This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
Is Putin taking exit ramp and leaving Ukraine, we lift all our sanctions, UK policy?
I would say no, definitely not, for example what definition of leave ALL Ukraine?
So does it maintain signal of staunch sanction resolve Liz Truss floating this?
All Ukraine is exactly what it says: the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine.
To b fair it is somewhat of an artificial construct. By Stalin, if memory serves.
All countries are
Misha Glenny has done a lot of good radio programmes on BBC sounds called “the invention of…” about how many countries came about and absolutely agree they are all “artificial” constructs. Worth listening to.
Alas I don't think I'll be able to access that since I don't have a TV license. But I would be interested if there's a way.
You don't need TV licence for the radio. Or if you do I'm a scofflaw.
I'm sorry, I thought you were recommending old programs on iPlayer, for which I believe you do need a license these days? You're right, if it's on in future I can tune in.
Is Putin taking exit ramp and leaving Ukraine, we lift all our sanctions, UK policy?
I would say no, definitely not, for example what definition of leave ALL Ukraine?
So does it maintain signal of staunch sanction resolve Liz Truss floating this?
All Ukraine is exactly what it says: the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine.
To b fair it is somewhat of an artificial construct. By Stalin, if memory serves.
All countries are
Misha Glenny has done a lot of good radio programmes on BBC sounds called “the invention of…” about how many countries came about and absolutely agree they are all “artificial” constructs. Worth listening to.
Alas I don't think I'll be able to access that since I don't have a TV license. But I would be interested if there's a way.
You don't need TV licence for the radio. Or if you do I'm a scofflaw.
I'm sorry, I thought you were recommending old programs on iPlayer, for which I believe you do need a license these days? You're right, if it's on in future I can tune in.
BBC Sounds is iPlayer for radio. You don't need a license. You can get it on your phone.
This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
The intersection between political theory and architecture is fascinating.
I would be cautious about such claims - one constant in COVID has been people in one country believing things about other countries that are simply not true.
HYUFD, one man wrecking crew against Cameron approach to detoxification of the Tory brand....
Highest Tory voteshare under Cameron? 37% in 2015.
Tory voteshare under Boris? 43.6% in 2019.
I campaigned for Cameron but he always appealed more to the liberal upper middle class than the bigger group of the lower middle class and skilled working class. Boris is the reverse
Lets see where they are at the next GE, 37% might be a pipe dream and luckily for the Tories your personal campaign to tell every floating voter to f##k off and vote for somebody else is currently restricted to a niche message board and local politics.
No, I think young HY is onto something here. That is exactly the message that the country has been waiting for. And what we all need. I think young HY ought to be promoted to Chairman of the Conservative Party, and put in charge of campaigns.
This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
The intersection between political theory and architecture is fascinating.
I find the attempts to "prove" that Brutalist architecture is more human friendly than Edwardian terraces (for example) to be a source of endless fun.
It usually devolves to the idea that people liking Edwardian houses are exhibiting "false consciousness"...
This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
You should see the original plans for rebuilding Glasgow after WWII, which including razing the city centre (the greatest Victoria city in Europe - Betjeman), Speer and Germania had nothing on them. They still had a bloody good go, mind.
Is Putin taking exit ramp and leaving Ukraine, we lift all our sanctions, UK policy?
I would say no, definitely not, for example what definition of leave ALL Ukraine?
So does it maintain signal of staunch sanction resolve Liz Truss floating this?
All Ukraine is exactly what it says: the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine.
To b fair it is somewhat of an artificial construct. By Stalin, if memory serves.
All countries are
Misha Glenny has done a lot of good radio programmes on BBC sounds called “the invention of…” about how many countries came about and absolutely agree they are all “artificial” constructs. Worth listening to.
I've just finished watching McMafia on I-player; it's based very loosely on Misha Glenny's non-fiction book of the same name. I know it's a few years old, but I found it pretty resonant with what's going on today - Russian oligarchs and kleptocrats, crime syndicates, dirty money, money laundering in London and so on. Worth watching, I thought.
I wonder what percentage of the remaining, effective Russian military has been diverted by this?
Interesting to note that the Japanese GDP is 3 times that of Russia....
They probably don't need to worry about the Japanese government suddenly deciding to take the islands back by force. But there are a bunch of guys who have spent the last 40 years driving around in black vans playing patriotic music and shouting about the islands through loudspeakers, you'd think they could find themselves some boats and guns and make themselves useful.
In the absence of @roger, I cannot see much value in the Oscar betting.
I have a couple of quid on The Worst Person in the World in original screenplay and international feature. It seems to have done well in mainstream cinemas in the USA.
The one time of the year Roger is worth listening to and he is too busy patronising Russian Oligarch establishments in the South of France...revoke his PB membership now.
#BREAKING Macron warns against verbal 'escalation' with Moscow after Biden labels Putin a 'butcher' over Ukraine
Replying to @AFP #UPDATE France's President Emmanuel #Macron warned on Sunday against a verbal "escalation" over Russia's invasion in #Ukraine, after US President Joe Biden branded Vladimir Putin a "butcher" who "cannot remain in power" http://u.afp.com/weZs
I wonder what percentage of the remaining, effective Russian military has been diverted by this?
Interesting to note that the Japanese GDP is 3 times that of Russia....
They probably don't need to worry about the Japanese government suddenly deciding to take the islands back by force. But there are a bunch of guys who have spent the last 40 years driving around in black vans playing patriotic music and shouting about the islands through loudspeakers, you'd think they could find themselves some boats and guns and make themselves useful.
In paranoid Greater Russian Nationalist world, everyone is an enemy.
My step mother (Russian) has people on her facebook telling her that the Swedes* are just waiting to pounce on Russia if the Motherland is defeated. Yes, the Greater Swedish Empire is just waiting to be a born....
With thinking like that, Japan must seem like a real enemy...
Macron's words that an escalation of words might prevent a ceasefire are as silly as those people, regrettably including on here, that the West noting there were invasion forces prepared would itself provoke an invasion, as though talking about it would cause it.
Tough words, even if unwise, do not represent an escalation compared to, you know, actual warfare going on, and even compared to multiple threats of nuclear war already made from the other side.
I don't understand why anyone would say anything stupid (including the talk beforehand about talking about invasion making it more likely). Yes, as carlotta says, Macron is trying to keep communication open and that't not nothing, but it is still very stupid.
And I see Russia is moving ahead with threats of referendums on regions joining Russia, they really don't mix up the playbook much at all.
Is Putin taking exit ramp and leaving Ukraine, we lift all our sanctions, UK policy?
I would say no, definitely not, for example what definition of leave ALL Ukraine?
So does it maintain signal of staunch sanction resolve Liz Truss floating this?
All Ukraine is exactly what it says: the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine.
To b fair it is somewhat of an artificial construct. By Stalin, if memory serves.
All countries are
Misha Glenny has done a lot of good radio programmes on BBC sounds called “the invention of…” about how many countries came about and absolutely agree they are all “artificial” constructs. Worth listening to.
