Yes the wage price spiral is a real thing. I think the problem comes if it looks like workers in already not particularly well paid jobs are being asked to take one for the team when those who can more afford to do so aren't.
I agree, but I also think the economics also makes it inevitable. The reason low paid jobs are low paid in the first place is that they tend to be lower-skilled, there's more competition for them and the workers have lower leverage to push for better terms and conditions -- and for exactly the same reasons employers are better able to keep any pay rises for that group of employees low. On the other hand the employees that companies feel they have to give inflation-matching or -busting pay rises to are the ones in roles critical to the company and where employees can just move on to another job if the pay is bad -- exactly the ones who are more highly paid to start with.
I'm not sure there's much we can do about this beyond ameliorating things on the margin as long as we have an economic system where cleaners and warehouse workers are paid badly for hard, lousy jobs and computer programmers are paid a ton for a pretty cushy gig.
It's an interesting point. The market. Is it by definition correct in valuing work done? ie because it's supply & demand and there's no feasible alternative method.
I think there must be a better way of doing it although it's above my paygrade to come up with it. Trouble is, it seems to be above everybody's paygrade. I've read lots of searing critiques of capitalism, many of them utterly compelling, but I haven't come across anything equally compelling setting out a comprehensive alternative. So on the left of politics you end up just doing the best you can to mitigate the worst impacts of a system which is so entrenched it's less a system than a law of nature.
I also don't think it IS supply & demand much of the time. Eg, city traders (my ex thing). There's no way the money is justified by supply & demand. There are absolutely tons of bright young people who could be quickly trained up to do most of that stuff - it's about numbers and speed of thought - and most of them would be quite happy to do it for a fraction of what the actual wage is. So why doesn't this happen? I think it's because the sector is awash with money - as it takes its slice from the huge sums flowing through it - and this leads to the bloated remuneration. "There's loads, here mate have some."
But that's just one example. There are many jobs where I look at it and think, supply & demand does not explain those high/low wages.
So capitalism is the worst system apart from all the others?
Yes - but with rider "which is disappointing because it sucks."
Yes the wage price spiral is a real thing. I think the problem comes if it looks like workers in already not particularly well paid jobs are being asked to take one for the team when those who can more afford to do so aren't.
I agree, but I also think the economics also makes it inevitable. The reason low paid jobs are low paid in the first place is that they tend to be lower-skilled, there's more competition for them and the workers have lower leverage to push for better terms and conditions -- and for exactly the same reasons employers are better able to keep any pay rises for that group of employees low. On the other hand the employees that companies feel they have to give inflation-matching or -busting pay rises to are the ones in roles critical to the company and where employees can just move on to another job if the pay is bad -- exactly the ones who are more highly paid to start with.
I'm not sure there's much we can do about this beyond ameliorating things on the margin as long as we have an economic system where cleaners and warehouse workers are paid badly for hard, lousy jobs and computer programmers are paid a ton for a pretty cushy gig.
It's an interesting point. The market. Is it by definition correct in valuing work done? ie because it's supply & demand and there's no feasible alternative method.
I think there must be a better way of doing it although it's above my paygrade to come up with it. Trouble is, it seems to be above everybody's paygrade. I've read lots of searing critiques of capitalism, many of them utterly compelling, but I haven't come across anything equally compelling setting out a comprehensive alternative. So on the left of politics you end up just doing the best you can to mitigate the worst impacts of a system which is so entrenched it's less a system than a law of nature.
I also don't think it IS supply & demand much of the time. Eg, city traders (my ex thing). There's no way the money is justified by supply & demand. There are absolutely tons of bright young people who could be quickly trained up to do most of that stuff - it's about numbers and speed of thought - and most of them would be quite happy to do it for a fraction of what the actual wage is. So why doesn't this happen? I think it's because the sector is awash with money - as it takes its slice from the huge sums flowing through it - and this leads to the bloated remuneration. "There's loads, here mate have some."
But that's just one example. There are many jobs where I look at it and think, supply & demand does not explain those high/low wages.
The public sector is beginning to feel the first stirrings of supply and demand. Years of a pay freeze and you have teaching assistants on ZHC and minimum wage. It isn't a no qualifications, low-skilled job either.
I wonder if Labour would welcome a by election in Tamworth? We know that the Midlands are proving resilient for the Tories in local elections, and there is little in the way of a LibDem vote to squeeze. You have to go back to 2005 to find a Labour win, with Pincher increasing the Tory vote markedly since 2010. Unfortunately I can only see a Tory hold if a by election is held.
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
A flummery of guff about Templars and the Holy Grail was never going to be a runner to be fair.
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
'May well'? I've not been following but I just naturally assumed she had no chance given the stances she's been taking.
It's interesting why people like that don't cross the floor. But she probably helps the anti-Trumpcase by staying.
10 years ago she would have been a right wing Republican. She doesn't have much in common with Democrats, apart from finding Trumpism offensive, corrupt and dangerous.
I just cannot get my head around the fact that Trump is going to be allowed to run despite trying lead an insurrection and is probably going to win and return to the WH.
America has lost its mind.
Assuming he doesn't end up in prison. Not that that would necessarily help matters.
It's only 18 months until the Iowa Caucus! Nowhere near enough time for an indictment, prosecution and exhausting all avenues of appeal.
Let's tell ourselves the truth. He's going to run and he's probably going to win and will claim to have won anyway in all circumstances.
We'll see - but I truly don't think he'll see the WH again.
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
A flummery of guff about Templars and the Holy Grail was never going to be a runner to be fair.
I know!
And there's my offbeat deeply creepy black comedy about an alienated insurance clerk confined to a memory stick in my sock drawer.
I wonder if Labour would welcome a by election in Tamworth? We know that the Midlands are proving resilient for the Tories in local elections, and there is little in the way of a LibDem vote to squeeze. You have to go back to 2005 to find a Labour win, with Pincher increasing the Tory vote markedly since 2010. Unfortunately I can only see a Tory hold if a by election is held.
There was a by-election in the seat in 1996 at which Labour gained from the Tories with a 22% swing, turning a Conservative majority of 7,000 into a Labour one of 14,000. The name of the constituency was different but the seat was 95% the same as the current one.
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
I think there is a bad novel inside all of us. I wrote one during lockdown. Fair play to anyone who becomes a published writer, it's not easy.
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
A flummery of guff about Templars and the Holy Grail was never going to be a runner to be fair.
I know!
And there's my offbeat deeply creepy black comedy about an alienated insurance clerk confined to a memory stick in my sock drawer.
Very dark - how does he get shrunk to fit in the memory stick?
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
A flummery of guff about Templars and the Holy Grail was never going to be a runner to be fair.
I know!
And there's my offbeat deeply creepy black comedy about an alienated insurance clerk confined to a memory stick in my sock drawer.
Very dark - how does he get shrunk to fit in the memory stick?
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
A flummery of guff about Templars and the Holy Grail was never going to be a runner to be fair.
I know!
And there's my offbeat deeply creepy black comedy about an alienated insurance clerk confined to a memory stick in my sock drawer.
To be fair, a “deeply creepy black comedy about an alienated insurance clerk confined to a memory stick in my sock drawer” sounds quite good
Will he get out of the memory stick? Will he be able to find his way through the socks (carefully arranged in rows, by colour and type)?
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
I think there is a bad novel inside all of us. I wrote one during lockdown. Fair play to anyone who becomes a published writer, it's not easy.
There are probably ten bad novels in most people. if you want to be a writer - so I am told - the key is to write the ten rubbish novels, so you then reach the good stuff
It’s a bit like letting the cold tap run for ages in the summer, until the water runs deliciously fresh and cool
I wonder if Labour would welcome a by election in Tamworth? We know that the Midlands are proving resilient for the Tories in local elections, and there is little in the way of a LibDem vote to squeeze. You have to go back to 2005 to find a Labour win, with Pincher increasing the Tory vote markedly since 2010. Unfortunately I can only see a Tory hold if a by election is held.
