What a deeply penetrating pleasure it is being back in the UK after a month in southern India - except for the freezing conditions, exacerbated by our boiler losing pressure! But it's been re-filled and working OK since last night.
Thought the football would be on at 7pm instead, but only noticed it was on because of @DecrepiterJohnL
So. the public think Rishi will be gone as PM with a general election next year.
But he won't be replaced by Starmer.
Buckle up.....
Yes, that's what I noticed! But I think the British public are misled about a lot of these. I think there is a lot less than a 56% chance of a footballer coming out as gay, and much less than a 64% chance of a general strike. And much, much less than a 59% chance of one of England, Scotland or Wales winning the world cup.
What a deeply penetrating pleasure it is being back in the UK after a month in southern India - except for the freezing conditions, exacerbated by our boiler losing pressure! But it's been re-filled and working OK since last night.
Thought the football would be on at 7pm instead, but only noticed it was on because of @DecrepiterJohnL
I’m thinking of taking in South India on my next jaunt. Any recommendations?
So. the public think Rishi will be gone as PM with a general election next year.
But he won't be replaced by Starmer.
Buckle up.....
Yes, that's what I noticed! But I think the British public are misled about a lot of these. I think there is a lot less than a 56% chance of a footballer coming out as gay, and much less than a 64% chance of a general strike. And much, much less than a 59% chance of one of England, Scotland or Wales winning the world cup.
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
What a deeply penetrating pleasure it is being back in the UK after a month in southern India - except for the freezing conditions, exacerbated by our boiler losing pressure! But it's been re-filled and working OK since last night.
Thought the football would be on at 7pm instead, but only noticed it was on because of @DecrepiterJohnL
I’m thinking of taking in South India on my next jaunt. Any recommendations?
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
But who would want to be in Pisa, surrounded by Italians selling tat, when they could be in Florence?
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
But who would want to be in Pisa, surrounded by Italians selling tat, when they could be in Florence?
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
There's something in that, but there does still seem to have been a notable increase in services failing, and economic trouble above that of comparators.
Matt Hancock will come out as gay Matt Hancock will win the 2023 FIFA World Cup Matt Hancock will appear on Strictly Come Dancing Matt Hancock will cease to function Elon Musk will win the 2023 Rugby World Cup
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
Matt Hancock will come out as gay Matt Hancock will win the 2023 FIFA World Cup Matt Hancock will appear on Strictly Come Dancing Matt Hancock will cease to function Elon Musk will win the 2023 Rugby World Cup
Sorry that last one should have read: Matt Hancock will win the 2023 Rugby World Cup
Matt Hancock will come out as gay Matt Hancock will win the 2023 FIFA World Cup Matt Hancock will appear on Strictly Come Dancing Matt Hancock will cease to function Elon Musk will win the 2023 Rugby World Cup
Sorry that last one should have read: Matt Hancock will win the 2023 Rugby World Cup
Nah you were correct first time around, South African's just much better at rugby.
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
But who would want to be in Pisa, surrounded by Italians selling tat, when they could be in Florence?
Train from Pisa to Florence is cheap and pretty quick. We did the train from Pisa to Florence, Cortona and then Rome. Very easy and cheap.
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
But who would want to be in Pisa, surrounded by Italians selling tat, when they could be in Florence?
Firenze is a whole different level of selling.
My wife did manage to acquire a stalker in Pisa. A very wealthy guy from New Mexico, just would not take no for an answer.
Matt Hancock will come out as gay Matt Hancock will win the 2023 FIFA World Cup Matt Hancock will appear on Strictly Come Dancing Matt Hancock will cease to function Elon Musk will win the 2023 Rugby World Cup
Sorry that last one should have read: Matt Hancock will win the 2023 Rugby World Cup
Nah you were correct first time around, South African's just much better at rugby.
I'm just not sure Elon Musk is that much of a team player.
Matt Hancock will come out as gay Matt Hancock will win the 2023 FIFA World Cup Matt Hancock will appear on Strictly Come Dancing Matt Hancock will cease to function Elon Musk will win the 2023 Rugby World Cup
Sorry that last one should have read: Matt Hancock will win the 2023 Rugby World Cup
Matt Hancock and Elon Musk will together win the RWC, then come out as gay by stripping naked and buggering each other mid pitch before appearing on Strictly Come Dancing and then ceasing to function.
59% (22+21+16) for Rugby World cup winner not being New Zealand, Australia, South Africa or Ireland let alone a few percent allowed for any of the minnows seems nuts, but then of course the questions would have been asked independently of each other so I guess you can't expect them to add up.
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
But who would want to be in Pisa, surrounded by Italians selling tat, when they could be in Florence?
Firenze is a whole different level of selling.
My wife did manage to acquire a stalker in Pisa. A very wealthy guy from New Mexico, just would not take no for an answer.
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Matt Hancock will come out as gay Matt Hancock will win the 2023 FIFA World Cup Matt Hancock will appear on Strictly Come Dancing Matt Hancock will cease to function Elon Musk will win the 2023 Rugby World Cup
Sorry that last one should have read: Matt Hancock will win the 2023 Rugby World Cup
Matt Hancock and Elon Musk will together win the RWC, then come out as gay by stripping naked and buggering each other mid pitch before appearing on Strictly Come Dancing and then ceasing to function.
And no one will ever hear about it, because anyone who says anything will be banned from Twitter.
The ref is making the Croatia Morroco game poorer by not showing yellow cards - Yes its the third place play off but defenders are just fouling any breakaway knowing they will not be booked- means it is only a good game not a great one
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
There is a light rail shuttle thingy from the airport to the railway station. Here, you can use the left luggage facilities while visiting sights.
I have stayed in the NH Hotel by the station a couple of times on work trips - recommended.
Also recommended, Ristorante buca di san Ranieri, not far from there.
What a deeply penetrating pleasure it is being back in the UK after a month in southern India - except for the freezing conditions, exacerbated by our boiler losing pressure! But it's been re-filled and working OK since last night.
Thought the football would be on at 7pm instead, but only noticed it was on because of @DecrepiterJohnL
I’m thinking of taking in South India on my next jaunt. Any recommendations?
Don’t come back.
As well as being a bit rude for a pleasant Saturday afternoon, it won’t stop him posting on PB so also pointless…
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
There is a light rail shuttle thingy from the airport to the railway station. Here, you can use the left luggage facilities while visiting sights.
