Just reading up on the Hungarian election, which had both constituency's and a national list, so highbred FPTP and PR. but noticed this description that I don't think I have seen anywhere else?
'The candidate with the most valid votes in an individual constituency becomes a member of parliament. Votes that do not count toward an individual mandate count as fractional votes and are considered in the allocation of seats on the party’s state list.
All votes of the losing candidate and all votes of the winning candidate that were no longer necessary to win the seat (i.e. the number of votes remaining after deducting the votes of the candidate with the second highest number of votes plus one vote), shall be considered fractional votes. In allocating seats via the national list, the fractional votes cast for each constituency and the votes cast for the party list are taken into account.'
The idea that someone could look at Russia right now and say "hmm, maybe what's needed is a dictator" boggles me. It's the stupidest thing I've read on here (and I was here for when HYUFD claimed that you couldn't get from London to Cambridge without entering Essex).
The M11, the main road route from London to Cambridge, goes through Essex
The A10 does not.
So you can choose to go into Essex or not. Literally nobody thinks you can't possibly go through Essex, and only one person, you, thinks you HAVE to.
The M11 is still the main route to Cambridge from London.
So most drivers going from London to Cambridge will indeed drive through Essex
The M11 is almost always the fastest route. Anyone taking the A10 from Cambridge to London is fairly insane IMO - if they're not on a leisurely drive.
In fact, on a weekday outside rush hour, it can take as long to get to London from Royston as it can from Cambridge.
Nobody's saying it's best not to go into Essex. Only that saying you NEED to go into Essex is plainly wrong.
Well, with that justification you can say you could go via Norwich. Or via Birmingham. It's stupid sophistry.
Mrs J makes a similar journey (not quite into London). even with the advantage of living slightly nearer the A10 (via the A1198) than the M11, it was frequently quicker to do her journey via the M11. And it'll be even quicker when 7A opens.
So it's true to say you CAN, and it's true to say if you're driving you probably SHOULD. But it's not true to say you NEED to.
And all of this ignores the fact that you don't even have to drive. You could cycle (I don't recommend the M11), walk, take the train or a bus. Perhaps, since this was TSE, even a helicopter. I have no idea whether the normal flight path would take you over Essex, or how high you need to be above Essex before you're no longer "in" Essex.
HYUFD occasionally infuriates me as much as the next person. But using this argument against him is just stupid.
As it happens, when I walked from London to Cambridge, I went through Essex (via Harlow, Stansted Moutfitchet, Great Chesterford). And from memory the London to Cambridge bike ride does (did) too. So nya-nya-nya.
There's no nya nya nya available here, I've never said you can't! As it happens, I've also cycled from London to Cambridge. I don't remember exactly what route it was but the A10 was heavily involved so I think I PROBABLY didn't go into Essex on that trip. But I didn't mention that because it's not exactly a representative journey. I do wonder how many specifically London-Cambridge journeys are made by car or by rail, but I don't know of a data source to work that out. Not that it matters, I know I'm 100% right about this!
One thing I can say, whilst watching the boat race: I've never rowed from Cambridge to London.
There were plans to connect the Stort Navigation to Cambridge (the London and Cambridge Junction Canal), but it never materialised. A shame.
I've never rowed. It looks a bit horrible to me. All the drive force has to go through your arms, but it seems so unnatural because legs are stronger in general. I'd much prefer to see a pedalo race.
I was with a friend from the Balkans yesterday. He told me in all seriousness that he had contacted the Ukrainian embassy about enlisting in the foreign legion but as he had no prior experience they said not to do so.
He's not the most obvious person to enlist. A fairly affluent 30 something professional with no direct Ukrainian connections. The fact they felt able to turn him down makes me wonder. How many troops do they have? Several weeks ago now I remember someone saying it had become impossible to get a tax in Warsaw - most taxi drivers in Warsaw are Ukrainians who have been heading home to enlist. But the mind boggles as to how many reservists they will have to throw in. Can they kit them all out? Give them necessary training in a few weeks?
@Northern_Al I am seeking help for my addiction. Having refrained from responding to HYUFD I am sorely tempted as he is banging about this trip from London to Cambridge again even though he was shown to be wrong umpteen threads and 24 hours ago (talk about pot and kettle on not letting it drop).
I've tried a cold shower. Any other suggestions?
I am not wrong to the extent that the M11 remains the main driving route from London to Cambridge and goes through Essex.
It was also not me who restarted this but Farooq who mentioned it again
The idea that someone could look at Russia right now and say "hmm, maybe what's needed is a dictator" boggles me. It's the stupidest thing I've read on here (and I was here for when HYUFD claimed that you couldn't get from London to Cambridge without entering Essex).
The M11, the main road route from London to Cambridge, goes through Essex. The Cambridge boat race crew may even use it tonight
Just reading up on the Hungarian election, which had both constituency's and a national list, so highbred FPTP and PR. but noticed this description that I don't think I have seen anywhere else?
'The candidate with the most valid votes in an individual constituency becomes a member of parliament. Votes that do not count toward an individual mandate count as fractional votes and are considered in the allocation of seats on the party’s state list.
All votes of the losing candidate and all votes of the winning candidate that were no longer necessary to win the seat (i.e. the number of votes remaining after deducting the votes of the candidate with the second highest number of votes plus one vote), shall be considered fractional votes. In allocating seats via the national list, the fractional votes cast for each constituency and the votes cast for the party list are taken into account.'
Fancy way for Orban to rig up the election.
NYT ($) - In Hungary, Viktor Orban Remakes an Election to His Liking The populist prime minister, a hero to many American conservatives, has changed voting rules and legalized ‘voter tourism’ as he stands for re-election
. . . A Supermajority in Name Only To understand one of the ways Mr. Orban has reshaped democracy, consider this: When his political party, Fidesz, won the last two national elections, it received less than half the votes, yet still secured a two-thirds supermajority in Parliament. The supermajority has allowed Mr. Orban to ram through changes to the Constitution as part of his illiberal agenda.
The explanation lies in Hungary’s complex electoral system: The country is divided into 106 districts, each of which elects a member to Parliament, much like members of Congress are seated in the United States. But then another 93 seats are awarded to political parties based on a unique formula.
Mr. Orban changed that formula for handing out seats in dramatic fashion to benefit Fidesz. Parties that win big in the district elections can get extra seats — a move that is expected to pad Fidesz’s winning margin in Parliament if it realizes big wins in gerrymandered districts.
He has also made it harder for small parties to get any seats at all under the formula. But to counter him, Socialists, Greens, centrists, fiscal hawks and Christian conservatives have united behind the economist Peter Marki-Zay in a long shot bid to beat Mr. Orban, or at least shatter his supermajority since Mr. Marki-Zay has a six-party coalition behind him.
Mr. Laszlo, the independent election analyst, estimates that because of the gerrymandered districts and new election rules, the opposition will need to win by as much as six percentage points to unseat Mr. Orban. . . .
@Northern_Al I am seeking help for my addiction. Having refrained from responding to HYUFD I am sorely tempted as he is banging about this trip from London to Cambridge again even though he was shown to be wrong umpteen threads and 24 hours ago (talk about pot and kettle on not letting it drop).
I've tried a cold shower. Any other suggestions?
I am not wrong to the extent that the M11 remains the main driving route from London to Cambridge and goes through Essex
You're not wrong to the extent that you've switched from a false claim to a true one.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 3h If the atrocities being reported are verified, and there's evidence they're still being perpetrated, then we need to intervene directly and militarily in Ukraine. Whether a country is part of NATO is irrelevant. We don't stand back and allow the perpetration of genocide.
Just reading up on the Hungarian election, which had both constituency's and a national list, so highbred FPTP and PR. but noticed this description that I don't think I have seen anywhere else?
'The candidate with the most valid votes in an individual constituency becomes a member of parliament. Votes that do not count toward an individual mandate count as fractional votes and are considered in the allocation of seats on the party’s state list.
All votes of the losing candidate and all votes of the winning candidate that were no longer necessary to win the seat (i.e. the number of votes remaining after deducting the votes of the candidate with the second highest number of votes plus one vote), shall be considered fractional votes. In allocating seats via the national list, the fractional votes cast for each constituency and the votes cast for the party list are taken into account.'
Hi yes I think that's right. Japan also has a parallel FPTP/PR election (ie the PR doesn't compensate the FPTP unlike eg Germany/Scotland), I don't think anywhere else does this surplus votes calc. The previous Hungarian system (2 rounds!) was literally the most complex I've seen anywhere, not for the fainthearted.
The idea that someone could look at Russia right now and say "hmm, maybe what's needed is a dictator" boggles me. It's the stupidest thing I've read on here (and I was here for when HYUFD claimed that you couldn't get from London to Cambridge without entering Essex).
The M11, the main road route from London to Cambridge, goes through Essex
The A10 does not.
So you can choose to go into Essex or not. Literally nobody thinks you can't possibly go through Essex, and only one person, you, thinks you HAVE to.
The M11 is still the main route to Cambridge from London.
So most drivers going from London to Cambridge will indeed drive through Essex
So not all then? Therefore we can finally agree that you don't NEED to go through Essex after all. Whew, it was hard work but we finally got you there, and it only took you 24 hours. A new record for you. You could have walked from London to Cambridge in less time (and not set foot in Essex to boot)
The point remains most drivers would go from London to Cambridge via Essex. So TSE dismissing the county as somewhere he would never go to is wrong. For starters if he had driven or been driven to London and wanted to visit his alma mater he would almost certainly go through the county. Unless he wanted an exorbitantly long route
@Northern_Al I am seeking help for my addiction. Having refrained from responding to HYUFD I am sorely tempted as he is banging about this trip from London to Cambridge again even though he was shown to be wrong umpteen threads and 24 hours ago (talk about pot and kettle on not letting it drop).
I've tried a cold shower. Any other suggestions?
Get a life?
Who cares whether you go through Essex or not? Really. Have another cold shower.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 3h If the atrocities being reported are verified, and there's evidence they're still being perpetrated, then we need to intervene directly and militarily in Ukraine. Whether a country is part of NATO is irrelevant. We don't stand back and allow the perpetration of genocide.
The idea that someone could look at Russia right now and say "hmm, maybe what's needed is a dictator" boggles me. It's the stupidest thing I've read on here (and I was here for when HYUFD claimed that you couldn't get from London to Cambridge without entering Essex).
The M11, the main road route from London to Cambridge, goes through Essex
The A10 does not.
So you can choose to go into Essex or not. Literally nobody thinks you can't possibly go through Essex, and only one person, you, thinks you HAVE to.
The M11 is still the main route to Cambridge from London.
So most drivers going from London to Cambridge will indeed drive through Essex
The M11 is almost always the fastest route. Anyone taking the A10 from Cambridge to London is fairly insane IMO - if they're not on a leisurely drive.
In fact, on a weekday outside rush hour, it can take as long to get to London from Royston as it can from Cambridge.
Nobody's saying it's best not to go into Essex. Only that saying you NEED to go into Essex is plainly wrong.
Well, with that justification you can say you could go via Norwich. Or via Birmingham. It's stupid sophistry.
Mrs J makes a similar journey (not quite into London). even with the advantage of living slightly nearer the A10 (via the A1198) than the M11, it was frequently quicker to do her journey via the M11. And it'll be even quicker when 7A opens.
So it's true to say you CAN, and it's true to say if you're driving you probably SHOULD. But it's not true to say you NEED to.
