I love Schengen. We civilised folks glide through airports. We occasionally catch glimpses of the wounded wee lions in their glass cages, which always causes a little ripple of Schadenfreudic mirth.
Is that when you are fleeing the bombs, grenades, kidnaps, murders, and mass ethnic gang rapes of Malmo, Stockholm and elsewhere?
Was surprised to see Sweden as (along with the USA) one of the most polarised countries in the West.
We never hear any of that from Indy McSwedeface.
One of the first genuinely hard right coalition governments in Europe. More so than Italy
Sweden. Of all places. It is a fucking disaster
When I were a lad we were told Britain should be more like Sweden. Then, when things went to shit in Sweden and improved in Germany, we were told to look to Germany. Now they've gone to shit. Whose turn is it now? Time to stop pretending, take lessons from other countries on particular issues only rather than thinking we can transplant their cultures here wholesale, and fix our own problems.
I love Schengen. We civilised folks glide through airports. We occasionally catch glimpses of the wounded wee lions in their glass cages, which always causes a little ripple of Schadenfreudic mirth.
Is that when you are fleeing the bombs, grenades, kidnaps, murders, and mass ethnic gang rapes of Malmo, Stockholm and elsewhere?
Was surprised to see Sweden as (along with the USA) one of the most polarised countries in the West.
We never hear any of that from Indy McSwedeface.
One of the first genuinely hard right coalition governments in Europe. More so than Italy
Sweden. Of all places. It is a fucking disaster
Which, if true, would be a shame. Again, it would be great if PB had an on-the-ground witness who could provide some colour or even balance.
I love Schengen. We civilised folks glide through airports. We occasionally catch glimpses of the wounded wee lions in their glass cages, which always causes a little ripple of Schadenfreudic mirth.
Is that when you are fleeing the bombs, grenades, kidnaps, murders, and mass ethnic gang rapes of Malmo, Stockholm and elsewhere?
Was surprised to see Sweden as (along with the USA) one of the most polarised countries in the West.
We never hear any of that from Indy McSwedeface.
One of the first genuinely hard right coalition governments in Europe. More so than Italy
Sweden. Of all places. It is a fucking disaster
When I were a lad we were told Britain should be more like Sweden. Then, when things went to shit in Sweden and improved in Germany, we were told to look to Germany. Now they've gone to shit. Whose turn is it now? Time to stop pretending, take lessons from other countries on particular issues only rather than thinking we can transplant their cultures here wholesale, and fix our own problems.
It’s bizarre that the Elizabeth Line does not go to LCY when it runs very near.
Yes, a major miss
However there are rumours the Powers That Be want to close LCY. Doesn’t make much money, doesn’t add much to the economy, sits on major real estate, and prevents super tall skyscrapers nearby
So the miss might be deliberate
As with the Cardiff example, the question is makes money for whom?
Even in 2023, service exports are correlated with the ability of people to go places and sell.
LCY may well be a significant asset to UK PLC, even if it is delivering disappointing returns for its entirely foreign based (Canadian pension funds and the Kuwaiti sovereign wealth fund) ownership.
I’m just not convinced it is worth the real estate, tho
And the tall buildings blight is a real issue. East London/City/Docklands needs to go UP to cater for growing populations. LCY prevents that for… what? A few dozen flights a day?
Developing Southend - or an entirely new place on the Liz Line - makes more sense and would revive chunks of Essex. Scrap LCY. Build a heliport if needs be
Needs to be a bit closer than Southend but could be close to Tilbury or Thurrock, and expand to be a properly large airport. Not the hub, because public transport isn’t good enough (though could of course be improved, and the M25 is nearby). Could be as big as Gatwick.
Then turn the whole LCY area into high density tall buildings. It’s brownfield, there’s little green space or old architecture to lose, and this would also trigger more building and economic activity around Dartford/Thurrock.
Time for me to note again that, despite London being desperately short of housing, the whole stretch of Thames from Canary Wharf to Southend is basically quasi-industrial sprawl.
True on the Kentish side, too.
We could basically fit an entire new London in there, albeit the infra investment would need to be massive.
It was a deal, a steal, sale of the f##king century...
His predecessor Carwyn Jones paid £52m to nationalise Cardiff Airport in 2013 and it has subsequently been necessary to write off more than £40m of taxpayer loans to keep the business afloat.
No longer able to support the business with state loans, Mr Drakeford’s administration has opted to bankroll the business through government grants.
Cardiff Airport is now being labelled the “biggest money-pit of all” after Mr Drakeford enraged opposition leaders by injecting huge sums into a series of widely-criticised public initiatives.
The airport's £8.9m grant for the year to March 2022 was significantly higher than the £2.5m received in the previous year.
See also Teesside airport - but you have to remember that you need a regional airport to encourage businesses to invest. A lot of firms won't look at anywhere which requires them driving further than absolutely necessary.
Hence Cardiff has an airport because without it no-one would invest in Wales. Likewise (thinking of the Friday flights from Schiphol) Norwich, Southampton and Exeter all of whom had 80 people who needed to fly from there on a Monday and back on a Friday.
And one could argue that Cardiff - which has a potential catchment of over 1m - is much more deserving of its own airport than any of the others.
Except that, as one of the big airline bosses recently stated again in the press, Cardiff Airport is in the wrong place. Stuck out in the sticks in the Vale of Glamorgan when it really needs to be located next to the main railway line and the M4. It's not even convenient for the people of Cardiff, let alone all the well-heeled residents of Bristol and the Cotswolds that it would need to be serving to have any chance of breaking even.
It's a classic example of a vanity project, and of the perils of throwing good money after bad. A failed enterprise that the Welsh Government daren't pull the plug on, because it would then be pilloried for the enormous waste of limited and desperately needed funds on a white elephant, and because of the affront to national pride. Thus the subsidies continue.
Regional aviation is totally screwed by LHR not having that new runway a decade ago. Small planes don’t have a cat in Hell’s chance of a landing slot, so everyone drives miles instead.
Somewhere like Teeside could be revolutionised with a flight to London every couple of hours.
From an environmental perspective, this is madness. I used to fly Edinburgh - London City quite a lot and I'm still not over the shame of it.
A lot of the traffic would be transfers through LHR, going to New York or Milan. Serving Heathrow from regional airports, makes those regions more attractive places to live.
LCY is the best airport in the world! Five minutes from the taxi rank to the gate, and rarely more than 10 in the other direction!
I used to live near Tower Bridge, and would regularly catch the 7:50am Air France flight to Paris. I would frequently leave my house at 7am, and make my plane without stress.
LCY is a great idea but doesn’t quite work in reality unless you live very close
It has terrible transport links (compared to the marvel of somewhere like Heathrow: Tube, Liz Line, HXP, or even Luton) and it has ghastly shite catering and shopping
It should be high end. Caviar and oysters for City boys. Yet weirdly it’s Greggs and a shuttered branch of Nando’s. Dismal
The beauty of LCY is that you spend less than 20 mins airside so who cares what the shops and bars are like. I used to enjoy watching members of the public attempt to use the Bloomberg terminals, I haven't been through LCY in a while so not sure if they've still got them or they got taken out during lockdown.
I flew from LCY to Florence in the summer. Getting there from North/Central London with luggage is a mare, and the catering situation really is shite
It should be a tiny shuttle airport for finance boys going to Frankfurt/Paris/Amsterdam etc. At which it is great (I remember it fondly as that)
But they are now marketing it for summer hols with kids. NO NO NO
Yeah I wouldn't bother doing a proper flight from there, it gets me to Paris, Milan or Frankfurt from the square mile or Canary Wharf on a 9am and make lunch time meeting on the other side then come home in the evening for post work drinks. That's what it was great for, I definitely wouldn't bother going with kids. It's a useful airport and even if prices for flights were considerably higher they'd get enough business from banks and law firms in the City to stay open.
I love Schengen. We civilised folks glide through airports. We occasionally catch glimpses of the wounded wee lions in their glass cages, which always causes a little ripple of Schadenfreudic mirth.
Is that when you are fleeing the bombs, grenades, kidnaps, murders, and mass ethnic gang rapes of Malmo, Stockholm and elsewhere?
Was surprised to see Sweden as (along with the USA) one of the most polarised countries in the West.
We never hear any of that from Indy McSwedeface.