I've just finished watching McMafia on I-player; it's based very loosely on Misha Glenny's non-fiction book of the same name. I know it's a few years old, but I found it pretty resonant with what's going on today - Russian oligarchs and kleptocrats, crime syndicates, dirty money, money laundering in London and so on. Worth watching, I thought.
The French series The Bureau (which I know I always go on about) is also excellent on this, a whole section is mostly set in Moscow and is good at showing the queasy collision between a largely modern society with an economically liberalised youth and what is essentially a totalitarian state.
This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
You should see the original plans for rebuilding Glasgow after WWII, which including razing the city centre (the greatest Victoria city in Europe - Betjeman), Speer and Germania had nothing on them. They still had a bloody good go, mind.
You really need a film of that - panning over the model. Perhaps with the Horst Wessel Lied playing in the background?
Is the centre of the model a really, really big dome?
I'm trying to remember the architect - apparently it was a "great pity" that his visions were never realised.
One of which was linear tower blocks, with motorways on the roof.
He lived in an Elizabethan manor house, where he played with mirror reflections with the ponds, and used his influence to ensure that no development happened within miles of the place.
In the absence of @roger, I cannot see much value in the Oscar betting.
I have a couple of quid on The Worst Person in the World in original screenplay and international feature. It seems to have done well in mainstream cinemas in the USA.
I’ve got five quid on Power of the Dog winning “most long-drawn-out Woke piece of screamingly tedious but nicely-shot drivel directed by a woman so yay for Diversity”
This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
You should see the original plans for rebuilding Glasgow after WWII, which including razing the city centre (the greatest Victoria city in Europe - Betjeman), Speer and Germania had nothing on them. They still had a bloody good go, mind.
Zelensky's understandable frustration with NATO being expressed should at least make it easier for him to concede to officially never seeking to join it (notwithstanding that was never happening anyway).
Is Putin taking exit ramp and leaving Ukraine, we lift all our sanctions, UK policy?
I would say no, definitely not, for example what definition of leave ALL Ukraine?
So does it maintain signal of staunch sanction resolve Liz Truss floating this?
All Ukraine is exactly what it says: the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine.
To b fair it is somewhat of an artificial construct. By Stalin, if memory serves.
All countries are
Misha Glenny has done a lot of good radio programmes on BBC sounds called “the invention of…” about how many countries came about and absolutely agree they are all “artificial” constructs. Worth listening to.
I've just finished watching McMafia on I-player; it's based very loosely on Misha Glenny's non-fiction book of the same name. I know it's a few years old, but I found it pretty resonant with what's going on today - Russian oligarchs and kleptocrats, crime syndicates, dirty money, money laundering in London and so on. Worth watching, I thought.
If you haven't seen it - the Norwegian show called 'Occupied' is worth a watch. Near-future invasion of Norway by Russia due to oil/gas/politics. As it progresses a lot more oligarch/corruption comes to the foreground.
This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
You should see the original plans for rebuilding Glasgow after WWII, which including razing the city centre (the greatest Victoria city in Europe - Betjeman), Speer and Germania had nothing on them. They still had a bloody good go, mind.
You really need a film of that - panning over the model. Perhaps with the Horst Wessel Lied playing in the background?
Is the centre of the model a really, really big dome?
I'm trying to remember the architect - apparently it was a "great pity" that his visions were never realised.
One of which was linear tower blocks, with motorways on the roof.
He lived in an Elizabethan manor house, where he played with mirror reflections with the ponds, and used his influence to ensure that no development happened within miles of the place.
Robert Bruce (ironically) was the corporation engineer who was mostly pushing this vision, presumably there were architects also involved but can't recall their names.
Macron's words that an escalation of words might prevent a ceasefire are as silly as those people, regrettably including on here, that the West noting there were invasion forces prepared would itself provoke an invasion, as though talking about it would cause it.
Tough words, even if unwise, do not represent an escalation compared to, you know, actual warfare going on, and even compared to multiple threats of nuclear war already made from the other side.
I don't understand why anyone would say anything stupid (including the talk beforehand about talking about invasion making it more likely). Yes, as carlotta says, Macron is trying to keep communication open and that't not nothing, but it is still very stupid.
And I see Russia is moving ahead with threats of referendums on regions joining Russia, they really don't mix up the playbook much at all.
In the absence of @roger, I cannot see much value in the Oscar betting.
I have a couple of quid on The Worst Person in the World in original screenplay and international feature. It seems to have done well in mainstream cinemas in the USA.
The one time of the year Roger is worth listening to and he is too busy patronising Russian Oligarch establishments in the South of France...revoke his PB membership now.
A couple of longshots
Best Picture Westside Story.
Best Actress Nicole Kidman.
Best Supporting Actor JK Simmonds
Best Cinematography. Ari Wegner
Wegner wins that. Well deserved, but Let’s hope it’s the only gong for the dog of the movie. If Westside doesn’t win best Oscar it will still have last laugh by being one of the more enduring movies of its generation.
This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
When I lived in New York, I never had the heating on in my apartment, even during the coldest days of winter. Indeed, rather the opposite, I had to crack at least one window most of the time to cool the place down. My energy consumption was highest in the hottest days of summer.
I know there is a theory that humans don't like living structures that fall outside our range of vision, i.e. tall structures beyond something like 6 storeys. But, I wonder. How does that theory mesh with the reality of high rent skyscrapers in NYC and other big cities. I don't recall any particular social horrors associated with buildings in nice neighbourhoods (although clearly there is little sense of community in the buildings).
Is Putin taking exit ramp and leaving Ukraine, we lift all our sanctions, UK policy?
I would say no, definitely not, for example what definition of leave ALL Ukraine?
So does it maintain signal of staunch sanction resolve Liz Truss floating this?
All Ukraine is exactly what it says: the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine.
To b fair it is somewhat of an artificial construct. By Stalin, if memory serves.
All countries are
Misha Glenny has done a lot of good radio programmes on BBC sounds called “the invention of…” about how many countries came about and absolutely agree they are all “artificial” constructs. Worth listening to.
Alas I don't think I'll be able to access that since I don't have a TV license. But I would be interested if there's a way.
Lots of people have already said the same thing, so I won't.
I wonder what percentage of the remaining, effective Russian military has been diverted by this?
Interesting to note that the Japanese GDP is 3 times that of Russia....
They probably don't need to worry about the Japanese government suddenly deciding to take the islands back by force. But there are a bunch of guys who have spent the last 40 years driving around in black vans playing patriotic music and shouting about the islands through loudspeakers, you'd think they could find themselves some boats and guns and make themselves useful.
In all seriousness, a second front for Russia, against Japan, would be the end of Putin. No way he could fight two wars 5000 miles apart
He’d be a dead man. Either via a palace coup, or because in desperation he kicked off nuclear Armageddon, killing us all
I wonder what percentage of the remaining, effective Russian military has been diverted by this?
Interesting to note that the Japanese GDP is 3 times that of Russia....