There was a by-election in the seat in 1996 at which Labour gained from the Tories with a 22% swing, turning a Conservative majority of 7,000 into a Labour one of 14,000. The name of the constituency was different but the seat was 95% the same as the current one.
A by-election non-gain by Lab in Midlands might actually be helpful as it would show them they haven't done enough and there is a way to go before looking like government-in-waiting.
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
I think there is a bad novel inside all of us. I wrote one during lockdown. Fair play to anyone who becomes a published writer, it's not easy.
No, very very hard, esp with no cv or contacts. I guess if it's utterly wow you'll get published somewhere but otherwise probably not.
If 🛒 didn't know about Pincher as he's claiming, why did he repeatedly refer to him laughingly in no10 as 'pincher by name pincher by nature' long before appointing him...? 🛒 lying again but even the Pravda-Mail struggling to spin the latest lies... #RegimeChange coming https://twitter.com/Dominic2306/status/1543208854325977088
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
Not at all. Entirely lucid. I have the same thing: if I haven't written for some time, I need to stop and write down my thoughts becasue too many are queuing up. Albeit for academic papers, not the modern equivalent of Lucky Jim or the History Man.
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
A flummery of guff about Templars and the Holy Grail was never going to be a runner to be fair.
I know!
And there's my offbeat deeply creepy black comedy about an alienated insurance clerk confined to a memory stick in my sock drawer.
To be fair, a “deeply creepy black comedy about an alienated insurance clerk confined to a memory stick in my sock drawer” sounds quite good
Will he get out of the memory stick? Will he be able to find his way through the socks (carefully arranged in rows, by colour and type)?
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
A flummery of guff about Templars and the Holy Grail was never going to be a runner to be fair.
I know!
And there's my offbeat deeply creepy black comedy about an alienated insurance clerk confined to a memory stick in my sock drawer.
To be fair, a “deeply creepy black comedy about an alienated insurance clerk confined to a memory stick in my sock drawer” sounds quite good
Will he get out of the memory stick? Will he be able to find his way through the socks (carefully arranged in rows, by colour and type)?
No it wasn't quite *that* offbeat. Missed a trick.
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
A flummery of guff about Templars and the Holy Grail was never going to be a runner to be fair.
I know!
And there's my offbeat deeply creepy black comedy about an alienated insurance clerk confined to a memory stick in my sock drawer.
To be fair, a “deeply creepy black comedy about an alienated insurance clerk confined to a memory stick in my sock drawer” sounds quite good
Will he get out of the memory stick? Will he be able to find his way through the socks (carefully arranged in rows, by colour and type)?
No it wasn't quite *that* offbeat. Missed a trick.
When I read earlier on this thread that British programmers are paid a "ton", I immediately thought: "That's why so many of them are over here." Two thousand pounds (or even 2240 pounds) is not high pay, unless it is per day, which seems unlikely.
Using "ton" for a large amount is common here in America, too, even when it is laughably inappropriate, for example, when our weather folks tell us there is a "ton" of snow in the mountains. When I hear that I start thinking how I would estimate how many "tons" there actually were, but it is too hard for me to do in my head, and so far I have never done the work to get even an order of magnitude.
But that's my literal mind, and I mention it only because I suspect I am not the only one who notices such things. Incidentally, that literalism often makes misplaced obscenities quite amusing, as I try to picture them.
When I read earlier on this thread that British programmers are paid a "ton", I immediately thought: "That's why so many of them are over here." Two thousand pounds (or even 2240 pounds) is not high pay, unless it is per day, which seems unlikely.
Using "ton" for a large amount is common here in America, too, even when it is laughably inappropriate, for example, when our weather folks tell us there is a "ton" of snow in the mountains. When I hear that I start thinking how I would estimate how many "tons" there actually were, but it is too hard for me to do in my head, and so far I have never done the work to get even an order of magnitude.
But that's my literal mind, and I mention it only because I suspect I am not the only one who notices such things. Incidentally, that literalism often makes misplaced obscenities quite amusing, as I try to picture them.
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
I think there is a bad novel inside all of us. I wrote one during lockdown. Fair play to anyone who becomes a published writer, it's not easy.
No, very very hard, esp with no cv or contacts. I guess if it's utterly wow you'll get published somewhere but otherwise probably not.
You'd write a heartwarming little number I sense?
A science fiction thriller set among the centrist dads of South East London.
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
I think there is a bad novel inside all of us. I wrote one during lockdown. Fair play to anyone who becomes a published writer, it's not easy.
No, very very hard, esp with no cv or contacts. I guess if it's utterly wow you'll get published somewhere but otherwise probably not.
You'd write a heartwarming little number I sense?
A science fiction thriller set among the centrist dads of South East London.
In that case, definitely nicely demarcated from the Brentford Trilogy. Less allotment golf, more Moebius cycle lanes in Foots Cray, I assume?
When I read earlier on this thread that British programmers are paid a "ton", I immediately thought: "That's why so many of them are over here." Two thousand pounds (or even 2240 pounds) is not high pay, unless it is per day, which seems unlikely.
Using "ton" for a large amount is common here in America, too, even when it is laughably inappropriate, for example, when our weather folks tell us there is a "ton" of snow in the mountains. When I hear that I start thinking how I would estimate how many "tons" there actually were, but it is too hard for me to do in my head, and so far I have never done the work to get even an order of magnitude.
But that's my literal mind, and I mention it only because I suspect I am not the only one who notices such things. Incidentally, that literalism often makes misplaced obscenities quite amusing, as I try to picture them.
Don't take literalism as your metric.
An inch of rain is 101 imperial tons per acre. The snow/rain exchange rate is 12:1.
Foir Saturday pm light relief - interesting and not very long report on a French ice age cave with Great Auk cave drawings, albeit not up to Lascaux, and how they solve the problems of tourist access and future destruction by climate change.
When I read earlier on this thread that British programmers are paid a "ton", I immediately thought: "That's why so many of them are over here." Two thousand pounds (or even 2240 pounds) is not high pay, unless it is per day, which seems unlikely.
Using "ton" for a large amount is common here in America, too, even when it is laughably inappropriate, for example, when our weather folks tell us there is a "ton" of snow in the mountains. When I hear that I start thinking how I would estimate how many "tons" there actually were, but it is too hard for me to do in my head, and so far I have never done the work to get even an order of magnitude.
But that's my literal mind, and I mention it only because I suspect I am not the only one who notices such things. Incidentally, that literalism often makes misplaced obscenities quite amusing, as I try to picture them.
Don't take literalism as your metric.
An inch of rain is 101 imperial tons per acre. The snow/rain exchange rate is 12:1.
I think I prefer your hectaring to your literalism.
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
I think there is a bad novel inside all of us. I wrote one during lockdown. Fair play to anyone who becomes a published writer, it's not easy.
No, very very hard, esp with no cv or contacts. I guess if it's utterly wow you'll get published somewhere but otherwise probably not.
You'd write a heartwarming little number I sense?
A science fiction thriller set among the centrist dads of South East London.
Two large slug-aliens tunnelled under Telegraph Hill, dormant since their spaceship crashed during Napoleonic times and awoken by gentrification-led basement excavation?
When I read earlier on this thread that British programmers are paid a "ton", I immediately thought: "That's why so many of them are over here." Two thousand pounds (or even 2240 pounds) is not high pay, unless it is per day, which seems unlikely.
Using "ton" for a large amount is common here in America, too, even when it is laughably inappropriate, for example, when our weather folks tell us there is a "ton" of snow in the mountains. When I hear that I start thinking how I would estimate how many "tons" there actually were, but it is too hard for me to do in my head, and so far I have never done the work to get even an order of magnitude.
