Where is the balance of power in Tory by-election selection? Labour HQ influences the short-list heavily, but final selection is up to the CLP, who tend to be unpredictable. Can Tory HQ decree "It shall be Frost" or do local members have the final say?
Local members have the final say after CCHQ produce the shortlist
So CCHQ can nobble the shortlist
Will this be impacts by X's (whoever it was) declaring that half of Tory MPs should be women. Was that for the next election?
Tiverton & Honiton has had a female MP for 50% of its existence - it was represented by Angela Browning from 1997-2010. I can understand the argument a "local woman" is more electable but I didn't think that's the way the Conservatives did things although once again it seems they are willing to steal a good idea from another party.
Anyway, given my limited interest in whether Starmer once had a beer, I have largely ignored politics for the last few days and instead concentrated on serious gardening.
Namely -
- The creation of 2 new beds, one in the front and one in the back garden. - Plus the improvement of a third, which is a mixture of a herb and flower bed. - Removing all the rubble, stones, old plastic sacks & other rubbish the builders kindly left in the garden. (Why builders think a planting bed is the same as a skip who can say.) - 9 x 70 litres of top soil, compost and soil conditioner lifted and spread over the beds. - Circa 80 plants planted & watered & God knows how many weeds cleared.
Hard physical work is very satisfying! If tiring.
So I treated myself to afternoon tea - as you can see here.
Very nice. Have been doing some weeding of my own but it's a bit difficult to fit gardening around everything else. Aiming to plant a new rose border by the sunroom with roses that have a strong scent, but haven't got round to that yet.
Rosa Gertrude Jekyll is an absolute must have. Exquisitely beautiful and fragrant with no downsides whatever.
I have Mme Alfred Carriere coming up the wall in that photo and lost of other David Austin roses too. As well as 2 old Bourbon roses in one of the new beds: Ferdinand Pichaud and Rosa de Rechts.
Why does New Orleans have such exceptionally ugly office blocks and skyscrapers?
It is arguably America’s most beautiful city, yet miserably weighed down with these hideous THINGS
America usually does skyscrapers well. They invented them. Yet the one place they fuck up is the one place which REALLY does not deserve it
Every American city is stuffed full of hideous buildings. New York has a few iconic skyscrapers but 90% of its real estate is ugly soulless office blocks. The French Quarter in New Orleans is quite charming, mostly because it doesn't look like an American city at all, but the rest of the city is just as ugly as most other US cities. Houston is the most hideous US city I've ever been to, the whole place felt like it was a Taco Bell car park.
New Orleans is a lot more than just the French quarter. Whole districts outside the FQ are gorgeous. The garden district etc. Even the poorer inner burbs are often unusually lovely.
Which is why it is a damn shame they built these carbuncles
NYC does have its share of aesthetic failures but they are disguised by the great mass of towers and the fact they are often REALLY tall so you get a sense of exhilaration from the sheer height. Especially now they have slender supertalls
I agree on the horror of the strip mall and I am sure you are right about Houston (never been)
There's a lot of hideous buildings, roads & assorted often-crumbling infrastructure in Louisiana. Even in parts where over-development & environmental degradation have NOT cause the land & whatever's on it to sink beneath the rising marsh.
One thing that always struck me, in South La and along the Gulf Coast - use of shells in place of gravel for driveways, parking lots, highway shoulders, back roads & the like.
Unless you've already done so, at some point head to Pat O'Briens and get something in a hurricane glass. Then keep the glass, they'll box it up, you've got a cheap souvenir.
New Orleans factoid - Two weeks ago, NO city council formally renamed "Lee Circle" to "Harmony Circle".
The prominent traffic circle, at eastern end of St Charles Ave (catch street car to Audubon Park here) features tall pillar (think Trafalgar Sq) upon which used to stand a statue of Gen. Robert E Lee (USA > CSA) gazing in general direction of Richmond.
Statue was removed in 2017.
I’ve nearly finished my (excellent) oysters at Luke. I have a spare afternoon in Nawlins. What can I do?
I’ve done the obvious touristy things, from the French Quartet to Basin Street to the Garden District or the cemeteries
Anything else? I fucked up my flight so I have an extra day
It is unusual amongst Plantation tours in that it focusses on the slaves, rather than the owners, with the slaves glossed over. It gets very interesting reviews.
I went to the Whitney last time I was here. Very moving. Right at the end the guide revealed that her great grandfather was a sharecropper who lived in one of the shacks she had just showed us
I may be in New Orleans for a research meeting next year, and I was thinking of taking it in. I was last in Louisiana in 1977, I think.
One curiosity of history is that the Emancipation Proclomation didn't free the slaves in Union occupied territory, including New Orleans, but only in the Confederacy that had yet been occupied. Hence the slaves in NO were amongst the last to be freed.
So literally 9.7% of seats in the Commons had by-elections in one parliamentary term in 59-64. 61 contests, 25 of them due to death in office - it feels like a very different political culture with that level of turnover! (There were a large number due to elevations to the Peerage, which is less common now).
New Orleans factoid - Two weeks ago, NO city council formally renamed "Lee Circle" to "Harmony Circle".
The prominent traffic circle, at eastern end of St Charles Ave (catch street car to Audubon Park here) features tall pillar (think Trafalgar Sq) upon which used to stand a statue of Gen. Robert E Lee (USA > CSA) gazing in general direction of Richmond.
Statue was removed in 2017.
I’ve nearly finished my (excellent) oysters at Luke. I have a spare afternoon in Nawlins. What can I do?
I’ve done the obvious touristy things, from the French Quartet to Basin Street to the Garden District or the cemeteries
Anything else? I fucked up my flight so I have an extra day
It is unusual amongst Plantation tours in that it focusses on the slaves, rather than the owners, with the slaves glossed over. It gets very interesting reviews.
I went to the Whitney last time I was here. Very moving. Right at the end the guide revealed that her great grandfather was a sharecropper who lived in one of the shacks she had just showed us
I may be in New Orleans for a research meeting next year, and I was thinking of taking it in. I was last in Louisiana in 1977, I think.
One curiosity of history is that the Emancipation Proclomation didn't free the slaves in Union occupied territory, including New Orleans, but only in the Confederacy that had yet been occupied. Hence the slaves in NO were amongst the last to be freed.
OT snooker -- the final session has just resumed and Ronnie O'Sullivan is one frame away from his 8th world championship. PBers with an appreciation of sporting history might want to turn on their television or iplayer. And Trump is not completely without a chance.
Why does New Orleans have such exceptionally ugly office blocks and skyscrapers?
It is arguably America’s most beautiful city, yet miserably weighed down with these hideous THINGS
America usually does skyscrapers well. They invented them. Yet the one place they fuck up is the one place which REALLY does not deserve it
Every American city is stuffed full of hideous buildings. New York has a few iconic skyscrapers but 90% of its real estate is ugly soulless office blocks. The French Quarter in New Orleans is quite charming, mostly because it doesn't look like an American city at all, but the rest of the city is just as ugly as most other US cities. Houston is the most hideous US city I've ever been to, the whole place felt like it was a Taco Bell car park.
I find that supposedly "soulless" metal and glass structures are usually fine. What is awful are square concrete blocks.
Famed for their BBQ Shrip. BTW (and FYI) my own sainted mother made a version of this classic that was just as good or even better (certainly less expensive!) than PM.
Rather like with Ian Botham at Headingly, Taylor says he’s met many times more people who have said they were in the Crucible that night, than the capacity of the theatre.
I watched it all live on telly; a lesser boast, but I almost always miss these things in real time even on TV, cos I just don't put the hours in. Only other one, I watched Andy Murray beat Andy Roddick IRT at Wimbledon 2006
I watched Murray win his Wimbledon title via an extremely dodgy internet connection in a remote hotel by Lake Molveno in the Dolomites. The sense that the livestream might drop any minute somehow added to the brilliant drama, and the connection held to the end (then failed)
However I saw the end of the immortal 2005 Ashes in a Bangkok brothel - literally - which was arguably even better
I cried at the end of ashes 2005 when kp acknowledged the victory
Murray Vs roddick 2006 was an obscure match, but it was his breakthrough
The 2005 Ashes was the greatest sporting event of my life and I doubt it will be bettered. It was like a mighty Russian novel turned into sport. A whole summer of insane drama
The England rugby World Cup win - in the last minute of extra time - over Australia - in Australia - is a decent second.
After that, hmm…. It gets more niche
1973 Barbarians Vs Kiwis
1999 Champions League Final - Sheringham and Solskjær in Fergie time.
Sadly, I only watched it on TV but I am reliably informed that well over half a million Man U fans were in the Camp Nou that night.