One of the first genuinely hard right coalition governments in Europe. More so than Italy
Sweden. Of all places. It is a fucking disaster
When I were a lad we were told Britain should be more like Sweden. Then, when things went to shit in Sweden and improved in Germany, we were told to look to Germany. Now they've gone to shit. Whose turn is it now? Time to stop pretending, take lessons from other countries on particular issues only rather than thinking we can transplant their cultures here wholesale, and fix our own problems.
Has Germany “gone to shit”? Really?
No, it has not. In my experience
But the early data from Merkel’s “Wilkommenskultur” are not great. Might be following Sweden
Let’s hope not because a hard/far right government in power in Berlin is a very different kettle of pickled herrings from a hard right government in Stockholm. As we all know
I love Schengen. We civilised folks glide through airports. We occasionally catch glimpses of the wounded wee lions in their glass cages, which always causes a little ripple of Schadenfreudic mirth.
Is that when you are fleeing the bombs, grenades, kidnaps, murders, and mass ethnic gang rapes of Malmo, Stockholm and elsewhere?
Was surprised to see Sweden as (along with the USA) one of the most polarised countries in the West.
We never hear any of that from Indy McSwedeface.
One of the first genuinely hard right coalition governments in Europe. More so than Italy
Sweden. Of all places. It is a fucking disaster
Which, if true, would be a shame. Again, it would be great if PB had an on-the-ground witness who could provide some colour or even balance.
Better still if it were an unbiased witness without the compulsion to be continually attacking their place of birth.
It’s bizarre that the Elizabeth Line does not go to LCY when it runs very near.
Yes, a major miss
However there are rumours the Powers That Be want to close LCY. Doesn’t make much money, doesn’t add much to the economy, sits on major real estate, and prevents super tall skyscrapers nearby
So the miss might be deliberate
As with the Cardiff example, the question is makes money for whom?
Even in 2023, service exports are correlated with the ability of people to go places and sell.
LCY may well be a significant asset to UK PLC, even if it is delivering disappointing returns for its entirely foreign based (Canadian pension funds and the Kuwaiti sovereign wealth fund) ownership.
I’m just not convinced it is worth the real estate, tho
And the tall buildings blight is a real issue. East London/City/Docklands needs to go UP to cater for growing populations. LCY prevents that for… what? A few dozen flights a day?
Developing Southend - or an entirely new place on the Liz Line - makes more sense and would revive chunks of Essex. Scrap LCY. Build a heliport if needs be
Needs to be a bit closer than Southend but could be close to Tilbury or Thurrock, and expand to be a properly large airport. Not the hub, because public transport isn’t good enough (though could of course be improved, and the M25 is nearby). Could be as big as Gatwick.
Then turn the whole LCY area into high density tall buildings. It’s brownfield, there’s little green space or old architecture to lose, and this would also trigger more building and economic activity around Dartford/Thurrock.
Complete agreement from me. An easy way to add 100,000s of homes in London. Move LCY downstream
It’s bizarre that the Elizabeth Line does not go to LCY when it runs very near.
Yes, a major miss
However there are rumours the Powers That Be want to close LCY. Doesn’t make much money, doesn’t add much to the economy, sits on major real estate, and prevents super tall skyscrapers nearby
So the miss might be deliberate
I think it must be deliberate. Having an airport very close to the middle of London isn't exactly in line with the latest climate change policies.
It’s bizarre that the Elizabeth Line does not go to LCY when it runs very near.
Yes, a major miss
However there are rumours the Powers That Be want to close LCY. Doesn’t make much money, doesn’t add much to the economy, sits on major real estate, and prevents super tall skyscrapers nearby
So the miss might be deliberate
As with the Cardiff example, the question is makes money for whom?
Even in 2023, service exports are correlated with the ability of people to go places and sell.
LCY may well be a significant asset to UK PLC, even if it is delivering disappointing returns for its entirely foreign based (Canadian pension funds and the Kuwaiti sovereign wealth fund) ownership.
I’m just not convinced it is worth the real estate, tho
And the tall buildings blight is a real issue. East London/City/Docklands needs to go UP to cater for growing populations. LCY prevents that for… what? A few dozen flights a day?
Developing Southend - or an entirely new place on the Liz Line - makes more sense and would revive chunks of Essex. Scrap LCY. Build a heliport if needs be
Needs to be a bit closer than Southend but could be close to Tilbury or Thurrock, and expand to be a properly large airport. Not the hub, because public transport isn’t good enough (though could of course be improved, and the M25 is nearby). Could be as big as Gatwick.
Then turn the whole LCY area into high density tall buildings. It’s brownfield, there’s little green space or old architecture to lose, and this would also trigger more building and economic activity around Dartford/Thurrock.
Time for me to note again that, despite London being desperately short of housing, the whole stretch of Thames from Canary Wharf to Southend is basically quasi-industrial sprawl.
True on the Kentish side, too.
We could basically fit an entire new London in there, albeit the infra investment would need to be massive.
Levelling East. It’s poor, could really do with new investment, and perfectly located for the continent. But would of course further reinforce our regional inequalities.
It’s bizarre that the Elizabeth Line does not go to LCY when it runs very near.
Yes, a major miss
However there are rumours the Powers That Be want to close LCY. Doesn’t make much money, doesn’t add much to the economy, sits on major real estate, and prevents super tall skyscrapers nearby
So the miss might be deliberate
As with the Cardiff example, the question is makes money for whom?
Even in 2023, service exports are correlated with the ability of people to go places and sell.
LCY may well be a significant asset to UK PLC, even if it is delivering disappointing returns for its entirely foreign based (Canadian pension funds and the Kuwaiti sovereign wealth fund) ownership.
I’m just not convinced it is worth the real estate, tho
And the tall buildings blight is a real issue. East London/City/Docklands needs to go UP to cater for growing populations. LCY prevents that for… what? A few dozen flights a day?
Developing Southend - or an entirely new place on the Liz Line - makes more sense and would revive chunks of Essex. Scrap LCY. Build a heliport if needs be
Needs to be a bit closer than Southend but could be close to Tilbury or Thurrock, and expand to be a properly large airport. Not the hub, because public transport isn’t good enough (though could of course be improved, and the M25 is nearby). Could be as big as Gatwick.
Then turn the whole LCY area into high density tall buildings. It’s brownfield, there’s little green space or old architecture to lose, and this would also trigger more building and economic activity around Dartford/Thurrock.
Time for me to note again that, despite London being desperately short of housing, the whole stretch of Thames from Canary Wharf to Southend is basically quasi-industrial sprawl.
True on the Kentish side, too.
We could basically fit an entire new London in there, albeit the infra investment would need to be massive.
Big chunk of Harringey up by Tottenham is industrial as well and around Chingford, shuffling them out to the other side of the M25 would release a pretty big bit of land in zone three around Tottenham and zone 4 around Chingford for housing and probably a new primary school.
It’s bizarre that the Elizabeth Line does not go to LCY when it runs very near.
Yes, a major miss
However there are rumours the Powers That Be want to close LCY. Doesn’t make much money, doesn’t add much to the economy, sits on major real estate, and prevents super tall skyscrapers nearby
So the miss might be deliberate
As with the Cardiff example, the question is makes money for whom?
Even in 2023, service exports are correlated with the ability of people to go places and sell.
LCY may well be a significant asset to UK PLC, even if it is delivering disappointing returns for its entirely foreign based (Canadian pension funds and the Kuwaiti sovereign wealth fund) ownership.
I’m just not convinced it is worth the real estate, tho
And the tall buildings blight is a real issue. East London/City/Docklands needs to go UP to cater for growing populations. LCY prevents that for… what? A few dozen flights a day?
Developing Southend - or an entirely new place on the Liz Line - makes more sense and would revive chunks of Essex. Scrap LCY. Build a heliport if needs be
Needs to be a bit closer than Southend but could be close to Tilbury or Thurrock, and expand to be a properly large airport. Not the hub, because public transport isn’t good enough (though could of course be improved, and the M25 is nearby). Could be as big as Gatwick.
Then turn the whole LCY area into high density tall buildings. It’s brownfield, there’s little green space or old architecture to lose, and this would also trigger more building and economic activity around Dartford/Thurrock.
Complete agreement from me. An easy way to add 100,000s of homes in London. Move LCY downstream
Indeed. Maybe they could even construct some form of artificial island to put it on and name it after a former government worthy like, say, Boris Johnson. Call it “Boris Island” maybe?
