Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
I flew there with the Antilies Airboat in an ex WW2 Grumman Goose. They landed in the harbour and taxied up the slipway.
The plane fell apart after a sea landing with engine failure a year or so later. It was a very eccentric airline.
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
I flew there with the Antilies Airboat in an ex WW2 Grumman Goose. They landed in the harbour and taxied up the slipway.
The plane fell apart after a sea landing with engine failure a year or so later. It was a very eccentric airline.
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
Ta
At least we have moved on from your absurd suggestion that you need a hire car to be able to explore a country properly.
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
That said, I’m curious
Would you rather be so-talented-at-what-you-do you get invited to fly to Barbados on Concorde for free (and then get driven around in a Rolls Royce etc etc) or would you rather just be some dumb rich fuck that PAYS?
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
I flew there with the Antilies Airboat in an ex WW2 Grumman Goose. They landed in the harbour and taxied up the slipway.
The plane fell apart after a sea landing with engine failure a year or so later. It was a very eccentric airline.
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
That said, I’m curious
Would you rather be so-talented-at-what-you-do you get invited to fly to Barbados on Concorde for free (and then get driven around in a Rolls Royce etc etc) or would you rather just be some dumb rich fuck that PAYS?
I guess you’re the latter? It takes all sorts
To be fair to him, I’d rather be the multi-billionaire who has so much money to burn he doesn’t ever need freebies or notice if he gets one….
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
That said, I’m curious
Would you rather be so-talented-at-what-you-do you get invited to fly to Barbados on Concorde for free (and then get driven around in a Rolls Royce etc etc) or would you rather just be some dumb rich fuck that PAYS?
I guess you’re the latter? It takes all sorts
No need to get so touchy; it's great if you are invited on these things so don't think you are somehow a lesser person for being a good journalist. Seeing from outside and trying to get an understanding of what others actually live through; it does take skill, no matter what some (especially on PB for some reason) say.
As for your question - I think by asking it you already know the answer.
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
I flew there with the Antilies Airboat in an ex WW2 Grumman Goose. They landed in the harbour and taxied up the slipway.
The plane fell apart after a sea landing with engine failure a year or so later. It was a very eccentric airline.
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
That said, I’m curious
Would you rather be so-talented-at-what-you-do you get invited to fly to Barbados on Concorde for free (and then get driven around in a Rolls Royce etc etc) or would you rather just be some dumb rich fuck that PAYS?
I guess you’re the latter? It takes all sorts
To be fair to him, I’d rather be the multi-billionaire who has so much money to burn he doesn’t ever need freebies or notice if he gets one….
I bloody love a freebie. I once won a trip to NY on Virgin if you can believe that anyone ever wins these things and I felt like king of the castle. Every little helps.
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
That said, I’m curious
Would you rather be so-talented-at-what-you-do you get invited to fly to Barbados on Concorde for free (and then get driven around in a Rolls Royce etc etc) or would you rather just be some dumb rich fuck that PAYS?
I guess you’re the latter? It takes all sorts
No need to get so touchy; it's great if you are invited on these things so don't think you are somehow a lesser person for being a good journalist. Seeing from outside and trying to get an understanding of what others actually live through; it does take skill, no matter what some (especially on PB for some reason) say.
As for your question - I think by asking it you already know the answer.
Time for an update on the Battle for Donbas. As expected, the Russians have sort of fizzled.
They pulled all of these mauled units out of Kyiv, and then tried to reconstitute them for combat in the East.
This is pretty hard and these new units would have been bruised and damaged from the Battle for Kyiv.
The Russians really had one chance - to build these units up - to build up a reserve, and then try to do some bold manoeuvre - and surround the Ukrainians in the East.
The reason that was their one chance is they didn’t have anywhere near the 3:1 attackers to defenders ratio that you need, and so clever manoeuvring was the only option they had.
The Russians needed to clout not dribble. Unfortunately they dribbled. The dribbled by feeding these reconstituted units piecemeal into the front line - trying to fight a kind of attritional battle against the Ukrainians.
The Russian ‘plan’ was grind the Ukr down with artillery and then waves of infantry. Kind WW2 stuff. The only problem is that style of warfare need loads of troops. Which the Russians don’t have. Cut your cloth to suit etc.
So the Russians are squandering / have squandered their one chance. The Ukrainians have done the right thing here.
They are dug in, and so artillery effects them less. And then they are withdrawing in good order, so that they can inflict maximum damage to the Russians. They are trading space for enemy troops. Exactly the right tactics.
(The Russians are also so poorly trained and with such poor morale that they are STILL sticking to main roads which makes it pretty easy to ambush them, or find them with drones (which you use to then direct artillery on them).
So we will see the Battle for Donbas culminate in maybe the next 2-4 weeks.
Basically the Russians are gonna run out of troops, and the Ukrainians are going to counterattack.
More widely, there has been a major strategic shift in the war. UK Foreign Sec Liz Truss has stated that the UK strategic aim is to evict Russian forces from Ukraine (including Crimea, so back to pre-2014 borders). She also said it would take ten years but she’s wrong about that: Russian forces will collapse before that, and we’ll see a coup).
This is a clear statement of intent by the UK, and would only have been made if it was felt that other NATO allies could and would sign up to it.
It’s very welcome after some wishy washy thinking about strategic aims (although the activities were good).
The US at the same time has announced $33 BILLION of funding for Ukraine (or rather Biden has asked for from Congress). That is an extremely clear signal of intent.
Also means that NATO and the US have decided that Putin is bluffing about using Nukes if NATO up the ante.
Strategic outlook: Give it four weeks; we’ll see Donbas go in the other direction, then Crimea will start to come into play.
Following this thread also brought up a couple of interesting others.
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
That said, I’m curious
Would you rather be so-talented-at-what-you-do you get invited to fly to Barbados on Concorde for free (and then get driven around in a Rolls Royce etc etc) or would you rather just be some dumb rich fuck that PAYS?
I guess you’re the latter? It takes all sorts
No need to get so touchy; it's great if you are invited on these things so don't think you are somehow a lesser person for being a good journalist. Seeing from outside and trying to get an understanding of what others actually live through; it does take skill, no matter what some (especially on PB for some reason) say.
As for your question - I think by asking it you already know the answer.
Lol
*nervous laughter from Leon while examining his own sense of self and worth*
Yeah, I get it - I have that effect on people sometimes.
Time for an update on the Battle for Donbas. As expected, the Russians have sort of fizzled.
They pulled all of these mauled units out of Kyiv, and then tried to reconstitute them for combat in the East.
This is pretty hard and these new units would have been bruised and damaged from the Battle for Kyiv.
The Russians really had one chance - to build these units up - to build up a reserve, and then try to do some bold manoeuvre - and surround the Ukrainians in the East.
The reason that was their one chance is they didn’t have anywhere near the 3:1 attackers to defenders ratio that you need, and so clever manoeuvring was the only option they had.
The Russians needed to clout not dribble. Unfortunately they dribbled. The dribbled by feeding these reconstituted units piecemeal into the front line - trying to fight a kind of attritional battle against the Ukrainians.
The Russian ‘plan’ was grind the Ukr down with artillery and then waves of infantry. Kind WW2 stuff. The only problem is that style of warfare need loads of troops. Which the Russians don’t have. Cut your cloth to suit etc.
So the Russians are squandering / have squandered their one chance. The Ukrainians have done the right thing here.
They are dug in, and so artillery effects them less. And then they are withdrawing in good order, so that they can inflict maximum damage to the Russians. They are trading space for enemy troops. Exactly the right tactics.
(The Russians are also so poorly trained and with such poor morale that they are STILL sticking to main roads which makes it pretty easy to ambush them, or find them with drones (which you use to then direct artillery on them).
So we will see the Battle for Donbas culminate in maybe the next 2-4 weeks.
Basically the Russians are gonna run out of troops, and the Ukrainians are going to counterattack.
More widely, there has been a major strategic shift in the war. UK Foreign Sec Liz Truss has stated that the UK strategic aim is to evict Russian forces from Ukraine (including Crimea, so back to pre-2014 borders). She also said it would take ten years but she’s wrong about that: Russian forces will collapse before that, and we’ll see a coup).
This is a clear statement of intent by the UK, and would only have been made if it was felt that other NATO allies could and would sign up to it.
It’s very welcome after some wishy washy thinking about strategic aims (although the activities were good).
The US at the same time has announced $33 BILLION of funding for Ukraine (or rather Biden has asked for from Congress). That is an extremely clear signal of intent.
Also means that NATO and the US have decided that Putin is bluffing about using Nukes if NATO up the ante.
Strategic outlook: Give it four weeks; we’ll see Donbas go in the other direction, then Crimea will start to come into play.
Following this thread also brought up a couple of interesting others.
Wouldn’t Ukraine pushing into Crimea, where the current population actually may not welcome them, risk splitting the west? Feels like a risk to me. I’d advise him to say he wants Crimea but not advance militarily.
Is there a betting market for the name of the National Flegship? Johnson is supposed to reveal the design and name in time for the Diamond Jubilee/Funeral (delete as applicable).
Possibilities...
HMS Duke of Edinburgh (Queen said to be opposed to this I doubt Johnson gives a fuck what she thinks) HMS Britannia (some continuity with the old asbestos ridden floating AA meeting) HMS United Kingdom (very 'on brand' for this government and the favourite I reckon)
Is there already an HMS Duke of York?
No; WW2 battleship scrapped in the 1950s. For some reason which I cannot imagine, there was no York in the "Duke of"* series of Type 23 frigates, marking the MoD's shift to cringing snobbery in warship naming culminating in the two aircraft carriers.
*In practice, only the estate name was used eg HMS Grafton, but the presence of such names as HMS Iron Duke and HMS St Albans make the intent clear, as does the 'Duke Class' moniker.
I got my watchkeeping ticket on Iron Duke on the North Sea in Jan-Feb. We put into Newcastle for a weekend so the crew could have a fight.
Any truth in the rumour that HMS Duke of York was scrapped for too frequently tying to come alongside into facilities that were not ready to accommodate it and did not want its presence?
Hadn't it somehow navigated to Woking for a family day with pizza.
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
That said, I’m curious
Would you rather be so-talented-at-what-you-do you get invited to fly to Barbados on Concorde for free (and then get driven around in a Rolls Royce etc etc) or would you rather just be some dumb rich fuck that PAYS?
I guess you’re the latter? It takes all sorts
To be fair to him, I’d rather be the multi-billionaire who has so much money to burn he doesn’t ever need freebies or notice if he gets one….
No, that’s much less fun, I’d say. I know quite a few enormously wealthy people. They aren’t enormously happier. They take it for granted very quickly
Someone very wise once said “being rich does not make you happy, it can make unhappiness more bearable”. Seems about right
That said, I guess I am now mega-wealthy in experiences. I’ve been everywhere and done a lot so I can get blasé…
It’s going to take quite awhile still, but Labour leadership will end up getting FPNs for this. It is not anything to do with Partygate but still they broke lock down rules.
How they then get from Boris must resign to but we must not resign it was a work event, is going to be very difficult for them.
How the new Tory Dirty Tricks Unit, working with Guido and Mail resources have done this is very clever, and shows how talented they are. They are neutralising it as issue for Big Dog and Tories putting all the pressure on Labour just in right time for it to hit home in key election, the result of which could pile more pressure on Starmer.