Real architectural wonder of New Orleans, is that it exist in the first place, like Venice & St Petersburg in middle of a big, bad, freaking swamp.
Perhaps check out Bayou St John & other canal routes? Book "Bienville's Dilemna" by Campanella goes into great detail combined with equally good detail & analysis.
And yes, what they used to call the CBD is hideous. Not to City of London standards, but close.
Re: Lewis & Clark, poor Meriweather blazed the path westward to the Pacific and back, yet fell afoul re: the bookkeeping & report writing.
IIRC he was on his way to Our Nation's Capital to give an account of his less-than-satisfactory accounting of the great expedition and/or is territorial governorship, when he took his own life at a roadside "stand" (rough inn) on the Natchez Trace. Leastways that's what they said happened and what balance of probablities still suggests.
Lol. Touché. Nice dig at the City. We really fucked up with the Walkie Talkie and 22 Fenchurch St
On the other hand you can get vistas like this. From the right angle
At the same time we have somehow contrived to hide The Gherkin from almost any angle, and that is one of the most marvellously iconic modern buildings in the world. Derrrr
Yes, you've got the Thames - with Embankment instead of Levy! BTW, climb one of the latter later, worth doing if not done so.
My fav building in The City is The Monument. Still have my certificate for having climbed to the top.
Real architectural wonder of New Orleans, is that it exist in the first place, like Venice & St Petersburg in middle of a big, bad, freaking swamp.
Perhaps check out Bayou St John & other canal routes? Book "Bienville's Dilemna" by Campanella goes into great detail combined with equally good detail & analysis.
And yes, what they used to call the CBD is hideous. Not to City of London standards, but close.
Re: Lewis & Clark, poor Meriweather blazed the path westward to the Pacific and back, yet fell afoul re: the bookkeeping & report writing.
IIRC he was on his way to Our Nation's Capital to give an account of his less-than-satisfactory accounting of the great expedition and/or is territorial governorship, when he took his own life at a roadside "stand" (rough inn) on the Natchez Trace. Leastways that's what they said happened and what balance of probablities still suggests.
Lol. Touché. Nice dig at the City. We really fucked up with the Walkie Talkie and 22 Fenchurch St
On the other hand you can get vistas like this. From the right angle
At the same time we have somehow contrived to hide The Gherkin from almost any angle, and that is one of the most marvellously iconic modern buildings in the world. Derrrr
Unpopular opinion, but I like the Walkie Talkie. I think in the context of a number of unconventionally shaped buildings in London it works ok, even if objectively it is pretty ugly.
OT snooker -- the final session has just resumed and Ronnie O'Sullivan is one frame away from his 8th world championship. PBers with an appreciation of sporting history might want to turn on their television or iplayer. And Trump is not completely without a chance.
Anyway, given my limited interest in whether Starmer once had a beer, I have largely ignored politics for the last few days and instead concentrated on serious gardening.
Namely -
- The creation of 2 new beds, one in the front and one in the back garden. - Plus the improvement of a third, which is a mixture of a herb and flower bed. - Removing all the rubble, stones, old plastic sacks & other rubbish the builders kindly left in the garden. (Why builders think a planting bed is the same as a skip who can say.) - 9 x 70 litres of top soil, compost and soil conditioner lifted and spread over the beds. - Circa 80 plants planted & watered & God knows how many weeds cleared.
Hard physical work is very satisfying! If tiring.
So I treated myself to afternoon tea - as you can see here.
Very nice. Have been doing some weeding of my own but it's a bit difficult to fit gardening around everything else. Aiming to plant a new rose border by the sunroom with roses that have a strong scent, but haven't got round to that yet.
Rosa Gertrude Jekyll is an absolute must have. Exquisitely beautiful and fragrant with no downsides whatever.
I have Mme Alfred Carriere coming up the wall in that photo and lost of other David Austin roses too. As well as 2 old Bourbon roses in one of the new beds: Ferdinand Pichaud and Rosa de Rechts.
CF, you'd love it out here on the Wet Side of the great Pacific Northwest.
Our tulips this year are up to your high standard - and our roses soon will be!
New Orleans factoid - Two weeks ago, NO city council formally renamed "Lee Circle" to "Harmony Circle".
The prominent traffic circle, at eastern end of St Charles Ave (catch street car to Audubon Park here) features tall pillar (think Trafalgar Sq) upon which used to stand a statue of Gen. Robert E Lee (USA > CSA) gazing in general direction of Richmond.
Statue was removed in 2017.
I’ve nearly finished my (excellent) oysters at Luke. I have a spare afternoon in Nawlins. What can I do?
I’ve done the obvious touristy things, from the French Quartet to Basin Street to the Garden District or the cemeteries
Anything else? I fucked up my flight so I have an extra day
It is unusual amongst Plantation tours in that it focusses on the slaves, rather than the owners, with the slaves glossed over. It gets very interesting reviews.
I went to the Whitney last time I was here. Very moving. Right at the end the guide revealed that her great grandfather was a sharecropper who lived in one of the shacks she had just showed us
I may be in New Orleans for a research meeting next year, and I was thinking of taking it in. I was last in Louisiana in 1977, I think.
One curiosity of history is that the Emancipation Proclomation didn't free the slaves in Union occupied territory, including New Orleans, but only in the Confederacy that had yet been occupied. Hence the slaves in NO were amongst the last to be freed.
Basically: nukes cost a heck of a lot to keep in working order, as do delivery systems. And if the Russians are unsure whether their systems work, then they won't use them: as demonstrating they don't work - especially after their conventional military's failures - leaves them wide open to attack. They may think it is better to keep nukes as an unused threat, rather than a used failure.
It's interesting, but not something I'd want testing...
Do ours work?
We only have four subs, military PBers describe them as constantly in for repairs.
OTOH, someone in Greenock is almost certainly monitoring the ins-and-outs, so we'd know pretty quickly if we didn't have one at sea.
I'd think we stand a better chance than the Russians. AIUI we have one type of physics package, one type of platform, and one type of delivery system. The delivery system is shared with, and maintained by, the US. The physics package is similar to the US's (if you listen to some, it is very similar). The platform (Trident) is our own, but we can be fairly sure when these go to sea.
We also spend an f'load of money on maintaining the system and perform tests of much of it - some of which do fail (in a way this is a good thing, as a failed test is a brilliant learning experience (tm)).
The Russians spend less on their military than we do, and have massively larger conventional forces to spend that money on. For nukes, they have a whole host of delivery systems, from submarines, air-launch (missiles and bombers) and silos. AIUI they also have several different warhead types in operation.
This all makes maintaining Russia's systems a bit of a problem - and an expensive one if done properly.
Nukes are crazy expensive. Their delivery systems are even more so - if you want them to be reliable.
On the constantly under repair, afaik there has never been a break in having a Nuclear Missile Submarine at sea since they came in in 1968.
But I have never seen a full analysis.
If we want to virtue-signal at the Russians, we could publicly change our policy of only having 8 missiles with 5 warheads on each submarine on deterrent duty, whilst capacity is 16 missiles with 12 warheads.
I doubt whether there are anything like enough warheads and missiles to maintain anything like that over more than a minimum term, however.
So it would be a minor uptick, which would still make the point.
Leon said: "America usually does skyscrapers well. They invented them . . "
Not, on the whole, since the late1930s. Read Tom Wolfe's "From Bauhaus to Our House" for what went wrong. If the title isn't enough, here's a further hint: It's the fault of European expatriot architects -- and American leaders for accepting their nonsense.
(I get the impression that the UK now has its share of obnoxious glass boxes.)
Fascinating poll result on the semantics of left-right politics. Macron won 87%-13% the voters who describe themselves as being "in the centre"; Le Pen won 53%-47% those who describe themselves as "neither right nor left". https://t.co/pPuxVV66nP
Real architectural wonder of New Orleans, is that it exist in the first place, like Venice & St Petersburg in middle of a big, bad, freaking swamp.
Perhaps check out Bayou St John & other canal routes? Book "Bienville's Dilemna" by Campanella goes into great detail combined with equally good detail & analysis.
And yes, what they used to call the CBD is hideous. Not to City of London standards, but close.
Re: Lewis & Clark, poor Meriweather blazed the path westward to the Pacific and back, yet fell afoul re: the bookkeeping & report writing.
IIRC he was on his way to Our Nation's Capital to give an account of his less-than-satisfactory accounting of the great expedition and/or is territorial governorship, when he took his own life at a roadside "stand" (rough inn) on the Natchez Trace. Leastways that's what they said happened and what balance of probablities still suggests.
