The obvious answer is to stop people travelling. I would bet that a huge percentage of journeys are essentially wasted, including the majority of trips to/from work - most people don't do anything that actually needs them to be in the same place as other people (worse, they waste their time by being with other people) ... different for tradesmen, of course, and shop workers (though the simple solution to that is to get rid of shops and replace them with efficient warehouses and couriers - you're going to be home all day anyway, so you can receive your daily shopping bag from a courier at any point).
This is the type of infrastructure that we should be investing in ... communications and logistics ... if you cut out half the daily journeys, the existing infrastructure will no doubt work for the rest.
Having huge warehousing and courier networks integrated with a proper communications network allows us to bring stuff to people rather than the other way around - clearly that's going to be a lot more efficient. It would also accommodate flexible working hours (i.e. wrapped around school hours, part time evening work for people who want it, etc., etc.).
If there's any money left in the pot, I would spend it on making sure that one or other parent of pre-school children did not go to work & make some facilities available to help them bring up their young children - I would happily pay experienced mothers (because it's mostly them that do this - fathers would work too) to "buddy" with young families to help them get it right ... in the long run this will save us more money than worrying about 10 minutes gained/lost on commuting to work (fewer dysfunctional families draining the benefits pot).
Cheers,
Boris
Scotland's economic recovery - courtesy of the Public Purse
Re: Scotland's economic recovery - courtesy of the Public Purse
I is in your loomz nibblin ur wirez
#bemoretut
#bemoretut
Re: Scotland's economic recovery - courtesy of the Public Purse
As an air traffic controller who makes money from people wanting to be somewhere else I find your evil nonsense offensive.robin wrote:The obvious answer is to stop people travelling.
Speak for yourself.I would bet that a huge percentage of journeys are essentially wasted, including the majority of trips to/from work
A lot of people, normally womenthe simple solution to that is to get rid of shops
, see shopping as a hobby and an end in itself. See Braehead on a Saturday. They won't like this idea.No it isn't. Oh I've no doubt that some folk are organised enough to live their lives this way but if it were really better then everyone would use tesco.com but they don't. The courier's efficency would soon diminish when he had to make 14 visits to my house every day to bring the milk I forgot to order. And the bread. And the newspaper. And the food.Having huge warehousing and courier networks integrated with a proper communications network allows us to bring stuff to people rather than the other way around - clearly that's going to be a lot more efficient.
It would be returned to the taxpayer as tax cuts. That's what always happens. You wouldn't really spend it on the "state financed mother in law" idea would you?? It seems to imply that the dysfunctional families are the ones where both parents work. I doubt it is this simple.If there's any money left in the pot,
Are you sure Boris hasn't been replaced with Red Ken?Cheers,
Boris
(Bored sat in front of pc trying to do some work. I suspect I'll lose this debate very soon...)
'99 - '03 Titanium S1 111S.
'03 - '10 Starlight Black S2 111S
'11 - '17 S2 135R
'17 - '19 S2 Exige S+
'23 - ?? Evora
'03 - '10 Starlight Black S2 111S
'11 - '17 S2 135R
'17 - '19 S2 Exige S+
'23 - ?? Evora
Re: Scotland's economic recovery - courtesy of the Public Purse
Robin on the money as ever.
Robin, sorry I mean Boris, for President
Robin, sorry I mean Boris, for President
http://www.rathmhor.com | Coaching, training, consultancy
Re: Scotland's economic recovery - courtesy of the Public Purse
Pete,
Re-reading my post I didn't express myself very clearly. I was not trying to imply that families with two working parents are the ones who have dysfunctional families. Rather I was making two points badly:
(1) We should spend money to allow those parents that want to care for their own kids pre-school the opportunity to do so, because it helps the childrens' development and thus in the long run their education and ultimately the country.
(2) We should spend money on making experienced parents available to assist those that need it, whether or not they realise they need it (I'm thinking third generation single mums living on benefits like their parents and grand parents - these are good targets to try and break the cycle). Obviously you're always going to offend someone with strategies like this - because you risk labeling people inappropriately - and chances are for some people you are going to make benefits conditional on cooperation with such schemes. But the upside is large, so I guess they'll have to lump it
Cheers,
Robin
Re-reading my post I didn't express myself very clearly. I was not trying to imply that families with two working parents are the ones who have dysfunctional families. Rather I was making two points badly:
(1) We should spend money to allow those parents that want to care for their own kids pre-school the opportunity to do so, because it helps the childrens' development and thus in the long run their education and ultimately the country.