I have stayed in the NH Hotel by the station a couple of times on work trips - recommended.
Also recommended, Ristorante buca di san Ranieri, not far from there.
Actually you’re right. Firenze airport is much improved with the light rail
I rescind my advice. Tho Pisa is still a fun little airport
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
Unlike most on here I'm with you.
I think Britons are never happier than when they believe they are doomed.
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
There is a light rail shuttle thingy from the airport to the railway station. Here, you can use the left luggage facilities while visiting sights.
I have stayed in the NH Hotel by the station a couple of times on work trips - recommended.
Also recommended, Ristorante buca di san Ranieri, not far from there.
Actually you’re right. Firenze airport is much improved with the light rail
I rescind my advice. Tho Pisa is still a fun little airport
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
There is a light rail shuttle thingy from the airport to the railway station. Here, you can use the left luggage facilities while visiting sights.
I have stayed in the NH Hotel by the station a couple of times on work trips - recommended.
Also recommended, Ristorante buca di san Ranieri, not far from there.
Actually you’re right. Firenze airport is much improved with the light rail
I rescind my advice. Tho Pisa is still a fun little airport
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
But who would want to be in Pisa, surrounded by Italians selling tat, when they could be in Florence?
Train from Pisa to Florence is cheap and pretty quick. We did the train from Pisa to Florence, Cortona and then Rome. Very easy and cheap.
Pisa to Florence, loco-hauled double-decker coaching stock.
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
The Economist is the house journal of the internationally well-to-do liberal elite.
If it's not pursuing the policies that suit them then it tends to fall far too easily into hyperbole.
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
There is a light rail shuttle thingy from the airport to the railway station. Here, you can use the left luggage facilities while visiting sights.
I have stayed in the NH Hotel by the station a couple of times on work trips - recommended.
Also recommended, Ristorante buca di san Ranieri, not far from there.
Actually you’re right. Firenze airport is much improved with the light rail
I rescind my advice. Tho Pisa is still a fun little airport
Just logged on, and saw this at top of thread.
Reminds me of the time I visited Florence, the tourist trap part by the main train station, for about half-hour. Only time I was ever in there.
Sorta. Cause I caught a train to Pisa . . . and almost immediately realized I'd left my backpack at the checked luggage office in Florence station. So got off the train at next stop (not far) and hung out in a rather dreary semi-slumish area for next train back into town (hoping no ticket inspector accosted me) reclaimed my impedimenta then got NEXT train to Pisa.
Which I like a LOT better than Florence, despite fact that train station was occupied by what appeared to be paratroopers (hard to tell with Italian love of uniforms). Turned out there was a big anti-war demo sched. for next day (this was just before W (with assist from TB) launched Iraq invasion.
Likely helped that it was February, but Pisa was not over-clogged with tourists or touts. And small enough to walk around much of the city, the old part anyway, in a day or so. As I recall, they were still working to stabilize the Leaning Tower.
Even at my low level of near-total cluelessness, knowing virtually no Italian and experiencing the country for less than a week, can testify to the existence and (at least some of the pleasures) of La Dolce Vita!
Since when is coming to a negotiated solution a U-turn? Unless of course they get the eye-watering 20% pay rise that was their opening offer.
When you are already weak, every compromise becomes confirmation of that weakness, even when that is not fair. People are simply predisposed to see every story about the Tories in a negative light right now.
Since when is coming to a negotiated solution a U-turn? Unless of course they get the eye-watering 20% pay rise that was their opening offer.
When you are already weak, every compromise becomes confirmation of that weakness, even when that is not fair. People are simply predisposed to see every story about the Tories in a negative light right now.
The government's crap, but I don't think it would damage their standing any further by reaching such a compromise.
Poland's highest ranking police officer has confirmed to local media that he accidentally set off a grenade launcher given to him as a gift by Ukraine.
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
Again, all the "Sick Man of Europe" nonsense was massively overblown in the Sixties and Seventies and Eighties. Poverty, as it was traditionally understood, was pretty well eliminated from this country after WW2. Anyone alive in 2000 was way better off than anyone alive in 1945.
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
There is a light rail shuttle thingy from the airport to the railway station. Here, you can use the left luggage facilities while visiting sights.
I have stayed in the NH Hotel by the station a couple of times on work trips - recommended.
Also recommended, Ristorante buca di san Ranieri, not far from there.
Actually you’re right. Firenze airport is much improved with the light rail
I rescind my advice. Tho Pisa is still a fun little airport
OK OK. We believe you've really been to Florence and Pisa.
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
Again, all the "Sick Man of Europe" nonsense was massively overblown in the Sixties and Seventies and Eighties. Poverty, as it was traditionally understood, was pretty well eliminated from this country after WW2. Anyone alive in 2000 was way better off than anyone alive in 1945.
This is just declinist copium.
That life is better than the exhausted and war-torn Britain of 1945 is just not good enough.
I don’t know whether the sick-manism was overblown. Here’s British ambassador to Paris Sir Nicholas Henderson in 1979:
“You only have to move around western Europe nowadays to realise how poor and unproud the British have become in relation to their neighbours…It shows in the look of our towns, in our airports, in our hospitals and in local amenities; it is painfully apparent in much of our railway system.”
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
Again, all the "Sick Man of Europe" nonsense was massively overblown in the Sixties and Seventies and Eighties. Poverty, as it was traditionally understood, was pretty well eliminated from this country after WW2. Anyone alive in 2000 was way better off than anyone alive in 1945.
Also, the period from 1950-2000 was pretty unique in human history.
You had a good chunk of the world under the repressive yoke of communism, and the rest as dirt poor third world countries.
It's not surprising that a handful of Western countries prospered year after year in such an environment, particularly since they had a virtual monopoly on emergent technology over that time.
The UK went through systemic low investment for a lot of the sixties and seventies, when it was grappling with the transition away from empire and old energy providers, unstable prices and industrial unrest. It certainly did make people think it was falling behind Germany and even Italy, but things seemed to reverse afterwards and nowadays there's not much in the difference between the rich European countries. One big difference is that, speaking English and having a temperate oceanic climate, the UK is far more attractive to low-wage migration than its chilly peers.
Poland's highest ranking police officer has confirmed to local media that he accidentally set off a grenade launcher given to him as a gift by Ukraine.