They probably don't need to worry about the Japanese government suddenly deciding to take the islands back by force. But there are a bunch of guys who have spent the last 40 years driving around in black vans playing patriotic music and shouting about the islands through loudspeakers, you'd think they could find themselves some boats and guns and make themselves useful.
In all seriousness, a second front for Russia, against Japan, would be the end of Putin. No way he could fight two wars 5000 miles apart
He’d be a dead man. Either via a palace coup, or because in desperation he kicked off nuclear Armageddon, killing us all
Just by saying some words, the Japanese PM has got Russia diverting military force and attention. Nice work.
This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
You should see the original plans for rebuilding Glasgow after WWII, which including razing the city centre (the greatest Victoria city in Europe - Betjeman), Speer and Germania had nothing on them. They still had a bloody good go, mind.
You really need a film of that - panning over the model. Perhaps with the Horst Wessel Lied playing in the background?
Is the centre of the model a really, really big dome?
I'm trying to remember the architect - apparently it was a "great pity" that his visions were never realised.
One of which was linear tower blocks, with motorways on the roof.
He lived in an Elizabethan manor house, where he played with mirror reflections with the ponds, and used his influence to ensure that no development happened within miles of the place.
That’s extremely similar to Le corbusier’s ‘Voisin’ plan for Paris
This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
When I lived in New York, I never had the heating on in my apartment, even during the coldest days of winter. Indeed, rather the opposite, I had to crack at least one window most of the time to cool the place down. My energy consumption was highest in the hottest days of summer.
I know there is a theory that humans don't like living structures that fall outside our range of vision, i.e. tall structures beyond something like 6 storeys. But, I wonder. How does that theory mesh with the reality of high rent skyscrapers in NYC and other big cities. I don't recall any particular social horrors associated with buildings in nice neighbourhoods (although clearly there is little sense of community in the buildings).
The "high end" tower blocks tend to be built to work, rather than as social engineering experiments.
That and not having a minority of very, very anti-social people living there helps, of course.
Imagine living in the same building as people who did this....
This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
You should see the original plans for rebuilding Glasgow after WWII, which including razing the city centre (the greatest Victoria city in Europe - Betjeman), Speer and Germania had nothing on them. They still had a bloody good go, mind.
You really need a film of that - panning over the model. Perhaps with the Horst Wessel Lied playing in the background?
Is the centre of the model a really, really big dome?
I'm trying to remember the architect - apparently it was a "great pity" that his visions were never realised.
One of which was linear tower blocks, with motorways on the roof.
He lived in an Elizabethan manor house, where he played with mirror reflections with the ponds, and used his influence to ensure that no development happened within miles of the place.
Looks a bit like Bellahoj, a large collection of skyscrapers, which is where my family first lived when we moved to Denmark when I was 12
We'd previously lived in Vienna, where most housing was low-rise pre-war (even pre-century) bulidings, albeit roughly modernised inside, and we thought Bellahoj a huge step forward in terms of comfort and attractive views. We later moved to a standalone high-rise
which we thought was perfect - duplex top floor with two balconies and a glorious view, a full-time (fanatically pro-British) porter on the premises, district heating, 5 rooms, very inexpensive (still is - economies of scale, I suppose), with a town and station on one side and a village on the other. Takes all tastes, but I was amazed when I came back to Britain and found that high rise flats had a poor reputation. But we never had a bad neighbour, and of course that's crucial.
In the absence of @roger, I cannot see much value in the Oscar betting.
I have a couple of quid on The Worst Person in the World in original screenplay and international feature. It seems to have done well in mainstream cinemas in the USA.
I’ve got five quid on Power of the Dog winning “most long-drawn-out Woke piece of screamingly tedious but nicely-shot drivel directed by a woman so yay for Diversity”
I believe Nomadland won this last year
And they say the Oscars are dying?! Pff!
I tried so hard to watch power of the dog. Chewed through 1hr 30 mins and gave up and read the plot on Wikipedia to see if I missed anything.
I think it was trying to be “there will be blood”. Similar period, grumpy main character, money, misery, sharp practice etc etc except Cumberbatch is no Daniel Day Lewis and was just a bit of a “meh” character. No menace or real deep complexity.
Even in Britain there are high rises that people want to live in: the Barbican Centre for one (although that might be because once you are in it is impossible to find your way out again).
Macron's words that an escalation of words might prevent a ceasefire are as silly as those people, regrettably including on here, that the West noting there were invasion forces prepared would itself provoke an invasion, as though talking about it would cause it.
Tough words, even if unwise, do not represent an escalation compared to, you know, actual warfare going on, and even compared to multiple threats of nuclear war already made from the other side.
I don't understand why anyone would say anything stupid (including the talk beforehand about talking about invasion making it more likely). Yes, as carlotta says, Macron is trying to keep communication open and that't not nothing, but it is still very stupid.
And I see Russia is moving ahead with threats of referendums on regions joining Russia, they really don't mix up the playbook much at all.
'Butcher' is simple fact at this point.
It’s a shame you say that as I must bow to the fact you guys are following this more closer than me 😕
About an hour ago I thought there was makings of formulae, following Liz Truss comments today On the back of Moscow military comments yesterday, and the Zelinskyy government have already publicly stated for the record they are prepared to cede territory, pending referendum, that re draws the Map of Ukraine allowing the Liz Truss formulae for lifting sanctions, and peace and goodwill by Christmas 🍾
Still a defeat for Putin though, as what is left of Ukraine goes into EU. Moscow made one of the dumbest blunders in history to claim this as a crusade against Nazi’s, they were never going to achieve that. Though, to be honest with you, in the first few days I thought Zelenskyy government would be wiped out by missiles, and it was the first thought I had when I made my prayers and first thing in my head soon as I woke up ☹️
#BREAKING Macron warns against verbal 'escalation' with Moscow after Biden labels Putin a 'butcher' over Ukraine
Replying to @AFP #UPDATE France's President Emmanuel #Macron warned on Sunday against a verbal "escalation" over Russia's invasion in #Ukraine, after US President Joe Biden branded Vladimir Putin a "butcher" who "cannot remain in power" http://u.afp.com/weZs
In the absence of @roger, I cannot see much value in the Oscar betting.
I have a couple of quid on The Worst Person in the World in original screenplay and international feature. It seems to have done well in mainstream cinemas in the USA.
I’ve got five quid on Power of the Dog winning “most long-drawn-out Woke piece of screamingly tedious but nicely-shot drivel directed by a woman so yay for Diversity”
I believe Nomadland won this last year
And they say the Oscars are dying?! Pff!
I tried so hard to watch power of the dog. Chewed through 1hr 30 mins and gave up and read the plot on Wikipedia to see if I missed anything.
I think it was trying to be “there will be blood”. Similar period, grumpy main character, money, misery, sharp practice etc etc except Cumberbatch is no Daniel Day Lewis and was just a bit of a “meh” character. No menace or real deep complexity.
Good comparison. I quite like Cumberbatch, he’s great at “lighter” roles - witty or quirky - but to carry a movie this ponderous and turgid you needed an astonishingly powerful main actor who might kill anyone at any moment, to raise just a bit of tension
It’s just not a very good movie.
