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Labour isn't working - Thread 27

1000 replies

TheNuthatch · 09/02/2026 17:26

A chat thread for those who don't like this Labour government. 💙 🩵

The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.

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Labour isn't working - Thread 27
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60
zurigo · 15/02/2026 13:19

Snow would be an almost welcome change from the interminable rain we have in the "sunny" south.

Ditto! But here, just north of London, it's just stopped, so I'm hoping to get in a run this afternoon. I don't run in winter rain, if I can help it. Too cold!

Watched Laura K this morning and was amused at Emily Thornberry and Jake Berry (Reform) sitting next to each other. They had a little spat at one point and Laura just sat there with her 🍿

NoWordForFluffy · 15/02/2026 13:25

Wind and rain here. The dog field was bleak this morning. FluffyDog enjoyed himself though!

Apparently we have a 4 hour dry / windy spell from 6. We're doing washing to put out in that period!

DameProfessorIDareSay · 15/02/2026 13:29

It’s going to make for tricky decisions on career choices, certainly.

A young relative of mine took a robotics apprenticeship at Amazon and has thrived. He is now very well paid at a young age (in a geographic area where wages are at the lower end). He wasn’t academically gifted but liked hands-on problem solving. Loves his job and the skills seem very transferrable.

On a personal level, I was very impressed by the young man who came out to sort out some broadband problems for us. Again, he started as an apprentice with our telecoms supplier (his intake were 50/50 male/female - I asked) and he loves the independence he gets to manage his workload (it’s a rural area so getting from A to B depends a lot on your local knowledge, not just a satnav!) and the fact that the technology is constantly changing so always something to learn. Again, he thinks he is well paid in a low wage local economy.

I suspect both these careers should be fairly future-proof; diagnosing robotics faults is probably within the capabilities of AI, taking them to bits and repairing them maybe not so much? Human intervention probably always needed at some point currently.

The other area that seems to be safe from AI for now is management of the infrastructure of the country: hands on fixing of roads, dealing with flood management, cable maintenance etc.

Im glad I’m retired but I worry for my grandchildren. Things are changing so rapidly and no government seems capable of properly thinking ahead.

EmeraldRoulette · 15/02/2026 13:47

@NoWordForFluffy good to hear that about your law firm.

@TheNuthatch sorry to hear you have snow. Very relieved we haven't got it down south. Hate snow. Also a busy week which I am not looking forward to. Still trying to shift my cold.

Whereistheejectbutton · 15/02/2026 14:16

I feel the important things are twofold - one is the importance of long term savings invested in the share market / diversified assets, and the other is skills and resilience.

nobody has a perfect view of where AI will either drive job growth or job losses yet (listen to a lot of AI stuff), but we do know that regardless of what you earn, flexibility and not taking your eye off of the savings ball will help you weather it and make good decisions.

DancingFerret · 15/02/2026 14:34

zurigo · 15/02/2026 13:19

Snow would be an almost welcome change from the interminable rain we have in the "sunny" south.

Ditto! But here, just north of London, it's just stopped, so I'm hoping to get in a run this afternoon. I don't run in winter rain, if I can help it. Too cold!

Watched Laura K this morning and was amused at Emily Thornberry and Jake Berry (Reform) sitting next to each other. They had a little spat at one point and Laura just sat there with her 🍿

Thornberry annoyed me this morning; exchanging views in reasoned discussion is one thing; getting your view across by talking relentlessly across the other person is simply bad manners.

TheNuthatch · 15/02/2026 14:35

NoWordForFluffy · 15/02/2026 13:25

Wind and rain here. The dog field was bleak this morning. FluffyDog enjoyed himself though!

Apparently we have a 4 hour dry / windy spell from 6. We're doing washing to put out in that period!

NuttyDogs couldn't care less what the weather is doing. I put them in equafleeces today to save some cleaning when I got back. Best thing I ever bought. I wish they did a human sized equafleece. 😂
I haven't been able to dry anything outside since boxing day! It's been too wet and humid here, even for my winter line. Roll on spring. 🌞 🌷

OP posts:
TheNuthatch · 15/02/2026 14:37

EmeraldRoulette · 15/02/2026 13:47

@NoWordForFluffy good to hear that about your law firm.

