squigs

What did the miners do after they lost their jobs?

Posted by AnonymousTimewaster@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 368 comments

squigs@reddit

Yeah. I always think blaming everything on Thatcher here is a bit simplistic. The thing is, coal was not economical. Coal miners demanded more money for less coal, and got it because they had the power to hold the country hostage. Thatcher took them in on those terms. Prepared for a long fight and stockpiled coal. Arthur Scargill tried to do the same thing again but this time the government was prepared.

Which country could you move to from the UK and not worry about learning the language?

Posted by Desperate-Drawer-572@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 440 comments

squigs@reddit

It's not just American companies. Any company with offices in several countries will use English because it's the most commonly shared language. It allows for easy communication and, at least for EU based companies, allows for recruitment across Europe.

In your opinion what's the best British TV show ever? Why do you think it's the best?

Posted by Reasonable_Society82@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 174 comments

How do you manage holidays when you join mid-year and every day is already partially taken?

Posted by Own_Barracuda_242@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 42 comments

squigs@reddit

I'm not sure I understand why the system works this way. I can see they might need a minimum number of staff so limit the number of people who can take time off, but if you can take unpaid time off then surely that's going to cause the same problem.

How can I deal with teenagers causing nuisance?

Posted by Monoferno@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 143 comments

Programming with ellipsis

Posted by fpcoder@reddit | programming | View on Reddit | 13 comments

How can bailiffs threaten to remove goods despite debt is with someone who doesn't live at the property any longer?

Posted by Mental-Jellyfish9061@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 46 comments

How can I deal with teenagers causing nuisance?

Posted by Monoferno@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 143 comments

How can I deal with teenagers causing nuisance?

Posted by Monoferno@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 143 comments

squigs@reddit

I think there might be to a degree. That is whether you want the police to arrest them, and ask the CPS to press charges or however it works. I mean it's not actually OP pressing charges but the verbal shorthand might exist.

What does four bunk beds mean to you?

Posted by Active_SeriZZLEAF@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 318 comments

squigs@reddit

"4 bunks "I'd assume it sleeps 4. "4 bunk beds". I'd want clarification on how many people it sleeps. Just seems weird to specify the physical number of beds when you want to know how many people can sleep there.

How do I stop the guilt?

Posted by Vast-Salamander3623@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 95 comments

squigs@reddit

I always find that acknowledgement helps when I feel guilty about something That is I need to recognise I did it. Recognise it was wrong. Admit it to myself without trying to excuse or rationalise it. It actually makes me feel absolutely terrible about it for a short time, but it helps in the long term. This might just be me though. None of us are perfect. We just need to try our best to better ourselves.

Removals guys got a parking ticket, do I pay?

Posted by IvivAitylin@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 149 comments

squigs@reddit

You paid them to do a job. They set a price and you agreed to it. Huw they go about doing it is on them, including the risks they take.

Did you ever use chalk boards in school?

Posted by Fun_Caterpillar392@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 385 comments

squigs@reddit

Yes, there was a time in the 80s where there was a push from certain group to avoid certain words with racial connotations, such as "black". I think it might be one of those stories that was exaggerated by the right wing press though.

“Never meet your heroes”. Who other than Mr. Rogers is an exception to that phrase?

Posted by sgrams04@reddit | Xennials | View on Reddit | 1886 comments

What is the thing your parents were (and maybe still are) adamantly wrong about?

Posted by RiceeeChrispies@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 1253 comments

What is the thing your parents were (and maybe still are) adamantly wrong about?

Posted by RiceeeChrispies@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 1253 comments

squigs@reddit

I was in CEX, and a guy marched in full of confidence to introduce himself and ask for a job. I felt bad for the guy. He obviously wasn't a naturally confident person and he realised before he got that far that he was interrupting other people. So after the wind was taken from his sails there, the guy at the counter explained that he'd need to apply online.

Has anyone had a travel insurance claim rejected because of a holiday activity?

Posted by Wing-Lonely@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 47 comments

squigs@reddit

Not totally sure what the difference is between horse riding and pony trekking. I'm guessing there's more to it than the size of the horse.

Will I be okay paying the lower rate VAT for a TV interview I did?

Posted by LostPhase8827@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 76 comments

squigs@reddit

If you're a freelancer, *and* you make enough money, then you need to charge VAT. Not sure exactly how it works. Obviously doesn't apply to OP, but there are probably people who do make enough money through interviews and the like that this production company felt the need to be explicit that the fee was including VAT.

Is it time to get rid of golf courses?

Posted by Inside-Escape-6830@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 32 comments

squigs@reddit

I think, in general, most people would be happier with a stranger not being able to play golf than a stranger being homeless, even if that golf playing does help pay a person's salary.

