At this point, we are either on the cusp of World War Three, or alien invasion. This is a legit quote from Chinese media
I would have thought if we were at risk of alien invasion after a number of alien craft have been shot down we should be seeing alien fleets lining up over all major capitals? As it is I expect this is just China muddying the waters over 2 of their observation vessels were shot down over North America
Do we need Boris Johnson back as World King to see off the alien invaders?
Boris and Will Smith I presume?
Just shows how insignificant the UK is under predominantly Tory rule for the last century and a bit. When Mr Wells did interplanetary invasion, the things landed near Woking and commuted to London like any true blue Imperial Brit.
But we also need to ask about the role of the media, and the arts world, and the cultural powers who decide whether something is worth caring about. It’s significant that this has been left to GB News, a small and still fringe television channel, to tell the story. It should be on BBC1; this should be regularly discussed on the Today programme. My local arts cinema should be telling me about a new film portraying the scandal.
See Google's Project Loon. Who would trust those b*stards since they started sending cars up most of the streets in the world taking photographs and spying on people's wifi?
At this point, we are either on the cusp of World War Three, or alien invasion. This is a legit quote from Chinese media
I would have thought if we were at risk of alien invasion after a number of alien craft have been shot down we should be seeing alien fleets lining up over all major capitals? As it is I expect this is just China muddying the waters over 2 of their observation vessels were shot down over North America
Do we need Boris Johnson back as World King to see off the alien invaders?
Biden is going to Poland next week where presumably Zelensky will rattle the mendicant's bowl in his direction while an aide screams IT'S THE UKRAINE GUY into Biden's ear.
Johnson must be gutted not to be horning in on that gig.
The Putin doc on the BBC was really good (but wish we had heard more from the Germans/Austrians, to get a more balanced view). A useful reminder of how engaging Johnson is, Hollande too (comes across as very likeable, which I didn't expect).
Well, whatever it was, the US and Canadian governments clearly saw fit to shoot it down, and didn't mention either Google or China, which would seem to point to something different from that.
It should be noted that google's Project Loon balloons were oddly-shaped at altitude (i.e. not like weather balloons). Although Loon got cancelled, there are loads of groups doing balloon-related research, including rockaloons (rockets launched from balloons)
This will be a mixture of Chinese deliberate launches, and balloons left over from people/orgs doing research. In other words, a typical hysteria.
That is certainly one plausible explanation. But again it does not explain why the US and Canadian governments/militaries are making these cryptic and provocative statements
Indeed quoting their own pilots saying “they have no visible means of propulsion”
Why would they embarrass their own pilots in this way? I don’t see an obvious answer
Apols if you've already done so, but can you link directly to the 'cryptic and provocative' statements being made it the US and Canadian governments/militaries? I mean direct quotes, not CNN etc.
Read the thread
I have. I saw nothing from governments / militaries that seemed cryptic or provocative. So which are you referring to?
Why should I spend a fucking minute spoon feeding you, if you are literally too dim to follow links
Just this once. CNN official Defence/White House correspondents quoting Pentagon sources
“F-35 fighter jets were sent up to investigate after the object was first detected on Thursday, according to a US official. Kirby told reporters that the first fly-by of US fighter aircraft happened Thursday night, and the second happened Friday morning. Both brought back “limited” information about the object.
But the pilots later gave differing reports of what they observed, the source briefed on the intelligence said.
Some pilots said the object “interfered with their sensors” on the planes, but not all pilots reported experiencing that.
Some pilots also claimed to have seen no identifiable propulsion on the object, and could not explain how it was staying in the air, despite the object cruising at an altitude of 40,000 feet.
The conflicting eyewitness accounts are partly why the Pentagon has been unable to fully explain what the object is, the source briefed on the matter said.”
Now it is possible that CNN is making this shit up out of broad cloth for a laugh, but then they would never get another Pentagon/White House briefing ever again, and they might indeed get zapped by angry F35 pilots, and the careers of these senior journalists would be over
Alternatively this is CNN accurately quoting Pentagon sources. I’m afraid I don’t have the telephone numbers of the actual pilots for you to call
Even if it's 100% accurate, that's neither provocative or cryptic, unless you're very easily 'provoked' or terminally dim. Neither is it from the government. Which is what you said.
it’s not “provocative” to quote US Air Force pilots as viewing UFOs that have “no apparent means of propulsion” and exercising unprecedented aerospatial capabilities?
And this is the fucking CNN White House correspondent writing all this, you stupid inert Butt-plug of Dumbness. Go run another marathon
I can run, read and post on PB all at the same time. Useful when you get bored around 25k.
It should be noted that google's Project Loon balloons were oddly-shaped at altitude (i.e. not like weather balloons). Although Loon got cancelled, there are loads of groups doing balloon-related research, including rockaloons (rockets launched from balloons)
This will be a mixture of Chinese deliberate launches, and balloons left over from people/orgs doing research. In other words, a typical hysteria.
That is certainly one plausible explanation. But again it does not explain why the US and Canadian governments/militaries are making these cryptic and provocative statements
Indeed quoting their own pilots saying “they have no visible means of propulsion”
Why would they embarrass their own pilots in this way? I don’t see an obvious answer
Apols if you've already done so, but can you link directly to the 'cryptic and provocative' statements being made it the US and Canadian governments/militaries? I mean direct quotes, not CNN etc.
Read the thread
I have. I saw nothing from governments / militaries that seemed cryptic or provocative. So which are you referring to?
Why should I spend a fucking minute spoon feeding you, if you are literally too dim to follow links
Just this once. CNN official Defence/White House correspondents quoting Pentagon sources
“F-35 fighter jets were sent up to investigate after the object was first detected on Thursday, according to a US official. Kirby told reporters that the first fly-by of US fighter aircraft happened Thursday night, and the second happened Friday morning. Both brought back “limited” information about the object.
But the pilots later gave differing reports of what they observed, the source briefed on the intelligence said.
Some pilots said the object “interfered with their sensors” on the planes, but not all pilots reported experiencing that.
Some pilots also claimed to have seen no identifiable propulsion on the object, and could not explain how it was staying in the air, despite the object cruising at an altitude of 40,000 feet.
The conflicting eyewitness accounts are partly why the Pentagon has been unable to fully explain what the object is, the source briefed on the matter said.”
Now it is possible that CNN is making this shit up out of broad cloth for a laugh, but then they would never get another Pentagon/White House briefing ever again, and they might indeed get zapped by angry F35 pilots, and the careers of these senior journalists would be over
Alternatively this is CNN accurately quoting Pentagon sources. I’m afraid I don’t have the telephone numbers of the actual pilots for you to call
Even if it's 100% accurate, that's neither provocative or cryptic, unless you're very easily 'provoked' or terminally dim. Neither is it from the government. Which is what you said.
it’s not “provocative” to quote US Air Force pilots as viewing UFOs that have “no apparent means of propulsion” and exercising unprecedented aerospatial capabilities?
And this is the fucking CNN White House correspondent writing all this, you stupid inert Butt-plug of Dumbness. Go run another marathon
I can run, read and post on PB all at the same time. Useful when you get bored around 25k.
Isn’t “No visible means of propulsion” and “interfering with sensors” consistent with a balloon stuffed full of comms monitoring kit? Maybe it’s just a different model.
It should be noted that google's Project Loon balloons were oddly-shaped at altitude (i.e. not like weather balloons). Although Loon got cancelled, there are loads of groups doing balloon-related research, including rockaloons (rockets launched from balloons)
This will be a mixture of Chinese deliberate launches, and balloons left over from people/orgs doing research. In other words, a typical hysteria.
That is certainly one plausible explanation. But again it does not explain why the US and Canadian governments/militaries are making these cryptic and provocative statements
Indeed quoting their own pilots saying “they have no visible means of propulsion”
Why would they embarrass their own pilots in this way? I don’t see an obvious answer
Apols if you've already done so, but can you link directly to the 'cryptic and provocative' statements being made it the US and Canadian governments/militaries? I mean direct quotes, not CNN etc.
Read the thread
I have. I saw nothing from governments / militaries that seemed cryptic or provocative. So which are you referring to?