And all of this ignores the fact that you don't even have to drive. You could cycle (I don't recommend the M11), walk, take the train or a bus. Perhaps, since this was TSE, even a helicopter. I have no idea whether the normal flight path would take you over Essex, or how high you need to be above Essex before you're no longer "in" Essex.
HYUFD occasionally infuriates me as much as the next person. But using this argument against him is just stupid.
As it happens, when I walked from London to Cambridge, I went through Essex (via Harlow, Stansted Moutfitchet, Great Chesterford). And from memory the London to Cambridge bike ride does (did) too. So nya-nya-nya.
There's no nya nya nya available here, I've never said you can't! As it happens, I've also cycled from London to Cambridge. I don't remember exactly what route it was but the A10 was heavily involved so I think I PROBABLY didn't go into Essex on that trip. But I didn't mention that because it's not exactly a representative journey. I do wonder how many specifically London-Cambridge journeys are made by car or by rail, but I don't know of a data source to work that out. Not that it matters, I know I'm 100% right about this!
One thing I can say, whilst watching the boat race: I've never rowed from Cambridge to London.
There were plans to connect the Stort Navigation to Cambridge (the London and Cambridge Junction Canal), but it never materialised. A shame.
I've never rowed. It looks a bit horrible to me. All the drive force has to go through your arms, but it seems so unnatural because legs are stronger in general. I'd much prefer to see a pedalo race.
An ex-colleague nearly got into the boat race (he was a reserve for the reserve (Goldie) crew or somesuch; I forget the details). Anyway, he was a keen rower, even after he left the uni and joined gainful employment. He actually said I'd be a really good rower because of all the walking I did, and that legs were more important than arms. He wanted me to join his rowing club.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 3h If the atrocities being reported are verified, and there's evidence they're still being perpetrated, then we need to intervene directly and militarily in Ukraine. Whether a country is part of NATO is irrelevant. We don't stand back and allow the perpetration of genocide.
How long before national newspapers and broadcasters are demanding something is done.
He seems to have forgotten Rwanda, Syria, much of Bosnia, Cambodia etc where we did very little when genocide was committed.
If a NATO nation is invaded then yes we have to take military action but in terms of Ukraine we just keep sending supplies, we don't go to WW3
The problem with the argument about "not going to WW3" is that it sets an arbitrary threshold that hands escalation dominance to Putin. Are you going to let him decide what level of support is acceptable?
Labour has not said what it would have done, other than a "windfall tax" on BP and Shell, who will have massive losses to offset anything Government could hit them with, because of their Russian write-offs.
It's said a few things tbf. More than necessary really. Just about the only advantage of opposition is you can criticize without having to run a parallel administration with alternative detailed policies. It'd be crazy to give that one advantage up.
I think this might be one reason for swing back. Opposing is easy. Criticise, rail, say that we are on the side of the voters etc etc. No one expects a full manifesto two years out. Poll leads result. Near the election it won’t wash. At some point you have to show your hand. And the media are duty bound to scrutinise both sides (all sides to include the minor parties). And some of the public who were projecting their ideas and hopes (a bit like Brexit) find out that they will be disappointed. Swing back. Not sure that will hold true this time round though. I think @Heathener is on to something with the 1997 redux. Not there yet though.
The Somerset and Frome MP David Warburton - suspended by the @Conservatives from the parliamentary party following allegations about his conduct in the #sundaytimes -has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital suffering from severe shock and stress, according to his wife Harriet
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/rebuild-our-cities Interesting article by a fella called Sean Thomas in the Speccie on urbanism. Strangely redolent of what we were talking about on here a week or two back. FWIW (/self-aggrandisment mode on/) I know a but about this sort of thing and agree with pretty much all of it. Apart from the bit about Newcastle being rainy. It's actually a comparatively dry city. In a rain shadow.
Precisely because Britain stood firm against Hitler, Britain took the full force of Hitler’s bombers. Contrast with France, which briskly surrendered, and thus escaped with many of its cities unscathed (this is one reason French urbanism seems so enviably gracious today).
I bet he got the Speccie readership standing up and saluting with that bit.
I was in Normandy recently where every major city and town was flattened by by bombs - American and British bombs - with huge loss of life. The official narrative is that these unfortunate but heroic people made the sacrifice for France. But that explanation seems very glib.
On the architectural point, the rebuilding of Le Havre is inspiring . There was nothing left of the city after the War. The government decided to use France's allocation of Marshall Aid to rebuild in a modernist style - concrete blocks and walkways as got such a bad reputation here after the 1960's. But because the architect Auguste Perret focused on making the dwellings light, spacious, comfortable and habitable, these are very desirable flats. The authorities also took the decision to make them a consistent size and quality, replacing what previously a mixture of large villas and cramped slums.
I genuinely don't understand why Labour are seen as more trusted on the economy. Since Starmer became leader two years ago they have had nothing to say on the subject and have not announced a single policy designed to control inflation or foster growth.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 3h If the atrocities being reported are verified, and there's evidence they're still being perpetrated, then we need to intervene directly and militarily in Ukraine. Whether a country is part of NATO is irrelevant. We don't stand back and allow the perpetration of genocide.
How long before national newspapers and broadcasters are demanding something is done.
He seems to have forgotten Rwanda, Syria, much of Bosnia, Cambodia etc where we did very little when genocide was committed.
If a NATO nation is invaded then yes we have to take military action but in terms of Ukraine we just keep sending supplies, we don't go to WW3
The problem with the argument about "not going to WW3" is that it sets an arbitrary threshold that hands escalation dominance to Putin. Are you going to let him decide what level of support is acceptable?
No. The red line remains if he invades a NATO nation
Is there a third place row-off for the teams that Oxford and Cambridge beat in the semifinals?
Very good point. The current set up is pompous and archaic beyond belief. There should be a national competition open to all universities to decide who gets the honour of racing against Oxford.
Perhaps Rishi should book a summer holiday in a b and b in Skegness, Southend, Scarborough, Margate or Blackpool. Then he can try and restore his man of the people image as the cost of living rises after the damage of his Easter break in his multi million dollar California apartment
But the real question that raises is why are Blackpool and Skegness the punchline of a joke on PB rather than thriving coastal resorts?
It would be ironic if the economy does for the Tories. It seems unfair really as so much of it is beyond their control. I'm not vindictive but it also seems unfair if Boris's downfall is for this, which will be no different to so many past PMs from either side, when he should have been brought down (although not necessarily the Conservatives) for so much more.
Not unfair IMO. Reasons given for current cost of living increases: 1. Covid 2. State of global economy 3. Russian invasion of Ukraine 4. Businesses making excessive profits 5. Conservative government economic policies 6. Brexit 7. Net Zero (50% think this)
Most of these, except Brexit and government policies, are outside the control of government. But government can be assessed not to have taken adequate measures to mitigate the economic effect of these shocks. Or to have made them actually worse.
2. Is simply the product of 1. and 3. surely?
My order would be:
1. Covid 2. Russian invasion of Ukraine 3. Brexit 4. Conservative government economic policies 5. Greedy wealth accumulators lining their pockets and not doing anything productive with their wealth 6. Net Zero
The idea that someone could look at Russia right now and say "hmm, maybe what's needed is a dictator" boggles me. It's the stupidest thing I've read on here (and I was here for when HYUFD claimed that you couldn't get from London to Cambridge without entering Essex).
The M11, the main road route from London to Cambridge, goes through Essex
The A10 does not.
So you can choose to go into Essex or not. Literally nobody thinks you can't possibly go through Essex, and only one person, you, thinks you HAVE to.
The M11 is still the main route to Cambridge from London.
So most drivers going from London to Cambridge will indeed drive through Essex
The M11 is almost always the fastest route. Anyone taking the A10 from Cambridge to London is fairly insane IMO - if they're not on a leisurely drive.
In fact, on a weekday outside rush hour, it can take as long to get to London from Royston as it can from Cambridge.
Nobody's saying it's best not to go into Essex. Only that saying you NEED to go into Essex is plainly wrong.
Well, with that justification you can say you could go via Norwich. Or via Birmingham. It's stupid sophistry.
Mrs J makes a similar journey (not quite into London). even with the advantage of living slightly nearer the A10 (via the A1198) than the M11, it was frequently quicker to do her journey via the M11. And it'll be even quicker when 7A opens.
So it's true to say you CAN, and it's true to say if you're driving you probably SHOULD. But it's not true to say you NEED to.
And all of this ignores the fact that you don't even have to drive. You could cycle (I don't recommend the M11), walk, take the train or a bus. Perhaps, since this was TSE, even a helicopter. I have no idea whether the normal flight path would take you over Essex, or how high you need to be above Essex before you're no longer "in" Essex.
HYUFD occasionally infuriates me as much as the next person. But using this argument against him is just stupid.
As it happens, when I walked from London to Cambridge, I went through Essex (via Harlow, Stansted Moutfitchet, Great Chesterford). And from memory the London to Cambridge bike ride does (did) too. So nya-nya-nya.
There's no nya nya nya available here, I've never said you can't! As it happens, I've also cycled from London to Cambridge. I don't remember exactly what route it was but the A10 was heavily involved so I think I PROBABLY didn't go into Essex on that trip. But I didn't mention that because it's not exactly a representative journey. I do wonder how many specifically London-Cambridge journeys are made by car or by rail, but I don't know of a data source to work that out. Not that it matters, I know I'm 100% right about this!
One thing I can say, whilst watching the boat race: I've never rowed from Cambridge to London.
There were plans to connect the Stort Navigation to Cambridge (the London and Cambridge Junction Canal), but it never materialised. A shame.
I've never rowed. It looks a bit horrible to me. All the drive force has to go through your arms, but it seems so unnatural because legs are stronger in general. I'd much prefer to see a pedalo race.
You do realise the seats are on little slidey things? Your arms are just linkage
The idea that someone could look at Russia right now and say "hmm, maybe what's needed is a dictator" boggles me. It's the stupidest thing I've read on here (and I was here for when HYUFD claimed that you couldn't get from London to Cambridge without entering Essex).
The M11, the main road route from London to Cambridge, goes through Essex. The Cambridge boat race crew may even use it tonight
I genuinely don't understand why Labour are seen as more trusted on the economy. Since Starmer became leader two years ago they have had nothing to say on the subject and have not announced a single policy designed to control inflation or foster growth.
Because he doesn't have to be any good, just less untrustworthy than a man who has had to admit to misleading the House and breaking a promise on NI?
The idea that someone could look at Russia right now and say "hmm, maybe what's needed is a dictator" boggles me. It's the stupidest thing I've read on here (and I was here for when HYUFD claimed that you couldn't get from London to Cambridge without entering Essex).
The M11, the main road route from London to Cambridge, goes through Essex. The Cambridge boat race crew may even use it tonight
Really? Wouldn't some kind of waterway be of more value?
The idea that someone could look at Russia right now and say "hmm, maybe what's needed is a dictator" boggles me. It's the stupidest thing I've read on here (and I was here for when HYUFD claimed that you couldn't get from London to Cambridge without entering Essex).
The M11, the main road route from London to Cambridge, goes through Essex. The Cambridge boat race crew may even use it tonight
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/rebuild-our-cities Interesting article by a fella called Sean Thomas in the Speccie on urbanism. Strangely redolent of what we were talking about on here a week or two back. FWIW (/self-aggrandisment mode on/) I know a but about this sort of thing and agree with pretty much all of it. Apart from the bit about Newcastle being rainy. It's actually a comparatively dry city. In a rain shadow.
Precisely because Britain stood firm against Hitler, Britain took the full force of Hitler’s bombers. Contrast with France, which briskly surrendered, and thus escaped with many of its cities unscathed (this is one reason French urbanism seems so enviably gracious today).
