Those whose emotions are currently flying around so powerfully as to cause poltergeist effects (even a day and a half away from the full moon) may get a boost if they look at the tweet by Scottish Green Party activist Sean Currie.
Currie made a suggestion regarding the late monarch's corpse and Scottish independence, which I shall not repeat here.
“Like the rest of Europe, the UK faces extraordinary challenges this winter. While our energy supplies are secure, we are not immune from rising prices. The country’s economic outlook has deteriorated as the cost of energy has risen following Vladimir Putin’s weaponisation of Russia’s immense gas supplies in his barbaric war on Ukraine.
In the face of these challenges, the new prime minister, Liz Truss, promised to be bold and to do things differently. She is doing just that.
She promised to take decisive action within her first days in office, and today the government she leads is delivering for the British people and our businesses. Our new Energy Price Guarantee will limit the amount suppliers can charge customers for units of gas and electricity — saving the average household at least £1,000 a year based on current energy prices. With immense volatility in gas markets, the savings for families could be worth even more next year.
Our six-month scheme for businesses, and organisations like charities and schools will protect them from soaring energy costs and provide them with the certainty they need to plan ahead, protect jobs and continue trading.
But we have to be honest with the British public that helping people through the winter will inevitably mean some fiscal loosening in the short term. There is no other option. Without urgent support, businesses would cease to trade, jobs would be lost and inflation would continue on an aggressively upward trajectory.
There is no question in my mind that this is the right thing to do in these exceptionally difficult times. This is an emergency situation and it requires an emergency response. Targeted support would be in no way sufficient to manage the situation now, or what is to come if Putin further restricts supplies to Europe. What is clear is that the price of inaction would have been far greater than the cost of this intervention.
As much as this government is committed to helping people now, we have an equal commitment to getting debt down over the medium term as we grow our economy.
We will never let debt spiral unsustainably. As chancellor, I will keep a keen focus on driving growth, and ensure every penny of public funds is spent wisely. The advantage of this scheme is that it delivers substantial benefits to our economy while also providing urgently needed relief to people and businesses right now.”
I see Jaki’s Fish and Chip Shop in Muir of Ord is doing good business tonight
Being familiar with Muir of Ord, I would expect no less.
Can't believe you missed it on the way up to Wick.
I’ve been through Muir of Ord!
Missed Jaki’s chipper tho. Seems like I might not get a 2nd chance to visit
Really. What a crashingly stupid thing to do. And on a video
What did she expect in Scotland? Or is she somehow unaware that quite a few people in Scotland - not always the gentlest types - are fiercely royalist? And might take offence?
I think it's more to do with taking any opportunity to egg someone.
The story gets weirder. Seems she is also a flat earth and david icker.
Surely not? Sounds too ridiculous to be true.
Though I wonder if flat earthers think all planets are flat, or if the aliens come from spheres.
Tories taking a pasting in tonights by elections, lost 2 to the greens and one ultra safe ward to an indy. One result to come they will al ist certainly also lose in cannock
@nytimes "We should not romanticize her era," writes Maya Jasanoff, a professor of history at Harvard, in a guest essay. "The queen helped obscure a bloody history of decolonization whose proportions and legacies have yet to be adequately acknowledged."
No point in whitewashing that truth from the conversation. You can't have someone "representing" the country but cry foul when people raise the bad stuff.
That supposes you have to bring up the bad stuff at every moment. It isnt whitewashing the truth to maybe save the conversation for 24 hours.
Thats not even deference to the individual in this case, we dont call it whitewashing the truth if someone fails to mention X was a shit on the day of their death.
Bring it up, fine, but dont let's act like people being overly focused on the positives on the day of is some shameful attempt at whitewashing.
Tell you what, you decide for yourself when you'd like to say certain things, and let others decide for themselves when it's the best time.
The death of a monarch isn't just the death of a human. It's a time to reflect. You see a lot of that going on right now. But some people, people like you?, seem to think that this should be a safe space only for a certain type of reflection: personal and not institutional; positive and not critical. I don't accept that. For me, now, today, literally this very minute is as good a time as any to reflect on our institutional life.
Um, I never said it shouldn't be brought up. So either you cannot read or you're angry at something else.
What I said was that it isnt whitewashing if someone doesnt bring up the bad stuff today, which was the apparent implication. If someone chose not to reflect in the manner you describe today it doesnt mean they dont wish to reflect on it at all.
You dont know if someone sticking to a tribute today might have some very conflicted views because of negative historical events. So you shouldn't presume they are whitewashing if they are choosing not to focus on it even of you are.
Try being a bit less judgy - I'm happy to avoid those who want to enforce grief or seek attention with vulgarities, no safe spaces needed thanks.
"This is my truth; please wait a day before you tell me yours". This is a well-worn way to muffle criticism, you know. "Now is not the time, now is not the time, oh that thing? That was ages ago, move on."