But that's my literal mind, and I mention it only because I suspect I am not the only one who notices such things. Incidentally, that literalism often makes misplaced obscenities quite amusing, as I try to picture them.
When I read earlier on this thread that British programmers are paid a "ton", I immediately thought: "That's why so many of them are over here." Two thousand pounds (or even 2240 pounds) is not high pay, unless it is per day, which seems unlikely.
Using "ton" for a large amount is common here in America, too, even when it is laughably inappropriate, for example, when our weather folks tell us there is a "ton" of snow in the mountains. When I hear that I start thinking how I would estimate how many "tons" there actually were, but it is too hard for me to do in my head, and so far I have never done the work to get even an order of magnitude.
But that's my literal mind, and I mention it only because I suspect I am not the only one who notices such things. Incidentally, that literalism often makes misplaced obscenities quite amusing, as I try to picture them.
Don't take literalism as your metric.
An inch of rain is 101 imperial tons per acre. The snow/rain exchange rate is 12:1.
I think I prefer your hectaring to your literalism.
I was honing my dramatic skills with a post in the voice of HYUFD.
When I read earlier on this thread that British programmers are paid a "ton", I immediately thought: "That's why so many of them are over here." Two thousand pounds (or even 2240 pounds) is not high pay, unless it is per day, which seems unlikely.
Using "ton" for a large amount is common here in America, too, even when it is laughably inappropriate, for example, when our weather folks tell us there is a "ton" of snow in the mountains. When I hear that I start thinking how I would estimate how many "tons" there actually were, but it is too hard for me to do in my head, and so far I have never done the work to get even an order of magnitude.
But that's my literal mind, and I mention it only because I suspect I am not the only one who notices such things. Incidentally, that literalism often makes misplaced obscenities quite amusing, as I try to picture them.
When I read earlier on this thread that British programmers are paid a "ton", I immediately thought: "That's why so many of them are over here." Two thousand pounds (or even 2240 pounds) is not high pay, unless it is per day, which seems unlikely.
Using "ton" for a large amount is common here in America, too, even when it is laughably inappropriate, for example, when our weather folks tell us there is a "ton" of snow in the mountains. When I hear that I start thinking how I would estimate how many "tons" there actually were, but it is too hard for me to do in my head, and so far I have never done the work to get even an order of magnitude.
But that's my literal mind, and I mention it only because I suspect I am not the only one who notices such things. Incidentally, that literalism often makes misplaced obscenities quite amusing, as I try to picture them.
Don't take literalism as your metric.
An inch of rain is 101 imperial tons per acre. The snow/rain exchange rate is 12:1.
I think I prefer your hectaring to your literalism.
IshmaelZ - The mountains I was referring to are our Cascades, which range from near sea level to 14,411 feet (Mt. Rainier), so the amounts of snow they receive varies, considerably. Just to complicate things further, the snow is much wetter and heavier on the west side of the Cascades than the east side.
What is it with people who take trolleys to the self-service checkout?
Because these days there are self service trolley checkouts too? Every supermarket round my way has three or four options:
Regular cashier (getting less and less these days) Self service basket Self service trolley And sometimes a seperate 'Scan and Go' (or whatever you call them).
Obviously, don't take a trolley to a self service basket, but after that, everything pretty much seems okay.
The thing that pisses me off is the random checks[1]. I learnt the hard way that if I wanted five packets of noodles and each one was a different flavour, then they all needed scanning. I couldn't scan one Chicken and hit five [2] and it'd be okay.
Got selected for a random check. Of course, it failed and I had to take the whole lot (already bagged up nice and neat) through a cashier and unload the whole lot and rebag it. Got my own back however, as it rang through lower.... [3]
[1] If I'm going to nick something, I'd damn well just going to nick it. A random check isn't going to stop me. [2] Yes yes, the accountant in me tells me they are using this for stock levels as well, so what I did I shouldn't have done, same price or not. [3] Forgot to put one item out (can't recall how) and only realised after I'd fished it out the bottom of the trolley at the car. Just sighed and drove off, couldn't be bothered.
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
I think there is a bad novel inside all of us. I wrote one during lockdown. Fair play to anyone who becomes a published writer, it's not easy.
No, very very hard, esp with no cv or contacts. I guess if it's utterly wow you'll get published somewhere but otherwise probably not.
You'd write a heartwarming little number I sense?
Be of good cheer. Getting published does not depend on “contacts”
It does require persistence. Also helps if you’re young, female, pretty and black - but hey Ho
David Frum @davidfrum As ever, the core fact of American politics is that the Republican base is stronger than the Democratic base; but the Democratic potential coalition is bigger than the Republican potential coalition. 11/x
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
I think there is a bad novel inside all of us. I wrote one during lockdown. Fair play to anyone who becomes a published writer, it's not easy.
No, very very hard, esp with no cv or contacts. I guess if it's utterly wow you'll get published somewhere but otherwise probably not.
You'd write a heartwarming little number I sense?
A science fiction thriller set among the centrist dads of South East London.
Two large slug-aliens tunnelled under Telegraph Hill, dormant since their spaceship crashed during Napoleonic times and awoken by gentrification-led basement excavation?
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
A flummery of guff about Templars and the Holy Grail was never going to be a runner to be fair.
I know!
And there's my offbeat deeply creepy black comedy about an alienated insurance clerk confined to a memory stick in my sock drawer.
To be fair, a “deeply creepy black comedy about an alienated insurance clerk confined to a memory stick in my sock drawer” sounds quite good
Will he get out of the memory stick? Will he be able to find his way through the socks (carefully arranged in rows, by colour and type)?
No it wasn't quite *that* offbeat. Missed a trick.
IshmaelZ - The mountains I was referring to are our Cascades, which range from near sea level to 14,411 feet (Mt. Rainier), so the amounts of snow they receive varies, considerably. Just to complicate things further, the snow is much wetter and heavier on the west side of the Cascades than the east side.
And getting true acreages of actual surface area of mountain rather than mountain's footprint on map is also tricky. I'd just go with trad estimates e.g. a fuckton of snow.
Mr. Sandpit, usually I watch video game and history stuff on Youtube to waste time but occasionally watch F1 vids and the little I've seen suggests he'd be a pain in the arse.
If 🛒 didn't know about Pincher as he's claiming, why did he repeatedly refer to him laughingly in no10 as 'pincher by name pincher by nature' long before appointing him...? 🛒 lying again but even the Pravda-Mail struggling to spin the latest lies... #RegimeChange coming https://twitter.com/Dominic2306/status/1543208854325977088
Imagine someone who knew that a politician was a terrible person, but backed them anyway.
That person would look really silly if it all came out.
Here's a thought for those who would like to be published authors: In an afterword to the first story in his collection, "The River of Time" science fiction writer David Brin says: "About half of the profesionally published short fiction in the English language is science fiction, beause of the thriving SF magazines." And he adds that they are friendly to beginners, as he was when he wrote those stories.
He's describing the publishing scene in the mid 1980's, when he began transitioning from being a scientit to being science fiction writer. I don't know whether what he said then is still true, but those who aspire to be published might want to check it out.
(And that collection? I like it, though the stories in it vary. I decided after reading it that Brin was teaching himself to be a science ficiton writer by doing a series of exercises. For example, one of the stories is exactly 250 words.)
When I read earlier on this thread that British programmers are paid a "ton", I immediately thought: "That's why so many of them are over here." Two thousand pounds (or even 2240 pounds) is not high pay, unless it is per day, which seems unlikely.
Using "ton" for a large amount is common here in America, too, even when it is laughably inappropriate, for example, when our weather folks tell us there is a "ton" of snow in the mountains. When I hear that I start thinking how I would estimate how many "tons" there actually were, but it is too hard for me to do in my head, and so far I have never done the work to get even an order of magnitude.