I bet he got the Speccie readership standing up and saluting with that bit.
I was in Normandy recently where every major city and town was flattened by by bombs - American and British bombs - with huge loss of life. The official narrative is that these unfortunate but heroic people made the sacrifice for France. But that explanation seems very glib.
On the architectural point, the rebuilding of Le Havre is inspiring . There was nothing left of the city after the War. The government decided to use France's allocation of Marshall Aid to rebuild in a modernist style - concrete blocks and walkways as got such a bad reputation here after the 1960's. But because the architect Auguste Perret focused on making the dwellings light, spacious, comfortable and habitable, these are very desirable flats. The authorities also took the decision to make them a consistent size and quality, replacing what previously a mixture of large villas and cramped slums.
They still look horrible, even with a blue sky and sunshine. In the rain, I suspect they look even worse.
The idea that someone could look at Russia right now and say "hmm, maybe what's needed is a dictator" boggles me. It's the stupidest thing I've read on here (and I was here for when HYUFD claimed that you couldn't get from London to Cambridge without entering Essex).
The M11, the main road route from London to Cambridge, goes through Essex
The A10 does not.
So you can choose to go into Essex or not. Literally nobody thinks you can't possibly go through Essex, and only one person, you, thinks you HAVE to.
The M11 is still the main route to Cambridge from London.
So most drivers going from London to Cambridge will indeed drive through Essex
The M11 is almost always the fastest route. Anyone taking the A10 from Cambridge to London is fairly insane IMO - if they're not on a leisurely drive.
In fact, on a weekday outside rush hour, it can take as long to get to London from Royston as it can from Cambridge.
Nobody's saying it's best not to go into Essex. Only that saying you NEED to go into Essex is plainly wrong.
Well, with that justification you can say you could go via Norwich. Or via Birmingham. It's stupid sophistry.
Mrs J makes a similar journey (not quite into London). even with the advantage of living slightly nearer the A10 (via the A1198) than the M11, it was frequently quicker to do her journey via the M11. And it'll be even quicker when 7A opens.
So it's true to say you CAN, and it's true to say if you're driving you probably SHOULD. But it's not true to say you NEED to.
And all of this ignores the fact that you don't even have to drive. You could cycle (I don't recommend the M11), walk, take the train or a bus. Perhaps, since this was TSE, even a helicopter. I have no idea whether the normal flight path would take you over Essex, or how high you need to be above Essex before you're no longer "in" Essex.
HYUFD occasionally infuriates me as much as the next person. But using this argument against him is just stupid.
As it happens, when I walked from London to Cambridge, I went through Essex (via Harlow, Stansted Moutfitchet, Great Chesterford). And from memory the London to Cambridge bike ride does (did) too. So nya-nya-nya.
There's no nya nya nya available here, I've never said you can't! As it happens, I've also cycled from London to Cambridge. I don't remember exactly what route it was but the A10 was heavily involved so I think I PROBABLY didn't go into Essex on that trip. But I didn't mention that because it's not exactly a representative journey. I do wonder how many specifically London-Cambridge journeys are made by car or by rail, but I don't know of a data source to work that out. Not that it matters, I know I'm 100% right about this!
One thing I can say, whilst watching the boat race: I've never rowed from Cambridge to London.
There were plans to connect the Stort Navigation to Cambridge (the London and Cambridge Junction Canal), but it never materialised. A shame.
I've never rowed. It looks a bit horrible to me. All the drive force has to go through your arms, but it seems so unnatural because legs are stronger in general. I'd much prefer to see a pedalo race.
You do realise the seats are on little slidey things? Your arms are just linkage
Yes, I understand that, and I was careful to say all the drive force goes through your arms, not necessarily generated by your arms. I may still be wrong, I've never tried it, but it looks to me like the the slidy seat is for the purpose of keeping your arms from having to flex too much, to maximise the power your arms can generate? But still every Newton of force through the oars has to go through your arms too, no?
The Somerset and Frome MP David Warburton - suspended by the @Conservatives from the parliamentary party following allegations about his conduct in the #sundaytimes -has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital suffering from severe shock and stress, according to his wife Harriet
Perhaps Rishi should book a summer holiday in a b and b in Skegness, Southend, Scarborough, Margate or Blackpool. Then he can try and restore his man of the people image as the cost of living rises after the damage of his Easter break in his multi million dollar California apartment
But the real question that raises is why are Blackpool and Skegness the punchline of a joke on PB rather than thriving coastal resorts?
Last few years I've spent one long weekend per year in Blackpool.
Staying at The Imperial is great for political geeks, last time my suite was the same suite that President Clinton had stayed in.
Took the other half up the Blackpool tower, there's a Sealife, and you cannot beat walking down the promenade whilst eating candy floss and phallic and breast shaped sweets.
I heartily recommend a break in Blackpool, had a great meal in the White Tower.
Perhaps Rishi should book a summer holiday in a b and b in Skegness, Southend, Scarborough, Margate or Blackpool. Then he can try and restore his man of the people image as the cost of living rises after the damage of his Easter break in his multi million dollar California apartment
But the real question that raises is why are Blackpool and Skegness the punchline of a joke on PB rather than thriving coastal resorts?
To be fair they were until cheap flights to Spain arrived in the 1970s. They may be again if the cost of living crisis and high cost air fares make foreign travel again too expensive for many, even if there is less guarantee of sun there than the Costas in summer
I genuinely don't understand why Labour are seen as more trusted on the economy. Since Starmer became leader two years ago they have had nothing to say on the subject and have not announced a single policy designed to control inflation or foster growth.
Actually, Labour has announced several policies designed to foster growth and improve productivity. Do your own research, but they're not hard to find. Less to say on controlling inflation, admittedly.
I genuinely don't understand why Labour are seen as more trusted on the economy. Since Starmer became leader two years ago they have had nothing to say on the subject and have not announced a single policy designed to control inflation or foster growth.
I don't think the 'trust X on Y' scores ever make a great deal of sense. There's the longstanding joke that only the Tories could get away with doing major things on defence, or Labour on the NHS, irrespetive of whether their policies justify it.
On trusting on the economy in particular I don't feel particularly qualified to know how to judge whether a party would be any good on it, and then you add on the unknown quantity of who would be in charge, and how to judge ministerial or shadow ministerial performance.
So it doesn't matter massively what you say, so long as you don't make yourself look like dangerous idiots, just sound vaguely competent and if people are leaning toward you they'll start to trust you on it.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 3h If the atrocities being reported are verified, and there's evidence they're still being perpetrated, then we need to intervene directly and militarily in Ukraine. Whether a country is part of NATO is irrelevant. We don't stand back and allow the perpetration of genocide.
How long before national newspapers and broadcasters are demanding something is done.
He seems to have forgotten Rwanda, Syria, much of Bosnia, Cambodia etc where we did very little when genocide was committed.
If a NATO nation is invaded then yes we have to take military action but in terms of Ukraine we just keep sending supplies, we don't go to WW3
The problem with the argument about "not going to WW3" is that it sets an arbitrary threshold that hands escalation dominance to Putin. Are you going to let him decide what level of support is acceptable?
No. The red line remains if he invades a NATO nation
Only an invasion? And the red line for what specifically?
I genuinely don't understand why Labour are seen as more trusted on the economy. Since Starmer became leader two years ago they have had nothing to say on the subject and have not announced a single policy designed to control inflation or foster growth.
Let us be frank, the things you don't understand could fill several hundred warehouses.
The Somerset and Frome MP David Warburton - suspended by the @Conservatives from the parliamentary party following allegations about his conduct in the #sundaytimes -has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital suffering from severe shock and stress, according to his wife Harriet https://twitter.com/iainjwatson/status/1510618374883225610
Mental health is a serious issue and sadly is becoming very common
Anyway, I am back up North tomorrow am. I have been a city girl most of my life - Naples, London, Bristol, Paris - with childhood holidays in very rural Ireland. I love cities.
And, yet, I feel trapped in London in a way I have never done before. I look out of the window and see buildings. Even though on the top floor I can see across London to the Surrey hills the view is still of buildings. And my soul dies a little. Everywhere I look out of my home up North I see sea and sky and mountains and valleys so sumptuous in their colours it makes my heart fit to burst. And the bird song. Plus the moon at night and stars, lots of them. I really miss it. I cannot wait to get back.
I never thought I would feel this way. Can people change quite so much? Or maybe I have secretly always been a solitary misanthrope?
There is something about the natural world which my mind, my soul needs, I think, to feel whole. No other way to explain it.
Plus - mad as it is - I love driving by myself. Nothing better than to have the music on very loud - and have some really strong music on to get the blood racing. Just f***ing awesome.
Still in May I shall be speaking at a big conference in London. If you're very good I may tell you about it and you can come and enthusiastically applaud. 😀
It would be ironic if the economy does for the Tories. It seems unfair really as so much of it is beyond their control. I'm not vindictive but it also seems unfair if Boris's downfall is for this, which will be no different to so many past PMs from either side, when he should have been brought down (although not necessarily the Conservatives) for so much more.
Not unfair IMO. Reasons given for current cost of living increases: 1. Covid 2. State of global economy 3. Russian invasion of Ukraine 4. Businesses making excessive profits 5. Conservative government economic policies 6. Brexit 7. Net Zero (50% think this)
Most of these, except Brexit and government policies, are outside the control of government. But government can be assessed not to have taken adequate measures to mitigate the economic effect of these shocks. Or to have made them actually worse.
2. Is simply the product of 1. and 3. surely?
My order would be:
1. Covid 2. Russian invasion of Ukraine 3. Brexit 4. Conservative government economic policies 5. Greedy wealth accumulators lining their pockets and not doing anything productive with their wealth 6. Net Zero
Net Zero is an interesting one. In principle you only need a policy because it's something people wouldn't do ordinarily. ie the easier and cheaper option doesn't work so you need a policy to enforce a more difficult and expensive, but better, alternative. However the unexpected increases in the cost of fossil fuels means renewable energy is now actually cheaper. We wouldn't have the cheaper alternatives if the polciy hadn't been initiated. Equally it doesn't make sense at this point to argue against Net Zero on cost grounds.
I genuinely don't understand why Labour are seen as more trusted on the economy. Since Starmer became leader two years ago they have had nothing to say on the subject and have not announced a single policy designed to control inflation or foster growth.
I don't think the 'trust X on Y' scores ever make a great deal of sense. There's the longstanding joke that only the Tories could get away with doing major things on defence, or Labour on the NHS, irrespetive of whether their policies justify it.
On trusting on the economy in particular I don't feel particularly qualified to know how to judge whether a party would be any good on it, and then you add on the unknown quantity of who would be in charge, and how to judge ministerial or shadow ministerial performance.
So it doesn't matter massively what you say, so long as you don't make yourself look like dangerous idiots, just sound vaguely competent and if people are leaning toward you they'll start to trust you on it.
They will and then find to their dismay that they shouldn't have done so.
The idea that someone could look at Russia right now and say "hmm, maybe what's needed is a dictator" boggles me. It's the stupidest thing I've read on here (and I was here for when HYUFD claimed that you couldn't get from London to Cambridge without entering Essex).
The M11, the main road route from London to Cambridge, goes through Essex
The A10 does not.
So you can choose to go into Essex or not. Literally nobody thinks you can't possibly go through Essex, and only one person, you, thinks you HAVE to.
The M11 is still the main route to Cambridge from London.