It’s bizarre that the Elizabeth Line does not go to LCY when it runs very near.
Yes, a major miss
However there are rumours the Powers That Be want to close LCY. Doesn’t make much money, doesn’t add much to the economy, sits on major real estate, and prevents super tall skyscrapers nearby
So the miss might be deliberate
As with the Cardiff example, the question is makes money for whom?
Even in 2023, service exports are correlated with the ability of people to go places and sell.
LCY may well be a significant asset to UK PLC, even if it is delivering disappointing returns for its entirely foreign based (Canadian pension funds and the Kuwaiti sovereign wealth fund) ownership.
I’m just not convinced it is worth the real estate, tho
And the tall buildings blight is a real issue. East London/City/Docklands needs to go UP to cater for growing populations. LCY prevents that for… what? A few dozen flights a day?
Developing Southend - or an entirely new place on the Liz Line - makes more sense and would revive chunks of Essex. Scrap LCY. Build a heliport if needs be
Needs to be a bit closer than Southend but could be close to Tilbury or Thurrock, and expand to be a properly large airport. Not the hub, because public transport isn’t good enough (though could of course be improved, and the M25 is nearby). Could be as big as Gatwick.
Then turn the whole LCY area into high density tall buildings. It’s brownfield, there’s little green space or old architecture to lose, and this would also trigger more building and economic activity around Dartford/Thurrock.
Complete agreement from me. An easy way to add 100,000s of homes in London. Move LCY downstream
We are back to Bozo's plan of closing Heathrow and moving it lock stock and barrel to someone on the east of London (doesn't really matter if it's Essex or Kent provided decent transport links are put in place).
How many 0,000 houses could you build on Heathrow?
It’s bizarre that the Elizabeth Line does not go to LCY when it runs very near.
Yes, a major miss
However there are rumours the Powers That Be want to close LCY. Doesn’t make much money, doesn’t add much to the economy, sits on major real estate, and prevents super tall skyscrapers nearby
So the miss might be deliberate
As with the Cardiff example, the question is makes money for whom?
Even in 2023, service exports are correlated with the ability of people to go places and sell.
LCY may well be a significant asset to UK PLC, even if it is delivering disappointing returns for its entirely foreign based (Canadian pension funds and the Kuwaiti sovereign wealth fund) ownership.
I’m just not convinced it is worth the real estate, tho
And the tall buildings blight is a real issue. East London/City/Docklands needs to go UP to cater for growing populations. LCY prevents that for… what? A few dozen flights a day?
Developing Southend - or an entirely new place on the Liz Line - makes more sense and would revive chunks of Essex. Scrap LCY. Build a heliport if needs be
Needs to be a bit closer than Southend but could be close to Tilbury or Thurrock, and expand to be a properly large airport. Not the hub, because public transport isn’t good enough (though could of course be improved, and the M25 is nearby). Could be as big as Gatwick.
Then turn the whole LCY area into high density tall buildings. It’s brownfield, there’s little green space or old architecture to lose, and this would also trigger more building and economic activity around Dartford/Thurrock.
Time for me to note again that, despite London being desperately short of housing, the whole stretch of Thames from Canary Wharf to Southend is basically quasi-industrial sprawl.
True on the Kentish side, too.
We could basically fit an entire new London in there, albeit the infra investment would need to be massive.
I love Schengen. We civilised folks glide through airports. We occasionally catch glimpses of the wounded wee lions in their glass cages, which always causes a little ripple of Schadenfreudic mirth.
Is that when you are fleeing the bombs, grenades, kidnaps, murders, and mass ethnic gang rapes of Malmo, Stockholm and elsewhere?
Was surprised to see Sweden as (along with the USA) one of the most polarised countries in the West.
We never hear any of that from Indy McSwedeface.
One of the first genuinely hard right coalition governments in Europe. More so than Italy
Sweden. Of all places. It is a fucking disaster
When I were a lad we were told Britain should be more like Sweden. Then, when things went to shit in Sweden and improved in Germany, we were told to look to Germany. Now they've gone to shit. Whose turn is it now? Time to stop pretending, take lessons from other countries on particular issues only rather than thinking we can transplant their cultures here wholesale, and fix our own problems.
I thought you Anglo Saxons had already transplanted a fair bit of Germanic culture? Still, what’s in a name..
Just eyeballing on Google maps you could get 800 terraced houses in that Tottenham industrial area, if you did what @Gardenwalker has suggested and build 4 storey townhouses you could double up to 1600 units across 800 houses all with garden access, near overground stations, in zone three, walking distance to a busy high street and a bunch of reasonably good schools.
I'm really surprised that Harringey council hasn't started the CPO process for the land the industrial estate is on to convert it to housing. It seems like a no brainer to me and having been to the area a fair bit for matches replacing the industrial area with housing would be a considerable improvement.
Is Schenegen gambit, with both UK and ROI joining in, perhaps an option that is being explored in discussions between the two, the EU and (lest we forget) the US?
Schen(an)egen!
QTWTAIN
Why?
Because Conservative and (Dis)Unionist Party "leaders" much prefer continuance of stalemate they've engineered?
Delta are very consistent, in their high Tory scores, and their mid 40s Labour ones as well. When Tories were on a good run in polls in early December Delta gave Tories a 32, now Tory’s have slumped they give them a 29 and 30. Used to think Kantor found most Tory voters and least Labour - we get quite a few Delta’s a month, to help lift dire Tory average from everyone else herding around 26% - but havn’t had a Kantor for six weeks, so due one, and interesting to compare it to Delta. Now, the Delta and Kantor are not necessary wrong. Opinium we know splash into what Mike keeps telling us is a huge pool of don’t knows and find more Tories and call it anticipating inevitable swingback, my theory is, in their methodology, Delta, Kantor too, are more sophisticated at smoking out don’t knows as actual Tory voters at the next election. I can only guess how, but what are you at the moment, don’t know replies 100 voters, how did you vote in 97, 2005, 2015, 2017, 2019? If the answer is Tory in all of them, that’s not a don’t know right now, not for the whole 100, that’s likely up to a 100 Tory voters at next election all currently saying don’t know. By this method, swingback already getting built into a poll, but differently than how I presume Opinium nakedly bastardise their response from voters by adjusting it based on historical swing back in favour of sitting government.
I love Schengen. We civilised folks glide through airports. We occasionally catch glimpses of the wounded wee lions in their glass cages, which always causes a little ripple of Schadenfreudic mirth.
Is that when you are fleeing the bombs, grenades, kidnaps, murders, and mass ethnic gang rapes of Malmo, Stockholm and elsewhere?
Was surprised to see Sweden as (along with the USA) one of the most polarised countries in the West.
We never hear any of that from Indy McSwedeface.
One of the first genuinely hard right coalition governments in Europe. More so than Italy
Sweden. Of all places. It is a fucking disaster
When I were a lad we were told Britain should be more like Sweden. Then, when things went to shit in Sweden and improved in Germany, we were told to look to Germany. Now they've gone to shit. Whose turn is it now? Time to stop pretending, take lessons from other countries on particular issues only rather than thinking we can transplant their cultures here wholesale, and fix our own problems.
I thought you Anglo Saxons had already transplanted a fair bit of Germanic culture? Still, what’s in a name..
All the polling with a January field date and the average of the Labour lead is 20-21%. Nothing is really moving the dial for the Tories. Some comments on here after the Truss debacle and Sunak's accession were urging caution around polling and urging us to see how things would look in the New Year. Well the New Year is well and truly here and the Tories look like toast and Sunak looks like a busted flush. I still don't really see what moves the dial between now and 2024. Even if the rate of price rises slow, we're still going to be poorer, plus we now have more corruption and scandal.
There’s a very long list of totally unsuitable people who have been somehow elected to Parliament, but Jared O’Mara is quite possibly the worst of the lot.
I don’t know how often the wiki graph is updated, but it currently shows Labour going downwards and the Tories jumping upward quite steeply.
Are you living in an alternate reality? On what planet are the Tories going up?
As I predicted would happen, and did happen, the Tory’s enjoyed a good few weeks polling in early December, right across the board from nearly all pollsters - so not an alternate reality, the factual reality from December. Which I took flak for predicting would happen.
