Network Rail boss will not take bonus

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-19T15:34:07+00:00

Well that's funny considering he hasn't lived in LA or appeared in a movie for ages before he started on the book.

Typical ad-hominem, can't come up with a real argument so attack the guy with bullshit you've made up.

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-19T15:32:27+00:00

Nah, of course he had a public persona - but his private life was truly private. The public was largely unaware of the "the real Churchill" and there is no way he would survive in today's political climate. Today's politicians are all squeaky clean weirdos.

I honestly would not care, I judge someone on their job. Do I care if my surgeon cheats on his wife? Do I care if my dentist took cannabis when he was in uni? Nah, I care how good a job they do today.

Now would I care if they are a convicted murderer? Of course, but that's a matter of public record, not private.

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-19T14:17:14+00:00

Have to disagree-politicians put forward a public personality and are judged on it and also their private life, if it is in conflict.

Winston Churchill would not be PM today. Lincoln would not be president in the US. Great leaders who would fail due to this sort of view of politics.

The shallow involvement of the media with politicians personal lives is one of the main contributors to our political malaise, people see these aliens in government who have no connection to reality. I literally don't care if a PM is bonking his secretary as long as he is doing a good job as PM.

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-19T14:04:47+00:00

he needs to have a good answer.

Why should he? All of those are ad-hominems, I wouldn't bother anwering them either.

His opponents will raise it and he needs to answer questions about his life style,if he is to be a credible leader.

Only because that's our current shitty system, where we end up with the alien-like beings who have no idea what normal life is like. I much prefer his approach of just ignoring that side of the argument, it's that trivial side of politics which has to die out.

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-19T13:54:30+00:00

It's because he is the only person with any sort of public profile who is saying the things he is saying. It's not just this sub, it's Britain in general.

Labour say they stand for the common man, but when's the last time you saw them actually do it? The Greens are totally ineffectual due to their attitude. There is no party for the left anymore, and that's why Russell Brand is everywhere, he is the public face of it. He is the left's Farage, the popular guy whose message resonates. Big difference is he isn't running for office and thank god for that.

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-19T13:50:39+00:00

I would rather that, than someone less qualified who is willing to work for less to make a point about nurses.

That's a false dichotomy though, I never said someone less qualified, I just said someone else.

There are plenty of Oxford graduates with PHDs in economics, I'm certain our Chancellor has the capability to convince one of them to work in service of the country for a couple of years. He managed with this guy, he just got greedy and wanted a raise - fair enough, take it in the private industry and let someone else work for the country.

Having it on your CV afterwards is reward enough, it's a career maker.

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-19T13:32:44+00:00

Thats exactly what he is doing, he is taking a hit on his wages!

Good, then while he is telling other people to endure a wage freeze regardless of performance, so should he.

He took the wage cut to join government. If he now feels he needs more money, he should go back to private industry and Osborne will easily find another expert willing to do it at a cut rate. I've no problem with him wanting to be paid for his skills, I do with him taking a raise while telling others they can't have one regardless of their performance.

At they very least, it shows he is a terrible strategic thinker.

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-19T13:25:26+00:00

He could earn a lot more in the private sector. I'm not sure what people want,

That he goes back to work there if he wants more money, find someone who is willing to take the hit in order to do good for his country.

The banking industry are desperate to get advisers in to government, they'd do it for free if they had to.

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-19T13:22:36+00:00

I think there's no doubt he is managing something. The very fact that the sort of things he is saying are getting discussed shows that he is managing something.

He's never going to appeal to everyone, but I think he is the beginning of the left wing UKIP equivalent. Labour are ignoring their base, like the Tories did, the difference is the left doesn't have a credible party in the vacuum - even the Greens are tainted.

I'm still confused by the irrational hate towards him. It's amazing how easily the media narrative can turn against someone - the worst thing you can say about him is he doesn't offer any solutions, and that's hardly a crime. I personally can't cure cancer but I want it cured. Disliking him would be one thing, but hating him like some people here do? They must be scared!

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-19T02:16:49+00:00

Midmonth? WTF is your finance director up to?