So most drivers going from London to Cambridge will indeed drive through Essex
The M11 is almost always the fastest route. Anyone taking the A10 from Cambridge to London is fairly insane IMO - if they're not on a leisurely drive.
In fact, on a weekday outside rush hour, it can take as long to get to London from Royston as it can from Cambridge.
Nobody's saying it's best not to go into Essex. Only that saying you NEED to go into Essex is plainly wrong.
Well, with that justification you can say you could go via Norwich. Or via Birmingham. It's stupid sophistry.
Mrs J makes a similar journey (not quite into London). even with the advantage of living slightly nearer the A10 (via the A1198) than the M11, it was frequently quicker to do her journey via the M11. And it'll be even quicker when 7A opens.
So it's true to say you CAN, and it's true to say if you're driving you probably SHOULD. But it's not true to say you NEED to.
And all of this ignores the fact that you don't even have to drive. You could cycle (I don't recommend the M11), walk, take the train or a bus. Perhaps, since this was TSE, even a helicopter. I have no idea whether the normal flight path would take you over Essex, or how high you need to be above Essex before you're no longer "in" Essex.
HYUFD occasionally infuriates me as much as the next person. But using this argument against him is just stupid.
As it happens, when I walked from London to Cambridge, I went through Essex (via Harlow, Stansted Moutfitchet, Great Chesterford). And from memory the London to Cambridge bike ride does (did) too. So nya-nya-nya.
There's no nya nya nya available here, I've never said you can't! As it happens, I've also cycled from London to Cambridge. I don't remember exactly what route it was but the A10 was heavily involved so I think I PROBABLY didn't go into Essex on that trip. But I didn't mention that because it's not exactly a representative journey. I do wonder how many specifically London-Cambridge journeys are made by car or by rail, but I don't know of a data source to work that out. Not that it matters, I know I'm 100% right about this!
One thing I can say, whilst watching the boat race: I've never rowed from Cambridge to London.
There were plans to connect the Stort Navigation to Cambridge (the London and Cambridge Junction Canal), but it never materialised. A shame.
I've never rowed. It looks a bit horrible to me. All the drive force has to go through your arms, but it seems so unnatural because legs are stronger in general. I'd much prefer to see a pedalo race.
You do realise the seats are on little slidey things? Your arms are just linkage
Yes, I understand that, and I was careful to say all the drive force goes through your arms, not necessarily generated by your arms. I may still be wrong, I've never tried it, but it looks to me like the the slidy seat is for the purpose of keeping your arms from having to flex too much, to maximise the power your arms can generate? But still every Newton of force through the oars has to go through your arms too, no?
From my dim memory of trying such rowing many years ago one afternoon, the issue is one of arc of movement of the oar as much as force. The arms can only move so far, and stretching the legs and bending the body back on the little trolley seat produces much of the movement and force - the arms are relatively passive for, I think but cannot remember for sure, the latter part of the power stroke.
The Somerset and Frome MP David Warburton - suspended by the @Conservatives from the parliamentary party following allegations about his conduct in the #sundaytimes -has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital suffering from severe shock and stress, according to his wife Harriet
' "severe shock and stress" is typically what happens when you rail enough coke to give an elephant a heart attack'
While BigG is correct about mental health being a serious matter, and sympathy should therefore be offered, I think people can be forgiven for being at least a tad suspicious - if you've never encountered the situation of someone having done something wrong at, say, your employer, and very conincidentally suddenly they are signed off unwell at the very moment things would be looked into, well, lucky for you.
It would be ironic if the economy does for the Tories. It seems unfair really as so much of it is beyond their control. I'm not vindictive but it also seems unfair if Boris's downfall is for this, which will be no different to so many past PMs from either side, when he should have been brought down (although not necessarily the Conservatives) for so much more.
Not unfair IMO. Reasons given for current cost of living increases: 1. Covid 2. State of global economy 3. Russian invasion of Ukraine 4. Businesses making excessive profits 5. Conservative government economic policies 6. Brexit 7. Net Zero (50% think this)
Most of these, except Brexit and government policies, are outside the control of government. But government can be assessed not to have taken adequate measures to mitigate the economic effect of these shocks. Or to have made them actually worse.
2. Is simply the product of 1. and 3. surely?
My order would be:
1. Covid 2. Russian invasion of Ukraine 3. Brexit 4. Conservative government economic policies 5. Greedy wealth accumulators lining their pockets and not doing anything productive with their wealth 6. Net Zero
1. A 25% increase in M2 money supply since 2020, plus the Cantillon Effect.
It turns out that printing lots and lots of money has consequences.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 3h If the atrocities being reported are verified, and there's evidence they're still being perpetrated, then we need to intervene directly and militarily in Ukraine. Whether a country is part of NATO is irrelevant. We don't stand back and allow the perpetration of genocide.
How long before national newspapers and broadcasters are demanding something is done.
It is fundamentally about public opinion. If it moves enough, then it is possible. But I don't know if the will is really there, even with all these atrocities.
Labour has not said what it would have done, other than a "windfall tax" on BP and Shell, who will have massive losses to offset anything Government could hit them with, because of their Russian write-offs.
Indeed Labour has not said what it would have done, other than a windfall tax, reversing universal credit cuts, providing local councils with further funding, extending the business rate holiday for hospitality, a British recovery bond, and start up loans for 100k new businesses.
It really is time for Labour to start telling us what they would do.......
Maybe not a lot can be done. We've been living off pixie gold for a couple of decades now (well before Covid), and perhaps the hangover is inevitable.
Sunak is floundering becuase he's overpromoted and underprepared for the job he now has, but I don't think there's anyone else on the blue team with the stature and fresh ideas to do better. (Especially since the one quickish fix is the one that's heresy to a large chunk of the Conservative party. Know what I mean?)
And if Labour can't stop the lean years, I suspect that they're better trusted to lead us with more kindness, competence and integrity.
That's what I think actually. It's not a viable political sell but I think we have a long period of relative decline ahead of us and the domestic challenge is more share of cake than size of.
Size of is critical even if it is the choice of a smaller cake versus a much smaller one. I think the cake can start getting bigger in a few years as long as "events" don't continue to intrude.
Guess I'm talking relatively. But all is relative, so I think that's the meaningful measure. So, crystal ball, for the next few decades, I see us, quite rightly in many ways, getting poorer compared to most other parts of the world, but then - my preference now rather a prediction - organizing ourselves such that our distribution of wealth is flatter than it is now. This, for me, is the best realistic future we have.
It's not going to be a great few years for anyone in the world, economically. The globalisation-led growth of the last two decades was a bit of a mirage, but did allow us to support a state based on a narrower and narrower tax base. Covid and war are both expensive in themselves but will also see a less globalised world emerging. I would predict that out of this, in the medium term Britain will grow less but get more equitable - which for most of us will actually feel like richer. I'd also predict that Britain will do OK compared to the rest of the world. I think the end of growth is near for China, and that the brakes will also come on, less dramatically, for the rest of the far East. Europe will slow down. The Americas will do well. MENA will grind to a halt as the world moves away from oil. Sub-Saharan Africa will see the relative success stories of the next 15 years, albeit very patchily and from a horribly low base.
If we go back to the good old days of making things ourselves instead of importing them from China, it would help both economically and socially.
Anyway, I am back up North tomorrow am. I have been a city girl most of my life - Naples, London, Bristol, Paris - with childhood holidays in very rural Ireland. I love cities.
And, yet, I feel trapped in London in a way I have never done before. I look out of the window and see buildings. Even though on the top floor I can see across London to the Surrey hills the view is still of buildings. And my soul dies a little. Everywhere I look out of my home up North I see sea and sky and mountains and valleys so sumptuous in their colours it makes my heart fit to burst. And the bird song. Plus the moon at night and stars, lots of them. I really miss it. I cannot wait to get back.
I never thought I would feel this way. Can people change quite so much? Or maybe I have secretly always been a solitary misanthrope?
There is something about the natural world which my mind, my soul needs, I think, to feel whole. No other way to explain it.
Plus - mad as it is - I love driving by myself. Nothing better than to have the music on very loud - and have some really strong music on to get the blood racing. Just f***ing awesome.
Still in May I shall be speaking at a big conference in London. If you're very good I may tell you about it and you can come and enthusiastically applaud. 😀
I only ever applaud in a restrained, dignified manner I'm afraid, but for a price I am willing to abandon principles and begin a standing ovation, should the situation be appropriate.
Is there a third place row-off for the teams that Oxford and Cambridge beat in the semifinals?
You mean there are other universities?
Hull, for a start...
Glasgow, Glasgow Caledonian, Edinburgh, St Andrews, etc. ... all have rowing clubs IIRC.
University of Washington says hello
The Seattle one, with the Burke Museum on campus? Doesn't surprise me, with the water interdigitating with the land. Went to a conference, sorry convention, years back and had a look around the place with the spare time (it being much cheaper to spend a whole week for some reason).
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/rebuild-our-cities Interesting article by a fella called Sean Thomas in the Speccie on urbanism. Strangely redolent of what we were talking about on here a week or two back. FWIW (/self-aggrandisment mode on/) I know a but about this sort of thing and agree with pretty much all of it. Apart from the bit about Newcastle being rainy. It's actually a comparatively dry city. In a rain shadow.
Precisely because Britain stood firm against Hitler, Britain took the full force of Hitler’s bombers. Contrast with France, which briskly surrendered, and thus escaped with many of its cities unscathed (this is one reason French urbanism seems so enviably gracious today).
I bet he got the Speccie readership standing up and saluting with that bit.
I was in Normandy recently where every major city and town was flattened by by bombs - American and British bombs - with huge loss of life. The official narrative is that these unfortunate but heroic people made the sacrifice for France. But that explanation seems very glib.
On the architectural point, the rebuilding of Le Havre is inspiring . There was nothing left of the city after the War. The government decided to use France's allocation of Marshall Aid to rebuild in a modernist style - concrete blocks and walkways as got such a bad reputation here after the 1960's. But because the architect Auguste Perret focused on making the dwellings light, spacious, comfortable and habitable, these are very desirable flats. The authorities also took the decision to make them a consistent size and quality, replacing what previously a mixture of large villas and cramped slums.
That could almost be a contemporary architect's rendering of a modern development.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 3h If the atrocities being reported are verified, and there's evidence they're still being perpetrated, then we need to intervene directly and militarily in Ukraine. Whether a country is part of NATO is irrelevant. We don't stand back and allow the perpetration of genocide.
How long before national newspapers and broadcasters are demanding something is done.
He seems to have forgotten Rwanda, Syria, much of Bosnia, Cambodia etc where we did very little when genocide was committed.
If a NATO nation is invaded then yes we have to take military action but in terms of Ukraine we just keep sending supplies, we don't go to WW3
The problem with the argument about "not going to WW3" is that it sets an arbitrary threshold that hands escalation dominance to Putin. Are you going to let him decide what level of support is acceptable?
No. The red line remains if he invades a NATO nation
Only an invasion? And the red line for what specifically?
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/rebuild-our-cities Interesting article by a fella called Sean Thomas in the Speccie on urbanism. Strangely redolent of what we were talking about on here a week or two back. FWIW (/self-aggrandisment mode on/) I know a but about this sort of thing and agree with pretty much all of it. Apart from the bit about Newcastle being rainy. It's actually a comparatively dry city. In a rain shadow.
Precisely because Britain stood firm against Hitler, Britain took the full force of Hitler’s bombers. Contrast with France, which briskly surrendered, and thus escaped with many of its cities unscathed (this is one reason French urbanism seems so enviably gracious today).
I bet he got the Speccie readership standing up and saluting with that bit.
