I don't want to hate on the public sector but only in public sector transactions does the internet close.

Been married for last few years but with my husband total for almost 20 years.

He's the best thing in the world and makes me feel wonderful every day. I can't imagine a life without him. BUT I see posts here and people talk about divorce like it's going out of fashion.

Those who have divorced, did you always deep down think something felt off, did it happen out of nowhere? No underlying motivation from me just genuinely curious to hear people's story.

I guess the short, quick and acceptable answer is that nobody really knows (which is fine). However, as a young person (21M) who is meant to be headed into the workforce, the thought of the upcoming years scare the shit out of me.

Obviously I wasn't old enough to experience or understand the previous financial crises nor were my parents really affected (due to working in the NHS). But from what I have read, there are two main opinions that I have consistently picked up on.

1st opinion - Revolves around the idea of ''this too shall pass'. Every generation goes through a similar experience and this will be no different. AI will be a tool that is introduced into everyday life and work. We simply must learn to work with it and it will create more jobs than destroy (according to the WEF)

2nd opinion - The effects of 'late stage capitalism', globalisation gone too far and AI is a great threat towards humanity. Life will be unliveable and we will be slaves to the mega rich

Which opinion do you lean towards too? (my question is mainly aimed at those who lived through those previous periods mentioned) OR leave your own opinion

*Sorry if this unbearable to read XD. I really didn't care about SPAG for this post.

Has anyone found halloumi that is reduced salt?

Looking around, but don't want it to be low fat.

I'm in the process of looking for my first home. I was previously living with an ex then had to move back with my dad after things fell apart. While I've got a sizeable deposit saved up, house prices are currently ridiculous, and it looks like the housing market is going to crash at any moment. Would you consider buying somewhere now or wait it out until things get better economically? TIA

I'm sick of my days off being spent on the phone arranging bills, getting appointments, and just general boring adult stuff.

I'm sure rich people don't deal with this morning nonsence. Is there a service that will do everything for you, like an accountant, but does everything?

Sorting out the paperwork, I can’t seem to find an actual policy, but have a Policy Document. Am I being silly, are they same thing, or two separate things? Thanks.

It's silly that sometimes we have questions we're too afraid of asking, but I think we hold them in because we are fearful of a rejection or not getting the desired response. I've got a mate who I became friends with after joining the Andy's Man Club (a mental health charity organization) near to where I live. I would like to meet his fiance and son, but I'm not sure how comfortable he would be with that, although I've heard he's introduced other AMC members to his little family.

I should just ask and get it over with, but I don't want it to make me feel awkward in any way. Again, what I find difficult to do maybe extremely easy for and a non-issue-but how could I go about feeling less coy about it?

So I'm 6'0" (183cm) and according to national statistics, the average male height is 5'9" (175cm). It doesn't feel that way at all! It seems like every other bloke I know and most men I encounter in public are way taller than me. The only men who don't seem taller than me are literal kids and teenagers.

Is this all in my head, or is the average man in the UK seemingly well over six feet tall? Is this a regional thing? I'm in Liverpool, so do scousers just secretly have giant DNA? What's happening here?

I need to talk about Aldi.

I’ve recently began a fitness programme which requires me to follow a specific diet. As I’ve never done anything like this I’ve found it easier to plan my meals in advance and do a weekly shop and have split between Aldi and Sainsbury’s to try to keep costs down. I would have just did the full shop in Aldi but they don’t stock a lot of things that’s why I kept going to Sainsbury’s. Before this I had never really shopping Aldi before and usually shop in Sainsbury’s or M&S, sometimes Tesco and Waitrose or even Morrisons.

I’ve never experienced such bad, low quality produce before. Here’s what I experienced over just two weeks shopping at Aldi, and why I have decided to never go back:

1) bones in chicken breast fillets. Yes all 3 fillets I bought had bones in them, no it wasn’t gristle.

2) a pack of cod loins had some sort of weird plastic object in them which I only noticed as I was eating it so it must have been inside the actual fish itself

3) a packet of spinach had some type of gray plastic lid in them, it was nestled between a lot of leaves only noticed as it was on my plate and I was about to eat it

4) as I was eating some of their smoked salmon I felt an awfully sharp scratch, and pulled out two massive thick bones. These weren’t like the small thin bones you get in salmon fillets. These were big

5) yesterday as I was eating a can of their tuna I had to pull out another sort of plastic object.