The UK went through systemic low investment for a lot of the sixties and seventies, when it was grappling with the transition away from empire and old energy providers, unstable prices and industrial unrest. It certainly did make people think it was falling behind Germany and even Italy, but things seemed to reverse afterwards and nowadays there's not much in the difference between the rich European countries. One big difference is that, speaking English and having a temperate oceanic climate, the UK is far more attractive to low-wage migration than its chilly peers.
You think immigrants move to the UK for the climate?
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
Again, all the "Sick Man of Europe" nonsense was massively overblown in the Sixties and Seventies and Eighties. Poverty, as it was traditionally understood, was pretty well eliminated from this country after WW2. Anyone alive in 2000 was way better off than anyone alive in 1945.
This is just declinist copium.
That life is better than the exhausted and war-torn Britain of 1945 is just not good enough.
I don’t know whether the sick-manism was overblown. Here’s British ambassador to Paris Sir Nicholas Henderson in 1979:
“You only have to move around western Europe nowadays to realise how poor and unproud the British have become in relation to their neighbours…It shows in the look of our towns, in our airports, in our hospitals and in local amenities; it is painfully apparent in much of our railway system.”
As far as you're concerned Britain was finished as a nation as soon as it voted for Brexit.
You scratch around for any evidence that supports this thesis, however tenuous, and turn it up to 11 and dismiss the rest.
He's talking a load of nonsense, and he includes at least one outright lie. So it can be dismissed as a malcontented backbencher. Tory members are furious about the loss of Boris Johnson, the party’s former chairman has said, as he warns the Conservatives will struggle at local elections if they cannot rely on activists to knock on doors.
Classic overestimate of how much benefit there is to activists knocking on doors. Standard sucking up to members.
Sir Jake Berry said grassroots campaigners have become disillusioned following the “insanity” of ousting Mr Johnson earlier this year, combined with their “perceived disenfranchisement” after Liz Truss was driven from Downing Street.
They need to get the f*ck over it. How bloody entitled do they have to be to think that after a historic plunge in party support that there was time to run another contest? Why are Tory Members, who have only been able to vote in leader's contests for less than 20 years, acting like it is an inviolable principle?
The answer is they want special privileges for their membership now. In an interview with The Telegraph, he said it “should be a matter of deep concern” that membership of the Conservative Party has dropped significantly in recent years.
This show he is a liar. According to this research briefing on party membership,k the Tories estimated for September 2022, whilst slightly down on 2019, was significantly higher than in 2018, and higher than any previously reported figure since 2008 (since parties do not have to release figures there is not a figure for every year).
Given the trend of party memberships declining, barely dented despite big increased for Labour and the SNP in the last decade, his concern is at best misplaced.
The UK went through systemic low investment for a lot of the sixties and seventies, when it was grappling with the transition away from empire and old energy providers, unstable prices and industrial unrest. It certainly did make people think it was falling behind Germany and even Italy, but things seemed to reverse afterwards and nowadays there's not much in the difference between the rich European countries. One big difference is that, speaking English and having a temperate oceanic climate, the UK is far more attractive to low-wage migration than its chilly peers.
You think immigrants move to the UK for the climate?
Migration for climate reasons is a pretty well established phenomenon. It's why the southern states of the US gained population after the invention of air conditioning. So even if pay is better in some chilly Nordic city where the locals all speak English anyway, the UK is still more attractive.
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
Again, all the "Sick Man of Europe" nonsense was massively overblown in the Sixties and Seventies and Eighties. Poverty, as it was traditionally understood, was pretty well eliminated from this country after WW2. Anyone alive in 2000 was way better off than anyone alive in 1945.
This is just declinist copium.
That life is better than the exhausted and war-torn Britain of 1945 is just not good enough.
I don’t know whether the sick-manism was overblown. Here’s British ambassador to Paris Sir Nicholas Henderson in 1979:
“You only have to move around western Europe nowadays to realise how poor and unproud the British have become in relation to their neighbours…It shows in the look of our towns, in our airports, in our hospitals and in local amenities; it is painfully apparent in much of our railway system.”
Is life better when you have one cow, but your neighbour has none?
Or when you have nine cows but your neighbour has ten?
The UK has been in "decline" relative to everyone else since about 1870. But, who would wish to revert to the position of 1870?
The UK went through systemic low investment for a lot of the sixties and seventies, when it was grappling with the transition away from empire and old energy providers, unstable prices and industrial unrest. It certainly did make people think it was falling behind Germany and even Italy, but things seemed to reverse afterwards and nowadays there's not much in the difference between the rich European countries. One big difference is that, speaking English and having a temperate oceanic climate, the UK is far more attractive to low-wage migration than its chilly peers.
You think immigrants move to the UK for the climate?
Warm but not blistering summers, mild winters, frequent rainfall, it's pretty decent as climates go, even with more extreme occurences than there used to be.
The UK went through systemic low investment for a lot of the sixties and seventies, when it was grappling with the transition away from empire and old energy providers, unstable prices and industrial unrest. It certainly did make people think it was falling behind Germany and even Italy, but things seemed to reverse afterwards and nowadays there's not much in the difference between the rich European countries. One big difference is that, speaking English and having a temperate oceanic climate, the UK is far more attractive to low-wage migration than its chilly peers.
You think immigrants move to the UK for the climate?
No, they move here because it remains one of the easiest places in Europe to find a job, even if you are an outsider without family connections, because this is a tolerant and open minded country, because we speak English and because, for all the moaning and grumbling, this is a great place to live.
The fact that 500k immigrants a year have absolutely no problem seeing that really should make the doomsters pause in their Brexit lamentations.
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
Again, all the "Sick Man of Europe" nonsense was massively overblown in the Sixties and Seventies and Eighties. Poverty, as it was traditionally understood, was pretty well eliminated from this country after WW2. Anyone alive in 2000 was way better off than anyone alive in 1945.
This is just declinist copium.
That life is better than the exhausted and war-torn Britain of 1945 is just not good enough.
I don’t know whether the sick-manism was overblown. Here’s British ambassador to Paris Sir Nicholas Henderson in 1979:
“You only have to move around western Europe nowadays to realise how poor and unproud the British have become in relation to their neighbours…It shows in the look of our towns, in our airports, in our hospitals and in local amenities; it is painfully apparent in much of our railway system.”
Is life better when you have one cow, but your neighbour has none?
Or when you have nine cows but your neighbour has ten?
The UK has been in "decline" relative to everyone else since about 1870. But, who would wish to revert to the position of 1870?