It reminds me a bit like motor racing, if you have to battle what’s in your mirrors you can’t attack what’s in front of you, you see what I mean?
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
That said, I’m curious
Would you rather be so-talented-at-what-you-do you get invited to fly to Barbados on Concorde for free (and then get driven around in a Rolls Royce etc etc) or would you rather just be some dumb rich fuck that PAYS?
I guess you’re the latter? It takes all sorts
To be fair to him, I’d rather be the multi-billionaire who has so much money to burn he doesn’t ever need freebies or notice if he gets one….
I bloody love a freebie. I once won a trip to NY on Virgin if you can believe that anyone ever wins these things and I felt like king of the castle. Every little helps.
We got upgraded to upper class on Virgin once, flying back from Barbados, after I won a valentines day poetry competition at check in. It was very nice. I joked to my mother, who is a published and prize-winning poet, that I had probably made more money out of poetry than she had.
It’s going to take quite awhile still, but Labour leadership will end up getting FPNs for this. It is not anything to do with Partygate but still they broke lock down rules.
How they then get from Boris must resign to but we must not resign it was a work event, is going to be very difficult for them.
How the new Tory Dirty Tricks Unit, working with Guido and Mail resources is very clever, and shows how talented they are. They are neutralising it as issue for Big Dog and Tories putting all the pressure on Labour just in right time for it to hit home in key election, the result of which could pile more pressure on Starmer.
Starmer may have a choice. Resign himself and take Boris with him, or stay put and hope to be PM.
Is there a betting market for the name of the National Flegship? Johnson is supposed to reveal the design and name in time for the Diamond Jubilee/Funeral (delete as applicable).
Possibilities...
HMS Duke of Edinburgh (Queen said to be opposed to this I doubt Johnson gives a fuck what she thinks) HMS Britannia (some continuity with the old asbestos ridden floating AA meeting) HMS United Kingdom (very 'on brand' for this government and the favourite I reckon)
Blowing gazillions on a replacement for the Royal Yacht Britannia is surely a symbol of a buoyant economy. A sign that lower taxes/better services are just around the corner?
The original tender was capped at £150m but Cammell-Laird obviously told the government to get fucked because it's now expected to cost £200-250m and the MoD have been told to find the money to pay for it.
The peace dividend? It's not like military spending might be required anywhere else.
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
That said, I’m curious
Would you rather be so-talented-at-what-you-do you get invited to fly to Barbados on Concorde for free (and then get driven around in a Rolls Royce etc etc) or would you rather just be some dumb rich fuck that PAYS?
I guess you’re the latter? It takes all sorts
To be fair to him, I’d rather be the multi-billionaire who has so much money to burn he doesn’t ever need freebies or notice if he gets one….
I bloody love a freebie. I once won a trip to NY on Virgin if you can believe that anyone ever wins these things and I felt like king of the castle. Every little helps.
We got upgraded to upper class on Virgin once, flying back from Barbados, after I won a valentines day poetry competition at check in. It was very nice. I joked to my mother, who is a published and prize-winning poet, that I had probably made more money out of poetry than she had.
I remember when Oryx & Crake came out, many moons ago. First novel in some time by one of the great authors (imo but I think also acknowledged) and a Big Event. I looked in the ST bestseller list and it had sold something like 2,365 copies on the week of launch. Authors simply aren't rewarded; it's no wonder that some turn to prostitute themselves so that they can go and stand under the manchineels on Sandy Lane beach.
It’s going to take quite awhile still, but Labour leadership will end up getting FPNs for this. It is not anything to do with Partygate but still they broke lock down rules.
How they then get from Boris must resign to but we must not resign it was a work event, is going to be very difficult for them.
How the new Tory Dirty Tricks Unit, working with Guido and Mail resources have done this is very clever, and shows how talented they are. They are neutralising it as issue for Big Dog and Tories putting all the pressure on Labour just in right time for it to hit home in key election, the result of which could pile more pressure on Starmer.
It reminds me a bit like motor racing, if you have to battle what’s in your mirrors you can’t attack what’s in front of you, you see what I mean?
I must say I am glad today I haven't piled into any new Borexit positions since the end-of-Q1 fiasco.
Is there a betting market for the name of the National Flegship? Johnson is supposed to reveal the design and name in time for the Diamond Jubilee/Funeral (delete as applicable).
Possibilities...
HMS Duke of Edinburgh (Queen said to be opposed to this I doubt Johnson gives a fuck what she thinks) HMS Britannia (some continuity with the old asbestos ridden floating AA meeting) HMS United Kingdom (very 'on brand' for this government and the favourite I reckon)
Blowing gazillions on a replacement for the Royal Yacht Britannia is surely a symbol of a buoyant economy. A sign that lower taxes/better services are just around the corner?
Boosting spend around the ship yards - I assume its being built in the UK? How it that different from other government stimuli? Pay the workers, who spend money, who pay tax etc etc etc
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
That said, I’m curious
Would you rather be so-talented-at-what-you-do you get invited to fly to Barbados on Concorde for free (and then get driven around in a Rolls Royce etc etc) or would you rather just be some dumb rich fuck that PAYS?
I guess you’re the latter? It takes all sorts
To be fair to him, I’d rather be the multi-billionaire who has so much money to burn he doesn’t ever need freebies or notice if he gets one….
No, that’s much less fun, I’d say. I know quite a few enormously wealthy people. They aren’t enormously happier. They take it for granted very quickly
Someone very wise once said “being rich does not make you happy, it can make unhappiness more bearable”. Seems about right
That said, I guess I am now mega-wealthy in experiences. I’ve been everywhere and done a lot so I can get blasé…
Talking of private islands, as we often do, I once had my own island in the Maldives. Literally. I was the only person on the island, for a night. The hotel built me a bed then departed, the staff stayed on a boat a mile offshore in case of pirates
It’s going to take quite awhile still, but Labour leadership will end up getting FPNs for this. It is not anything to do with Partygate but still they broke lock down rules.
How they then get from Boris must resign to but we must not resign it was a work event, is going to be very difficult for them.
How the new Tory Dirty Tricks Unit, working with Guido and Mail resources have done this is very clever, and shows how talented they are. They are neutralising it as issue for Big Dog and Tories putting all the pressure on Labour just in right time for it to hit home in key election, the result of which could pile more pressure on Starmer.
It reminds me a bit like motor racing, if you have to battle what’s in your mirrors you can’t attack what’s in front of you, you see what I mean?
Hang on. Just because Rayner was there doesn't mean it wasn't a work event. Indeed it makes it more certain that it was!
Starmer's birthday cake was in Sept 20 when there was no law against indoor gatherings.
US House Rollcall vote on Ukraine Lend Lease final passage
YEA = 417 including all 221 Democrats and 196 Republicans
NAY = 10 all Republicans Andy Biggs (R-AZ) Dan Bishop (R-NC) Warren Davidson (R-OH) Matt Gaetz (R-FL) Paul Gosar (R-AZ) Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) Thomas Massie (R-KY) Ralph Norman (R-NC) Scott Perry (R-PA) Thomas Tiffany (R-WI)
Not Voting = 3 all Republicans Rick Allen (R-GA) Troy Nehls (R-TX) Chris Steward (R-UT)
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
That said, I’m curious
Would you rather be so-talented-at-what-you-do you get invited to fly to Barbados on Concorde for free (and then get driven around in a Rolls Royce etc etc) or would you rather just be some dumb rich fuck that PAYS?
I guess you’re the latter? It takes all sorts
To be fair to him, I’d rather be the multi-billionaire who has so much money to burn he doesn’t ever need freebies or notice if he gets one….
No, that’s much less fun, I’d say. I know quite a few enormously wealthy people. They aren’t enormously happier. They take it for granted very quickly
Someone very wise once said “being rich does not make you happy, it can make unhappiness more bearable”. Seems about right
That said, I guess I am now mega-wealthy in experiences. I’ve been everywhere and done a lot so I can get blasé…
I’m still glad to have had the experiences
An elderly relative of mine died last year. A million quid in the bank but never went further than the Isle of Wight.
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
That said, I’m curious
Would you rather be so-talented-at-what-you-do you get invited to fly to Barbados on Concorde for free (and then get driven around in a Rolls Royce etc etc) or would you rather just be some dumb rich fuck that PAYS?
I guess you’re the latter? It takes all sorts
To be fair to him, I’d rather be the multi-billionaire who has so much money to burn he doesn’t ever need freebies or notice if he gets one….
I bloody love a freebie. I once won a trip to NY on Virgin if you can believe that anyone ever wins these things and I felt like king of the castle. Every little helps.
We got upgraded to upper class on Virgin once, flying back from Barbados, after I won a valentines day poetry competition at check in. It was very nice. I joked to my mother, who is a published and prize-winning poet, that I had probably made more money out of poetry than she had.
I remember when Oryx & Crake came out, many moons ago. First novel in some time by one of the great authors (imo but I think also acknowledged) and a Big Event. I looked in the ST bestseller list and it had sold something like 2,365 copies on the week of launch. Authors simply aren't rewarded; it's no wonder that some turn to prostitute themselves so that they can go and stand under the manchineels on Sandy Lane beach.
Well done your mum for keeping at it.
They usually prostitute themselves to the all powerful audience of airport fiction and getting onto the shelves at WH Smith's in Heathrow.
https://twitter.com/ThomasPride/status/1519898855927603201 “If I am ever asked to produce my ID card as evidence that I am who I say I am I will take that card out of my wallet and physically eat it in the presence of whatever emanation of the state has demanded that I produce it.” @BorisJohnson 2004.
Yesterday Johnson passed a law ...
... making it compulsory for voters to produce photo ID when voting.
Isn’t that opposition to ID cards rather than opposition to photo ID? Otherwise he’d have to eat his passport every time he came back from abroad.
Exactly. I'm yet to hear any justification from opponents of this change why voting should be less secure than picking up a parcel from the sorting office.
More people will be denied their vote due to the ID requirement than have lost their vote due to impersonation.
Why will any valid voter be denied their vote?
Because getting on the electoral register and obtaining a valid ID is not free. It has costs in terms of thought, time and effort.
The first pic looks like one of those AI images you were posting. Not sure what the input description would be... "Bleak, but beautiful beach dinner for the last man alive"?
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
That said, I’m curious
Would you rather be so-talented-at-what-you-do you get invited to fly to Barbados on Concorde for free (and then get driven around in a Rolls Royce etc etc) or would you rather just be some dumb rich fuck that PAYS?
I guess you’re the latter? It takes all sorts
To be fair to him, I’d rather be the multi-billionaire who has so much money to burn he doesn’t ever need freebies or notice if he gets one….
No, that’s much less fun, I’d say. I know quite a few enormously wealthy people. They aren’t enormously happier. They take it for granted very quickly
Someone very wise once said “being rich does not make you happy, it can make unhappiness more bearable”. Seems about right
That said, I guess I am now mega-wealthy in experiences. I’ve been everywhere and done a lot so I can get blasé…
I don't see the benefit in Labour earlier denying Rayner's presence. Particularly as the pair can't stand the sight of each other. The event still has all the hallmarks of a working late lunch with beer whether she was there or not, unless she was the one wheeling the suitcase of ale and karaoke machine from Tesco Extra...now there's a thought.