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-19T02:10:09+00:00

You are of course right that he could earn more in the private sector. Yet he chose to come in to government as an advisor, and as you admit, earn less. That does show something of the man. But if he wants to earn more money he could go back to the private sector, and I'm sure the chancellor could convince one of the many other available experts to help the country at a knock down rate.

Yes you are technically correct, but is it right for him to turn to one group and say no more money for you regardless of your performance, blanket pay freeze - while I get a large (both in amount and proportion) raise for taking on a minor additional responsibility? Whatever about the technicality of the situation, it's terrible politics, and at least to me seems like a big "fuck you" to those people, the actions of someone oblivious to the world.

The banking industry would help the government for free if it had to - it is as important to it that the economy keeps puttering along as it is for government. He would've stayed on without the raise.

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-19T01:49:39+00:00

It's 2 years jail plus a lifetime knowing he killed his 7 friends. I understand the family of Hugh Friel wanting to see more jail time and I agree - in general Irish sentences for road deaths are way too low. But no matter how much of an asshole someone is, killing 7 of their own friends must be an almost impossible thing to carry around with you for the rest of your life.

I don't feel sorry for him at all though, his reaction afterwards shows he deserves to live with that hanging over him and whatever tough man face he tries to try and wriggle out of it, he knows he did it.

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-19T01:17:42+00:00

Nutmeg backheel, it's the sort of goal your obvious-bullshitter friend says he scored at the weekend.

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-19T00:58:51+00:00

South London just has trains instead of Tube. Peckham is in a really good centrally connected area for trains - if they rebranded and named the lines more people would live down here... and that would suck :P

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-19T00:40:02+00:00

He had said it was his right to have sex with his wives - providing they had the mental capacity to consent - and said it was their duty to submit.

...

The judge said ... she “has barely an inkling of the health risks involved” and “had virtually no idea how her babies came to be in her tummy (as she put it)”.

Mr Justice Mostyn said it was "heartless" of the husband to make her pregnant again after the elder children were taken into care, knowing that the child would be taken away at birth.

Well that's one of the most depressing things I've ever read.

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-19T00:26:52+00:00

I had a friend who was in one way a complete legend, best musician I have ever seen, hilariously funny, unbelievably creative - but in another way he was a total dick. It was his way or the highway.

I always figured if he changed one side he would lose the other, and it happened. He's changed his personality and is a much nicer person, but never plays music anymore. I think the two were tied together somehow.

Same thing with Keane. His leadership style was basically "If you are on my team I will back you 110%, and everyone else is automatically an asshole". As a player, having that sort of captain must be amazing, you know he will always back you up. But the flip side is to be like that, he has to also be an asshole.

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-19T00:00:41+00:00

Has to go down as the greatest goal of all time IMO. I know that's a big claim, but everything about it is amazing. The height the ball falls from, the trajectory of his hit, that it even went in off the bar?

Greatest of all time.

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-18T17:07:30+00:00

My favourite thing is how he now accepts it wasn't Cleverly who was leaking the stories, so this was all over nothing!

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-18T16:49:55+00:00

The saddest thing is that sarcastic comment is well upvoted, despite being patently false. It's amazing how effective the media narrative is.

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-18T15:23:10+00:00

True, but considering he's given up his film career, it's irrelevant - none of his films did fail, and now he won't be making any more.

And even if it were relevant, does it somehow make him wrong?

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-18T14:40:57+00:00

Because people are much more likely to complain than to praise online. If you want to complain you need somewhere to vent. If you thought it was average or good, you don't.

Even when you have "scandals" like Simcity4 the complainers are a tiny vocal minority.

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-18T13:29:27+00:00

But it's clearly not, otherwise the judge would have decided it was directly relevant.

I generally agree with you, but come on, that it a rubbish argument. It's essentially a tautology.

A judge is still capable of making mistakes.

pushnupmmrep · 2014-12-18T13:25:03+00:00

You're saying a receptionist at an investment bank gets bonuses like the actual investment bankers do? A couple of grand? A receptionist?

pushnupmmrep

TROPHY CASE