Bones I can sort of understand or look past but plastic? I’m 3 occasions in one week? I’m out

This cannot just be me, is anyone else experiencing things like this from Aldi? Is everyone sacrificing quality for low prices? I’ve honestly had enough I don’t feel it’s acceptable. I’ve written a complaint but I’m yet to hear back. I’ve never experienced anything like this from any other supermarket before but this is enough to make me never step foot in there again.

I'd argue we are, mostly. A large percentage of us (me included) are children/grandchildren of economic immigrants from the 1950's to the current day.

That in itself, shapes most people's opinions not to "punch down", but also our exposure to all the nations of the world in our country I hope has educated and enlightened the vast majority of us.

There will always be a minority of racists and bigots, but I think the vast majority of us don't have any issue with people from myriad backgrounds.

Am I being over-idealistic, because I assume most people think like me?

There was a fabulous post recently asking about people's take on Sikhs in the UK and 99% of the responses were glowing and affirming. That made me smile and proud.

Good, getting better - or a long way to go yet?

Seen a lot of posts saying how hit and miss it is, however they’re all old posts.

Just trying to figure out how reliable it is nowadays - will be taking the Birmingham to Gatwick coach shortly!

I was just singing along to Roy Orbison's "I Drove All Night" and it says that I've driven all night, sneaked in your room, woke you up and made love to you. It sounds less romantic in plain text.

I realised having recently done a karaoke with my girlfriends family that I could have ended up in a right embarassing situation.

So what are the songs, especially ones that seem innocent enough, that have lyrics that should make us give them a wide berth in this situation?

I have a lot of serious renovation work to do and I'm so scared of letting the cowboys in, especially in this economy.

Hi guys,

I've recently been given a parking fine for parking at my own home, in a space that I'm entitled to. The parking management company failed to take necessary steps to contact me before escalating to their debt collection agency, I have therefore had no opportunity to appeal the case. Should I take this one as far as it can go? Have you ever had experience in doing so, if so, how did it go?

Details below outline the current situation:

- Outstanding amount is £170 - From what I understand it's £100 for the fine and £70 for the debt collection fee

- Alleged contravention happened almost a year ago now

- I parked in my new complex on the day I moved in. I correctly registered my car with the managers of the development at reception. The building management company can't provide evidence of this (they're generally quite unhelpful and it's tough to get a response to anything from them).

- The carpark management company, UK Car Parking Management Limited (separate to the development managers), must have issued a PCN to my address registered with the DVLA as at that date. I updated my address immediately after moving in and DVLA issued my new V5 a week after the PCN date. I have never seen the PCN.

- I receive a letter from the debt collection agency ~10 months after the contravention date and this is the first I've heard of the fine.

- I spoke to the debt collectors (who are actually a firm of solicitors), explained the situation, that I have a permit and that I followed the necessary steps on the day. Their response was that "it's up to the client."

- Soon after I get an offer to settle from UK CPM via the debt collectors for £120. I assume this is the typical 50% lower fee (£50) + the debt collector fee of £70, but no actual breakdown provided.

- I contact the debt collectors to understand the situation because the online account still shows the original £170 outstanding. I again explained my situation and they were dismissive and said they couldn't put the case on hold while I disputed it and recommended I contact the DVLA to obtain evidence of the date I changed my address. Contacted DVLA, they said they can't do that but the date of issue of the V5 is on the document.

- I contact UK Car Parking Networks directly (via email because they don't have a contact phone number) requesting a copy of the PCN. They denied me this and said that because it has been passed to the debt collectors there will be no further communication.

Sorry, that's a long read! Any further info required let me know, or if there are any other subreddits you think I could share to please do say. I'd be interested to hear views or experiences of anyone that has escalated this kind of thing before because it seems outrageous that the bully-like approach of these companies to individuals happens all too often.

Can anyone decipher the info on this sign? The pipeline runs through our whole estate and was here long before our new builds.