Why should I spend a fucking minute spoon feeding you, if you are literally too dim to follow links
Just this once. CNN official Defence/White House correspondents quoting Pentagon sources
“F-35 fighter jets were sent up to investigate after the object was first detected on Thursday, according to a US official. Kirby told reporters that the first fly-by of US fighter aircraft happened Thursday night, and the second happened Friday morning. Both brought back “limited” information about the object.
But the pilots later gave differing reports of what they observed, the source briefed on the intelligence said.
Some pilots said the object “interfered with their sensors” on the planes, but not all pilots reported experiencing that.
Some pilots also claimed to have seen no identifiable propulsion on the object, and could not explain how it was staying in the air, despite the object cruising at an altitude of 40,000 feet.
The conflicting eyewitness accounts are partly why the Pentagon has been unable to fully explain what the object is, the source briefed on the matter said.”
Now it is possible that CNN is making this shit up out of broad cloth for a laugh, but then they would never get another Pentagon/White House briefing ever again, and they might indeed get zapped by angry F35 pilots, and the careers of these senior journalists would be over
Alternatively this is CNN accurately quoting Pentagon sources. I’m afraid I don’t have the telephone numbers of the actual pilots for you to call
Even if it's 100% accurate, that's neither provocative or cryptic, unless you're very easily 'provoked' or terminally dim. Neither is it from the government. Which is what you said.
it’s not “provocative” to quote US Air Force pilots as viewing UFOs that have “no apparent means of propulsion” and exercising unprecedented aerospatial capabilities?
And this is the fucking CNN White House correspondent writing all this, you stupid inert Butt-plug of Dumbness. Go run another marathon
I can run, read and post on PB all at the same time. Useful when you get bored around 25k.
Isn’t “No visible means of propulsion” and “interfering with sensors” consistent with a balloon stuffed full of comms monitoring kit? Maybe it’s just a different model.
Wonder when the panic about Chinese stealth drones travelling at Mach 3.5 at 90,000 feet will be?
Need to get the biscuits sorted for the PB panic for that. Who is putting the tables away this time?
But we also need to ask about the role of the media, and the arts world, and the cultural powers who decide whether something is worth caring about. It’s significant that this has been left to GB News, a small and still fringe television channel, to tell the story. It should be on BBC1; this should be regularly discussed on the Today programme. My local arts cinema should be telling me about a new film portraying the scandal.
It is a national disgrace. We used to look at countries like Belgium with contempt for their failure to protect their children. No longer. We should be ashamed and the failure to act should have people going to prison in droves.
But we also need to ask about the role of the media, and the arts world, and the cultural powers who decide whether something is worth caring about. It’s significant that this has been left to GB News, a small and still fringe television channel, to tell the story. It should be on BBC1; this should be regularly discussed on the Today programme. My local arts cinema should be telling me about a new film portraying the scandal.
It is a national disgrace. We used to look at countries like Belgium with contempt for their failure to protect their children. No longer. We should be ashamed and the failure to act should have people going to prison in droves.
Don't know any Belgium jokes, and if I did I think I'd have the good sense not to... hang on. Is Belgium with all those child abuse murders lately? I do know a Belgium joke. What's Belgium famous for? Chocolates and child abuse, and they only invented the chocolates to get to the kids. [sees Chloë's shocked expression] What?
But we also need to ask about the role of the media, and the arts world, and the cultural powers who decide whether something is worth caring about. It’s significant that this has been left to GB News, a small and still fringe television channel, to tell the story. It should be on BBC1; this should be regularly discussed on the Today programme. My local arts cinema should be telling me about a new film portraying the scandal.
Interesting. I will watch that. Ed West is quite right about its being a disgrace that children under 16 can be given contraceptives by the medical priesthood without their parents' consent.
If medics weren't a caste, that wouldn't be so. It's essentially legalised rape.
The Yorkshire TV documentaries "Johnny Come Home" (1975) are very hard to find nowadays. They're not on Youtube. I'm told it's possible to watch them at the BFI's national archive. One of the paedophiles exposed at that time continued to do it for decades afterwards. There was no real followup to what was shown, even though a child was murdered while the film was being made IIRC.
A similar story with Rotherham etc. it seems.
I hope the GBNews film mentions the local Home Office committees in this country. They rarely get mentioned by anybody. They've got this thing about not doing this and not saying that because it would be bad for "race relations". Whereas most people in all ethnic groups want child abusers locked up whatever the child abusers' ethnic group is. Right-wing culture warriors are hijacking the issue. There is still a real issue though. Otherwise there'd be nothing that could be hijacked.
Is there anyone here - paging Dura Ace - with the flightpath knowledge to say whether that screenshot of the area is genuinely unusual ?
I'm certainly open to the idea that it is, but it's just that the media seem a bit nonplussed or asleep on that other UFO in China story at the moment. Very little information on it, but I suppose that's not surprising given how highly secretive the Chinese state is.
Well that’s BORING. The Canuck UFO was just a frigging balloon
“The unidentified "object" the U.S. shot down over Canada was a "small metallic balloon" carrying a payload, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News on Sunday.
Details regarding the object were scarce throughout the weekend, but U.S. officials now describe it as a "small metallic balloon with a tethered payload," the official told Fox. President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered the object shot down on Saturday.
Other reports have described the craft's payload as "cylindrical." U.S. and allied forces had been tracking the device for more than a day by the time it was shot down.”
Well that’s BORING. The Canuck UFO was just a frigging balloon
“The unidentified "object" the U.S. shot down over Canada was a "small metallic balloon" carrying a payload, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News on Sunday.
Details regarding the object were scarce throughout the weekend, but U.S. officials now describe it as a "small metallic balloon with a tethered payload," the official told Fox. President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered the object shot down on Saturday.
Other reports have described the craft's payload as "cylindrical." U.S. and allied forces had been tracking the device for more than a day by the time it was shot down.”
I shall go and watch the finale of The Boys, Season 1. Alert me if the aliens land FOR REAL
This won't stop it going down in UFO folklore, ofcourse, correctly or incorrectly, Were the pilots and sensors stories on this one, or the Yukon one ? Because, if that's so, a new industry claiming alleged cover-ups will emerge, very quickly and as usual.
It should be noted that google's Project Loon balloons were oddly-shaped at altitude (i.e. not like weather balloons). Although Loon got cancelled, there are loads of groups doing balloon-related research, including rockaloons (rockets launched from balloons)
This will be a mixture of Chinese deliberate launches, and balloons left over from people/orgs doing research. In other words, a typical hysteria.
That is certainly one plausible explanation. But again it does not explain why the US and Canadian governments/militaries are making these cryptic and provocative statements
Indeed quoting their own pilots saying “they have no visible means of propulsion”
Why would they embarrass their own pilots in this way? I don’t see an obvious answer
Apols if you've already done so, but can you link directly to the 'cryptic and provocative' statements being made it the US and Canadian governments/militaries? I mean direct quotes, not CNN etc.
Read the thread
I have. I saw nothing from governments / militaries that seemed cryptic or provocative. So which are you referring to?
Why should I spend a fucking minute spoon feeding you, if you are literally too dim to follow links
Just this once. CNN official Defence/White House correspondents quoting Pentagon sources
“F-35 fighter jets were sent up to investigate after the object was first detected on Thursday, according to a US official. Kirby told reporters that the first fly-by of US fighter aircraft happened Thursday night, and the second happened Friday morning. Both brought back “limited” information about the object.
But the pilots later gave differing reports of what they observed, the source briefed on the intelligence said.
Some pilots said the object “interfered with their sensors” on the planes, but not all pilots reported experiencing that.
Some pilots also claimed to have seen no identifiable propulsion on the object, and could not explain how it was staying in the air, despite the object cruising at an altitude of 40,000 feet.
The conflicting eyewitness accounts are partly why the Pentagon has been unable to fully explain what the object is, the source briefed on the matter said.”
Now it is possible that CNN is making this shit up out of broad cloth for a laugh, but then they would never get another Pentagon/White House briefing ever again, and they might indeed get zapped by angry F35 pilots, and the careers of these senior journalists would be over
Alternatively this is CNN accurately quoting Pentagon sources. I’m afraid I don’t have the telephone numbers of the actual pilots for you to call
Even if it's 100% accurate, that's neither provocative or cryptic, unless you're very easily 'provoked' or terminally dim. Neither is it from the government. Which is what you said.
it’s not “provocative” to quote US Air Force pilots as viewing UFOs that have “no apparent means of propulsion” and exercising unprecedented aerospatial capabilities?
