Best Of

Has anyone used the governments new petrol price finder website? Perhaps it also has a code for "no fuel available..."

Some sites have new functionality...

Is this going to be like that incident from a few years ago, when a couple of stations in a specific area ran out of petrol, but Radio 5 Live could talk about nothing else for six hours, treating it as a national emergency and setting off panic buying among all the road warriors who spend their days listening to the radio.

Why should journalists learn from mistakes?

The US are doing a great job today of proving “No matter how much you hate the media, it’s never enough”

https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/2030738086116642999

What actually happened is there was a demonstration outside Mamdani’s official residence, led by a guy who’s best described as an American Tommy Robinson.

Two jihadis threw bombs into the crowd of demonstrators, which the NYPD have confirmed were viable explosive devices. They were arrested at the scene.

If you only read the headlines, you’d be pretty sure that the people with the bombs were the people protesting Mamdani. The Mayor’s statement also deliberately confuses the situation.

The American Tommy Robinson is described by Sky News thus:

“Mr Lang was previously charged with assaulting an officer with a baseball bat, civil disorder and other crimes before being pardoned as part of President Donald Trump's sweeping act of clemency for defendants connected to the January 6 riots in Washington DC.”

I guess the difference between the US and the UK is that we don’t pardon Tommy Robinson.

The problem isn’t that this guy was a moron, he’s clearly a moron, it’s that the media are being very careful to avoid saying that the bombs were from those opposing him.

No, I think part of the problem is that this guy is a violent nutcase. And part of the problem is that there are some other violent nutcases who chucked a bomb at the first violent nutcase.

The media taking a bit of time to work out what happened and meanwhile just regurgitating bland police reports… not a huge problem, no.

Oh dear.

So the headline is “bomb… far-right protest…. Mamdani residence…”

The actuality is that far-left Islamists, supporters of the mayor, threw bombs at the right-wing protestors.

No, the headline in the UK's leading liberal newspaper is:
"Explosive device thrown outside of Zohran Mamdani’s residence at anti-Islam protest"

Which is what happened.
Not 'by' or 'during'. At.

Which any regular human would think to mean that the anti-Islam protestors threw a bomb at the residence.

What actually happened is that the protesters were the *victims* of a couple of pro-Mamdani jihadis.

The headline is technically accurate but factually bollocks.

Your interpretation of it is technically and factually bollocks.
It's entirely clear, as is the story below, which doesn't adopt the right wing media habit of burying the essential details in the last paragraph.

"libsofticktock". Please.

Really? All “libsoftiktok” has done is pulled headlines from newspapers that are deliberately distorting the incident.

Is that all libsoftiktok has done? Let's check their Wikipedia page:

Libs of TikTok is the username of various American anti-LGBTQ[b] and far-right[a] social-media accounts operated by Chaya Raichik (/ˈxɑːjə ˈraɪtʃɪk/ KHAH-yə RY-chik),[10] [...]

Raichik's posts have resulted in threats, harassment, and doxing perpetuated by her followers against teachers, medical providers, children's hospitals, libraries, LGBTQ venues, and educational facilities.[22][23][24] At least 60 bomb threats have been linked to Libs of TikTok posts.[24][25][26]

[...]

On November 20, 2022, Libs of TikTok received renewed media attention following the Colorado Springs nightclub shooting,[116][22][117] a mass killing that took place at an LGBTQ venue in which five people were killed and dozens more were injured. Club Q, the venue targeted by the shooter, frequently hosts drag events, including those advertised to an all-ages audience. The Independent noted that Libs of TikTok often attracts negative attention to such events with her social media accounts and that harassment and threats are often sent by her followers against patrons and performers following her postings.[22] Hours after the shooting, Raichik used her Twitter account to target a "drag organization" in the same state where the massacre took place, underlining the names of two Colorado state legislators, one of whom was trans, for supporting it.[116][118][119] The Advocate criticized the post, saying that: "In the hours after news of the Club Q shooting spread, Raichik, for example, doubled down on her anti-LGBTQ+ messaging by posting about other drag-inclusive events in the state."[120] They drew attention to an interview previously published on their website with Juliette Kayyem, a former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, in which she stated that social media accounts such as Libs of TikTok practice stochastic terrorism by provoking extremist outrage against marginalized groups, but using "vague language that allows the agitator to deny responsibility for the act".[120]