But that's my literal mind, and I mention it only because I suspect I am not the only one who notices such things. Incidentally, that literalism often makes misplaced obscenities quite amusing, as I try to picture them.
It's not so hard to estimate tons of snow. One millimetre of rain is one centimetre of snow is one kilogramme of water per square metre.
Therefore, six inches of snow is 15 kgs per square metre, or about 38,400 tonnes per square mile, or a bit more than 42,300 US tons per square mile. So, near enough, you can say that each inch of snow is a bit more than 7,000 US tons per square mile.
Here's a thought for those who would like to be published authors: In an afterword to the first story in his collection, "The River of Time" science fiction writer David Brin says: "About half of the profesionally published short fiction in the English language is science fiction, beause of the thriving SF magazines." And he adds that they are friendly to beginners, as he was when he wrote those stories.
He's describing the publishing scene in the mid 1980's, when he began transitioning from being a scientit to being science fiction writer. I don't know whether what he said then is still true, but those who aspire to be published might want to check it out.
(And that collection? I like it, though the stories in it vary. I decided after reading it that Brin was teaching himself to be a science ficiton writer by doing a series of exercises. For example, one of the stories is exactly 250 words.)
Writing popular fiction is like writing tabloid journalism. Anyone looking at it thinks "any moron could write that" but the reality is that it takes a particular rare sort of moron.
What is it with people who take trolleys to the self-service checkout?
It was only a small trolley. I thought they were allowed. Sorry.
Some younger people are unaware of the existence of non self serve checkouts. (Also unaware of: banks; cheques; radio; CDs; cash; men's hats; gaiters; spats; ties; why Christmas; voting; stamps; greetings cards; non digital/social media activity; non amplified music; lots more.)
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
I think there is a bad novel inside all of us. I wrote one during lockdown. Fair play to anyone who becomes a published writer, it's not easy.
No, very very hard, esp with no cv or contacts. I guess if it's utterly wow you'll get published somewhere but otherwise probably not.
You'd write a heartwarming little number I sense?
Be of good cheer. Getting published does not depend on “contacts”
It does require persistence. Also helps if you’re young, female, pretty and black - but hey Ho
Well everything except professional association football is helped by contacts.
And I am quite pretty in a certain light - a dim and fuzzy one.
But anyway, no longer an ambition. Over it now. Happy to just travel.
Here's a thought for those who would like to be published authors: In an afterword to the first story in his collection, "The River of Time" science fiction writer David Brin says: "About half of the profesionally published short fiction in the English language is science fiction, beause of the thriving SF magazines." And he adds that they are friendly to beginners, as he was when he wrote those stories.
He's describing the publishing scene in the mid 1980's, when he began transitioning from being a scientit to being science fiction writer. I don't know whether what he said then is still true, but those who aspire to be published might want to check it out.
(And that collection? I like it, though the stories in it vary. I decided after reading it that Brin was teaching himself to be a science ficiton writer by doing a series of exercises. For example, one of the stories is exactly 250 words.)
There seems to be quite a healthy market for fantasy/science fiction very short stories. I think there are different names for different words lengths, for example a drabble is exactly one hundred words.
A friend of mine has been writing some short things for fun and has had a few of them published in various collections.
What is it with people who take trolleys to the self-service checkout?
Because these days there are self service trolley checkouts too? Every supermarket round my way has three or four options:
Regular cashier (getting less and less these days) Self service basket Self service trolley And sometimes a seperate 'Scan and Go' (or whatever you call them).
Obviously, don't take a trolley to a self service basket, but after that, everything pretty much seems okay.
The thing that pisses me off is the random checks[1]. I learnt the hard way that if I wanted five packets of noodles and each one was a different flavour, then they all needed scanning. I couldn't scan one Chicken and hit five [2] and it'd be okay.
Got selected for a random check. Of course, it failed and I had to take the whole lot (already bagged up nice and neat) through a cashier and unload the whole lot and rebag it. Got my own back however, as it rang through lower.... [3]
[1] If I'm going to nick something, I'd damn well just going to nick it. A random check isn't going to stop me. [2] Yes yes, the accountant in me tells me they are using this for stock levels as well, so what I did I shouldn't have done, same price or not. [3] Forgot to put one item out (can't recall how) and only realised after I'd fished it out the bottom of the trolley at the car. Just sighed and drove off, couldn't be bothered.
I notice my local Tesco has just installed turnstyle type entry lanes into the shop and exit barriers at all the checkout lanes, lockable and very sturdy. Is this a reaction to stealing or getting ready for armageddon in the Autumn?
What is it with people who take trolleys to the self-service checkout?
Because these days there are self service trolley checkouts too? Every supermarket round my way has three or four options:
Regular cashier (getting less and less these days) Self service basket Self service trolley And sometimes a seperate 'Scan and Go' (or whatever you call them).
Obviously, don't take a trolley to a self service basket, but after that, everything pretty much seems okay.
The thing that pisses me off is the random checks[1]. I learnt the hard way that if I wanted five packets of noodles and each one was a different flavour, then they all needed scanning. I couldn't scan one Chicken and hit five [2] and it'd be okay.
Got selected for a random check. Of course, it failed and I had to take the whole lot (already bagged up nice and neat) through a cashier and unload the whole lot and rebag it. Got my own back however, as it rang through lower.... [3]
[1] If I'm going to nick something, I'd damn well just going to nick it. A random check isn't going to stop me. [2] Yes yes, the accountant in me tells me they are using this for stock levels as well, so what I did I shouldn't have done, same price or not. [3] Forgot to put one item out (can't recall how) and only realised after I'd fished it out the bottom of the trolley at the car. Just sighed and drove off, couldn't be bothered.
That was very unlucky. I've never been selected for a random check at Waitrose and just between the two of us I've occasionally been in a position where such a check would have had me with questions to answer. Nothing too venal or calculated, I hasten to add, just maybe the odd item that's slipped through the cracks.
Catching up on late world electoral news, I missed the Grenada election on June 23rd which saw the centrist National Democratic Congress (NDC) sweep aside more than a decade of absolute rule by the centre-right New National Party (NNP).
In the last two elections for the 15-member House of Representatives, the NNP won all 15 seats so since 2008 they have had complete control of the House.
As Labour also discovered in Newham this May, nothing lasts forever and this time NNP lost 9 seats to the returning NDC on a swing of 11.2%.
Veteran NNP leader Keith Mitchell, who had served one period of 13 years as Prime Minister from 1995-2008 and another 9 years from 2013, had to concede defeat to Dickon Mitchell (no relation) of the NDC.
Mitchell has led the NNP since January 1989 when there was still a Berlin Wall and Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister in the UK and at 75 this may be his last hurrah though for now he remains NNP leader.
Dickon Mitchell had, like the rest of NDC, not even been in Parliament before winning the Party leadership in October 2021 and moving straight to the top job at the age of 43.
Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, seems to be gaining traction. This was quite a take-down of Nicola (on cancer treatment). Wonder if the rush to an attempted referendum could backfire?
What is it with people who take trolleys to the self-service checkout?
Because these days there are self service trolley checkouts too? Every supermarket round my way has three or four options:
Regular cashier (getting less and less these days) Self service basket Self service trolley And sometimes a seperate 'Scan and Go' (or whatever you call them).
Obviously, don't take a trolley to a self service basket, but after that, everything pretty much seems okay.
The thing that pisses me off is the random checks[1]. I learnt the hard way that if I wanted five packets of noodles and each one was a different flavour, then they all needed scanning. I couldn't scan one Chicken and hit five [2] and it'd be okay.