And this is the fucking CNN White House correspondent writing all this, you stupid inert Butt-plug of Dumbness. Go run another marathon
The first aircraft had "no apparent means of propulsion", in fact none at all. They just drifted with the wind. In 1783. (The hot air or hydrogen just keeps them up.)
Well that’s BORING. The Canuck UFO was just a frigging balloon
“The unidentified "object" the U.S. shot down over Canada was a "small metallic balloon" carrying a payload, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News on Sunday.
Details regarding the object were scarce throughout the weekend, but U.S. officials now describe it as a "small metallic balloon with a tethered payload," the official told Fox. President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered the object shot down on Saturday.
Other reports have described the craft's payload as "cylindrical." U.S. and allied forces had been tracking the device for more than a day by the time it was shot down.”
I shall go and watch the finale of The Boys, Season 1. Alert me if the aliens land FOR REAL
This won't stop it going down in UFO folklore, ofcourse, correctly or incorrectly, Were the pilots and sensors stories on this one, or the Yukon one ? Because, if that's so, a new industry claiming alleged cover-ups will emerge, very quickly and as usual.
As of now I reckon this is all New Cold War psy ops with the Chinese and Americans using UFO paranoia to “secretly” shoot down enemy surveillance and simultaneously show the enemy they are observed
Plus a dash of genuine WTF because the times is so strange
Recap: 1. South Carolina balloon (shot down, Chinese), 2. Colombia balloon (no word of what happened to that one), 3. Alaska UFO (shot down), 4. Yukon UFO (shot down).
Five minutes of becoming an extreme expert online have brought me to the view that weather balloons are all roughly SPHERICAL, except when they're ascending, when some can be teardrop-shaped. AFAIAA none of them are cylindrical.
Their payloads can be, you numpty.
And there was/is many a barrage balloon or other balloon that is teardrop shaped or roughly cylindrical.
Positively rudely shaped one here. Useful in stabilising it if it is in any way propelled or tethered or could use the equivalent of a sea anchor. Indeed, it's not impossible that one or two UFO balloons are escapees from tethered ones.
Those trains are ****ing huge in the States. And those big wagons - if they get heated up by fire, the explosion from the rupture of the wagon really goes bang in its own right, even before the sprayed and vaporised contents deflagrate or explode.
But we also need to ask about the role of the media, and the arts world, and the cultural powers who decide whether something is worth caring about. It’s significant that this has been left to GB News, a small and still fringe television channel, to tell the story. It should be on BBC1; this should be regularly discussed on the Today programme. My local arts cinema should be telling me about a new film portraying the scandal.
It is a national disgrace. We used to look at countries like Belgium with contempt for their failure to protect their children. No longer. We should be ashamed and the failure to act should have people going to prison in droves.
I am bus stop acquaintances with a chap in the local council child protection thing. When Rotherham kicked off, there were all kinds of panicked emails and discussions in the profession at the national level.
There were demands for the army to be put on notice to go in and for suspension of civil rights, mass detentions etc.
Not for the criminals. For the locals. The fear and hatred of the locals he described was fascinating - the assumption in the official world was that the locals would launch a murderous pogrom.
But we also need to ask about the role of the media, and the arts world, and the cultural powers who decide whether something is worth caring about. It’s significant that this has been left to GB News, a small and still fringe television channel, to tell the story. It should be on BBC1; this should be regularly discussed on the Today programme. My local arts cinema should be telling me about a new film portraying the scandal.
On a more serious note, what is notable about the place is that a lot of the institutions which were created a few decades back were done so by local people getting together, raising the money and building what was needed. Once they started being run by remote councillors & paid staff, the care for them went downhill. They need reviving but the elected representatives and their staff are the ones who are the obstruction or just neglectful. There is a lesson there tho' I am not quite sure what it is.
Clarkson's Farm, Season 2
He came up with a plan to replace the EU subsidies they no longer get, create jobs, help out all the local farmers and improve the land.
And the council, who appear to be total muppets, said no.
It is not a good advert for local council jobsworths.
Local council jobsworths gonna jobsworth.
My sister is in the police she sent me a series of screenshots on WhatsApp yesterday of how they've asked her to do a risk assessment, and fill in a form, because she deigned to ask for a new mouse.
I shit you not.
Would make entire sense if she was asking for a special kind of mouse, not the approved kind. If she ends up with RSI the council don't want to be blamed.
Well that’s BORING. The Canuck UFO was just a frigging balloon
“The unidentified "object" the U.S. shot down over Canada was a "small metallic balloon" carrying a payload, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News on Sunday.
Details regarding the object were scarce throughout the weekend, but U.S. officials now describe it as a "small metallic balloon with a tethered payload," the official told Fox. President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered the object shot down on Saturday.
Other reports have described the craft's payload as "cylindrical." U.S. and allied forces had been tracking the device for more than a day by the time it was shot down.”
I shall go and watch the finale of The Boys, Season 1. Alert me if the aliens land FOR REAL
This won't stop it going down in UFO folklore, ofcourse, correctly or incorrectly, Were the pilots and sensors stories on this one, or the Yukon one ? Because, if that's so, a new industry claiming alleged cover-ups will emerge, very quickly and as usual.
As of now I reckon this is all New Cold War psy ops with the Chinese and Americans using UFO paranoia to “secretly” shoot down enemy surveillance and simultaneously show the enemy they are observed
Plus a dash of genuine WTF because the times is so strange
Could be. At the moment I've neither convinced that these are all Chinese/American balloons, of from outer space. They could be neither of these, and I find it all just, fairly odd.
On a more serious note, what is notable about the place is that a lot of the institutions which were created a few decades back were done so by local people getting together, raising the money and building what was needed. Once they started being run by remote councillors & paid staff, the care for them went downhill. They need reviving but the elected representatives and their staff are the ones who are the obstruction or just neglectful. There is a lesson there tho' I am not quite sure what it is.
Clarkson's Farm, Season 2
He came up with a plan to replace the EU subsidies they no longer get, create jobs, help out all the local farmers and improve the land.
And the council, who appear to be total muppets, said no.
It is not a good advert for local council jobsworths.
Local council jobsworths gonna jobsworth.
My sister is in the police she sent me a series of screenshots on WhatsApp yesterday of how they've asked her to do a risk assessment, and fill in a form, because she deigned to ask for a new mouse.
I shit you not.
Would make entire sense if she was asking for a special kind of mouse, not the approved kind. If she ends up with RSI the council don't want to be blamed.
I’ve worked in IT most of my professional life. The way it works in functional organisations is that -
1) you get a full setup, tested, when you arrive. 2) anything breaks, replaced from spare within the hour. No questions - report it, replace it. 3) if you need special keyboards, mice, chairs etc you can ask. They have some stuff they offer officially. 4) if you want something else, buy it yourself. Plug it in. Your risk.
The above is for high end companies with all the legal stuff done to a T.
On a more serious note, what is notable about the place is that a lot of the institutions which were created a few decades back were done so by local people getting together, raising the money and building what was needed. Once they started being run by remote councillors & paid staff, the care for them went downhill. They need reviving but the elected representatives and their staff are the ones who are the obstruction or just neglectful. There is a lesson there tho' I am not quite sure what it is.
Clarkson's Farm, Season 2
He came up with a plan to replace the EU subsidies they no longer get, create jobs, help out all the local farmers and improve the land.
And the council, who appear to be total muppets, said no.
It is not a good advert for local council jobsworths.
Local council jobsworths gonna jobsworth.
My sister is in the police she sent me a series of screenshots on WhatsApp yesterday of how they've asked her to do a risk assessment, and fill in a form, because she deigned to ask for a new mouse.
I shit you not.
Would make entire sense if she was asking for a special kind of mouse, not the approved kind. If she ends up with RSI the council don't want to be blamed.