Don’t Look Up, for all of its cartoonish lefty politics and clunking allegory, was much funnier, cleverer, more interesting - and properly entertaining
This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
When I lived in New York, I never had the heating on in my apartment, even during the coldest days of winter. Indeed, rather the opposite, I had to crack at least one window most of the time to cool the place down. My energy consumption was highest in the hottest days of summer.
I know there is a theory that humans don't like living structures that fall outside our range of vision, i.e. tall structures beyond something like 6 storeys. But, I wonder. How does that theory mesh with the reality of high rent skyscrapers in NYC and other big cities. I don't recall any particular social horrors associated with buildings in nice neighbourhoods (although clearly there is little sense of community in the buildings).
The "high end" tower blocks tend to be built to work, rather than as social engineering experiments.
That and not having a minority of very, very anti-social people living there helps, of course.
Imagine living in the same building as people who did this....
Is it just me, or is that pot in middle distance grinning satanically at us?
Even in Britain there are high rises that people want to live in: the Barbican Centre for one (although that might be because once you are in it is impossible to find your way out again).
The reason is that you have to be pretty wealthy to live in the Barbican and therefore it's kept in a fairly nice state most of the time.
In the absence of @roger, I cannot see much value in the Oscar betting.
I have a couple of quid on The Worst Person in the World in original screenplay and international feature. It seems to have done well in mainstream cinemas in the USA.
I’ve got five quid on Power of the Dog winning “most long-drawn-out Woke piece of screamingly tedious but nicely-shot drivel directed by a woman so yay for Diversity”
I believe Nomadland won this last year
And they say the Oscars are dying?! Pff!
I tried so hard to watch power of the dog. Chewed through 1hr 30 mins and gave up and read the plot on Wikipedia to see if I missed anything.
I think it was trying to be “there will be blood”. Similar period, grumpy main character, money, misery, sharp practice etc etc except Cumberbatch is no Daniel Day Lewis and was just a bit of a “meh” character. No menace or real deep complexity.
You lasted longer than me. I switched off after an hour. Apparently it gets better but I am not sure I can be bothered. That's one of the problems with Netflix. I would have stuck it out at the cinema.
I wonder what percentage of the remaining, effective Russian military has been diverted by this?
Interesting to note that the Japanese GDP is 3 times that of Russia....
They probably don't need to worry about the Japanese government suddenly deciding to take the islands back by force. But there are a bunch of guys who have spent the last 40 years driving around in black vans playing patriotic music and shouting about the islands through loudspeakers, you'd think they could find themselves some boats and guns and make themselves useful.
In all seriousness, a second front for Russia, against Japan, would be the end of Putin. No way he could fight two wars 5000 miles apart
He’d be a dead man. Either via a palace coup, or because in desperation he kicked off nuclear Armageddon, killing us all
Armenia-Azerbaijan is the place to watch for that sort of thing. Quite a few reports of restlessness, and Russia has a keen interest (as does Turkey).
Many years ago an Azerbaijani tried to bribe me (or, more precisely, my constituency party funds) to put their case in the Commons. I politely declined, so can take a High Moral Ground over the Tories' enthusiasm for relatives of rich foreign donors. I wonder if he got any takers?
This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
You should see the original plans for rebuilding Glasgow after WWII, which including razing the city centre (the greatest Victoria city in Europe - Betjeman), Speer and Germania had nothing on them. They still had a bloody good go, mind.
I must admit to a sneaking admiration of post war Town planners. There was a misplaced belief in the future, and that vibrant communities would thrive in these cities in the skies. Too much faith in human progress, I suppose, when it seems what is really wanted is a better facsimile of the past.
One thing I do see from Ukraine is that the Kruschevski concrete blocks of flats seem to have lasted better than our own 1950s and 60's blocks. At least until mother Russia came visiting.
I wonder what percentage of the remaining, effective Russian military has been diverted by this?
Interesting to note that the Japanese GDP is 3 times that of Russia....
They probably don't need to worry about the Japanese government suddenly deciding to take the islands back by force. But there are a bunch of guys who have spent the last 40 years driving around in black vans playing patriotic music and shouting about the islands through loudspeakers, you'd think they could find themselves some boats and guns and make themselves useful.
In paranoid Greater Russian Nationalist world, everyone is an enemy.
My step mother (Russian) has people on her facebook telling her that the Swedes* are just waiting to pounce on Russia if the Motherland is defeated. Yes, the Greater Swedish Empire is just waiting to be a born....
With thinking like that, Japan must seem like a real enemy...
*Among others, of course
Surely the Greater Swedish Empire would be reborn? There was one in the Middle Ages, and subsequently.
In the absence of @roger, I cannot see much value in the Oscar betting.
I have a couple of quid on The Worst Person in the World in original screenplay and international feature. It seems to have done well in mainstream cinemas in the USA.
I’ve got five quid on Power of the Dog winning “most long-drawn-out Woke piece of screamingly tedious but nicely-shot drivel directed by a woman so yay for Diversity”
I believe Nomadland won this last year
And they say the Oscars are dying?! Pff!
I tried so hard to watch power of the dog. Chewed through 1hr 30 mins and gave up and read the plot on Wikipedia to see if I missed anything.
I think it was trying to be “there will be blood”. Similar period, grumpy main character, money, misery, sharp practice etc etc except Cumberbatch is no Daniel Day Lewis and was just a bit of a “meh” character. No menace or real deep complexity.
You lasted longer than me. I switched off after an hour. Apparently it gets better but I am not sure I can be bothered. That's one of the problems with Netflix. I would have stuck it out at the cinema.
Mrs BigRich was very keen to watch, 'power of the dog' and to have me watch it, which I diligently did with her the other night, but lost interest about 30 mints in, and scrolled though PB instead, I don't think it got much better at the end but was not paying enough attention to be sure in that.
Macron's words that an escalation of words might prevent a ceasefire are as silly as those people, regrettably including on here, that the West noting there were invasion forces prepared would itself provoke an invasion, as though talking about it would cause it.
Tough words, even if unwise, do not represent an escalation compared to, you know, actual warfare going on, and even compared to multiple threats of nuclear war already made from the other side.
I don't understand why anyone would say anything stupid (including the talk beforehand about talking about invasion making it more likely). Yes, as carlotta says, Macron is trying to keep communication open and that't not nothing, but it is still very stupid.
And I see Russia is moving ahead with threats of referendums on regions joining Russia, they really don't mix up the playbook much at all.
Galeev has a fascinating series of threads on how Russia got so big (and cold) which has recurring themes throughout history echoing the above.
His threads on the economics of Russia are also fascinating reading
Note that Biden is eating a relatively thin based, crisp pizza. Toppings don't appear to include sweetcorn or pineapple.
Banana is good on Pizza. If you haven't tried it give it a go
Ah yes, my favourite banana pizza recipe.
Take 1 banana, slice and arrange in a margarita pizza then throw in the bin.