I was in Normandy recently where every major city and town was flattened by by bombs - American and British bombs - with huge loss of life. The official narrative is that these unfortunate but heroic people made the sacrifice for France. But that explanation seems very glib.
On the architectural point, the rebuilding of Le Havre is inspiring . There was nothing left of the city after the War. The government decided to use France's allocation of Marshall Aid to rebuild in a modernist style - concrete blocks and walkways as got such a bad reputation here after the 1960's. But because the architect Auguste Perret focused on making the dwellings light, spacious, comfortable and habitable, these are very desirable flats. The authorities also took the decision to make them a consistent size and quality, replacing what previously a mixture of large villas and cramped slums.
That could almost be a contemporary architect's rendering of a modern development.
Just reading up on the Hungarian election, which had both constituency's and a national list, so highbred FPTP and PR. but noticed this description that I don't think I have seen anywhere else?
'The candidate with the most valid votes in an individual constituency becomes a member of parliament. Votes that do not count toward an individual mandate count as fractional votes and are considered in the allocation of seats on the party’s state list.
All votes of the losing candidate and all votes of the winning candidate that were no longer necessary to win the seat (i.e. the number of votes remaining after deducting the votes of the candidate with the second highest number of votes plus one vote), shall be considered fractional votes. In allocating seats via the national list, the fractional votes cast for each constituency and the votes cast for the party list are taken into account.'
Fancy way for Orban to rig up the election.
NYT ($) - In Hungary, Viktor Orban Remakes an Election to His Liking The populist prime minister, a hero to many American conservatives, has changed voting rules and legalized ‘voter tourism’ as he stands for re-election
. . . A Supermajority in Name Only To understand one of the ways Mr. Orban has reshaped democracy, consider this: When his political party, Fidesz, won the last two national elections, it received less than half the votes, yet still secured a two-thirds supermajority in Parliament. The supermajority has allowed Mr. Orban to ram through changes to the Constitution as part of his illiberal agenda.
The explanation lies in Hungary’s complex electoral system: The country is divided into 106 districts, each of which elects a member to Parliament, much like members of Congress are seated in the United States. But then another 93 seats are awarded to political parties based on a unique formula.
Mr. Orban changed that formula for handing out seats in dramatic fashion to benefit Fidesz. Parties that win big in the district elections can get extra seats — a move that is expected to pad Fidesz’s winning margin in Parliament if it realizes big wins in gerrymandered districts.
He has also made it harder for small parties to get any seats at all under the formula. But to counter him, Socialists, Greens, centrists, fiscal hawks and Christian conservatives have united behind the economist Peter Marki-Zay in a long shot bid to beat Mr. Orban, or at least shatter his supermajority since Mr. Marki-Zay has a six-party coalition behind him.
Mr. Laszlo, the independent election analyst, estimates that because of the gerrymandered districts and new election rules, the opposition will need to win by as much as six percentage points to unseat Mr. Orban. . . .
I totally see haw the voting system will lead to the wining party being able to get a two thirds majority (supper majority) in parliament with less than 50% of the vote. and fully see why the 6 main opposition party's have had to form a big coalition to challenge him. What I don't get is why the opposition would need to win by 6% (or 4% as others have stated) is it more complex? are the constituencies diffent sizes? or something else?
Perhaps Rishi should book a summer holiday in a b and b in Skegness, Southend, Scarborough, Margate or Blackpool. Then he can try and restore his man of the people image as the cost of living rises after the damage of his Easter break in his multi million dollar California apartment
But the real question that raises is why are Blackpool and Skegness the punchline of a joke on PB rather than thriving coastal resorts?
Last few years I've spent one long weekend per year in Blackpool.
Staying at The Imperial is great for political geeks, last time my suite was the same suite that President Clinton had stayed in.
Took the other half up the Blackpool tower, there's a Sealife, and you cannot beat walking down the promenade whilst eating candy floss and phallic and breast shaped sweets.
I heartily recommend a break in Blackpool, had a great meal in the White Tower.
On a clear day I can see Blackpool Tower from my window.
The idea that someone could look at Russia right now and say "hmm, maybe what's needed is a dictator" boggles me. It's the stupidest thing I've read on here (and I was here for when HYUFD claimed that you couldn't get from London to Cambridge without entering Essex).
The M11, the main road route from London to Cambridge, goes through Essex
The A10 does not.
So you can choose to go into Essex or not. Literally nobody thinks you can't possibly go through Essex, and only one person, you, thinks you HAVE to.
The M11 is still the main route to Cambridge from London.
So most drivers going from London to Cambridge will indeed drive through Essex
The M11 is almost always the fastest route. Anyone taking the A10 from Cambridge to London is fairly insane IMO - if they're not on a leisurely drive.
In fact, on a weekday outside rush hour, it can take as long to get to London from Royston as it can from Cambridge.
Nobody's saying it's best not to go into Essex. Only that saying you NEED to go into Essex is plainly wrong.
Well, with that justification you can say you could go via Norwich. Or via Birmingham. It's stupid sophistry.
Mrs J makes a similar journey (not quite into London). even with the advantage of living slightly nearer the A10 (via the A1198) than the M11, it was frequently quicker to do her journey via the M11. And it'll be even quicker when 7A opens.
So it's true to say you CAN, and it's true to say if you're driving you probably SHOULD. But it's not true to say you NEED to.
And all of this ignores the fact that you don't even have to drive. You could cycle (I don't recommend the M11), walk, take the train or a bus. Perhaps, since this was TSE, even a helicopter. I have no idea whether the normal flight path would take you over Essex, or how high you need to be above Essex before you're no longer "in" Essex.
HYUFD occasionally infuriates me as much as the next person. But using this argument against him is just stupid.
As it happens, when I walked from London to Cambridge, I went through Essex (via Harlow, Stansted Moutfitchet, Great Chesterford). And from memory the London to Cambridge bike ride does (did) too. So nya-nya-nya.
There's no nya nya nya available here, I've never said you can't! As it happens, I've also cycled from London to Cambridge. I don't remember exactly what route it was but the A10 was heavily involved so I think I PROBABLY didn't go into Essex on that trip. But I didn't mention that because it's not exactly a representative journey. I do wonder how many specifically London-Cambridge journeys are made by car or by rail, but I don't know of a data source to work that out. Not that it matters, I know I'm 100% right about this!
One thing I can say, whilst watching the boat race: I've never rowed from Cambridge to London.
There were plans to connect the Stort Navigation to Cambridge (the London and Cambridge Junction Canal), but it never materialised. A shame.
I've never rowed. It looks a bit horrible to me. All the drive force has to go through your arms, but it seems so unnatural because legs are stronger in general. I'd much prefer to see a pedalo race.
You do realise the seats are on little slidey things? Your arms are just linkage
Yes, I understand that, and I was careful to say all the drive force goes through your arms, not necessarily generated by your arms. I may still be wrong, I've never tried it, but it looks to me like the the slidy seat is for the purpose of keeping your arms from having to flex too much, to maximise the power your arms can generate? But still every Newton of force through the oars has to go through your arms too, no?
From my dim memory of trying such rowing many years ago one afternoon, the issue is one of arc of movement of the oar as much as force. The arms can only move so far, and stretching the legs and bending the body back on the little trolley seat produces much of the movement and force - the arms are relatively passive for, I think but cannot remember for sure, the latter part of the power stroke.
Yes, but doesn't that force still go through the arms? As in, your arms muscles are working to pull/keep the inboard part of the oar towards your chest as your body is thrust "backwards" by your legs. I can see the legs are doing significant work, but none of that drives the boat unless your arms are pulling hard on the oar too. I really don't know, I hear what people are telling me but I still find it hard to believe that the legs are doing more work than the arms.
I was with a friend from the Balkans yesterday. He told me in all seriousness that he had contacted the Ukrainian embassy about enlisting in the foreign legion but as he had no prior experience they said not to do so.
He's not the most obvious person to enlist. A fairly affluent 30 something professional with no direct Ukrainian connections. The fact they felt able to turn him down makes me wonder. How many troops do they have? Several weeks ago now I remember someone saying it had become impossible to get a tax in Warsaw - most taxi drivers in Warsaw are Ukrainians who have been heading home to enlist. But the mind boggles as to how many reservists they will have to throw in. Can they kit them all out? Give them necessary training in a few weeks?
That's the point, isn't it? Ukraine wants ex-forces types who don't need six weeks' square-bashing before they can hold a rifle the right way round.
It would be ironic if the economy does for the Tories. It seems unfair really as so much of it is beyond their control. I'm not vindictive but it also seems unfair if Boris's downfall is for this, which will be no different to so many past PMs from either side, when he should have been brought down (although not necessarily the Conservatives) for so much more.
Not unfair IMO. Reasons given for current cost of living increases: 1. Covid 2. State of global economy 3. Russian invasion of Ukraine 4. Businesses making excessive profits 5. Conservative government economic policies 6. Brexit 7. Net Zero (50% think this)
Most of these, except Brexit and government policies, are outside the control of government. But government can be assessed not to have taken adequate measures to mitigate the economic effect of these shocks. Or to have made them actually worse.
2. Is simply the product of 1. and 3. surely?
My order would be:
1. Covid 2. Russian invasion of Ukraine 3. Brexit 4. Conservative government economic policies 5. Greedy wealth accumulators lining their pockets and not doing anything productive with their wealth 6. Net Zero
1. A 25% increase in M2 money supply since 2020, plus the Cantillon Effect.
It turns out that printing lots and lots of money has consequences.
'Inflation is always and evetime caused by an in crease in the money supply' - Milton Freedman
OK that's a bit simplistic, as you would expect form a one stance quote, but the increases in the money supply over the Pandemic was always going to give us a big inflationary time.
Labour has not said what it would have done, other than a "windfall tax" on BP and Shell, who will have massive losses to offset anything Government could hit them with, because of their Russian write-offs.
It's said a few things tbf. More than necessary really. Just about the only advantage of opposition is you can criticize without having to run a parallel administration with alternative detailed policies. It'd be crazy to give that one advantage up.
I think this might be one reason for swing back. Opposing is easy. Criticise, rail, say that we are on the side of the voters etc etc. No one expects a full manifesto two years out. Poll leads result. Near the election it won’t wash. At some point you have to show your hand. And the media are duty bound to scrutinise both sides (all sides to include the minor parties). And some of the public who were projecting their ideas and hopes (a bit like Brexit) find out that they will be disappointed. Swing back. Not sure that will hold true this time round though. I think @Heathener is on to something with the 1997 redux. Not there yet though.
Agree on both. It will be a normal reason for swingback but swingback isn't going to see the Cons home this time. This is an unusual situation. Covid worked for the government, the public seeing serious opposition as carping, and now there's a war on, also a government-helping event. So, the Cons can win the election, they might well, but the idea of looking at the current small Labour lead, mid-term, and applying 'per usual' rules to make the Cons clear favourites to win a majority is imo a bad take.
Add in those those which Oryx doesn't know about it and it must be over 500, maybe over 600.
Does anyone have an idea how much maintenance work tanks require to sustain over a month of combat operations ?
And how many tanks are likely to become unusable after over a month's use even if they aren't destroyed ?
One comment I have heard from some with military knowledge said not only do these vehicles require constant checks / maintenance, don't forget they spent the month before the invasion on exercise from which they went straight into battle.
Add in those those which Oryx doesn't know about it and it must be over 500, maybe over 600.
Does anyone have an idea how much maintenance work tanks require to sustain over a month of combat operations ?
And how many tanks are likely to become unusable after over a month's use even if they aren't destroyed ?
