Random Irritations

chico

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Being tracked by devices in our homes. Hear me out as I might be about to fall into conspiracy theory territory here.

I've been looking at getting our radiators replaced and saw the thread in OOB regarding vertical radiators. I clicked on the link to Trade Radiators on my laptop and had a look through their products. I then had a conversation with Mrs Colch about radiators and getting them replaced. Since that conversation she's had two separate adverts pop up on her Facebook feed, on her phone, for radiators. We've got no linked accounts between my laptop and her IPhone so why is her phone showing her ads for radiators? Is it because the Alexa in the room we were talking in is linked to her her phone and Alexa has heard our conversation?

This is why I don't like technology. I'm an analogue kind of guy living in a digital world and I don't understand it.
I've said this to my wife loads of times. Talking about something then suddenly all your adverts refer to this.👀
 

ColchesterFC

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A combination of Alexa and your phone. Cookies report back your likes to Taylor ads to you

That would be fine if it was ads showing up on my device but it's ads on Mrs Colch's device. And on top of that I'm religious about turning off all but essential cookies so all the advertising and targeted cookies get turned off on every website I visit. I'm guessing that it has to be Alexa listening in which is linked to her phone.
 

PJ87

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Alexa should only be listening when you activate it.

Go into your account and you will find random recordings of you talking

It listens now and again , basically it's always listening for "Alexa" otherwise how else would it know when to activate if it's not listening

Same with your phone

Hey Siri , ok Google
 

TheDiablo

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I heard the owner of a centre a few weeks ago on the radio. She was spitting feathers at the free places phrase. They aren't free, they don't cover the costs. She wasn't taking on children under the scheme as she would have lost money on each child.

She was fed up of parents demanding their free place, whilst understanding why they were making those demands (demanding was the phrase she used, apparently it frequently got feisty 😳)

The main problem is actually privatisation of the preschool environments and a drive for profit. Anyone saying it doesn’t even cover costs is running a pretty poor business.

Majority of the nurseries and preschools that get shut down by Ofsted are those racing to the bottom on costs and cutting corners to maintain profit for the owners.

£8.50 p/h for a 2 year old (govt rate) is more than adequate for a not-for-profit to run a thriving, successful pre-school.

The bigger issue is actually capacity additional hours for 2 year olds within the current system
 

Lord Tyrion

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The main problem is actually privatisation of the preschool environments and a drive for profit. Anyone saying it doesn’t even cover costs is running a pretty poor business.

Majority of the nurseries and preschools that get shut down by Ofsted are those racing to the bottom on costs and cutting corners to maintain profit for the owners.

£8.50 p/h for a 2 year old (govt rate) is more than adequate for a not-for-profit to run a thriving, successful pre-school.

The bigger issue is actually capacity additional hours for 2 year olds within the current system
They are businesses though, they need to make a profit. That comes back to your original point but it is where we are at. If you are going to run a system using the private sector then it has to provide profit or they wont touch it, nor should they.
 
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They are businesses though, they need to make a profit. That comes back to your original point but it is where we are at. If you are going to run a system using the private sector then it has to provide profit or they wont touch it, nor should they.

Considering how much money we paid for nursery fees and how busy the nursery was they were making a nice today profit

Guy we play golf owns two nurseries and an old folks home - both run by 3rd party companies and both making nice profits
 

Lord Tyrion

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Considering how much money we paid for nursery fees and how busy the nursery was they were making a nice today profit

Guy we play golf owns two nurseries and an old folks home - both run by 3rd party companies and both making nice profits
Some will, some wont. Costs are high. The point is, they will only take kids on under the new scheme if it makes sense. If it doesn't, they will refuse them. They are not charities, they are not council run.
 

PJ87

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Some will, some wont. Costs are high. The point is, they will only take kids on under the new scheme if it makes sense. If it doesn't, they will refuse them. They are not charities, they are not council run.

It's only the owner who makes money aswell, the staff are normally on minimum wage .. they need to get them in to be able to take kids on and there is a shortage or people willing to do this rough job for the money.

Now they need even more with these extended hours as more people will use it
 

Tashyboy

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Got "done" by a speed camera on an A road lady night. I was doing 25mph.