No. It’s basic human decency not to speak ill of the dead on the day they die. Indeed I bet this is a human universal - true of cultures across the globe
Death itself demands a form of reverence
Once again for those who were talking at the back, this is about reflecting on the country during the era she embodied. As that era finishes, what better time to reflect on it?
People will reflect, or not, at their own pace, I'm sure. Likewise some people have not enjoyed others making dark jokes during today's events, whereas others find it comforting.
Would you accept that if someone chose to personally reflect tomorrow, or next week, of their own volition, they are not seeking to muffle you, but merely exercising their own choice and they might have a complex set of views?
I expect we'll see a fair bit of counter reaction to the praise early next week, after a long weekend of tributes. Not so much on the person, but about what that transition period entailed.
The six month business price cap - in a scenario where gas prices stay high - might result in some high use industries going gung-ho, running production 24/7 and using as much energy as they can for the next six months, then shutting down when the cap ends.
There will be some odd, expensive and unintended consequences to this policy, I fear.
@nytimes "We should not romanticize her era," writes Maya Jasanoff, a professor of history at Harvard, in a guest essay. "The queen helped obscure a bloody history of decolonization whose proportions and legacies have yet to be adequately acknowledged."
No point in whitewashing that truth from the conversation. You can't have someone "representing" the country but cry foul when people raise the bad stuff.
That supposes you have to bring up the bad stuff at every moment. It isnt whitewashing the truth to maybe save the conversation for 24 hours.
Thats not even deference to the individual in this case, we dont call it whitewashing the truth if someone fails to mention X was a shit on the day of their death.
Bring it up, fine, but dont let's act like people being overly focused on the positives on the day of is some shameful attempt at whitewashing.
Tell you what, you decide for yourself when you'd like to say certain things, and let others decide for themselves when it's the best time.
The death of a monarch isn't just the death of a human. It's a time to reflect. You see a lot of that going on right now. But some people, people like you?, seem to think that this should be a safe space only for a certain type of reflection: personal and not institutional; positive and not critical. I don't accept that. For me, now, today, literally this very minute is as good a time as any to reflect on our institutional life.
Um, I never said it shouldn't be brought up. So either you cannot read or you're angry at something else.
What I said was that it isnt whitewashing if someone doesnt bring up the bad stuff today, which was the apparent implication. If someone chose not to reflect in the manner you describe today it doesnt mean they dont wish to reflect on it at all.
You dont know if someone sticking to a tribute today might have some very conflicted views because of negative historical events. So you shouldn't presume they are whitewashing if they are choosing not to focus on it even of you are.
Try being a bit less judgy - I'm happy to avoid those who want to enforce grief or seek attention with vulgarities, no safe spaces needed thanks.
"This is my truth; please wait a day before you tell me yours". This is a well-worn way to muffle criticism, you know. "Now is not the time, now is not the time, oh that thing? That was ages ago, move on."
No. It’s basic human decency not to speak ill of the dead on the day they die. Indeed I bet this is a human universal - true of cultures across the globe
Death itself demands a form of reverence
Once again for those who were talking at the back, this is about reflecting on the country during the era she embodied. As that era finishes, what better time to reflect on it?
People will reflect, or not, at their own pace, I'm sure. Likewise some people have not enjoyed others making dark jokes during today's events, whereas others find it comforting.
Would you accept that if someone chose to personally reflect tomorrow, or next week, of their own volition, they are not seeking to muffle you, but merely exercising their own choice and they might have a complex set of views?
I expect we'll see a fair bit of counter reaction to the praise early next week, after a long weekend of tributes. Not so much on the person, but about what that transition period entailed.
Whenever they want to is fine with me. But do go back to where I first came in to this conversation. It was in response to "well it didn't take the NYT long". Such a thing wouldn't have been said if they were heaping praise, and the implication was that now isn't the time for such an article. But I very much disagree. Now is exactly the right time for such an article. If someone want to speak of the UK during the Elizabethan era, they should do it on their own terms, not worry about opprobrium from those who see anything other than a panegyric as a personal insult.
Yes, but the article appeared to blame the queen for her involvement in 'decolonisation'. Which raises the questions: - what does the writer think the queen could have done to prevent it? - why does the writer think decolonisation (presumably, the rolling back of empire in the 50s and 60s) was bad? - when the end of all European empires was considered, why does the writer think the British approach was bad?
I am genuinely baffled as to what the writer thinks either the queen, or Britain, should have done differently in the era of the end of empire. Which appears to be what she is writing about.
@nytimes "We should not romanticize her era," writes Maya Jasanoff, a professor of history at Harvard, in a guest essay. "The queen helped obscure a bloody history of decolonization whose proportions and legacies have yet to be adequately acknowledged."