Banana chocolate dessert pizzas were a thing in the US about 10 years ago - for about 6 months. I think just about everyone tried one, and said "Never again"
max seddon @maxseddon · 1h Russian deputy defense minister Yunus-Bek Evkurov gave a soldier who lost a leg fighting in Ukraine a medal yesterday and told him: “I hope you’ll get back on your feet”
One of my uncles lost a leg in Normandy. 100% medical discharge. At the time of Suez he was called up for a medical 'to see if he was now fit'.
Turned up on his crutches.
Shame he wasn’t living in Ancient Greece - he could have served as a Hoplite.
His elder brother, my father, was absolutely incandescent; all for calling on the Press, his MP etc. Uncle was more philosophical; just made sure he had to go on crutches along a route where he could be seen.
Apparently afterwards he could hear the sergeant who was supervising the reception swearing for some time!
HMG still try that today for "benefit" claimants from irreversible diseases and disabilities - but that isn't intended to detract from your uncle's situation. At least your uncle turned up; a lot of reservists didn't even respond to the Suez mobilisation AIUI.
In the absence of @roger, I cannot see much value in the Oscar betting.
I have a couple of quid on The Worst Person in the World in original screenplay and international feature. It seems to have done well in mainstream cinemas in the USA.
The one time of the year Roger is worth listening to and he is too busy patronising Russian Oligarch establishments in the South of France...revoke his PB membership now.
This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
You should see the original plans for rebuilding Glasgow after WWII, which including razing the city centre (the greatest Victoria city in Europe - Betjeman), Speer and Germania had nothing on them. They still had a bloody good go, mind.
I must admit to a sneaking admiration of post war Town planners. There was a misplaced belief in the future, and that vibrant communities would thrive in these cities in the skies. Too much faith in human progress, I suppose, when it seems what is really wanted is a better facsimile of the past.
One thing I do see from Ukraine is that the Kruschevski concrete blocks of flats seem to have lasted better than our own 1950s and 60's blocks. At least until mother Russia came visiting.
With hindsight the truism that there are a shitload of difficult questions and no easy answers usually applies.
In the example I referred to, the alternative to the Bruce Plan was the Clyde Valley Regional Plan which involved moving much of Glasgow's population out to new towns. Most modern analysis believes that this was the major contributor to the Glasgow Effect, leaving as it did the older and less economically viable in the city. In practice the two visions kind of stumbled along in tandem to not necesarily the best effect; the M8 snaking through Glasgow is probably the main consequence of the Bruce Plan.
This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
You should see the original plans for rebuilding Glasgow after WWII, which including razing the city centre (the greatest Victoria city in Europe - Betjeman), Speer and Germania had nothing on them. They still had a bloody good go, mind.
I must admit to a sneaking admiration of post war Town planners. There was a misplaced belief in the future, and that vibrant communities would thrive in these cities in the skies. Too much faith in human progress, I suppose, when it seems what is really wanted is a better facsimile of the past.
One thing I do see from Ukraine is that the Kruschevski concrete blocks of flats seem to have lasted better than our own 1950s and 60's blocks. At least until mother Russia came visiting.
With hindsight the truism that there are a shitload of difficult questions and no easy answers usually applies.
In the example I referred to, the alternative to the Bruce Plan was the Clyde Valley Regional Plan which involved moving much of Glasgow's population out to new towns. Most modern analysis believes that this was the major contributor to the Glasgow Effect, leaving as it did the older and less economically viable in the city. In practice the two visions kind of stumbled along in tandem to not necesarily the best effect; the M8 snaking through Glasgow is probably the main consequence of the Bruce Plan.
Still, Mother Glasgow endures.
In Edinburgh - once the South Side plans were binned (and how blighted the area was in the 1960s/early 70s), ditto the double walkway/motorway along Princes St. - the main doughnut hole took a lot longer to appear, and this time it was the airbnb effect ....
Completely agree with Mike on this. I laid Sunak several months back at a very good profit. The odds on Starmer remain very attractive.
Meanwhile across the Irish Sea it is beginning to look possible that Sinn Fein will win most seats in the Stormont elections on May 5th, meaning the first ever Sinn Fein First Minister of Northern Ireland. I was lampooned by a couple of people for suggesting this might happen but it's now a real possibility.
You can get 2/1 on a Irish unification before 01/01/24 with Betfair which I'm probably not tempted by as it's too soon (I think) but the chances of it happening in our lifetimes are immeasurably closer. I was told that this was no big deal. Well it is a big deal. A seismic shift in United Kingdom politics. The seeds of this go back a long way but there's no doubt that Boris Johnson's sell-out of Northern Ireland provides the immediate catalyst. He sacrificed the union for his own political aspirations.
2/1 on Irish unification seems rather short in that time frame. It is looking increasingly likely over time though.
Hmm. Current Tory attitude to Scottish indyref is "who cares if there is a majority of votes and seats for pro-indy, pro-referendum parties? We still say no, we won't let you even have a democratic referendum". Which will be that much harder to justify if the Nirish get one on exactly that basis. Unless they argue that NI is somehow different from the rest of the UK, which is precisely what they have been denying all along while mishandling this aspect of Brexit ...
It’s a poor error of judgement on their part and one, I suspect, they will come to regret as it will make Indy more, not less, likely.
No it won't.
Grant an indyref2 now and it would be at best 50% No 50% Yes.
Refuse an indyref2 now and that guarantees Scotland stays in the UK.
If there is an indyref2 it will be a Labour government reliant on SNP support who has to take the risk, as long as this Tory government remains in power it will never allow an indyref2 anyway
In the short term you get your wish in the medium term I think this makes Indy far more likely than 50/50.
Not an ounce of diplomacy or understanding, just a no or the tanks will be sent to Berwick
Not really, more that Scottish Independence does not matter provided he can blame Labour.
Oh it does matter and if we have Tory governments forever you can guarantee it will not happen as indyref2 will not be allowed.
Indyref2 it is clear will only ever happen now with a UK Labour government reliant on SNP support and if they allow it it will be on them to win it
So the Tories wouldn’t allow IndyRef2 in 20 years time? What about all that ‘generation’ nonsense?
No, Boris has said not for 40 years at the earliest
Is Putin taking exit ramp and leaving Ukraine, we lift all our sanctions, UK policy?
I would say no, definitely not, for example what definition of leave ALL Ukraine?
So does it maintain signal of staunch sanction resolve Liz Truss floating this?
All Ukraine is exactly what it says: the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine.
To b fair it is somewhat of an artificial construct. By Stalin, if memory serves.
All countries are
Misha Glenny has done a lot of good radio programmes on BBC sounds called “the invention of…” about how many countries came about and absolutely agree they are all “artificial” constructs. Worth listening to.
I've just finished watching McMafia on I-player; it's based very loosely on Misha Glenny's non-fiction book of the same name. I know it's a few years old, but I found it pretty resonant with what's going on today - Russian oligarchs and kleptocrats, crime syndicates, dirty money, money laundering in London and so on. Worth watching, I thought.