The Green Party I imagine.
But I do think we have become a bit too used to things being low grade crappy, and we could be more dynamic in seeking to address that without going full Truss fantasy land.
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
Again, all the "Sick Man of Europe" nonsense was massively overblown in the Sixties and Seventies and Eighties. Poverty, as it was traditionally understood, was pretty well eliminated from this country after WW2. Anyone alive in 2000 was way better off than anyone alive in 1945.
This is just declinist copium.
That life is better than the exhausted and war-torn Britain of 1945 is just not good enough.
I don’t know whether the sick-manism was overblown. Here’s British ambassador to Paris Sir Nicholas Henderson in 1979:
“You only have to move around western Europe nowadays to realise how poor and unproud the British have become in relation to their neighbours…It shows in the look of our towns, in our airports, in our hospitals and in local amenities; it is painfully apparent in much of our railway system.”
Is life better when you have one cow, but your neighbour has none?
Or when you have nine cows but your neighbour has ten?
The UK has been in "decline" relative to everyone else since about 1870. But, who would wish to revert to the position of 1870?
The Green Party I imagine.
But I do think we have become a bit too used to things being low grade crappy, and we could be more dynamic in seeking to address that without going full Truss fantasy land.
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
There is a light rail shuttle thingy from the airport to the railway station. Here, you can use the left luggage facilities while visiting sights.
I have stayed in the NH Hotel by the station a couple of times on work trips - recommended.
Also recommended, Ristorante buca di san Ranieri, not far from there.
Actually you’re right. Firenze airport is much improved with the light rail
I rescind my advice. Tho Pisa is still a fun little airport
Just logged on, and saw this at top of thread.
Reminds me of the time I visited Florence, the tourist trap part by the main train station, for about half-hour. Only time I was ever in there.
Sorta. Cause I caught a train to Pisa . . . and almost immediately realized I'd left my backpack at the checked luggage office in Florence station. So got off the train at next stop (not far) and hung out in a rather dreary semi-slumish area for next train back into town (hoping no ticket inspector accosted me) reclaimed my impedimenta then got NEXT train to Pisa.
Which I like a LOT better than Florence, despite fact that train station was occupied by what appeared to be paratroopers (hard to tell with Italian love of uniforms). Turned out there was a big anti-war demo sched. for next day (this was just before W (with assist from TB) launched Iraq invasion.
Likely helped that it was February, but Pisa was not over-clogged with tourists or touts. And small enough to walk around much of the city, the old part anyway, in a day or so. As I recall, they were still working to stabilize the Leaning Tower.
Even at my low level of near-total cluelessness, knowing virtually no Italian and experiencing the country for less than a week, can testify to the existence and (at least some of the pleasures) of La Dolce Vita!
I went to Pisa and Florence in Feb 2006. Pisa is worth a trip, but the historical core is very very small. You can 'do' Pisa in an afternoon. Florence, meanwhile, was fantastic. Astonishingly cold, but the February cold kept the tourista away, a bit. Certainly didn't feel over-touristed. I was there for four days and it wasn't enough. I know there's nothing revolutionary about liking well-known tourist hotspots, but there it is: for me, it more than lived up to its reputation.
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
Again, all the "Sick Man of Europe" nonsense was massively overblown in the Sixties and Seventies and Eighties. Poverty, as it was traditionally understood, was pretty well eliminated from this country after WW2. Anyone alive in 2000 was way better off than anyone alive in 1945.
This is just declinist copium.
That life is better than the exhausted and war-torn Britain of 1945 is just not good enough.
I don’t know whether the sick-manism was overblown. Here’s British ambassador to Paris Sir Nicholas Henderson in 1979:
“You only have to move around western Europe nowadays to realise how poor and unproud the British have become in relation to their neighbours…It shows in the look of our towns, in our airports, in our hospitals and in local amenities; it is painfully apparent in much of our railway system.”
Is life better when you have one cow, but your neighbour has none?
Or when you have nine cows but your neighbour has ten?
The UK has been in "decline" relative to everyone else since about 1870. But, who would wish to revert to the position of 1870?
The Green Party I imagine.
But I do think we have become a bit too used to things being low grade crappy, and we could be more dynamic in seeking to address that without going full Truss fantasy land.
The Greens would hate 1870. All that coal?!!
Well, they probably want to go back before the industrial revolution entirely, but given the actual ideology of our Green Party I didn't think they'd want to go back to a time before Das Kapital.
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
Again, all the "Sick Man of Europe" nonsense was massively overblown in the Sixties and Seventies and Eighties. Poverty, as it was traditionally understood, was pretty well eliminated from this country after WW2. Anyone alive in 2000 was way better off than anyone alive in 1945.
This is just declinist copium.
That life is better than the exhausted and war-torn Britain of 1945 is just not good enough.
I don’t know whether the sick-manism was overblown. Here’s British ambassador to Paris Sir Nicholas Henderson in 1979:
“You only have to move around western Europe nowadays to realise how poor and unproud the British have become in relation to their neighbours…It shows in the look of our towns, in our airports, in our hospitals and in local amenities; it is painfully apparent in much of our railway system.”
Is life better when you have one cow, but your neighbour has none?
Or when you have nine cows but your neighbour has ten?
The UK has been in "decline" relative to everyone else since about 1870. But, who would wish to revert to the position of 1870?
It’s a very long time since I reread the rise and fall of the great powers but I vaguely recall a chart indicating that about 1850 the UK had something like 50% of the worlds industrial output. Way, way above the level of dominance that China has today.
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
Again, all the "Sick Man of Europe" nonsense was massively overblown in the Sixties and Seventies and Eighties. Poverty, as it was traditionally understood, was pretty well eliminated from this country after WW2. Anyone alive in 2000 was way better off than anyone alive in 1945.
This is just declinist copium.
That life is better than the exhausted and war-torn Britain of 1945 is just not good enough.
I don’t know whether the sick-manism was overblown. Here’s British ambassador to Paris Sir Nicholas Henderson in 1979:
“You only have to move around western Europe nowadays to realise how poor and unproud the British have become in relation to their neighbours…It shows in the look of our towns, in our airports, in our hospitals and in local amenities; it is painfully apparent in much of our railway system.”
Is life better when you have one cow, but your neighbour has none?
Or when you have nine cows but your neighbour has ten?