I’ve worked in IT most of my professional life. The way it works in functional organisations is that -
1) you get a full setup, tested, when you arrive. 2) anything breaks, replaced from spare within the hour. No questions - report it, replace it. 3) if you need special keyboards, mice, chairs etc you can ask. They have some stuff they offer officially. 4) if you want something else, buy it yourself. Plug it in. Your risk.
The above is for high end companies with all the legal stuff done to a T.
Yep, my experience in the public sector too - except that 3 was a bit more flexible for someone with special needs who could make a specific suggestion (e. g. a colleague needed a special mouse because of wounds in an accident). And 4 was a big no no for security reasons if it involved any software that the ICT dept hadn't run through their check first, which also applied to any novel specials under 3.
Well that’s BORING. The Canuck UFO was just a frigging balloon
“The unidentified "object" the U.S. shot down over Canada was a "small metallic balloon" carrying a payload, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News on Sunday.
Details regarding the object were scarce throughout the weekend, but U.S. officials now describe it as a "small metallic balloon with a tethered payload," the official told Fox. President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered the object shot down on Saturday.
Other reports have described the craft's payload as "cylindrical." U.S. and allied forces had been tracking the device for more than a day by the time it was shot down.”
I shall go and watch the finale of The Boys, Season 1. Alert me if the aliens land FOR REAL
This won't stop it going down in UFO folklore, ofcourse, correctly or incorrectly, Were the pilots and sensors stories on this one, or the Yukon one ? Because, if that's so, a new industry claiming alleged cover-ups will emerge, very quickly and as usual.
As of now I reckon this is all New Cold War psy ops with the Chinese and Americans using UFO paranoia to “secretly” shoot down enemy surveillance and simultaneously show the enemy they are observed
Plus a dash of genuine WTF because the times is so strange
Could be. At the moment I've neither convinced that these are all Chinese/American balloons, of from outer space. They could be neither of these, and I find it all just, fairly odd.
Sending up helium balloons to high altitude is cheap enough to be a hobby. There is also a lot of interest in small scale commercial stuff. For a few thousands of dollars you could send up a custom envelope carrying a big payload.
There’s probably a ton of stuff that’s escaped from its owners floating around up there
At this point, we are either on the cusp of World War Three, or alien invasion. This is a legit quote from Chinese media
I would have thought if we were at risk of alien invasion after a number of alien craft have been shot down we should be seeing alien fleets lining up over all major capitals? As it is I expect this is just China muddying the waters over 2 of their observation vessels were shot down over North America
They must know we would expect the Independence Day playbook.
Well that’s BORING. The Canuck UFO was just a frigging balloon
“The unidentified "object" the U.S. shot down over Canada was a "small metallic balloon" carrying a payload, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News on Sunday.
Details regarding the object were scarce throughout the weekend, but U.S. officials now describe it as a "small metallic balloon with a tethered payload," the official told Fox. President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered the object shot down on Saturday.
Other reports have described the craft's payload as "cylindrical." U.S. and allied forces had been tracking the device for more than a day by the time it was shot down.”
I shall go and watch the finale of The Boys, Season 1. Alert me if the aliens land FOR REAL
This won't stop it going down in UFO folklore, ofcourse, correctly or incorrectly, Were the pilots and sensors stories on this one, or the Yukon one ? Because, if that's so, a new industry claiming alleged cover-ups will emerge, very quickly and as usual.
As of now I reckon this is all New Cold War psy ops with the Chinese and Americans using UFO paranoia to “secretly” shoot down enemy surveillance and simultaneously show the enemy they are observed
Plus a dash of genuine WTF because the times is so strange
Could be. At the moment I've neither convinced that these are all Chinese/American balloons, of from outer space. They could be neither of these, and I find it all just, fairly odd.
Sending up helium balloons to high altitude is cheap enough to be a hobby. There is also a lot of interest in small scale commercial stuff. For a few thousands of dollars you could send up a custom envelope carrying a big payload.
There’s probably a ton of stuff that’s escaped from its owners floating around up there
However, there's also the peculiar press conference from the Pentagon, and the peculiar aspect of the way China is telegraphing something, but not detailing what it is.
It all still looks rather unfathomable , to me, and I think anyone claiming to be certain that this is either a precise re-run of previous espionage conflicts, or something completely as yet unassimilated, might be being a little foolish.
On a more serious note, what is notable about the place is that a lot of the institutions which were created a few decades back were done so by local people getting together, raising the money and building what was needed. Once they started being run by remote councillors & paid staff, the care for them went downhill. They need reviving but the elected representatives and their staff are the ones who are the obstruction or just neglectful. There is a lesson there tho' I am not quite sure what it is.
Clarkson's Farm, Season 2
He came up with a plan to replace the EU subsidies they no longer get, create jobs, help out all the local farmers and improve the land.
And the council, who appear to be total muppets, said no.
It is not a good advert for local council jobsworths.
Local council jobsworths gonna jobsworth.
My sister is in the police she sent me a series of screenshots on WhatsApp yesterday of how they've asked her to do a risk assessment, and fill in a form, because she deigned to ask for a new mouse.
I shit you not.
Would make entire sense if she was asking for a special kind of mouse, not the approved kind. If she ends up with RSI the council don't want to be blamed.
I’ve worked in IT most of my professional life. The way it works in functional organisations is that -
1) you get a full setup, tested, when you arrive. 2) anything breaks, replaced from spare within the hour. No questions - report it, replace it. 3) if you need special keyboards, mice, chairs etc you can ask. They have some stuff they offer officially. 4) if you want something else, buy it yourself. Plug it in. Your risk.
The above is for high end companies with all the legal stuff done to a T.
Yep, my experience in the public sector too - except that 3 was a bit more flexible for someone with special needs who could make a specific suggestion (e. g. a colleague needed a special mouse because of wounds in an accident). And 4 was a big no no for security reasons if it involved any software that the ICT dept hadn't run through their check first, which also applied to any novel specials under 3.
3) was not 100% rigid to “only our stuff” in the private sector either. Knew people who had medical conditions who had purchase of equipment subsidised/paid for by the company.
4) Software install blocked. You don’t need it for nearly any input device, these days, anyway. Obvious exemptions for people with software for disability issues of course.
Well that’s BORING. The Canuck UFO was just a frigging balloon
“The unidentified "object" the U.S. shot down over Canada was a "small metallic balloon" carrying a payload, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News on Sunday.
Details regarding the object were scarce throughout the weekend, but U.S. officials now describe it as a "small metallic balloon with a tethered payload," the official told Fox. President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered the object shot down on Saturday.
Other reports have described the craft's payload as "cylindrical." U.S. and allied forces had been tracking the device for more than a day by the time it was shot down.”
I shall go and watch the finale of The Boys, Season 1. Alert me if the aliens land FOR REAL
This won't stop it going down in UFO folklore, ofcourse, correctly or incorrectly, Were the pilots and sensors stories on this one, or the Yukon one ? Because, if that's so, a new industry claiming alleged cover-ups will emerge, very quickly and as usual.
As of now I reckon this is all New Cold War psy ops with the Chinese and Americans using UFO paranoia to “secretly” shoot down enemy surveillance and simultaneously show the enemy they are observed
Plus a dash of genuine WTF because the times is so strange
Could be. At the moment I've neither convinced that these are all Chinese/American balloons, of from outer space. They could be neither of these, and I find it all just, fairly odd.
Sending up helium balloons to high altitude is cheap enough to be a hobby. There is also a lot of interest in small scale commercial stuff. For a few thousands of dollars you could send up a custom envelope carrying a big payload.
There’s probably a ton of stuff that’s escaped from its owners floating around up there
However, there's also the peculiar press conference from the Pentagon, and the peculiar aspect of the way China is telegraphing something, but not detailing what it is.
It all still looks rather unfathomable , to me, and I think anyone claiming to be certain that this is either a precise re-run of previous espionage conflicts, or something completely as yet unassimilated, might be being a little foolish.
You’re forgetting the classic effect of big organisations “finding” something that has been going on for years. See the Pentagon statements about previous Chinese balloons.
Once it goes public, a different dynamic kicks in. Must Do Something.
Then the Me Too thing hits - bet someone in the Chinese Central committee demanded to know if there were any American balloons about. So all the generals who want promotion tell their subordinates - “Find me some balloons. Now!”
