Jump to content

Confused -


Observer II

Recommended Posts

Listening to some of the political debates on TV, I must admit to some confusion as seemingly opposing arguments are being applied to specific issues.   EG:  The cost of living rises and future food shortages.   On the one hand, we're being told that the UK is suffering from an obesity epidemic, which will impact the health of the nation in due course, and prompts attacks on "junk food".  On the other, we're being told, that children are going without food on the table, because of price rises.   Now, as I understand it,  obesity or fat storage is caused  by excess calories being taken in by eating, and not being burnt off through adequate exercise.   There are now nutritional advisers recommending fasting periods to overcome the problem.  So the enforced fasting of families (allegedly) caused by price rises, would appear to act against obesity ?    Now of course there are additional arguments about diet and the type of foods being consumed (junk food), which are high in salts and sugars, being heavily marketed and easily prepared by those who can't fry an egg,  whether they are cheaper to buy, I'm not sure ?   :rolleyes:   Likewise, we now have a debate about the cost of energy, with calls for a windfall tax on excess  profits and even the nationalisation of energy companies. At the same time we are being told, that in the interests of avoiding global warming we have to aim for net zero, by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, while relying on wind and sunshine  to compensate.   It would seem logical to maximise our use of fossil fuels (locally sourced) to reduce energy costs, thus reducing prices and promoting energy self sufficiency; this would allow Elsie to stay at home without getting on a bus to keep warm, or little Jonny rolling up at school with chill blains.   :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The cost of energy could easily be lowered if the companies wanted to,by take less of a profit. so instead of making a profit of £3 billion after tax just take a profit of £1 billion and pass the savings onto the consumer rather than the pay the shareholders huge dividends.

With regards the dietary advice  pick and mix which you want to follow because no matter what diet you follow it will be bad for you according to some health  "expert".

I often wonder if the diet during the war was the best one. lots of people who went through that time seem to have survived into their centenary....🤔

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Energy costs are being driven by reduced supply, so skimming off the profits doesn't increase supply.   We're sat on years of fossil fuels which could be exploited to fill the gap and provide self sufficiency until greener alternatives become viable.  :unsure:    Calories that are consumed but not burnt off in energy, will be stored as fat, so perhaps enforced fasting will reduce obesity ?   :unsure:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Observer II said:

Energy costs are being driven by reduced supply, so skimming off the profits doesn't increase supply.   ...

I haven't heard that petrol stations are running dry and the lights haven't been turned off. National Grid is refusing Tankers of Natural Gas because it cannot send the extra volume through the interconnectors to Belgium etc. It is not reduced supply so much as increased transport costs and a fear of reduced supply that is causing the damage to prices. National Grid operations needs to set a Price Cap on Wholesale Gas so cap to spot market supply price and change it only if transporters will not offer 3 month contracts at a fixed price below the cap. That will drag the retail cap down and curb excess profits. There also needs to be an agreement with the US to cap export prices to put pressure of Middle East exporters not to just divert ships to China.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The self inflicted reduction in the supply of Russian oil and gas by the EU, will obviously affect prices.   We are less dependent than the EU, but the UK energy producers are private companies operating in an international market place, so I doubt they will confine sales to the UK.  :unsure:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, Observer II said:

The self inflicted reduction in the supply of Russian oil and gas by the EU, will obviously affect prices.   We are less dependent than the EU, but the UK energy producers are private companies operating in an international market place, so I doubt they will confine sales to the UK.  :unsure:

As long as they fulfil their contracts to UK retailers under the wholesale cap they can sell any excess to foreigners at any price they like. However it would be short-sighted to think that those countries served by pip-line from the UK will not also have price caps. I suspect the idea of liquifying North Sea gas from the UK or Norway is a non-starter so the proposals I suggested would control UK prices and those in the Irish Republic (assuming they play nicely). 

The mechanism I suggest would give relief to end users without aver government intervention in distribution. It is more effective that a windfall tax which would see money siphoned off by Local Government as part of it's distribution. Advocates of a windfall tax do not understand the real world.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...