Things you always wanted to know the answer to [Vol. 6]

[Roofless Toothless]

Austin Prefect said:

Exactly. 'Jail' can mean the same as 'prison', but 'jailer' means the opposite of 'prisoner'.

Historically, a jail holds offenders on a short term basis, perhaps while awaiting trial, while you have to go to a prison for a longer sentence. I think the distinction between the two is gradually being lost.

[Clockwork Cupcake]

Roofless Toothless said:

Historically, a jail holds offenders on a short term basis, perhaps while awaiting trial, while you have to go to a prison for a longer sentence. I think the distinction between the two is gradually being lost.

Not only that, but the use of 'jail' rather than 'gaol'

[Chauffard]

Roofless Toothless said:

Historically, a jail holds offenders on a short term basis, perhaps while awaiting trial, while you have to go to a prison for a longer sentence. I think the distinction between the two is gradually being lost.

This can be a point of contention in some states in the US, suspects awaiting trial should be held in a short term jail, but sometimes circumstances dictate they be kept in a state prison, a much less cushy gaff.
This was highlighted in the recent Delphi murder trial where it was alledged the accused Richard Allen's mental health was seriously affected by his long stay in a state facility.
.

[audi321]

Gladers01 said:

Why do we have to pay NI contributions after accruing the maximum 35 years and therefore eligible for the state pension of £220 per week? If you started work at 18 and worked until 67 you'd have paid another 14 years over and above the 35 years worth of contributions.

My mate asked this question and I replied ' I have absolutely no idea'

NI isn’t just about state pension.

[Clockwork Cupcake]

audi321 said:

NI isn’t just about state pension.

It's just another tax with no guarantee that it will be spent on what it was originally for. Same with VED and the tax & duty on fuel. It all just goes into the Treasury.

Best not to worry about it.

[audi321]

Gladers01 said:

Why do we have to pay NI contributions after accruing the maximum 35 years and therefore eligible for the state pension of £220 per week? If you started work at 18 and worked until 67 you'd have paid another 14 years over and above the 35 years worth of contributions.

My mate asked this question and I replied ' I have absolutely no idea'

NI isn’t just about state pension.

[Austin Prefect]

Gladers01 said:

Why do we have to pay NI contributions after accruing the maximum 35 years and therefore eligible for the state pension of £220 per week? If you started work at 18 and worked until 67 you'd have paid another 14 years over and above the 35 years worth of contributions.

My mate asked this question and I replied ' I have absolutely no idea'

Because NI is just a parallel income tax. It makes the tax look lower than it really is.

[richhead]

speeking of taxes why when we are paying more tax than since the 2nd ww, does nothing work?

[borcy]

Clockwork Cupcake said:

Roofless Toothless said:

Historically, a jail holds offenders on a short term basis, perhaps while awaiting trial, while you have to go to a prison for a longer sentence. I think the distinction between the two is gradually being lost.

Not only that, but the use of 'jail' rather than 'gaol'

Gaol always conjures up images of Victorian England.

[Clockwork Cupcake]

borcy said:

Gaol always conjures up images of Victorian England.

For sure, but even as recently as 30 years ago it was the "correct" way to spell it although even then it was a little old-fashioned. I remember filling in a witness statement in 1994, I think it was, and quoting the accused as saying "I'm not going back to fking gaol over <whatever>" and the officer receiving my statement remarking "Oh, is that how it's spelled?" (wasn't said sarcastically).

These days I doubt anybody spells it as "gaol" and "jail" has completely replaced it.

[Clockwork Cupcake]

Austin Prefect said:

Because NI is just a parallel income tax. It makes the tax look lower than it really is.

Even worse, you have Employee's NI and Employer's NI, and most people don't see the latter or they think that this is something their employer plucks off a magic money tree. Employer's NI used to be capped but the previous government removed that cap whilst still claiming that they hadn't put taxes up. But if each employee costs an employer more, the employer is going to claw that back from the employee somehow, in reduced bonuses or a smaller raise or whatever. The money has to come from somewhere.

Employer's National Insurance is set to increase in April (it was announced in the Autumn Budget last year) and also several allowances and thresholds are changing for the worse.

Edited by Clockwork Cupcake on Wednesday 19th March 23:08

[Doofus]

I hesitate to blame inconsistent moderation, but why did a question about pensions get swiftly deleted, when a discussion about National Insurance is allowed to roll on?

