Current Affairs

[CaroleF]

I admit there are posters who when I see a long post I just whizz through it, can't be bothered to work my way through all the names that are hurled about. Probably my loss but there we are.

[Kendhni]

Of all the participants on this board I have been the most willing to enter into genuine discussion, and have gone out of my way to answer genuine questions I am asked

Really?

Yes, but it is quid pro quo.
I ALWAYS treat posters with respect when they treat me with respect.

[david63]

Forgive me for asking a stupid question but why is the price of electricity going to rise? - gas i can understand.

Most, if not all, of the energy companies claim that their electricity is "green" which to me implies that much of it is from the likes of wind farms and solar - I have not noticed the price of wind and sun going up!!!

[screwy]

I think they say that gas is used in the production of electricity.? But yeah. Solar, wind.!

[Manoverboard]

OVO Energy ( All Sun and Wind ) tell me ...

Renewable energy has come a long way recently, but the world still depends on fossil fuels like oil and gas. The price of these can rise and fall quickly. As the world came out of the pandemic last year, increasing demand for oil and gas started pushing up the global price of energy. In February, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine made a difficult situation even worse.

Before 2022, Europe got more than a third of its gas from Russia, but this year, Russia has almost completely stopped selling gas to Europe. This means the price of energy across Europe is almost 10 times what it was a year ago.

We believe that cheaper renewable power is the future. But right now, there isn’t enough of it to stop the UK from relying on expensive gas and oil for power generation. This is made worse by the fact that the UK has a single price for all its electricity, renewable or fossil-fuel – so the price of electricity is tied to the rising price of gas.

This clearly doesn’t work in the interests of UK energy customers. While the Government is looking into this, the fact is, energy prices aren't going to come down in time for winter

[Kendhni]

Forgive me for asking a stupid question but why is the price of electricity going to rise? - gas i can understand.

Most, if not all, of the energy companies claim that their electricity is "green" which to me implies that much of it is from the likes of wind farms and solar - I have not noticed the price of wind and sun going up!!!

offsetting

[screwy]

With what seems to be an increase in youths terrorising communities,attacking people for no reason,especially the elderly and causing untold damage to property,either private or public.

Is it time to bring back Borstal/ Remand homes.?
These youths unafraid of authority because for the last few decades the powers that be have eroded any kind of discipline.
I am sick and tired of reading and watching on tv these feral creatures running amok and getting a slap on the wrist,walking out of court laughing. Time for change.!

[david63]

Time for change.!

Bring back the birch I say - far cheaper than borstal

[Bensham33]

Bring back youth clubs and playing fields. Give the young something to do.

[Kendhni]

Nothing new ... each generation has said the same about the next from ancient times.
Maybe also consider birching the parents/guardians since they obviously failed to bring their children up with any moral fibre ... what can you expect when they are fed a diet of violent television and computer games that blurs fantasy and reality.

[Stephen]

Hang the lot of them, or am I being too soft.

[towny44]

Bring back youth clubs and playing fields. Give the young something to do.

Not sure how the internet generation would cope with playing outdoors, or conversing in a youth club, without access to their phones.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I'm confused by one aspect of the increase in energy price cap today. I understand, or thought I did, the price cap, which is going up by 80%. But why does it only apply in England, Wales and Scotland? Reports say prices in Northern Ireland are going up by 28.3% for gas and 35.4% for electricity. I understood the rise was due to worldwide wholesale gas prices, and since NI is part of the world and the UK why are prices there going up by less than half and who is paying the difference?

[Bensham33]

Bring back youth clubs and playing fields. Give the young something to do.

Not sure how the internet generation would cope with playing outdoors, or conversing in a youth club, without access to their phones.

They haven't got much else to do, that is why they play their computers and phones all the time. Councils are forced by government to save money and one if the things they save money on is youth activities. Then they wonder why kids start misbehaving. Bored young people equals trouble, its been that way for years now.