Yes, because "Wikipedia" is so famously accurate and unbiased? That's presumably why one of its co-creators has abandoned it, and admits it has been destroyred by leftist editors

"Nobody should trust Wikipedia, says man who invented Wikipedia"

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/wikipedia-founder-larry-sanger-democrats-b1885138.html

It's more accurate and unbiased than most sources you link to.

I mean, if we're going to have a rule whereby only sources more trustworthy than Wikipedia can be referenced on here it's you and ilk who would be most inconvenienced.

Do you ever say interesting things? You should try it

Says the man who posts pictures of his bric a brac.

It’s a half billion years ago old organism, emerging from the primordial slime. A massive great Trilobite

And right behind it is a vulgar gold copper pot, made in Nazi Germany in about 1941. And the copper pot sits on a ceramic trivet, dating from 1914, celebrating the alliance of the British French and Belgians in the Great War

And the trilobite is resting on a 17th century polychrome delft tile portraying an itinerant piper, which I have sprayed with clear lacquer and adorned with felt feet, turning it into a perfect coaster for my 1780s Georgian amethyst wineglass

And that’s just one corner of my William IV mahogany writing table

“Bric a brac”

Pffff!!

Strong Little Mermaid vibes.

Dubai Latest

"Moved to Dubai a month ago…

"Then two drones exploded next to our building, I was listed #3 on the UAE public prosecutor’s list for “publishing illegal content” (the video of the Fairmont on fire that got 1.7m views) resulting in my X account being banned across the country, followed by another week of hiding in the basement due to constant barrages of missiles and drones.

"Then a couple days ago after Marina 23 and the airport got hit I decided we’ve pushed our luck far enough.

"Made our way over the border into Oman the night before last and flew out this morning.

"Good luck to everyone in the GCC. But if you have the means to get out – I suggest you do so. Don’t FAFO."

https://x.com/ElonTrades/status/2030929933682262280?s=20

LOL, need to monetise the clicks, likes, and shares.

No-one who isn’t an ‘influencer’ is leaving Dubai right now.

I'm sorry, I just don't for a second believe that is true. And yes, you live in Dubai (and I sincerely wish you luck!)

But the fact is most people find the idea of bombs and drones, falling out of the sky, genuinely horrifying, no matter how much evidence you offer that they are statistically more at risk from falling coconuts on a tropical beach (I think that might be true, btw)

You are different. You've shown it. You went to Ukraine twice, or thrice (like me) during the war You've got cullions of tungsten and you can take a bit of danger

Most people can't. Moreover, one of the main reason people MOVE to Dubai is "safety". That and the low taxes are in fact the main attractor. It's not the weather. It's very pleasant in winter but for six months you cannot go outside without frying to death

So these people have lost a massive reason to hang around in Dubai. I would be frankly astonished if lots of them, if they have the choice, are not fleeing ASAP

The random coconuts on the beach probably isn’t far off. As of now there’s been four civilian casualties in the UAE, a country of 11m people. May they rest in peace.

Road accident deaths in an average Ramadan would be way higher than that.

Yeah I’ve been to Ukraine, as have you, and you know that what’s going on there is orders of magnitude worse, with constant sirens and orders to shelter.

Safety in Dubai is still absolute, it’s always been one of the safest places in the world and that hasn’t significantly changed in the past 10 days.

The weather is indeed awesome in the winter and crap in the summer, which is why it’s so popular as a tourist destination. Don’t visit here between Easter and October half-term unless you know what to expect. I always laugh at the crazy deals the hotels do here in August, and the Brits that take the bait and turn up not understanding the climate. Awesome for us locals though, getting $1,000 hotel rooms for $200 out of season.

Yes there’s a few high-profile “millionaires” and “influencers” in Dubai. They’re my customers, and the vast majority of us Brits here are just normal people doing normal jobs earning normal money.