The UK has been in "decline" relative to everyone else since about 1870. But, who would wish to revert to the position of 1870?
The Green Party I imagine.
But I do think we have become a bit too used to things being low grade crappy, and we could be more dynamic in seeking to address that without going full Truss fantasy land.
The Greens would hate 1870. All that coal?!!
Well, they probably want to go back before the industrial revolution entirely, but given the actual ideology of our Green Party I didn't think they'd want to go back to a time before Das Kapital.
Logical, especially as going back to a time before we burned coal would mean going back to pre-human times...
The UK went through systemic low investment for a lot of the sixties and seventies, when it was grappling with the transition away from empire and old energy providers, unstable prices and industrial unrest. It certainly did make people think it was falling behind Germany and even Italy, but things seemed to reverse afterwards and nowadays there's not much in the difference between the rich European countries. One big difference is that, speaking English and having a temperate oceanic climate, the UK is far more attractive to low-wage migration than its chilly peers.
You think immigrants move to the UK for the climate?
Warm but not blistering summers, mild winters, frequent rainfall, it's pretty decent as climates go, even with more extreme occurences than there used to be.
We may not have a lot of really great weather. But you'd struggle to find many places with less terrible weather.
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
Again, all the "Sick Man of Europe" nonsense was massively overblown in the Sixties and Seventies and Eighties. Poverty, as it was traditionally understood, was pretty well eliminated from this country after WW2. Anyone alive in 2000 was way better off than anyone alive in 1945.
This is just declinist copium.
That life is better than the exhausted and war-torn Britain of 1945 is just not good enough.
I don’t know whether the sick-manism was overblown. Here’s British ambassador to Paris Sir Nicholas Henderson in 1979:
“You only have to move around western Europe nowadays to realise how poor and unproud the British have become in relation to their neighbours…It shows in the look of our towns, in our airports, in our hospitals and in local amenities; it is painfully apparent in much of our railway system.”
Is life better when you have one cow, but your neighbour has none?
Or when you have nine cows but your neighbour has ten?
The UK has been in "decline" relative to everyone else since about 1870. But, who would wish to revert to the position of 1870?
It’s a very long time since I reread the rise and fall of the great powers but I vaguely recall a chart indicating that about 1850 the UK had something like 50% of the worlds industrial output. Way, way above the level of dominance that China has today.
Yes, but scale does matter as well, of course.
For an example that might please our other Scottish posters, there was a time when 99% of all the world's aluminium was produced in just one factory - Foyers, on the shores of Loch Ness.
The UK went through systemic low investment for a lot of the sixties and seventies, when it was grappling with the transition away from empire and old energy providers, unstable prices and industrial unrest. It certainly did make people think it was falling behind Germany and even Italy, but things seemed to reverse afterwards and nowadays there's not much in the difference between the rich European countries. One big difference is that, speaking English and having a temperate oceanic climate, the UK is far more attractive to low-wage migration than its chilly peers.
You think immigrants move to the UK for the climate?
No, they move here because it remains one of the easiest places in Europe to find a job, even if you are an outsider without family connections, because this is a tolerant and open minded country, because we speak English and because, for all the moaning and grumbling, this is a great place to live.
The fact that 500k immigrants a year have absolutely no problem seeing that really should make the doomsters pause in their Brexit lamentations.
"Rocketing Immigration Proves Brexit is a Success - claims Lone Remaining Brexiteer".
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
Again, all the "Sick Man of Europe" nonsense was massively overblown in the Sixties and Seventies and Eighties. Poverty, as it was traditionally understood, was pretty well eliminated from this country after WW2. Anyone alive in 2000 was way better off than anyone alive in 1945.
This is just declinist copium.
That life is better than the exhausted and war-torn Britain of 1945 is just not good enough.
I don’t know whether the sick-manism was overblown. Here’s British ambassador to Paris Sir Nicholas Henderson in 1979:
“You only have to move around western Europe nowadays to realise how poor and unproud the British have become in relation to their neighbours…It shows in the look of our towns, in our airports, in our hospitals and in local amenities; it is painfully apparent in much of our railway system.”
Is life better when you have one cow, but your neighbour has none?
Or when you have nine cows but your neighbour has ten?
The UK has been in "decline" relative to everyone else since about 1870. But, who would wish to revert to the position of 1870?
The Green Party I imagine.
But I do think we have become a bit too used to things being low grade crappy, and we could be more dynamic in seeking to address that without going full Truss fantasy land.
The Greens would prefer that nobody had any cows. All that meat and methane!
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
Again, all the "Sick Man of Europe" nonsense was massively overblown in the Sixties and Seventies and Eighties. Poverty, as it was traditionally understood, was pretty well eliminated from this country after WW2. Anyone alive in 2000 was way better off than anyone alive in 1945.
This is just declinist copium.
That life is better than the exhausted and war-torn Britain of 1945 is just not good enough.
I don’t know whether the sick-manism was overblown. Here’s British ambassador to Paris Sir Nicholas Henderson in 1979:
“You only have to move around western Europe nowadays to realise how poor and unproud the British have become in relation to their neighbours…It shows in the look of our towns, in our airports, in our hospitals and in local amenities; it is painfully apparent in much of our railway system.”
Is life better when you have one cow, but your neighbour has none?
Or when you have nine cows but your neighbour has ten?
The UK has been in "decline" relative to everyone else since about 1870. But, who would wish to revert to the position of 1870?
The Green Party I imagine.
But I do think we have become a bit too used to things being low grade crappy, and we could be more dynamic in seeking to address that without going full Truss fantasy land.
The Greens would prefer that nobody had any cows. All that meat and methane!
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
Again, all the "Sick Man of Europe" nonsense was massively overblown in the Sixties and Seventies and Eighties. Poverty, as it was traditionally understood, was pretty well eliminated from this country after WW2. Anyone alive in 2000 was way better off than anyone alive in 1945.
This is just declinist copium.
That life is better than the exhausted and war-torn Britain of 1945 is just not good enough.
I don’t know whether the sick-manism was overblown. Here’s British ambassador to Paris Sir Nicholas Henderson in 1979:
“You only have to move around western Europe nowadays to realise how poor and unproud the British have become in relation to their neighbours…It shows in the look of our towns, in our airports, in our hospitals and in local amenities; it is painfully apparent in much of our railway system.”
Is life better when you have one cow, but your neighbour has none?
Or when you have nine cows but your neighbour has ten?