(2) We should spend money on making experienced parents available to assist those that need it, whether or not they realise they need it (I'm thinking third generation single mums living on benefits like their parents and grand parents - these are good targets to try and break the cycle). Obviously you're always going to offend someone with strategies like this - because you risk labeling people inappropriately - and chances are for some people you are going to make benefits conditional on cooperation with such schemes. But the upside is large, so I guess they'll have to lump it
Cheers,
Robin
I is in your loomz nibblin ur wirez
#bemoretut
#bemoretut
Re: Scotland's economic recovery - courtesy of the Public Purse
Load of bollocks Robin. Stop people travelling? That is what S_E is all about. Enjoying our cars cos we are different, so outside of sensible ruling.
Stelvio, FF, DP, Trackdays, we are some of the worst examples of non essential driving.
However agree about the rest of the great unwashed population.
tut
Stelvio, FF, DP, Trackdays, we are some of the worst examples of non essential driving.
However agree about the rest of the great unwashed population.
tut
Re: Scotland's economic recovery - courtesy of the Public Purse
Robin, I got the spirit of your post first time round. Spot on.
Tut, SE outings are not under threat. Pointless commuting is. I will not mourn the latter I tell you.
Logica, I am glad to say, is grasping this piece of nonsense with a "Smart Working" policy aimed at enabling our workforce to work from wherever makes most productive sense. Which is very often NOT "the office". Bravo I say.
Tut, SE outings are not under threat. Pointless commuting is. I will not mourn the latter I tell you.
Logica, I am glad to say, is grasping this piece of nonsense with a "Smart Working" policy aimed at enabling our workforce to work from wherever makes most productive sense. Which is very often NOT "the office". Bravo I say.
http://www.rathmhor.com | Coaching, training, consultancy
Re: Scotland's economic recovery - courtesy of the Public Purse
ps My reply Robin only applied to your first sentence.
"The obvious answer is to stop people travelling."
"The obvious answer is to stop people travelling."
Re: Scotland's economic recovery - courtesy of the Public Purse
robin wrote:The obvious answer is to stop people travelling. I would bet that a huge percentage of journeys are essentially wasted, including the majority of trips to/from work - most people don't do anything that actually needs them to be in the same place as other people (worse, they waste their time by being with other people) ... different for tradesmen, of course, and shop workers (though the simple solution to that is to get rid of shops and replace them with efficient warehouses and couriers - you're going to be home all day anyway, so you can receive your daily shopping bag from a courier at any point).
This is the type of infrastructure that we should be investing in ... communications and logistics ... if you cut out half the daily journeys, the existing infrastructure will no doubt work for the rest.
Having huge warehousing and courier networks integrated with a proper communications network allows us to bring stuff to people rather than the other way around - clearly that's going to be a lot more efficient. It would also accommodate flexible working hours (i.e. wrapped around school hours, part time evening work for people who want it, etc., etc.).
If there's any money left in the pot, I would spend it on making sure that one or other parent of pre-school children did not go to work & make some facilities available to help them bring up their young children - I would happily pay experienced mothers (because it's mostly them that do this - fathers would work too) to "buddy" with young families to help them get it right ... in the long run this will save us more money than worrying about 10 minutes gained/lost on commuting to work (fewer dysfunctional families draining the benefits pot).
Cheers,
Boris
As has been said, an interesting viewpoint sir, and like has been said I personally think you are on the money with this as well!
Re: Scotland's economic recovery - courtesy of the Public Purse
What a fulfilling life it would be, sitting at home waiting on the daily shopping to arrive 
Just shoot me now.
BTW I had a wonderfully pointless journey yesterday in the Exige, 180 miles of pure pointless fun doing my bit to help keep the country warm and the economy moving. After all 2008 has been the coldest year, globally, on record. Thank christ we have three gas guzzling 4*4's in our household to stop the return of the next ice age.
Surely all the congestion on the Forth bridge puts people off using it, so why bother increasing the capacity at all?
Dualling the a9 is a good idea, what about the A75 though? Not enough SNP votes I suspect.