If you want to start a petition banning me from PB I would happily sign it. But I can’t post any more balanced, factual, and honest than I am already doing.
Anecdata alert. I was speaking to a woman today who I used to work with. She retired a couple of years ago. She was in a politically restricted post but was quite open that she couldn’t wait to retire so she could join the Tory Party.
Today she was bitching about the chancellor dodging taxes and the PM thinking he doesn’t need to wear a seatbelt. Entirely unbidden too - I’d just asked her how she’s doing. ‘I’m ok but sick of these bloody politicians…’ kind of thing.
She’ll still vote Tory, she’s a classic working-class Conservative. Avid Mail reader, believes all the bullshit they pour into her brain. But she ain’t happy with the current crop. I suspect she’d love to have Boris back, the man who have her the precious Brexit she wanted so badly.
I was tempted to ask her how she thought Brexit was panning out, but thought it’d be better to keep my trap shut.
Masking is also sadly pernicious for deaf people, who rely on lip reading.
Actually, we all rely on lip reading, not just the deaf. It's a fundamental part of the way we communicate, hence why talking to someone who is masked is difficult and stressful, even though we might be able to hear them (admittedly masking also makes it harder to hear people).
The US has shown no deference to UK interests in these disputes, the reverse if anything.
The UK’s laissez faire purism is now decidedly out of favour, and British manufacturing is going to be crushed again unless the government can get a plan together.
There’s a very long list of totally unsuitable people who have been somehow elected to Parliament, but Jared O’Mara is quite possibly the worst of the lot.
There’s a very long list of totally unsuitable people who have been somehow elected to Parliament, but Jared O’Mara is quite possibly the worst of the lot.
I don’t know how often the wiki graph is updated, but it currently shows Labour going downwards and the Tories jumping upward quite steeply.
Please stop torturing the data like that.
While I am a baby eating Tory, who doesn't fox hunt on the grounds that it is too animal freindly, there are some levels of cruelty that are, frankly, excessive.
As always, Moonbat is posting from another place, another time, in a different dimension of the multi-verse.
On her planet, the clocks strike thirteen, men wear a metallic exoskeleton, Gloria Hunniford is Lord High Chancellor, and the Tories are making a rapid recovery in the polls.
It’s bizarre that the Elizabeth Line does not go to LCY when it runs very near.
Yes, a major miss
However there are rumours the Powers That Be want to close LCY. Doesn’t make much money, doesn’t add much to the economy, sits on major real estate, and prevents super tall skyscrapers nearby
So the miss might be deliberate
As with the Cardiff example, the question is makes money for whom?
Even in 2023, service exports are correlated with the ability of people to go places and sell.
LCY may well be a significant asset to UK PLC, even if it is delivering disappointing returns for its entirely foreign based (Canadian pension funds and the Kuwaiti sovereign wealth fund) ownership.
I’m just not convinced it is worth the real estate, tho
And the tall buildings blight is a real issue. East London/City/Docklands needs to go UP to cater for growing populations. LCY prevents that for… what? A few dozen flights a day?
Developing Southend - or an entirely new place on the Liz Line - makes more sense and would revive chunks of Essex. Scrap LCY. Build a heliport if needs be
Needs to be a bit closer than Southend but could be close to Tilbury or Thurrock, and expand to be a properly large airport. Not the hub, because public transport isn’t good enough (though could of course be improved, and the M25 is nearby). Could be as big as Gatwick.
Then turn the whole LCY area into high density tall buildings. It’s brownfield, there’s little green space or old architecture to lose, and this would also trigger more building and economic activity around Dartford/Thurrock.
Time for me to note again that, despite London being desperately short of housing, the whole stretch of Thames from Canary Wharf to Southend is basically quasi-industrial sprawl.
True on the Kentish side, too.
We could basically fit an entire new London in there, albeit the infra investment would need to be massive.
Big chunk of Harringey up by Tottenham is industrial as well and around Chingford, shuffling them out to the other side of the M25 would release a pretty big bit of land in zone three around Tottenham and zone 4 around Chingford for housing and probably a new primary school.
Yes, it's not clear what value that industrial land in north London across the Lea on the Tottenham-Chingford borders offers. As you say, it could site a LOT of housing with decent transport links to Liverpool Street. Epping Forest precludes moving the industrial sites to the Essex side of the Lea but one would guess there would be options on the Herts side.
I don’t know how often the wiki graph is updated, but it currently shows Labour going downwards and the Tories jumping upward quite steeply.
Bear in mind that those ripples are pretty small. The dots are 1 percentage point apart, so it's the Labour average going from 47 to 46 and the Conservatives from 25 to 27. I think there was also a quirk that the more Conservative friendly pollsters shut up shop over the holidays, so their average bounced down then up again.
Overall, my guess is that the party numbers C mid 20s, L high 40s haven't really done anything beyond noise since the mini Budget. The number that has changed is that it's now 24 months until the last possible date for an election instead of 26.
It's a shame we don't have raw data for 1995-7 (or do we?) On the Wikiworm, May 1995 was about as bad as it got for Major, and that was about C23 L54.
As always, Moonbat is posting from another place, another time, in a different dimension of the multi-verse.
On her planet, the clocks strike thirteen, men wear a metallic exoskeleton, Gloria Hunniford is Lord High Chancellor, and the Tories are making a rapid recovery in the polls.
On the other hand, it is Chinese Year of the MoonRabbit!
There’s a very long list of totally unsuitable people who have been somehow elected to Parliament, but Jared O’Mara is quite possibly the worst of the lot.
You’ve got a couple of likes for this post, but where is your reasoning? One bit of solid reasoning based on political history shoots down your post, as the election draws closer, those Tories claiming don’t know will swing back to saying Tory and the polls inventively narrow, not widen anywhere close to 30% this parliament. You would have to be arguing that Sunak and his government are so rubbish and can only go on being as hapless as they’ve been all year, this over compensates for the coming swing back. Is that your thinking? How about the news the economic headwinds have turned, there’s now no recession in 23 or 24, inflation widely predicted to drop like a stone making Sunak and Hunt appear economic wonderkinds? You factored that in?
these current two sleaze allegations can blow up and quickly blow away from here, with anger letting resignation or two, can’t they? You factored that in.
however, this twin scandal week of not paying tax and Amigo loan cash for prominent appointee jobs is already reaching out to suspect Covid contracts and health contracts and attaching themselves to those things, imo this could create the sense of a wider pandemic of sleaze.
It’s bizarre that the Elizabeth Line does not go to LCY when it runs very near.
Yes, a major miss
However there are rumours the Powers That Be want to close LCY. Doesn’t make much money, doesn’t add much to the economy, sits on major real estate, and prevents super tall skyscrapers nearby
So the miss might be deliberate
As with the Cardiff example, the question is makes money for whom?
Even in 2023, service exports are correlated with the ability of people to go places and sell.
LCY may well be a significant asset to UK PLC, even if it is delivering disappointing returns for its entirely foreign based (Canadian pension funds and the Kuwaiti sovereign wealth fund) ownership.
I’m just not convinced it is worth the real estate, tho
And the tall buildings blight is a real issue. East London/City/Docklands needs to go UP to cater for growing populations. LCY prevents that for… what? A few dozen flights a day?
Developing Southend - or an entirely new place on the Liz Line - makes more sense and would revive chunks of Essex. Scrap LCY. Build a heliport if needs be
Needs to be a bit closer than Southend but could be close to Tilbury or Thurrock, and expand to be a properly large airport. Not the hub, because public transport isn’t good enough (though could of course be improved, and the M25 is nearby). Could be as big as Gatwick.
Then turn the whole LCY area into high density tall buildings. It’s brownfield, there’s little green space or old architecture to lose, and this would also trigger more building and economic activity around Dartford/Thurrock.
Time for me to note again that, despite London being desperately short of housing, the whole stretch of Thames from Canary Wharf to Southend is basically quasi-industrial sprawl.
True on the Kentish side, too.
We could basically fit an entire new London in there, albeit the infra investment would need to be massive.
Big chunk of Harringey up by Tottenham is industrial as well and around Chingford, shuffling them out to the other side of the M25 would release a pretty big bit of land in zone three around Tottenham and zone 4 around Chingford for housing and probably a new primary school.