This ten times worse than Boris Johnson's lame cake incident is certainly exercising BigG. and Moonrabbit.
Trying to think of a parallel period in British political history to where we are now in 2022.
1962.
Tories into their third term with their third consecutive PM - an Old Etonian actor manager.
Labour with a relatively new leader.
Two years later the actor-manager PM has been replaced by a new PM, who then loses, narrowly, to Labour in the 1964 General Election.
Anyone find a better match?
Agreed, the next general election will be more 1964 than 1997 if Labour do win.
2022 is unprecedented in multiple ways. We’re emerging (in’s’Allah) from an immense global plague. We face global Cold War, and European Hot War. We are on the cusp of Artificial Intelligence. Etc etc etc. The world is changing at enormous speed, possibly faster than at any time in human history
This is not ‘1964’. It is itself
1964 was just after the Cuban Missile Crisis at the height of the Cold War. There was also the growth of TV and the emergence of the computer and the Space race etc and the cultural revolution of the 1960s
Things moved quite quickly in the 1960s. That does not preclude them moving even faster now. Much faster
AI is much overblown.
This article in the Atlantic is quite interesting on Google Translate. Now don't get me wrong, Google Translate is a great tool, very useful etc. But it's a million miles away from human intelligence.
Which suggests we really are close to proper AI, if not there already
Anybody claiming GPT3 is "proper" AI, is quite frankly an idiot. Its highly impressive, as is DALLE-2, but its not intelligent. They are giant transformers. Yes that means they can create a sentence or a picture never been written or drawn before, but it has no concept of what that sentence means, if it actually makes sense, if it doesn't how to correct it, etc etc etc. They can't adapt to a changing world without total retraining of the whole giant network.
Hence, the Turing Test
You should know this. At some point (very soon, I suspect) the output of Neural Networks like GPT4 will be indistinguishable from human communication and creativity. At that juncture, the question as to whether they are actually ‘intelligent’ will become an abstruse debate for theologians and philosophers. They will appear, seem, act, speak, draw, sing, joke, create and behave as if they are humanly intelligent. They will then be, to all intents and purposes, intelligent
It will get REALLY spooky when they are obviously MORE ‘intelligent’. That’s coming, as well
Will all due respect to Turing, who was clearly a genius, his test is rubbish.
The Benpointer test is much better: AI needs to load and the dishwasher properly. Then unload it and put away all the crockery and cutlery in the right place.
By which mark I am an AI...
By which mark AI is abolished by Ockham, as sensible people have 2 dishwashers and do not need to unload them to intermediate storage.
Environment factoid: a dishwasher uses far less water than normal washing up.
Indeed Fisher and Paykal have a dual draw dishwasher designed precisely to do this.
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
I flew there with the Antilies Airboat in an ex WW2 Grumman Goose. They landed in the harbour and taxied up the slipway.
The plane fell apart after a sea landing with engine failure a year or so later. It was a very eccentric airline.
Time to repeat how they saw some of the airlines in Central America:
TACA - take a chance airways SAHSA - stay at home stay alive
NASA - need another seven astronauts.
The NASA one was told to me in primary school by a kid named Kenneth. I happily repeated it several times for years afterwards before I learned about Challenger and what it meant. Then I felt quite bad, obviously
He also told be the BMW backronym and probably some other things a young (perhaps any) mind should not be exposed to and was the first person I ever heard using racist abuse (although I don't think he knew he was being abusive). Rough family, had a lot of problems over the time I knew him, but wasn't a bad person overall. Now wondering what became of him...
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
That said, I’m curious
Would you rather be so-talented-at-what-you-do you get invited to fly to Barbados on Concorde for free (and then get driven around in a Rolls Royce etc etc) or would you rather just be some dumb rich fuck that PAYS?
I guess you’re the latter? It takes all sorts
To be fair to him, I’d rather be the multi-billionaire who has so much money to burn he doesn’t ever need freebies or notice if he gets one….
No, that’s much less fun, I’d say. I know quite a few enormously wealthy people. They aren’t enormously happier. They take it for granted very quickly
Someone very wise once said “being rich does not make you happy, it can make unhappiness more bearable”. Seems about right
That said, I guess I am now mega-wealthy in experiences. I’ve been everywhere and done a lot so I can get blasé…
I’m still glad to have had the experiences
An elderly relative of mine died last year. A million quid in the bank but never went further than the Isle of Wight.
People have different priorities.
Some people just really like the security that money in the bank brings. The knowledge that, if things go wrong in terms of health for example, they can afford the care they need - it's peace of mind for those who worry a lot.
I don't know the relative's position or how they felt in themselves about their choices, and I'm pretty sure their choices wouldn't be the same as mine in those circumstances. But it doesn't necessarily mean they weren't happy. For some people, money buys experiences and so on, for others it buys security. Both choices are fine, and both types of person can be happy.
Anecdote. The other day I bought an Ozark 12-in-1 multi tool from an Alabama Wal-Mart. It’s a really useful pliers, and wire cutter, plus knife, bottle opener, saw, can opener, awl, screwdriver, you name it
It’s highly utilitarian but robust. Steel. Solid. So solid I bought three. Why?
It cost $5
How can such a useful thing cost just $5? Basically nothing. The price of one mildly fancy coffee
It felt to me like Peak Something. Peak Globalised Cheapness? I also felt: this cannot last
Cheap Chinesium, designed to look good in the packaging but lasts about a fortnight.
Ask around for how much the made-in-America Leatherman tool costs, it will be over $100 but last until you forget to take it out of your hand baggage one day forever.
And yet Amazon is full of reviews saying “they last for ages”, “I bought six”
Also, they’re so cheap who cares if you lose one, or it gets stolen? Indeed who cares if it DOES break after six months? You could buy 20 for one Leatherman
Review on Amazon you say? Truly the global standard in 21st century truthdom.
The Russian soldiers have behaved like barbarians. However, you have to feel some sympathy in this video, particularly with the music that it has been put to. The fact also that they are not in any armoured vehicle makes it hit much closer to home that these are people who are dying. The harsh reality of war.
The first pic looks like one of those AI images you were posting. Not sure what the input description would be... "Bleak, but beautiful beach dinner for the last man alive"?
In fact, maybe that is the description needed to get that picture from an AI? "They did leave me dinner tho"
Trying to think of a parallel period in British political history to where we are now in 2022.
1962.
Tories into their third term with their third consecutive PM - an Old Etonian actor manager.
Labour with a relatively new leader.
Two years later the actor-manager PM has been replaced by a new PM, who then loses, narrowly, to Labour in the 1964 General Election.
Anyone find a better match?
Agreed, the next general election will be more 1964 than 1997 if Labour do win.
2022 is unprecedented in multiple ways. We’re emerging (in’s’Allah) from an immense global plague. We face global Cold War, and European Hot War. We are on the cusp of Artificial Intelligence. Etc etc etc. The world is changing at enormous speed, possibly faster than at any time in human history
This is not ‘1964’. It is itself
1964 was just after the Cuban Missile Crisis at the height of the Cold War. There was also the growth of TV and the emergence of the computer and the Space race etc and the cultural revolution of the 1960s
Things moved quite quickly in the 1960s. That does not preclude them moving even faster now. Much faster
AI is much overblown.
This article in the Atlantic is quite interesting on Google Translate. Now don't get me wrong, Google Translate is a great tool, very useful etc. But it's a million miles away from human intelligence.
Which suggests we really are close to proper AI, if not there already
Anybody claiming GPT3 is "proper" AI, is quite frankly an idiot. Its highly impressive, as is DALLE-2, but its not intelligent. They are giant transformers. Yes that means they can create a sentence or a picture never been written or drawn before, but it has no concept of what that sentence means, if it actually makes sense, if it doesn't how to correct it, etc etc etc. They can't adapt to a changing world without total retraining of the whole giant network.
Hence, the Turing Test
You should know this. At some point (very soon, I suspect) the output of Neural Networks like GPT4 will be indistinguishable from human communication and creativity. At that juncture, the question as to whether they are actually ‘intelligent’ will become an abstruse debate for theologians and philosophers. They will appear, seem, act, speak, draw, sing, joke, create and behave as if they are humanly intelligent. They will then be, to all intents and purposes, intelligent
It will get REALLY spooky when they are obviously MORE ‘intelligent’. That’s coming, as well
Anecdote. The other day I bought an Ozark 12-in-1 multi tool from an Alabama Wal-Mart. It’s a really useful pliers, and wire cutter, plus knife, bottle opener, saw, can opener, awl, screwdriver, you name it
It’s highly utilitarian but robust. Steel. Solid. So solid I bought three. Why?
It cost $5
How can such a useful thing cost just $5? Basically nothing. The price of one mildly fancy coffee
It felt to me like Peak Something. Peak Globalised Cheapness? I also felt: this cannot last
Cheap Chinesium, designed to look good in the packaging but lasts about a fortnight.
Ask around for how much the made-in-America Leatherman tool costs, it will be over $100 but last until you forget to take it out of your hand baggage one day forever.
And yet Amazon is full of reviews saying “they last for ages”, “I bought six”
Also, they’re so cheap who cares if you lose one, or it gets stolen? Indeed who cares if it DOES break after six months? You could buy 20 for one Leatherman
Review on Amazon you say? Truly the global standard in 21st century truthdom.
I did wonder how long the item has to be on sale for "ages" on Amazon with its specific and identifiable model and vendor if its longevity is truly tested.
The first pic looks like one of those AI images you were posting. Not sure what the input description would be... "Bleak, but beautiful beach dinner for the last man alive"?
It was truly strange.
It cost about $10k a night (and this was 15 years ago) and the hotel was concerned id freak out as I was alone. They designed it for billionaire honeymooners. Russian oligarch kids. I assured them I was still super keen - when else do you get to be genuinely alone on a desert island?? - so they did it. Just for me,
It was a superb experience. And the food and wine offering was top notch. They prepped a bbq for me as well
By midnight I was stark naked, drunk, clutching a home made spear and patrolling my shoreline. Ready to kill any invaders. Proper Lord of the Flies
Finally I slept. In the morning I woke and at dawn they’d snuck on to the island and laid me an exquisite breakfast, then left, without waking me
Here’s the guy who got my bbq going. Nice people. Generous
Trying to think of a parallel period in British political history to where we are now in 2022.
1962.
Tories into their third term with their third consecutive PM - an Old Etonian actor manager.
Labour with a relatively new leader.
Two years later the actor-manager PM has been replaced by a new PM, who then loses, narrowly, to Labour in the 1964 General Election.
Anyone find a better match?
Agreed, the next general election will be more 1964 than 1997 if Labour do win.
2022 is unprecedented in multiple ways. We’re emerging (in’s’Allah) from an immense global plague. We face global Cold War, and European Hot War. We are on the cusp of Artificial Intelligence. Etc etc etc. The world is changing at enormous speed, possibly faster than at any time in human history
This is not ‘1964’. It is itself
1964 was just after the Cuban Missile Crisis at the height of the Cold War. There was also the growth of TV and the emergence of the computer and the Space race etc and the cultural revolution of the 1960s
Things moved quite quickly in the 1960s. That does not preclude them moving even faster now. Much faster
AI is much overblown.