Good luck, stay strong, and I hope you're right

I just have less faith in the fortitude and risk analysis of the average human, perhaps

You should come here, be the only guy who’s actually making a point of going to Dubai right now. Would be a great story.

We’ve about a month of good weather left.

I’ll buy you a beer at Fibber Magee’s Irish Bar.

Weirdly, Fibber Magee's has opened a branch in my home suburb in an old branch of Greggs.

Yes. It’s the guy’s home town, and he’s literally fulfilling a lifetime ambition doing it.

I’m not sure if he cares it makes any money, because his two bars in Dubai make a fortune!

Has anyone used the governments new petrol price finder website? Perhaps it also has a code for "no fuel available..."

Some sites have new functionality...

Is this going to be like that incident from a few years ago, when a couple of stations in a specific area ran out of petrol, but Radio 5 Live could talk about nothing else for six hours, treating it as a national emergency and setting off panic buying among all the road warriors who spend their days listening to the radio.

Why should journalists learn from mistakes?

The US are doing a great job today of proving “No matter how much you hate the media, it’s never enough”

https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/2030738086116642999

What actually happened is there was a demonstration outside Mamdani’s official residence, led by a guy who’s best described as an American Tommy Robinson.

Two jihadis threw bombs into the crowd of demonstrators, which the NYPD have confirmed were viable explosive devices. They were arrested at the scene.

If you only read the headlines, you’d be pretty sure that the people with the bombs were the people protesting Mamdani. The Mayor’s statement also deliberately confuses the situation.

The American Tommy Robinson is described by Sky News thus:

“Mr Lang was previously charged with assaulting an officer with a baseball bat, civil disorder and other crimes before being pardoned as part of President Donald Trump's sweeping act of clemency for defendants connected to the January 6 riots in Washington DC.”

I guess the difference between the US and the UK is that we don’t pardon Tommy Robinson.

The problem isn’t that this guy was a moron, he’s clearly a moron, it’s that the media are being very careful to avoid saying that the bombs were from those opposing him.

No, I think part of the problem is that this guy is a violent nutcase. And part of the problem is that there are some other violent nutcases who chucked a bomb at the first violent nutcase.

The media taking a bit of time to work out what happened and meanwhile just regurgitating bland police reports… not a huge problem, no.

Oh dear.

So the headline is “bomb… far-right protest…. Mamdani residence…”

The actuality is that far-left Islamists, supporters of the mayor, threw bombs at the right-wing protestors.

No, the headline in the UK's leading liberal newspaper is:
"Explosive device thrown outside of Zohran Mamdani’s residence at anti-Islam protest"

Which is what happened.
Not 'by' or 'during'. At.

Which any regular human would think to mean that the anti-Islam protestors threw a bomb at the residence.

What actually happened is that the protesters were the *victims* of a couple of pro-Mamdani jihadis.

The headline is technically accurate but factually bollocks.

Your interpretation of it is technically and factually bollocks.
It's entirely clear, as is the story below, which doesn't adopt the right wing media habit of burying the essential details in the last paragraph.

"libsofticktock". Please.

Really? All “libsoftiktok” has done is pulled headlines from newspapers that are deliberately distorting the incident.

Is that all libsoftiktok has done? Let's check their Wikipedia page:

Libs of TikTok is the username of various American anti-LGBTQ[b] and far-right[a] social-media accounts operated by Chaya Raichik (/ˈxɑːjə ˈraɪtʃɪk/ KHAH-yə RY-chik),[10] [...]

Raichik's posts have resulted in threats, harassment, and doxing perpetuated by her followers against teachers, medical providers, children's hospitals, libraries, LGBTQ venues, and educational facilities.[22][23][24] At least 60 bomb threats have been linked to Libs of TikTok posts.[24][25][26]

[...]