Yes, it's not clear what value that industrial land in north London across the Lea on the Tottenham-Chingford borders offers. As you say, it could site a LOT of housing with decent transport links to Liverpool Street. Epping Forest precludes moving the industrial sites to the Essex side of the Lea but one would guess there would be options on the Herts side.
The Lea should be part of a National Park, connecting Epping Forest with the Thames at Poplar and from there via a new footbridge to the O2.
As always, Moonbat is posting from another place, another time, in a different dimension of the multi-verse.
On her planet, the clocks strike thirteen, men wear a metallic exoskeleton, Gloria Hunniford is Lord High Chancellor, and the Tories are making a rapid recovery in the polls.
If nothing else this sounds like a great steampunk novel synopsis.
Seems we are being invited to reduce our peak energy use as the windfarms are becalmed by the cold weather
And yet the demand is for even more windfarms when we really need nuclear and tidal to guarantee constant energy supply if we end gas usage
It could be a very long time until we can dispense with gas
We obviously can't dispense with gas, or coal for that matter. The idea is to vastly reduce it during windy and sunny times, or even storing gas/coal for intermittent use. And yes, developing Nuclear as well. It's called a mixed system. We should never put all our eggs in one basket. Obviously there is a demand for more wind farms, like all other sources!
Seems we are being invited to reduce our peak energy use as the windfarms are becalmed by the cold weather
And yet the demand is for even more windfarms when we really need nuclear and tidal to guarantee constant energy supply if we end gas usage
It could be a very long time until we can dispense with gas
Yes, there needs to be a mix of energy sources. At the moment, there’s too much reliance on wind power, which leads to instability on cold and calm nights. There needs to be more storage if wind power is to increase, alongside other energy sources.
Seems we are being invited to reduce our peak energy use as the windfarms are becalmed by the cold weather
And yet the demand is for even more windfarms when we really need nuclear and tidal to guarantee constant energy supply if we end gas usage
It could be a very long time until we can dispense with gas
Yes, there needs to be a mix of energy sources. At the moment, there’s too much reliance on wind power, which leads to instability on cold and calm nights. There needs to be more storage if wind power is to increase, alongside other energy sources.
@MoonRabbit - you can lay Arsenal @ 1.12 to finish in the top 2 if you still think they won't make it.
But they’ve reinforced just as I told them too, 26 to 30, experience of hacking it in premiership and Italian leagues last few years. The performances at spurs and home to Man United and the results were excellent. £90M man Anthony had 80 minutes to show he had the turn of pace to go passed an opponent, and demonstrated he couldn’t - Partey, who was my man of match in last two games closed 10 yards on Anthony to take the ball of him at one point - if they havn’t spent that money on pace what have they bought with it? Trossard demonstrated that turn of pace and acceleration when he came on.
Then again Mudrich also looked so slick, quick and the real deal in his cameo Saturday.
I don’t see anyone but Man City going passed Arsenal now, so Arsenal likely to finish in top 2, probably second.
Having said that, when Gary Neville backs Man City because he can see them having a good run in them, Arsenal have demonstrated they have that sort of form too. If anything Man City are telling me they don’t have that run in them this season - they can’t put whole games together, their first half against Spurs was unconvincing. Sorry Gary Neville but there’s more question marks over Man City at the moment than Arsenal.
It’s bizarre that the Elizabeth Line does not go to LCY when it runs very near.
Yes, a major miss
However there are rumours the Powers That Be want to close LCY. Doesn’t make much money, doesn’t add much to the economy, sits on major real estate, and prevents super tall skyscrapers nearby
So the miss might be deliberate
As with the Cardiff example, the question is makes money for whom?
Even in 2023, service exports are correlated with the ability of people to go places and sell.
LCY may well be a significant asset to UK PLC, even if it is delivering disappointing returns for its entirely foreign based (Canadian pension funds and the Kuwaiti sovereign wealth fund) ownership.
I’m just not convinced it is worth the real estate, tho
And the tall buildings blight is a real issue. East London/City/Docklands needs to go UP to cater for growing populations. LCY prevents that for… what? A few dozen flights a day?
Developing Southend - or an entirely new place on the Liz Line - makes more sense and would revive chunks of Essex. Scrap LCY. Build a heliport if needs be
Needs to be a bit closer than Southend but could be close to Tilbury or Thurrock, and expand to be a properly large airport. Not the hub, because public transport isn’t good enough (though could of course be improved, and the M25 is nearby). Could be as big as Gatwick.
Then turn the whole LCY area into high density tall buildings. It’s brownfield, there’s little green space or old architecture to lose, and this would also trigger more building and economic activity around Dartford/Thurrock.
Time for me to note again that, despite London being desperately short of housing, the whole stretch of Thames from Canary Wharf to Southend is basically quasi-industrial sprawl.
True on the Kentish side, too.
We could basically fit an entire new London in there, albeit the infra investment would need to be massive.
Big chunk of Harringey up by Tottenham is industrial as well and around Chingford, shuffling them out to the other side of the M25 would release a pretty big bit of land in zone three around Tottenham and zone 4 around Chingford for housing and probably a new primary school.
Yes, it's not clear what value that industrial land in north London across the Lea on the Tottenham-Chingford borders offers. As you say, it could site a LOT of housing with decent transport links to Liverpool Street. Epping Forest precludes moving the industrial sites to the Essex side of the Lea but one would guess there would be options on the Herts side.
The Lea should be part of a National Park, connecting Epping Forest with the Thames at Poplar and from there via a new footbridge to the O2.
It's the Roding, not the Lea, that connects Epping with the Thames.
Ilford is on the Roding, but its name derives from an old name for the Roding: the Hyle, hence "Hyle Ford".
Seems we are being invited to reduce our peak energy use as the windfarms are becalmed by the cold weather
And yet the demand is for even more windfarms when we really need nuclear and tidal to guarantee constant energy supply if we end gas usage
It could be a very long time until we can dispense with gas
We obviously can't dispense with gas, or coal for that matter. The idea is to vastly reduce it during windy and sunny times, or even storing gas/coal for intermittent use. And yes, developing Nuclear as well. It's called a mixed system. We should never put all our eggs in one basket. Obviously there is a demand for more wind farms, like all other sources!
I am in favour of additional wind generation but it does depend on 'wind' and often in very cold weather the wind is not at all reliable as we are seeing just now
I love Schengen. We civilised folks glide through airports. We occasionally catch glimpses of the wounded wee lions in their glass cages, which always causes a little ripple of Schadenfreudic mirth.
Is that when you are fleeing the bombs, grenades, kidnaps, murders, and mass ethnic gang rapes of Malmo, Stockholm and elsewhere?
Was surprised to see Sweden as (along with the USA) one of the most polarised countries in the West.
We never hear any of that from Indy McSwedeface.
One of the first genuinely hard right coalition governments in Europe. More so than Italy
Sweden. Of all places. It is a fucking disaster
Which, if true, would be a shame. Again, it would be great if PB had an on-the-ground witness who could provide some colour or even balance.
Hard right not actually in the minority coalition government, though they rely on their votes. Suggests Leon isn't very well-informed on this particular subject.
@MoonRabbit - you can lay Arsenal @ 1.12 to finish in the top 2 if you still think they won't make it.
But they’ve reinforced just as I told them too, 26 to 30, experience of hacking it in premiership and Italian leagues last few years. The performances at spurs and home to Man United and the results were excellent. £90M man Anthony had 80 minutes to show he had the turn of pace to go passed an opponent, and demonstrated he couldn’t - Partey, who was my man of match in last two games closed 10 yards on Anthony to take the ball of him at one point - if they havn’t spent that money on pace what have they bought with it? Trossard demonstrated that turn of pace and acceleration when he came on.
Then again Mudrich also looked so slick, quick and the real deal in his cameo Saturday.
I don’t see anyone but Man City going passed Arsenal now, so Arsenal likely to finish in top 2, probably second.
Having said that, when Gary Neville backs Man City because he can see them having a good run in them, Arsenal have demonstrated they have that sort of form too. If anything Man City are telling me they don’t have that run in them this season - they can’t put whole games together, their first half against Spurs was unconvincing. Sorry Gary Neville but there’s more question marks over Man City at the moment than Arsenal.