Lol. Touché. Nice dig at the City. We really fucked up with the Walkie Talkie and 22 Fenchurch St
On the other hand you can get vistas like this. From the right angle
At the same time we have somehow contrived to hide The Gherkin from almost any angle, and that is one of the most marvellously iconic modern buildings in the world. Derrrr
To illustrate your point - what a mess the City has become:
Where is the balance of power in Tory by-election selection? Labour HQ influences the short-list heavily, but final selection is up to the CLP, who tend to be unpredictable. Can Tory HQ decree "It shall be Frost" or do local members have the final say?
Local members have the final say after CCHQ produce the shortlist
So CCHQ can nobble the shortlist
Will this be impacts by X's (whoever it was) declaring that half of Tory MPs should be women. Was that for the next election?
Tiverton & Honiton has had a female MP for 50% of its existence - it was represented by Angela Browning from 1997-2010. I can understand the argument a "local woman" is more electable but I didn't think that's the way the Conservatives did things although once again it seems they are willing to steal a good idea from another party.
Yes I'd be surprised if the Tory Party did that.
What's the current Lib Dem practice? They seemed to do a fair bit of reform on a lot of procedural things whilst Mark Park was one of the various Head Honchos.
I remember a great flap about it in I think 2015, when they had 8 MPs who iirc were all male.
New Orleans factoid - Two weeks ago, NO city council formally renamed "Lee Circle" to "Harmony Circle".
The prominent traffic circle, at eastern end of St Charles Ave (catch street car to Audubon Park here) features tall pillar (think Trafalgar Sq) upon which used to stand a statue of Gen. Robert E Lee (USA > CSA) gazing in general direction of Richmond.
Statue was removed in 2017.
I’ve nearly finished my (excellent) oysters at Luke. I have a spare afternoon in Nawlins. What can I do?
I’ve done the obvious touristy things, from the French Quartet to Basin Street to the Garden District or the cemeteries
Anything else? I fucked up my flight so I have an extra day
It is unusual amongst Plantation tours in that it focusses on the slaves, rather than the owners, with the slaves glossed over. It gets very interesting reviews.
I went to the Whitney last time I was here. Very moving. Right at the end the guide revealed that her great grandfather was a sharecropper who lived in one of the shacks she had just showed us
I may be in New Orleans for a research meeting next year, and I was thinking of taking it in. I was last in Louisiana in 1977, I think.
One curiosity of history is that the Emancipation Proclomation didn't free the slaves in Union occupied territory, including New Orleans, but only in the Confederacy that had yet been occupied. Hence the slaves in NO were amongst the last to be freed.
Lots of changes. For example, can no longer make local call on payphone for 5-cents. And no payphone either, but THAT is not unique to La.
Non-emancipation of slaves in Union-controlled areas, was key part of Lincoln's plan for keeping slaveowners in border states reasonably on-side for the Union, was also true in New Orleans & adjacent River Parishes of Louisiana, which were taken by federals in 1862.
Emancipation Proclamation was act of transcendental justice. And also an instrument and weapon of war.
Real architectural wonder of New Orleans, is that it exist in the first place, like Venice & St Petersburg in middle of a big, bad, freaking swamp.
Perhaps check out Bayou St John & other canal routes? Book "Bienville's Dilemna" by Campanella goes into great detail combined with equally good detail & analysis.
And yes, what they used to call the CBD is hideous. Not to City of London standards, but close.
Re: Lewis & Clark, poor Meriweather blazed the path westward to the Pacific and back, yet fell afoul re: the bookkeeping & report writing.
IIRC he was on his way to Our Nation's Capital to give an account of his less-than-satisfactory accounting of the great expedition and/or is territorial governorship, when he took his own life at a roadside "stand" (rough inn) on the Natchez Trace. Leastways that's what they said happened and what balance of probablities still suggests.
Lol. Touché. Nice dig at the City. We really fucked up with the Walkie Talkie and 22 Fenchurch St
On the other hand you can get vistas like this. From the right angle
At the same time we have somehow contrived to hide The Gherkin from almost any angle, and that is one of the most marvellously iconic modern buildings in the world. Derrrr
To illustrate your point - what a mess the City has become:
The Walkie talkie is terrible. The rest of them are fine in that pic.
Fascinating poll result on the semantics of left-right politics. Macron won 87%-13% the voters who describe themselves as being "in the centre"; Le Pen won 53%-47% those who describe themselves as "neither right nor left". https://t.co/pPuxVV66nP
Being “in the centre” is a positive choice (in the sense of actual choice)
Being “neither right nor left” is a rejection of conventional values
Real architectural wonder of New Orleans, is that it exist in the first place, like Venice & St Petersburg in middle of a big, bad, freaking swamp.
Perhaps check out Bayou St John & other canal routes? Book "Bienville's Dilemna" by Campanella goes into great detail combined with equally good detail & analysis.
And yes, what they used to call the CBD is hideous. Not to City of London standards, but close.
Re: Lewis & Clark, poor Meriweather blazed the path westward to the Pacific and back, yet fell afoul re: the bookkeeping & report writing.
IIRC he was on his way to Our Nation's Capital to give an account of his less-than-satisfactory accounting of the great expedition and/or is territorial governorship, when he took his own life at a roadside "stand" (rough inn) on the Natchez Trace. Leastways that's what they said happened and what balance of probablities still suggests.
Lol. Touché. Nice dig at the City. We really fucked up with the Walkie Talkie and 22 Fenchurch St
On the other hand you can get vistas like this. From the right angle
At the same time we have somehow contrived to hide The Gherkin from almost any angle, and that is one of the most marvellously iconic modern buildings in the world. Derrrr
To illustrate your point - what a mess the City has become:
The Walkie talkie is terrible. The rest of them are fine in that pic.
They're not - they're far too close to one another!
Real architectural wonder of New Orleans, is that it exist in the first place, like Venice & St Petersburg in middle of a big, bad, freaking swamp.
Perhaps check out Bayou St John & other canal routes? Book "Bienville's Dilemna" by Campanella goes into great detail combined with equally good detail & analysis.
And yes, what they used to call the CBD is hideous. Not to City of London standards, but close.
Re: Lewis & Clark, poor Meriweather blazed the path westward to the Pacific and back, yet fell afoul re: the bookkeeping & report writing.
IIRC he was on his way to Our Nation's Capital to give an account of his less-than-satisfactory accounting of the great expedition and/or is territorial governorship, when he took his own life at a roadside "stand" (rough inn) on the Natchez Trace. Leastways that's what they said happened and what balance of probablities still suggests.
Lol. Touché. Nice dig at the City. We really fucked up with the Walkie Talkie and 22 Fenchurch St
On the other hand you can get vistas like this. From the right angle
At the same time we have somehow contrived to hide The Gherkin from almost any angle, and that is one of the most marvellously iconic modern buildings in the world. Derrrr
Yes, you've got the Thames - with Embankment instead of Levy! BTW, climb one of the latter later, worth doing if not done so.
My fav building in The City is The Monument. Still have my certificate for having climbed to the top.
It's a challenge to choose one, given that I used to live there.
I'd go for one of the City Churches, which my be All Hallows on the Wall, because it is simple and like a drawing room.
Famed for their BBQ Shrip. BTW (and FYI) my own sainted mother made a version of this classic that was just as good or even better (certainly less expensive!) than PM.
Rather like with Ian Botham at Headingly, Taylor says he’s met many times more people who have said they were in the Crucible that night, than the capacity of the theatre.
I watched it all live on telly; a lesser boast, but I almost always miss these things in real time even on TV, cos I just don't put the hours in. Only other one, I watched Andy Murray beat Andy Roddick IRT at Wimbledon 2006
I watched Murray win his Wimbledon title via an extremely dodgy internet connection in a remote hotel by Lake Molveno in the Dolomites. The sense that the livestream might drop any minute somehow added to the brilliant drama, and the connection held to the end (then failed)
However I saw the end of the immortal 2005 Ashes in a Bangkok brothel - literally - which was arguably even better
I cried at the end of ashes 2005 when kp acknowledged the victory
Murray Vs roddick 2006 was an obscure match, but it was his breakthrough
The 2005 Ashes was the greatest sporting event of my life and I doubt it will be bettered. It was like a mighty Russian novel turned into sport. A whole summer of insane drama
The England rugby World Cup win - in the last minute of extra time - over Australia - in Australia - is a decent second.
After that, hmm…. It gets more niche
1973 Barbarians Vs Kiwis
1999 Champions League Final - Sheringham and Solskjær in Fergie time.
Sadly, I only watched it on TV but I am reliably informed that well over half a million Man U fans were in the Camp Nou that night.