I appreciate that you all may be concerned with the possibility of aliens and the implications of a mid-term opinion poll, although I do have to point out that 1. aliens don't exist and 2. mid-term opinion polls are meaningless. But PB be PB.
Having said that, I came here to mention two things as follows:
1. Apparently Elon's done an Elon and withdrawn free Starlink from Ukraine and all Starlink to the Ukranian military. https://twitter.com/Marine_Ukraine/status/1624393424789962756 Subject to the legal restrictions governing PB, you can draw your own conclusions. 2. I intended to do a backstage discussion of the longer version of "The Intermarium"[1] on Tuesday, but work commitments make that unlikely. It is now delayed to a later date. Apologies.
Well that’s BORING. The Canuck UFO was just a frigging balloon
“The unidentified "object" the U.S. shot down over Canada was a "small metallic balloon" carrying a payload, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News on Sunday.
Details regarding the object were scarce throughout the weekend, but U.S. officials now describe it as a "small metallic balloon with a tethered payload," the official told Fox. President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered the object shot down on Saturday.
Other reports have described the craft's payload as "cylindrical." U.S. and allied forces had been tracking the device for more than a day by the time it was shot down.”
I shall go and watch the finale of The Boys, Season 1. Alert me if the aliens land FOR REAL
This won't stop it going down in UFO folklore, ofcourse, correctly or incorrectly, Were the pilots and sensors stories on this one, or the Yukon one ? Because, if that's so, a new industry claiming alleged cover-ups will emerge, very quickly and as usual.
As of now I reckon this is all New Cold War psy ops with the Chinese and Americans using UFO paranoia to “secretly” shoot down enemy surveillance and simultaneously show the enemy they are observed
Plus a dash of genuine WTF because the times is so strange
Could be. At the moment I've neither convinced that these are all Chinese/American balloons, of from outer space. They could be neither of these, and I find it all just, fairly odd.
Sending up helium balloons to high altitude is cheap enough to be a hobby. There is also a lot of interest in small scale commercial stuff. For a few thousands of dollars you could send up a custom envelope carrying a big payload.
There’s probably a ton of stuff that’s escaped from its owners floating around up there
However, there's also the peculiar press conference from the Pentagon, and the peculiar aspect of the way China is telegraphing something, but not detailing what it is.
It all still looks rather unfathomable , to me, and I think anyone claiming to be certain that this is either a precise re-run of previous espionage conflicts, or something completely as yet unassimilated, might be being a little foolish.
You’re forgetting the classic effect of big organisations “finding” something that has been going on for years. See the Pentagon statements about previous Chinese balloons.
Once it goes public, a different dynamic kicks in. Must Do Something.
Then the Me Too thing hits - bet someone in the Chinese Central committee demanded to know if there were any American balloons about. So all the generals who want promotion tell their subordinates - “Find me some balloons. Now!”
Every Western leader will want their own Chinese spy balloon to shoot down so they can look tough.
Well that’s BORING. The Canuck UFO was just a frigging balloon
“The unidentified "object" the U.S. shot down over Canada was a "small metallic balloon" carrying a payload, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News on Sunday.
Details regarding the object were scarce throughout the weekend, but U.S. officials now describe it as a "small metallic balloon with a tethered payload," the official told Fox. President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered the object shot down on Saturday.
Other reports have described the craft's payload as "cylindrical." U.S. and allied forces had been tracking the device for more than a day by the time it was shot down.”
I shall go and watch the finale of The Boys, Season 1. Alert me if the aliens land FOR REAL
This won't stop it going down in UFO folklore, ofcourse, correctly or incorrectly, Were the pilots and sensors stories on this one, or the Yukon one ? Because, if that's so, a new industry claiming alleged cover-ups will emerge, very quickly and as usual.
As of now I reckon this is all New Cold War psy ops with the Chinese and Americans using UFO paranoia to “secretly” shoot down enemy surveillance and simultaneously show the enemy they are observed
Plus a dash of genuine WTF because the times is so strange
Could be. At the moment I've neither convinced that these are all Chinese/American balloons, of from outer space. They could be neither of these, and I find it all just, fairly odd.
Sending up helium balloons to high altitude is cheap enough to be a hobby. There is also a lot of interest in small scale commercial stuff. For a few thousands of dollars you could send up a custom envelope carrying a big payload.
There’s probably a ton of stuff that’s escaped from its owners floating around up there
However, there's also the peculiar press conference from the Pentagon, and the peculiar aspect of the way China is telegraphing something, but not detailing what it is.
It all still looks rather unfathomable , to me, and I think anyone claiming to be certain that this is either a precise re-run of previous espionage conflicts, or something completely as yet unassimilated, might be being a little foolish.
You’re forgetting the classic effect of big organisations “finding” something that has been going on for years. See the Pentagon statements about previous Chinese balloons.
Once it goes public, a different dynamic kicks in. Must Do Something.
Then the Me Too thing hits - bet someone in the Chinese Central committee demanded to know if there were any American balloons about. So all the generals who want promotion tell their subordinates - “Find me some balloons. Now!”
It's certainly possible that both sides are lying. But it's also possible that both sides are mistaken about the other, but creating a narrative - that's also very common in organisations, security services, and governments.
I'd say this might need quite a while before things become clearer.
Well that’s BORING. The Canuck UFO was just a frigging balloon
“The unidentified "object" the U.S. shot down over Canada was a "small metallic balloon" carrying a payload, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News on Sunday.
Details regarding the object were scarce throughout the weekend, but U.S. officials now describe it as a "small metallic balloon with a tethered payload," the official told Fox. President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered the object shot down on Saturday.
Other reports have described the craft's payload as "cylindrical." U.S. and allied forces had been tracking the device for more than a day by the time it was shot down.”
I shall go and watch the finale of The Boys, Season 1. Alert me if the aliens land FOR REAL
This won't stop it going down in UFO folklore, ofcourse, correctly or incorrectly, Were the pilots and sensors stories on this one, or the Yukon one ? Because, if that's so, a new industry claiming alleged cover-ups will emerge, very quickly and as usual.
As of now I reckon this is all New Cold War psy ops with the Chinese and Americans using UFO paranoia to “secretly” shoot down enemy surveillance and simultaneously show the enemy they are observed
Plus a dash of genuine WTF because the times is so strange
Could be. At the moment I've neither convinced that these are all Chinese/American balloons, of from outer space. They could be neither of these, and I find it all just, fairly odd.
Sending up helium balloons to high altitude is cheap enough to be a hobby. There is also a lot of interest in small scale commercial stuff. For a few thousands of dollars you could send up a custom envelope carrying a big payload.
There’s probably a ton of stuff that’s escaped from its owners floating around up there
However, there's also the peculiar press conference from the Pentagon, and the peculiar aspect of the way China is telegraphing something, but not detailing what it is.
It all still looks rather unfathomable , to me, and I think anyone claiming to be certain that this is either a precise re-run of previous espionage conflicts, or something completely as yet unassimilated, might be being a little foolish.
You’re forgetting the classic effect of big organisations “finding” something that has been going on for years. See the Pentagon statements about previous Chinese balloons.
Once it goes public, a different dynamic kicks in. Must Do Something.
Then the Me Too thing hits - bet someone in the Chinese Central committee demanded to know if there were any American balloons about. So all the generals who want promotion tell their subordinates - “Find me some balloons. Now!”
Every Western leader will want their own Chinese spy balloon to shoot down so they can look tough.
Every Western leader will want their own Chinese spy balloon to shoot down so they can look tough.
Well that’s BORING. The Canuck UFO was just a frigging balloon
“The unidentified "object" the U.S. shot down over Canada was a "small metallic balloon" carrying a payload, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News on Sunday.
Details regarding the object were scarce throughout the weekend, but U.S. officials now describe it as a "small metallic balloon with a tethered payload," the official told Fox. President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered the object shot down on Saturday.
Other reports have described the craft's payload as "cylindrical." U.S. and allied forces had been tracking the device for more than a day by the time it was shot down.”