Yes, good. And he's a talking head on the current BBC podcast "Putin" which I'm enjoying. He rose to power, apparently, by "making himself useful to people". Well that's one up on Boris Johnson, I thought, dishonourably.
In the absence of @roger, I cannot see much value in the Oscar betting.
I have a couple of quid on The Worst Person in the World in original screenplay and international feature. It seems to have done well in mainstream cinemas in the USA.
The one time of the year Roger is worth listening to and he is too busy patronising Russian Oligarch establishments in the South of France...revoke his PB membership now.
This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
You should see the original plans for rebuilding Glasgow after WWII, which including razing the city centre (the greatest Victoria city in Europe - Betjeman), Speer and Germania had nothing on them. They still had a bloody good go, mind.
I must admit to a sneaking admiration of post war Town planners. There was a misplaced belief in the future, and that vibrant communities would thrive in these cities in the skies. Too much faith in human progress, I suppose, when it seems what is really wanted is a better facsimile of the past.
(Snip)
I have nothing but contempt for them. It was not a misplaced belief in the future: it was an ideology that got it wrong on so many levels.
It was not a faith in human 'progress'; it was a contempt for the common man.
Is Putin taking exit ramp and leaving Ukraine, we lift all our sanctions, UK policy?
I would say no, definitely not, for example what definition of leave ALL Ukraine?
So does it maintain signal of staunch sanction resolve Liz Truss floating this?
All Ukraine is exactly what it says: the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine.
To b fair it is somewhat of an artificial construct. By Stalin, if memory serves.
All countries are
Misha Glenny has done a lot of good radio programmes on BBC sounds called “the invention of…” about how many countries came about and absolutely agree they are all “artificial” constructs. Worth listening to.
I've just finished watching McMafia on I-player; it's based very loosely on Misha Glenny's non-fiction book of the same name. I know it's a few years old, but I found it pretty resonant with what's going on today - Russian oligarchs and kleptocrats, crime syndicates, dirty money, money laundering in London and so on. Worth watching, I thought.
Yes, good. And he's a talking head on the current BBC podcast "Putin" which I'm enjoying. He rose to power, apparently, by "making himself useful to people". Well that's one up on Boris Johnson, I thought, dishonourably.
"making himself useful to people" is likely a euphemism.
max seddon @maxseddon · 1h Russian deputy defense minister Yunus-Bek Evkurov gave a soldier who lost a leg fighting in Ukraine a medal yesterday and told him: “I hope you’ll get back on your feet”
One of my uncles lost a leg in Normandy. 100% medical discharge. At the time of Suez he was called up for a medical 'to see if he was now fit'.
Turned up on his crutches.
Shame he wasn’t living in Ancient Greece - he could have served as a Hoplite.
His elder brother, my father, was absolutely incandescent; all for calling on the Press, his MP etc. Uncle was more philosophical; just made sure he had to go on crutches along a route where he could be seen.
Apparently afterwards he could hear the sergeant who was supervising the reception swearing for some time!
HMG still try that today for "benefit" claimants from irreversible diseases and disabilities - but that isn't intended to detract from your uncle's situation. At least your uncle turned up; a lot of reservists didn't even respond to the Suez mobilisation AIUI.
No, Mr C, didn't think the for a moment. And yes, I too have heard of benefit claimants being 'barred' because they were physically unable to attend an interview. I was 18 at the time of Suez; worried that I could be serving too! Although still in VIth Form.
Completely agree with Mike on this. I laid Sunak several months back at a very good profit. The odds on Starmer remain very attractive.
Meanwhile across the Irish Sea it is beginning to look possible that Sinn Fein will win most seats in the Stormont elections on May 5th, meaning the first ever Sinn Fein First Minister of Northern Ireland. I was lampooned by a couple of people for suggesting this might happen but it's now a real possibility.
You can get 2/1 on a Irish unification before 01/01/24 with Betfair which I'm probably not tempted by as it's too soon (I think) but the chances of it happening in our lifetimes are immeasurably closer. I was told that this was no big deal. Well it is a big deal. A seismic shift in United Kingdom politics. The seeds of this go back a long way but there's no doubt that Boris Johnson's sell-out of Northern Ireland provides the immediate catalyst. He sacrificed the union for his own political aspirations.
2/1 on Irish unification seems rather short in that time frame. It is looking increasingly likely over time though.
Hmm. Current Tory attitude to Scottish indyref is "who cares if there is a majority of votes and seats for pro-indy, pro-referendum parties? We still say no, we won't let you even have a democratic referendum". Which will be that much harder to justify if the Nirish get one on exactly that basis. Unless they argue that NI is somehow different from the rest of the UK, which is precisely what they have been denying all along while mishandling this aspect of Brexit ...
It’s a poor error of judgement on their part and one, I suspect, they will come to regret as it will make Indy more, not less, likely.
No it won't.
Grant an indyref2 now and it would be at best 50% No 50% Yes.
Refuse an indyref2 now and that guarantees Scotland stays in the UK.
If there is an indyref2 it will be a Labour government reliant on SNP support who has to take the risk, as long as this Tory government remains in power it will never allow an indyref2 anyway
In the short term you get your wish in the medium term I think this makes Indy far more likely than 50/50.
No it doesn't, certainly from a Tory perspective as we will never grant an indyref2 we need to win anyway now.
If Labour get in and grant one then they would take the risk of losing it and have to hope the devomax etc they likely promise allows No to scrape home
Never is a long time and it was a Tory leader who granted the last one. Would it be such a disaster if one was held and yes won ? Far better to be good friends with Scotland than holding an increasingly unwilling nation in a union they increasingly want no part of as they see it being for their detriment.
You are doing the Nationalists work for them.
Weak appeasement. You are talking as if Yes is on 90% not barely 50% in current polls.
This government is rightly standing up to the Nationalists, they had their chance in 2014, they lost and they will not get another one while we Tories are in power. Tough.
The idea we would be good friends with an SNP led Scotland after independence too? Laughable. It would be a very bitter divorce which would make the current UK and EU relationship look friendly
If I’m honest I’m not really bothered if Scotland became a separate nation or not but I do think we could, and would, have a better relationship than now.
Absolutely not, before the Act of Union Scotland was England's oldest enemy after France.
If an indyref2 was granted and Scotland voted for independence it would be an extremely divisive relationship, not least with huge arguments over who has how much North Sea Oil, the military etc, questions over passports, Treasury funding etc.
It would be a bitter, bitter divorce and ramp up Nationalism even further on these islands. It would make Brexit and our EU relationship look friendly
We've been over this before. The Danes are an older enemy to England. I don't know why you keep forgetting it.
England fought more wars against Scotland and France than it ever did against Denmark. Scotland was certainly England's 2nd longest enemy before the Act of Union
Your problem is you still see the Scots as the enemy
Scottish Nationalists not all Scots
They are not an enemy, they just have a different view to you.
If you think Scottish Nationalists don't see English Tories like me as the enemy, I would like to have some of what you are smoking!
We don#t. We just see UK Tories as a serious threat to the nation.