On November 20, 2022, Libs of TikTok received renewed media attention following the Colorado Springs nightclub shooting,[116][22][117] a mass killing that took place at an LGBTQ venue in which five people were killed and dozens more were injured. Club Q, the venue targeted by the shooter, frequently hosts drag events, including those advertised to an all-ages audience. The Independent noted that Libs of TikTok often attracts negative attention to such events with her social media accounts and that harassment and threats are often sent by her followers against patrons and performers following her postings.[22] Hours after the shooting, Raichik used her Twitter account to target a "drag organization" in the same state where the massacre took place, underlining the names of two Colorado state legislators, one of whom was trans, for supporting it.[116][118][119] The Advocate criticized the post, saying that: "In the hours after news of the Club Q shooting spread, Raichik, for example, doubled down on her anti-LGBTQ+ messaging by posting about other drag-inclusive events in the state."[120] They drew attention to an interview previously published on their website with Juliette Kayyem, a former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, in which she stated that social media accounts such as Libs of TikTok practice stochastic terrorism by provoking extremist outrage against marginalized groups, but using "vague language that allows the agitator to deny responsibility for the act".[120]

Yes, because "Wikipedia" is so famously accurate and unbiased? That's presumably why one of its co-creators has abandoned it, and admits it has been destroyred by leftist editors

"Nobody should trust Wikipedia, says man who invented Wikipedia"

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/wikipedia-founder-larry-sanger-democrats-b1885138.html

It's more accurate and unbiased than most sources you link to.

I mean, if we're going to have a rule whereby only sources more trustworthy than Wikipedia can be referenced on here it's you and ilk who would be most inconvenienced.

Do you ever say interesting things? You should try it

Says the man who posts pictures of his bric a brac.

It’s a half billion years ago old organism, emerging from the primordial slime. A massive great Trilobite

And right behind it is a vulgar gold copper pot, made in Nazi Germany in about 1941. And the copper pot sits on a ceramic trivet, dating from 1914, celebrating the alliance of the British French and Belgians in the Great War

And the trilobite is resting on a 17th century polychrome delft tile portraying an itinerant piper, which I have sprayed with clear lacquer and adorned with felt feet, turning it into a perfect coaster for my 1780s Georgian amethyst wineglass

And that’s just one corner of my William IV mahogany writing table

“Bric a brac”

Pffff!!

Doing that to a 17th century tile ought to be punishable by the death penalty

Has anyone used the governments new petrol price finder website? Perhaps it also has a code for "no fuel available..."

Some sites have new functionality...

Is this going to be like that incident from a few years ago, when a couple of stations in a specific area ran out of petrol, but Radio 5 Live could talk about nothing else for six hours, treating it as a national emergency and setting off panic buying among all the road warriors who spend their days listening to the radio.

Why should journalists learn from mistakes?

The US are doing a great job today of proving “No matter how much you hate the media, it’s never enough”

https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/2030738086116642999

What actually happened is there was a demonstration outside Mamdani’s official residence, led by a guy who’s best described as an American Tommy Robinson.

Two jihadis threw bombs into the crowd of demonstrators, which the NYPD have confirmed were viable explosive devices. They were arrested at the scene.

If you only read the headlines, you’d be pretty sure that the people with the bombs were the people protesting Mamdani. The Mayor’s statement also deliberately confuses the situation.

The American Tommy Robinson is described by Sky News thus:

“Mr Lang was previously charged with assaulting an officer with a baseball bat, civil disorder and other crimes before being pardoned as part of President Donald Trump's sweeping act of clemency for defendants connected to the January 6 riots in Washington DC.”

I guess the difference between the US and the UK is that we don’t pardon Tommy Robinson.

The problem isn’t that this guy was a moron, he’s clearly a moron, it’s that the media are being very careful to avoid saying that the bombs were from those opposing him.

No, I think part of the problem is that this guy is a violent nutcase. And part of the problem is that there are some other violent nutcases who chucked a bomb at the first violent nutcase.

The media taking a bit of time to work out what happened and meanwhile just regurgitating bland police reports… not a huge problem, no.

Oh dear.

So the headline is “bomb… far-right protest…. Mamdani residence…”

The actuality is that far-left Islamists, supporters of the mayor, threw bombs at the right-wing protestors.