I only saw the match on the TV. Generally regarded as having the greatest try ever scored. David Duckham (who never really got a chance in a rubbish England team) was awesome. The camera struggled to follow his dummies.
Why does New Orleans have such exceptionally ugly office blocks and skyscrapers?
It is arguably America’s most beautiful city, yet miserably weighed down with these hideous THINGS
America usually does skyscrapers well. They invented them. Yet the one place they fuck up is the one place which REALLY does not deserve it
Every American city is stuffed full of hideous buildings. New York has a few iconic skyscrapers but 90% of its real estate is ugly soulless office blocks. The French Quarter in New Orleans is quite charming, mostly because it doesn't look like an American city at all, but the rest of the city is just as ugly as most other US cities. Houston is the most hideous US city I've ever been to, the whole place felt like it was a Taco Bell car park.
New Orleans is a lot more than just the French quarter. Whole districts outside the FQ are gorgeous. The garden district etc. Even the poorer inner burbs are often unusually lovely.
Which is why it is a damn shame they built these carbuncles
NYC does have its share of aesthetic failures but they are disguised by the great mass of towers and the fact they are often REALLY tall so you get a sense of exhilaration from the sheer height. Especially now they have slender supertalls
I agree on the horror of the strip mall and I am sure you are right about Houston (never been)
I lived in the Hotel Lancaster in Houston for 5 or 6 months. The people are lovely. The theatre, art and museums are surprisingly good. The City itself is an armpit.
Real architectural wonder of New Orleans, is that it exist in the first place, like Venice & St Petersburg in middle of a big, bad, freaking swamp.
Perhaps check out Bayou St John & other canal routes? Book "Bienville's Dilemna" by Campanella goes into great detail combined with equally good detail & analysis.
And yes, what they used to call the CBD is hideous. Not to City of London standards, but close.
Re: Lewis & Clark, poor Meriweather blazed the path westward to the Pacific and back, yet fell afoul re: the bookkeeping & report writing.
IIRC he was on his way to Our Nation's Capital to give an account of his less-than-satisfactory accounting of the great expedition and/or is territorial governorship, when he took his own life at a roadside "stand" (rough inn) on the Natchez Trace. Leastways that's what they said happened and what balance of probablities still suggests.
Lol. Touché. Nice dig at the City. We really fucked up with the Walkie Talkie and 22 Fenchurch St
On the other hand you can get vistas like this. From the right angle
At the same time we have somehow contrived to hide The Gherkin from almost any angle, and that is one of the most marvellously iconic modern buildings in the world. Derrrr
To illustrate your point - what a mess the City has become:
The Walkie talkie is terrible. The rest of them are fine in that pic.
Weirdly, from exactly the same viewpoint you can also see this:
"What on earth was William the Conqueror thinking putting up that monstrosity?" ...was no doubt the comment in London 940 years ago.
Real architectural wonder of New Orleans, is that it exist in the first place, like Venice & St Petersburg in middle of a big, bad, freaking swamp.
Perhaps check out Bayou St John & other canal routes? Book "Bienville's Dilemna" by Campanella goes into great detail combined with equally good detail & analysis.
And yes, what they used to call the CBD is hideous. Not to City of London standards, but close.
Re: Lewis & Clark, poor Meriweather blazed the path westward to the Pacific and back, yet fell afoul re: the bookkeeping & report writing.
IIRC he was on his way to Our Nation's Capital to give an account of his less-than-satisfactory accounting of the great expedition and/or is territorial governorship, when he took his own life at a roadside "stand" (rough inn) on the Natchez Trace. Leastways that's what they said happened and what balance of probablities still suggests.
Lol. Touché. Nice dig at the City. We really fucked up with the Walkie Talkie and 22 Fenchurch St
The Walkie Talkie is 20 Fenchurch Street! The other building is 22 BISHOPSGATE.
Leon said: "America usually does skyscrapers well. They invented them . . "
Not, on the whole, since the late1930s. Read Tom Wolfe's "From Bauhaus to Our House" for what went wrong. If the title isn't enough, here's a further hint: It's the fault of European expatriot architects -- and American leaders for accepting their nonsense.
(I get the impression that the UK now has its share of obnoxious glass boxes.)
A fine book. Read it yonks ago
And yes, sadly the UK has a fair share of execrable architectural shite. More than most European countries, in fact
Real architectural wonder of New Orleans, is that it exist in the first place, like Venice & St Petersburg in middle of a big, bad, freaking swamp.
Perhaps check out Bayou St John & other canal routes? Book "Bienville's Dilemna" by Campanella goes into great detail combined with equally good detail & analysis.
And yes, what they used to call the CBD is hideous. Not to City of London standards, but close.
Re: Lewis & Clark, poor Meriweather blazed the path westward to the Pacific and back, yet fell afoul re: the bookkeeping & report writing.
IIRC he was on his way to Our Nation's Capital to give an account of his less-than-satisfactory accounting of the great expedition and/or is territorial governorship, when he took his own life at a roadside "stand" (rough inn) on the Natchez Trace. Leastways that's what they said happened and what balance of probablities still suggests.
Lol. Touché. Nice dig at the City. We really fucked up with the Walkie Talkie and 22 Fenchurch St
On the other hand you can get vistas like this. From the right angle
At the same time we have somehow contrived to hide The Gherkin from almost any angle, and that is one of the most marvellously iconic modern buildings in the world. Derrrr
To illustrate your point - what a mess the City has become:
All those ugly office blocks full of empty desks while the staff sit on the sofa in their keks WFH.
Fascinating poll result on the semantics of left-right politics. Macron won 87%-13% the voters who describe themselves as being "in the centre"; Le Pen won 53%-47% those who describe themselves as "neither right nor left". https://t.co/pPuxVV66nP
Being “in the centre” is a positive choice (in the sense of actual choice)
Being “neither right nor left” is a rejection of conventional values
Yes, but it does show how wording a question influences the result, something OGH stresses on occasion.
Basically: nukes cost a heck of a lot to keep in working order, as do delivery systems. And if the Russians are unsure whether their systems work, then they won't use them: as demonstrating they don't work - especially after their conventional military's failures - leaves them wide open to attack. They may think it is better to keep nukes as an unused threat, rather than a used failure.
It's interesting, but not something I'd want testing...
Isn't there are a car that's got such downforce you can drive it upside down, but nobody's willing to drive it on a tunnel roof to find out?
F1 cars (circa 1990-2000) were described as such. I've no idea if that's still true in this era.
Yes, an F1 car produces 3-4 times its weight in downforce, the laws of physics says it can drive upside-down above about 80mph.
Adam Savage from Mythbusters said that they did some planning on how to test it, but no-one would lent them a car! You’d likely need to redesign the fuel and oil systems to run upside-down for more than a few seconds.
Why not use an Formula Battery (whatever it is called) one?
I call fake on the excuses.
They won't produce enough downforce, even if they went fast enough. Certainly for the current Gen2 car anyway. But I wonder if you could do the upside down test with, say, an F2 car, which would be a lot cheaper. Not sure what their downforce to weight ratio is...
An F2 car might actually do it, need to research the amount of downforce they have these days. A lot cheaper (£200k ish) than an F1 car if it gets binned as well.
Formula E cars have very little downforce, so no use for this, but the powertrain would definitely work upside-down!
Real architectural wonder of New Orleans, is that it exist in the first place, like Venice & St Petersburg in middle of a big, bad, freaking swamp.
Perhaps check out Bayou St John & other canal routes? Book "Bienville's Dilemna" by Campanella goes into great detail combined with equally good detail & analysis.
And yes, what they used to call the CBD is hideous. Not to City of London standards, but close.
Re: Lewis & Clark, poor Meriweather blazed the path westward to the Pacific and back, yet fell afoul re: the bookkeeping & report writing.
IIRC he was on his way to Our Nation's Capital to give an account of his less-than-satisfactory accounting of the great expedition and/or is territorial governorship, when he took his own life at a roadside "stand" (rough inn) on the Natchez Trace. Leastways that's what they said happened and what balance of probablities still suggests.
Lol. Touché. Nice dig at the City. We really fucked up with the Walkie Talkie and 22 Fenchurch St
On the other hand you can get vistas like this. From the right angle
At the same time we have somehow contrived to hide The Gherkin from almost any angle, and that is one of the most marvellously iconic modern buildings in the world. Derrrr
To illustrate your point - what a mess the City has become:
The Walkie talkie is terrible. The rest of them are fine in that pic.
They're not - they're far too close to one another!
