catmiss

Bullying in the modern day workplace is not seen as acceptable with grievance/disciplinary processes in place. If these processes found in favour of the employee, irrespective of whether the perpetrator meant to ‘cause upset’, and the employer failed to act there would be a case for an employment tribunal and, if proven, sanctions for the employer. Being a woman in a male oriented domain is not easy but aggressive bullying is not the way to further the cause

Now we’ve started vaccination the debate has started about whether the plastic re vaccination appointment card should be used as a ‘passport’ to kick start the leisure and hospitality business. Given that old farts like me, probably frequenting these venues less often and for shorter periods or even not using them at all, will be the only ones vaccinated this side of the summer I don’t think these sectors can rely on us to reinstate their fortunes.

Much more of thirst quenching tea drinker, loose leaf in a tea kettle but will use a good quality bag for a quick brew. For a very occasional (too occasional to invest in a machine/pods) coffee I have a cafeteria but have recently discovered coffee bags which are ok for the instant coffee hater me but probably wouldn’t satisfy the purist

I think RM might benefit from a Covid Christmas -I’ve just had 20 cards posted to friends I would have normally passed them to at get togethers

Sounds like a cult (feel free to change any letter in that word) to me

They do have a postal address so I could invest in a stamp

Perhaps the two F’ers will be emboldened by the back bench Tory objections to the current Tier restrictions. The tier system has always encompassed wide areas with widely different transmission rates within them and restrictions initially only affected northern areas, some of them for many months and where protestations were largely ignored. Impose similar restrictions on the south and Boris gets a going over. Unless mainstream opposition parties get their act together Farage etc will be able to gain ground in the red wall Tory constituencies

I tried to register for online services and, tantalisingly, got to the page where my account number was issued, as I reached for my pen the page disappeared (?timed out) To provide email address/contact details you have to log back in after registration, to log back in you need registration number. If you’ve not got the number you can click the link and receive instructions sent to the email address you’ve not been able to provide. Try and ring them and wait time of 45 minutes. Think I might just cash the buggers in and have a jolly post vaccination

I agree, where’s the argument? I might not like it but if I choose to receive a service I have to pay for it. You might disagree with the penalty for non payment or even the current BBC funding method but that shouldn’t condone people happy to enjoy the service as it stands but not willing to pay for it and pass on the enforcement costs to those who honour their obligations.

My mum and her friends used to buy their selves a bit of (perhaps juicy) gossip time by sending their toddler offspring to ‘go up t’ gas lamp and see if I’m there, if I’m not come back an tell me’- and we did it!

The BT internet service being withdrawn due to hacking scam call again today but with the addition of pressing 2 if you’re with another provider

The writing was on the wall for direct payments to landlords when administration of Housing Benefit was privatised and landlords were waiting months for payment resulting in excessive repossession hearings. The Tory government later decided benefit claimants should ‘learn’ to manage payments in preparation for work. One of the reasons landlords are reluctant to let to benefit claimants is the difficulty some people have in paying the rent shortfall not covered by HB

Seems the temporary halt to evictions and the current economic climate an increasing number of private landlords are requesting 6 months rent in advance. I’m sure many landlords have suffered high rent losses but this will only increase homelessness and pressure on social housing

Most of us could be susceptible to homelessness. Unemployment, ill health, relationship breakdown or unexpected life events such as pregnancy, disability, reduced working hours/conditions which all effect income. How many people have savings that would sustain a family home/lifestyle whether rent or mortgage for many months?

My mum left me some money when she died. I didn’t want it swallowed up into my family expenses so my ex husband suggested PB as my mum liked an occasional flutter. That was over 30 years ago and I think I’ve probably matched interest rates over the years. I’m staying with them - mum might just have the big win!

When I was young my parents always spoke of ‘coloured’ people because of they had experienced the discrimination of the ‘no blacks’ signage and never felt comfortable using the term ‘black’ I’ve lived through ‘half caste’, ‘mixed race’ and ‘dual heritage’ being acceptable terms and now BAME is being objected to. It is so easy unintentionally to fall foul of ever changing acceptable terminology

Not just the Catholic Church. I went to C of E Sunday school in the early 60’s and we all knew to steer clear of a certain verger but I didn’t know why. I found out on the bus trip to Hope well dressing when I was 11, luckily a female adult rescued me before things went too far but I now think she knew of his intention. I was able to tell, and thankfully believed by, my mum who confronted the vicar. He called me an evil liar and no child of God and I became an atheist. At that time the Church was establishment and children making any allegations were precocious fantasists so police involvement wasn’t an option. 6 years, and I don’t know how many victims later, the Verger was convicted of ‘under age sex’ and the vicar moved on.

After working full time I went on the ‘Bank’ after having my kids. I used to ring up on Thursday and be told what shifts we’re available the following week and you’d sign up for what you could do. The downside was being rung at all hours ‘because we’re desperate’ and feeling obliged to do a shift. My husband installed an ansaphone to avoid being woken at 2am! Looking back to the 80s it was a cheaper version of agency nursing with, in my case, the added mutual benefit of working in my specialist area

I’m old enough to have been a young woman when the Yorkshire Ripper was at work. I remember the difference in press reporting of sex worker and ‘innocent’ victims and the police advising women to stay at home. I was on night duty at the old Jessop Hospital, which was then very much in the red light district, when he was arrested in a street behind and then went home to sleep a couple of roads away from Hammerton Road police station where he was originally held. It’s hard to explain the fear this man instilled in women (and the people who cared for them) for 5 years at a time when women were beginning to make their own way. I do remember Women’s Lib counteracting the police advice by calling for all men to stay at home until the killer was caught. When he was arrested police allowed him to have a pee in bushes and it was a young Sheffield PC who went back to those bushes the following morning and found the hammer which sealed his fate. At the end he was still a marked man likely to spend his remaining life in prison, ill from heart disease and refusing treatment for Covid was probably the easiest way out. No sympathy for him but resulting press coverage must have caused renewed pain for the nearest and dearest of his victims and survivors

Have a look at the Homeless Act and you’ll see LA statutory duties/funding. Single people >18 and <60 are only entitled to advice unless they can fulfil very specific criteria. Temporary accommodation provided to families with dependent children, younger and older people and those deemed vulnerable due to mental or physical ill health can be withdrawn if investigators decide the family/individual is ‘intentionally homeless ‘ which includes rent/mortgage arrears whatever the circumstances. This Act has been long overdue for review but more so in the current climate

Do the Americans have a version of ‘Can’t Pay We’ll Take It Away’? I’d love to see bailiffs giving him half an hour to pack his things and get out of the White House

Has anyone else had a lot of ‘Tesco’ or ‘Amazon’ reward emails? They all have an Illinois address to write to to if you want to withdraw.

We’ve had fireworks for the last three nights, hardly surprising given lockdown night and the ensuing weekend BUT they have tended to be confined to individual households and ended earlier so overall less disruptive than usual

Or, if Trump is forced to accept a Biden win, he could resign and his Vice President would take over in the interim and pardon Trump!

Observing this fiasco only strengthens the power of the worlds dictatorial leaders