This article in the Atlantic is quite interesting on Google Translate. Now don't get me wrong, Google Translate is a great tool, very useful etc. But it's a million miles away from human intelligence.
Which suggests we really are close to proper AI, if not there already
Anybody claiming GPT3 is "proper" AI, is quite frankly an idiot. Its highly impressive, as is DALLE-2, but its not intelligent. They are giant transformers. Yes that means they can create a sentence or a picture never been written or drawn before, but it has no concept of what that sentence means, if it actually makes sense, if it doesn't how to correct it, etc etc etc. They can't adapt to a changing world without total retraining of the whole giant network.
Hence, the Turing Test
You should know this. At some point (very soon, I suspect) the output of Neural Networks like GPT4 will be indistinguishable from human communication and creativity. At that juncture, the question as to whether they are actually ‘intelligent’ will become an abstruse debate for theologians and philosophers. They will appear, seem, act, speak, draw, sing, joke, create and behave as if they are humanly intelligent. They will then be, to all intents and purposes, intelligent
It will get REALLY spooky when they are obviously MORE ‘intelligent’. That’s coming, as well
Will all due respect to Turing, who was clearly a genius, his test is rubbish.
The Benpointer test is much better: AI needs to load and the dishwasher properly. Then unload it and put away all the crockery and cutlery in the right place.
Although if it were TRULY intelligent, AI would figure that out and flunk the test so it doesn’t have to do the chores
On the flagship, for a serious idea I think exploration ships are perhaps a better idea than HMS (Last Admiral who Whupped The French), as the French did vice-versa with their latest submarine.
Talking of private islands, as we often do, I once had my own island in the Maldives. Literally. I was the only person on the island, for a night. The hotel built me a bed then departed, the staff stayed on a boat a mile offshore in case of pirates ...
Is this genuinely the only instance of your hosts succumbing to the temptation to abandon you on a deserted island that you can recall ?
If so, you have renewed my faith in the general goodwill of humanity.
It’s going to take quite awhile still, but Labour leadership will end up getting FPNs for this. It is not anything to do with Partygate but still they broke lock down rules.
How they then get from Boris must resign to but we must not resign it was a work event, is going to be very difficult for them.
How the new Tory Dirty Tricks Unit, working with Guido and Mail resources have done this is very clever, and shows how talented they are. They are neutralising it as issue for Big Dog and Tories putting all the pressure on Labour just in right time for it to hit home in key election, the result of which could pile more pressure on Starmer.
It reminds me a bit like motor racing, if you have to battle what’s in your mirrors you can’t attack what’s in front of you, you see what I mean?
Hang on. Just because Rayner was there doesn't mean it wasn't a work event. Indeed it makes it more certain that it was!
Starmer's birthday cake was in Sept 20 when there was no law against indoor gatherings.
It is pretty pisspoor stuff from the Daily Mail.
No foxy, that’s not the point I’m making.
You are trying to deal in facts - winning dirty tricks machines win by not dealing in facts. Clearly the Tories have a fantastic unit in how they have turned this around in media narrative and thus into voters heads, my point being to be winners Labour need to fight back in kind. Defence and attack. Rebut immediately, firmly and often. If you want detail, Labour could have hit microphones by now flagging up to voters how The Mail and Tories are diverting from facts, by pointing to their open letter to Mail Editor bullet pointing how the reporting differed from the facts. The response from the Mail about not apologising and freedom of press to spin contentious lies is utterly predictable so Labour and Lawyers should already have written both the writ they will issue on the mail, and the prominent page 2 apology for lying that via the standards commission they will get the mail to print.
But the actual defence response from Labour to the attack from the Tory Dirty Tricks unit is a deafening silence punctuated by some ancient turtle sent out on media duties to try and argue this is not nearly the same as PartyGate.
In terms of attack, Beergate only possible and works and runs because Torys have photo’s. What are Labour doing to get hold and give to friendly media the incriminating photo’s of Boris Cummings have assured are out there? Whatever the going rate is to secure those photo’s, Labour should have budget and secret payment mechanisms for paying it.
Do you see my point? It’s the difference between winners and losers.
Anecdote. The other day I bought an Ozark 12-in-1 multi tool from an Alabama Wal-Mart. It’s a really useful pliers, and wire cutter, plus knife, bottle opener, saw, can opener, awl, screwdriver, you name it
It’s highly utilitarian but robust. Steel. Solid. So solid I bought three. Why?
It cost $5
How can such a useful thing cost just $5? Basically nothing. The price of one mildly fancy coffee
It felt to me like Peak Something. Peak Globalised Cheapness? I also felt: this cannot last
Cheap Chinesium, designed to look good in the packaging but lasts about a fortnight.
Ask around for how much the made-in-America Leatherman tool costs, it will be over $100 but last until you forget to take it out of your hand baggage one day forever.
And yet Amazon is full of reviews saying “they last for ages”, “I bought six”
Also, they’re so cheap who cares if you lose one, or it gets stolen? Indeed who cares if it DOES break after six months? You could buy 20 for one Leatherman
Review on Amazon you say? Truly the global standard in 21st century truthdom.
I did wonder how long the item has to be on sale for "ages" on Amazon with its specific and identifiable model and vendor if its longevity is truly tested.
Well, if it’s truly shoddy and crumbles in my hands after 3 months I’ll have wasted… < checks receipt > … $5
But after going a bit mad at the garden centre (about 40 plants for a new bed in the front garden) am now enjoying a cool drink in 20 degree sunshine on a perfect spring day.
I saw this last night. Lady Bra isn’t it. My thought was why would the Tory’s arrest their own people for big fraud right on eve of important election so it’s fresh in voters minds as they vote. Before the minister of fraud resigned unhappy with inaction there didn’t seem any acknowledgement of problem, but they have timed action inappropriately for the elections.
Isn’t the national crime agency, and the police in general, at arms length from the government? So they haven’t timed anything at all.
🤣 . .
You seem in a bit of a tangle here. Ask yourself your own question: if they are in the pocket of the tories why would they do this?
Lady Mone has an awfully Arcuri look about her.
Yeah I admit I have a tangle to untingle today. I was under impression police are in perder ahead of the elections, can’t issue any more Downing St fines until after voting etc so same police raiding homes of Tory politicians on eve of voting sits awkward with that?
Pre-election purdah does not and should not apply to law enforcement.
I saw this last night. Lady Bra isn’t it. My thought was why would the Tory’s arrest their own people for big fraud right on eve of important election so it’s fresh in voters minds as they vote. Before the minister of fraud resigned unhappy with inaction there didn’t seem any acknowledgement of problem, but they have timed action inappropriately for the elections.
Isn’t the national crime agency, and the police in general, at arms length from the government? So they haven’t timed anything at all.
🤣 . .
You seem in a bit of a tangle here. Ask yourself your own question: if they are in the pocket of the tories why would they do this?
Lady Mone has an awfully Arcuri look about her.
Yeah I admit I have a tangle to untingle today. I was under impression police are in perder ahead of the elections, can’t issue any more Downing St fines until after voting etc so same police raiding homes of Tory politicians on eve of voting sits awkward with that?
Yes, the Met Police are claiming that purdah applies to them. Which is a remarkable new interpretation of the law, and which occasioned some, erm, surprise when it was announced.
Its is an interesting decision, and tbh I think it is correct. The events are trivial and in the past. They can all be announced on May 7th or whenever.
Beg to differ. We can't have delays in law enforcement, especially when they confirm previous evidence of favouritism (delays; use of email questionnaires). The law has to be enforced without favouritism.
Normally I would entirely agree, but this case is entirely political. Can you name another party or parties being investigeted for a FPN from the lockdown periods? I can't.
That argument is actually completely the wrong way round, I'd suggest.
Depends what you mean by party ... if you mean a poilitical party then the ONLY party that has been investigated is Labout (Durham). No 10 is, so far as I am aware, still the seat of GOVERNMENT unless the Tories have taken over even more than I had realised. So it is Government and Civil Service that are being investigated.
It’s going to take quite awhile still, but Labour leadership will end up getting FPNs for this. It is not anything to do with Partygate but still they broke lock down rules.
How they then get from Boris must resign to but we must not resign it was a work event, is going to be very difficult for them.
How the new Tory Dirty Tricks Unit, working with Guido and Mail resources have done this is very clever, and shows how talented they are. They are neutralising it as issue for Big Dog and Tories putting all the pressure on Labour just in right time for it to hit home in key election, the result of which could pile more pressure on Starmer.
It reminds me a bit like motor racing, if you have to battle what’s in your mirrors you can’t attack what’s in front of you, you see what I mean?
I'd be interested to see them open a betting market on it as there could be money to be made. I'd be very strongly betting against any FPN over this.
The point that is rather crucial, and that is very conveniently ignored, is that the rules were VERY different between 4 July 2020 and 14 September 2020 than they were either before or after those dates. Hospitality businesses were not only open but attendance was actively encouraged ("Eat Out to Help Out" etc). You could gather in groups of 30, although the non-binding advice was six.
So I can see why, as a Conservative, you'd try to muddy the water. But were any lockdown rules broken, and is there much real prospect of an FPN? No - and indeed even the term "lockdown" is something of a misnomer for that period given the minimal restrictions in place.
I saw this last night. Lady Bra isn’t it. My thought was why would the Tory’s arrest their own people for big fraud right on eve of important election so it’s fresh in voters minds as they vote. Before the minister of fraud resigned unhappy with inaction there didn’t seem any acknowledgement of problem, but they have timed action inappropriately for the elections.
Isn’t the national crime agency, and the police in general, at arms length from the government? So they haven’t timed anything at all.
🤣 . .
You seem in a bit of a tangle here. Ask yourself your own question: if they are in the pocket of the tories why would they do this?
Lady Mone has an awfully Arcuri look about her.
Yeah I admit I have a tangle to untingle today. I was under impression police are in perder ahead of the elections, can’t issue any more Downing St fines until after voting etc so same police raiding homes of Tory politicians on eve of voting sits awkward with that?
Pre-election purdah does not and should not apply to law enforcement.
I saw this last night. Lady Bra isn’t it. My thought was why would the Tory’s arrest their own people for big fraud right on eve of important election so it’s fresh in voters minds as they vote. Before the minister of fraud resigned unhappy with inaction there didn’t seem any acknowledgement of problem, but they have timed action inappropriately for the elections.
Isn’t the national crime agency, and the police in general, at arms length from the government? So they haven’t timed anything at all.
🤣 . .
You seem in a bit of a tangle here. Ask yourself your own question: if they are in the pocket of the tories why would they do this?
Lady Mone has an awfully Arcuri look about her.
Yeah I admit I have a tangle to untingle today. I was under impression police are in perder ahead of the elections, can’t issue any more Downing St fines until after voting etc so same police raiding homes of Tory politicians on eve of voting sits awkward with that?
Yes, the Met Police are claiming that purdah applies to them. Which is a remarkable new interpretation of the law, and which occasioned some, erm, surprise when it was announced.
Its is an interesting decision, and tbh I think it is correct. The events are trivial and in the past. They can all be announced on May 7th or whenever.
Beg to differ. We can't have delays in law enforcement, especially when they confirm previous evidence of favouritism (delays; use of email questionnaires). The law has to be enforced without favouritism.
Normally I would entirely agree, but this case is entirely political. Can you name another party or parties being investigeted for a FPN from the lockdown periods? I can't.