Got selected for a random check. Of course, it failed and I had to take the whole lot (already bagged up nice and neat) through a cashier and unload the whole lot and rebag it. Got my own back however, as it rang through lower.... [3]
[1] If I'm going to nick something, I'd damn well just going to nick it. A random check isn't going to stop me. [2] Yes yes, the accountant in me tells me they are using this for stock levels as well, so what I did I shouldn't have done, same price or not. [3] Forgot to put one item out (can't recall how) and only realised after I'd fished it out the bottom of the trolley at the car. Just sighed and drove off, couldn't be bothered.
That was very unlucky. I've never been selected for a random check at Waitrose and just between the two of us I've occasionally been in a position where such a check would have had me with questions to answer. Nothing too venal or calculated, I hasten to add, just maybe the odd item that's slipped through the cracks.
Really?
When I was a child I once managed to take a bus into town and deliberately failed to catch the conductor's eye (this being a clue as to how long ago this was). I succeeded in my experiment but immediately went to the bus station office and insisted on paying the fare I had omitted to pay. I have tried to live to that standard my whole life, whether returning excess change or pointing out when a bill omitted something.
I am genuinely surprised you would make a statement of such a thing.
Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, seems to be gaining traction. This was quite a take-down of Nicola (on cancer treatment). Wonder if the rush to an attempted referendum could backfire?
Just landed at Heathrow. Got through UK border passport control in 3.5 minutes.
I thought the problems were faced by those with the temerity to want to leave the country.
When we returned from our holiday, we had absolutely no issues.
It was 8 minutes existing passport control in Bulgaria.
The problems at Heathrow are with hooking up jetties and baggage collection where it's taking fricking ages due to staff shortages.
Indeed - our last holiday was a cruise and there seemed to be no shortage of staff at Southampton - there was, however, a shortage of passengers. We travelled on a ship which was 45% full which was an extraordinary experience. Instead of fighting to get service at bars and buffet you could just walk up...
The cruise line could not have made a dime (or a penny) on the trip - next journey was 90% full but I'm hearing mixed stories of ships travelling with reduced numbers and some instances of Covid onboard (albeit these are well managed by the ship and crew).
Cruise ships are not immune to rising fuel and energy prices - the newer ships run on LNG and that's not without issues either.
What is it with people who take trolleys to the self-service checkout?
Because these days there are self service trolley checkouts too? Every supermarket round my way has three or four options:
Regular cashier (getting less and less these days) Self service basket Self service trolley And sometimes a seperate 'Scan and Go' (or whatever you call them).
Obviously, don't take a trolley to a self service basket, but after that, everything pretty much seems okay.
The thing that pisses me off is the random checks[1]. I learnt the hard way that if I wanted five packets of noodles and each one was a different flavour, then they all needed scanning. I couldn't scan one Chicken and hit five [2] and it'd be okay.
Got selected for a random check. Of course, it failed and I had to take the whole lot (already bagged up nice and neat) through a cashier and unload the whole lot and rebag it. Got my own back however, as it rang through lower.... [3]
[1] If I'm going to nick something, I'd damn well just going to nick it. A random check isn't going to stop me. [2] Yes yes, the accountant in me tells me they are using this for stock levels as well, so what I did I shouldn't have done, same price or not. [3] Forgot to put one item out (can't recall how) and only realised after I'd fished it out the bottom of the trolley at the car. Just sighed and drove off, couldn't be bothered.
That was very unlucky. I've never been selected for a random check at Waitrose and just between the two of us I've occasionally been in a position where such a check would have had me with questions to answer. Nothing too venal or calculated, I hasten to add, just maybe the odd item that's slipped through the cracks.
Really?
When I was a child I once managed to take a bus into town and deliberately failed to catch the conductor's eye (this being a clue as to how long ago this was). I succeeded in my experiment but immediately went to the bus station office and insisted on paying the fare I had omitted to pay. I have tried to live to that standard my whole life, whether returning excess change or pointing out when a bill omitted something.
I am genuinely surprised you would make a statement of such a thing.
There are inevitably errors both sides with supermarket shopping.
Take two scenarios:
1. Shopper gets home and finds they have an item for free. 2. Shopper gets home and finds they have been charged twice for an item.
If the shopper is expected to contact the supermarket for 1 then the supermarkets must expect to refund in scenario 2. I really doubt they consistently would refund in that scenario, or many customers would feel comfortable requesting such a refund.
Given the costs of processing the refund for both parties in time and possibly travel or phone for the customer, outweigh most supermarket items anyway, surely the right thing to do is assume scenarios 1 and 2 broadly match over time and ignore any discrepancies found?
@DPJHodges@mailplus EXPLOSIVE NEW DETAIL - The MoS has been told that in 2020, during a discussion about whether to appoint Mr Pincher to the post of Chief Whip, the Prime Minister told aides: ‘He’s handsy, that’s a problem. Pincher by name, pincher by nature’. https://twitter.com/MoS_Politics/status/1543264066893922305
Definitely one for @leon about half way through when one candidate asks why we can't treat human life like we would alien life. I think it was a point about abortion but who can tell with this collection of nutjobs.
What is it with people who take trolleys to the self-service checkout?
Because these days there are self service trolley checkouts too? Every supermarket round my way has three or four options:
Regular cashier (getting less and less these days) Self service basket Self service trolley And sometimes a seperate 'Scan and Go' (or whatever you call them).
Obviously, don't take a trolley to a self service basket, but after that, everything pretty much seems okay.
The thing that pisses me off is the random checks[1]. I learnt the hard way that if I wanted five packets of noodles and each one was a different flavour, then they all needed scanning. I couldn't scan one Chicken and hit five [2] and it'd be okay.
Got selected for a random check. Of course, it failed and I had to take the whole lot (already bagged up nice and neat) through a cashier and unload the whole lot and rebag it. Got my own back however, as it rang through lower.... [3]
[1] If I'm going to nick something, I'd damn well just going to nick it. A random check isn't going to stop me. [2] Yes yes, the accountant in me tells me they are using this for stock levels as well, so what I did I shouldn't have done, same price or not. [3] Forgot to put one item out (can't recall how) and only realised after I'd fished it out the bottom of the trolley at the car. Just sighed and drove off, couldn't be bothered.
That was very unlucky. I've never been selected for a random check at Waitrose and just between the two of us I've occasionally been in a position where such a check would have had me with questions to answer. Nothing too venal or calculated, I hasten to add, just maybe the odd item that's slipped through the cracks.
Really?
When I was a child I once managed to take a bus into town and deliberately failed to catch the conductor's eye (this being a clue as to how long ago this was). I succeeded in my experiment but immediately went to the bus station office and insisted on paying the fare I had omitted to pay. I have tried to live to that standard my whole life, whether returning excess change or pointing out when a bill omitted something.
I am genuinely surprised you would make a statement of such a thing.
There are inevitably errors both sides with supermarket shopping.
Take two scenarios:
1. Shopper gets home and finds they have an item for free. 2. Shopper gets home and finds they have been charged twice for an item.
If the shopper is expected to contact the supermarket for 1 then the supermarkets must expect to refund in scenario 2. I really doubt they consistently would refund in that scenario, or many customers would feel comfortable requesting such a refund.
Given the costs of processing the refund for both parties in time and possibly travel or phone for the customer, outweigh most supermarket items anyway, surely the right thing to do is assume scenarios 1 and 2 broadly match over time and ignore any discrepancies found?
I've been given refunds by a supermarket when items that were scanned as part of an online delivery didn't turn up in the boxes of groceries that I emptied, and I confused a checkout assistant at Lidl once by going back to the checkout to pay for a cucumber that hadn't scanned.
I'd find it very hard to let it slide either way. One time when a vending machine disbursed two chocolate bars for the price of one I felt compelled to pay the extra 35p so that the next person using the vending machine would benefit in my place.
That was very unlucky. I've never been selected for a random check at Waitrose ......
You what? Never? I get them all the time in the regular supermarkets. Is your lack of checks a Waitrose thing (I don't shop there) or my regular checks a 'You're probably a thieving scouser, you thieving scouser!' thing I wonder?
Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, seems to be gaining traction. This was quite a take-down of Nicola (on cancer treatment). Wonder if the rush to an attempted referendum could backfire?
Gaining traction with Huggy Bear, husband, father of 3, Scottish & British, Rangers, F1, Not a fan of the SNP #no2np? Golly, bit of a turn up for the books and no mistake.
Is Nicola still around? I was told that she was off to pastures new (PB 2020-2022).
What is it with people who take trolleys to the self-service checkout?
Because these days there are self service trolley checkouts too? Every supermarket round my way has three or four options:
Regular cashier (getting less and less these days) Self service basket Self service trolley And sometimes a seperate 'Scan and Go' (or whatever you call them).
Obviously, don't take a trolley to a self service basket, but after that, everything pretty much seems okay.
The thing that pisses me off is the random checks[1]. I learnt the hard way that if I wanted five packets of noodles and each one was a different flavour, then they all needed scanning. I couldn't scan one Chicken and hit five [2] and it'd be okay.
Got selected for a random check. Of course, it failed and I had to take the whole lot (already bagged up nice and neat) through a cashier and unload the whole lot and rebag it. Got my own back however, as it rang through lower.... [3]
[1] If I'm going to nick something, I'd damn well just going to nick it. A random check isn't going to stop me. [2] Yes yes, the accountant in me tells me they are using this for stock levels as well, so what I did I shouldn't have done, same price or not. [3] Forgot to put one item out (can't recall how) and only realised after I'd fished it out the bottom of the trolley at the car. Just sighed and drove off, couldn't be bothered.
I notice my local Tesco has just installed turnstyle type entry lanes into the shop and exit barriers at all the checkout lanes, lockable and very sturdy. Is this a reaction to stealing or getting ready for armageddon in the Autumn?
A large number of customer retail shops are investing heavily in self-checkout systems.
Amazon Fresh is the future of your local supermarket, probably. And Pret, Itsu etc
What is it with people who take trolleys to the self-service checkout?
Because these days there are self service trolley checkouts too? Every supermarket round my way has three or four options:
Regular cashier (getting less and less these days) Self service basket Self service trolley And sometimes a seperate 'Scan and Go' (or whatever you call them).
Obviously, don't take a trolley to a self service basket, but after that, everything pretty much seems okay.
The thing that pisses me off is the random checks[1]. I learnt the hard way that if I wanted five packets of noodles and each one was a different flavour, then they all needed scanning. I couldn't scan one Chicken and hit five [2] and it'd be okay.
Got selected for a random check. Of course, it failed and I had to take the whole lot (already bagged up nice and neat) through a cashier and unload the whole lot and rebag it. Got my own back however, as it rang through lower.... [3]
[1] If I'm going to nick something, I'd damn well just going to nick it. A random check isn't going to stop me. [2] Yes yes, the accountant in me tells me they are using this for stock levels as well, so what I did I shouldn't have done, same price or not. [3] Forgot to put one item out (can't recall how) and only realised after I'd fished it out the bottom of the trolley at the car. Just sighed and drove off, couldn't be bothered.
That was very unlucky. I've never been selected for a random check at Waitrose and just between the two of us I've occasionally been in a position where such a check would have had me with questions to answer. Nothing too venal or calculated, I hasten to add, just maybe the odd item that's slipped through the cracks.
Really?
When I was a child I once managed to take a bus into town and deliberately failed to catch the conductor's eye (this being a clue as to how long ago this was). I succeeded in my experiment but immediately went to the bus station office and insisted on paying the fare I had omitted to pay. I have tried to live to that standard my whole life, whether returning excess change or pointing out when a bill omitted something.
I am genuinely surprised you would make a statement of such a thing.
There are inevitably errors both sides with supermarket shopping.
Take two scenarios:
1. Shopper gets home and finds they have an item for free. 2. Shopper gets home and finds they have been charged twice for an item.
If the shopper is expected to contact the supermarket for 1 then the supermarkets must expect to refund in scenario 2. I really doubt they consistently would refund in that scenario, or many customers would feel comfortable requesting such a refund.
Given the costs of processing the refund for both parties in time and possibly travel or phone for the customer, outweigh most supermarket items anyway, surely the right thing to do is assume scenarios 1 and 2 broadly match over time and ignore any discrepancies found?
Oh sure, mistakes happen. But "the odd item that has slipped through the cracks" didn't sound like an accident. If it was a joke I apologise.
What is it with people who take trolleys to the self-service checkout?
Because these days there are self service trolley checkouts too? Every supermarket round my way has three or four options:
Regular cashier (getting less and less these days) Self service basket Self service trolley And sometimes a seperate 'Scan and Go' (or whatever you call them).
Obviously, don't take a trolley to a self service basket, but after that, everything pretty much seems okay.
The thing that pisses me off is the random checks[1]. I learnt the hard way that if I wanted five packets of noodles and each one was a different flavour, then they all needed scanning. I couldn't scan one Chicken and hit five [2] and it'd be okay.
Got selected for a random check. Of course, it failed and I had to take the whole lot (already bagged up nice and neat) through a cashier and unload the whole lot and rebag it. Got my own back however, as it rang through lower.... [3]
[1] If I'm going to nick something, I'd damn well just going to nick it. A random check isn't going to stop me. [2] Yes yes, the accountant in me tells me they are using this for stock levels as well, so what I did I shouldn't have done, same price or not. [3] Forgot to put one item out (can't recall how) and only realised after I'd fished it out the bottom of the trolley at the car. Just sighed and drove off, couldn't be bothered.
That was very unlucky. I've never been selected for a random check at Waitrose and just between the two of us I've occasionally been in a position where such a check would have had me with questions to answer. Nothing too venal or calculated, I hasten to add, just maybe the odd item that's slipped through the cracks.
Really?
When I was a child I once managed to take a bus into town and deliberately failed to catch the conductor's eye (this being a clue as to how long ago this was). I succeeded in my experiment but immediately went to the bus station office and insisted on paying the fare I had omitted to pay. I have tried to live to that standard my whole life, whether returning excess change or pointing out when a bill omitted something.
I am genuinely surprised you would make a statement of such a thing.
There are inevitably errors both sides with supermarket shopping.
Take two scenarios:
1. Shopper gets home and finds they have an item for free. 2. Shopper gets home and finds they have been charged twice for an item.
If the shopper is expected to contact the supermarket for 1 then the supermarkets must expect to refund in scenario 2. I really doubt they consistently would refund in that scenario, or many customers would feel comfortable requesting such a refund.
Given the costs of processing the refund for both parties in time and possibly travel or phone for the customer, outweigh most supermarket items anyway, surely the right thing to do is assume scenarios 1 and 2 broadly match over time and ignore any discrepancies found?
I've been given refunds by a supermarket when items that were scanned as part of an online delivery didn't turn up in the boxes of groceries that I emptied, and I confused a checkout assistant at Lidl once by going back to the checkout to pay for a cucumber that hadn't scanned.
I'd find it very hard to let it slide either way. One time when a vending machine disbursed two chocolate bars for the price of one I felt compelled to pay the extra 35p so that the next person using the vending machine would benefit in my place.
But surely you have had the experience of a vending machine not dispersing anything and you losing your money? If anything these scenarios are significantly rigged against the customer.
Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, seems to be gaining traction. This was quite a take-down of Nicola (on cancer treatment). Wonder if the rush to an attempted referendum could backfire?
He's doing much, much better than I expected. From a Unionist perspective this is hopeful.
Yes, that is good. She looks oddly rattled. Or maybe it is odd because she is rarely rattled
it’s about time someone took her apart; it’s not like there is a lack of targets to aim at. The SNP record is dreadful, they’ve been in power far too long and need a spell in opposition. Just like the Tories
That was very unlucky. I've never been selected for a random check at Waitrose ......
