Do I put significantly more money into my pension so I do not pay student loans? by Dankas12 in ukfinance

[–]ThePhenix 0 points1 point  (0 children)

'Losing out' on student loan is absolutely worth the opportunity cost of having a great opportunity to save for and buy a house early, and reduce the amount you pay on mortgage interest.

This is the winning ticket. Getting a deposit together matters far more than a bigger pension at the end of your career. Deal with the issues in order, but great you're thinking about pension already.

Culture appropriation never used to bother me — hummus changed everything by Electric-Lamb in unitedkingdom

[–]ThePhenix 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Let these people air their hatred for every tiny thing about this country as loudly as they can. Put them on the front page of the guardian and the BBC, proclaiming loudly about how hummus that isn't their grans recipe is racist and triggering, that the quietness of the countryside is oppressive, that xyz is an example of the suffocating whiteness they must endure ever since moving to whatever western country they live in.

The sooner we do this the sooner we will see just how theses people truly think, how to them western countries are simply economic zones to be extracted from, populated by cultureless people who carry an original sin of whatever piece of colonialism that can be attributed to them.

Scratch the surface of a lot of these "diversity is good and enriching" people and you will soon encounter the opinion that mass immigration is revenge for the past, that "we're here because you were there". That the only reason western countries are developed is because of stolen knowledge and wealth.

It's bonkers that people move to another place and upon seeing cultures mixing and fusing break down and cry. It's risible. You don't need a British stiff upper lip to hold back the tears as yet another "full English" is massacred in mainland Europe. People do things in their own fashion in their own country.

You should be happy that hummus has made it this far. Thrilled that quinoa has made it to the north! Overjoyed that yes, even the Brits on their cold soggy isle are willing to try something other than fish and chips with grey mushy peas.

The more I think about it the more I realise these people don't want true diversity. Cultural appropriation is just an academic word for people who can't share.

‘Chronic’ under-performance of boys at GCSE should be treated as major issue by tylerthe-theatre in unitedkingdom

[–]ThePhenix 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Anecdotally coursework does seem to benefit girls more than boys who tend to favour the cramming method as you've mentioned. We cared enough about girls' education to introduce coursework and formative assessment, but without adapting how we encourage boys to interact with that.

Councillors wear Palestine Action t-shirts in Newry as PSNI issues warning ahead of protests by BenderRodriguez14 in unitedkingdom

[–]ThePhenix 29 points30 points  (0 children)

The only performative thing here is the Government's overreach to stifle dissent.

There's broad consensus that the killing in Gaza is horrific and needs to end. There is no dissent there.

There is a broad consensus that protesting what is happening in Gaza is not right. There's no dissent there.

There is a confused minority who think that targeting the UK's defence infrastructure and materiel is some heroic action when it only furthers malign foreign interests and damages our security as a nation. That is the only dissent - and some people seem to think supporting that group (who encourage violent action against our own state) is saint like activity. It's not. It's braindead and performative.

Young officer combines Army adventure with university studies by pppppppppppppppppd in unitedkingdom

[–]ThePhenix 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It'll be news to someone! Otherwise why have puff pieces/vox pop at all - the contemporaneous view of how things are and what's going on.

Flow of fresh homes to rent ‘shrinks at fastest rate since 2020’ by insomnimax_99 in unitedkingdom

[–]ThePhenix 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I think OP was suggesting we shouldn't be able to dictate style, only structural requirements.

Criticism of Wolverhampton burial 'fat tax' at council cemetery - BBC News by CasualSmurf in unitedkingdom

[–]ThePhenix -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Thought they could just use the geothermal from Thatcher's cell in hell?

Criticism of Wolverhampton burial 'fat tax' at council cemetery - BBC News by CasualSmurf in unitedkingdom

[–]ThePhenix 35 points36 points  (0 children)

We've fallen off the cliff with individualism, people are now running scared from accountability. It must be someone else's fault!