Is it time to get rid of golf courses?

Posted by Inside-Escape-6830@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 32 comments

squigs@reddit

>It’s private land. Why though? Who decided, in the first place, that the golf course owner should own that land? Doesn't it ultimately go back to some Baron who helped William the Conqueror to kick someone else off that land. >If the government starts telling golf courses they should be farms, what’s to say your house shouldn’t be a shop? I think there's probably a consensus that people having homes is more valuable than people playing golf.

Is it time to get rid of golf courses?

Posted by Inside-Escape-6830@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 32 comments

Is it time to get rid of golf courses?

Posted by Inside-Escape-6830@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 32 comments

squigs@reddit

Perhaps. But really we need an entirely different philosophy on land ownership and usage. Since nobody creates land, ownership doesn't really make sense. Perhaps it should be allocated in a manner that maximises societal benefit.

British people who have spent time living in another country, what did you like best about both worlds?

Posted by apple_kicks@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 72 comments

squigs@reddit

Expat life is its own thing. There's a vibrant ever-changing community, especially in an international city like Brussels. Combined with café culture, I had an excellent social life.

Just order the damn pizza!!

Posted by Wrong-Rich5564@reddit | GenX | View on Reddit | 780 comments

squigs@reddit

I think making phone calls isn't in the top 10 uses of a phone these days. I can sort of see why this wasn't immediately obvious.

Is it acceptable to take a kid out of primary school for holidays?

Posted by Old-Abbreviations845@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 93 comments

squigs@reddit

I hadn't see the story that presumably influenced this. So for anyone else confused - [context](https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mum-school-holiday-criminal-record-37163490). It's refusing to pay that caused her the real problems. Most parents pay up and consider it worth the money.

What’s the worst thing you have seen/got detention at school for?

Posted by Mglfll@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 1022 comments

squigs@reddit

Had one like that in primary school in the 80s. Even the parents thought she was a nasty woman. When she retired 6 year old me was confused about why everyone was being si nice about her.

Who would you send to next year’s Eurovision contest?

Posted by esper_wing@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 112 comments

squigs@reddit

The idea that we're that universally disliked seems pretty improbable. Does the rest of Europe really have such strong opinions on the UK? I mean, why? The song just wasn't all that good.

Why Doesn’t the Government Introduce Community Work for People on Benefits?

Posted by Traditional_Row_3664@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 83 comments

squigs@reddit

I think there probably are people who would actually be happy to do this. Unemployment is a pretty miserable experience. People do generally like to contribute to society. There's only so much job seeking you can reasonably do in a week. Offering people some part time community service work would probably help all-round.

Why Doesn’t the Government Introduce Community Work for People on Benefits?

Posted by Traditional_Row_3664@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 83 comments

squigs@reddit

Honestly though, this is a pretty ridiculous expectation. There's only so much you can do in a week related to getting a job.

Is there anywhere to watch classic TV, with the old adverts?

Posted by Downtown-Nectarine49@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 8 comments

What is the correct etiquette when a lap dance is finished?

Posted by G4VV0@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 230 comments

squigs@reddit

I quite like the observation by CS Lewis. I think the Striptease shows he was talking about were a bit different from modern strip clubs but the principle is the same. "You can get a large audience together for a strip-tease act—that is, to watch a girl undress on the stage. Now suppose you came to a country where you could fill a theatre by simply bringing a covered plate on to the stage and then slowly lifting the cover so as to let every one see, just before the lights went out, that it contained a mutton chop or a bit of bacon, would you not think that in that country something had gone wrong with the appetite for food?"

What’s an out of date view you hold?

Posted by Doomergeneration@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 2804 comments

Do you still have cable/satellite TV channels?

Posted by Low-Rooster5398@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 26 comments

squigs@reddit

No. Moved in 8 years ago and didn't even bother hooking up to an aerial. Broadcast TV seems a lot more limiting than it did when it was all we had.

What's a weirdly amachronistic thing that you can't believe was still a thing within your lifetime?

Posted by holytriplem@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 1002 comments

What's a weirdly amachronistic thing that you can't believe was still a thing within your lifetime?

Posted by holytriplem@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 1002 comments

squigs@reddit

Yup. Here's the timeline; * Mandatory wearing of front seatbelts: 1983. * Mandatory fitting of rear seat belts in new cars: 1986. * Mandatory use of seatbelts for children (if fitted): 1989. * Mandatory use of rear seatbelts for adults (if fitted): 1991.

I Won £5,000 Cadbury promotion prize, then disqualified over bank account verification despite providing ID, is there any recourse?