I shall go and watch the finale of The Boys, Season 1. Alert me if the aliens land FOR REAL
This won't stop it going down in UFO folklore, ofcourse, correctly or incorrectly, Were the pilots and sensors stories on this one, or the Yukon one ? Because, if that's so, a new industry claiming alleged cover-ups will emerge, very quickly and as usual.
As of now I reckon this is all New Cold War psy ops with the Chinese and Americans using UFO paranoia to “secretly” shoot down enemy surveillance and simultaneously show the enemy they are observed
Plus a dash of genuine WTF because the times is so strange
Could be. At the moment I've neither convinced that these are all Chinese/American balloons, of from outer space. They could be neither of these, and I find it all just, fairly odd.
Sending up helium balloons to high altitude is cheap enough to be a hobby. There is also a lot of interest in small scale commercial stuff. For a few thousands of dollars you could send up a custom envelope carrying a big payload.
There’s probably a ton of stuff that’s escaped from its owners floating around up there
However, there's also the peculiar press conference from the Pentagon, and the peculiar aspect of the way China is telegraphing something, but not detailing what it is.
It all still looks rather unfathomable , to me, and I think anyone claiming to be certain that this is either a precise re-run of previous espionage conflicts, or something completely as yet unassimilated, might be being a little foolish.
You’re forgetting the classic effect of big organisations “finding” something that has been going on for years. See the Pentagon statements about previous Chinese balloons.
Once it goes public, a different dynamic kicks in. Must Do Something.
Then the Me Too thing hits - bet someone in the Chinese Central committee demanded to know if there were any American balloons about. So all the generals who want promotion tell their subordinates - “Find me some balloons. Now!”
Every Western leader will want their own Chinese spy balloon to shoot down so they can look tough.
Every Western leader will want their own Chinese spy balloon to shoot down so they can look tough.
Well, there's only one way to find out if the 1950's parapsychological hypothesis is correct.
A lot of people in smalltown USA will be thinking or feeling about Chinese / UFO issues just now, just like they were in the early 1950's with both the Russians and Sci-Fi, so if the hypothesis is correct, there should also now be a wave of genuinely unsolvable physical sightings.
A scientific test, if you like.
Over to Leon and Moonshine, to take up the reins.
This is definitely the biggest UFO flap since the 1950s. Bigger than any of those in some ways
Purely speculatively, since PB has become ET today...
My guess is that most spacefaring "life" in the universe is artificial rather than biological, because of the extreme times and environments involved. It's easy for an artificial lifeform to exist in a body capable of travelling a thousand year distance, existing in a variety of gravities and atmospheres, or the coldness of space. Far less easy to adapt our own bodies to such conditions.
(Snip)
I take the absolute opposite view. There's a good graphic showing how life can spread through the galaxy, even with sublight travel. I can't immediately find the graphic, but the following gives some similar background. It would take *just* a million years to colonise to the other side of the galaxy.
IMV the problem with robotics is the replication. Current robotics is sh*t - we couldn't even get a drill down into Mars (IIRC when they had a problem on the Moon during Apollo, the astronauts just pressed down on the drillhead).
Whereas humans are really, really good at replication.
So if we get to the tech level where generation ships can work, it'd be humans going out. And we're a lot nearer that than we are getting robots that can land on any planet and self-replicate.
But - and it's a big but (fnarr, fnarr), the humans we end up with might not be humans as we recognise. See The Expanse and other scifi for examples of how small changes to things like gravity may really change the way humans are.
I like Sci-fi as much as the next computer geek.
But it looks like our bodies are not adapted to either low G environments (the bone mass deterioration from orbit means the first astronaut to land on Mars would instantly break his or her hip) or exposure to solar radiation outside the Van Allen belt.
There is a reason why we're relying on robots at the moment.
I suspect, and it's just a suspicion, that the first astronaut to land on Mars may wear some kind of protective clothing, to avoid that scenario.
Well, there's only one way to find out if the 1950's parapsychological hypothesis is correct.
A lot of people in smalltown USA will be thinking or feeling about Chinese / UFO issues just now, just like they were in the early 1950's with both the Russians and Sci-Fi, so if the hypothesis is correct, there should also now be a wave of genuinely unsolvable physical sightings.
A scientific test, if you like.
Over to Leon and Moonshine, to take up the reins.
This is definitely the biggest UFO flap since the 1950s. Bigger than any of those in some ways
Purely speculatively, since PB has become ET today...
My guess is that most spacefaring "life" in the universe is artificial rather than biological, because of the extreme times and environments involved. It's easy for an artificial lifeform to exist in a body capable of travelling a thousand year distance, existing in a variety of gravities and atmospheres, or the coldness of space. Far less easy to adapt our own bodies to such conditions.
(Snip)
I take the absolute opposite view. There's a good graphic showing how life can spread through the galaxy, even with sublight travel. I can't immediately find the graphic, but the following gives some similar background. It would take *just* a million years to colonise to the other side of the galaxy.
IMV the problem with robotics is the replication. Current robotics is sh*t - we couldn't even get a drill down into Mars (IIRC when they had a problem on the Moon during Apollo, the astronauts just pressed down on the drillhead).
Whereas humans are really, really good at replication.
So if we get to the tech level where generation ships can work, it'd be humans going out. And we're a lot nearer that than we are getting robots that can land on any planet and self-replicate.
But - and it's a big but (fnarr, fnarr), the humans we end up with might not be humans as we recognise. See The Expanse and other scifi for examples of how small changes to things like gravity may really change the way humans are.
I like Sci-fi as much as the next computer geek.
But it looks like our bodies are not adapted to either low G environments (the bone mass deterioration from orbit means the first astronaut to land on Mars would instantly break his or her hip) or exposure to solar radiation outside the Van Allen belt.
There is a reason why we're relying on robots at the moment.
I suspect, and it's just a suspicion, that the first astronaut to land on Mars may wear some kind of protective clothing, to avoid that scenario.
Better yet, the best radiation shielding includes hydrogen atoms. Like a large tank of water, methane or hydrogen.
2 month transients actually mean little shielding is required. But if you do need it, wrap around fuel tanks are ideal….
Well that’s BORING. The Canuck UFO was just a frigging balloon
“The unidentified "object" the U.S. shot down over Canada was a "small metallic balloon" carrying a payload, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News on Sunday.
Details regarding the object were scarce throughout the weekend, but U.S. officials now describe it as a "small metallic balloon with a tethered payload," the official told Fox. President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered the object shot down on Saturday.
Other reports have described the craft's payload as "cylindrical." U.S. and allied forces had been tracking the device for more than a day by the time it was shot down.”
I shall go and watch the finale of The Boys, Season 1. Alert me if the aliens land FOR REAL
This won't stop it going down in UFO folklore, ofcourse, correctly or incorrectly, Were the pilots and sensors stories on this one, or the Yukon one ? Because, if that's so, a new industry claiming alleged cover-ups will emerge, very quickly and as usual.
As of now I reckon this is all New Cold War psy ops with the Chinese and Americans using UFO paranoia to “secretly” shoot down enemy surveillance and simultaneously show the enemy they are observed
Plus a dash of genuine WTF because the times is so strange
Could be. At the moment I've neither convinced that these are all Chinese/American balloons, of from outer space. They could be neither of these, and I find it all just, fairly odd.
Sending up helium balloons to high altitude is cheap enough to be a hobby. There is also a lot of interest in small scale commercial stuff. For a few thousands of dollars you could send up a custom envelope carrying a big payload.
There’s probably a ton of stuff that’s escaped from its owners floating around up there
However, there's also the peculiar press conference from the Pentagon, and the peculiar aspect of the way China is telegraphing something, but not detailing what it is.
It all still looks rather unfathomable , to me, and I think anyone claiming to be certain that this is either a precise re-run of previous espionage conflicts, or something completely as yet unassimilated, might be being a little foolish.
You’re forgetting the classic effect of big organisations “finding” something that has been going on for years. See the Pentagon statements about previous Chinese balloons.
Once it goes public, a different dynamic kicks in. Must Do Something.
Then the Me Too thing hits - bet someone in the Chinese Central committee demanded to know if there were any American balloons about. So all the generals who want promotion tell their subordinates - “Find me some balloons. Now!”
Every Western leader will want their own Chinese spy balloon to shoot down so they can look tough.
