Brexit, for once some facts.

[guerney]

I couldn’t agree more and yes I am an ex-people’s energy customer. I hated them after they failed to take adequate care of my personal data and had it stolen in a cyber attack.

My house energy is now supplied by Avro, who to be fair are good. My garage, which is on a separate meter, is supplied by Symbio who are 20 x worse than Shittish Gas. I won’t bore you with the details.

The energy market is deliberately confusing, it fails the consumer and its failing apart. Very soon we will be back to a monopoly of a few private companies working in a cartel to fleece the customer.

We need to go back to a state run CEGB and state owned power companies. We’ve tried the private route, it crap, abandon it.

@Jesus H Christ! Rejoice! You are now a Octopus customer! (or shortly will be). I believe they may be contractually obliged to be nicer, if you switch to Ebico administered by Octopus (different Octopus arm). In my experience, even SSE were nice when they were doing Ebico admin (do inspect all small print and tariffs etc.)

Ebico

ebico.org.uk

Octopus to take on failed Avro Energy’s 580,000 stranded customers

Supplier appointed by Ofgem also at centre of speculation that it could bid for rival challenger Bulb

www.theguardian.com

 

[Jesus H Christ]

@Jesus H Christ! Rejoice! You are now a Octopus customer! (or shortly will be). I believe they may be contractually obliged to be nicer, if you switch to Ebico administered by Octopus (different Octopus arm). In my experience, even SSE were nice when they were doing Ebico admin (do inspect all small print and tariffs etc.)

Ebico

ebico.org.uk

Octopus to take on failed Avro Energy’s 580,000 stranded customers

Supplier appointed by Ofgem also at centre of speculation that it could bid for rival challenger Bulb

www.theguardian.com

Thank you. Coincidentally, I’ve just had an email from Octopus saying they are my new supplier. I’ll probably stay with them because of their customer service record. That has a value and it’s worth paying a little extra for. Avro we’re ok, their bills were accurate and I never had a reason to contact them.

Symbio are absolutely dreadful to the point of being a scam / corrupt. I sincerely hope the go bankrupt soon to release me. If not, I’ll pay the £30 to get away.

I read an article the other day saying how easy it is to set up an energy company. There is a guy setting them up and selling them on for £70K to all sorts of spivs & chancers. Meanwhile OFGEM hoover up money from the public purse to fund big salaries whilst looking on with toothless impotence. Sadly, this is typical of the U.K.

 

[guerney]

I read an article the other day saying how easy it is to set up an energy company. There is a guy setting them up and selling them on for £70K to all sorts of spivs & chancers.

Can you remember where you read that? I could try my hand at being a spivvy chancer...

 

[Jesus H Christ]

The Army seems to be the backstop for getting the government out of the $h!t more and more frequently. Every time it’s because ministers have been asleep at the wheel and are guilty of gross incompetence. Now they are going to be driving petrol tankers.

Who is going to backfill for the Army when all the soldiers are delivering PPE, driving ambulance, and delivering petrol? Can it be government ministers please? And whilst they are backfilling for the soldier, can a conflict break out which the British suffer a massacre?

 

[Jesus H Christ]

Can you remember where you read that? I could try my hand at being a spivvy chancer...

Sorry, but it involves reading the Daily Fail

The man who made a fortune setting up SEVEN collapsed energy suppliers

The smooth-talking energy consultant Andrew Dyball enjoys an enviable reputation for success. But he was taciturn last week, and certainly in no mood to discuss the crisis crippling his industry.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[guerney]

The Army seems to be the backstop for getting the government out of the $h!t more and more frequently. Every time it’s because ministers have been asleep at the wheel and are guilty of gross incompetence. Now they are going to be driving petrol tankers.

Who is going to backfill for the Army when all the soldiers are delivering PPE, driving ambulance, and delivering petrol? Can it be government ministers please? And whilst they are backfilling for the soldier, can a conflict break out which the British suffer a massacre?

"No election to see here! Martial law don't y'know"

It's the perfect sh*tstorm...

 

[oyster]

Hardly any time ago, teenagers were not going to be vaccinated.

The British education secretary Nadhim Zahawi has called for teenagers to be vaccinated with ‘the same urgency and vigour’ that got jabs into the arms of adults.

 

[oyster]

Agreed that 7.5 or 3 tonne vans won't be ideal, but needs must and the drug companies have quite generous profit margins so could stand a short hit.