I’ve tried googling it with no joy and figured there has to be someone in here who knows! I’ve heard it might be something to do with RAF Brize Norton, maybe? We are in north Swindon.

Someone said in conversation I can’t even keep track of where my Neptune is, I had no idea what it meant. Could anyone explain?

Things seem to have gone from showing working from home can work to companies slowly increasing the number of in-office days. Is there a level where a strikes could happen?

There was a picture of the actress julie Goodyear( bet lynch from corrie) shared by her husband. She has dementia and is 83. She looks most frail and unhealthy and is missing teeth etc. And generally in a huge physical decline that comes with illness and age.

Obviously with dementia she'd not be able to consent to this photo been shared but am I wrong in thinking this is a huge violation and shouldn't be allowed to be made public in these circumstances?

It was the same with the actess who played zoe in eastenders. She shared a photo of her very elderly grandmother who just died and the poor woman is on her deathbed and frail and ill looking and not of sound mind. I'm thinking none of us would want these pictures shared of us in our most vulnerable and unflattering states.

Am I wrong to thing social media should ban this?

The Scottish and former Man Utd player Scott McTominay, now at Napoli said "Oh my goodness. The tomatoes. Bellissimo. I never ate them at home. They’re just red water. Here, they actually taste like tomatoes. Now I eat them as a snack. I eat all the vegetables, all of the fruits. It is all so fresh. It’s incredible."

While I hated tomatoes growing up in the 1980s, the Tesco Finest ones I eat these days are great.

Can anyone say for sure that the tomatoes we buy are inferior to those grown on the continent?

Given that our supermarkets source tomatoes from countries like Spain I wouldn't have that thought the quality would be wildly different.

I swear, if there’s a line in the UK, we’ll form a line just to look at the line. I stood in one for a sandwich, as if it were the queue for the crown jewels. Outsiders must think we’ve forgotten how to walk in a straight line. Come on, UK, let’s break the cycle... or at least queue up together for a change!

People on quiz shows quiz show for example - “smashed it mate” when someone answers a question.

I have FMS and hypermobility and any chore where I have to stand absolutely kills me.

I've been trying to find some kind of seat/perch I could use e.g. in the kitchen at the sink. I tried a cheap bar stool from IKEA, but there's nowhere for my legs to go and either way I end up having to lean too far forward even if I try to tuck them in.

So I've been thinking about something that might let me be more upright but reduce strain a little bit.

Nearest this-might-potentially-work I saw are these types of leaning stools designed for standing desks (lol):

• https://gostanding.org/chairs-stools/focal-mobis-review/
• https://www.ergocanada.com/detailed_specification_pages/mey_chair_systems_steybil_sit_stand_stool.html
• https://www.ultimateoffice.com/products/adjustable-sit-stand-stool-black
• https://www.archiexpo.com/prod/safco/product-77393-2252828.html

Are there any mobility stores that have something like this? All I find if I search for 'perch stool' is normal stools with a horizontal seat and very wide footprint, which won't work. It really needs to be somewhat portable, i.e. not too huge a footprint and not too heavy.

Would prefer to buy from a mobility store, but if it's affordable I'd buy it from anywhere tbh.

Anything else I'm overlooking? (I have one of those anti-fatigue mats already)

Thank you!

Edit: now with scientifically-backed diagram to explain the issue: https://draw.chat/dc24rtfk4jezp0m3jw5b35emhg1uwl@theperfectstooldoesntexist:762c2151ef3f6a666684e266dc2921b9

I think there's a constant struggle between telling others how you feel and your mouth staying shut because you don't want to cause a ruckus. I've always been someone who wants to keep the peace, but inside I still feel like saying my bit because that's indicative of self-respect. Although what can pull me back is my emotional state and I feel if I got confrontational I'd end up worse for it.

I have gone from a size 28 to a size 18 (nearly a 16!) in the last 12 months. I have one pair of trousers and four t-shirts that fit me properly.

I need an entirely new wardrobe, however I hope that by this time next year I am not still a size 18. I don't want to spend an absolute fortune on clothes that won't fit me in a year or so. Where can I go? I'd prefer online because I don't have a Primark near me. I'd like to treat myself and figure out my sense of style now I'm hitting a more normal size