Stevo 666
Veteran
I'm sure that New York commuters will be well chuffed. Anyone on here?
BRFR Cake Stop 'breaking news' miscellany
- Thread starter briantrumpet
- Start date
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I'm sure that New York commuters will be well chuffed. Anyone on here?
Mr Celine
Senior Member
Less pollution blowing my way from across the Atlantic. Color me chuffed.
Stevo 666
Veteran
Whoopee. I'm sure that'll make all the difference.
OP
OP
briantrumpet
Guru
On this date, it's very appropriate to share this: photos taken by a professional photographer who was taking photos up to the moment he died when the second tower collapsed on him, but his photos were rescued from his camera by a friend.
I don't remember having seen these before. I can remember exactly where I was when I heard the news... sending a trumpet to America by DHL, which got diverted to Amsterdam before it eventually made its way to the US.
https://www.billbiggart.com/september-11th
I don't remember having seen these before. I can remember exactly where I was when I heard the news... sending a trumpet to America by DHL, which got diverted to Amsterdam before it eventually made its way to the US.
https://www.billbiggart.com/september-11th
First Aspect
Über Member
I was in Canada at the time. I was on the phone to my ex before she was due to go to work, trying to get my flat deposit back from her. New York was 3h ahead so it was happening (or just happened) in real time. I hadn't processed the images until she started shouting at me (not uncommon, to be fair) that I was inhuman or something along those lines.
It was on loop on every channel pretty much for weeks and there was a lot of hysteria in the first few hours about other hijacked planes that might still be up there.
It was on loop on every channel pretty much for weeks and there was a lot of hysteria in the first few hours about other hijacked planes that might still be up there.
OP
OP
briantrumpet
Guru
We're being held to ransom: another effective monopoly that's being exploited really aggressively at our expense. Local councils have no choice, as they are under legal obligations.
PurplePenguin
Active Member
Presumably, I'm supposed to be outraged at a company making a profit of 22.6%?
OP
OP
briantrumpet
Guru
One wouldn't be so suspicious if it weren't costing £320k pa and the cost doubling in five years. They must have been making massive losses five years ago if the price has doubled and they are 'only' making a 22.6% profit.
Pinno718
Über Member
Sure but the headlines are that the children are not getting what they need, placed far away from home and are in 'unlawful' settings (whatever that means.
So I would be more comfortable of the care @ £320pa was top notch and ticked ALL the boxes.
Let's put it into context, water companies in England make an average £3% pre tax profit and we know, many of them are not doing their job properly and their profits at that level has been heavily criticised.
Ian H
Squire
There are many ways to make profits disappear. One obvious one is to pay your directors (a lot) more.
PurplePenguin
Active Member
Councils could build their own, but they don't because it is difficult and expensive. A lot of things have doubled in price in the last five years.
First Aspect
Über Member
Private Equity is a virus.
OP
OP
briantrumpet
Guru
I'm trying and failing to find figures for private school fees over the same time, but I suspect that they haven't doubled.
OP
OP
briantrumpet
Guru
I know we've been over this before, but these companies are very canny at identifying sectors that have a captive customer base then aggressively turning them into quasi monopolies through acquisition of all meaningful competition (see the veterinary industry, for instance). Once they've done that (or been handed that, as in the case of water companies), then, in Trump's words, they hold all the cards.
The only question is what industry will they target next. We know they are gunning for the NHS, as it's the same principle: something absolutely essential and unavoidable. You've only got to look at the US model to see where that ends up: the worst average outcomes for the highest average cost.
The only question is what industry will they target next. We know they are gunning for the NHS, as it's the same principle: something absolutely essential and unavoidable. You've only got to look at the US model to see where that ends up: the worst average outcomes for the highest average cost.