Croeso y Cymru! I think it's time to move house again😶‍🌫️

Not gonna lie it’s been a real crap week, latest being grandson having got up this morning moving deposited a gallon of urine in sons king size bed last night.
Monday went like.
got up took kids to skool
went straight to sons house to decorate,
went to me mums to take her to hospital,
from hospital dropped off passports and money at home
straight to swimming baths with grandkids,
home to pick up grandaughter and took her to martial arts
on the way home mother rang to say she was still bleeding from an earlier woman’s procedure where they took a biopsy.
Straight to hospital, sat in A and E til 11.30
transfered to Gynae ward. Left at 01.25 am
on the way home I was doing 45 on a dual carriageway, it’s a 40.
Police car following pulled me up. At this point I don’t think I could have been any more demoralised. Fortunately she gave me some advice re speed.
Monday, random irritations my rrrs.
 

TheDiablo

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They are businesses though, they need to make a profit. That comes back to your original point but it is where we are at. If you are going to run a system using the private sector then it has to provide profit or they wont touch it, nor should they.

Private childcare providers are making noise because this is reducing profit levels. They are charging exorbitant fees and holding parents to ransom, often with low quality provision.

The £8.50 rate is a far better reflection of true market value. They will still be making a profit.

I would never send my children to someone who saw them as a profit center.
 

Bunkermagnet

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Private childcare providers are making noise because this is reducing profit levels. They are charging exorbitant fees and holding parents to ransom, often with low quality provision.

The £8.50 rate is a far better reflection of true market value. They will still be making a profit.

I would never send my children to someone who saw them as a profit center.
If a nursery doesn’t make a profit, it cannot invest in new equipment or facilities, redecorate, pay their staff more or even increase their staff numbers.
 

D-S

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If a nursery doesn’t make a profit, it cannot invest in new equipment or facilities, redecorate, pay their staff more or even increase their staff numbers.
Surely a ‘not for profit’ organisation would do all these things too, the only difference is that any surplus must only be reinvested in the business and is not taken out.
 

TheDiablo

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If a nursery doesn’t make a profit, it cannot invest in new equipment or facilities, redecorate, pay their staff more or even increase their staff numbers.

You clearly have no idea how private nurseries and preschools are run, so I’m not sure why you’re commenting. Either that or you have a vested interest in one.

The majority that are private are owned by people who don’t work there. They have minimum staff levels, paying minimum wage, but charging highest fees possible to maximise dividends for the owners. I’m not sure what world that’s good for children
 

Lord Tyrion

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Surely a ‘not for profit’ organisation would do all these things too, the only difference is that any surplus must only be reinvested in the business and is not taken out.
If someone wants to do that then they can do, although bear in mind 'not for profit' doesn't stop someone taking a whopping salary, equal to big profits. Someone making a profit, having a business in this field in fine though, in fact the market would be decimated if they didn't exist.
 

TheDiablo

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If someone wants to do that then they can do, although bear in mind 'not for profit' doesn't stop someone taking a whopping salary, equal to big profits. Someone making a profit, having a business in this field in fine though, in fact the market would be decimated if they didn't exist.

No, the market would correct itself to have providers focussed on delivering high quality education and well-being environments for kids, at a fair price to the govt/parents, rather than owners funding lavish lifestyles.

Some providers are even in the hands of Private Equity. The system is screwed.
 

Robster59

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Dropped my missus off this morning at Glasgow Airport. Had to use their Pick Up & Drop Off facility. I was there for less than 5 minutes and was charged £5.50. That's for up to 15 minutes. Any longer than that and it's a pound a minute. I appreciate they don't want people to hang around but this is basically a gun to your head money making scheme.
 

Mandofred

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No, the market would correct itself to have providers focussed on delivering high quality education and well-being environments for kids, at a fair price to the govt/parents, rather than owners funding lavish lifestyles.

Some providers are even in the hands of Private Equity. The system is screwed.
Pick your system....pretty everything is screwed.
 

Hobbit

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Private childcare providers are making noise because this is reducing profit levels. They are charging exorbitant fees and holding parents to ransom, often with low quality provision.

The £8.50 rate is a far better reflection of true market value. They will still be making a profit.

I would never send my children to someone who saw them as a profit center.

I might go into the local Ferrari garage and offer them £8.50 for one of their cars. The customer doesn’t dictate pricing. The market will influence it, i.e. if it’s too high there won’t be any customers, but ultimately it’s up to the business owner to decide what they want to charge.

You say the market will correct itself, and it will when it becomes too expensive. Clearly that isn’t the case yet.
 
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