That argument is actually completely the wrong way round, I'd suggest.
Depends what you mean by party ... if you mean a poilitical party then the ONLY party that has been investigated is Labout (Durham). No 10 is, so far as I am aware, still the seat of GOVERNMENT unless the Tories have taken over even more than I had realised. So it is Government and Civil Service that are being investigated.
Party as in fun, not in political party.
Ah, in that case plenty of cases of students and the like being investigated, attendees given FPNs, and organisers fined up to 10K.
The difference is partly that those were done summarily at the time - without the exaggerated delay, procrastination, deference and cringing of the Metropolitan Police to one particular category of offender.
But the point re political party ios also a good one, too, as it eliminates the purdah excuse for announcing the offences. Justice has ot be prompt and public. Remember the MPs - a Tory majority - voted in recent months* to conceal their own offences from the public.
*edit: not to do with covid but to do with wrongdoing more generally. I forget the date. But it reflects the climate of self-entitlement.
I don't see the benefit in Labour earlier denying Rayner's presence. Particularly as the pair can't stand the sight of each other. The event still has all the hallmarks of a working late lunch with beer whether she was there or not, unless she was the one wheeling the suitcase of ale and karaoke machine from Tesco Extra...now there's a thought.
This ten times worse than Boris Johnson's lame cake incident is certainly exercising BigG. and Moonrabbit.
Maybe Sue Gray should investigate.
It’s the Labour head in the sand approach to this test that gets my goat. They want to be in government and protect our security, but they can’t even rebutt this tripe? God help them in a proper general election against Boris and his dirty trick unit.
The first pic looks like one of those AI images you were posting. Not sure what the input description would be... "Bleak, but beautiful beach dinner for the last man alive"?
It was truly strange.
It cost about $10k a night (and this was 15 years ago) and the hotel was concerned id freak out as I was alone. They designed it for billionaire honeymooners. Russian oligarch kids. I assured them I was still super keen - when else do you get to be genuinely alone on a desert island?? - so they did it. Just for me,
It was a superb experience. And the food and wine offering was top notch. They prepped a bbq for me as well
By midnight I was stark naked, drunk, clutching a home made spear and patrolling my shoreline. Ready to kill any invaders. Proper Lord of the Flies
Finally I slept. In the morning I woke and at dawn they’d snuck on to the island and laid me an exquisite breakfast, then left, without waking me
Here’s the guy who got my bbq going. Nice people. Generous
I'm not saying that people who post here are not representative of the general population, but I would note that at least two of us (Leon and I) have benefited from a free holiday in the Maldives...
But after going a bit mad at the garden centre (about 40 plants for a new bed in the front garden) am now enjoying a cool drink in 20 degree sunshine on a perfect spring day.
I remember seeing in Alderney in 1972 an old chap was growing potatoes in bags on the back seat of his dilapidated Triumph Herald. Your display is way more impressive!
But after going a bit mad at the garden centre (about 40 plants for a new bed in the front garden) am now enjoying a cool drink in 20 degree sunshine on a perfect spring day.
Apparently it was an 'honest mistake' when they said Ms. Rayner wasn't there....
Oh, what a surprise.
If you’re going to go in really hard on your political opponents, for relative trivialities from two years ago, then you’d better be sure that you’re whiter than white yourself.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
The Durham police not going after Starmer as it would be selective, as would have been Cummings case, is problematic. How many parties/events from 2020 are the met investigating?
I really do not know but this has the potential to become a story of one rule for the PM and another for the leader and deputy leader of the labour party
Not even the remotest comparison with crooked Boris and his permanent parties
Apparently it was an 'honest mistake' when they said Ms. Rayner wasn't there....
Oh, what a surprise.
If you’re going to go in really hard on your political opponents, for relative trivialities from two years ago, then you’d better be sure that you’re whiter than white yourself.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
The Durham police not going after Starmer as it would be selective, as would have been Cummings case, is problematic. How many parties/events from 2020 are the met investigating?
I really do not know but this has the potential to become a story of one rule for the PM and another for the leader and deputy leader of the labour party
Not even the remotest comparison with crooked Boris and his permanent parties
It ties starmers hands over getting forensic on phatboi's ass is the problem. Johnson wiil just say, de te fabula narratur. It won't be true obv but it wasn't true starmer was at fault over savile either
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
That said, I’m curious
Would you rather be so-talented-at-what-you-do you get invited to fly to Barbados on Concorde for free (and then get driven around in a Rolls Royce etc etc) or would you rather just be some dumb rich fuck that PAYS?
I guess you’re the latter? It takes all sorts
No need to get so touchy; it's great if you are invited on these things so don't think you are somehow a lesser person for being a good journalist. Seeing from outside and trying to get an understanding of what others actually live through; it does take skill, no matter what some (especially on PB for some reason) say.
As for your question - I think by asking it you already know the answer.
Lol
*nervous laughter from Leon while examining his own sense of self and worth*
Yeah, I get it - I have that effect on people sometimes.
You have 3 weetabix for breakfast this morning Topping, you seem in fine fettle there.
Politico.com - Republican who refuses to bend the knee to Trump surges in Ohio Senate race Matt Dolan, who wants the former president to stop pushing "lies about the outcome" of the 2020 election, is showing a late burst of momentum.
The Russian soldiers have behaved like barbarians. However, you have to feel some sympathy in this video, particularly with the music that it has been put to. The fact also that they are not in any armoured vehicle makes it hit much closer to home that these are people who are dying. The harsh reality of war.
I don't see the benefit in Labour earlier denying Rayner's presence. Particularly as the pair can't stand the sight of each other. The event still has all the hallmarks of a working late lunch with beer whether she was there or not, unless she was the one wheeling the suitcase of ale and karaoke machine from Tesco Extra...now there's a thought.
This ten times worse than Boris Johnson's lame cake incident is certainly exercising BigG. and Moonrabbit.
Maybe Sue Gray should investigate.
It’s the Labour head in the sand approach to this test that gets my goat. They want to be in government and protect our security, but they can’t even rebutt this tripe? God help them in a proper general election against Boris and his dirty trick unit.
What can they say? It was investigated and the Durham Constabulary said there was no case to answer says it all.
There is a question as to why a denial as to Rayner's presence was made. It doesn't seem to have any bearing on the event, other than it would perhaps confirm it was a work meeting as I can't imagine Starmer and Rayner could bear being in each others' company for longer than was absolutely necessary.
The Russian soldiers have behaved like barbarians. However, you have to feel some sympathy in this video, particularly with the music that it has been put to. The fact also that they are not in any armoured vehicle makes it hit much closer to home that these are people who are dying. The harsh reality of war.
The second one showed them in a typical car, not an army vehicle. They had clearly looted it from a Ukrainian family, who had been forced to flee their homes. Any moral Russian soldier should surrender to the Ukrainians. Those that don't get no sympathy from me.
I saw this last night. Lady Bra isn’t it. My thought was why would the Tory’s arrest their own people for big fraud right on eve of important election so it’s fresh in voters minds as they vote. Before the minister of fraud resigned unhappy with inaction there didn’t seem any acknowledgement of problem, but they have timed action inappropriately for the elections.
Isn’t the national crime agency, and the police in general, at arms length from the government? So they haven’t timed anything at all.
🤣 . .
You seem in a bit of a tangle here. Ask yourself your own question: if they are in the pocket of the tories why would they do this?
Lady Mone has an awfully Arcuri look about her.
Yeah I admit I have a tangle to untingle today. I was under impression police are in perder ahead of the elections, can’t issue any more Downing St fines until after voting etc so same police raiding homes of Tory politicians on eve of voting sits awkward with that?
Pre-election purdah does not and should not apply to law enforcement.
I saw this last night. Lady Bra isn’t it. My thought was why would the Tory’s arrest their own people for big fraud right on eve of important election so it’s fresh in voters minds as they vote. Before the minister of fraud resigned unhappy with inaction there didn’t seem any acknowledgement of problem, but they have timed action inappropriately for the elections.
Isn’t the national crime agency, and the police in general, at arms length from the government? So they haven’t timed anything at all.
🤣 . .
You seem in a bit of a tangle here. Ask yourself your own question: if they are in the pocket of the tories why would they do this?
Lady Mone has an awfully Arcuri look about her.
Yeah I admit I have a tangle to untingle today. I was under impression police are in perder ahead of the elections, can’t issue any more Downing St fines until after voting etc so same police raiding homes of Tory politicians on eve of voting sits awkward with that?
Yes, the Met Police are claiming that purdah applies to them. Which is a remarkable new interpretation of the law, and which occasioned some, erm, surprise when it was announced.
Its is an interesting decision, and tbh I think it is correct. The events are trivial and in the past. They can all be announced on May 7th or whenever.
Beg to differ. We can't have delays in law enforcement, especially when they confirm previous evidence of favouritism (delays; use of email questionnaires). The law has to be enforced without favouritism.
Normally I would entirely agree, but this case is entirely political. Can you name another party or parties being investigeted for a FPN from the lockdown periods? I can't.
That argument is actually completely the wrong way round, I'd suggest.
Depends what you mean by party ... if you mean a poilitical party then the ONLY party that has been investigated is Labout (Durham). No 10 is, so far as I am aware, still the seat of GOVERNMENT unless the Tories have taken over even more than I had realised. So it is Government and Civil Service that are being investigated.
Party as in fun, not in political party.
Ah, in that case plenty of cases of students and the like being investigated, attendees given FPNs, and organisers fined up to 10K.
The difference is partly that those were done summarily at the time - without the exaggerated delay, procrastination, deference and cringing of the Metropolitan Police to one particular category of offender.
But the point re political party ios also a good one, too, as it eliminates the purdah excuse for announcing the offences. Justice has ot be prompt and public. Remember the MPs - a Tory majority - voted in recent months* to conceal their own offences from the public.
*edit: not to do with covid but to do with wrongdoing more generally. I forget the date. But it reflects the climate of self-entitlement.
My point is that NO OTHER CASES from the lockdowns are being investigated NOW. So in my view it it a political decision to intervene. I'm not arguing its right or wrong, just that there are no students being investigated for a party in April 2020, and my folks are not going to get a FPN for having a 'bubble' that was everyone who wanted to visit.
I personally would pardon ALL FPNS etc from the period. They should never have been given in the first place.
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
That said, I’m curious
Would you rather be so-talented-at-what-you-do you get invited to fly to Barbados on Concorde for free (and then get driven around in a Rolls Royce etc etc) or would you rather just be some dumb rich fuck that PAYS?
I guess you’re the latter? It takes all sorts
No need to get so touchy; it's great if you are invited on these things so don't think you are somehow a lesser person for being a good journalist. Seeing from outside and trying to get an understanding of what others actually live through; it does take skill, no matter what some (especially on PB for some reason) say.
As for your question - I think by asking it you already know the answer.
Lol
*nervous laughter from Leon while examining his own sense of self and worth*
Yeah, I get it - I have that effect on people sometimes.
You have 3 weetabix for breakfast this morning Topping, you seem in fine fettle there.
Thanks Malc just my usual toast and Marmite. Breakfast of champions.
Politico.com - ‘Egg on our face’: New York redistricting mess spooks House Dems Democrats' House majority was already slipping away, but Wednesday's court decision in New York was potentially devastating.