You what? Never? I get them all the time in the regular supermarkets. Is your lack of checks a Waitrose thing (I don't shop there) or my regular checks a 'You're probably a thieving scouser, you thieving scouser!' thing I wonder?
Someone in Tesco told me once that in December they increase random checks to 25%.
One thing that often seems to trigger them is removing a scanned item.
What is it with people who take trolleys to the self-service checkout?
Because these days there are self service trolley checkouts too? Every supermarket round my way has three or four options:
Regular cashier (getting less and less these days) Self service basket Self service trolley And sometimes a seperate 'Scan and Go' (or whatever you call them).
Obviously, don't take a trolley to a self service basket, but after that, everything pretty much seems okay.
The thing that pisses me off is the random checks[1]. I learnt the hard way that if I wanted five packets of noodles and each one was a different flavour, then they all needed scanning. I couldn't scan one Chicken and hit five [2] and it'd be okay.
Got selected for a random check. Of course, it failed and I had to take the whole lot (already bagged up nice and neat) through a cashier and unload the whole lot and rebag it. Got my own back however, as it rang through lower.... [3]
[1] If I'm going to nick something, I'd damn well just going to nick it. A random check isn't going to stop me. [2] Yes yes, the accountant in me tells me they are using this for stock levels as well, so what I did I shouldn't have done, same price or not. [3] Forgot to put one item out (can't recall how) and only realised after I'd fished it out the bottom of the trolley at the car. Just sighed and drove off, couldn't be bothered.
That was very unlucky. I've never been selected for a random check at Waitrose and just between the two of us I've occasionally been in a position where such a check would have had me with questions to answer. Nothing too venal or calculated, I hasten to add, just maybe the odd item that's slipped through the cracks.
Really?
When I was a child I once managed to take a bus into town and deliberately failed to catch the conductor's eye (this being a clue as to how long ago this was). I succeeded in my experiment but immediately went to the bus station office and insisted on paying the fare I had omitted to pay. I have tried to live to that standard my whole life, whether returning excess change or pointing out when a bill omitted something.
I am genuinely surprised you would make a statement of such a thing.
I’ve taken a couple of things from supermarkets - nothing major, usually I just forget to self-checkout an item and I can’t be bothered to go back. I once stole a lime - seriously - because the queues were huge. And all I needed was a lime
I console myself by remembering the innumerable corked wines I have bought from these same places, and never returned for my deserved repayment, because I can’t be arsed or I’ve lost the receipt (really, how many people return corked wines half drunk to a supermarket?)
They have made more money out of me than they should, even accounting for the lime
I find myself getting twitchy if I cannot write for at least part of the day. It is as if something is missing somehow.
It is an odd sensation because I have not had it for most of my life, possibly because I did spend a large part of my day writing stuff that needed to be read.
But now it is beginning to bug me and, as there is little more to be said about politics other than WTAF! in as many different ways as one can, I am going to have to concentrate on other topics, of which I've started two. They are of course much harder than berating Westminster twits. Wish me luck!
Yes - luck!
Creative or analytical?
A mix of both. Writing helps me think. I used to do a lot of discussion with my team about the cases we were investigating and those discussions were immensely helpful to my thinking about some often difficult issues. The debate was part of the process. I get some of that on here.
But being largely on my own now, I miss that. So I churn thoughts and ideas and images and scenes from stories and sometimes whole paragraphs in my head as I pootle about in the garden or house or wherever. My husband sometimes gets to be involved. Occasionally even my poor children who probably think this is the way to stop Mum getting dementia.
And often the need to get these thoughts and images into some sort of order or shape and down on paper becomes urgent and I cannot settle until I have. I don't know what this is or whether it even needs a name but it is there. It is similar in some ways to the need to garden - there it is about seeing and creating. This is more about seeing something in my head and needing to make sense of it somehow.
Anyhow, I have probably outed myself as a total loon by now. So best stop and go for a walk.
No, that sounds quite driven and therefore likely to lead to some good stuff.
Getting an audience is the hardest thing imo. It's actually easier to write high quality pieces than it is to get anybody to read them.
Meeks is one of the best there is and has an audience of about 3.
Yep, and ditto to a lesser extent with other forms, eg fiction, crit, drama. I don't think writing is one of those fields where the most prominent correlates strongly to the best.
He says, still sore about his mid-noughties novel not getting a publishing deal.
I think there is a bad novel inside all of us. I wrote one during lockdown. Fair play to anyone who becomes a published writer, it's not easy.
No, very very hard, esp with no cv or contacts. I guess if it's utterly wow you'll get published somewhere but otherwise probably not.
You'd write a heartwarming little number I sense?
A science fiction thriller set among the centrist dads of South East London.
Two large slug-aliens tunnelled under Telegraph Hill, dormant since their spaceship crashed during Napoleonic times and awoken by gentrification-led basement excavation?
Cool.
Uncanny. Are you a literary agent?
No. A giant alien slug. Look what he/she/it is called. Speaking from personal experience innit, like everyone's first novel outline.
What is it with people who take trolleys to the self-service checkout?
Because these days there are self service trolley checkouts too? Every supermarket round my way has three or four options:
Regular cashier (getting less and less these days) Self service basket Self service trolley And sometimes a seperate 'Scan and Go' (or whatever you call them).
Obviously, don't take a trolley to a self service basket, but after that, everything pretty much seems okay.
The thing that pisses me off is the random checks[1]. I learnt the hard way that if I wanted five packets of noodles and each one was a different flavour, then they all needed scanning. I couldn't scan one Chicken and hit five [2] and it'd be okay.
Got selected for a random check. Of course, it failed and I had to take the whole lot (already bagged up nice and neat) through a cashier and unload the whole lot and rebag it. Got my own back however, as it rang through lower.... [3]
[1] If I'm going to nick something, I'd damn well just going to nick it. A random check isn't going to stop me. [2] Yes yes, the accountant in me tells me they are using this for stock levels as well, so what I did I shouldn't have done, same price or not. [3] Forgot to put one item out (can't recall how) and only realised after I'd fished it out the bottom of the trolley at the car. Just sighed and drove off, couldn't be bothered.
That was very unlucky. I've never been selected for a random check at Waitrose and just between the two of us I've occasionally been in a position where such a check would have had me with questions to answer. Nothing too venal or calculated, I hasten to add, just maybe the odd item that's slipped through the cracks.
Really?
When I was a child I once managed to take a bus into town and deliberately failed to catch the conductor's eye (this being a clue as to how long ago this was). I succeeded in my experiment but immediately went to the bus station office and insisted on paying the fare I had omitted to pay. I have tried to live to that standard my whole life, whether returning excess change or pointing out when a bill omitted something.
I am genuinely surprised you would make a statement of such a thing.
There are inevitably errors both sides with supermarket shopping.
Take two scenarios:
1. Shopper gets home and finds they have an item for free. 2. Shopper gets home and finds they have been charged twice for an item.
If the shopper is expected to contact the supermarket for 1 then the supermarkets must expect to refund in scenario 2. I really doubt they consistently would refund in that scenario, or many customers would feel comfortable requesting such a refund.
Given the costs of processing the refund for both parties in time and possibly travel or phone for the customer, outweigh most supermarket items anyway, surely the right thing to do is assume scenarios 1 and 2 broadly match over time and ignore any discrepancies found?
I've been given refunds by a supermarket when items that were scanned as part of an online delivery didn't turn up in the boxes of groceries that I emptied, and I confused a checkout assistant at Lidl once by going back to the checkout to pay for a cucumber that hadn't scanned.
I'd find it very hard to let it slide either way. One time when a vending machine disbursed two chocolate bars for the price of one I felt compelled to pay the extra 35p so that the next person using the vending machine would benefit in my place.