Fascinating poll result on the semantics of left-right politics. Macron won 87%-13% the voters who describe themselves as being "in the centre"; Le Pen won 53%-47% those who describe themselves as "neither right nor left". https://t.co/pPuxVV66nP
Being “in the centre” is a positive choice (in the sense of actual choice)
Being “neither right nor left” is a rejection of conventional values
Le Pen also won 98% of those very right and 71% of those on the right but Macron won 67% of the rather right or centre right.
Macron won all the centre and left category voters albeit Le Pen got 43% of those who described themselves as very leftwing
Seems the call of Westminster still resonates despite most people thinking why on earth would a successful person want to become an MP?
I'm very much looking forward to the Izzard Curse striking again in S Yorkshire (although I suspect Coppard may just squeak in despite Izzard's efforts). Still, for Labour to be pushed close in S Yorks by what's currently a minor party would still be an embarrassment for them.
Fascinating poll result on the semantics of left-right politics. Macron won 87%-13% the voters who describe themselves as being "in the centre"; Le Pen won 53%-47% those who describe themselves as "neither right nor left". https://t.co/pPuxVV66nP
Being “in the centre” is a positive choice (in the sense of actual choice)
Being “neither right nor left” is a rejection of conventional values
Yes, but it does show how wording a question influences the result, something OGH stresses on occasion.
Also "Centre" is an establishment ideological, political AND electoral position in France.
Whereas "neither right nor left" is NOT at least not inherently, indeed has populist ring due to "neither".
Real architectural wonder of New Orleans, is that it exist in the first place, like Venice & St Petersburg in middle of a big, bad, freaking swamp.
Perhaps check out Bayou St John & other canal routes? Book "Bienville's Dilemna" by Campanella goes into great detail combined with equally good detail & analysis.
And yes, what they used to call the CBD is hideous. Not to City of London standards, but close.
Re: Lewis & Clark, poor Meriweather blazed the path westward to the Pacific and back, yet fell afoul re: the bookkeeping & report writing.
IIRC he was on his way to Our Nation's Capital to give an account of his less-than-satisfactory accounting of the great expedition and/or is territorial governorship, when he took his own life at a roadside "stand" (rough inn) on the Natchez Trace. Leastways that's what they said happened and what balance of probablities still suggests.
Lol. Touché. Nice dig at the City. We really fucked up with the Walkie Talkie and 22 Fenchurch St
The Walkie Talkie is 20 Fenchurch Street! The other building is 22 BISHOPSGATE.
Indeed. Apologies
And yes the problem with the City is the density of the cluster. There are some masterpieces in there. The gherkin, the cheese grater. You can’t see them anymore because of this insanely packed cluster, which is a product of St. Paul’s sight lines and a limit on height (due to nearby airports)
It’s only going to get more dense. Money is still pouring into london property (a good thing in a way). We might as well own it. We will have canyons of steel unlike any city on earth
Arguably that’s a nice echo of the Victorian City, when they used to put angled mirrors outside, under windows, to get more natural light inside: as the closeness of all the buildings blocked out the sun
Real architectural wonder of New Orleans, is that it exist in the first place, like Venice & St Petersburg in middle of a big, bad, freaking swamp.
Perhaps check out Bayou St John & other canal routes? Book "Bienville's Dilemna" by Campanella goes into great detail combined with equally good detail & analysis.
And yes, what they used to call the CBD is hideous. Not to City of London standards, but close.
Re: Lewis & Clark, poor Meriweather blazed the path westward to the Pacific and back, yet fell afoul re: the bookkeeping & report writing.
IIRC he was on his way to Our Nation's Capital to give an account of his less-than-satisfactory accounting of the great expedition and/or is territorial governorship, when he took his own life at a roadside "stand" (rough inn) on the Natchez Trace. Leastways that's what they said happened and what balance of probablities still suggests.
Lol. Touché. Nice dig at the City. We really fucked up with the Walkie Talkie and 22 Fenchurch St
On the other hand you can get vistas like this. From the right angle
At the same time we have somehow contrived to hide The Gherkin from almost any angle, and that is one of the most marvellously iconic modern buildings in the world. Derrrr
Yes, you've got the Thames - with Embankment instead of Levy! BTW, climb one of the latter later, worth doing if not done so.
My fav building in The City is The Monument. Still have my certificate for having climbed to the top.
It's a challenge to choose one, given that I used to live there.
I'd go for one of the City Churches, which might be All Hallows on the Wall, because it is simple and like a drawing room.
My favourite outdoor space is probably the Cleary Garden on the corner of Victoria Street and Huggin Hill, because it's named after Fred Cleary who was responsible for so many of the Pocket Parks, and has so much variety in a small space.
Though the Courtyard at St Vedast-alias-Foster with it's quiet Epstein panel would run it close.
Real architectural wonder of New Orleans, is that it exist in the first place, like Venice & St Petersburg in middle of a big, bad, freaking swamp.
Perhaps check out Bayou St John & other canal routes? Book "Bienville's Dilemna" by Campanella goes into great detail combined with equally good detail & analysis.
And yes, what they used to call the CBD is hideous. Not to City of London standards, but close.
Re: Lewis & Clark, poor Meriweather blazed the path westward to the Pacific and back, yet fell afoul re: the bookkeeping & report writing.
IIRC he was on his way to Our Nation's Capital to give an account of his less-than-satisfactory accounting of the great expedition and/or is territorial governorship, when he took his own life at a roadside "stand" (rough inn) on the Natchez Trace. Leastways that's what they said happened and what balance of probablities still suggests.
Lol. Touché. Nice dig at the City. We really fucked up with the Walkie Talkie and 22 Fenchurch St
On the other hand you can get vistas like this. From the right angle
At the same time we have somehow contrived to hide The Gherkin from almost any angle, and that is one of the most marvellously iconic modern buildings in the world. Derrrr
To illustrate your point - what a mess the City has become:
The Walkie talkie is terrible. The rest of them are fine in that pic.
Weirdly, from exactly the same viewpoint you can also see this:
"What on earth was William the Conqueror thinking putting up that monstrosity?" ...was no doubt the comment in London 940 years ago.
Think they knew what HE was thinking.
And think that what THEY were thinking was, "Jesus! Keep me the fuck way from THERE!"
Real architectural wonder of New Orleans, is that it exist in the first place, like Venice & St Petersburg in middle of a big, bad, freaking swamp.
Perhaps check out Bayou St John & other canal routes? Book "Bienville's Dilemna" by Campanella goes into great detail combined with equally good detail & analysis.
And yes, what they used to call the CBD is hideous. Not to City of London standards, but close.
Re: Lewis & Clark, poor Meriweather blazed the path westward to the Pacific and back, yet fell afoul re: the bookkeeping & report writing.
IIRC he was on his way to Our Nation's Capital to give an account of his less-than-satisfactory accounting of the great expedition and/or is territorial governorship, when he took his own life at a roadside "stand" (rough inn) on the Natchez Trace. Leastways that's what they said happened and what balance of probablities still suggests.
Lol. Touché. Nice dig at the City. We really fucked up with the Walkie Talkie and 22 Fenchurch St
On the other hand you can get vistas like this. From the right angle
At the same time we have somehow contrived to hide The Gherkin from almost any angle, and that is one of the most marvellously iconic modern buildings in the world. Derrrr
To illustrate your point - what a mess the City has become:
All those ugly office blocks full of empty desks while the staff sit on the sofa in their keks WFH.
Nah, the square mile is absolutely buzzing on twat days, difficult to find a not busy pub.
Seems the call of Westminster still resonates despite most people thinking why on earth would a successful person want to become an MP?
I'm very much looking forward to the Izzard Curse striking again in S Yorkshire (although I suspect Coppard may just squeak in despite Izzard's efforts). Still, for Labour to be pushed close in S Yorks by what's currently a minor party would still be an embarrassment for them.
Real architectural wonder of New Orleans, is that it exist in the first place, like Venice & St Petersburg in middle of a big, bad, freaking swamp.
Perhaps check out Bayou St John & other canal routes? Book "Bienville's Dilemna" by Campanella goes into great detail combined with equally good detail & analysis.
And yes, what they used to call the CBD is hideous. Not to City of London standards, but close.
Re: Lewis & Clark, poor Meriweather blazed the path westward to the Pacific and back, yet fell afoul re: the bookkeeping & report writing.
IIRC he was on his way to Our Nation's Capital to give an account of his less-than-satisfactory accounting of the great expedition and/or is territorial governorship, when he took his own life at a roadside "stand" (rough inn) on the Natchez Trace. Leastways that's what they said happened and what balance of probablities still suggests.