The Russian soldiers have behaved like barbarians. However, you have to feel some sympathy in this video, particularly with the music that it has been put to. The fact also that they are not in any armoured vehicle makes it hit much closer to home that these are people who are dying. The harsh reality of war.
The second one showed them in a typical car, not an army vehicle. They had clearly looted it from a Ukrainian family, who had been forced to flee their homes. Any moral Russian soldier should surrender to the Ukrainians. Those that don't get no sympathy from me.
That’s young men dying in a stupid war they didn’t choose
I’m very encouraged, both by Truss’s clarification of Western aims, and by the analysis from several sources suggesting that Russia has screwed up its Eastern manoeuvre and that Crimea may even shortly come into play.
One more from Politico before I head out for my morning coffee (7am PDT)
DeSantis officials say Florida won’t pay Disney’s debt — but there's no plan yet Democrats and the special district say $1 billion in outstanding debt could be unloaded on nearby Orange and Osceola counties.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The DeSantis administration is adamant that Florida taxpayers will not be stuck paying massive debts for Walt Disney Co. after Republicans revoked the company’s longstanding special privileges in the state — but the governor has offered few specific details as questions mount over the legal ramifications.
A plan for how the state will tackle Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, which gives the California-based company self-governing power over its amusement park property in Central Florida, is expected to be “shared in the next few weeks,” according to DeSantis officials. Yet Reedy Creek is contending that the new state law targeting Disney conflicts with the state’s original agreement, leaving at stake some $1 billion in outstanding bond debt and putting the economic future of the special district in a dire position, according to a new advisory from Fitch Ratings on Thursday. . . .
I don't see the benefit in Labour earlier denying Rayner's presence. Particularly as the pair can't stand the sight of each other. The event still has all the hallmarks of a working late lunch with beer whether she was there or not, unless she was the one wheeling the suitcase of ale and karaoke machine from Tesco Extra...now there's a thought.
This ten times worse than Boris Johnson's lame cake incident is certainly exercising BigG. and Moonrabbit.
Maybe Sue Gray should investigate.
It’s the Labour head in the sand approach to this test that gets my goat. They want to be in government and protect our security, but they can’t even rebutt this tripe? God help them in a proper general election against Boris and his dirty trick unit.
It’s been a bit of a revelation this morning seeing the more pro-Labour voices on here saying this story was overblown, the Tories were risking having the story boomerang, everyone would see the difference etc etc. Almost as though, because BJ did something far worse, the story will get swept away. Now the BBC and Sky are on to it, others will push more
https://twitter.com/ThomasPride/status/1519898855927603201 “If I am ever asked to produce my ID card as evidence that I am who I say I am I will take that card out of my wallet and physically eat it in the presence of whatever emanation of the state has demanded that I produce it.” @BorisJohnson 2004.
Yesterday Johnson passed a law ...
... making it compulsory for voters to produce photo ID when voting.
Isn’t that opposition to ID cards rather than opposition to photo ID? Otherwise he’d have to eat his passport every time he came back from abroad.
Exactly. I'm yet to hear any justification from opponents of this change why voting should be less secure than picking up a parcel from the sorting office.
More people will be denied their vote due to the ID requirement than have lost their vote due to impersonation.
Why will any valid voter be denied their vote?
Because getting on the electoral register and obtaining a valid ID is not free. It has costs in terms of thought, time and effort.
So does getting on the electoral register without ID requirements.
https://twitter.com/ThomasPride/status/1519898855927603201 “If I am ever asked to produce my ID card as evidence that I am who I say I am I will take that card out of my wallet and physically eat it in the presence of whatever emanation of the state has demanded that I produce it.” @BorisJohnson 2004.
Yesterday Johnson passed a law ...
... making it compulsory for voters to produce photo ID when voting.
Isn’t that opposition to ID cards rather than opposition to photo ID? Otherwise he’d have to eat his passport every time he came back from abroad.
Exactly. I'm yet to hear any justification from opponents of this change why voting should be less secure than picking up a parcel from the sorting office.
More people will be denied their vote due to the ID requirement than have lost their vote due to impersonation.
Why will any valid voter be denied their vote?
Because getting on the electoral register and obtaining a valid ID is not free. It has costs in terms of thought, time and effort.
So does getting on the electoral register without ID requirements.
I don't see the benefit in Labour earlier denying Rayner's presence. Particularly as the pair can't stand the sight of each other. The event still has all the hallmarks of a working late lunch with beer whether she was there or not, unless she was the one wheeling the suitcase of ale and karaoke machine from Tesco Extra...now there's a thought.
This ten times worse than Boris Johnson's lame cake incident is certainly exercising BigG. and Moonrabbit.
Maybe Sue Gray should investigate.
It’s the Labour head in the sand approach to this test that gets my goat. They want to be in government and protect our security, but they can’t even rebutt this tripe? God help them in a proper general election against Boris and his dirty trick unit.
It’s been a bit of a revelation this morning seeing the more pro-Labour voices on here saying this story was overblown, the Tories were risking having the story boomerang, everyone would see the difference etc etc. Almost as though, because BJ did something far worse, the story will get swept away. Now the BBC and Sky are on to it, others will push more
If I was in charge of the Labour rebuttal unit (they would have to invent one first as clearly not got one) this story would be dead already Mr Ed.
Still, this election is playing nicely into Lib Dem hands, the success will set libdems up for creditable MP comeback at next General Election. 😁
No, UK inflation is not “80% attributable to Brexit”.
What Posen was suggesting is that analysts are predicting persistent, ongoing inflation for the UK from next year and he suggests this is “80%” due to Brexit.
Posen is a bit of a berk, but it is certainly true that the UK inflation outlook is expected to be poorer.
US House Rollcall vote on Ukraine Lend Lease final passage
YEA = 417 including all 221 Democrats and 196 Republicans
NAY = 10 all Republicans Andy Biggs (R-AZ) Dan Bishop (R-NC) Warren Davidson (R-OH) Matt Gaetz (R-FL) Paul Gosar (R-AZ) Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) Thomas Massie (R-KY) Ralph Norman (R-NC) Scott Perry (R-PA) Thomas Tiffany (R-WI)
Not Voting = 3 all Republicans Rick Allen (R-GA) Troy Nehls (R-TX) Chris Steward (R-UT)
So Madison Cawthorn, who described Ukraine as evil and Zelenskyy as a thug, voted for the aid package?
I saw this last night. Lady Bra isn’t it. My thought was why would the Tory’s arrest their own people for big fraud right on eve of important election so it’s fresh in voters minds as they vote. Before the minister of fraud resigned unhappy with inaction there didn’t seem any acknowledgement of problem, but they have timed action inappropriately for the elections.
Isn’t the national crime agency, and the police in general, at arms length from the government? So they haven’t timed anything at all.
🤣 . .
You seem in a bit of a tangle here. Ask yourself your own question: if they are in the pocket of the tories why would they do this?
Lady Mone has an awfully Arcuri look about her.
Yeah I admit I have a tangle to untingle today. I was under impression police are in perder ahead of the elections, can’t issue any more Downing St fines until after voting etc so same police raiding homes of Tory politicians on eve of voting sits awkward with that?
Pre-election purdah does not and should not apply to law enforcement.
I saw this last night. Lady Bra isn’t it. My thought was why would the Tory’s arrest their own people for big fraud right on eve of important election so it’s fresh in voters minds as they vote. Before the minister of fraud resigned unhappy with inaction there didn’t seem any acknowledgement of problem, but they have timed action inappropriately for the elections.
Isn’t the national crime agency, and the police in general, at arms length from the government? So they haven’t timed anything at all.
🤣 . .
You seem in a bit of a tangle here. Ask yourself your own question: if they are in the pocket of the tories why would they do this?
Lady Mone has an awfully Arcuri look about her.
Yeah I admit I have a tangle to untingle today. I was under impression police are in perder ahead of the elections, can’t issue any more Downing St fines until after voting etc so same police raiding homes of Tory politicians on eve of voting sits awkward with that?
Yes, the Met Police are claiming that purdah applies to them. Which is a remarkable new interpretation of the law, and which occasioned some, erm, surprise when it was announced.
Its is an interesting decision, and tbh I think it is correct. The events are trivial and in the past. They can all be announced on May 7th or whenever.
Beg to differ. We can't have delays in law enforcement, especially when they confirm previous evidence of favouritism (delays; use of email questionnaires). The law has to be enforced without favouritism.
Normally I would entirely agree, but this case is entirely political. Can you name another party or parties being investigeted for a FPN from the lockdown periods? I can't.
That argument is actually completely the wrong way round, I'd suggest.
Depends what you mean by party ... if you mean a poilitical party then the ONLY party that has been investigated is Labout (Durham). No 10 is, so far as I am aware, still the seat of GOVERNMENT unless the Tories have taken over even more than I had realised. So it is Government and Civil Service that are being investigated.
Party as in fun, not in political party.
Ah, in that case plenty of cases of students and the like being investigated, attendees given FPNs, and organisers fined up to 10K.
The difference is partly that those were done summarily at the time - without the exaggerated delay, procrastination, deference and cringing of the Metropolitan Police to one particular category of offender.
But the point re political party ios also a good one, too, as it eliminates the purdah excuse for announcing the offences. Justice has ot be prompt and public. Remember the MPs - a Tory majority - voted in recent months* to conceal their own offences from the public.
*edit: not to do with covid but to do with wrongdoing more generally. I forget the date. But it reflects the climate of self-entitlement.
My point is that NO OTHER CASES from the lockdowns are being investigated NOW. So in my view it it a political decision to intervene. I'm not arguing its right or wrong, just that there are no students being investigated for a party in April 2020, and my folks are not going to get a FPN for having a 'bubble' that was everyone who wanted to visit.
I personally would pardon ALL FPNS etc from the period. They should never have been given in the first place.
FPNs aren't the point. If for a position of political balance Durham Police were to issue Starmer, Rayner and Foy with FPNs I suspect they could all decline them on the basis they were attending a work event. Would the CPS pursue a case in the face of such a denial? I doubt it.
Back to Johnson's multiple events. Could the CPS have grounds for a successful prosecution in the face of Johnson denials from what we already know? Probably.
None of that really matters. What does matter is Johnson set the rules, Johnson broke the rules and on multiple occasions. That in itself is pretty damning, but the killer blow is Johnson lied, and to Parliament. The Ministerial Code was broken and in that event earlier precedents have been set.
Has Leon been to the British Virgin Islands? Just asking because it happens to be in the news today.
I'm sure he has although for him it sounds pretty tame. I have; I took a bareboat charter from Tortola for a couple of weeks and it was fantastic. Very lux-y; not Leon's cup of tea at all.
Mate, I flew Concorde to Barbados
God you're old.
So old it was the inaugural flight. Took 3 hours. LHR Barbados
Fucking brilliant. They then drove us around in Rolls Royce’s for three days. I had dinner with Viv Richards et Al. On the last day BA said to us “can all the journalists and flint knappers on the BA Concorde press trip come down to the beach”
Sandy Beach
Bemused (and drunk again on champagne) we wandered on to the beach and then we saw Concorde flying over us (it was taking us home) and it actually TIPPED ITS WINGS to us, in honour. Us lot, on the beach
We were the only people on the flight home, apart from some poor couple at the front who’d actually PAID
“A yacht to Tortola”
Lol
I can well understand how being asked on a freebie for you represents a crowning achievement and puts you above those who PAID. Congrats.