The title is Arsenal's to lose but if I was betting I would back City
Seems we are being invited to reduce our peak energy use as the windfarms are becalmed by the cold weather
And yet the demand is for even more windfarms when we really need nuclear and tidal to guarantee constant energy supply if we end gas usage
It could be a very long time until we can dispense with gas
We obviously can't dispense with gas, or coal for that matter. The idea is to vastly reduce it during windy and sunny times, or even storing gas/coal for intermittent use. And yes, developing Nuclear as well. It's called a mixed system. We should never put all our eggs in one basket. Obviously there is a demand for more wind farms, like all other sources!
I am in favour of additional wind generation but it does depend on 'wind' and often in very cold weather the wind is not at all reliable as we are seeing just now
Seems we are being invited to reduce our peak energy use as the windfarms are becalmed by the cold weather
And yet the demand is for even more windfarms when we really need nuclear and tidal to guarantee constant energy supply if we end gas usage
It could be a very long time until we can dispense with gas
We obviously can't dispense with gas, or coal for that matter. The idea is to vastly reduce it during windy and sunny times, or even storing gas/coal for intermittent use. And yes, developing Nuclear as well. It's called a mixed system. We should never put all our eggs in one basket. Obviously there is a demand for more wind farms, like all other sources!
I am in favour of additional wind generation but it does depend on 'wind' and often in very cold weather the wind is not at all reliable as we are seeing just now
Seems we are being invited to reduce our peak energy use as the windfarms are becalmed by the cold weather
And yet the demand is for even more windfarms when we really need nuclear and tidal to guarantee constant energy supply if we end gas usage
It could be a very long time until we can dispense with gas
Yes, there needs to be a mix of energy sources. At the moment, there’s too much reliance on wind power, which leads to instability on cold and calm nights. There needs to be more storage if wind power is to increase, alongside other energy sources.
There are only 4 large hydro plants in this country and none have been built since 1992.
There's not many locations you could build 'large hydro' in this country - at least, not without significant environmental damage. The small scale stuff is bad enough.
If you aren't bothered by environmental damage, tidal would be far superior and with a much bigger potential output.
It’s bizarre that the Elizabeth Line does not go to LCY when it runs very near.
Yes, a major miss
However there are rumours the Powers That Be want to close LCY. Doesn’t make much money, doesn’t add much to the economy, sits on major real estate, and prevents super tall skyscrapers nearby
So the miss might be deliberate
As with the Cardiff example, the question is makes money for whom?
Even in 2023, service exports are correlated with the ability of people to go places and sell.
LCY may well be a significant asset to UK PLC, even if it is delivering disappointing returns for its entirely foreign based (Canadian pension funds and the Kuwaiti sovereign wealth fund) ownership.
I’m just not convinced it is worth the real estate, tho
And the tall buildings blight is a real issue. East London/City/Docklands needs to go UP to cater for growing populations. LCY prevents that for… what? A few dozen flights a day?
Developing Southend - or an entirely new place on the Liz Line - makes more sense and would revive chunks of Essex. Scrap LCY. Build a heliport if needs be
Needs to be a bit closer than Southend but could be close to Tilbury or Thurrock, and expand to be a properly large airport. Not the hub, because public transport isn’t good enough (though could of course be improved, and the M25 is nearby). Could be as big as Gatwick.
Then turn the whole LCY area into high density tall buildings. It’s brownfield, there’s little green space or old architecture to lose, and this would also trigger more building and economic activity around Dartford/Thurrock.
Time for me to note again that, despite London being desperately short of housing, the whole stretch of Thames from Canary Wharf to Southend is basically quasi-industrial sprawl.
True on the Kentish side, too.
We could basically fit an entire new London in there, albeit the infra investment would need to be massive.
Big chunk of Harringey up by Tottenham is industrial as well and around Chingford, shuffling them out to the other side of the M25 would release a pretty big bit of land in zone three around Tottenham and zone 4 around Chingford for housing and probably a new primary school.
Yes, it's not clear what value that industrial land in north London across the Lea on the Tottenham-Chingford borders offers. As you say, it could site a LOT of housing with decent transport links to Liverpool Street. Epping Forest precludes moving the industrial sites to the Essex side of the Lea but one would guess there would be options on the Herts side.
The Lea should be part of a National Park, connecting Epping Forest with the Thames at Poplar and from there via a new footbridge to the O2.
It's the Roding, not the Lea, that connects Epping with the Thames.
Ilford is on the Roding, but its name derives from an old name for the Roding: the Hyle, hence "Hyle Ford".
You're welcome!
That’s true, but there is a de facto green corridor that could be created down the Lea Valley, which already has various disconnected parks, including the Olympic Park.
It was a deal, a steal, sale of the f##king century...
His predecessor Carwyn Jones paid £52m to nationalise Cardiff Airport in 2013 and it has subsequently been necessary to write off more than £40m of taxpayer loans to keep the business afloat.
No longer able to support the business with state loans, Mr Drakeford’s administration has opted to bankroll the business through government grants.
Cardiff Airport is now being labelled the “biggest money-pit of all” after Mr Drakeford enraged opposition leaders by injecting huge sums into a series of widely-criticised public initiatives.
The airport's £8.9m grant for the year to March 2022 was significantly higher than the £2.5m received in the previous year.
See also Teesside airport - but you have to remember that you need a regional airport to encourage businesses to invest. A lot of firms won't look at anywhere which requires them driving further than absolutely necessary.
Hence Cardiff has an airport because without it no-one would invest in Wales. Likewise (thinking of the Friday flights from Schiphol) Norwich, Southampton and Exeter all of whom had 80 people who needed to fly from there on a Monday and back on a Friday.
And one could argue that Cardiff - which has a potential catchment of over 1m - is much more deserving of its own airport than any of the others.
Except that, as one of the big airline bosses recently stated again in the press, Cardiff Airport is in the wrong place. Stuck out in the sticks in the Vale of Glamorgan when it really needs to be located next to the main railway line and the M4. It's not even convenient for the people of Cardiff, let alone all the well-heeled residents of Bristol and the Cotswolds that it would need to be serving to have any chance of breaking even.
It's a classic example of a vanity project, and of the perils of throwing good money after bad. A failed enterprise that the Welsh Government daren't pull the plug on, because it would then be pilloried for the enormous waste of limited and desperately needed funds on a white elephant, and because of the affront to national pride. Thus the subsidies continue.
Regional aviation is totally screwed by LHR not having that new runway a decade ago. Small planes don’t have a cat in Hell’s chance of a landing slot, so everyone drives miles instead.
Somewhere like Teeside could be revolutionised with a flight to London every couple of hours.
From an environmental perspective, this is madness. I used to fly Edinburgh - London City quite a lot and I'm still not over the shame of it.
A lot of the traffic would be transfers through LHR, going to New York or Milan. Serving Heathrow from regional airports, makes those regions more attractive places to live.
LCY is the best airport in the world! Five minutes from the taxi rank to the gate, and rarely more than 10 in the other direction!
Just suggest high speed rail to Heathrow. Or more direct flights from regional airports (Edinburgh is now quite good for this!)
Both rail and air have a role to play.
Air’s advantage is that it’s easier and cheaper to scale up or down with demand.
Yes, HS2 should have gone to Heathrow, and yes it should have linked with HS1.
The link to the Elizabeth Line at Old Oak Common will make it very quick and easy to connect from HS2 to Heathrow. The link to HS1 would have been sensible but the case would be a lot stronger if we were inside Schengen and could run direct trains from Manchester and Brum to Paris and Amsterdam.
Of course we could join Schengen without rejoining the EU or even the EEA and without having free movement of labour. Just like Switzerland.
Always seemed like the oddest thing to have opted out of, other than simply because we were an island. A massive boost for tourism in both directions, and it would free up border (and security) capacity at the ports to manage freight and monitor smuggling.
Yes, I agree
We barely count people coming in or out, so we might as well join Schengen
Would help with the Irish border as well
Not a bad idea. I'll admit I had never thought of that.
It would also go a long way to assuaging the indignation felt by some Remainers at being made to feel like second class Europeans at airports.
As always, Moonbat is posting from another place, another time, in a different dimension of the multi-verse.
On her planet, the clocks strike thirteen, men wear a metallic exoskeleton, Gloria Hunniford is Lord High Chancellor, and the Tories are making a rapid recovery in the polls.
If nothing else this sounds like a great steampunk novel synopsis.
ahem..