Every Western leader will want their own Chinese spy balloon to shoot down so they can look tough.
Edit: The Mineshaft Gap is a worry
Perhaps we've found a use for the HS2 tunnels.
FLASH FLASH
Set CRM 114 Discriminator to “OPE”. Set CRM 114 Discriminator to “OPE”.
Initiate Plan R for Ripper. Initiate Plan R for Ripper.
In 2016, my home town, Auckland “upzoned” much of the city to enable consent for densification.
A plan was published for the entire city which specified, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, street by street, how many floors would be encouraged, subject to the usual conditions.
Actually it was the second such plan. The first had needed heavy amendment after political controversy, and much of inner Auckland, with its 19th century wooden villas, was “protected”.
The data is now coming in.
Upcoming has increased the stock of housing by 5% and rents are down, especially at the lower end. Auckland property is now cheaper than Wellington (which is totally abnormal, considering the relative jobs mix). And more is expected, since high volumes of construction are expected to hit the market in 23/24.
In 2016, my home town, Auckland “upzoned” much of the city to enable consent for densification.
A plan was published for the entire city which specified, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, street by street, how many floors would be encouraged, subject to the usual conditions.
Actually it was the second such plan. The first had needed heavy amendment after political controversy, and much of inner Auckland, with its 19th century wooden villas, was “protected”.
The data is now coming in.
Upcoming has increased the stock of housing by 5% and rents are down, especially at the lower end. Auckland property is now cheaper than Wellington (which is totally abnormal, considering the relative jobs mix). And more is expected, since high volumes of construction are expected to hit the market in 23/24.
In 2016, my home town, Auckland “upzoned” much of the city to enable consent for densification.
A plan was published for the entire city which specified, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, street by street, how many floors would be encouraged, subject to the usual conditions.
Actually it was the second such plan. The first had needed heavy amendment after political controversy, and much of inner Auckland, with its 19th century wooden villas, was “protected”.
The data is now coming in.
Upcoming has increased the stock of housing by 5% and rents are down, especially at the lower end. Auckland property is now cheaper than Wellington (which is totally abnormal, considering the relative jobs mix). And more is expected, since high volumes of construction are expected to hit the market in 23/24.
As I keep saying over and over, why in flying fuck does the UK not do this is astonishingly not-dense London?
You can even specify, if you hate modern architecture, the particular style to build to (as Haussman did in Paris).
No need to even go near the green belt.
What is the incentive for a council / MP ?
1) upside - people add floors to their houses 2) downside - massive protests from people whose tiny gardens lose light, etc.
Sure. And yet in Auckland which has precisely the same issues - and more, given there is an even stronger cultural attachment to a standalone home than in the UK - it seems to work.
In 2016, my home town, Auckland “upzoned” much of the city to enable consent for densification.
A plan was published for the entire city which specified, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, street by street, how many floors would be encouraged, subject to the usual conditions.
Actually it was the second such plan. The first had needed heavy amendment after political controversy, and much of inner Auckland, with its 19th century wooden villas, was “protected”.
The data is now coming in.
Upcoming has increased the stock of housing by 5% and rents are down, especially at the lower end. Auckland property is now cheaper than Wellington (which is totally abnormal, considering the relative jobs mix). And more is expected, since high volumes of construction are expected to hit the market in 23/24.
Re; Leon's post below. There's another possibility worth exploring - China is telegraphing a similar incident to the US's to either truthfully or untruthfully emphasise, or communicate to the US, that it is not responsible for the previous incidents. It could be a real incident telegraphed for real or honest reasons, an unreal event fabricated for real or more honest reasons, or an unreal incident created for unreal, or dishonest reasons.
Somewhere amongst these the correct possibility may lie, I think.
At this point, we are either on the cusp of World War Three, or alien invasion. This is a legit quote from Chinese media
I would have thought if we were at risk of alien invasion after a number of alien craft have been shot down we should be seeing alien fleets lining up over all major capitals? As it is I expect this is just China muddying the waters over 2 of their observation vessels were shot down over North America
Do we need Boris Johnson back as World King to see off the alien invaders?
Boris and Will Smith I presume?
Just shows how insignificant the UK is under predominantly Tory rule for the last century and a bit. When Mr Wells did interplanetary invasion, the things landed near Woking and commuted to London like any true blue Imperial Brit.
I'd say as long as Rishi is paying the legal fees and the standards committee has yet to report, he has Boris's balls in a jar. The dismal decline manager will have to be asked kindly to step aside by someone else.
Does anyone know why briefcases have gone out of fashion?
They need a hand to carry and we'd rather use them for our phones?
(The two work bags I've used over the last couple of decades have been a leather satchel when I was trying to look grown up, and a backpack now I've gone back to not caring. Using a bag I couldn't put over my shoulder(s) wouldn't occur to me.)
At this point, we are either on the cusp of World War Three, or alien invasion. This is a legit quote from Chinese media
I would have thought if we were at risk of alien invasion after a number of alien craft have been shot down we should be seeing alien fleets lining up over all major capitals? As it is I expect this is just China muddying the waters over 2 of their observation vessels were shot down over North America
Do we need Boris Johnson back as World King to see off the alien invaders?
Boris and Will Smith I presume?
Just shows how insignificant the UK is under predominantly Tory rule for the last century and a bit. When Mr Wells did interplanetary invasion, the things landed near Woking and commuted to London like any true blue Imperial Brit.
And what a gambler's paradise. Tipped at 1,000,000/1.
At this point, we are either on the cusp of World War Three, or alien invasion. This is a legit quote from Chinese media
I would have thought if we were at risk of alien invasion after a number of alien craft have been shot down we should be seeing alien fleets lining up over all major capitals? As it is I expect this is just China muddying the waters over 2 of their observation vessels were shot down over North America
Do we need Boris Johnson back as World King to see off the alien invaders?
Boris and Will Smith I presume?
Just shows how insignificant the UK is under predominantly Tory rule for the last century and a bit. When Mr Wells did interplanetary invasion, the things landed near Woking and commuted to London like any true blue Imperial Brit.
In 2016, my home town, Auckland “upzoned” much of the city to enable consent for densification.
A plan was published for the entire city which specified, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, street by street, how many floors would be encouraged, subject to the usual conditions.
Actually it was the second such plan. The first had needed heavy amendment after political controversy, and much of inner Auckland, with its 19th century wooden villas, was “protected”.
The data is now coming in.
Upcoming has increased the stock of housing by 5% and rents are down, especially at the lower end. Auckland property is now cheaper than Wellington (which is totally abnormal, considering the relative jobs mix). And more is expected, since high volumes of construction are expected to hit the market in 23/24.
An ex's brother was a builder in Melbourne (I know, NZ not Oz). He was making his money from taking the large plots with bungalows or small two-floor houses on (think Neighbours), splitting the plots and building two taller houses on the plots.
At this point, we are either on the cusp of World War Three, or alien invasion. This is a legit quote from Chinese media
I would have thought if we were at risk of alien invasion after a number of alien craft have been shot down we should be seeing alien fleets lining up over all major capitals? As it is I expect this is just China muddying the waters over 2 of their observation vessels were shot down over North America
Do we need Boris Johnson back as World King to see off the alien invaders?
Boris and Will Smith I presume?
Just shows how insignificant the UK is under predominantly Tory rule for the last century and a bit. When Mr Wells did interplanetary invasion, the things landed near Woking and commuted to London like any true blue Imperial Brit.
In 2016, my home town, Auckland “upzoned” much of the city to enable consent for densification.
A plan was published for the entire city which specified, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, street by street, how many floors would be encouraged, subject to the usual conditions.
Actually it was the second such plan. The first had needed heavy amendment after political controversy, and much of inner Auckland, with its 19th century wooden villas, was “protected”.
The data is now coming in.
Upcoming has increased the stock of housing by 5% and rents are down, especially at the lower end. Auckland property is now cheaper than Wellington (which is totally abnormal, considering the relative jobs mix). And more is expected, since high volumes of construction are expected to hit the market in 23/24.
As I keep saying over and over, why in flying fuck does the UK not do this is astonishingly not-dense London?
You can even specify, if you hate modern architecture, the particular style to build to (as Haussman did in Paris).
