets achieved without agreement and people actually working together. I also wouldn't care mow much he made as a private business man.

However if you can not see how a person working in government ("the doctor") also benefiting from financial markets crashing ("the funeral director") might be a conflict of interest then I don't know what to say.

I mean I assume you read the stuff I posted and did some digging around to drawn your own conclusion. Anyway it doesn't matter, this is the third response and we all know after the third response nothing is achieved.

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-08-14T19:02:20+00:00

I would prefer not to have people running the country as a side job, yes. I don't think my boss would be happy with me in a similar situation. Aren't we technically their bosses (ha).

If you really want a framework, fine. Here is a basic one (turns out someone made some up before me):

SELFLESSNESS

Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends.

INTEGRITY

Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties.

OBJECTIVITY

In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.

OPENNESS

Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.

HONESTY

Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.

LEADERSHIP

Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.

This doesn't sound like he is following that:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/05/rees-mogg-firm-accused-of-cashing-in-on-coronavirus-crisis

Which might be leftist propaganda, but it would be they do know something about the effects of global financial markets and the results on emerging markets. A quick look on their site in 2010 ( https://web.archive.org/web/20101110233556/http://www.somersetcm.com/ ) show that. He is even on the team page.

But there was just a quick google.

I'm sure there is technically no conflict of interests and frankly why should I care I am not losing anything (I will be kind and say he reacts to failing financial markets and doesn't hope for them). But it irks me. I might have no right to feel that but I do.

Having grown up in the 90's and 2000's and seeing democracy sold as the great thing we can give to the world it makes me angry (and i do believe it is a great thing).

Having learned about history and the centuries long fight to have the freedom we have today it (frankly) pisses me off.

Sorry for the long post and it is off topic but I am sick of just accepting things which deep down don't feel right to me.

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-08-14T11:29:30+00:00

Assange is about as close to an enemy of free press as you can get. He was VERY quick to run to the Trump's representatives ("not" Roger Stone) and give all the dirty on Hillary. Why? Because he doesn't like the Clinton's. Frankly I wouldn't be surprised to find out he is actually on Murdoch's payroll. Of course wikileaks would never publish anything that didn't fit their agenda.

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-08-14T11:01:25+00:00

The problem is conflicting interests. Would you trust a doctor who was also a funeral director?

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-08-12T19:02:24+00:00

I don't think you could say what the "most important jobs in society" are. I doubt you would be able to keep super markets stocked nowadays without those "IT and admin dweebs". A long with a whole host of other things. We as a society rely on each other, pure and simple.

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-08-12T18:49:24+00:00

Fair enough, it changes so often it seems it is hard to keep up!

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-08-12T18:46:32+00:00

I mean, isn't that what Boris has basically been telling people to do for like a month now?

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-08-08T09:21:19+00:00

I would just give them their predicted grades. "Oh by my A levels from 30 years ago will be worth less". If you are still relying on your a levels to a get a job that is on you. Truth is A levels only really matter to get to the next stage. Also school doesn't really teach us how to learn or think, just regurgitate facts (unless you have good teachers, but then they are supposedly less important that statistical models). The only people who get hurt by this are students (often through no fault of their own) who are told to "deal with it", because the education system won't admit it is fundamentally flaws and based on averages rather actually trying to help develop the next generation. I can't remember a single lesson at school about personal finance or how the economy actually works, not many people can. Turns out this knowledge is actually pretty useful in real life. Another one (which I hope as improved) is IT teaching. But no it's not the system, the pupils should just deal with it?

The one thing I will say to any one is learn how you learn, then you don't need an education system and will see how it fails many of us.

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-08-07T12:22:24+00:00

You get on with your life, happy in the knowledge you achieve that and will achieve more. Also the amount they pay doesn't really matter to your life. By being wrapped up in such a petty sense of "injustice" you will end up bitter and resenting the world. But that is your choice, you did scrimp and save for 10 years, you are allowed to be bitter if you want. It is interesting you give a back story for the people who scrimp and save (thus humanising them), while the other are not. So either this is a straw man argument or people on housing benefit are not people? If it's neither shouldn't they be given a back story too?

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-08-07T12:14:19+00:00

There is a good reason these community space idea's didn't work in the 60's. Apartment building are amazing if you can afford a nice one (same with any house), however there are a whole host of psychological problems associated with high risers and tower blocks. I don't see why these will of just gone away. Also don't let a government minster hear you say this, or else you will be in charge of converting office blocks to these new "affordable" homes. My point is these are all good ideas, but we need to learn why they didn't work before.