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. @ Moonbat, her chin nuzzled into her breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions, though not quickly enough to prevent a swirl of gritty dust from entering along with her. ... On each landing, opposite the lift-shaft, the poster with the enormous face gazed from the wall. It was one of those pictures which are designed to that the eyes follow you about when you move. GLORIA IS WATCHING YOU, the caption beneath it ran.
I was shocked to discover that Twitter had 7,500 employees.
My jaw dropped when I discovered that Spotify has 10,000 people working for them. For what’s basically a music player.
What’s not been said with all the tech layoffs, is that most of these companies have *doubled* their workforces since the start of the pandemic. They’re mostly going back to the size they were about six months ago!
As always, Moonbat is posting from another place, another time, in a different dimension of the multi-verse.
On her planet, the clocks strike thirteen, men wear a metallic exoskeleton, Gloria Hunniford is Lord High Chancellor, and the Tories are making a rapid recovery in the polls.
On the other hand, it is Chinese Year of the MoonRabbit!
Actually Moon Rabbit isn’t part of the zodiac but of folk lore. Gui Mao is the 40th element of the Chinese sexagenary cycle – the Heavenly Stem “Gui” represents water, whereas the earthly branch “Mao” represents Rabbit. So this year is Water Rabbit.
My avatar here is a rabbit looking at Jade and her Rabbit on the moon.
In Zodiac terms I’m a fire rat. very energetic, and are brave enough to face any difficulty and danger. Fire Rats are cordial and friendly to their friends - this is me!
Seems we are being invited to reduce our peak energy use as the windfarms are becalmed by the cold weather
And yet the demand is for even more windfarms when we really need nuclear and tidal to guarantee constant energy supply if we end gas usage
It could be a very long time until we can dispense with gas
We obviously can't dispense with gas, or coal for that matter. The idea is to vastly reduce it during windy and sunny times, or even storing gas/coal for intermittent use. And yes, developing Nuclear as well. It's called a mixed system. We should never put all our eggs in one basket. Obviously there is a demand for more wind farms, like all other sources!
I am in favour of additional wind generation but it does depend on 'wind' and often in very cold weather the wind is not at all reliable as we are seeing just now
Storage when there is wind?
I would assume storage has a role to play
Interestingly under today’s calm cold conditions we are currently generating 5.3gw of wind power, which is greater than our nuclear generation.
Whilst more wind power doesn’t eliminate the problem of intermittency it certainly reduces it. With 4x the current capacity (perfectly feasible especially with new larger turbines coming on) we’d be generating half of our electricity from wind even on a still, high demand night like tonight.
We need more wind (much much more), more solar with built in battery storage, more nuclear, further progress on energy efficiency, more cross border interconnecters to balance European supply and demand, more grid scale storage of various types, and backup gas generation until such time as it’s no longer needed.
Out of 10.4 GW of UK's offshore wind energy capacity 7.3% is owned by UK entities; 92.7% is owned by non-UK entities.
UK's off-shore wind power is not really our wind - it is owned by others. Yet we are told that the UK has a world-beating wind power industry.
The UK sometimes seems like the national equivalent of people who buy an iPhone on an overpriced 3 year contract.
Persuade me I'm wrong.
I cannot.
Indeed my hypothesis is that the UK’s attachment to the “premier football” economic model is almost unique in the Western world, save perhaps New Zealand.
NZ at least has a thriving farming sector which by default spreads wealth around the country, even if everything else is owned overseas.
The UK’s model suits various rentiers, deal-makers and derivative-definers in London.
I was shocked to discover that Twitter had 7,500 employees.
My jaw dropped when I discovered that Spotify has 10,000 people working for them. For what’s basically a music player.
What’s not been said with all the tech layoffs, is that most of these companies have *doubled* their workforces since the start of the pandemic. They’re mostly going back to the size they were about six months ago!
Someone pointed out the other day, that many of the the younger people in tech have not seen a real downturn. Sure, Musk chops his workforce from time to time - but he is weird. The others have grown as if it is inevitable to always employ more people.
EDIT: The idea of Spotify is something which is *supposed* to be ultra-automated.
Out of 10.4 GW of UK's offshore wind energy capacity 7.3% is owned by UK entities; 92.7% is owned by non-UK entities.
UK's off-shore wind power is not really our wind - it is owned by others. Yet we are told that the UK has a world-beating wind power industry.
Yep. Who are coining it off the British billpayer in the form of green subsidies to the tune of billions a year.
Even the few 'subsidy free' wind farms (which aren't subsidy free really, as companies like Tesco are compelled to purchase power from them, which is subsidy in all but name), have started claiming for 'lost subsidy' when they constrain. Seems like straightforward fraud to me, but the National Grid has accepted it and is paying out. The system is a national disgrace being sold as a success story.
I was shocked to discover that Twitter had 7,500 employees.
My jaw dropped when I discovered that Spotify has 10,000 people working for them. For what’s basically a music player.
What’s not been said with all the tech layoffs, is that most of these companies have *doubled* their workforces since the start of the pandemic. They’re mostly going back to the size they were about six months ago!
Constantly putting warning labels about misinformation on Joe Rogan podcasts requires many man hours.....
That is the truly amazing thing about the doubling of these workforces. I can only presume the management had read the books on the likes of Pizza Hut and Dominos taking full opportunity of previous downturn and though they could hire a load of people stuck at home to come up with some cool new ideas.
I was shocked to discover that Twitter had 7,500 employees.
My jaw dropped when I discovered that Spotify has 10,000 people working for them. For what’s basically a music player.
What’s not been said with all the tech layoffs, is that most of these companies have *doubled* their workforces since the start of the pandemic. They’re mostly going back to the size they were about six months ago!
Someone pointed out the other day, that many of the the younger people in tech have not seen a real downturn. Sure, Musk chops his workforce from time to time - but he is weird. The others have grown as if it is inevitable to always employ more people.
EDIT: The idea of Spotify is something which is *supposed* to be ultra-automated.
Yes, today’s 35-year-olds were 21 in 2009, and have never seen a downturn first-hand as employees. That’s an awful lot of the workforce at these tech companies.
I was shocked to discover that Twitter had 7,500 employees.
My jaw dropped when I discovered that Spotify has 10,000 people working for them. For what’s basically a music player.
What’s not been said with all the tech layoffs, is that most of these companies have *doubled* their workforces since the start of the pandemic. They’re mostly going back to the size they were about six months ago!
Someone pointed out the other day, that many of the the younger people in tech have not seen a real downturn. Sure, Musk chops his workforce from time to time - but he is weird. The others have grown as if it is inevitable to always employ more people.
EDIT: The idea of Spotify is something which is *supposed* to be ultra-automated.
Spotify sounds like it would take a great deal of admin for music rights around the world, banking different currencies, and translation into umpteen languages. That's beside the technical aspect.
It’s bizarre that the Elizabeth Line does not go to LCY when it runs very near.
Yes, a major miss
However there are rumours the Powers That Be want to close LCY. Doesn’t make much money, doesn’t add much to the economy, sits on major real estate, and prevents super tall skyscrapers nearby
So the miss might be deliberate
As with the Cardiff example, the question is makes money for whom?
Even in 2023, service exports are correlated with the ability of people to go places and sell.
LCY may well be a significant asset to UK PLC, even if it is delivering disappointing returns for its entirely foreign based (Canadian pension funds and the Kuwaiti sovereign wealth fund) ownership.
I’m just not convinced it is worth the real estate, tho
And the tall buildings blight is a real issue. East London/City/Docklands needs to go UP to cater for growing populations. LCY prevents that for… what? A few dozen flights a day?
Developing Southend - or an entirely new place on the Liz Line - makes more sense and would revive chunks of Essex. Scrap LCY. Build a heliport if needs be
Needs to be a bit closer than Southend but could be close to Tilbury or Thurrock, and expand to be a properly large airport. Not the hub, because public transport isn’t good enough (though could of course be improved, and the M25 is nearby). Could be as big as Gatwick.
Then turn the whole LCY area into high density tall buildings. It’s brownfield, there’s little green space or old architecture to lose, and this would also trigger more building and economic activity around Dartford/Thurrock.
Time for me to note again that, despite London being desperately short of housing, the whole stretch of Thames from Canary Wharf to Southend is basically quasi-industrial sprawl.
True on the Kentish side, too.
We could basically fit an entire new London in there, albeit the infra investment would need to be massive.