Posted by OverMathematician593@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 68 comments

I Won £5,000 Cadbury promotion prize, then disqualified over bank account verification despite providing ID, is there any recourse?

Posted by OverMathematician593@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 68 comments

squigs@reddit

T&C's need to be fair and reasonable though. You can't just abdicate responsibility by burying a clause in the terms that allows them to arbitrarily refuse to carry out their side of the contract.

Do I get a wedding gift?

Posted by MammothScar1@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 91 comments

squigs@reddit

It's more about not making an event like this into a transaction. We don't invite people to parties as cash raising endeavours.

Do I get a wedding gift?

Posted by MammothScar1@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 91 comments

Do I get a wedding gift?

Posted by MammothScar1@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 91 comments

squigs@reddit

I said similar - although did offer people the option to donate to the honeymoon. Some people feel an obligation and it was nice to receive but I genuinely didn't mind that most people didn't.

Has a WW2 bomb ever exploded in recent times?

Posted by Christina_80G@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 126 comments

squigs@reddit

Farmers know to leave them alone and call in the experts. And it has been a few years since the last one actually killed anyone, but yeah, basically right. WW1 weapons are actually a bigger problem than WW2 in some ways. WW2 you're dealing with an explosive. WW1 involves a lot of chemical weapons.

How stupid am I for being middle aged and never realising there was a ‘up’ and ‘down’ to the Union Jack?

Posted by Hour_Course_9876@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 169 comments

squigs@reddit

Not stupid. Surprising, perhaps, that this isn't something you've encountered before but anything we know, there was a time we heard it for the first time. I'm sure someone will post the relevant xkcd.

Are there any company call phone lines are are not "experiencing exceptionally high call rates" ?

Posted by Inkblot7001@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 82 comments

squigs@reddit

The companies that don't put you in a queue usually answer after a few rings. We tend not to notice this because that's what we expect to happen and it's a non-event.

Plain text has been around for decades and it’s here to stay.

Posted by Successful_Bowl2564@reddit | programming | View on Reddit | 55 comments

squigs@reddit

I do wonder whether we'd have come up with something a little tidier than UTF-8 if we'd planned variable length encodings earlier.

Help me settle a debate.. is it sexist to expect the man to pay when on a date?

Posted by Creative-Lunch-3891@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 124 comments

squigs@reddit

>but you retorted that most people wouldn’t see it that way and they would just think I was cheap. They will. Are you interpreting this as an absolute? That I'm saying you *have* to pay, otherwise they will never see you again? I mean that would be a ridiculous interpretation. What I'm saying is that on the whole, being generous is seen as more valuable than being cheap. An easy to to demonstrate this is to offer to pay. Obviously this isn't make or break. It's just an indicator. One of the more obvious indicators. >You said I must be drowning in members of the opposite sex who were willing to date me if I could afford to be so choosy. Yes. This is because you seem to want someone who sees things in the exact binary way you do rather than the nuanced subtle holistic way normal people operate. >If someone expects me to pay for them on a date, not because it’s fair or logically justified, but because I’m afraid of being alone, then that’s blackmail. They don't. But they will draw inferences and use this amongst other information to determine whether you're a good prospect. I'll use their reaction to do that same.

Help me settle a debate.. is it sexist to expect the man to pay when on a date?

Posted by Creative-Lunch-3891@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 124 comments

squigs@reddit

That's a pretty weird interpretation of what I've been saying, I have to say. I mean I guess you can interpret it that way but I rather expect people I'm talking to to interpret things while also taking into account basic human nature. Do you really think that this is an attempt to appease? If so, allow me to clarify everything I've said before. It's not.

Help me settle a debate.. is it sexist to expect the man to pay when on a date?

Posted by Creative-Lunch-3891@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 124 comments

squigs@reddit

>Demanding that other people pay for you whilst rationalising that they are somehow the cheap one is not. Nobody is doing this!

Help me settle a debate.. is it sexist to expect the man to pay when on a date?

Posted by Creative-Lunch-3891@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 124 comments

Help me settle a debate.. is it sexist to expect the man to pay when on a date?

Posted by Creative-Lunch-3891@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 124 comments

squigs@reddit

Well, it must be nice to be drowning in members of the opposite sex so much that you can afford to be so choosy. >There are also plenty of people who do see things the logical way I do. Do you live on the planet Vulcan?

Help me settle a debate.. is it sexist to expect the man to pay when on a date?

Posted by Creative-Lunch-3891@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 124 comments

squigs@reddit

Okay... Do things your way. It's just the other person isn't going to see things in the ultra logical way you do. They'll just think you're cheap.