Based on comments on here previously even without operation you end up with a significant percentage at any one time in for repair/maintenance. There's probably a ratio of ideal maintenance hours/use hours, which I'd guess they can fudge for less than ideal conditions in an actual war, but you can only duct tape for so long.
Which would presumably explain a lot of the 'abandoned' vehcile numbers.
It would be ironic if the economy does for the Tories. It seems unfair really as so much of it is beyond their control. I'm not vindictive but it also seems unfair if Boris's downfall is for this, which will be no different to so many past PMs from either side, when he should have been brought down (although not necessarily the Conservatives) for so much more.
Not unfair IMO. Reasons given for current cost of living increases: 1. Covid 2. State of global economy 3. Russian invasion of Ukraine 4. Businesses making excessive profits 5. Conservative government economic policies 6. Brexit 7. Net Zero (50% think this)
Most of these, except Brexit and government policies, are outside the control of government. But government can be assessed not to have taken adequate measures to mitigate the economic effect of these shocks. Or to have made them actually worse.
2. Is simply the product of 1. and 3. surely?
My order would be:
1. Covid 2. Russian invasion of Ukraine 3. Brexit 4. Conservative government economic policies 5. Greedy wealth accumulators lining their pockets and not doing anything productive with their wealth 6. Net Zero
To take the original list:
1. Covid - some nations have done better, and some worse. Government policy was to shut off large sectors of the economy, rather than shielding the vulnerable. They may or may not have been right to do so, but they did have a choice.
2. State of the global economy - again, some nations are loving the state of the global economy. Dubai being a good example.
3. Russian invasion of Ukraine - again, our actions over Ukraine are a choice. You may say that they were the only morally right choice, but they are a choice nonetheless. Countries like France have chosen not to penalise their oil giants by forcing them to pull out of Russia - which means they presumably could now take the hit of a windfall tax in the way that ours cannot. Even further away from our position is Turkey, who have refused to take sides and are now the trusted intermediary, or China, which is poised to take advantage. Why does Turkey in particular get precisely zero stick on here? Many in the past would have argued that the UK Government making foreign policy decisions that impoverished the people it serves is tantamount to dereliction of duty.
4. How is businesses making profits a bad thing? This one you'll need to be more specific on. If businesses are not being taxed appropriately this can be remedied.
5. Conservative economic policy - yep, or lack of one.
6.Brexit - has resulted in unfortunate trade dislocations, which on the upside can result in import substitution. The Government has been lame over NI.
7. Net Zero - it's a scandal that this can even be a 'thing' when people struggle to keep themselves warm. This is very much a choice, and if Ministers only slightly dampened their green ardour, we would still be doing more than virtually every country out there, including the USA, which is driving this agenda.
The Somerset and Frome MP David Warburton - suspended by the @Conservatives from the parliamentary party following allegations about his conduct in the #sundaytimes -has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital suffering from severe shock and stress, according to his wife Harriet
' "severe shock and stress" is typically what happens when you rail enough coke to give an elephant a heart attack'
While BigG is correct about mental health being a serious matter, and sympathy should therefore be offered, I think people can be forgiven for being at least a tad suspicious - if you've never encountered the situation of someone having done something wrong at, say, your employer, and very conincidentally suddenly they are signed off unwell at the very moment things would be looked into, well, lucky for you.
For me to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital shows he is very ill mentally and I just think it is appropriate to give him space
I would say that for not only any politician but anybody in those circumstances
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 3h If the atrocities being reported are verified, and there's evidence they're still being perpetrated, then we need to intervene directly and militarily in Ukraine. Whether a country is part of NATO is irrelevant. We don't stand back and allow the perpetration of genocide.
How long before national newspapers and broadcasters are demanding something is done.
He seems to have forgotten Rwanda, Syria, much of Bosnia, Cambodia etc where we did very little when genocide was committed.
If a NATO nation is invaded then yes we have to take military action but in terms of Ukraine we just keep sending supplies, we don't go to WW3
The problem with the argument about "not going to WW3" is that it sets an arbitrary threshold that hands escalation dominance to Putin. Are you going to let him decide what level of support is acceptable?
No. The red line remains if he invades a NATO nation
Only an invasion? And the red line for what specifically?
NATO military response
Then you're still in a discussion of what kind of response, by whom, what retaliation risks to avoid, etc.
Perhaps Rishi should book a summer holiday in a b and b in Skegness, Southend, Scarborough, Margate or Blackpool. Then he can try and restore his man of the people image as the cost of living rises after the damage of his Easter break in his multi million dollar California apartment
But the real question that raises is why are Blackpool and Skegness the punchline of a joke on PB rather than thriving coastal resorts?
Last few years I've spent one long weekend per year in Blackpool.
Staying at The Imperial is great for political geeks, last time my suite was the same suite that President Clinton had stayed in.
Took the other half up the Blackpool tower, there's a Sealife, and you cannot beat walking down the promenade whilst eating candy floss and phallic and breast shaped sweets.
I heartily recommend a break in Blackpool, had a great meal in the White Tower.
On a clear day I can see Blackpool Tower from my window.
How much does that knock off the value of your home?
On a serious note, a lot of these seaside towns have been a dumping ground for those with serious mental health and drug problems. Cheap housing and rather out of sight / out of mind.
The Somerset and Frome MP David Warburton - suspended by the @Conservatives from the parliamentary party following allegations about his conduct in the #sundaytimes -has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital suffering from severe shock and stress, according to his wife Harriet
' "severe shock and stress" is typically what happens when you rail enough coke to give an elephant a heart attack'
While BigG is correct about mental health being a serious matter, and sympathy should therefore be offered, I think people can be forgiven for being at least a tad suspicious - if you've never encountered the situation of someone having done something wrong at, say, your employer, and very conincidentally suddenly they are signed off unwell at the very moment things would be looked into, well, lucky for you.
For me to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital shows he is very ill mentally and I just think it is appropriate to give him space
I would say that for not only any politician but anybody in those circumstances
And I've said the same. But I don't blame people if they are suspicious either, so won't judge them if they are.
Perhaps Rishi should book a summer holiday in a b and b in Skegness, Southend, Scarborough, Margate or Blackpool. Then he can try and restore his man of the people image as the cost of living rises after the damage of his Easter break in his multi million dollar California apartment
But the real question that raises is why are Blackpool and Skegness the punchline of a joke on PB rather than thriving coastal resorts?
Last few years I've spent one long weekend per year in Blackpool.
Staying at The Imperial is great for political geeks, last time my suite was the same suite that President Clinton had stayed in.
Took the other half up the Blackpool tower, there's a Sealife, and you cannot beat walking down the promenade whilst eating candy floss and phallic and breast shaped sweets.
I heartily recommend a break in Blackpool, had a great meal in the White Tower.
On a clear day I can see Blackpool Tower from my window.
This story will make you chuckle, where do Barclays find these people?
CS Venkatakrishnan is not a typical, cocksure chief executive of a major international bank. Popular with staff, he sports sober, dark suits, likes consensus – and is said to be genial and more low-key than his predecessor, Jes Staley.
The Indian native, known internally as Venkat, was thrust into the top job at Barclays following Staley’s sudden resignation in November over his ties to the late convicted paedophile and Wall Street financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Venkat was regarded as a safe pair of hands. He was promoted from chief risk officer, a role held since 2016 at the British lender, which he joined after more than two decades as a risk specialist at JP Morgan in New York.
But after a quiet first five months in the job, Barclays was once again propelled into the spotlight for all of the wrong reasons last week, causing shares to slump and shareholders to raise concerns.
On Monday, the bank revealed it was facing a £450m hit and a regulatory investigation after it mishandled the sale of basic trading products in the US. And to make matters worse, the error occurred while Venkat was managing the bank’s risk.
Anyway, I am back up North tomorrow am. I have been a city girl most of my life - Naples, London, Bristol, Paris - with childhood holidays in very rural Ireland. I love cities.
And, yet, I feel trapped in London in a way I have never done before. I look out of the window and see buildings. Even though on the top floor I can see across London to the Surrey hills the view is still of buildings. And my soul dies a little. Everywhere I look out of my home up North I see sea and sky and mountains and valleys so sumptuous in their colours it makes my heart fit to burst. And the bird song. Plus the moon at night and stars, lots of them. I really miss it. I cannot wait to get back.
I never thought I would feel this way. Can people change quite so much? Or maybe I have secretly always been a solitary misanthrope?
There is something about the natural world which my mind, my soul needs, I think, to feel whole. No other way to explain it.
Plus - mad as it is - I love driving by myself. Nothing better than to have the music on very loud - and have some really strong music on to get the blood racing. Just f***ing awesome.
Still in May I shall be speaking at a big conference in London. If you're very good I may tell you about it and you can come and enthusiastically applaud. 😀
What about the Heath and Regents Park? Doesn't that work for you when you're here in NL?
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/rebuild-our-cities Interesting article by a fella called Sean Thomas in the Speccie on urbanism. Strangely redolent of what we were talking about on here a week or two back. FWIW (/self-aggrandisment mode on/) I know a but about this sort of thing and agree with pretty much all of it. Apart from the bit about Newcastle being rainy. It's actually a comparatively dry city. In a rain shadow.
Precisely because Britain stood firm against Hitler, Britain took the full force of Hitler’s bombers. Contrast with France, which briskly surrendered, and thus escaped with many of its cities unscathed (this is one reason French urbanism seems so enviably gracious today).
I bet he got the Speccie readership standing up and saluting with that bit.
I was in Normandy recently where every major city and town was flattened by by bombs - American and British bombs - with huge loss of life. The official narrative is that these unfortunate but heroic people made the sacrifice for France. But that explanation seems very glib.
On the architectural point, the rebuilding of Le Havre is inspiring . There was nothing left of the city after the War. The government decided to use France's allocation of Marshall Aid to rebuild in a modernist style - concrete blocks and walkways as got such a bad reputation here after the 1960's. But because the architect Auguste Perret focused on making the dwellings light, spacious, comfortable and habitable, these are very desirable flats. The authorities also took the decision to make them a consistent size and quality, replacing what previously a mixture of large villas and cramped slums.
They still look horrible, even with a blue sky and sunshine. In the rain, I suspect they look even worse.
I agree the photos don't do it justice - that's one of the better ones. Le Havre is actually quite nice when you're there, and different from other cities. Perhaps we are conditioned by too much bad brutalist architecture, but this is a lot more human.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 3h If the atrocities being reported are verified, and there's evidence they're still being perpetrated, then we need to intervene directly and militarily in Ukraine. Whether a country is part of NATO is irrelevant. We don't stand back and allow the perpetration of genocide.
How long before national newspapers and broadcasters are demanding something is done.
It is fundamentally about public opinion. If it moves enough, then it is possible. But I don't know if the will is really there, even with all these atrocities.
There is not a great deal we can do without risking ww3 by having Nato troops shooting at Russians. One possibility is the US Navy could park a carrier group outside Odesa to prevent amphibious landings, thus freeing up Ukrainian soldiers without needing to fire a shot, but there is no evidence of American will and there is a vague chance the Pentagon knows more about this than I do.
In any case, talk of arresting Putin or any Russian leaders for war crimes might not help them see their way to an armistice.
Add in those those which Oryx doesn't know about it and it must be over 500, maybe over 600.
Does anyone have an idea how much maintenance work tanks require to sustain over a month of combat operations ?
And how many tanks are likely to become unusable after over a month's use even if they aren't destroyed ?
