Nice people thread part 5 - nicely does it

zagubov

LydiaJ wrote: »

It seems a strange time to be changing to a system whereby people need to be students for a lot more years in order to qualify, given that we already have a problem with funding them for the years they do already.

I remember attending a national conference on higher education and the gist of it was that the uK was going to move towards the US model where-

More students studied degrees (and therefore more unis were needed) -up to 40%+ of the school-leaving cohort.

Funding would be student-based as the proportion attending university would be around three times what it was previously and the taxpayer couldn't or wouldn't support the expansion.

Education would be seeen as a "good" rather than a "right".

Working your way through college to get a degree would be a common funding path.

I remember thinking - this is deep stuff and it'll change the educational landscape. Fifteen years later, I reckon it has.

Can't shake off the feeling we've followed a failed or at least dodgy model.:eek:

Payoff for the economy- big chunk of the population diverted off the dole onto an educational "national service". Employers gain a bunch of compliant workers who expect to pay for learning their skills, so more profits available for shareholders.

Workforce becomes more casualised, and employers and employees feel less comitted to each other.

LydiaJ

misskool wrote: »

2 massively busy day but have been making cookies, dumplings, and prosperity noodles.

Happy New Year everyone!!

Happy New Year misskool! :beer::j_party_:dance::grouphug:

lostinrates

misskool wrote: »

2 massively busy day but have been making cookies, dumplings, and prosperity noodles.

Happy New Year everyone!!

Happy new year misskool. . Your supper sounds amazing. I really want to improve my asian cuisine.....what are prosperity noodles? And what sort of dumplings have you made? I make 'pot stickers', but my dough tends to be a little heavy But would like to master paper prawns and barbecue pork buns....

Doozergirl

misskool wrote: »

2 massively busy day but have been making cookies, dumplings, and prosperity noodles.

Happy New Year everyone!!

Kung Hei Fat Choi!

misskool

lostinrates wrote: »

Happy new year misskool. . Your supper sounds amazing. I really want to improve my asian cuisine.....what are prosperity noodles? And what sort of dumplings have you made? I make 'pot stickers', but my dough tends to be a little heavy But would like to master paper prawns and barbecue pork buns....

I am too full to move now but will post some photos.

I made siu mai (pork and prawn dumplings) and pork with ginger and celery jiao zhi (think that's pot stickers). You just need to roll the dough thinner than you think it will hold the filling. I don't make paper prawns but made baked bbq pork buns this time round.

lostinrates

zagubov wrote: »

Workforce becomes more casualised, and employers and employees feel less comitted to each other.

I had forgotten you worked in education tbh. I don't disagree with much bar this. During the crash layoffs and since nothing was clearer than those with mortgages or us college debt stood to lose a lot more than people like dh. Nothing makes you more committed to your emoyer than your health insurance being related to them and huge debt.

A us friend of ours had a very difficult situation as he was not made redundant but was made an offer which amounted to that...he is not married to his same sex partner, who is eu national. Essentially chances of his pArtner being anle to go to us with him and work were such that one of them would have been unemployed. Neither are brits, though i would be very happy if they got hitched and stayed in london, as they are the kind of people who i love speaking to often, and wich i saw more....but making choices back then was very difficult for them and put a lot of pressure on their strong relationship. Funnily, enough, someone in very similar situation is facing a similar thing now....

lostinrates

misskool wrote: »

I am too full to move now but will post some photos.

I made siu mai (pork and prawn dumplings) and pork with ginger and celery jiao zhi (think that's pot stickers). You just need to roll the dough thinner than you think it will hold the filling. I don't make paper prawns but made baked bbq pork buns this time round.

Wow. I wish we had eaten at your house! Bbq p buns are possibly my favourite thing in the world. I think heaven might be like them.....joyful flavoured on the inside and fluffy and cloudy on the outside... Is there a drooling smilie?

zagubov

lostinrates wrote: »

I had forgotten you worked in education tbh. I don't disagree with much bar this. During the crash layoffs and since nothing was clearer than those with mortgages or us college debt stood to lose a lot more than people like dh. Nothing makes you more committed to your emoyer than your health insurance being related to them and huge debt.

If the NHS wasn't politically untouchable there'd be moves to scrap it. The US system does make the employees more dependent on their employers. And they spend roughly 12% of GDP on health compared with our 6%, but with worse outcomes. It's a system just designed to keep the workforce fit enough to turn up for work, never mind how long they survive after they retire.

Of course in this country the pensions are now becoming the employee's reponsibility, in my view, potentially lowering employee's commitment to the job. Once the employee can't contribute his/ her time to the job, who cares for them? Waste of the employer's money looking after unproductve ex-staff!
But as long as the government keeps burdening the public with a pile of debt (mortgage, education) that will keep them turning up for their 9 to 5. :eek:

Happy Chinese New Year, btw!:D

lostinrates

zagubov wrote: »

If the NHS wasn't politically untouchable there's be moves to scrap it. the US system does make the employees more dependent on their employers. And they spend roughly 12% of GDP on health compared with our 6%, but with worse outcomes. The US system helps keep the workforce fit enough to turn up for work.

Of course in this country the pensions are now becoming the employee's repsonsibilty, in my view, potentially lowering employee's commitment to the job. Once the employee can't contribute his/ her time to the job, who cares for them? Waste of the employer's money looking after unproductve ex-staff!
But as long as the government keeps burdening the public with a pile of debt (mortgage, education) that will keep them turning for their 9 to 5. :eek:

Happy Chinese New Year, btw!:D

You see, the nhs couldn't get me fit, but the us system could. The nhs is good, but its really not that good for all of us.

In a terrible fit of irony, my sil has developed low thyroid issues with better readings than mine, treated 'proactively ' in us as she is finding for pcos, something else we both have. My private doctors went to us every year for top up training and were frequently saddened my communication with the nhs system. Sinilarly, dh went private last year for a referral to an nhs ubit. The nhs gp had sat on the request from consultant to a second unit for over 16 weeks. Private gp...it was in the post that day. Post works the same in both systems.

tomterm8

lostinrates wrote: »

You see, the nhs couldn't get me fit, but the us system could. The nhs is good, but its really not that good for all of us.

In a terrible fit of irony, my sil has developed low thyroid issues with better readings than mine, treated 'proactively ' in us as she is finding for pcos, something else we both have. My private doctors went to us every year for top up training and were frequently saddened my communication with the nhs system. Sinilarly, dh went private last year for a referral to an nhs ubit. The nhs gp had sat on the request from consultant to a second unit for over 16 weeks. Private gp...it was in the post that day. Post works the same in both systems.

Would you even be able to get insurance in America?

The American system at its best can do amazing things, but having dealt with insurers on simple matters like cars, I'm not sure i would want to have to deal with trying to claim the money off them when I had a life threatening illness... on the basis that the boogers might simply delay agreeing expenses until I keeled over and died

To be honest, it all depends on how good the insurance company is, and you would only ever find that out after you made a claim. (And I admit, I am biased: I have a genetic disorder called Factor V Leiden which means I am at higher risk of DVT's and pulmonary embolisms than most. Add to that the fact I have already had these conditions, and other risk factors, and insurance companies would only take me on for a very high payment... so the American system would prevent me being self employed like I am at the moment. I would either have to get a job, or risk having no health cover)

I don't think any health care system is perfect, to be honest.