Levelling East. It’s poor, could really do with new investment, and perfectly located for the continent. But would of course further reinforce our regional inequalities.
some common sense at last , lots more places need housing urgently compared to the Death Star
Comments
Again, it would be great if PB had an on-the-ground witness who could provide some colour or even balance.
True on the Kentish side, too.
We could basically fit an entire new London in there, albeit the infra investment would need to be massive.
https://mobile.twitter.com/AdamBienkov/status/1617482273582088198
"@BritainElects
Westminster voting intention:
LAB: 44% (-1)
CON: 30% (+1)
LDEM: 9% (-1)
via @DeltapollUK"
https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1617262786748243969
But the early data from Merkel’s “Wilkommenskultur” are not great. Might be following Sweden
Let’s hope not because a hard/far right government in power in Berlin is a very different kettle of pickled herrings from a hard right government in Stockholm. As we all know
https://mobile.twitter.com/SDNYnews/status/1617550285815021568
Prosecutors allege part of the fraud involved creating a false organisation called "Confident About Autism South Yorkshire" to try to claim payments.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-64375992
My gob has well and truely been smacked.
How many 0,000 houses could you build on Heathrow?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barking_Riverside
Labour 48% (+1)
Conservative 26% (-1)
Liberal Democrat 9% (-1)
Reform UK 6% (–)
Scottish National Party 5% (+1)
Green 4% (-1)
Other 1% (–)
https://redfieldandwiltonstrategies.com/latest-gb-voting-intention-22-january-2023/
A story about post-Brexit Br… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1617570750818402304
Someone presumably with significant outside family wealth or business interests, which narrows it down a bit.
I'm really surprised that Harringey council hasn't started the CPO process for the land the industrial estate is on to convert it to housing. It seems like a no brainer to me and having been to the area a fair bit for matches replacing the industrial area with housing would be a considerable improvement.
At this moment, which of the following do British voters thin… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1617572925216899089
Because Conservative and (Dis)Unionist Party "leaders" much prefer continuance of stalemate they've engineered?
Will Hallam ever revert back to being Lib Dem? Seems the sort of place that should be.
#YourManOnTheSpot
Although they may first want to ask themselves how the hell they can raise their profile generally.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-63830490
If you want to start a petition banning me from PB I would happily sign it. But I can’t post any more balanced, factual, and honest than I am already doing.
Today she was bitching about the chancellor dodging taxes and the PM thinking he doesn’t need to wear a seatbelt. Entirely unbidden too - I’d just asked her how she’s doing. ‘I’m ok but sick of these bloody politicians…’ kind of thing.
She’ll still vote Tory, she’s a classic working-class Conservative. Avid Mail reader, believes all the bullshit they pour into her brain. But she ain’t happy with the current crop. I suspect she’d love to have Boris back, the man who have her the precious Brexit she wanted so badly.
I was tempted to ask her how she thought Brexit was panning out, but thought it’d be better to keep my trap shut.
You could have gone further here:
Masking is also sadly pernicious for deaf people, who rely on lip reading.
Actually, we all rely on lip reading, not just the deaf. It's a fundamental part of the way we communicate, hence why talking to someone who is masked is difficult and stressful, even though we might be able to hear them (admittedly masking also makes it harder to hear people).
The UK’s laissez faire purism is now decidedly out of favour, and British manufacturing is going to be crushed again unless the government can get a plan together.
Which it won’t, under current leadership.
Cyril Smith?
Boris Johnson?
While I am a baby eating Tory, who doesn't fox hunt on the grounds that it is too animal freindly, there are some levels of cruelty that are, frankly, excessive.
On her planet, the clocks strike thirteen, men wear a metallic exoskeleton, Gloria Hunniford is Lord High Chancellor, and the Tories are making a rapid recovery in the polls.
Overall, my guess is that the party numbers C mid 20s, L high 40s haven't really done anything beyond noise since the mini Budget. The number that has changed is that it's now 24 months until the last possible date for an election instead of 26.
It's a shame we don't have raw data for 1995-7 (or do we?) On the Wikiworm, May 1995 was about as bad as it got for Major, and that was about C23 L54.
these current two sleaze allegations can blow up and quickly blow away from here, with anger letting resignation or two, can’t they? You factored that in.
however, this twin scandal week of not paying tax and Amigo loan cash for prominent appointee jobs is already reaching out to suspect Covid contracts and health contracts and attaching themselves to those things, imo this could create the sense of a wider pandemic of sleaze.
And yet the demand is for even more windfarms when we really need nuclear and tidal to guarantee constant energy supply if we end gas usage
It could be a very long time until we can dispense with gas
If there’s one technology that the UK has world-leading potential, it’s the Rolls Royce small nuclear reactor. Yet their American competitor appears to be closer to production, and has had their design approved last week by the regulator over there.
https://apnews.com/article/us-nuclear-regulatory-commission-oregon-climate-and-environment-business-design-e5c54435f973ca32759afe5904bf96ac
Then again Mudrich also looked so slick, quick and the real deal in his cameo Saturday.
I don’t see anyone but Man City going passed Arsenal now, so Arsenal likely to finish in top 2, probably second.
Having said that, when Gary Neville backs Man City because he can see them having a good run in them, Arsenal have demonstrated they have that sort of form too. If anything Man City are telling me they don’t have that run in them this season - they can’t put whole games together, their first half against Spurs was unconvincing. Sorry Gary Neville but there’s more question marks over Man City at the moment than Arsenal.
Ilford is on the Roding, but its name derives from an old name for the Roding: the Hyle, hence "Hyle Ford".
You're welcome!
https://www.betfair.com/exchange/plus/en/tennis/australian-open-2023/mens-tournament-betting-32017156
Out of 10.4 GW of UK's offshore wind energy capacity 7.3% is owned by UK entities; 92.7% is owned by non-UK entities.
UK's off-shore wind power is not really our wind - it is owned by others. Yet we are told that the UK has a world-beating wind power industry.
https://twitter.com/grdecter/status/1617538730369363969?s=61&t=-YL5rmU3ABEC8NeRQK6-bQ
If you aren't bothered by environmental damage, tidal would be far superior and with a much bigger potential output.
Persuade me I'm wrong.
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. @ Moonbat, her chin nuzzled into her breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions, though not quickly enough to prevent a swirl of gritty dust from entering along with her.
...
On each landing, opposite the lift-shaft, the poster with the enormous face gazed from the wall. It was one of those pictures which are designed to that the eyes follow you about when you move. GLORIA IS WATCHING YOU, the caption beneath it ran.
My jaw dropped when I discovered that Spotify has 10,000 people working for them. For what’s basically a music player.
What’s not been said with all the tech layoffs, is that most of these companies have *doubled* their workforces since the start of the pandemic. They’re mostly going back to the size they were about six months ago!
My avatar here is a rabbit looking at Jade and her Rabbit on the moon.
In Zodiac terms I’m a fire rat. very energetic, and are brave enough to face any difficulty and danger. Fire Rats are cordial and friendly to their friends - this is me!
Whilst more wind power doesn’t eliminate the problem of intermittency it certainly reduces it. With 4x the current capacity (perfectly feasible especially with new larger turbines coming on) we’d be generating half of our electricity from wind even on a still, high demand night like tonight.
We need more wind (much much more), more solar with built in battery storage, more nuclear, further progress on energy efficiency, more cross border interconnecters to balance European supply and demand, more grid scale storage of various types, and backup gas generation until such time as it’s no longer needed.
Indeed my hypothesis is that the UK’s attachment to the “premier football” economic model is almost unique in the Western world, save perhaps New Zealand.
NZ at least has a thriving farming sector which by default spreads wealth around the country, even if everything else is owned overseas.
The UK’s model suits various rentiers, deal-makers and derivative-definers in London.
EDIT: The idea of Spotify is something which is *supposed* to be ultra-automated.
Even the few 'subsidy free' wind farms (which aren't subsidy free really, as companies like Tesco are compelled to purchase power from them, which is subsidy in all but name), have started claiming for 'lost subsidy' when they constrain. Seems like straightforward fraud to me, but the National Grid has accepted it and is paying out. The system is a national disgrace being sold as a success story.
That is the truly amazing thing about the doubling of these workforces. I can only presume the management had read the books on the likes of Pizza Hut and Dominos taking full opportunity of previous downturn and though they could hire a load of people stuck at home to come up with some cool new ideas.