No, the headline in the UK's leading liberal newspaper is:
"Explosive device thrown outside of Zohran Mamdani’s residence at anti-Islam protest"

Which is what happened.
Not 'by' or 'during'. At.

Which any regular human would think to mean that the anti-Islam protestors threw a bomb at the residence.

What actually happened is that the protesters were the *victims* of a couple of pro-Mamdani jihadis.

The headline is technically accurate but factually bollocks.

Your interpretation of it is technically and factually bollocks.
It's entirely clear, as is the story below, which doesn't adopt the right wing media habit of burying the essential details in the last paragraph.

"libsofticktock". Please.

Really? All “libsoftiktok” has done is pulled headlines from newspapers that are deliberately distorting the incident.

Is that all libsoftiktok has done? Let's check their Wikipedia page:

Libs of TikTok is the username of various American anti-LGBTQ[b] and far-right[a] social-media accounts operated by Chaya Raichik (/ˈxɑːjə ˈraɪtʃɪk/ KHAH-yə RY-chik),[10] [...]

Raichik's posts have resulted in threats, harassment, and doxing perpetuated by her followers against teachers, medical providers, children's hospitals, libraries, LGBTQ venues, and educational facilities.[22][23][24] At least 60 bomb threats have been linked to Libs of TikTok posts.[24][25][26]

[...]

On November 20, 2022, Libs of TikTok received renewed media attention following the Colorado Springs nightclub shooting,[116][22][117] a mass killing that took place at an LGBTQ venue in which five people were killed and dozens more were injured. Club Q, the venue targeted by the shooter, frequently hosts drag events, including those advertised to an all-ages audience. The Independent noted that Libs of TikTok often attracts negative attention to such events with her social media accounts and that harassment and threats are often sent by her followers against patrons and performers following her postings.[22] Hours after the shooting, Raichik used her Twitter account to target a "drag organization" in the same state where the massacre took place, underlining the names of two Colorado state legislators, one of whom was trans, for supporting it.[116][118][119] The Advocate criticized the post, saying that: "In the hours after news of the Club Q shooting spread, Raichik, for example, doubled down on her anti-LGBTQ+ messaging by posting about other drag-inclusive events in the state."[120] They drew attention to an interview previously published on their website with Juliette Kayyem, a former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, in which she stated that social media accounts such as Libs of TikTok practice stochastic terrorism by provoking extremist outrage against marginalized groups, but using "vague language that allows the agitator to deny responsibility for the act".[120]

Yes, because "Wikipedia" is so famously accurate and unbiased? That's presumably why one of its co-creators has abandoned it, and admits it has been destroyred by leftist editors

"Nobody should trust Wikipedia, says man who invented Wikipedia"

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/wikipedia-founder-larry-sanger-democrats-b1885138.html

It's more accurate and unbiased than most sources you link to.

I mean, if we're going to have a rule whereby only sources more trustworthy than Wikipedia can be referenced on here it's you and ilk who would be most inconvenienced.

Do you ever say interesting things? You should try it

Says the man who posts pictures of his bric a brac.

It’s a half billion years ago old organism, emerging from the primordial slime. A massive great Trilobite

And right behind it is a vulgar gold copper pot, made in Nazi Germany in about 1941. And the copper pot sits on a ceramic trivet, dating from 1914, celebrating the alliance of the British French and Belgians in the Great War

And the trilobite is resting on a 17th century polychrome delft tile portraying an itinerant piper, which I have sprayed with clear lacquer and adorned with felt feet, turning it into a perfect coaster for my 1780s Georgian amethyst wineglass

And that’s just one corner of my William IV mahogany writing table

“Bric a brac”

Pffff!!

Doing that to a 17th century tile ought to be punishable by the death penalty

lol

Why? I've given it a new purpose. It has a task, a role, a job. Once it was a tile on a wall in Holland of the Golden Age now it is a handsome coaster in north London, several centuries later

If you were a 350 year old tile, would you rather sit in a museum, being ignored and gathering dust, or be part of human life once more, occasionally being splattered with excellent Rioja but getting to feel truly useful. I've basically reincarnated it

Using as a coaster is fine but covering it in lacquer seems a bit invasive and unnecessary. Putting lacquer over it messes up the lovely patina which is one of the main joys of owning antiques. If it's a tile then the firing process should mean that it will survive your Rioja just fine anyway. It's a very small step from what you did to slathering Farrow and Ball Mystic Sage over your William IV writing table.