I think so, and worse with modern ones. From what I've read elsewhere, the optics need regular recalibrating. They're fine for close-up action, but if you want to do the multiple-mile range stuff, a small inaccuracy in your optics is the difference between a hit and a wide miss. Optics and a tank's environment are not happy bedfellows.
I vaguely remember a story about the T-34 versus German tanks. The German tanks were intricately designed, precision instruments, with a service life of a decade. The T-34s were built to last only a few months. To the extent of the fact you had to change the oil after a few hours in the early ones, as the engine would be full of metal filings. Instead of making the engine perfect, they made it good enough. It was easier to do an oil change than machine the bits perfectly.
And that is a small factor in why the Russians won - as it allowed them to churn out thousands of the things.
(Note: I cannot remember where I read this. It might have been on here.)
The Somerset and Frome MP David Warburton - suspended by the @Conservatives from the parliamentary party following allegations about his conduct in the #sundaytimes -has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital suffering from severe shock and stress, according to his wife Harriet
' "severe shock and stress" is typically what happens when you rail enough coke to give an elephant a heart attack'
While BigG is correct about mental health being a serious matter, and sympathy should therefore be offered, I think people can be forgiven for being at least a tad suspicious - if you've never encountered the situation of someone having done something wrong at, say, your employer, and very conincidentally suddenly they are signed off unwell at the very moment things would be looked into, well, lucky for you.
For me to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital shows he is very ill mentally and I just think it is appropriate to give him space
I would say that for not only any politician but anybody in those circumstances
And I've said the same. But I don't blame people if they are suspicious either, so won't judge them if they are.
What's the nature of this psychiatric hospital? Is it the kind of place where you can check yourself in for a fee, or is it run by people who will only admit a patient if there's an independently assessed clinical need? That's a good question to start with. Until then, all we've got is the word of an interested party.
Perhaps Rishi should book a summer holiday in a b and b in Skegness, Southend, Scarborough, Margate or Blackpool. Then he can try and restore his man of the people image as the cost of living rises after the damage of his Easter break in his multi million dollar California apartment
But the real question that raises is why are Blackpool and Skegness the punchline of a joke on PB rather than thriving coastal resorts?
Last few years I've spent one long weekend per year in Blackpool.
Staying at The Imperial is great for political geeks, last time my suite was the same suite that President Clinton had stayed in.
Took the other half up the Blackpool tower, there's a Sealife, and you cannot beat walking down the promenade whilst eating candy floss and phallic and breast shaped sweets.
I heartily recommend a break in Blackpool, had a great meal in the White Tower.
On a clear day I can see Blackpool Tower from my window.
How much does that knock off the value of your home?
On a serious note, a lot of these seaside towns have been a dumping ground for those with serious mental health and drug problems. Cheap housing and rather out of sight / out of mind.
Nothing. Anywhere on a hill can see it. We can see Scotland and the Isle of Man as well.
The treatment of mental illness in this country is sub-optimal, to put it mildly. Underfunded, under-resourced. If you don't have private means you are stuffed.
Perhaps Rishi should book a summer holiday in a b and b in Skegness, Southend, Scarborough, Margate or Blackpool. Then he can try and restore his man of the people image as the cost of living rises after the damage of his Easter break in his multi million dollar California apartment
But the real question that raises is why are Blackpool and Skegness the punchline of a joke on PB rather than thriving coastal resorts?
Last few years I've spent one long weekend per year in Blackpool.
Staying at The Imperial is great for political geeks, last time my suite was the same suite that President Clinton had stayed in.
Took the other half up the Blackpool tower, there's a Sealife, and you cannot beat walking down the promenade whilst eating candy floss and phallic and breast shaped sweets.
I heartily recommend a break in Blackpool, had a great meal in the White Tower.
On a clear day I can see Blackpool Tower from my window.
This story will make you chuckle, where do Barclays find these people?
CS Venkatakrishnan is not a typical, cocksure chief executive of a major international bank. Popular with staff, he sports sober, dark suits, likes consensus – and is said to be genial and more low-key than his predecessor, Jes Staley.
The Indian native, known internally as Venkat, was thrust into the top job at Barclays following Staley’s sudden resignation in November over his ties to the late convicted paedophile and Wall Street financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Venkat was regarded as a safe pair of hands. He was promoted from chief risk officer, a role held since 2016 at the British lender, which he joined after more than two decades as a risk specialist at JP Morgan in New York.
But after a quiet first five months in the job, Barclays was once again propelled into the spotlight for all of the wrong reasons last week, causing shares to slump and shareholders to raise concerns.
On Monday, the bank revealed it was facing a £450m hit and a regulatory investigation after it mishandled the sale of basic trading products in the US. And to make matters worse, the error occurred while Venkat was managing the bank’s risk.
Add in those those which Oryx doesn't know about it and it must be over 500, maybe over 600.
Does anyone have an idea how much maintenance work tanks require to sustain over a month of combat operations ?
And how many tanks are likely to become unusable after over a month's use even if they aren't destroyed ?
One comment I have heard from some with military knowledge said not only do these vehicles require constant checks / maintenance, don't forget they spent the month before the invasion on exercise from which they went straight into battle.
Perhaps Rishi should book a summer holiday in a b and b in Skegness, Southend, Scarborough, Margate or Blackpool. Then he can try and restore his man of the people image as the cost of living rises after the damage of his Easter break in his multi million dollar California apartment
But the real question that raises is why are Blackpool and Skegness the punchline of a joke on PB rather than thriving coastal resorts?
Last few years I've spent one long weekend per year in Blackpool.
Staying at The Imperial is great for political geeks, last time my suite was the same suite that President Clinton had stayed in.
Took the other half up the Blackpool tower, there's a Sealife, and you cannot beat walking down the promenade whilst eating candy floss and phallic and breast shaped sweets.
I heartily recommend a break in Blackpool, had a great meal in the White Tower.
On a clear day I can see Blackpool Tower from my window.
How much does that knock off the value of your home?
On a serious note, a lot of these seaside towns have been a dumping ground for those with serious mental health and drug problems. Cheap housing and rather out of sight / out of mind.
I've said this story before: I ended one day of my coastal walk in Flint (North Wales). I went up to the castle, where a man stopped me. "Are you walking the coast?" he asked. "Yes." "Oh," he replied. "I was about to break into your motorhome in the car park, and saw the charity sign and decided against it."
A few days later I was walking through Neston/Heswall, and I met someone who said that Liverpool dumps all their 'bad' cases in Flint and the surrounding area. When I went back recently with Mrs J for a walk, we saw people drinking in early afternoon nearby by a children's' play area.
I genuinely don't understand why Labour are seen as more trusted on the economy. Since Starmer became leader two years ago they have had nothing to say on the subject and have not announced a single policy designed to control inflation or foster growth.
I don't think the 'trust X on Y' scores ever make a great deal of sense. There's the longstanding joke that only the Tories could get away with doing major things on defence, or Labour on the NHS, irrespetive of whether their policies justify it.
On trusting on the economy in particular I don't feel particularly qualified to know how to judge whether a party would be any good on it, and then you add on the unknown quantity of who would be in charge, and how to judge ministerial or shadow ministerial performance.
So it doesn't matter massively what you say, so long as you don't make yourself look like dangerous idiots, just sound vaguely competent and if people are leaning toward you they'll start to trust you on it.
If you overlay changes to gdp/capita (over a period long enough to be meaningful) onto who's been in government you find it makes little difference which party is in power. It's mainly factors outside their control which influence it. The notion that a party's domestic policies (assuming they're not so extreme as to be destructive) are material to the size of the cake, as opposed to its distribution, is something of a fiction, albeit a stubborn one since it suits both politicians and the supporters of political parties to believe it, or maintain it even if they truly don't.
@Northern_Al I am seeking help for my addiction. Having refrained from responding to HYUFD I am sorely tempted as he is banging about this trip from London to Cambridge again even though he was shown to be wrong umpteen threads and 24 hours ago (talk about pot and kettle on not letting it drop).
I've tried a cold shower. Any other suggestions?
I am not wrong to the extent that the M11 remains the main driving route from London to Cambridge and goes through Essex.
It was also not me who restarted this but Farooq who mentioned it again
Perhaps Rishi should book a summer holiday in a b and b in Skegness, Southend, Scarborough, Margate or Blackpool. Then he can try and restore his man of the people image as the cost of living rises after the damage of his Easter break in his multi million dollar California apartment
But the real question that raises is why are Blackpool and Skegness the punchline of a joke on PB rather than thriving coastal resorts?
Last few years I've spent one long weekend per year in Blackpool.
Staying at The Imperial is great for political geeks, last time my suite was the same suite that President Clinton had stayed in.
Took the other half up the Blackpool tower, there's a Sealife, and you cannot beat walking down the promenade whilst eating candy floss and phallic and breast shaped sweets.
I heartily recommend a break in Blackpool, had a great meal in the White Tower.
On a clear day I can see Blackpool Tower from my window.
Anyway, I am back up North tomorrow am. I have been a city girl most of my life - Naples, London, Bristol, Paris - with childhood holidays in very rural Ireland. I love cities.
And, yet, I feel trapped in London in a way I have never done before. I look out of the window and see buildings. Even though on the top floor I can see across London to the Surrey hills the view is still of buildings. And my soul dies a little. Everywhere I look out of my home up North I see sea and sky and mountains and valleys so sumptuous in their colours it makes my heart fit to burst. And the bird song. Plus the moon at night and stars, lots of them. I really miss it. I cannot wait to get back.
I never thought I would feel this way. Can people change quite so much? Or maybe I have secretly always been a solitary misanthrope?
There is something about the natural world which my mind, my soul needs, I think, to feel whole. No other way to explain it.
Plus - mad as it is - I love driving by myself. Nothing better than to have the music on very loud - and have some really strong music on to get the blood racing. Just f***ing awesome.
Still in May I shall be speaking at a big conference in London. If you're very good I may tell you about it and you can come and enthusiastically applaud. 😀
What about the Heath and Regents Park? Doesn't that work for you when you're here in NL?
London is one of my favourite places. A walk along the Regent's Canal is marvellous. I have seen, and experienced, much of life along that towpath.
I also think it's the greenest 'old' capital cities in the world, thanks to all the hunting parks that have been protected?
@Northern_Al I am seeking help for my addiction. Having refrained from responding to HYUFD I am sorely tempted as he is banging about this trip from London to Cambridge again even though he was shown to be wrong umpteen threads and 24 hours ago (talk about pot and kettle on not letting it drop).
I've tried a cold shower. Any other suggestions?
Get a life?
Who cares whether you go through Essex or not? Really. Have another cold shower.
@Northern_Al It was a joke! I wasn't involved in the discussion anyway. Re get a life, you do realise I am sitting here with 2 broken legs don't you? 2 weeks to go hopefully.
Add in those those which Oryx doesn't know about it and it must be over 500, maybe over 600.
I can't help feeling after the pictures today there is going to be a sharp reduction in the number of Russians taken alive as prisoners of war going forward.
This is what I miss. The red in the ground is from the old iron mine, long since gone. The area has been turned into a lagoon and bird reserve.
Yet 100 or so years ago, that would have been a blighted industrial landscape. Nature always wins, given time.
100 years ago it was one of the largest iron mines in the world. The town still has some fine buildings from that time and the centre of it is a conservation area. It is now getting funding to restore some of those buildings and the central square which is in a quiet way rather lovely. My husband is a leading light in the local Civic Society and has been talking to the architect and others involved about their ideas and what's needed. I really hope the money is spent wisely because it could make a real difference.