That said, I’m curious
Would you rather be so-talented-at-what-you-do you get invited to fly to Barbados on Concorde for free (and then get driven around in a Rolls Royce etc etc) or would you rather just be some dumb rich fuck that PAYS?
I guess you’re the latter? It takes all sorts
No need to get so touchy; it's great if you are invited on these things so don't think you are somehow a lesser person for being a good journalist. Seeing from outside and trying to get an understanding of what others actually live through; it does take skill, no matter what some (especially on PB for some reason) say.
As for your question - I think by asking it you already know the answer.
Lol
*nervous laughter from Leon while examining his own sense of self and worth*
Yeah, I get it - I have that effect on people sometimes.
You have 3 weetabix for breakfast this morning Topping, you seem in fine fettle there.
Thanks Malc just my usual toast and Marmite. Breakfast of champions.
I’m very encouraged, both by Truss’s clarification of Western aims, and by the analysis from several sources suggesting that Russia has screwed up its Eastern manoeuvre and that Crimea may even shortly come into play.
A good morning.
What's the evidence that Crimea might 'come in to play'?
I don't see the benefit in Labour earlier denying Rayner's presence. Particularly as the pair can't stand the sight of each other. The event still has all the hallmarks of a working late lunch with beer whether she was there or not, unless she was the one wheeling the suitcase of ale and karaoke machine from Tesco Extra...now there's a thought.
This ten times worse than Boris Johnson's lame cake incident is certainly exercising BigG. and Moonrabbit.
Maybe Sue Gray should investigate.
It’s the Labour head in the sand approach to this test that gets my goat. They want to be in government and protect our security, but they can’t even rebutt this tripe? God help them in a proper general election against Boris and his dirty trick unit.
It’s been a bit of a revelation this morning seeing the more pro-Labour voices on here saying this story was overblown, the Tories were risking having the story boomerang, everyone would see the difference etc etc. Almost as though, because BJ did something far worse, the story will get swept away. Now the BBC and Sky are on to it, others will push more
Well I am not pro Labour and I think it is a smear. However I also think it will probably work.
"11 Ukrainian pilots are currently taking F-16 training courses. "It is just a pleasure to operate such a machine! Absolutely new philosophy of flight, incredible avionics, everything the pilot may need," says one of the Ukrainian pilots."
And a followup: "A lot of F-16s to be provided to Ukraine within the frameworks of Lend-Lease Act of 2022. Game changers on the way to Ukraine."
Quite big news atm, in several ways: training has already started; it looks as though the US are willing to let them fly F16s; and the Ukrainians can spare pilots.
If the Brexit inflation thing is even vaguely true, it would suggest the UK economy is pretty insensitive to the energy crisis and post-Covid V shaped boom.
Either Brexit has had no real impact on inflation, or the UK economy is far more resilient than the EUs. Or something in between.
I saw this last night. Lady Bra isn’t it. My thought was why would the Tory’s arrest their own people for big fraud right on eve of important election so it’s fresh in voters minds as they vote. Before the minister of fraud resigned unhappy with inaction there didn’t seem any acknowledgement of problem, but they have timed action inappropriately for the elections.
Isn’t the national crime agency, and the police in general, at arms length from the government? So they haven’t timed anything at all.
🤣 . .
You seem in a bit of a tangle here. Ask yourself your own question: if they are in the pocket of the tories why would they do this?
Lady Mone has an awfully Arcuri look about her.
Yeah I admit I have a tangle to untingle today. I was under impression police are in perder ahead of the elections, can’t issue any more Downing St fines until after voting etc so same police raiding homes of Tory politicians on eve of voting sits awkward with that?
Pre-election purdah does not and should not apply to law enforcement.
I saw this last night. Lady Bra isn’t it. My thought was why would the Tory’s arrest their own people for big fraud right on eve of important election so it’s fresh in voters minds as they vote. Before the minister of fraud resigned unhappy with inaction there didn’t seem any acknowledgement of problem, but they have timed action inappropriately for the elections.
Isn’t the national crime agency, and the police in general, at arms length from the government? So they haven’t timed anything at all.
🤣 . .
You seem in a bit of a tangle here. Ask yourself your own question: if they are in the pocket of the tories why would they do this?
Lady Mone has an awfully Arcuri look about her.
Yeah I admit I have a tangle to untingle today. I was under impression police are in perder ahead of the elections, can’t issue any more Downing St fines until after voting etc so same police raiding homes of Tory politicians on eve of voting sits awkward with that?
Yes, the Met Police are claiming that purdah applies to them. Which is a remarkable new interpretation of the law, and which occasioned some, erm, surprise when it was announced.
Its is an interesting decision, and tbh I think it is correct. The events are trivial and in the past. They can all be announced on May 7th or whenever.
Beg to differ. We can't have delays in law enforcement, especially when they confirm previous evidence of favouritism (delays; use of email questionnaires). The law has to be enforced without favouritism.
Normally I would entirely agree, but this case is entirely political. Can you name another party or parties being investigeted for a FPN from the lockdown periods? I can't.
That argument is actually completely the wrong way round, I'd suggest.
Depends what you mean by party ... if you mean a poilitical party then the ONLY party that has been investigated is Labout (Durham). No 10 is, so far as I am aware, still the seat of GOVERNMENT unless the Tories have taken over even more than I had realised. So it is Government and Civil Service that are being investigated.
Correction (again) the only party that WAS investigated was the labour party. And the police found that no crime was committed regardless of what the Daily Mail wishes people to believe.
My recollection was that they said it didn’t meet the threshold for investigation, not that no crime was committed
The Russian soldiers have behaved like barbarians. However, you have to feel some sympathy in this video, particularly with the music that it has been put to. The fact also that they are not in any armoured vehicle makes it hit much closer to home that these are people who are dying. The harsh reality of war.
The second one showed them in a typical car, not an army vehicle. They had clearly looted it from a Ukrainian family, who had been forced to flee their homes. Any moral Russian soldier should surrender to the Ukrainians. Those that don't get no sympathy from me.
That’s young men dying in a stupid war they didn’t choose
Every man’s death diminishes me….
What about this - setup an Underground Railroad for Russian soldiers who want out of the war. Send them to Sunny Beach in Bulgaria, where their stay gets paid for until the war is over, in an all inclusive hotel.
Probably cheaper than the cost of killing them, in terms of munitions.
"11 Ukrainian pilots are currently taking F-16 training courses. "It is just a pleasure to operate such a machine! Absolutely new philosophy of flight, incredible avionics, everything the pilot may need," says one of the Ukrainian pilots."
And a followup: "A lot of F-16s to be provided to Ukraine within the frameworks of Lend-Lease Act of 2022. Game changers on the way to Ukraine."
Quite big news atm, in several ways: training has already started; it looks as though the US are willing to let them fly F16s; and the Ukrainians can spare pilots.
NATO seems increasingly confident that they can take on Russia almost directly, and defang her. Without kicking off WW3?
"11 Ukrainian pilots are currently taking F-16 training courses. "It is just a pleasure to operate such a machine! Absolutely new philosophy of flight, incredible avionics, everything the pilot may need," says one of the Ukrainian pilots."
And a followup: "A lot of F-16s to be provided to Ukraine within the frameworks of Lend-Lease Act of 2022. Game changers on the way to Ukraine."
Quite big news atm, in several ways: training has already started; it looks as though the US are willing to let them fly F16s; and the Ukrainians can spare pilots.
IIRC @Dura_Ace was saying that the conversion course to F15 takes a serious number of months. Surely that would be similar for F16?
If the Brexit inflation thing is even vaguely true, it would suggest the UK economy is pretty insensitive to the energy crisis and post-Covid V shaped boom.
Either Brexit has had no real impact on inflation, or the UK economy is far more resilient than the EUs. Or something in between.
No, you haven’t understood.
The world is going through an inflation spike, caused by a Covid supply shock and exacerbated by the invasion of Ukraine.
Analysts (like the IMF) are predicting inflation will decline in time, but less so in the UK where inflation is expected to be more persistent for longer.
"11 Ukrainian pilots are currently taking F-16 training courses. "It is just a pleasure to operate such a machine! Absolutely new philosophy of flight, incredible avionics, everything the pilot may need," says one of the Ukrainian pilots."
And a followup: "A lot of F-16s to be provided to Ukraine within the frameworks of Lend-Lease Act of 2022. Game changers on the way to Ukraine."
Quite big news atm, in several ways: training has already started; it looks as though the US are willing to let them fly F16s; and the Ukrainians can spare pilots.
NATO seems increasingly confident that they can take on Russia almost directly, and defang her. Without kicking off WW3?
🙏
I don't see how a Ukrainian shooting a Russian plane with a F-16 is any more direct than a Ukrainian blowing up a Russian tank with an NLAW.
I don't see the benefit in Labour earlier denying Rayner's presence. Particularly as the pair can't stand the sight of each other. The event still has all the hallmarks of a working late lunch with beer whether she was there or not, unless she was the one wheeling the suitcase of ale and karaoke machine from Tesco Extra...now there's a thought.
This ten times worse than Boris Johnson's lame cake incident is certainly exercising BigG. and Moonrabbit.
Maybe Sue Gray should investigate.
It’s the Labour head in the sand approach to this test that gets my goat. They want to be in government and protect our security, but they can’t even rebutt this tripe? God help them in a proper general election against Boris and his dirty trick unit.
It’s been a bit of a revelation this morning seeing the more pro-Labour voices on here saying this story was overblown, the Tories were risking having the story boomerang, everyone would see the difference etc etc. Almost as though, because BJ did something far worse, the story will get swept away. Now the BBC and Sky are on to it, others will push more
The story is overblown, that is not to say it would not gain traction. Lynton Crosby's boys are very good at what they do, in much the same way as the Crays were very good at protection rackets.
I’m very encouraged, both by Truss’s clarification of Western aims, and by the analysis from several sources suggesting that Russia has screwed up its Eastern manoeuvre and that Crimea may even shortly come into play.
A good morning.
What's the evidence that Crimea might 'come in to play'?
Contained in one of the Twitter threads posted earlier. I can’t find it now.
Essence was that Ukraine have destroyed some key supply lines between Crimea and the mainland on the Western side, and that Crimea is now vulnerable to a push south by Ukrainian forces.
The Russian soldiers have behaved like barbarians. However, you have to feel some sympathy in this video, particularly with the music that it has been put to. The fact also that they are not in any armoured vehicle makes it hit much closer to home that these are people who are dying. The harsh reality of war.
The second one showed them in a typical car, not an army vehicle. They had clearly looted it from a Ukrainian family, who had been forced to flee their homes. Any moral Russian soldier should surrender to the Ukrainians. Those that don't get no sympathy from me.
That’s young men dying in a stupid war they didn’t choose
Every man’s death diminishes me….
What about this - setup an Underground Railroad for Russian soldiers who want out of the war. Send them to Sunny Beach in Bulgaria, where their stay gets paid for until the war is over, in an all inclusive hotel.
Probably cheaper than the cost of killing them, in terms of munitions.