No point in whitewashing that truth from the conversation. You can't have someone "representing" the country but cry foul when people raise the bad stuff.
Most of use don’t think this country has done anything particularly bad on a global scale in the late Queen’s lifetime.
Watch this, from start to finish, and then make that claim:
The six month business price cap - in a scenario where gas prices stay high - might result in some high use industries going gung-ho, running production 24/7 and using as much energy as they can for the next six months, then shutting down when the cap ends.
There will be some odd, expensive and unintended consequences to this policy, I fear.
With a policy like this, the cliff edge is always the issue.
My eldest sent me this tonight (he's normally not interested in royal matters and generally thinks the establishment are a bunch of *******)
"I can't quite believe how sad I am about it. I thought I'd have to avoid the news because I'd be bored and exasperated, but I suspect I'll have to because otherwise I'll cry for a week. Bit bizarre, really. Part of what's so sad is how sad other people are; watching people 'come together' (awful phrase) is quite moving in itself. Maybe it's just that I'm prone to sentimentality."
A strange moment walking from Waterloo East to Waterloo tonight was a random middle-aged women suddenly clocking a digital billboard with 'HMQ 1926-2022' on it as she walked past it.
She almost did a double-take, turned to me, a total stranger, in surprise, and said, "What? Is she gone?" and I said, "Yes, she's dead." and a couple of other passers by nodded. She said, 'oh my God, I thought she was just unwell.'
Not everyone has registered it yet, and nor has it sunk in for everyone who has.
Think I'll psyche myself up and close out with a comment that I know will be dreadfully unpopular but it's how I feel and so I'm just going to say it -
Thought Nicholas Witchell made a good fist of it today.
Yep, just in from an evening in a pub full of whippersnappers not giving a feck, slightly and surprisingly shocking to me, and watched his tribute. Witchell’s apotheosis for sure, hitting the right notes In the right order, just dreading watching it repeated ad nauseum.
Tributes in the Commons could get pretty repetitive pretty fast, since they're going into Saturday as well apparently. Hopefully they have a lot their own royal anecdotes to impart.
Who will be the brave soul to go against the grain and talk about so much respect of course, but perhaps time to talk about a republic? I believe a few did in 36.
Nah. Like anything I have no issue with people talking about what they like but there is a basic principle of common decency that I adhere to and making such political statements when the old girl is not even in the ground yet seems to me to be the height of bad manners. I suspect that would alienate far more people than it would persuade.
Having just participated in a thread on another website, where various British republicans were pouring out their bile and resentment, it occurred to me that the monarchy is in no danger. As so often, the most fervent advocates for a cause are the least persuasive.
Interesting piece in the Daily Kos. A spreadsheet on how redistricting has affected individual House of Representatives seats. They are a left wing site but looks data driven.
Tories taking a pasting in tonights by elections, lost 2 to the greens and one ultra safe ward to an indy. One result to come they will al ist certainly also lose in cannock
If Labour lose Hednesford North, which is about their safest seat on CCDC, then that would be a colossal earthquake.
But - the people aren’t too thrilled at the former councillor standing down randomly after a mere three months. It will be interesting to see if that has any effect.
“Like the rest of Europe, the UK faces extraordinary challenges this winter. While our energy supplies are secure, we are not immune from rising prices. The country’s economic outlook has deteriorated as the cost of energy has risen following Vladimir Putin’s weaponisation of Russia’s immense gas supplies in his barbaric war on Ukraine.
In the face of these challenges, the new prime minister, Liz Truss, promised to be bold and to do things differently. She is doing just that.
She promised to take decisive action within her first days in office, and today the government she leads is delivering for the British people and our businesses. Our new Energy Price Guarantee will limit the amount suppliers can charge customers for units of gas and electricity — saving the average household at least £1,000 a year based on current energy prices. With immense volatility in gas markets, the savings for families could be worth even more next year.
Our six-month scheme for businesses, and organisations like charities and schools will protect them from soaring energy costs and provide them with the certainty they need to plan ahead, protect jobs and continue trading.
But we have to be honest with the British public that helping people through the winter will inevitably mean some fiscal loosening in the short term. There is no other option. Without urgent support, businesses would cease to trade, jobs would be lost and inflation would continue on an aggressively upward trajectory.
There is no question in my mind that this is the right thing to do in these exceptionally difficult times. This is an emergency situation and it requires an emergency response. Targeted support would be in no way sufficient to manage the situation now, or what is to come if Putin further restricts supplies to Europe. What is clear is that the price of inaction would have been far greater than the cost of this intervention.
As much as this government is committed to helping people now, we have an equal commitment to getting debt down over the medium term as we grow our economy.
We will never let debt spiral unsustainably. As chancellor, I will keep a keen focus on driving growth, and ensure every penny of public funds is spent wisely. The advantage of this scheme is that it delivers substantial benefits to our economy while also providing urgently needed relief to people and businesses right now.”