Lol. Touché. Nice dig at the City. We really fucked up with the Walkie Talkie and 22 Fenchurch St
On the other hand you can get vistas like this. From the right angle
At the same time we have somehow contrived to hide The Gherkin from almost any angle, and that is one of the most marvellously iconic modern buildings in the world. Derrrr
To illustrate your point - what a mess the City has become:
The Walkie talkie is terrible. The rest of them are fine in that pic.
Weirdly, from exactly the same viewpoint you can also see this:
"What on earth was William the Conqueror thinking putting up that monstrosity?" ...was no doubt the comment in London 940 years ago.
Turn right, walk 50 yards, that's where I used to work. Looking out onto the river, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, etc. Work would stop whenever the bridge opened. Used to be a PITA to get there from W5, mind.
Seems the call of Westminster still resonates despite most people thinking why on earth would a successful person want to become an MP?
I'm very much looking forward to the Izzard Curse striking again in S Yorkshire (although I suspect Coppard may just squeak in despite Izzard's efforts). Still, for Labour to be pushed close in S Yorks by what's currently a minor party would still be an embarrassment for them.
Good to see you posting on here again sir.
How goes the Wakefield campaign?
Early days, and most activists heavily involved with the locals and/or S Yorkshire mayoral. Primarily planning and booking stuff at the mo.
That said, when I was on the doorstep myself for the locals, the response has been positive and receptive. Whether that will translate into votes is another matter. It's one thing a minor party being listened to favourably; it's another to persuade those same voters to overcome habits and perceived dynamics - though of course, that's what campaigning is designed to do.
I feel for Sir K. Whatever else he may be he clearly takes it all seriously and soberly with a view to doing the best he can. I think he finds a lot of politics utterly trivial and stupid.
He seems to have spent today defending or arguing about curry and his deputy's legs and skirts...
Seems the call of Westminster still resonates despite most people thinking why on earth would a successful person want to become an MP?
I'm very much looking forward to the Izzard Curse striking again in S Yorkshire (although I suspect Coppard may just squeak in despite Izzard's efforts). Still, for Labour to be pushed close in S Yorks by what's currently a minor party would still be an embarrassment for them.
Good to see you posting on here again sir.
How goes the Wakefield campaign?
Early days, and most activists heavily involved with the locals and/or S Yorkshire mayoral. Primarily planning and booking stuff at the mo.
That said, when I was on the doorstep myself for the locals, the response has been positive and receptive. Whether that will translate into votes is another matter. It's one thing a minor party being listened to favourably; it's another to persuade those same voters to overcome habits and perceived dynamics - though of course, that's what campaigning is designed to do.
FWIW i think like Mike you are in with a shout.
Just wish BF would add YP to their list of candidates.
I’ve just had a long chat with my Russian friend Julia. She told me that she’s been talking to her Ukrainian friend (I said don’t pretend you’re human with a made-up Ukrainian friend. She did see the funny side) and he’d just got his family out of there. They’d told him that everyone had noticed that the only thing left after Russian looting in the nice houses were Roombas (automatic vacuum cleaners). I thought it quite a poignant detail.
Real architectural wonder of New Orleans, is that it exist in the first place, like Venice & St Petersburg in middle of a big, bad, freaking swamp.
Perhaps check out Bayou St John & other canal routes? Book "Bienville's Dilemna" by Campanella goes into great detail combined with equally good detail & analysis.
And yes, what they used to call the CBD is hideous. Not to City of London standards, but close.
Re: Lewis & Clark, poor Meriweather blazed the path westward to the Pacific and back, yet fell afoul re: the bookkeeping & report writing.
IIRC he was on his way to Our Nation's Capital to give an account of his less-than-satisfactory accounting of the great expedition and/or is territorial governorship, when he took his own life at a roadside "stand" (rough inn) on the Natchez Trace. Leastways that's what they said happened and what balance of probablities still suggests.
Lol. Touché. Nice dig at the City. We really fucked up with the Walkie Talkie and 22 Fenchurch St
On the other hand you can get vistas like this. From the right angle
At the same time we have somehow contrived to hide The Gherkin from almost any angle, and that is one of the most marvellously iconic modern buildings in the world. Derrrr
To illustrate your point - what a mess the City has become:
The Walkie talkie is terrible. The rest of them are fine in that pic.
They're not - they're far too close to one another!
Exactly!
That’s deliberate though - the objective is to preserve sight lines of St Paul’s (eg from Richmond Hill)
Seems the call of Westminster still resonates despite most people thinking why on earth would a successful person want to become an MP?
I'm very much looking forward to the Izzard Curse striking again in S Yorkshire (although I suspect Coppard may just squeak in despite Izzard's efforts). Still, for Labour to be pushed close in S Yorks by what's currently a minor party would still be an embarrassment for them.
Good to see you posting on here again sir.
How goes the Wakefield campaign?
Early days, and most activists heavily involved with the locals and/or S Yorkshire mayoral. Primarily planning and booking stuff at the mo.
That said, when I was on the doorstep myself for the locals, the response has been positive and receptive. Whether that will translate into votes is another matter. It's one thing a minor party being listened to favourably; it's another to persuade those same voters to overcome habits and perceived dynamics - though of course, that's what campaigning is designed to do.
Can you compete with the big boys in terms of activist in a by election David?
What is the most number of Government seats lost in by-elections in a single Parliamentary term (by which I mean between two general elections in case my terminology is wrong)?
The glory of wiki gives us this for recent history at least. But there used to be more by-elections in general, so I'd not be surprised if some earlier was worth.
Looks like the Tories didn't win a by election from 1989 to 1997. 1992-97 is, unsurprisingly, pretty bad, losing all 8 government defences.
2019-to date: 2 of 8 2017-19: 1 of 5 2015-17: 1 of 10 2010-15: 3 of 21 (and 2 of those were incumbents winning under UKIP banner) 2005-10: 4 of 14 2001-05: 2 of 6 1997-2001: 0 of 17 1992-97: 8 of 18 1987-92: 7 of 24 1983-87: 4 of 31 1979-83: 4 of 20
As has been noted previously, there used to be a lot more deaths in office.
The above is out of total number of by-elections. In terms of government defences, it is as follows for losses 2019-to date: 2 of 4 2017-19: 1 of 1 2015-17: 1 of 3 2010-15: 3 of 5 (and 2 of those were incumbents winning under UKIP banner), one was a LD defence 2005-10: 4 of 8 (not including one following Speaker resignation) 2001-05: 2 of 6 1997-2001: 0 of 8 (not including one Speaker resignation) 1992-97: 8 of 8 (100% lost!) 1987-92: 7 of 10 1983-87: 4 of 9 1979-83: 4 of 7
66-70 looks a contender - 15 government losses.
21 Govt lost by-elections in 1900-6, but of course very different times!
Real architectural wonder of New Orleans, is that it exist in the first place, like Venice & St Petersburg in middle of a big, bad, freaking swamp.
Perhaps check out Bayou St John & other canal routes? Book "Bienville's Dilemna" by Campanella goes into great detail combined with equally good detail & analysis.
And yes, what they used to call the CBD is hideous. Not to City of London standards, but close.
Re: Lewis & Clark, poor Meriweather blazed the path westward to the Pacific and back, yet fell afoul re: the bookkeeping & report writing.
IIRC he was on his way to Our Nation's Capital to give an account of his less-than-satisfactory accounting of the great expedition and/or is territorial governorship, when he took his own life at a roadside "stand" (rough inn) on the Natchez Trace. Leastways that's what they said happened and what balance of probablities still suggests.
Lol. Touché. Nice dig at the City. We really fucked up with the Walkie Talkie and 22 Fenchurch St
On the other hand you can get vistas like this. From the right angle
At the same time we have somehow contrived to hide The Gherkin from almost any angle, and that is one of the most marvellously iconic modern buildings in the world. Derrrr
To illustrate your point - what a mess the City has become:
The Walkie talkie is terrible. The rest of them are fine in that pic.
Weirdly, from exactly the same viewpoint you can also see this:
"What on earth was William the Conqueror thinking putting up that monstrosity?" ...was no doubt the comment in London 940 years ago.
They'd have been saying "William the Bastard", under their breath admittedly.
I’ve just had a long chat with my Russian friend Julia. She told me that she’s been talking to her Ukrainian friend (I said don’t pretend you’re human with a made-up Ukrainian friend. She did see the funny side) and he’d just got his family out of there. They’d told him that everyone had noticed that the only thing left after Russian looting in the nice houses were Roombas (automatic vacuum cleaners). I thought it quite a poignant detail.
Brits (and Americans) would have adopted the Roombas.