Of course one reason for a shortage of van drivers too is the supermarkets greatly expanding their van fleets for the big increase in home deliveries due to Covid.
.

Remember that distribution of pharmaceuticals (and some ingredients) requires temperature-controlled environments including, I think, temperature recorders. So not just any old 3/7.5 tonners.

 

[oyster]

Because I am interested in medicines, I find this story somewhat disturbing:

‘Terrible’: 2.4k medicines at risk of withdrawal in Northern Ireland

• 16 Sep 2021
• News

In an interview with BBC Today yesterday (September 15), Mr Samuels revealed that 910 medicines have already been discontinued in Northern Ireland, while manufacturers have “formally begun the withdrawal process” for over 2,400 drugs in total.

“It takes six months, so for medicines to be withdrawn in January, that notification needed to have begun by now, which is why we know the figures in advance,” Mr Samuels added.

The medicines that have been withdrawn or are at risk of withdrawal are generics, Mr Samuels specified.

“We have never seen medicines withdrawal on this scale and already to have almost 1,000 medicines withdrawn, it’s terrible,” he added.

A Northern Ireland Department of Health (DoH) spokesperson told C+D yesterday that the government is aware of “a large number of confirmed and potential discontinuations of medicines to Northern Ireland” that have been formally notified to the Department of Health and Social care (DH).

“I want to reassure the public that there is no immediate risk to medicines supplies in Northern Ireland and there is no need for patients to do anything differently with regard to ordering or taking their prescribed medication,” they said.

The DoH argued that the “underlying issues” that have triggered the discontinuations need to be addressed with urgency to avoid a negative impact on patient health.

However, neither pharmacies nor patients need to stockpile medicines, and prescribers should not issue longer prescriptions, it advised.

C+D has asked for a list of the affected medicines, but the DoH spokesperson said that the information on confirmed or potential discontinuations is provided confidentially to the DH, which is therefore not at liberty to share information it receives from the suppliers.
(A bit more at link.)
https://www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/CD135511/Terrible-24k-medicines-at-risk-of-withdrawal-in-Northern-Ireland

 

[oyster]

The Army seems to be the backstop for getting the government out of the $h!t more and more frequently. Every time it’s because ministers have been asleep at the wheel and are guilty of gross incompetence. Now they are going to be driving petrol tankers.

Who is going to backfill for the Army when all the soldiers are delivering PPE, driving ambulance, and delivering petrol? Can it be government ministers please? And whilst they are backfilling for the soldier, can a conflict break out which the British suffer a massacre?

The need to move them from current deployments to, for example, ambulances, fuel and medicines distributions, if it comes to it, is already making them falter.

Time to say "Bring back National Service". It is a tradition to do so whenever things don't look as if they are working.

 

[sjpt]

There is a guy setting them up and selling them on for £70K to all sorts of spivs & chancers.

or, in Tory speak, healthy market forces

 

[oyster]

The government's planned fluoridation of water seems to be kickstarting the economy on its own! And kicking "green" targets over the cliff.

Reason? The number saying they will install reverse osmosis or distillation units in order to remove the fluoride before they consume the water.

The cost of units is significant. The cost and plastic content of filters is significant. The cost of distillation is significant.

Perhaps I should buy shares in fluoride removal systems?

 

[oyster]

Petrol. Diesel. Marvellous!

Should be believe the story publihed below as a bit of PR? Or the stories in multiple media suggesting collapse is on the cards?

Petrol giant Essar has denied reports that it is teetering on the brink of collapse, reiterating the progress it has made to strengthen its financial position and agree new financing.

According to the Sunday Times, the Stanlow oil refinery in Ellesmere Port, was in urgent talks with HM Revenue & Customs over hundreds of millions of pounds it has to start repaying this week unless it can agree a new deal.

But Essar said discussions with HMRC regarding VAT deferral are "ongoing" and the refinery is "operating as normal" and supplies to customers "continue unaffected". It said all North West petrol stations supplied by Essar are operating normally.

The Stanlow oil refinery supplies about a sixth of Britain’s road fuel

https://www.insidermedia.com/news/north-west/petrol-giant-essar-reiterates-commitment-to-customers

 

[flecc]

Remember that distribution of pharmaceuticals (and some ingredients) requires temperature-controlled environments including, I think, temperature recorders. So not just any old 3/7.5 tonners.

No problem, their entire fleet hasn't disappeared, only a small proportion is missing. So they can use the majority they still have for that sensitive work.