The Ukrainians are already treating all Russian soldiers that surrender to them well. Unlike what is happening the other way round. For those Russians that continue to kill, loot, rape and torture an innocent population, they deserve to die. I hope the Russian army gets completely depleted, and they get reduced to being a fourth rate military power.
Comments
The plane fell apart after a sea landing with engine failure a year or so later. It was a very eccentric airline.
https://www.antillesairboats.com/about-this-site
TACA - take a chance airways
SAHSA - stay at home stay alive
Would you rather be so-talented-at-what-you-do you get invited to fly to Barbados on Concorde for free (and then get driven around in a Rolls Royce etc etc) or would you rather just be some dumb rich fuck that PAYS?
I guess you’re the latter? It takes all sorts
As for your question - I think by asking it you already know the answer.
Impact of Starlink for Ukrainians to be able to communicate (plus praise for Boris!)
https://twitter.com/dpatrikarakos/status/1519303470192410624
Logistics in the south of Ukraine. Belief is that Ukraine can push towards Crimea that would put the entire Russian position in the South at risk.
https://twitter.com/TrentTelenko/status/1519769602535874560
Yeah, I get it - I have that effect on people sometimes.
Someone very wise once said “being rich does not make you happy, it can make unhappiness more bearable”. Seems about right
That said, I guess I am now mega-wealthy in experiences. I’ve been everywhere and done a lot so I can get blasé…
I’m still glad to have had the experiences
How they then get from Boris must resign to but we must not resign it was a work event, is going to be very difficult for them.
How the new Tory Dirty Tricks Unit, working with Guido and Mail resources have done this is very clever, and shows how talented they are. They are neutralising it as issue for Big Dog and Tories putting all the pressure on Labour just in right time for it to hit home in key election, the result of which could pile more pressure on Starmer.
It reminds me a bit like motor racing, if you have to battle what’s in your mirrors you can’t attack what’s in front of you, you see what I mean?
Well done your mum for keeping at it.
Starmer's birthday cake was in Sept 20 when there was no law against indoor gatherings.
It is pretty pisspoor stuff from the Daily Mail.
YEA = 417 including all 221 Democrats and 196 Republicans
NAY = 10 all Republicans
Andy Biggs (R-AZ)
Dan Bishop (R-NC)
Warren Davidson (R-OH)
Matt Gaetz (R-FL)
Paul Gosar (R-AZ)
Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA)
Thomas Massie (R-KY)
Ralph Norman (R-NC)
Scott Perry (R-PA)
Thomas Tiffany (R-WI)
Not Voting = 3 all Republicans
Rick Allen (R-GA)
Troy Nehls (R-TX)
Chris Steward (R-UT)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov4epAJRPMw
This ten times worse than Boris Johnson's lame cake incident is certainly exercising BigG. and Moonrabbit.
Maybe Sue Gray should investigate.
I'll stick with the Bosch at about £350, I think.
He also told be the BMW backronym and probably some other things a young (perhaps any) mind should not be exposed to and was the first person I ever heard using racist abuse (although I don't think he knew he was being abusive). Rough family, had a lot of problems over the time I knew him, but wasn't a bad person overall. Now wondering what became of him...
Some people just really like the security that money in the bank brings. The knowledge that, if things go wrong in terms of health for example, they can afford the care they need - it's peace of mind for those who worry a lot.
I don't know the relative's position or how they felt in themselves about their choices, and I'm pretty sure their choices wouldn't be the same as mine in those circumstances. But it doesn't necessarily mean they weren't happy. For some people, money buys experiences and so on, for others it buys security. Both choices are fine, and both types of person can be happy.
Video of a UAV from Ukraine’s 92nd Mechanized Brigade dropping munitions on Russian soldiers.
https://t.co/gY940S1c6A
https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1520024958851862529
@Leon
It cost about $10k a night (and this was 15 years ago) and the hotel was concerned id freak out as I was alone. They designed it for billionaire honeymooners. Russian oligarch kids. I assured them I was still super keen - when else do you get to be genuinely alone on a desert island?? - so they did it. Just for me,
It was a superb experience. And the food and wine offering was top notch. They prepped a bbq for me as well
By midnight I was stark naked, drunk, clutching a home made spear and patrolling my shoreline. Ready to kill any invaders. Proper Lord of the Flies
Finally I slept. In the morning I woke and at dawn they’d snuck on to the island and laid me an exquisite breakfast, then left, without waking me
Here’s the guy who got my bbq going. Nice people. Generous
Examples - HMS Endeavour / Venture / Adventure / Discovery / Challenger / Resolution.
If so, you have renewed my faith in the general goodwill of humanity.
You are trying to deal in facts - winning dirty tricks machines win by not dealing in facts. Clearly the Tories have a fantastic unit in how they have turned this around in media narrative and thus into voters heads, my point being to be winners Labour need to fight back in kind. Defence and attack. Rebut immediately, firmly and often. If you want detail, Labour could have hit microphones by now flagging up to voters how The Mail and Tories are diverting from facts, by pointing to their open letter to Mail Editor bullet pointing how the reporting differed from the facts. The response from the Mail about not apologising and freedom of press to spin contentious lies is utterly predictable so Labour and Lawyers should already have written both the writ they will issue on the mail, and the prominent page 2 apology for lying that via the standards commission they will get the mail to print.
But the actual defence response from Labour to the attack from the Tory Dirty Tricks unit is a deafening silence punctuated by some ancient turtle sent out on media duties to try and argue this is not nearly the same as PartyGate.
In terms of attack, Beergate only possible and works and runs because Torys have photo’s. What are Labour doing to get hold and give to friendly media the incriminating photo’s of Boris Cummings have assured are out there? Whatever the going rate is to secure those photo’s, Labour should have budget and secret payment mechanisms for paying it.
Do you see my point? It’s the difference between winners and losers.
Also - some are somewhat dodgy politically. Endeavour and Resolution would not go down well in Australasia.
Could go for Terror or Erebus.
But after going a bit mad at the garden centre (about 40 plants for a new bed in the front garden) am now enjoying a cool drink in 20 degree sunshine on a perfect spring day.
The point that is rather crucial, and that is very conveniently ignored, is that the rules were VERY different between 4 July 2020 and 14 September 2020 than they were either before or after those dates. Hospitality businesses were not only open but attendance was actively encouraged ("Eat Out to Help Out" etc). You could gather in groups of 30, although the non-binding advice was six.
So I can see why, as a Conservative, you'd try to muddy the water. But were any lockdown rules broken, and is there much real prospect of an FPN? No - and indeed even the term "lockdown" is something of a misnomer for that period given the minimal restrictions in place.
The difference is partly that those were done summarily at the time - without the exaggerated delay, procrastination, deference and cringing of the Metropolitan Police to one particular category of offender.
But the point re political party ios also a good one, too, as it eliminates the purdah excuse for announcing the offences. Justice has ot be prompt and public. Remember the MPs - a Tory majority - voted in recent months* to conceal their own offences from the public.
*edit: not to do with covid but to do with wrongdoing more generally. I forget the date. But it reflects the climate of self-entitlement.
There has just been the 250th Anniversary, and the dustups seem quite manufactured.
Matt Dolan, who wants the former president to stop pushing "lies about the outcome" of the 2020 election, is showing a late burst of momentum.
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/29/trump-says-matt-dolan-is-not-fit-for-ohios-senate-seat-hes-gaining-ground-anyway-00028824
There is a question as to why a denial as to Rayner's presence was made. It doesn't seem to have any bearing on the event, other than it would perhaps confirm it was a work meeting as I can't imagine Starmer and Rayner could bear being in each others' company for longer than was absolutely necessary.
I found it. It’s called Gaatafushi.
https://www.cheapflights.co.uk/news/private-island-paradise-gaathafushi-maldives
This says it’s only $3500 a night! Ugh. Even tho I didn’t pay I still feel like I was slumming it, in retrospect
The second one showed them in a typical car, not an army vehicle. They had clearly looted it from a Ukrainian family, who had been forced to flee their homes. Any moral Russian soldier should surrender to the Ukrainians. Those that don't get no sympathy from me.
I personally would pardon ALL FPNS etc from the period. They should never have been given in the first place.
Democrats' House majority was already slipping away, but Wednesday's court decision in New York was potentially devastating.
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/28/new-york-redistricting-spooks-house-dems-00028753
Every man’s death diminishes me….
A good morning.
DeSantis officials say Florida won’t pay Disney’s debt — but there's no plan yet
Democrats and the special district say $1 billion in outstanding debt could be unloaded on nearby Orange and Osceola counties.
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/28/desantis-florida-disney-world-debt-00028619
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The DeSantis administration is adamant that Florida taxpayers will not be stuck paying massive debts for Walt Disney Co. after Republicans revoked the company’s longstanding special privileges in the state — but the governor has offered few specific details as questions mount over the legal ramifications.
A plan for how the state will tackle Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, which gives the California-based company self-governing power over its amusement park property in Central Florida, is expected to be “shared in the next few weeks,” according to DeSantis officials. Yet Reedy Creek is contending that the new state law targeting Disney conflicts with the state’s original agreement, leaving at stake some $1 billion in outstanding bond debt and putting the economic future of the special district in a dire position, according to a new advisory from Fitch Ratings on Thursday. . . .
Still, this election is playing nicely into Lib Dem hands, the success will set libdems up for creditable MP comeback at next General Election. 😁
What Posen was suggesting is that analysts are predicting persistent, ongoing inflation for the UK from next year and he suggests this is “80%” due to Brexit.
Posen is a bit of a berk, but it is certainly true that the UK inflation outlook is expected to be poorer.
Time will tell.
Regardless, the Chris Grey article is a master class as usual.
https://chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2022/04/six-years-of-failure.html?m=1
It would be great to read a Brexit-leaning analyst who was half as incisive, but one does not seem to exist.
Back to Johnson's multiple events. Could the CPS have grounds for a successful prosecution in the face of Johnson denials from what we already know? Probably.
None of that really matters. What does matter is Johnson set the rules, Johnson broke the rules and on multiple occasions. That in itself is pretty damning, but the killer blow is Johnson lied, and to Parliament. The Ministerial Code was broken and in that event earlier precedents have been set.
"11 Ukrainian pilots are currently taking F-16 training courses.
"It is just a pleasure to operate such a machine! Absolutely new philosophy of flight, incredible avionics, everything the pilot may need," says one of the Ukrainian pilots."
https://twitter.com/lilygrutcher/status/1519801775905284096
And a followup:
"A lot of F-16s to be provided to Ukraine within the frameworks of Lend-Lease Act of 2022.
Game changers on the way to Ukraine."
Quite big news atm, in several ways: training has already started; it looks as though the US are willing to let them fly F16s; and the Ukrainians can spare pilots.
Either Brexit has had no real impact on inflation, or the UK economy is far more resilient than the EUs. Or something in between.
(Ie Eff off, this a waste of police time)
Probably cheaper than the cost of killing them, in terms of munitions.
🙏
The world is going through an inflation spike, caused by a Covid supply shock and exacerbated by the invasion of Ukraine.
Analysts (like the IMF) are predicting inflation will decline in time, but less so in the UK where inflation is expected to be more persistent for longer.
Essence was that Ukraine have destroyed some key supply lines between Crimea and the mainland on the Western side, and that Crimea is now vulnerable to a push south by Ukrainian forces.