[screwy]

The village I grew up in didn’t have a youth club/ youth activities,we made our own fun and games.
We didn’t have computers etc and tv was a lot different. We may at times have been mischievous but not vandals. We knew right from wrong because our parents taught us and heaven help you did do wrong.Too many excuses made for the poor little darlings.
We had respect, something that’s in short supply.

And I know it’s not all.

[Stephen]

The village I grew up in didn’t have a youth club/ youth activities,we made our own fun and games.
We didn’t have computers etc and tv was a lot different. We may at times have been mischievous but not vandals. We knew right from wrong because our parents taught us and heaven help you did do wrong.Too many excuses made for the poor little darlings.
We had respect, something that’s in short supply.

And I know it’s not all.

Well said screwy

[Mervyn and Trish]

I agree too. I'm not sure it's fair to blame councils and government for the demise of youth clubs anyway. I think many of those disappeared because modern youth didn't think they were cool rather than anything else. How could we justify spending scarce cash on them if no-one turned up?

[towny44]

I also doubt that those that are causing the most problems to society today, would ever contemplate attending a youth club, especially those run by any do-gooder organisation. It just would not fit their persona.

[screwy]

Time for change.!

Bring back the birch I say - far cheaper than borstal

Agree, but the do-gooders would insist on only using a feather duster.

[Bensham33]

It's not true that kids wouldn't turn up if you organise activities and give them something to do. Our local Scout Group has a long waiting list of kids who want to join. They already have 8 sections and the only thing that stops them from opening more is the lack of adult leaders. I can think of at least 3 youth clubs that have shut because if a lack of funding, not numbers. On a Sunday our parks are almost empty where as a few years ago they were full of children playing football. The local boxing club shut down when the council decided to turn the land into a block of flats. School playing fields have been turned into housing estates. I could go on.

The majority of young people do not smash things up and turn into career criminals as some of you suggest but they do misbehave, the same as we all did.

[david63]

the only thing that stops them from opening more is the lack of adult leaders

And most of that is due to the onerous process that is required these days to work with young people. Don't get me wrong I fully accept some form of vetting to keep the "undesirables" away.

[Bensham33]

the only thing that stops them from opening more is the lack of adult leaders

And most of that is due to the onerous process that is required these days to work with young people. Don't get me wrong I fully accept some form of vetting to keep the "undesirables" away.

I agree that's part of the problem but the main reason adults give as to why they can't help is "I haven't got time". They are quite happy for others to entertain their children but they ain't got an hour, once a week to spare so they can help.

[towny44]

It's not true that kids wouldn't turn up if you organise activities and give them something to do. Our local Scout Group has a long waiting list of kids who want to join. They already have 8 sections and the only thing that stops them from opening more is the lack of adult leaders. I can think of at least 3 youth clubs that have shut because if a lack of funding, not numbers. On a Sunday our parks are almost empty where as a few years ago they were full of children playing football. The local boxing club shut down when the council decided to turn the land into a block of flats. School playing fields have been turned into housing estates. I could go on.

The majority of young people do not smash things up and turn into career criminals as some of you suggest but they do misbehave, the same as we all did.

I am not disagreeing that many more children would participate in social or sporting activity, if there was more funding provision. But these children would be very unlikely to end up as delinquents, even without these provisions.

[barney]

I’d agree that the young lads running amok in the cities who are stabbing each other would be highly unlikely to attend a local youth club.
They are more likely to found in the cages, playing football.
I boxed to a good standard as a school boy.
I boxed for Gravesend and was Kent champion for my age and weight for three consecutive years.
Gravesend ABC was not financed or supported by the council.
It was financed by subscription and fund raising by putting on tournaments.
When I decided to give up boxing to concentrate on football, again it wasn’t financed by the authorities.
When I joined Beauwater we had to pay weekly subs.
When I played semi pro at Gravesend and Northfleet, we got paid a small amount. I’m talking £15 or £20 a week.
I played for numerous non league clubs and none were ever subsidised by government or the council.
I think that people today are always looking for someone else to pick the bill up, not even realising that ultimately, they pay via taxation.

[Bensham33]

You don't know that. Equally if there was more funding for youth activities then those that do end up as delinquents wouldn't because they had something to do.