This ignore several factors. One, I want to put hot drinks on these things, or teapots etc. I don't believe a fragile 17th century patina would endure that. The lacquer protects it, but as it is clear you still see all the lovely colours and details of the hand painting

Also as I've perfected this process - turning antique tiles into coasters (they make brillaint and unique gifts!) I've found better and better lacquers. The last one I did was a manganese Delft tile from the early 18th century. The lacquer actually enhances the tile, it makes it glow and shine. I love it

I'll bow to your superior lacquering knowledge. I used to be an habitue of local auctions (until internet bidding ruined everything) and I've seen enough lovely 18th century cutlery boxes and vases clumsily turned into letter racks and lamps to have an instinctive horror of converting old things.

Yes, that can be really sad, but even sadder for me is the "museum-ification" of objects meant to be used and enjoyed

eg I have some lovely Bhutanese handmade silks, from the royal silkmaker herself. Bought them in Bhutan 25 years ago on a whim. When redecorating I discovered they are worth a LOT of money. Together they could make £15k at auction. I paid a couple of hundred quid

Friends told me "oh you must frame them and put them on the wall" (or "jesus just sell them")

I decided No, I'm going to keep them, and use them, and let them beautify chairs and tables and rooms (tho maybe out of direct sunlight!) as they were meant to be enjoyed. Life is short, don't put beautiful stuff in a glass box to preserve it for eternity, that's a ludicrous illusion. Carpe diem

True story. In doing up my flat I’ve bought lots of emotionally charged objects to add to my own collection of weird noomy things

Just last week I bought a “first edition” of Mao’s Little Red Book, cheap red vinyl and all, with actual annotations inside. Maybe made by some young Red Guard in 1966, just before he beat his teacher to death

Until now not many objects have given me collywobbles. And I’ve got some seriously dark things, now. From slave currency to trench art to genuine bilbos

But today I got something that totally threw me

A trilobite. A big one. A really big one. It stares at me with these primitive compound eyes from 500 millions years ago and for some reason it feels intensely evil. Why? Is it just the vertigo of deep time? Making me queasy? Or the fact it could be a monster in a dream?

Here he is. The mofo

Dubai Latest

"Moved to Dubai a month ago…

"Then two drones exploded next to our building, I was listed #3 on the UAE public prosecutor’s list for “publishing illegal content” (the video of the Fairmont on fire that got 1.7m views) resulting in my X account being banned across the country, followed by another week of hiding in the basement due to constant barrages of missiles and drones.

"Then a couple days ago after Marina 23 and the airport got hit I decided we’ve pushed our luck far enough.

"Made our way over the border into Oman the night before last and flew out this morning.

"Good luck to everyone in the GCC. But if you have the means to get out – I suggest you do so. Don’t FAFO."

https://x.com/ElonTrades/status/2030929933682262280?s=20

LOL, need to monetise the clicks, likes, and shares.

No-one who isn’t an ‘influencer’ is leaving Dubai right now.

I'm sorry, I just don't for a second believe that is true. And yes, you live in Dubai (and I sincerely wish you luck!)

But the fact is most people find the idea of bombs and drones, falling out of the sky, genuinely horrifying, no matter how much evidence you offer that they are statistically more at risk from falling coconuts on a tropical beach (I think that might be true, btw)

You are different. You've shown it. You went to Ukraine twice, or thrice (like me) during the war You've got cullions of tungsten and you can take a bit of danger

Most people can't. Moreover, one of the main reason people MOVE to Dubai is "safety". That and the low taxes are in fact the main attractor. It's not the weather. It's very pleasant in winter but for six months you cannot go outside without frying to death

So these people have lost a massive reason to hang around in Dubai. I would be frankly astonished if lots of them, if they have the choice, are not fleeing ASAP

The random coconuts on the beach probably isn’t far off. As of now there’s been four civilian casualties in the UAE, a country of 11m people. May they rest in peace.