So the GFC was a special event that justified exceptional measures ( which it did) then Covid ( which it did) and now we have the raise in the price of gas ( not quite so sure).
We better hope that the next couple of decades are very quiet. I am not fancying the odds.
Interesting piece in the Daily Kos. A spreadsheet on how redistricting has affected individual House of Representatives seats. They are a left wing site but looks data driven.
Their coverage of the Ukraine war is par excellence. They have way more detail, way more links and proper insight than anyone else. They are absolutely partisan but again don’t hesitate to raise try not so good events. Not been a big problem recently of course.
Comments
Currie made a suggestion regarding the late monarch's corpse and Scottish independence, which I shall not repeat here.
———-
“UK has to be honest about the cost of energy assistance. Helping people and businesses this winter will mean short-term fiscal loosening”
By KWASI KWARTENG
https://www.ft.com/content/9b2d191f-87fd-4347-84e7-579fef4a0e04
“Like the rest of Europe, the UK faces extraordinary challenges this winter. While our energy supplies are secure, we are not immune from rising prices. The country’s economic outlook has deteriorated as the cost of energy has risen following Vladimir Putin’s weaponisation of Russia’s immense gas supplies in his barbaric war on Ukraine.
In the face of these challenges, the new prime minister, Liz Truss, promised to be bold and to do things differently. She is doing just that.
She promised to take decisive action within her first days in office, and today the government she leads is delivering for the British people and our businesses. Our new Energy Price Guarantee will limit the amount suppliers can charge customers for units of gas and electricity — saving the average household at least £1,000 a year based on current energy prices. With immense volatility in gas markets, the savings for families could be worth even more next year.
Our six-month scheme for businesses, and organisations like charities and schools will protect them from soaring energy costs and provide them with the certainty they need to plan ahead, protect jobs and continue trading.
But we have to be honest with the British public that helping people through the winter will inevitably mean some fiscal loosening in the short term. There is no other option. Without urgent support, businesses would cease to trade, jobs would be lost and inflation would continue on an aggressively upward trajectory.
There is no question in my mind that this is the right thing to do in these exceptionally difficult times. This is an emergency situation and it requires an emergency response. Targeted support would be in no way sufficient to manage the situation now, or what is to come if Putin further restricts supplies to Europe. What is clear is that the price of inaction would have been far greater than the cost of this intervention.
As much as this government is committed to helping people now, we have an equal commitment to getting debt down over the medium term as we grow our economy.
We will never let debt spiral unsustainably. As chancellor, I will keep a keen focus on driving growth, and ensure every penny of public funds is spent wisely. The advantage of this scheme is that it delivers substantial benefits to our economy while also providing urgently needed relief to people and businesses right now.”
Though I wonder if flat earthers think all planets are flat, or if the aliens come from spheres.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hassanal_Bolkiah
Would you accept that if someone chose to personally reflect tomorrow, or next week, of their own volition, they are not seeking to muffle you, but merely exercising their own choice and they might have a complex set of views?
I expect we'll see a fair bit of counter reaction to the praise early next week, after a long weekend of tributes. Not so much on the person, but about what that transition period entailed.
The six month business price cap - in a scenario where gas prices stay high - might result in some high use industries going gung-ho, running production 24/7 and using as much energy as they can for the next six months, then shutting down when the cap ends.
There will be some odd, expensive and unintended consequences to this policy, I fear.
Which raises the questions:
- what does the writer think the queen could have done to prevent it?
- why does the writer think decolonisation (presumably, the rolling back of empire in the 50s and 60s) was bad?
- when the end of all European empires was considered, why does the writer think the British approach was bad?
I am genuinely baffled as to what the writer thinks either the queen, or Britain, should have done differently in the era of the end of empire. Which appears to be what she is writing about.
"I can't quite believe how sad I am about it. I thought I'd have to avoid the news because I'd be bored and exasperated, but I suspect I'll have to because otherwise I'll cry for a week. Bit bizarre, really. Part of what's so sad is how sad other people are; watching people 'come together' (awful phrase) is quite moving in itself. Maybe it's just that I'm prone to sentimentality."
She almost did a double-take, turned to me, a total stranger, in surprise, and said, "What? Is she gone?" and I said, "Yes, she's dead." and a couple of other passers by nodded. She said, 'oh my God, I thought she was just unwell.'
Not everyone has registered it yet, and nor has it sunk in for everyone who has.
Massive.
https://m.dailykos.com/stories/2021/9/29/2055001/-Daily-Kos-Elections-2020-presidential-results-by-congressional-district-for-new-and-old-districts
But - the people aren’t too thrilled at the former councillor standing down randomly after a mere three months. It will be interesting to see if that has any effect.
We better hope that the next couple of decades are very quiet. I am not fancying the odds.