The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
Interesting. When lockdowns hit and I was forced to wfh, I definitely saved a lot of money (no commute, no spend in the shop at work), although it’s hard to disentangle from no social activity too. I can see a definite case around London weighting. If you are living out of London, the job should not need extra.
I’ve just had a long chat with my Russian friend Julia. She told me that she’s been talking to her Ukrainian friend (I said don’t pretend you’re human with a made-up Ukrainian friend. She did see the funny side) and he’d just got his family out of there. They’d told him that everyone had noticed that the only thing left after Russian looting in the nice houses were Roombas (automatic vacuum cleaners). I thought it quite a poignant detail.
Every place that we see where Russians have been billeted, or inside their vehicles looks like the aftermath of a down market music festival, or a homeless encampment. I can see why they don't steal vacuum cleaners. Why would they want one?
What is the most number of Government seats lost in by-elections in a single Parliamentary term (by which I mean between two general elections in case my terminology is wrong)?
The glory of wiki gives us this for recent history at least. But there used to be more by-elections in general, so I'd not be surprised if some earlier was worth.
Looks like the Tories didn't win a by election from 1989 to 1997. 1992-97 is, unsurprisingly, pretty bad, losing all 8 government defences.
2019-to date: 2 of 8 2017-19: 1 of 5 2015-17: 1 of 10 2010-15: 3 of 21 (and 2 of those were incumbents winning under UKIP banner) 2005-10: 4 of 14 2001-05: 2 of 6 1997-2001: 0 of 17 1992-97: 8 of 18 1987-92: 7 of 24 1983-87: 4 of 31 1979-83: 4 of 20
As has been noted previously, there used to be a lot more deaths in office.
The above is out of total number of by-elections. In terms of government defences, it is as follows for losses 2019-to date: 2 of 4 2017-19: 1 of 1 2015-17: 1 of 3 2010-15: 3 of 5 (and 2 of those were incumbents winning under UKIP banner), one was a LD defence 2005-10: 4 of 8 (not including one following Speaker resignation) 2001-05: 2 of 6 1997-2001: 0 of 8 (not including one Speaker resignation) 1992-97: 8 of 8 (100% lost!) 1987-92: 7 of 10 1983-87: 4 of 9 1979-83: 4 of 7
66-70 looks a contender - 15 government losses.
21 Govt lost by-elections in 1900-6, but of course very different times!
1910-8: 15 Liberal and 7 Irish Parliamentary Party losses - does that count?
Seems the call of Westminster still resonates despite most people thinking why on earth would a successful person want to become an MP?
I'm very much looking forward to the Izzard Curse striking again in S Yorkshire (although I suspect Coppard may just squeak in despite Izzard's efforts). Still, for Labour to be pushed close in S Yorks by what's currently a minor party would still be an embarrassment for them.
Good to see you posting on here again sir.
How goes the Wakefield campaign?
Early days, and most activists heavily involved with the locals and/or S Yorkshire mayoral. Primarily planning and booking stuff at the mo.
That said, when I was on the doorstep myself for the locals, the response has been positive and receptive. Whether that will translate into votes is another matter. It's one thing a minor party being listened to favourably; it's another to persuade those same voters to overcome habits and perceived dynamics - though of course, that's what campaigning is designed to do.
Can you compete with the big boys in terms of activist in a by election David?
No. We will be out-gunned by a long way in terms of finance and activists. However, there's a law of diminishing returns on activity (which may well go negative beyond a certain threshold, and certainly does so collectively if two sides are slinging mud at each other). And a smart campaign and local knowledge can improve the efficiency of what we do have.
And what we do have is not trivial; we'll certainly have a clear visible and doorstep presence; it just won't be close to matching Labour or - if their activists are motivated to travel - the Tories.
Seems the call of Westminster still resonates despite most people thinking why on earth would a successful person want to become an MP?
I'm very much looking forward to the Izzard Curse striking again in S Yorkshire (although I suspect Coppard may just squeak in despite Izzard's efforts). Still, for Labour to be pushed close in S Yorks by what's currently a minor party would still be an embarrassment for them.
Good to see you posting on here again sir.
How goes the Wakefield campaign?
Early days, and most activists heavily involved with the locals and/or S Yorkshire mayoral. Primarily planning and booking stuff at the mo.
That said, when I was on the doorstep myself for the locals, the response has been positive and receptive. Whether that will translate into votes is another matter. It's one thing a minor party being listened to favourably; it's another to persuade those same voters to overcome habits and perceived dynamics - though of course, that's what campaigning is designed to do.
FWIW i think like Mike you are in with a shout.
Just wish BF would add YP to their list of candidates.
They have been asked to include me. Feel free to ask again!
I’ve just had a long chat with my Russian friend Julia. She told me that she’s been talking to her Ukrainian friend (I said don’t pretend you’re human with a made-up Ukrainian friend. She did see the funny side) and he’d just got his family out of there. They’d told him that everyone had noticed that the only thing left after Russian looting in the nice houses were Roombas (automatic vacuum cleaners). I thought it quite a poignant detail.
Every place that we see where Russians have been billeted, or inside their vehicles looks like the aftermath of a down market music festival, or a homeless encampment. I can see why they don't steal vacuum cleaners. Why would they want one?
I’ve just had a long chat with my Russian friend Julia. She told me that she’s been talking to her Ukrainian friend (I said don’t pretend you’re human with a made-up Ukrainian friend. She did see the funny side) and he’d just got his family out of there. They’d told him that everyone had noticed that the only thing left after Russian looting in the nice houses were Roombas (automatic vacuum cleaners). I thought it quite a poignant detail.
Every place that we see where Russians have been billeted, or inside their vehicles looks like the aftermath of a down market music festival, or a homeless encampment. I can see why they don't steal vacuum cleaners. Why would they want one?
I doubt your average Buryat has a scooby what a Roomba is.
I’ve just had a long chat with my Russian friend Julia. She told me that she’s been talking to her Ukrainian friend (I said don’t pretend you’re human with a made-up Ukrainian friend. She did see the funny side) and he’d just got his family out of there. They’d told him that everyone had noticed that the only thing left after Russian looting in the nice houses were Roombas (automatic vacuum cleaners). I thought it quite a poignant detail.
Every place that we see where Russians have been billeted, or inside their vehicles looks like the aftermath of a down market music festival, or a homeless encampment. I can see why they don't steal vacuum cleaners. Why would they want one?
They don’t know what Roombas are. They might think they look like bombs.
I don't know, why don't we go totally mad and just ask the administration that has been running the government for twelves years why NHS is in such shit?
The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
Yes but something something evil capitalists grinding down the workers. Ask that nice Mr Corbyn. Or @rcs1000 who wrote about the same sort of thing the other day. Meanwhile, Jacob Rees-Mogg wants civil servants back in the office but HMG is busily selling off all the buildings they used to work in, as the Telegraph reported last year:-
UKs ongoing issues helping Ukraine refugees is currently her biggest scandal. 2 separate stories in tomorrows papers, the first being the living conditions leading some Ukrainian refugees to now be registered homeless, the second story is charities suing home office because the Tory’s chaotic scheme is adding to the trauma of the refugees.
Let’s be honest, the problem here is Big Dog surrounds himself with cheerleaders not the talent needed for offices of state. The history books will record a shameful period for UK because of this.
I’ve just had a long chat with my Russian friend Julia. She told me that she’s been talking to her Ukrainian friend (I said don’t pretend you’re human with a made-up Ukrainian friend. She did see the funny side) and he’d just got his family out of there. They’d told him that everyone had noticed that the only thing left after Russian looting in the nice houses were Roombas (automatic vacuum cleaners). I thought it quite a poignant detail.
Every place that we see where Russians have been billeted, or inside their vehicles looks like the aftermath of a down market music festival, or a homeless encampment. I can see why they don't steal vacuum cleaners. Why would they want one?
Oh, and all the normal vacuum cleaners were looted. Just the Roombas we’re left.
The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
Interesting. When lockdowns hit and I was forced to wfh, I definitely saved a lot of money (no commute, no spend in the shop at work), although it’s hard to disentangle from no social activity too. I can see a definite case around London weighting. If you are living out of London, the job should not need extra.
We are about to move office. The new office is sized based on our new 'hybrid' model. Basically, a smaller office than the old one.
That is a cost saving to the company, and none of it is shared with the workforce. While some will be saving on travel costs, some who walk, run or cycle won't. Meanwhile everyone is incurring additional costs heating their home and powering the IT equipment. And making their own coffee.
Now I love the whole WFH malarkey, and see it as a clear gain. But let's not forget that there are savings for employers that they are simply trousering.