Either both are in the wrong thread, or neither were.

But who am I etc, etc?

[Clockwork Cupcake]

Doofus said:

I hesitate to blame inconsistent moderation, but why did a question about pensions get swiftly deleted, when a discussion about National Insurance is allowed to roll on?

Either both are in the wrong thread, or neither were.

But who am I etc, etc?

It's a little more complicated than that. I have dropped you an email.

[borcy]

Clockwork Cupcake said:

borcy said:

Gaol always conjures up images of Victorian England.

For sure, but even as recently as 30 years ago it was the "correct" way to spell it although even then it was a little old-fashioned. I remember filling in a witness statement in 1994, I think it was, and quoting the accused as saying "I'm not going back to fking gaol over <whatever>" and the officer receiving my statement remarking "Oh, is that how it's spelled?" (wasn't said sarcastically).

These days I doubt anybody spells it as "gaol" and "jail" has completely replaced it.

Hard to believe it was in use 30 years ago.

[Doofus]

Clockwork Cupcake said:

Doofus said:

I hesitate to blame inconsistent moderation, but why did a question about pensions get swiftly deleted, when a discussion about National Insurance is allowed to roll on?

Either both are in the wrong thread, or neither were.

But who am I etc, etc?

It's a little more complicated than that. I have dropped you an email.

Seen. Replied.

[Clockwork Cupcake]

borcy said:

Hard to believe it was in use 30 years ago.

Well, as I said, it was on the way out even then but was definitely still an acceptable spelling.

[StevieBee]

richhead said:

speeking of taxes why when we are paying more tax than since the 2nd ww, does nothing work?

...such as spellcheck ;-)

This isn't the thread to pick over the bones of the questions so I'll keep it broad....

Things work far better than you imagine or what the press would like you to believe.

The issue is that there's always going to be a disparity between what a population perceives to be 'quality' and 'efficiency' and the financial value they place on those attributes for public services. Places like Sweden have exceptionally good public services but they value Swedes place on those things is much higher so they are more willing to pay significantly more tax.

Governments also have to spend big for the future and there's only so much you can do to defer payment for these things to a later date. HS2, for example, is not for this generation but the next. Same with Heathrow's expansion. A case of pay now, benefit later.

And you have a bigger population that requires more services. More people mean more tax but often not at the time the tax revenue is needed to pay for those service which means governments have to borrow more to provide those services.

There's a host of other reasons but it boils down to an unwillingness to pay for the level of public service we perceive we require.

[Roofless Toothless]

StevieBee said:

The issue is that there's always going to be a disparity between what a population perceives to be 'quality' and 'efficiency' and the financial value they place on those attributes for public services.

(Snipped)

Exactly, and fits in with my long held belief that most people in this country wouldn’t know quality if it jumped up and bit them on the arse. All they are interested in is price. It lies behind a lot of our woes.

[Gladers01]

Clockwork Cupcake said:

Austin Prefect said:

Because NI is just a parallel income tax. It makes the tax look lower than it really is.

Even worse, you have Employee's NI and Employer's NI, and most people don't see the latter or they think that this is something their employer plucks off a magic money tree. Employer's NI used to be capped but the previous government removed that cap whilst still claiming that they hadn't put taxes up. But if each employee costs an employer more, the employer is going to claw that back from the employee somehow, in reduced bonuses or a smaller raise or whatever. The money has to come from somewhere.

Employer's National Insurance is set to increase in April (it was announced in the Autumn Budget last year) and also several allowances and thresholds are changing for the worse.

Edited by Clockwork Cupcake on Wednesday 19th March 23:08

Once you reach state pension age you don't pay NI even when employed. There's a lady of 78 who works in the local supermarket part time with a state and private pension and below the threshold at which tax is paid, works maìnly for the social aspect rather than the money and is on the ball mentally and physically and looks about 20 years younger.

There doesn't seem to be a fixed retirement age these days, it could be any time from 55 years onwards when one can draw their private pensions and still work as they choose to suit themselves, not sure this is a good thing for the younger generation trying to get on the job ladder.

[trackdemon]

At most races Formula 1 has FP1, FP2 & FP3 - so called 'final practice' 1,2 & 3. But it's not, you can only have 1 'final' practice. So why are sessions 1 & 2 called final practice?