But surely you have had the experience of a vending machine not dispersing anything and you losing your money? If anything these scenarios are significantly rigged against the customer.
Comments
Denmark and other places show that alternatives are possible.
Years of a pay freeze and you have teaching assistants on ZHC and minimum wage.
It isn't a no qualifications, low-skilled job either.
We know that the Midlands are proving resilient for the Tories in local elections, and there is little in the way of a LibDem vote to squeeze.
You have to go back to 2005 to find a Labour win, with Pincher increasing the Tory vote markedly since 2010.
Unfortunately I can only see a Tory hold if a by election is held.
And there's my offbeat deeply creepy black comedy about an alienated insurance clerk confined to a memory stick in my sock drawer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_East_Staffordshire_(UK_Parliament_constituency)#Elections_in_the_1990s
Will he get out of the memory stick? Will he be able to find his way through the socks (carefully arranged in rows, by colour and type)?
It’s a bit like letting the cold tap run for ages in the summer, until the water runs deliciously fresh and cool
You'd write a heartwarming little number I sense?
🛒 lying again but even the Pravda-Mail struggling to spin the latest lies...
#RegimeChange coming
https://twitter.com/Dominic2306/status/1543208854325977088
Using "ton" for a large amount is common here in America, too, even when it is laughably inappropriate, for example, when our weather folks tell us there is a "ton" of snow in the mountains. When I hear that I start thinking how I would estimate how many "tons" there actually were, but it is too hard for me to do in my head, and so far I have never done the work to get even an order of magnitude.
But that's my literal mind, and I mention it only because I suspect I am not the only one who notices such things. Incidentally, that literalism often makes misplaced obscenities quite amusing, as I try to picture them.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/jul/02/ice-age-provence-cosquer-cave-archaeology
Sky disabling replies, lol
Cool.
Every supermarket round my way has three or four options:
Regular cashier (getting less and less these days)
Self service basket
Self service trolley
And sometimes a seperate 'Scan and Go' (or whatever you call them).
Obviously, don't take a trolley to a self service basket, but after that, everything pretty much seems okay.
The thing that pisses me off is the random checks[1]. I learnt the hard way that if I wanted five packets of noodles and each one was a different flavour, then they all needed scanning. I couldn't scan one Chicken and hit five [2] and it'd be okay.
Got selected for a random check. Of course, it failed and I had to take the whole lot (already bagged up nice and neat) through a cashier and unload the whole lot and rebag it. Got my own back however, as it rang through lower.... [3]
[1] If I'm going to nick something, I'd damn well just going to nick it. A random check isn't going to stop me.
[2] Yes yes, the accountant in me tells me they are using this for stock levels as well, so what I did I shouldn't have done, same price or not.
[3] Forgot to put one item out (can't recall how) and only realised after I'd fished it out the bottom of the trolley at the car. Just sighed and drove off, couldn't be bothered.
It does require persistence. Also helps if you’re young, female, pretty and black - but hey Ho
David Frum
@davidfrum
As ever, the core fact of American politics is that the Republican base is stronger than the Democratic base; but the Democratic potential coalition is bigger than the Republican potential coalition. 11/x
https://twitter.com/davidfrum/status/1543197854906335232
Not happy times at Aston Martin. They seemed to do better when they had less money...
That person would look really silly if it all came out.
He's describing the publishing scene in the mid 1980's, when he began transitioning from being a scientit to being science fiction writer. I don't know whether what he said then is still true, but those who aspire to be published might want to check it out.
(And that collection? I like it, though the stories in it vary. I decided after reading it that Brin was teaching himself to be a science ficiton writer by doing a series of exercises. For example, one of the stories is exactly 250 words.)
How silly was that?
Therefore, six inches of snow is 15 kgs per square metre, or about 38,400 tonnes per square mile, or a bit more than 42,300 US tons per square mile. So, near enough, you can say that each inch of snow is a bit more than 7,000 US tons per square mile.
And I am quite pretty in a certain light - a dim and fuzzy one.
But anyway, no longer an ambition. Over it now. Happy to just travel.
A friend of mine has been writing some short things for fun and has had a few of them published in various collections.
When we returned from our holiday, we had absolutely no issues.
538 have a new dashboard up:
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2022-election-forecast/senate/
In the last two elections for the 15-member House of Representatives, the NNP won all 15 seats so since 2008 they have had complete control of the House.
As Labour also discovered in Newham this May, nothing lasts forever and this time NNP lost 9 seats to the returning NDC on a swing of 11.2%.
Veteran NNP leader Keith Mitchell, who had served one period of 13 years as Prime Minister from 1995-2008 and another 9 years from 2013, had to concede defeat to Dickon Mitchell (no relation) of the NDC.
Mitchell has led the NNP since January 1989 when there was still a Berlin Wall and Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister in the UK and at 75 this may be his last hurrah though for now he remains NNP leader.
Dickon Mitchell had, like the rest of NDC, not even been in Parliament before winning the Party leadership in October 2021 and moving straight to the top job at the age of 43.
The problems at Heathrow are with hooking up jetties and baggage collection where it's taking fricking ages due to staff shortages.
https://twitter.com/Iainmackay8/status/1542502680572022784
When I was a child I once managed to take a bus into town and deliberately failed to catch the conductor's eye (this being a clue as to how long ago this was). I succeeded in my experiment but immediately went to the bus station office and insisted on paying the fare I had omitted to pay. I have tried to live to that standard my whole life, whether returning excess change or pointing out when a bill omitted something.
I am genuinely surprised you would make a statement of such a thing.
The cruise line could not have made a dime (or a penny) on the trip - next journey was 90% full but I'm hearing mixed stories of ships travelling with reduced numbers and some instances of Covid onboard (albeit these are well managed by the ship and crew).
Cruise ships are not immune to rising fuel and energy prices - the newer ships run on LNG and that's not without issues either.
Take two scenarios:
1. Shopper gets home and finds they have an item for free.
2. Shopper gets home and finds they have been charged twice for an item.
If the shopper is expected to contact the supermarket for 1 then the supermarkets must expect to refund in scenario 2. I really doubt they consistently would refund in that scenario, or many customers would feel comfortable requesting such a refund.
Given the costs of processing the refund for both parties in time and possibly travel or phone for the customer, outweigh most supermarket items anyway, surely the right thing to do is assume scenarios 1 and 2 broadly match over time and ignore any discrepancies found?
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-republicans-are-favored-to-win-the-house-but-not-the-senate/
BF Rep Senate 1.58-1.62
* On BF 2 Dems do not count as Dems, so the potential value lies with NOM not Dem.
https://twitter.com/MoS_Politics/status/1543264066893922305
Enda O'Dowd
@endajodowd
The highlights from yesterday's debate featuring the Republican candidates for the Governor of Arizona
https://twitter.com/endajodowd/status/1542915789845561346
===
Definitely one for @leon about half way through when one candidate asks why we can't treat human life like we would alien life. I think it was a point about abortion but who can tell with this collection of nutjobs.
I'd find it very hard to let it slide either way. One time when a vending machine disbursed two chocolate bars for the price of one I felt compelled to pay the extra 35p so that the next person using the vending machine would benefit in my place.
Is Nicola still around? I was told that she was off to pastures new (PB 2020-2022).
Amazon Fresh is the future of your local supermarket, probably. And Pret, Itsu etc
it’s about time someone took her apart; it’s not like there is a lack of targets to aim at. The SNP record is dreadful, they’ve been in power far too long and need a spell in opposition. Just like the Tories
One thing that often seems to trigger them is removing a scanned item.
Might be jabeur's year, grass not looking Swiatek's best surface
I console myself by remembering the innumerable corked wines I have bought from these same places, and never returned for my deserved repayment, because I can’t be arsed or I’ve lost the receipt (really, how many people return corked wines half drunk to a supermarket?)
They have made more money out of me than they should, even accounting for the lime