It just needs a little thought and imagination, not a lot of hysteria.
.

 

[Danidl]

Because I am interested in medicines, I find this story somewhat disturbing:

‘Terrible’: 2.4k medicines at risk of withdrawal in Northern Ireland

• 16 Sep 2021
• News

In an interview with BBC Today yesterday (September 15), Mr Samuels revealed that 910 medicines have already been discontinued in Northern Ireland, while manufacturers have “formally begun the withdrawal process” for over 2,400 drugs in total.

“It takes six months, so for medicines to be withdrawn in January, that notification needed to have begun by now, which is why we know the figures in advance,” Mr Samuels added.

The medicines that have been withdrawn or are at risk of withdrawal are generics, Mr Samuels specified.

“We have never seen medicines withdrawal on this scale and already to have almost 1,000 medicines withdrawn, it’s terrible,” he added.

A Northern Ireland Department of Health (DoH) spokesperson told C+D yesterday that the government is aware of “a large number of confirmed and potential discontinuations of medicines to Northern Ireland” that have been formally notified to the Department of Health and Social care (DH).

“I want to reassure the public that there is no immediate risk to medicines supplies in Northern Ireland and there is no need for patients to do anything differently with regard to ordering or taking their prescribed medication,” they said.

The DoH argued that the “underlying issues” that have triggered the discontinuations need to be addressed with urgency to avoid a negative impact on patient health.

However, neither pharmacies nor patients need to stockpile medicines, and prescribers should not issue longer prescriptions, it advised.

C+D has asked for a list of the affected medicines, but the DoH spokesperson said that the information on confirmed or potential discontinuations is provided confidentially to the DH, which is therefore not at liberty to share information it receives from the suppliers.
(A bit more at link.)
https://www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/CD135511/Terrible-24k-medicines-at-risk-of-withdrawal-in-Northern-Ireland

This is really storm in a teacup area. And is contrary to facts on the ground. NI has not had the petrol distruptions, nor the reported food shortages, because it does get access to EU stuff And of course NI is a nett producer of food, . Moreover Ireland is in the top 3 pharmaceutical manufacturing countries by value in the World...and Almac in NI is part of that chain ,and they tend to package generics.

 

[oyster]

No problem, their entire fleet hasn't disappeared, only a small proportion is missing. So they can use the majority they still have for that sensitive work.

It just needs a little thought and imagination, not a lot of hysteria.
.

But switching from, say, HGVs to 3/7.5 tonners and or vans is not quite as simple as going by volume/weight and number of drivers.

 

[flecc]

But switching from, say, HGVs to 3/7.5 tonners and or vans is not quite as simple as going by volume/weight and number of drivers.

Teaching granny to suck eggs. Six years of truck and heavy transport driving in the army and many years of intermittent relief driving my depot trucks to keep my hand in while in civvy street local management. Together with a total of nearly 70 years of driving light vehicles and owning a one tonne pickup in addition to my car from 2016 to 2019.

I can't believe how negative you are, coming back on every solution with any possible objection you can think of.

Try a can-do attitude, it can work wonders. There is no such thing as an insoluble problem for determined people.
.

 

[guerney]

I can't wait for all these blasted cars, lorries and buses disappear from the roads. I grow my own food, so what do I care? I've been doomsday prepping for over a year now: beans, beans and more beans all in big tubs, strewn all over my home. I particularly enjoyed the quiet of the full lockdowns...

 

[guerney]

Hardly any time ago, teenagers were not going to be vaccinated.

The British education secretary Nadhim Zahawi has called for teenagers to be vaccinated with ‘the same urgency and vigour’ that got jabs into the arms of adults.

It's only because they infect adults - children by and large hardly are affected at all. Apart from "Covid Toes". Actually, some are affected very badly.... but it is very rare. Basically, the government are desparate.

 

[guerney]

or, in Tory speak, healthy market forces

"Market forces" will not solve this decades long mess. Low taxes, gone. Small government - as wholly inappropriate as a light touch on the markets, given the circumstances. The Tories may appear to change their spots but they'll do so at the expense of the poor first, as they always do for the sake of expediency and ideology, and that deception will wear thin within years at the Red Wall. They're can't keep eroding living standards for the less well off, not this time. And it will be a loooong time, IMHO. I think the Tories are stuffed, or they would be if the opposition wasn't so hapless, inept and lacking in direction and purpose.