This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
You should see the original plans for rebuilding Glasgow after WWII, which including razing the city centre (the greatest Victoria city in Europe - Betjeman), Speer and Germania had nothing on them. They still had a bloody good go, mind.
I must admit to a sneaking admiration of post war Town planners. There was a misplaced belief in the future, and that vibrant communities would thrive in these cities in the skies. Too much faith in human progress, I suppose, when it seems what is really wanted is a better facsimile of the past.
One thing I do see from Ukraine is that the Kruschevski concrete blocks of flats seem to have lasted better than our own 1950s and 60's blocks. At least until mother Russia came visiting.
Can you point to any evidence that such planners actually liked or understood humans, or were they just using them as some sort of funnel of reconstituted human fodder for their grand experiments, like liquidised meat in Subway's ham?
Sitting in the sun listening to some old Bob Marley songs and my sister called me. She asked me what I was listening to as it sounded perfect for such a sunny day. I told her it was the “Death in Paradise” bbc soundtrack and she said she’s going to buy it! Don’t know whether to tell her I lied.
This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
You should see the original plans for rebuilding Glasgow after WWII, which including razing the city centre (the greatest Victoria city in Europe - Betjeman), Speer and Germania had nothing on them. They still had a bloody good go, mind.
I must admit to a sneaking admiration of post war Town planners. There was a misplaced belief in the future, and that vibrant communities would thrive in these cities in the skies. Too much faith in human progress, I suppose, when it seems what is really wanted is a better facsimile of the past.
(Snip)
I have nothing but contempt for them. It was not a misplaced belief in the future: it was an ideology that got it wrong on so many levels.
It was not a faith in human 'progress'; it was a contempt for the common man.
In the 90's I used to come across OAP's who had been among the first residents of the 'New" Basildon. Many of them were proud that they had been, and of what the town was. Whereas those of us who grown up around it could only regret what could have been.
Completely agree with Mike on this. I laid Sunak several months back at a very good profit. The odds on Starmer remain very attractive.
Meanwhile across the Irish Sea it is beginning to look possible that Sinn Fein will win most seats in the Stormont elections on May 5th, meaning the first ever Sinn Fein First Minister of Northern Ireland. I was lampooned by a couple of people for suggesting this might happen but it's now a real possibility.
You can get 2/1 on a Irish unification before 01/01/24 with Betfair which I'm probably not tempted by as it's too soon (I think) but the chances of it happening in our lifetimes are immeasurably closer. I was told that this was no big deal. Well it is a big deal. A seismic shift in United Kingdom politics. The seeds of this go back a long way but there's no doubt that Boris Johnson's sell-out of Northern Ireland provides the immediate catalyst. He sacrificed the union for his own political aspirations.
2/1 on Irish unification seems rather short in that time frame. It is looking increasingly likely over time though.
Hmm. Current Tory attitude to Scottish indyref is "who cares if there is a majority of votes and seats for pro-indy, pro-referendum parties? We still say no, we won't let you even have a democratic referendum". Which will be that much harder to justify if the Nirish get one on exactly that basis. Unless they argue that NI is somehow different from the rest of the UK, which is precisely what they have been denying all along while mishandling this aspect of Brexit ...
It’s a poor error of judgement on their part and one, I suspect, they will come to regret as it will make Indy more, not less, likely.
No it won't.
Grant an indyref2 now and it would be at best 50% No 50% Yes.
Refuse an indyref2 now and that guarantees Scotland stays in the UK.
If there is an indyref2 it will be a Labour government reliant on SNP support who has to take the risk, as long as this Tory government remains in power it will never allow an indyref2 anyway
In the short term you get your wish in the medium term I think this makes Indy far more likely than 50/50.
Not an ounce of diplomacy or understanding, just a no or the tanks will be sent to Berwick
Not really, more that Scottish Independence does not matter provided he can blame Labour.
Oh it does matter and if we have Tory governments forever you can guarantee it will not happen as indyref2 will not be allowed.
Indyref2 it is clear will only ever happen now with a UK Labour government reliant on SNP support and if they allow it it will be on them to win it
So the Tories wouldn’t allow IndyRef2 in 20 years time? What about all that ‘generation’ nonsense?
No, Boris has said not for 40 years at the earliest
This is interesting, would like to see more of this. Tower blocks in Glasgow have gone through various revisions, originally the saviours of Gorbals dwellers (& seen as such by those folk), then sink holes for impoverished Glaswegians, now another revision seems in the pipeline. Getting away from knocking everything down & starting again would be a good move in any case I think.
Generally there seem to be very different attitudes to high rises. Paris (admittedly a city I hardly know) appears to see the banlieues as something to be forgotten about while Berlin seems to take some pride in them.
It depends how they are built and who they are aimed at. A friend was early into getting mortgages available for tower blocks in the UK - used to be that the big lenders wouldn't lend above floor X....
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
When I lived in New York, I never had the heating on in my apartment, even during the coldest days of winter. Indeed, rather the opposite, I had to crack at least one window most of the time to cool the place down. My energy consumption was highest in the hottest days of summer.
I know there is a theory that humans don't like living structures that fall outside our range of vision, i.e. tall structures beyond something like 6 storeys. But, I wonder. How does that theory mesh with the reality of high rent skyscrapers in NYC and other big cities. I don't recall any particular social horrors associated with buildings in nice neighbourhoods (although clearly there is little sense of community in the buildings).
I would always want to step out into my garden, big no from me
Sitting in the sun listening to some old Bob Marley songs and my sister called me. She asked me what I was listening to as it sounded perfect for such a sunny day. I told her it was the “Death in Paradise” bbc soundtrack and she said she’s going to buy it! Don’t know whether to tell her I lied.
Dilemma avoided - she’s not buying it but trying to find the same songs on Spotify….
#BREAKING Macron warns against verbal 'escalation' with Moscow after Biden labels Putin a 'butcher' over Ukraine
Replying to @AFP #UPDATE France's President Emmanuel #Macron warned on Sunday against a verbal "escalation" over Russia's invasion in #Ukraine, after US President Joe Biden branded Vladimir Putin a "butcher" who "cannot remain in power" http://u.afp.com/weZs
max seddon @maxseddon · 1h Russian deputy defense minister Yunus-Bek Evkurov gave a soldier who lost a leg fighting in Ukraine a medal yesterday and told him: “I hope you’ll get back on your feet”
One of my uncles lost a leg in Normandy. 100% medical discharge. At the time of Suez he was called up for a medical 'to see if he was now fit'.
Turned up on his crutches.
Shame he wasn’t living in Ancient Greece - he could have served as a Hoplite.
His elder brother, my father, was absolutely incandescent; all for calling on the Press, his MP etc. Uncle was more philosophical; just made sure he had to go on crutches along a route where he could be seen.
Apparently afterwards he could hear the sergeant who was supervising the reception swearing for some time!
HMG still try that today for "benefit" claimants from irreversible diseases and disabilities - but that isn't intended to detract from your uncle's situation. At least your uncle turned up; a lot of reservists didn't even respond to the Suez mobilisation AIUI.
