Harry Peterson

I'm aware of it but haven't listened to it - confirmed R4 listener for most of my life. Presumably it's not like certain other national radio and TV channels pushing out nothing but bile and hatred? I'm not happy about the ownership of said broadsheet, but I do have a subscription because it does have a very wide news and general coverage without the nasty slant of the other non-pink broadsheet.

Ah. Missed that - have a great time. Sounds tremendous!

Looks good Brian. Are you off to Italy? I think I missed an earlier post.

With you entirely there. If the word ‘celebrity’ appears anywhere in the programme (not ‘show’) description it doesn’t get recorded. Two basic rules for Humax playback - no celebrities and no adverts. Huge timesavers! Aren’t they nice people on Bake Off and Sewing Bee though? Hollywood aside.

I’m thoroughly fed up with so-called ‘celebrities’ infesting every walk of life like cockroaches. Is there a readily available celebricide?

You might very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment.

Well behaved children are delightful. So are well behaved parents. Unfortunately, when the children are out of control, so are the parents, which accounts for the children. Double dose of horror!

My wife would agree - if she weren't married to me. I create a LOT of untidiness and mess wherever I go - my bits of the house are no-go areas, and she has an inner sanctum which requires a security pass to enter. 🙂

Some suites are worth paying for, because of the size. Not many, but a few. Mini suites are exactly what they say they are.

That is horrendous. If they’re really switching over to fully skimmed milk on a permanent basis that’s a step too far for me. No problem in coffee etc, but with cereals - no way. Just horrible frothy stuff. And I’m not a picky eater!

So yesterday, Zap………we’re all in Bruton now. 💰

Many, many more things have gone over the years, but to be fair it’s reflected in the real terms price drops. What used to be quite luxurious, though, in many ways, is now pretty utilitarian. That will suit a lot of people very nicely, and those who don’t like the ‘new’ P&O will either go elsewhere or stop cruising altogether. So long as P&O fill the ships at profitable prices, it doesn’t much matter. It’s a change of market positioning, taking P&O down a level or two, but if the money rolls in, who really cares? What P&O won’t know though, is how many previous customers they’ve lost.

Sorry to hear all that, Dave. I hope it all gets resolved quickly and fully so that you can get back into your normal cruising routine again soon. Harry

Despite the inevitable denials from Royal Mail, who have quite a track record of out and out lies, this is probably true. I say that only because our postman, who I know and trust, told us that was happening a few days ago, quite by chance. I trust him - but I do not trust his employer.

As I sit here watching the rain pouring down outside, I do feel genuinely sorry for you out there in what must be almost intolerable conditions. Someone has to do it though, and we at home appreciate your sterling efforts. Seriously though - have a great day! 😀

We ditched Boots some years back because of their ripoff prices, poor service, but most of all seriously aggressive tax avoidance. And this from a company that makes a large chunk of its profits from the NHS it was depriving of funds. Mentioned this on one occasion to one of their staff, when we were still shopping there. She said she knew about the tax avoidance, but assumed it wasn’t ‘our’ Boots but ‘another’ Boots! Very effective staff training there! 😉

That’s always been our experience too. Discounts and incentives are rarely given because a company wants to help a particular group in society - it’s because they think the extra sales will exceed the cost of the discount. That doesn’t normally work if two discounts are claimed. Hard economics.

Isn't what a postman does, or a nurse, or a doctor, or a care worker also performing equally valuable service for the country? It's difficult to see any real distinction in peace time, given that everybody knows exactly what they're agreeing to, along with any risks, when they take employment. And the services can be, justifiably, a pretty well paid job for those with few educational qualifications to market elsewhere.

I wonder what percentage of those who joined the services over the last 50 years actually did active service in a war zone or something akin to that. For the vast majority, I suspect, it's just been a pretty well paid career with no great risks attached. No problem with that. Perfectly good career with an excellent pension. But still just a career, with all the risks attached made very clear to those choosing it.

Is this of any assistance, in case you don’t get something more specific? https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/specialist-forecasts/coast-and-sea/shipping-forecast

I have absolutely no problems with any discounts they choose to offer, and I say that as a shareholder, but discounts are almost invariably offered for one reason only - to increase profits, rather than to reduce them. Companies exist to make profits for their shareholders and apparent altruism usually exists only to serve that purpose - it has nothing to do with risking lives. This is an interesting analysis by the HSE of work-related fatal injuries in Great Britain: https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatals.htm Everyone who takes on a job of work knows the terms and conditions, the pay, and the risks attached before they sign up. Those conscripted are of course very much an exception, as in the case of the last two world wars. On the basis of the above perhaps P&O should be offering a discount to construction industry workers or those on fishing trawlers - both very dangerous occupations - but somehow I don't see it happening.

From a company’s viewpoint, though, they’re both effectively discounts and they’re both designed to increase sales. Companies rarely give discounts for philanthropic reasons, and there’s no particular reason to give a discount to forces people any more than, say, civil servants. Both work for the government, both choose freely to do so, and both know the pay, terms and conditions before they sign up. Presumably P&O have decided that for commercial reasons it makes more sense to discount ex-forces people than retired civil servants.

Most companies don’t allow two discounts to be combined, particularly when margins are thin. P&O is not unusual, I suspect.

I’d say that it depends very much on which particular suite, its location, and the price difference. Sizes of suites vary a great deal, and some of them are barely larger than ordinary cabins a few metres down the corridor. Some of the suites were in fact once just superior cabins.