@david_herdson certainly heading for top 3 outcome. I suspect not a lot of enthusiasm for CON or LAB in Wakefield but difficult to get past voting habits and organisations of big parties.
UKs ongoing issues helping Ukraine refugees is currently her biggest scandal. 2 separate stories in tomorrows papers, the first being the living conditions leading some Ukrainian refugees to now be registered homeless, the second story is charities suing home office because the Tory’s chaotic scheme is adding to the trauma of the refugees.
Let’s be honest, the problem here is Big Dog surrounds himself with cheerleaders not the talent needed for offices of state. The history books will record a shameful period for UK because of this.
As someone who is involved in the Home Office's established community sponsorship scheme for refugees, the hastily cobbled together scheme for Ukraine always looked like something that would fall apart on contact with reality. Or perhaps even something that is designed to fail. As is often the case with this government, it's hard to know if they're just stunningly incompetent or actually evil.
I don't know, why don't we go totally mad and just ask the administration that has been running the government for twelves years why NHS is in such shit?
Beergate fizzling out without much evidence produced. To be honest, a big curry order late at night does point to something other than a working dinner, unfortunately for the mail and Tory’s they had someone who delivered a huge curry order, who then retracted their story. No evidence coming from all the column inches and fury just makes it wishful thinking and negative campaigning smear.
The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
Yes but something something evil capitalists grinding down the workers. Ask that nice Mr Corbyn. Or @rcs1000 who wrote about the same sort of thing the other day. Meanwhile, Jacob Rees-Mogg wants civil servants back in the office but HMG is busily selling off all the buildings they used to work in, as the Telegraph reported last year:-
The company saves on office space, electricity, even coffee. They should be paying people more to WFH.
Yes but something something evil capitalists grinding down the workers. Ask that nice Mr Corbyn. Or @rcs1000 who wrote about the same sort of thing the other day. Meanwhile, Jacob Rees-Mogg wants civil servants back in the office but HMG is busily selling off all the buildings they used to work in, as the Telegraph reported last year:-
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One thing that always struck me, in South La and along the Gulf Coast - use of shells in place of gravel for driveways, parking lots, highway shoulders, back roads & the like.
Unless you've already done so, at some point head to Pat O'Briens and get something in a hurricane glass. Then keep the glass, they'll box it up, you've got a cheap souvenir.
One curiosity of history is that the Emancipation Proclomation didn't free the slaves in Union occupied territory, including New Orleans, but only in the Confederacy that had yet been occupied. Hence the slaves in NO were amongst the last to be freed.
Sadly, I only watched it on TV but I am reliably informed that well over half a million Man U fans were in the Camp Nou that night.
My fav building in The City is The Monument. Still have my certificate for having climbed to the top.
Our tulips this year are up to your high standard - and our roses soon will be!
But I have never seen a full analysis.
If we want to virtue-signal at the Russians, we could publicly change our policy of only having 8 missiles with 5 warheads on each submarine on deterrent duty, whilst capacity is 16 missiles with 12 warheads.
I doubt whether there are anything like enough warheads and missiles to maintain anything like that over more than a minimum term, however.
So it would be a minor uptick, which would still make the point.
Not, on the whole, since the late1930s. Read Tom Wolfe's "From Bauhaus to Our House" for what went wrong. If the title isn't enough, here's a further hint: It's the fault of European expatriot architects -- and American leaders for accepting their nonsense.
(I get the impression that the UK now has its share of obnoxious glass boxes.)
Fascinating poll result on the semantics of left-right politics. Macron won 87%-13% the voters who describe themselves as being "in the centre"; Le Pen won 53%-47% those who describe themselves as "neither right nor left". https://t.co/pPuxVV66nP
What's the current Lib Dem practice? They seemed to do a fair bit of reform on a lot of procedural things whilst Mark Park was one of the various Head Honchos.
I remember a great flap about it in I think 2015, when they had 8 MPs who iirc were all male.
Non-emancipation of slaves in Union-controlled areas, was key part of Lincoln's plan for keeping slaveowners in border states reasonably on-side for the Union, was also true in New Orleans & adjacent River Parishes of Louisiana, which were taken by federals in 1862.
Emancipation Proclamation was act of transcendental justice. And also an instrument and weapon of war.
VERY interesting place on several levels, including geologically, as it is the tipity-top of a salt dome.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avery_Island_(Louisiana)
Being “neither right nor left” is a rejection of conventional values
I'd go for one of the City Churches, which my be All Hallows on the Wall, because it is simple and like a drawing room.
"What on earth was William the Conqueror thinking putting up that monstrosity?" ...was no doubt the comment in London 940 years ago.
And yes, sadly the UK has a fair share of execrable architectural shite. More than most European countries, in fact
Formula E cars have very little downforce, so no use for this, but the powertrain would definitely work upside-down!
https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/eat-and-drink-in-the-city-of-london/sky-garden
Macron won all the centre and left category voters albeit Le Pen got 43% of those who described themselves as very leftwing
https://twitter.com/leonardocarella/status/1520702154008403968?s=20&t=rTMmLIgUtM-_h9OHARCSdA
Whereas "neither right nor left" is NOT at least not inherently, indeed has populist ring due to "neither".
And yes the problem with the City is the density of the cluster. There are some masterpieces in there. The gherkin, the cheese grater. You can’t see them anymore because of this insanely packed cluster, which is a product of St. Paul’s sight lines and a limit on height (due to nearby airports)
It’s only going to get more dense. Money is still pouring into london property (a good thing in a way). We might as well own it. We will have canyons of steel unlike any city on earth
Arguably that’s a nice echo of the Victorian City, when they used to put angled mirrors outside, under windows, to get more natural light inside: as the closeness of all the buildings blocked out the sun
I'd go for one of the City Churches, which might be All Hallows on the Wall, because it is simple and like a drawing room.
My favourite outdoor space is probably the Cleary Garden on the corner of Victoria Street and Huggin Hill, because it's named after Fred Cleary who was responsible for so many of the Pocket Parks, and has so much variety in a small space.
Though the Courtyard at St Vedast-alias-Foster with it's quiet Epstein panel would run it close.
And think that what THEY were thinking was, "Jesus! Keep me the fuck way from THERE!"
https://nitter.net/TrentTelenko/status/1521182849000423426
How goes the Wakefield campaign?
So ...onto Victory (I hope)!
Spent hours over several days one week attending the Jeffrey Archer trial. Had a better seat than the jouros.
Best (and least expensive) theater in London.
That said, when I was on the doorstep myself for the locals, the response has been positive and receptive. Whether that will translate into votes is another matter. It's one thing a minor party being listened to favourably; it's another to persuade those same voters to overcome habits and perceived dynamics - though of course, that's what campaigning is designed to do.
Was at a talk and dinner with a former Old Bailey judge at the weekend
He seems to have spent today defending or arguing about curry and his deputy's legs and skirts...
Izzard is not particularly rational or, if we rate comedians by whether they are actually funny, successful.
Where would YOU prefer to spend a fun-filled, wild weekend of robust r&r - New Orleans OR Wakefield?
I have no idea why. Takes all sorts to build a world etc.
Just wish BF would add YP to their list of candidates.
Law firm says staff can work from home - for 20% less pay
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-61298394
#Pray4Priti !
I can see a definite case around London weighting. If you are living out of London, the job should not need extra.
And what we do have is not trivial; we'll certainly have a clear visible and doorstep presence; it just won't be close to matching Labour or - if their activists are motivated to travel - the Tories.
My Mme Alfred Carriere roses were out by April 20th this year which was the earliest they've ever flowered.
More than 100 government buildings to close as civil servants shun return to the office
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/09/15/100-government-buildings-close-civil-servants-shun-return-office/ (£££)
Let’s be honest, the problem here is Big Dog surrounds himself with cheerleaders not the talent needed for offices of state. The history books will record a shameful period for UK because of this.
Asparagus season well underway here in Dorset. Nothing beats asparagus cooked within minutes of cutting.
That is a cost saving to the company, and none of it is shared with the workforce. While some will be saving on travel costs, some who walk, run or cycle won't. Meanwhile everyone is incurring additional costs heating their home and powering the IT equipment. And making their own coffee.
Now I love the whole WFH malarkey, and see it as a clear gain. But let's not forget that there are savings for employers that they are simply trousering.
But, for what my randomer's answer is worth, how does New Orleans compare for a bit of candlelit, big rhubarb stick in the triangle action?
http://www.yorkshirerhubarb.co.uk/ruhbarb_triangle.htm
Ruhbarb is not a big thing in NO, but it is in Seattle; WA State leads the US in commercial production.