Road accident deaths in an average Ramadan would be way higher than that.

Yeah I’ve been to Ukraine, as have you, and you know that what’s going on there is orders of magnitude worse, with constant sirens and orders to shelter.

Safety in Dubai is still absolute, it’s always been one of the safest places in the world and that hasn’t significantly changed in the past 10 days.

The weather is indeed awesome in the winter and crap in the summer, which is why it’s so popular as a tourist destination. Don’t visit here between Easter and October half-term unless you know what to expect. I always laugh at the crazy deals the hotels do here in August, and the Brits that take the bait and turn up not understanding the climate. Awesome for us locals though, getting $1,000 hotel rooms for $200 out of season.

Yes there’s a few high-profile “millionaires” and “influencers” in Dubai. They’re my customers, and the vast majority of us Brits here are just normal people doing normal jobs earning normal money.

Good luck, stay strong, and I hope you're right

I just have less faith in the fortitude and risk analysis of the average human, perhaps

You should come here, be the only guy who’s actually making a point of going to Dubai right now. Would be a great story.

We’ve about a month of good weather left.

I’ll buy you a beer at Fibber Magee’s Irish Bar.

Weirdly, Fibber Magee's has opened a branch in my home suburb in an old branch of Greggs.

9 days in, the most basic question about the Iran war remains unanswered
In just over a week, Trump and top administration officials have given at least 17 different responses about why the war began

https://popular.info/p/9-days-in-the-most-basic-question

Not unreasonable.

Many things worth doing have many reasons why they are worth doing.

That there are so many valid reasons why this war is happening is further proof that it is a good idea, not proof that it is a bad one.

You really are off your head, aren't you? The Trump administration has no plan at all, and no means of achieving any of its stated aims. Far from a victorious march to victory, what is most likely to happen is that after a highly disruptive few weeks of conflict, an unstable truce is put in place with none of Trump's aims achieved whatsoever, but at a cost of several trillion dollars, not to mention the shattering of the illusory security of countries in the GCC and a long term economic downturn- not to mention the benefits to Russia.

The abject incompetence of Trump may bring the benefit that the GOP are utterly trashed at the midterms, but then we will have 2 years of infantile bluster from the emasculated Trump, which- granted- is better than he actually retains any power, but will be an abject humiliation for the USA and the West in general.

No I am not off my head, yes I agree that the Trump administration is useless.

I agree with German Chancellor Merz that the fall of the Iranian regime is required. Is Merz off his head?

If Trump TACOs out then I will oppose that and not be too surprised. Hopefully Bibi prevents him from reverting to form and TACOing out.

I would be utterly delighted to see the GOP trashed at the midterms.

On a Venn diagram I am in the intersection of "despises Trump" and "supports this war".

Was hoping we could leave Venn/Euler behind in the prior thread.

Sigh

9 days in, the most basic question about the Iran war remains unanswered
In just over a week, Trump and top administration officials have given at least 17 different responses about why the war began

https://popular.info/p/9-days-in-the-most-basic-question

Not unreasonable.

Many things worth doing have many reasons why they are worth doing.

That there are so many valid reasons why this war is happening is further proof that it is a good idea, not proof that it is a bad one.

You really are off your head, aren't you? The Trump administration has no plan at all, and no means of achieving any of its stated aims. Far from a victorious march to victory, what is most likely to happen is that after a highly disruptive few weeks of conflict, an unstable truce is put in place with none of Trump's aims achieved whatsoever, but at a cost of several trillion dollars, not to mention the shattering of the illusory security of countries in the GCC and a long term economic downturn- not to mention the benefits to Russia.

The abject incompetence of Trump may bring the benefit that the GOP are utterly trashed at the midterms, but then we will have 2 years of infantile bluster from the emasculated Trump, which- granted- is better than he actually retains any power, but will be an abject humiliation for the USA and the West in general.