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Is it old age that gives rise to ranting and casting opinions on authority? Or just that most of the people dictating our lives are younger than me now? But then hairdressers have always had opinions along with black-taxi drivers. They’re the only people that really know how to run the country as the late comedian George Burns joked.
The collapse in productivity and raging inflation is a worry for all of us. We’re back to the 1970s with masses of unemployment hiding in plain sight, and in our interconnected society, one person’s overpaid under-productive cushy job is another person’s membership to the food bank. Inflation and high taxation is linked to this. As a service economy most of UK inflation is now caused by declining productivity from the shrinking workforce - ‘it’s the taxation stupid!’ to misquote Bill Clinton.
The Passport Office are now patting themselves on the back because 95% of applications are processed within 10 weeks. Ten Weeks! And so they feel ready to raise prices in February.
Not just the Passport Office, many big companies and government agencies are becoming hopeless at customer service. So bad that they have to put up signs, the gist of which is … our ‘service’ is so awful and we’ll annoy you so much that you’ll probably lose your temper (or the will to live) and if you’re rude to our staff we’ll have you thrown out or arrested. Blah blah.
Imagine going to a nice restaurant, hotel, clothes boutique, or salon and seeing a sign like that. You wouldn’t because you’re free to choose. And there lies the problem. Big companies and government agencies don’t have proper competition, so you’re tied in or trapped. No longer a customer to please and win over, more a supplicant to fleece, control, and who has to beg for service.
Read Fighting Inflation Part 1
Michael Van Clarke
Water is a source of life and vitality. As we age our bodies are less able to hold water so our skin sags, our bones become brittle, our hair drier, thinner and frizzy.
Introduced by Portuguese merchants in the 16th century, and adapted over time to suit Japanese tastes, this light bouncy sponge is considered a traditional Japanese speciality. More delicate and airy than a regular sponge cake, castella ( カステラ, kasutera) is famous for a fine and moist crumb.