No, Mr C, didn't think the for a moment. And yes, I too have heard of benefit claimants being 'barred' because they were physically unable to attend an interview. I was 18 at the time of Suez; worried that I could be serving too! Although still in VIth Form.
Just wondering, what arm of service was your uncle in? I assume infantry? And when did he lose his leg, if one might ask? Presumably they didn't want him for office work ...
Comments
* Cabinet allies of Johnson say Sunak is ‘privileged billionaire’
Strange to say both are correct for a change.
The demented social engineers who built unsafe "communal spaces" into their structures really achieved something special.
Apart from Boris showing he's Boss, what does all this tinkering achieve?
You're right, if it's on in future I can tune in.
Read that last word however you like.
The extent of the vaccine credit Trump deserves is underestimated.
https://mobile.twitter.com/BillHanage/status/1507907501240500224
From my review of Moonshot in the
@washingtonpost
. Last winter in the U.K. was really bad, but apparently there were more vaccines available there as a result of the failure of the Trump administration to use them here.
It usually devolves to the idea that people liking Edwardian houses are exhibiting "false consciousness"...
Best Picture Westside Story.
Best Actress Nicole Kidman.
Best Supporting Actor JK Simmonds
Best Cinematography. Ari Wegner
Replying to @AFP #UPDATE France's President Emmanuel #Macron warned on Sunday against a verbal "escalation" over Russia's invasion in #Ukraine, after US President Joe Biden branded Vladimir Putin a "butcher" who "cannot remain in power" http://u.afp.com/weZs
https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1508037168568143873
I guess he’s got to keep lines of communication open….
My step mother (Russian) has people on her facebook telling her that the Swedes* are just waiting to pounce on Russia if the Motherland is defeated. Yes, the Greater Swedish Empire is just waiting to be a born....
With thinking like that, Japan must seem like a real enemy...
*Among others, of course
Tough words, even if unwise, do not represent an escalation compared to, you know, actual warfare going on, and even compared to multiple threats of nuclear war already made from the other side.
I don't understand why anyone would say anything stupid (including the talk beforehand about talking about invasion making it more likely). Yes, as carlotta says, Macron is trying to keep communication open and that't not nothing, but it is still very stupid.
And I see Russia is moving ahead with threats of referendums on regions joining Russia, they really don't mix up the playbook much at all.
Is the centre of the model a really, really big dome?
I'm trying to remember the architect - apparently it was a "great pity" that his visions were never realised.
One of which was linear tower blocks, with motorways on the roof.
He lived in an Elizabethan manor house, where he played with mirror reflections with the ponds, and used his influence to ensure that no development happened within miles of the place.
I believe Nomadland won this last year
And they say the Oscars are dying?! Pff!
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/03/26/zurich-insurance-axes-z-logo-letter-becomes-putin-symbol/
I know there is a theory that humans don't like living structures that fall outside our range of vision, i.e. tall structures beyond something like 6 storeys. But, I wonder. How does that theory mesh with the reality of high rent skyscrapers in NYC and other big cities. I don't recall any particular social horrors associated with buildings in nice neighbourhoods (although clearly there is little sense of community in the buildings).
He’d be a dead man. Either via a palace coup, or because in desperation he kicked off nuclear Armageddon, killing us all
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plan_Voisin
That and not having a minority of very, very anti-social people living there helps, of course.
Imagine living in the same building as people who did this....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellahøj?msclkid=bb174062adce11eca19e3d74492ddb06
We'd previously lived in Vienna, where most housing was low-rise pre-war (even pre-century) bulidings, albeit roughly modernised inside, and we thought Bellahoj a huge step forward in terms of comfort and attractive views. We later moved to a standalone high-rise
https://www.lm-bolig.dk/sag/106-3409?mgl=2245&DID=135&udbudsform=salg&msclkid=3696a0f7add011ecb82058798331c3cb
which we thought was perfect - duplex top floor with two balconies and a glorious view, a full-time (fanatically pro-British) porter on the premises, district heating, 5 rooms, very inexpensive (still is - economies of scale, I suppose), with a town and station on one side and a village on the other. Takes all tastes, but I was amazed when I came back to Britain and found that high rise flats had a poor reputation. But we never had a bad neighbour, and of course that's crucial.
I think it was trying to be “there will be blood”. Similar period, grumpy main character, money, misery, sharp practice etc etc except Cumberbatch is no Daniel Day Lewis and was just a bit of a “meh” character. No menace or real deep complexity.
About an hour ago I thought there was makings of formulae, following Liz Truss comments today On the back of Moscow military comments yesterday, and the Zelinskyy government have already publicly stated for the record they are prepared to cede territory, pending referendum, that re draws the Map of Ukraine allowing the Liz Truss formulae for lifting sanctions, and peace and goodwill by Christmas 🍾
Still a defeat for Putin though, as what is left of Ukraine goes into EU. Moscow made one of the dumbest blunders in history to claim this as a crusade against Nazi’s, they were never going to achieve that. Though, to be honest with you, in the first few days I thought Zelenskyy government would be wiped out by missiles, and it was the first thought I had when I made my prayers and first thing in my head soon as I woke up ☹️
It’s just not a very good movie.
Don’t Look Up, for all of its cartoonish lefty politics and clunking allegory, was much funnier, cleverer, more interesting - and properly entertaining
*I know. This is Johnson, but even so.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FO2hxqeXIAgDudv?format=jpg&name=medium
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FO2hxqgXoAIe5OY?format=jpg&name=small
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FO2hxq1XIAQj2v_?format=jpg&name=small
Zorro has had a dreadful war.
Many years ago an Azerbaijani tried to bribe me (or, more precisely, my constituency party funds) to put their case in the Commons. I politely declined, so can take a High Moral Ground over the Tories' enthusiasm for relatives of rich foreign donors. I wonder if he got any takers?
One thing I do see from Ukraine is that the Kruschevski concrete blocks of flats seem to have lasted better than our own 1950s and 60's blocks. At least until mother Russia came visiting.
His threads on the economics of Russia are also fascinating reading
https://twitter.com/kamilkazani
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10655851/Nadhim-Zahawi-vows-never-close-schools-says-forcing-home-learning-mistake.html
Take 1 banana, slice and arrange on a margarita pizza then throw in the bin.
In the example I referred to, the alternative to the Bruce Plan was the Clyde Valley Regional Plan which involved moving much of Glasgow's population out to new towns. Most modern analysis believes that this was the major contributor to the Glasgow Effect, leaving as it did the older and less economically viable in the city. In practice the two visions kind of stumbled along in tandem to not necesarily the best effect; the M8 snaking through Glasgow is probably the main consequence of the Bruce Plan.
Still, Mother Glasgow endures.
Reminds me of the old rag mag joke about the XXXX who wouldn't eat fish fingers cos he didn't know where they had been ...
It was not a faith in human 'progress'; it was a contempt for the common man.
And yes, I too have heard of benefit claimants being 'barred' because they were physically unable to attend an interview.
I was 18 at the time of Suez; worried that I could be serving too! Although still in VIth Form.