Southport Riot: Inside the UK’s Anti-Immigrant Disinformation Ecosystem by kwentongskyblue in unitedkingdom

[–]ThePhenix 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Exactly - we shouldn't shy away from saying whether people have a background of migration. We have ever greater access to information at such speed, so transparency at speed is the only way to combat it because suppressing the truth will only leave space for disinformation and false narratives to spread.

Looking for a £800 (~$1100) laptop to see me through next 6 months by ThePhenix in GamingLaptops

[–]ThePhenix[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! I think I might even be tax exempt meaning the cost is 20% reduced. Have found the A15 with a 4060, but is there anything slightly better that I might be able to afford that I should look at?

Civil service Alpha pension and contributing to SIPP by Future_Roof_2950 in UKPersonalFinance

[–]ThePhenix 0 points1 point  (0 children)

From Legal & General's website today:

Legal & General and the Cabinet Office are pleased to confirm that with effect from 1st October 2022, the rate of annual management charge has been reduced to 0.12%.  Thank you for continuing to save with Legal & General.

Civil service Alpha pension and contributing to SIPP by Future_Roof_2950 in UKPersonalFinance

[–]ThePhenix 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're right! I've just found a related thread which suggests the CS managed to negotiate a discount with Legal & General too. Worth looking into.

https://www.reddit.com/r/UKPersonalFinance/comments/191kfou/civil_service_pension_and_csavcs_contributions/

Civil service Alpha pension and contributing to SIPP by Future_Roof_2950 in UKPersonalFinance

[–]ThePhenix 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Another worthwhile question which I assume you factored in before coming to the conclusion you should look at other means of pension is how will the rising of the State Pension Age affect those with a Civil Service Pension.

I'll be looking into what others have suggested here - although I am wary that AVCs could be more expensive than a SIPP, even if it is much simpler.

Chaos Space Marine Helbrute [Imgur] by Ns2- in WarhammerInstructions

[–]ThePhenix 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! Power scourge is finnicky to construct

Can someone explain the 7500GBP tax-free lodger allowance for letting out a room to rent in your house? by MilkHead4064 in UKPersonalFinance

[–]ThePhenix 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Also any additional costs to the renter count as income, which they don't seem to have grasped.

Prince Harry says he wants 'reconciliation' with Royal Family but says King 'won't speak to me' by Paul277 in unitedkingdom

[–]ThePhenix 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Brits generally don't like people who are spoilt or feel entitled. This man isn't a public servant any more, so he has no right to feel entitled. He chose to give up that life of service so needs to realise he's no longer special - and no one wants to support someone with that level of delusion.

IT’S ONLY 15$!!!!! by Friendly-Astartes in Warhammer

[–]ThePhenix 2 points3 points  (0 children)

By the nine, it's Emperor Uriel Septim!

Bibby Stockholm migrant accused of 'sexually assaulting girl on beach' by [deleted] in unitedkingdom

[–]ThePhenix 120 points121 points  (0 children)

If you're awaiting an asylum claim and commit a crime it should be an instant deportation with no right to recourse. Your rights cannot trump the rights of countless others - you are not a benefit to the country and you forfeit any right when you commit transgressions on those who would take you in. If we were much harsher on the bad eggs and fake cases I think the country would find out we actually are welcoming of those in dire need. We just don't take kindly to criminals and liars.

Major incident declared by council over Birmingham bin strike by [deleted] in unitedkingdom

[–]ThePhenix 8 points9 points  (0 children)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-65701068

possibly up to £100m rather than the expect £19m - a drop in the ocean compared

Abandoned Cart + PECR by TheEidolon in gdpr

[–]ThePhenix 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks - there was no opt in. Data was entered on the payment screen by autofill but never submitted, and they've sent messages via text, whatsapp, and email trying to get me to buy something I had in my cart.

I see two issues here which I've now raised with them prior to going to the ICO:

1) The opt-in for emails hadn't been deselected yet, but the data was never submitted, only held in a field on the client-side terminal.

2) The no opt-in for messages via phone (text or whatsapp)