@TheNuthatch sorry to hear you have snow. Very relieved we haven't got it down south. Hate snow. Also a busy week which I am not looking forward to. Still trying to shift my cold.

Hope you're on the mend? Not ideal being ill when you have a busy week ahead. Flowers

OP posts:
DancingFerret · 15/02/2026 15:16

This is completely O/T and probably most of you probably already know this, but scratches in wood furniture, floors, etc can be invisibly repaired by rubbing them with a walnut. One of the tradesmen reinstating our house after our water leak gave me this tip; I've just experimented and it works like a dream.

EmeraldRoulette · 15/02/2026 15:25

@DancingFerret a walnut? (said in a Lady Bracknell tone)

@TheNuthatch yeah it's not ideal, it's a bit of a perfect storm I think because I just feel really down. I was really down already plus I have SAD and now this cold, I think it's actually okay. I don't think it's a bad bug though probably takes about a week to know ! I just feel really flat.

I'm supposed to be trying to keep off social media because that doesn't really help with anything but I'm still not up to doing much. Got to be ready for a busy week though, so resting makes sense.

Loving the descriptions of NuttyDog and FluffyDog 🥰

EmeraldRoulette · 15/02/2026 15:44

Sorry that sounded like such a moan!

I'll be fine, thank you for asking 🥰

DancingFerret · 15/02/2026 15:48

@EmeraldRoulette Yes, a walnut (shelled natch).

DenizenOfAisleOfShame · 15/02/2026 16:04

DancingFerret · 15/02/2026 15:48

@EmeraldRoulette Yes, a walnut (shelled natch).

Ah, I was wondering whether it was the nut or the kernel. Really? The kernel fills scratches but doesn’t fall out or go rotten?

Anyway, now I know. And have squirrelled this excellent tip away for future use.

If Starmer were rubbed with a walnut would he be ‘repaired’? I suspect not. He’s made of industrial-grade stupidity and unpleasantness. If he sucked on a lemon, the lemon would shiver.

TheNuthatch · 15/02/2026 16:08

DancingFerret · 15/02/2026 15:48

@EmeraldRoulette Yes, a walnut (shelled natch).

I was just about to ask if you have to shell it first. 😂😂 duh. I scare myself sometimes.
I'll try to remember that one, thanks for the tip. Hope the house is coming together.

OP posts:
DancingFerret · 15/02/2026 16:29

DenizenOfAisleOfShame · 15/02/2026 16:04

Ah, I was wondering whether it was the nut or the kernel. Really? The kernel fills scratches but doesn’t fall out or go rotten?

Anyway, now I know. And have squirrelled this excellent tip away for future use.

If Starmer were rubbed with a walnut would he be ‘repaired’? I suspect not. He’s made of industrial-grade stupidity and unpleasantness. If he sucked on a lemon, the lemon would shiver.

Edited

It's the walnut oil that's absorbed into the wood. The nut disintegrates as it's rubbed so there's a tiny bit of vacuuming involved.

DiySteve · 15/02/2026 17:11

EasternStandard · 15/02/2026 13:14

Yes any suggestions welcome. Middle dc is looking at engineering, computer science or maths at university. Hard to know which if any is the better call.

It’s a tough one, but my view is to be a generalist - the pace of change is so rapid, maths allows you to retain a lot of options. Certainly, some of the brightest and best I have worked with, have come from a maths background.

DameProfessorIDareSay · 15/02/2026 17:16

DiySteve · 15/02/2026 17:11

It’s a tough one, but my view is to be a generalist - the pace of change is so rapid, maths allows you to retain a lot of options. Certainly, some of the brightest and best I have worked with, have come from a maths background.