The UK has been in "decline" relative to everyone else since about 1870. But, who would wish to revert to the position of 1870?
It’s a very long time since I reread the rise and fall of the great powers but I vaguely recall a chart indicating that about 1850 the UK had something like 50% of the worlds industrial output. Way, way above the level of dominance that China has today.
Yes, but scale does matter as well, of course.
For an example that might please our other Scottish posters, there was a time when 99% of all the world's aluminium was produced in just one factory - Foyers, on the shores of Loch Ness.
And now Loch Ness is a tourist trap for rich Chinese taking boat trips in the hope of seeing “the monster “. Sad.
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
It's worthwhile to stay a night or two. All the tourist coaches depart, and it's quite pleasant, and good value. Also you can walk to the airport. Fly into Florence, train to Pisa, fly back from Pisa is a nice short break, especially out of season.
Flying to Pisa instead of Florence is an excellent idea. Pisa is a nicer smaller airport. And almost walkable from downtown Pisa
There is a light rail shuttle thingy from the airport to the railway station. Here, you can use the left luggage facilities while visiting sights.
I have stayed in the NH Hotel by the station a couple of times on work trips - recommended.
Also recommended, Ristorante buca di san Ranieri, not far from there.
Actually you’re right. Firenze airport is much improved with the light rail
I rescind my advice. Tho Pisa is still a fun little airport
Just logged on, and saw this at top of thread.
Reminds me of the time I visited Florence, the tourist trap part by the main train station, for about half-hour. Only time I was ever in there.
Sorta. Cause I caught a train to Pisa . . . and almost immediately realized I'd left my backpack at the checked luggage office in Florence station. So got off the train at next stop (not far) and hung out in a rather dreary semi-slumish area for next train back into town (hoping no ticket inspector accosted me) reclaimed my impedimenta then got NEXT train to Pisa.
Which I like a LOT better than Florence, despite fact that train station was occupied by what appeared to be paratroopers (hard to tell with Italian love of uniforms). Turned out there was a big anti-war demo sched. for next day (this was just before W (with assist from TB) launched Iraq invasion.
Likely helped that it was February, but Pisa was not over-clogged with tourists or touts. And small enough to walk around much of the city, the old part anyway, in a day or so. As I recall, they were still working to stabilize the Leaning Tower.
Even at my low level of near-total cluelessness, knowing virtually no Italian and experiencing the country for less than a week, can testify to the existence and (at least some of the pleasures) of La Dolce Vita!
Evening - or morning? - SS! Must be this work you were talking about:
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
Again, all the "Sick Man of Europe" nonsense was massively overblown in the Sixties and Seventies and Eighties. Poverty, as it was traditionally understood, was pretty well eliminated from this country after WW2. Anyone alive in 2000 was way better off than anyone alive in 1945.
This is just declinist copium.
That life is better than the exhausted and war-torn Britain of 1945 is just not good enough.
I don’t know whether the sick-manism was overblown. Here’s British ambassador to Paris Sir Nicholas Henderson in 1979:
“You only have to move around western Europe nowadays to realise how poor and unproud the British have become in relation to their neighbours…It shows in the look of our towns, in our airports, in our hospitals and in local amenities; it is painfully apparent in much of our railway system.”
Is life better when you have one cow, but your neighbour has none?
Or when you have nine cows but your neighbour has ten?
The UK has been in "decline" relative to everyone else since about 1870. But, who would wish to revert to the position of 1870?
The Green Party I imagine.
But I do think we have become a bit too used to things being low grade crappy, and we could be more dynamic in seeking to address that without going full Truss fantasy land.
The Greens would prefer that nobody had any cows. All that meat and methane!
There does seem to be a small group of people who get a bit rosy eyed about pre-agricultural life being blissful harmony and plenty. I recall reading one of Yuval Noah Harari's books, and whilst he was making a point about the downsides of people being tied to the land and their level of health/wealth throughout history, it definitely seemed to include an element of seeing hunter gathering as some idealised state, despite him putting some caveats on that impression.
The UK went through systemic low investment for a lot of the sixties and seventies, when it was grappling with the transition away from empire and old energy providers, unstable prices and industrial unrest. It certainly did make people think it was falling behind Germany and even Italy, but things seemed to reverse afterwards and nowadays there's not much in the difference between the rich European countries. One big difference is that, speaking English and having a temperate oceanic climate, the UK is far more attractive to low-wage migration than its chilly peers.
You think immigrants move to the UK for the climate?
No, they move here because it remains one of the easiest places in Europe to find a job, even if you are an outsider without family connections, because this is a tolerant and open minded country, because we speak English and because, for all the moaning and grumbling, this is a great place to live.
The fact that 500k immigrants a year have absolutely no problem seeing that really should make the doomsters pause in their Brexit lamentations.
"Rocketing Immigration Proves Brexit is a Success - claims Lone Remaining Brexiteer".
The level of denial on here helps explain the problem. For many, it seems that because the UK no longer sends small children up children, we should be grateful.
Thatcher would have given such notions incredibly short shrift.
The UK went through systemic low investment for a lot of the sixties and seventies, when it was grappling with the transition away from empire and old energy providers, unstable prices and industrial unrest. It certainly did make people think it was falling behind Germany and even Italy, but things seemed to reverse afterwards and nowadays there's not much in the difference between the rich European countries. One big difference is that, speaking English and having a temperate oceanic climate, the UK is far more attractive to low-wage migration than its chilly peers.
You think immigrants move to the UK for the climate?
Warm but not blistering summers, mild winters, frequent rainfall, it's pretty decent as climates go, even with more extreme occurences than there used to be.
The lack of sunlight is one of the main gripes immigrants (and many of the natives) have with the UK, and the problem gets worse the further north and west you go.
The idea that migrants are dying to come to Britain to take advantage of summers in Mablethorpe is one of the most stupid ideas I’ve read on here. It reads as self-parody.
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
Again, all the "Sick Man of Europe" nonsense was massively overblown in the Sixties and Seventies and Eighties. Poverty, as it was traditionally understood, was pretty well eliminated from this country after WW2. Anyone alive in 2000 was way better off than anyone alive in 1945.
This is just declinist copium.
That life is better than the exhausted and war-torn Britain of 1945 is just not good enough.