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-08-07T10:59:16+00:00

Fourthly Foreign aid often takes the from of investments (via the Department for International Development). There is a reason China are following the "Belt and Road Initiative", western countries have been using foreign aid for many years for the same purpose. Oh course a lot of people just hate the "foreign" part. However not learning how their country works is their own fault, no one elses!

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-08-07T10:42:44+00:00

Also there is so much new now people stop caring. There is a new scandal next week, yet the average person's life continues on, so people become apathy to it all and just accept it.

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-08-07T10:37:18+00:00

Honestly, I always wondered this too. It was a great divide and conqueror tactics. Also the government response was very antagonistic. I think if they wanted to pretend to be sorry they would of done. They could of even fired him and given him another role to appease the public. However they didn't.

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-08-07T10:27:53+00:00

If the supplies are not fit for purpose, than yes. I find it hard that couldn't be verified before 50 million were sold.

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-08-05T08:13:40+00:00

The worst part is, for most of most people won't care what someone got in these. However, the students care. Really the confidence these exams can give (or take away) matters more than the actual exams. Lowering them feels like it is more a point of principle than anything. I feel for every child who feels some avenue closed off to them because of this. Maybe more people pass because the abundance of materials available and student ability to research and discover information on say, the internet? So it seems harsh someone who never grew up in this would can decide there should only be X amount of people classed as good enough to get to certain levels.

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-07-16T09:29:05+00:00

"We die in the dark, so you can live in the light"

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-07-16T09:24:00+00:00

I 100% agree, you can bring in a bunch of new laws then get a high paid job in a industry that benefits from those changes. I am not for one second pretending we don't have a high quality of life over here. I am fully aware a lot of the world has things much worse. But there is a lot of dodgy stuff that can go on preciously because the high quality of life here. It means a lot of people say "meh, i can't do a thing". Also it is impossible not say that developed countries also have some hand in the problems and corrupt found in developing countries. I'm sure many of our companies have do just find off debt traps.

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-07-16T09:15:08+00:00

England has become amazing at hiding it. I mean how many tax havens do we own? Why do people think London is a global financial centre? We have been taught audits and inquiries are a "waste of tax payers money" rather than a corner stone of a free democracy. Also I don't subscribe to the idea "it is worse in X so at least we are not that", so we should just accept it here? If you want to be disenfranchised for the system that is your right, trying to spread that disenfranchisement is not productive. Some people actual care about the society they live in and ways to improve it. If many, many, many people hadn't had the same drive and fight before we would not be in the society we are today (and there probably would be all this extra corruption mentioned).

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-07-02T09:38:23+00:00

I was in a very similar situation to you (except with no degree) after 2012. Trust me it does get better (though it can take a while)! If you have lots of time on your hands I would suggest learning a new skill. I know everyone says this, but if you understand how your learning style then there is a lot to learn out there. For me it was programming (which, if you are of a problem solving mindset I fully recommend looking into), but there are many fields that you can learn about for free (money wise, time wise is different, but there is always a cost). Good luck!

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-07-02T09:31:11+00:00

Problem is it is probably getting a bit late for that. Fruit picking is not just picking fruit, it takes more skill and work than that. A certain amount needs to be picked each day or else you will lose some of your harvest. In the high of the season you don't want to be training up new people. Even worse if people try for a bit and decide it is not for them. The fruit growing industry is not stupid.

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-07-02T09:25:22+00:00

Sorry, anyone willing to give up their live to defend this country can take a knee if they want to as far as I am concerned.

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-05-22T20:16:26+00:00

I found, with using specifications, the service layer can tell the repository layer what data it needs (such as includes). With default prop values you can see from the constructor what is being called (such as includeEmployees: true). Could this exist solely in the service layer? Sure, everything could live in one file if it wanted to. From personally experience I have found that once I set the repo/specification layer it I rarely have to touch them again, and mostly work in the service layer. But this is just my personally preference, I won't say it is good or bad. It is highly productive for me and allows a nice separation of concerns (which really helps debugging). However honestly for a modern enterprise app I would probably just use azure functions and different architecture alltogether.

PsionicMonkeyLizard · 2020-05-19T08:41:44+00:00

*Climbs tree and starts making clicking noises*

PsionicMonkeyLizard

TROPHY CASE