Agree on the maths; Helen Joyce is a case in point when it comes to career diversity 😀

DameProfessorIDareSay · 15/02/2026 17:25

TheNuthatch · 15/02/2026 14:35

NuttyDogs couldn't care less what the weather is doing. I put them in equafleeces today to save some cleaning when I got back. Best thing I ever bought. I wish they did a human sized equafleece. 😂
I haven't been able to dry anything outside since boxing day! It's been too wet and humid here, even for my winter line. Roll on spring. 🌞 🌷

I am now googling equafleeces. My two have raincoats and puffa coats but I am always on the lookout for better options.

One cares not a jot about the weather (unless it is seriously apocalyptic), the other is horrified by even a sprinkle of rain, wind, and cold. She would be very at home in a Jane Austen novel. So our walks have been interesting given the vile weather since Christmas...

(I tuck DelicateDog inside my coat when she looks sufficiently miserable because I am also nesh and know how she feels. Durable Dog then wants picking up too because just because). Fortunately they are both around 5kg each otherwise I would need a much bigger coat. And stronger arms.

NoWordForFluffy · 15/02/2026 17:29

Loving Delicate and Durable dogs! 🤣🤣

FluffyDog only ever minds the weather if the rain is blowing into his eyes. Otherwise, he gives no shits. Standard lab really!

I'm not sure either if ours will be up to doing maths (they're not bad, but they're not amazing!). Maybe they'll be good enough come GCSE / A Levels though.

strawberrybubblegum · 15/02/2026 17:56

DenizenOfAisleOfShame · 15/02/2026 16:04

Ah, I was wondering whether it was the nut or the kernel. Really? The kernel fills scratches but doesn’t fall out or go rotten?

Anyway, now I know. And have squirrelled this excellent tip away for future use.

If Starmer were rubbed with a walnut would he be ‘repaired’? I suspect not. He’s made of industrial-grade stupidity and unpleasantness. If he sucked on a lemon, the lemon would shiver.

Edited

have squirrelled this excellent tip away

I saw what you did there 😄

Great tip - thanks @DancingFerret !

DenizenOfAisleOfShame · 15/02/2026 18:01

strawberrybubblegum · 15/02/2026 17:56

have squirrelled this excellent tip away

I saw what you did there 😄

Great tip - thanks @DancingFerret !

Glad you picked that up!

TheNuthatch · 15/02/2026 19:23

DameProfessorIDareSay · 15/02/2026 17:25

I am now googling equafleeces. My two have raincoats and puffa coats but I am always on the lookout for better options.

One cares not a jot about the weather (unless it is seriously apocalyptic), the other is horrified by even a sprinkle of rain, wind, and cold. She would be very at home in a Jane Austen novel. So our walks have been interesting given the vile weather since Christmas...

(I tuck DelicateDog inside my coat when she looks sufficiently miserable because I am also nesh and know how she feels. Durable Dog then wants picking up too because just because). Fortunately they are both around 5kg each otherwise I would need a much bigger coat. And stronger arms.

This made me laugh, thank you.
Delicate and Durable 🤣🤣

Equafleece are the only thing I've ever found that keep our spaniels dry and relatively mud free. We have the full dog suit for ours. They help with seeds and twigs too, which are a nightmare with my dogs. I just chuck the suits on a 15 minute quick wash (no detergent) after a walk, and air dry. Much easier than giving the dogs a full shower every day. Shout if you need a link to their website.

My good friend has a 'Delicate' too. He's a whippet and wears an equafleece 24/7 in winter.

OP posts:
EmeraldRoulette · 15/02/2026 20:25

@DameProfessorIDareSay oh wow
Me and DelicateDog would be proper besties! Truly a dog after my own heart. What happens if you don't take her for a walk?

CruCru · 15/02/2026 20:31

DiySteve · 15/02/2026 17:11

It’s a tough one, but my view is to be a generalist - the pace of change is so rapid, maths allows you to retain a lot of options. Certainly, some of the brightest and best I have worked with, have come from a maths background.

Plus, if you are good at it, Maths is quite an easy subject to do at university. Few essays.

Has he considered actuarial science? Although Maths would be fine to join as a student actuary too.

WellErrr · 15/02/2026 21:19

Ahh I also have a little delicate dog who lives in her Equafleece! Highly recommend them!

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