I don’t know whether the sick-manism was overblown. Here’s British ambassador to Paris Sir Nicholas Henderson in 1979:
“You only have to move around western Europe nowadays to realise how poor and unproud the British have become in relation to their neighbours…It shows in the look of our towns, in our airports, in our hospitals and in local amenities; it is painfully apparent in much of our railway system.”
Is life better when you have one cow, but your neighbour has none?
Or when you have nine cows but your neighbour has ten?
The UK has been in "decline" relative to everyone else since about 1870. But, who would wish to revert to the position of 1870?
It’s a very long time since I reread the rise and fall of the great powers but I vaguely recall a chart indicating that about 1850 the UK had something like 50% of the worlds industrial output. Way, way above the level of dominance that China has today.
Yes, but scale does matter as well, of course.
For an example that might please our other Scottish posters, there was a time when 99% of all the world's aluminium was produced in just one factory - Foyers, on the shores of Loch Ness.
And even today nearly all internationally traded bananas are of Derbyshire ancestry.
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
Again, all the "Sick Man of Europe" nonsense was massively overblown in the Sixties and Seventies and Eighties. Poverty, as it was traditionally understood, was pretty well eliminated from this country after WW2. Anyone alive in 2000 was way better off than anyone alive in 1945.
This is just declinist copium.
That life is better than the exhausted and war-torn Britain of 1945 is just not good enough.
I don’t know whether the sick-manism was overblown. Here’s British ambassador to Paris Sir Nicholas Henderson in 1979:
“You only have to move around western Europe nowadays to realise how poor and unproud the British have become in relation to their neighbours…It shows in the look of our towns, in our airports, in our hospitals and in local amenities; it is painfully apparent in much of our railway system.”
Is life better when you have one cow, but your neighbour has none?
Or when you have nine cows but your neighbour has ten?
The UK has been in "decline" relative to everyone else since about 1870. But, who would wish to revert to the position of 1870?
The Green Party I imagine.
But I do think we have become a bit too used to things being low grade crappy, and we could be more dynamic in seeking to address that without going full Truss fantasy land.
Sure. Too many people in public life are useless, including the current government, and priorities are skewed towards protecting the interests of well to do pensioners.
The UK went through systemic low investment for a lot of the sixties and seventies, when it was grappling with the transition away from empire and old energy providers, unstable prices and industrial unrest. It certainly did make people think it was falling behind Germany and even Italy, but things seemed to reverse afterwards and nowadays there's not much in the difference between the rich European countries. One big difference is that, speaking English and having a temperate oceanic climate, the UK is far more attractive to low-wage migration than its chilly peers.
You think immigrants move to the UK for the climate?
No, they move here because it remains one of the easiest places in Europe to find a job, even if you are an outsider without family connections, because this is a tolerant and open minded country, because we speak English and because, for all the moaning and grumbling, this is a great place to live.
The fact that 500k immigrants a year have absolutely no problem seeing that really should make the doomsters pause in their Brexit lamentations.
"Rocketing Immigration Proves Brexit is a Success - claims Lone Remaining Brexiteer".
Ach, I knew it was a mistake to mention the B word as soon as I posted that. Pavlovian.
It's a bit overblown. Compared to most times and places, we still live in paradise. Western economies have all (with the exception of commodity producers) seen real wages outside of the elite stagnate, compared to the 1950-2000 period.
The conclusion of the piece is a bit glib and less clever than it thinks, like a lot of the content of the Economist. I don't think it's overblown. If anything I think it doesn't quite do enough to capture the depths of our malaise.
Yes, that was my take.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
It’s positively anomalous. Since about the 9th century the English peasant has been noticeably richer than the average continental (with some major hiccups of course)
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
Again, all the "Sick Man of Europe" nonsense was massively overblown in the Sixties and Seventies and Eighties. Poverty, as it was traditionally understood, was pretty well eliminated from this country after WW2. Anyone alive in 2000 was way better off than anyone alive in 1945.
This is just declinist copium.
That life is better than the exhausted and war-torn Britain of 1945 is just not good enough.
I don’t know whether the sick-manism was overblown. Here’s British ambassador to Paris Sir Nicholas Henderson in 1979:
“You only have to move around western Europe nowadays to realise how poor and unproud the British have become in relation to their neighbours…It shows in the look of our towns, in our airports, in our hospitals and in local amenities; it is painfully apparent in much of our railway system.”
Is life better when you have one cow, but your neighbour has none?
Or when you have nine cows but your neighbour has ten?
The UK has been in "decline" relative to everyone else since about 1870. But, who would wish to revert to the position of 1870?
It’s a very long time since I reread the rise and fall of the great powers but I vaguely recall a chart indicating that about 1850 the UK had something like 50% of the worlds industrial output. Way, way above the level of dominance that China has today.
Yes, but scale does matter as well, of course.
For an example that might please our other Scottish posters, there was a time when 99% of all the world's aluminium was produced in just one factory - Foyers, on the shores of Loch Ness.
Similar stat re petroleum at one time: the West Lothian oil fields. Remember [edit, sorry] @DavidL and I were talking about torbanite and the court case it prompted and [edit] he was a bit surprised how seriously it was taken at the time? That sort of stuff.
The Ipsos 2023 predictions poll – politicalbetting.com
Comments
What a deeply penetrating pleasure it is being back in the UK after a month in southern India - except for the freezing conditions, exacerbated by our boiler losing pressure! But it's been re-filled and working OK since last night.
Thought the football would be on at 7pm instead, but only noticed it was on because of @DecrepiterJohnL
But he won't be replaced by Starmer.
Buckle up.....
But I think the British public are misled about a lot of these. I think there is a lot less than a 56% chance of a footballer coming out as gay, and much less than a 64% chance of a general strike. And much, much less than a 59% chance of one of England, Scotland or Wales winning the world cup.
Oh. Jeremy Corbyn...
Some lovely restaurants there too.
The Leaning Tower and the surrounding Piazza dei Miracoli should be on everyone's bucket list.
"The strange case of Britain’s demise
A country that prided itself on stability has seemed to be in free-fall. Whodunnit?"
Or https://archive.vn/fI8Zp if you're a cheapskate.
Matt Hancock will win the 2023 FIFA World Cup
Matt Hancock will appear on Strictly Come Dancing
Matt Hancock will cease to function
Elon Musk will win the 2023 Rugby World Cup
Matt Hancock will win the 2023 Rugby World Cup
Ukraine now has Brimstone 2 missiles. Looks like they've had them for a few weeks already.
https://twitter.com/NOELreports/status/1604129513918676993?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brimstone_(missile)
My wife did manage to acquire a stalker in Pisa. A very wealthy guy from New Mexico, just would not take no for an answer.
