Latest Moan From You and Me 2025

@gks The best garden centre around here by a mile, in my opinion, is Three Shires which is part of the Blue Diamond group. Although it does have a lot of non-gardening stuff, I would say at least half the inside space is still garden related, along with a large outside area. The garden staff are really knowledgeable and, every time I've been there, they are watering, picking off dead leaves and dead heading. They also have a cafe and full restaurant. Covering all bases but not forgetting their base business.

 

Back to the ID Cards. In Vietnam they have closed 86 million bank accounts, most of these were, unused or being used for fraud. Basically, from the 1st July this year to bank in Vietnam and to have an active account you need to have biometric verification, photo and finger print ID Cards are mandatory. You will need an ID card not only to make withdrawals, but also for online transactions, failing to do so, your account is basically frozen. From 2029 they are going to reduce the lending limits from 15% equity down to 10%.

 

It's just the start, @gks. Digital ID cards will allow intrusive control of almost every aspect of daily life and gradually more and more things will be added till you basically won't be able do anything unrecorded.

 

I've said before I'm basically in favour of ID cards, but physical ones which simply have your photo and name, plus possibly home address and NI number. Nothing more than that. Failure to present would mean no access to any form of benefits be they financial or medical.

 

It is the digital aspect that makes it so open to abuse by gov overreach.

 

I can see approximately 50 wind turbines and not one is turning so I've looked on National grid website and at 1550 fossil fuel or gas is producing 55.9% of our energy while renewable is producing 11.6% or solar 7% wind3.8 % and hydroelectric. 08% . How are we going to manage without gas

 

I can't see how they can enforce digital ID cards or are they planning to provide every single person from birth with the necessary tech and the ability to use it ?
Latest moan here is the return of a parcel sent to Canada 3 weeks ago - easy enough you'd think but not so - in between posting from here and the expected arrival date, Canada Post has decided to go on strike. If it was something that didn't really matter it wouldn't be so bad but it is an appliance only on sale in the UK for someone suffering from Parkinsons disease and appears to be really helpful for that condition.

 

You better ask Mr Milliband, he has it all in hand and it will be cheaper too.
Talk about cloud cookoo land.

 

The companies running Wind Farms are paid to produce energy but they are also paid to shut down when the National Grid can't deal with it. A Win Win investment as it stands at present.
I gather the Chancellor is looking into reducing energy bills in her upcoming budget. Should be interesting but doubt the cost of oil, which many people have to use, is mentioned.

 

Off course it will be cheaper, think how much you will save if there is no product to spend your cash on (money saved ;-)

 

And they went on strike just before Christmas. Any sympathy they might have had is long gone.

 

How are they supposed to check? HMRC is the only place which records total income and they don't even have the staff to answer phone calls.

 

HMRC also has the ability to check any personal pension plan payments and will ensure tax is taken on any income above £12 k pa.
Have no idea what is happening re Winter Fuel Payments but our joint income is well below £35 k pa .