Malcolm
Just shoot me now.
BTW I had a wonderfully pointless journey yesterday in the Exige, 180 miles of pure pointless fun doing my bit to help keep the country warm and the economy moving. After all 2008 has been the coldest year, globally, on record. Thank christ we have three gas guzzling 4*4's in our household to stop the return of the next ice age.
Surely all the congestion on the Forth bridge puts people off using it, so why bother increasing the capacity at all?
Dualling the a9 is a good idea, what about the A75 though? Not enough SNP votes I suspect.
Malcolm
Re: Scotland's economic recovery - courtesy of the Public Purse
Rather be at home waiting for shopping than in a queue to get into in the shopping centres then battling with the great unwashed to get what you want and trudging home with loads of bags!greyrigg wrote:What a fulfilling life it would be, sitting at home waiting on the daily shopping to arrive
Blasts in the car SHOULD be pointless not missions to buy groceries
2015 Lotus Evora
2022 Polestar 2 LRSM Plus
2023 Skoda Kodiaq Sportline
2022 Polestar 2 LRSM Plus
2023 Skoda Kodiaq Sportline
Re: Scotland's economic recovery - courtesy of the Public Purse
Leisure journeys are to be encouraged - I'm only thinking of reducing commuting.
Assuming you have work to do, I'm not sure I would consider it "waiting at home for the shopping" - more like a 5 minute interruption when it does arrive ... but if you really have nothing better to do, get it delivered to the neighbours and thrash the Exige
Cheers,
Robin
Assuming you have work to do, I'm not sure I would consider it "waiting at home for the shopping" - more like a 5 minute interruption when it does arrive ... but if you really have nothing better to do, get it delivered to the neighbours and thrash the Exige
Cheers,
Robin
I is in your loomz nibblin ur wirez
#bemoretut
#bemoretut
Re: Scotland's economic recovery - courtesy of the Public Purse
I've got to say that I believe in home working when appropriate and where possible, however as a consultant, the majority of my working week is spent travelling to client's offices - wherever that may be (Scotland, Ireland and occasionally down south).
I have tried conference calls and video calls etc, but they often dont work in my experience and the best way to get a message across is face to face or standing over people.
I have tried conference calls and video calls etc, but they often dont work in my experience and the best way to get a message across is face to face or standing over people.
Calypso Red S1 111s
Re: Scotland's economic recovery - courtesy of the Public Purse
Ross,
You will have tried all this but what I find works for me is this.
To form a brand new relationship with greatest and fastest chance of success, a face to face meet is important asap. As soon as you have done that, however, the phone, email, instant messenger, txt, forums, blogs, videoconf etc all become viable media for maintaining and indeed strengthening the relationship.
And a periodic "re-meet" face to face helps as well.
But overall, get the basics right, and I think it is startling what can be achieved in a virtual / remote fashion.
That said, we are social animals at a genetic level and the physical interaction cannot be removed entirely without peril.
Oh, and I do feel strongly that if face to face is not that feasible, a really well planned meet over the phone can get very close. I have working relationships with a number of people, through my business coaching activities, whom I have *never* met and may not ever get the chance to either!
Campbell
You will have tried all this but what I find works for me is this.
To form a brand new relationship with greatest and fastest chance of success, a face to face meet is important asap. As soon as you have done that, however, the phone, email, instant messenger, txt, forums, blogs, videoconf etc all become viable media for maintaining and indeed strengthening the relationship.
And a periodic "re-meet" face to face helps as well.
But overall, get the basics right, and I think it is startling what can be achieved in a virtual / remote fashion.
That said, we are social animals at a genetic level and the physical interaction cannot be removed entirely without peril.
Oh, and I do feel strongly that if face to face is not that feasible, a really well planned meet over the phone can get very close. I have working relationships with a number of people, through my business coaching activities, whom I have *never* met and may not ever get the chance to either!
Campbell
http://www.rathmhor.com | Coaching, training, consultancy
Re: Scotland's economic recovery - courtesy of the Public Purse
Campbell,
i think you need to get yourself into Dublin Airport Authority... you could make a fortune if you get it right!
i think you need to get yourself into Dublin Airport Authority... you could make a fortune if you get it right!
Calypso Red S1 111s