Which I've done.
I have stayed in the NH Hotel by the station a couple of times on work trips - recommended.
Also recommended, Ristorante buca di san Ranieri, not far from there.
I rescind my advice. Tho Pisa is still a fun little airport
I think Britons are never happier than when they believe they are doomed.
The “good” news, is that there are now a plethora of these pieces and one hopes they signify an evolution in elite consensus which in time will drive improvement.
It means slaying several sacred cows; not just Brexit of course (already on its deathbed) but also aspects of Thatcherism and “NHSism”.
One perverse positive these pieces never mention is that now that Britain has fallen quite a way behind that the potential for catch-up is greater too.
There’s no inherent and eternal reason for Britain to be poorer than its peers.
Putin will be watching his arrival via the NORAD tracker with unusual interest.
That only faltered post WW2, and was then amended - but now we sink again
If it's not pursuing the policies that suit them then it tends to fall far too easily into hyperbole.
Reminds me of the time I visited Florence, the tourist trap part by the main train station, for about half-hour. Only time I was ever in there.
Sorta. Cause I caught a train to Pisa . . . and almost immediately realized I'd left my backpack at the checked luggage office in Florence station. So got off the train at next stop (not far) and hung out in a rather dreary semi-slumish area for next train back into town (hoping no ticket inspector accosted me) reclaimed my impedimenta then got NEXT train to Pisa.
Which I like a LOT better than Florence, despite fact that train station was occupied by what appeared to be paratroopers (hard to tell with Italian love of uniforms). Turned out there was a big anti-war demo sched. for next day (this was just before W (with assist from TB) launched Iraq invasion.
Likely helped that it was February, but Pisa was not over-clogged with tourists or touts. And small enough to walk around much of the city, the old part anyway, in a day or so. As I recall, they were still working to stabilize the Leaning Tower.
Even at my low level of near-total cluelessness, knowing virtually no Italian and experiencing the country for less than a week, can testify to the existence and (at least some of the pleasures) of La Dolce Vita!
"Do they think ‘crush the nurses’ is a viable strategy for the country or a good look? He’s just going to end up looking weak again."
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/will-rishi-sunak-compromise-to-end-nurses-strike_uk_639c231de4b0441430461c15
Well done, Putin. Master strategist.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64010682
That life is better than the exhausted and war-torn Britain of 1945 is just not good enough.
I don’t know whether the sick-manism was overblown. Here’s British ambassador to Paris Sir Nicholas Henderson in 1979:
“You only have to move around western Europe nowadays to realise how poor and unproud the British have become in relation to their neighbours…It shows in the look of our towns, in our airports, in our hospitals and in local amenities; it is painfully apparent in much of our railway system.”
You had a good chunk of the world under the repressive yoke of communism, and the rest as dirt poor third world countries.
It's not surprising that a handful of Western countries prospered year after year in such an environment, particularly since they had a virtual monopoly on emergent technology over that time.
*The fact the pay review relied on inflation stats from November 2021 forcing through its current recommendations seems particularly dodgy.
Screw the train drivers, pay the nurses.
He argues that is the 'Conservative' thing to do, as the supply of train drivers is not constrained by wages, but the supply of nurses is.
You scratch around for any evidence that supports this thesis, however tenuous, and turn it up to 11 and dismiss the rest.
Tory members are furious about the loss of Boris Johnson, the party’s former chairman has said, as he warns the Conservatives will struggle at local elections if they cannot rely on activists to knock on doors.
Classic overestimate of how much benefit there is to activists knocking on doors. Standard sucking up to members.
Sir Jake Berry said grassroots campaigners have become disillusioned following the “insanity” of ousting Mr Johnson earlier this year, combined with their “perceived disenfranchisement” after Liz Truss was driven from Downing Street.
They need to get the f*ck over it. How bloody entitled do they have to be to think that after a historic plunge in party support that there was time to run another contest? Why are Tory Members, who have only been able to vote in leader's contests for less than 20 years, acting like it is an inviolable principle?
The answer is they want special privileges for their membership now.
In an interview with The Telegraph, he said it “should be a matter of deep concern” that membership of the Conservative Party has dropped significantly in recent years.
This show he is a liar. According to this research briefing on party membership,k the Tories estimated for September 2022, whilst slightly down on 2019, was significantly higher than in 2018, and higher than any previously reported figure since 2008 (since parties do not have to release figures there is not a figure for every year).
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn05125/
Given the trend of party memberships declining, barely dented despite big increased for Labour and the SNP in the last decade, his concern is at best misplaced.
Or when you have nine cows but your neighbour has ten?
The UK has been in "decline" relative to everyone else since about 1870. But, who would wish to revert to the position of 1870?
The fact that 500k immigrants a year have absolutely no problem seeing that really should make the doomsters pause in their Brexit lamentations.
But I do think we have become a bit too used to things being low grade crappy, and we could be more dynamic in seeking to address that without going full Truss fantasy land.
Pisa is worth a trip, but the historical core is very very small. You can 'do' Pisa in an afternoon.
Florence, meanwhile, was fantastic. Astonishingly cold, but the February cold kept the tourista away, a bit. Certainly didn't feel over-touristed. I was there for four days and it wasn't enough.
I know there's nothing revolutionary about liking well-known tourist hotspots, but there it is: for me, it more than lived up to its reputation.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/david-cameron-start-teaching-post-abu-dhabi-university
"So, Mr Cameron, what first attracted you to the stupendously wealthy United Arab Emirates?
For an example that might please our other Scottish posters, there was a time when 99% of all the world's aluminium was produced in just one factory - Foyers, on the shores of Loch Ness.
The trailer for the Barbie film is genius, especially when screened at the same time as another film:
https://twitter.com/MatthewGaydos/status/1603810520003317761
https://www.geological-digressions.com/the-leaning-tower-of-pisa/
Thatcher would have given such notions incredibly short shrift.
The idea that migrants are dying to come to Britain to take advantage of summers in Mablethorpe is one of the most stupid ideas I’ve read on here. It reads as self-parody.
That doesn't make things the end of days.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07cb31r
https://www.lyellcollection.org/doi/10.1144/sp465.13 (alas not open access but the abstract gives the nub)