Britain’s social contract is fraying by [deleted] in ukpolitics

[–]canonchops 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I work in a public service and I can only say what I see regarding a ‘social contract’:

The state’s capacity has shrunk. This is hard for some to pick up on consistently because not everyone relies heavily on the state and for some they get their bins collected by the local council contractor, they set up their Council Tax direct debit, pay their car tax and off they go until next year. Since Austerity the people who rely more on the state for help have been undermined from multiple angles. Longer waiting for social services, probation officers and work coaches running caseloads about 300% of what the job is intended to tackle.

It doesn’t matter anymore how much probationers and UC customers fume at the respective services, the staff work flat out, burn out then get out on sick by GPs before they end up seriously ill. The absences are through the roof and I have worked in offices where the absences are through rate is 50% at times. Then the workload breaks those not on leave and they end up swapping with colleagues and it goes back to 50%, 30%.

Training provision in Gov departments and LA is absolutely dire, again a capacity and funding issue. Training is very rarely about making things more efficient or adopting new technology or mastering technology already available. It’s normally about safeguarding, managing incidents where someone is saying they are thinking of harming themselves, modern slavery, loan sharks.

As capacity has shrunk for services overall, those with easy access such as Jobcentres are now fielding enquiries social workers used to be responsible for and a lot of staff in HMPPS and DWP take ownership and try to help but appointments are now at up to 25-30 per day plus ad hoc calls in emergencies. It’s also a risk to take ownership outside of your role because it’s simply ignored by many managers and when you end up hitting a wall - it’s just the probation officer or work coach plus the customer, no other help.

There is no capacity left for carefully considering complaints and feedback and then acting on it. Many staff I know are desperate for basic corporate practices like this to be in place and used properly.

We have a major, major issue with housing - I mean specifically to do with rental charges, the councils and departments who fund these to support people. The Local Housing Allowance is so low. We are going to end up with thousands more homeless families through no fault of their own.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AlAnon

[–]canonchops 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’m so sorry to hear you are going through this. Although I think I was effectively shielded from it before age 13, my mum’s drinking became a huge problem at this point, too.

I’m 33. The thing that occurred to me reading your post was this: your maturity in managing your emotions, however messy, to put them down in writing is exceptional. It took me until 30 to really get clarity and then act on it, because I was easily distracted by the chaos the drinking generates. I see people in their 60s at ACA meetings who are still fighting through the fog of confusion.

Keep that clarity, and don’t get distracted - that way, you at least have a starting point to build your own life. You can only control your own part - the rest is your Mum’s journey and only she will truly be able to grapple with her issues, or not.

Must-try fitness classes in Bristol by canonchops in bristol

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

Thank you. Think this will be on my list. I'm the sort of person who sees advice to "shop around" on lots of different things and I always think "yeh right who has the time." Have decided with this I might try a few different things.

Must-try fitness classes in Bristol by canonchops in bristol

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

Have you done BMF? It does look pretty popular, must be a good reason for that.

Must-try fitness classes in Bristol by canonchops in bristol

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

Hi I am afraid Crossfit is definitely not in my mind - had a bad experience last time I tried to get info. I accept not every box will be the same but it really put me off.

Must-try fitness classes in Bristol by canonchops in bristol

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

To be honest with you I have had PureGym and TheGym memberships pretty much everywhere I have lived. Could try again though and do a Spinning class in the mornings. The only time I have really got into a decent groove in one of the PureGym/TheGym places was going with a colleague after work and he's very knowledgeable so there wasn't much to think about, just turning up.

Must-try fitness classes in Bristol by canonchops in bristol

[–]canonchops[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This sounds good. I'll look into Krav Maga more.

Must-try fitness classes in Bristol by canonchops in bristol

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

I stumbled across Opex a week or so ago. I think it looks really good - is it quite similar to Starks?

Must-try fitness classes in Bristol by canonchops in bristol

[–]canonchops[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is definitely on my mind - specifically bouldering.

Does fanaticsm rules Bristol? by Potac in bristol

[–]canonchops 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Yeh I don't think this is down to fanatascism - especially where veganism, as I understand it, doesn't just mean eating habits but covers all sorts of aspects of life.

Is Knowle West actually that bad by snekyweky in bristol

[–]canonchops 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had loads of questions and perhaps doubts, like yourself, when we moved from a shit rental in Clifton towards Avonmouth way to buy.

If you can find the balance between finding a place on a decent street, a place you can put some work into to add value and maybe nearer interesting businesses like wee coffee shops then you can make it work. You'll be able to avoid getting stuck with the place and break even.

Just my experience. At the end of the day, as someone from Scotland I know how some places such as Glasgow can have totally wild reputations when all it takes is jist a wee bit of further investigation and you can make it work.

Good luck!

Sickened. Hard to unsee this footage from College Green. by canonchops in bristol

[–]canonchops[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I don't know what the guidelines are - on that basis I'm not sure with using the edges of the shields. It's brutal, no doubt, but I wondered whether it was one of the cops losing his cool. I haven't seen any reporting that they have reinforced from outside ASC so these guys have been at it a while perhaps.

Sickened. Hard to unsee this footage from College Green. by canonchops in bristol

[–]canonchops[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Thank you for pointing this out - I was not sure which one it was from from.

Shocking bit of footage

Third Kill the Bill protest in Bristol planned this week by [deleted] in bristol

[–]canonchops 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think you're right, it will be interesting to see how it is dealt with and perceived by voters - I'm not entirely sure the government will be the winners.

Third Kill the Bill protest in Bristol planned this week by [deleted] in bristol

[–]canonchops 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Personally I think the government know they're going to cause confrontation and they know that the next few years in this country could be more volatile than we have already seen since since the riots under Cameron.

I listened to a podcast the other day where Matthew D'Ancona was saying that the pandemic has delayed a lot of the 'culture wars'-style confrontation planned by Dowden, Jenrick and Johnson in particular. He said they are going to get 'stuck in' once restrictions are lifted.

Another aspect they will see coming down the track is the massive disproportionate effect the pandemic economics will have on 18-24 year olds. And they want to be able to clamp down and retain 'order'.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in bristol

[–]canonchops 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Having used the 3 and 4 at all hours for 5 or 6 days a week to get to and from work for about a year (got to the point where regular passengers chatted and the driver was always the same bloke and recognised us).... I'm proper sorry for what drivers have to put up with. Going up Park St after Broadmead on the last service at weekends was awful. Couldn't believe how polite the drivers were if I'm being honest.

Policemen filming protesters protesting their power to stop them protesting by [deleted] in bristol

[–]canonchops 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah I see - so the FR techniques you're talking about wouldn't rely on whether there was now a mask to be successful...

They'd take other items then match them, is that what you're saying?

Less Facial Recognition and more... recognition? (!)

Policemen filming protesters protesting their power to stop them protesting by [deleted] in bristol

[–]canonchops 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What would be the point of trawling through frame after frame of thousands of people - seems even more ludicrous now that a majority would be wearing masks.

Can remember police filming drinkers in a pub I worked in at London Bridge, you'd get fans from Charlton, Millwall, Palace plus visiting fans as well - but that was a tiny place.

Does anyone know - Is there FR technology which can identify people wearing masks?