We are also getting something like the NY highline on old railway tracks - Piet Oudolf, the Dutch garden designer is involved - if all goes well. There are some really good long walks and cycling routes round here - and all the way up the West coast, which always has been the industrial side of Cumbria. It's a bit of a hidden gem to my mind - and not a Beatrix Potter tea towel in sight, thank God!
Comments
'The candidate with the most valid votes in an individual constituency becomes a member of parliament. Votes that do not count toward an individual mandate count as fractional votes and are considered in the allocation of seats on the party’s state list.
All votes of the losing candidate and all votes of the winning candidate that were no longer necessary to win the seat (i.e. the number of votes remaining after deducting the votes of the candidate with the second highest number of votes plus one vote), shall be considered fractional votes. In allocating seats via the national list, the fractional votes cast for each constituency and the votes cast for the party list are taken into account.'
And boo! Hiss!
He's not the most obvious person to enlist. A fairly affluent 30 something professional with no direct Ukrainian connections. The fact they felt able to turn him down makes me wonder. How many troops do they have? Several weeks ago now I remember someone saying it had become impossible to get a tax in Warsaw - most taxi drivers in Warsaw are Ukrainians who have been heading home to enlist. But the mind boggles as to how many reservists they will have to throw in. Can they kit them all out? Give them necessary training in a few weeks?
It was also not me who restarted this but Farooq who mentioned it again
NYT ($) - In Hungary, Viktor Orban Remakes an Election to His Liking
The populist prime minister, a hero to many American conservatives, has changed voting rules and legalized ‘voter tourism’ as he stands for re-election
. . . A Supermajority in Name Only
To understand one of the ways Mr. Orban has reshaped democracy, consider this: When his political party, Fidesz, won the last two national elections, it received less than half the votes, yet still secured a two-thirds supermajority in Parliament. The supermajority has allowed Mr. Orban to ram through changes to the Constitution as part of his illiberal agenda.
The explanation lies in Hungary’s complex electoral system: The country is divided into 106 districts, each of which elects a member to Parliament, much like members of Congress are seated in the United States. But then another 93 seats are awarded to political parties based on a unique formula.
Mr. Orban changed that formula for handing out seats in dramatic fashion to benefit Fidesz. Parties that win big in the district elections can get extra seats — a move that is expected to pad Fidesz’s winning margin in Parliament if it realizes big wins in gerrymandered districts.
He has also made it harder for small parties to get any seats at all under the formula. But to counter him, Socialists, Greens, centrists, fiscal hawks and Christian conservatives have united behind the economist Peter Marki-Zay in a long shot bid to beat Mr. Orban, or at least shatter his supermajority since Mr. Marki-Zay has a six-party coalition behind him.
Mr. Laszlo, the independent election analyst, estimates that because of the gerrymandered districts and new election rules, the opposition will need to win by as much as six percentage points to unseat Mr. Orban. . . .
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/31/world/europe/hungary-viktor-orban-election.html
(((Dan Hodges)))
@DPJHodges
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3h
If the atrocities being reported are verified, and there's evidence they're still being perpetrated, then we need to intervene directly and militarily in Ukraine. Whether a country is part of NATO is irrelevant. We don't stand back and allow the perpetration of genocide.
https://twitter.com/DPJHodges/status/1510583932722548739
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How long before national newspapers and broadcasters are demanding something is done.
Extinction Rebellion Spinoff Goon glues himself to LBC microphone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6_9iuj5jD4
(To Harwood should have skewered him better than that - fell for the script.)
Who cares whether you go through Essex or not? Really. Have another cold shower.
If a NATO nation is invaded then yes we have to take military action but in terms of Ukraine we just keep sending supplies, we don't go to WW3
Or perhaps he was just coming on to me.
Near the election it won’t wash. At some point you have to show your hand. And the media are duty bound to scrutinise both sides (all sides to include the minor parties). And some of the public who were projecting their ideas and hopes (a bit like Brexit) find out that they will be disappointed.
Swing back.
Not sure that will hold true this time round though. I think @Heathener is on to something with the 1997 redux. Not there yet though.
He has to resign, no? LDs rubbing their hands at the prospective by-election?
My order would be:
1. Covid
2. Russian invasion of Ukraine
3. Brexit
4. Conservative government economic policies
5. Greedy wealth accumulators lining their pockets and not doing anything productive with their wealth
6. Net Zero
' "severe shock and stress" is typically what happens when you rail enough coke to give an elephant a heart attack'
Staying at The Imperial is great for political geeks, last time my suite was the same suite that President Clinton had stayed in.
Took the other half up the Blackpool tower, there's a Sealife, and you cannot beat walking down the promenade whilst eating candy floss and phallic and breast shaped sweets.
I heartily recommend a break in Blackpool, had a great meal in the White Tower.
On trusting on the economy in particular I don't feel particularly qualified to know how to judge whether a party would be any good on it, and then you add on the unknown quantity of who would be in charge, and how to judge ministerial or shadow ministerial performance.
So it doesn't matter massively what you say, so long as you don't make yourself look like dangerous idiots, just sound vaguely competent and if people are leaning toward you they'll start to trust you on it.
Maybe give him some space
And, yet, I feel trapped in London in a way I have never done before. I look out of the window and see buildings. Even though on the top floor I can see across London to the Surrey hills the view is still of buildings. And my soul dies a little. Everywhere I look out of my home up North I see sea and sky and mountains and valleys so sumptuous in their colours it makes my heart fit to burst. And the bird song. Plus the moon at night and stars, lots of them. I really miss it. I cannot wait to get back.
I never thought I would feel this way. Can people change quite so much? Or maybe I have secretly always been a solitary misanthrope?
There is something about the natural world which my mind, my soul needs, I think, to feel whole. No other way to explain it.
Plus - mad as it is - I love driving by myself. Nothing better than to have the music on very loud - and have some really strong music on to get the blood racing. Just f***ing awesome.
Still in May I shall be speaking at a big conference in London. If you're very good I may tell you about it and you can come and enthusiastically applaud. 😀
When including our backlog, the actual number of tanks visually confirmed to have been lost approaches 450.
https://twitter.com/oryxspioenkop/status/1510632351050899456?cxt=HHwWgIDR6dOH7PYpAAAA
Add in those those which Oryx doesn't know about it and it must be over 500, maybe over 600.
It turns out that printing lots and lots of money has consequences.
If it moves enough, then it is possible.
But I don't know if the will is really there, even with all these atrocities.
And how many tanks are likely to become unusable after over a month's use even if they aren't destroyed ?
https://twitter.com/Osinttechnical/status/1510620939796586503
I really don't know, I hear what people are telling me but I still find it hard to believe that the legs are doing more work than the arms.
OK that's a bit simplistic, as you would expect form a one stance quote, but the increases in the money supply over the Pandemic was always going to give us a big inflationary time.
Which would presumably explain a lot of the 'abandoned' vehcile numbers.
1. Covid - some nations have done better, and some worse. Government policy was to shut off large sectors of the economy, rather than shielding the vulnerable. They may or may not have been right to do so, but they did have a choice.
2. State of the global economy - again, some nations are loving the state of the global economy. Dubai being a good example.
3. Russian invasion of Ukraine - again, our actions over Ukraine are a choice. You may say that they were the only morally right choice, but they are a choice nonetheless. Countries like France have chosen not to penalise their oil giants by forcing them to pull out of Russia - which means they presumably could now take the hit of a windfall tax in the way that ours cannot. Even further away from our position is Turkey, who have refused to take sides and are now the trusted intermediary, or China, which is poised to take advantage. Why does Turkey in particular get precisely zero stick on here? Many in the past would have argued that the UK Government making foreign policy decisions that impoverished the people it serves is tantamount to dereliction of duty.
4. How is businesses making profits a bad thing? This one you'll need to be more specific on. If businesses are not being taxed appropriately this can be remedied.
5. Conservative economic policy - yep, or lack of one.
6.Brexit - has resulted in unfortunate trade dislocations, which on the upside can result in import substitution. The Government has been lame over NI.
7. Net Zero - it's a scandal that this can even be a 'thing' when people struggle to keep themselves warm. This is very much a choice, and if Ministers only slightly dampened their green ardour, we would still be doing more than virtually every country out there, including the USA, which is driving this agenda.
So all I see is choice, choice, choice.
I would say that for not only any politician but anybody in those circumstances
On a serious note, a lot of these seaside towns have been a dumping ground for those with serious mental health and drug problems. Cheap housing and rather out of sight / out of mind.
This is what I miss. The red in the ground is from the old iron mine, long since gone. The area has been turned into a lagoon and bird reserve.
CS Venkatakrishnan is not a typical, cocksure chief executive of a major international bank. Popular with staff, he sports sober, dark suits, likes consensus – and is said to be genial and more low-key than his predecessor, Jes Staley.
The Indian native, known internally as Venkat, was thrust into the top job at Barclays following Staley’s sudden resignation in November over his ties to the late convicted paedophile and Wall Street financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Venkat was regarded as a safe pair of hands. He was promoted from chief risk officer, a role held since 2016 at the British lender, which he joined after more than two decades as a risk specialist at JP Morgan in New York.
But after a quiet first five months in the job, Barclays was once again propelled into the spotlight for all of the wrong reasons last week, causing shares to slump and shareholders to raise concerns.
On Monday, the bank revealed it was facing a £450m hit and a regulatory investigation after it mishandled the sale of basic trading products in the US. And to make matters worse, the error occurred while Venkat was managing the bank’s risk.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/04/03/going-barclays-latest-scandal-sparks-fresh-concern/
In any case, talk of arresting Putin or any Russian leaders for war crimes might not help them see their way to an armistice.
I vaguely remember a story about the T-34 versus German tanks. The German tanks were intricately designed, precision instruments, with a service life of a decade. The T-34s were built to last only a few months. To the extent of the fact you had to change the oil after a few hours in the early ones, as the engine would be full of metal filings. Instead of making the engine perfect, they made it good enough. It was easier to do an oil change than machine the bits perfectly.
And that is a small factor in why the Russians won - as it allowed them to churn out thousands of the things.
(Note: I cannot remember where I read this. It might have been on here.)
The treatment of mental illness in this country is sub-optimal, to put it mildly. Underfunded, under-resourced. If you don't have private means you are stuffed.
That also applies to the men involved as well.
https://twitter.com/CrimeLdn/status/1510640295557349381?s=20&t=xSEVcIBC-2DGqfqP1eLixg
Get those stewards to sort out of the eco-fascists.
"Yes."
"Oh," he replied. "I was about to break into your motorhome in the car park, and saw the charity sign and decided against it."
A few days later I was walking through Neston/Heswall, and I met someone who said that Liverpool dumps all their 'bad' cases in Flint and the surrounding area. When I went back recently with Mrs J for a walk, we saw people drinking in early afternoon nearby by a children's' play area.
I also think it's the greenest 'old' capital cities in the world, thanks to all the hunting parks that have been protected?
Aint the game of Boycott anymore.
has some fine buildings from that time and the centre of it is a conservation area. It is now getting funding to restore some of those buildings and the central square which is in a quiet way rather lovely. My husband is a leading light in the local Civic Society and has been talking to the architect and others involved about their ideas and what's needed. I really hope the money is spent wisely because it could make a real difference.
We are also getting something like the NY highline on old railway tracks - Piet Oudolf, the Dutch garden designer is involved - if all goes well. There are some really good long walks and cycling routes round here - and all the way up the West coast, which always has been the industrial side of Cumbria. It's a bit of a hidden gem to my mind - and not a Beatrix Potter tea towel in sight, thank God!