No need to even go near the green belt.
What is the incentive for a council / MP ?
1) upside - people add floors to their houses 2) downside - massive protests from people whose tiny gardens lose light, etc.
Sure. And yet in Auckland which has precisely the same issues - and more, given there is an even stronger cultural attachment to a standalone home than in the UK - it seems to work.
From a purely technical point of view, there was the South Tottenham scheme, though that had some very specific social constraints needed to make it work;
Though not so much like the Eastern European doping and more like the forced sterilisation programmes of the last century driven by the bogus science of eugenics, with a dose of racism and sexism on top. Here we have the added homophobia.
Same result though: unjustified experimentation on the vulnerable.
For those not interested in either there is a fantastic programme on Underground Naples on the BBC at the moment. Well worth watching.
In 2016, my home town, Auckland “upzoned” much of the city to enable consent for densification.
A plan was published for the entire city which specified, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, street by street, how many floors would be encouraged, subject to the usual conditions.
Actually it was the second such plan. The first had needed heavy amendment after political controversy, and much of inner Auckland, with its 19th century wooden villas, was “protected”.
The data is now coming in.
Upcoming has increased the stock of housing by 5% and rents are down, especially at the lower end. Auckland property is now cheaper than Wellington (which is totally abnormal, considering the relative jobs mix). And more is expected, since high volumes of construction are expected to hit the market in 23/24.
Re; Leon's post below. There's another possibility worth exploring - China is telegraphing a similar incident to the US's to either truthfully or untruthfully emphasise, or communicate to the US, that it is not responsible for the previous incidents. It could be a real incident telegraphed for real or honest reasons, an unreal event fabricated for real or more honest reasons, or an unreal incident created for unreal, or dishonest reasons.
Somewhere amongst these the correct possibility may lie, I think.
All I can see is I hope they're really sure they're firing at each other. Because if it's little green men I suspect they will have superior technology.
For long trips through space, it seems nearly certain that ships would use centrifugal force to replace gravity. You wouldn't even necessarily need a very large ship; you could probably get what you need from spinning two modules held together by a cable.
There was an experiment done with chickens years ago when they were raised in a centrifuge that gave them, effectively, a 2.5 G environment. According to the account I read in "The Great Mambo Chicken . . ", the chickens came out lean, healthy, and -- for chickens -- super tough.
Though not so much like the Eastern European doping and more like the forced sterilisation programmes of the last century driven by the bogus science of eugenics, with a dose of racism and sexism on top. Here we have the added homophobia.
Same result though: unjustified experimentation on the vulnerable.
For those not interested in either there is a fantastic programme on Underground Naples on the BBC at the moment. Well worth watching.
It is a common theme of human history, that some bright spark will come up with a brilliant new idea. Never been tried before. Excepting it is exactly the same as a previous disaster.
It should be noted that google's Project Loon balloons were oddly-shaped at altitude (i.e. not like weather balloons). Although Loon got cancelled, there are loads of groups doing balloon-related research, including rockaloons (rockets launched from balloons)
This will be a mixture of Chinese deliberate launches, and balloons left over from people/orgs doing research. In other words, a typical hysteria.
That is certainly one plausible explanation. But again it does not explain why the US and Canadian governments/militaries are making these cryptic and provocative statements
Indeed quoting their own pilots saying “they have no visible means of propulsion”
Why would they embarrass their own pilots in this way? I don’t see an obvious answer
Bearing in mind that they only have limited information then that statement is not as puzzling as you think it is. A drifting balloon, or even one that navigates by ascending and descending to pick up winds in different directions at different altitudes, will, "have no visible means of propulsion."
Thus, as a statement, it distinguished the object from something like a plane or drone which had visible engines or rotors. So it's simply a statement of what little information they have about the object.
You seem to be leaping from, "they have no visible means of proportion," to, "they have an invisible means of propulsion beyond our ken and known physics, implying that they're aliens!"
I appreciate that you all may be concerned with the possibility of aliens and the implications of a mid-term opinion poll, although I do have to point out that 1. aliens don't exist and 2. mid-term opinion polls are meaningless. But PB be PB.
Having said that, I came here to mention two things as follows:
1. Apparently Elon's done an Elon and withdrawn free Starlink from Ukraine and all Starlink to the Ukranian military. https://twitter.com/Marine_Ukraine/status/1624393424789962756 Subject to the legal restrictions governing PB, you can draw your own conclusions. 2. I intended to do a backstage discussion of the longer version of "The Intermarium"[1] on Tuesday, but work commitments make that unlikely. It is now delayed to a later date. Apologies.
I thought the Biden Administration had activated the provisions of a Defence Production Act so that - if the US wants Ukraine's military to be able to use Starlink - they can compel Starlink to make it available. Though they have to pay Starlink for this service.
So there seem to be two possibilities. Either this is Elon trying to make sure he's paid by the government, or the government have decided to shut this capability down. Given the money presumably being hoovered up by the normal military contractors it's hard to fault Elon for wanting to get his payment.
On a more serious note, what is notable about the place is that a lot of the institutions which were created a few decades back were done so by local people getting together, raising the money and building what was needed. Once they started being run by remote councillors & paid staff, the care for them went downhill. They need reviving but the elected representatives and their staff are the ones who are the obstruction or just neglectful. There is a lesson there tho' I am not quite sure what it is.
Clarkson's Farm, Season 2
He came up with a plan to replace the EU subsidies they no longer get, create jobs, help out all the local farmers and improve the land.
And the council, who appear to be total muppets, said no.
It is not a good advert for local council jobsworths.
Local councils usually have little discretion in face of nation rules.
That's not what happened though.
Watch the show. They show the list of agencies, organizations and experts who documented NO OBJECTION to the proposal.
I appreciate that you all may be concerned with the possibility of aliens and the implications of a mid-term opinion poll, although I do have to point out that 1. aliens don't exist and 2. mid-term opinion polls are meaningless. But PB be PB.
Having said that, I came here to mention two things as follows:
1. Apparently Elon's done an Elon and withdrawn free Starlink from Ukraine and all Starlink to the Ukranian military. https://twitter.com/Marine_Ukraine/status/1624393424789962756 Subject to the legal restrictions governing PB, you can draw your own conclusions. 2. I intended to do a backstage discussion of the longer version of "The Intermarium"[1] on Tuesday, but work commitments make that unlikely. It is now delayed to a later date. Apologies.
I thought the Biden Administration had activated the provisions of a Defence Production Act so that - if the US wants Ukraine's military to be able to use Starlink - they can compel Starlink to make it available. Though they have to pay Starlink for this service.
So there seem to be two possibilities. Either this is Elon trying to make sure he's paid by the government, or the government have decided to shut this capability down. Given the money presumably being hoovered up by the normal military contractors it's hard to fault Elon for wanting to get his payment.
The story has already been debunked.
Starlink already comes with a no-military use thing in the contract. So they are actually ignoring Ukrainian military use for comms.
The actual coverage of Ukraine by Starlink is being set by a unit based in the Pentagon.
The issue was use in long range drone ops - such as the remote operated speedboats used against the Russian Black Sea fleet. And it’s that which was blocked.
Allowing such usage would have a number of legal effects - especially around ITAR.
Note that the HIMARS sent to Ukraine weee reportedly geo-locked to prevent stacking targets beyond certain lines.
The stories coming out of Turkey are heartbreaking. But to move onto politics for a bit: the Turkish government gave amnesties to building contractors who broke building regulations. Now, after an earthquake destroyed many supposedly-earthquake proof (*) buildings, they're arresting them.
There are obvious questions that might prove problematic for Erdogan and the AKP.
(*) It's actually really difficult to guarantee a building or structure is earthquake proof from very powerful quakes, which is why you see collapse in places like the US and Japan.
Erdogan came to power substantially on the back of the Izmir earthquake. He has then imposed an "earthquake levy", to ensure all new buildings are compliant.
Earthquake resistant reinforcing bar is much more expensive than standard rebar. Plus more of it is needed to ensure stability.
Skimming on the qualities and/or rebar densities is a depressingly common (and easy) of making money.
A standard Mafia manoeuvre in public sector contracts in southern Italy as well.
"Earthquake resistant reinforcing bar"
I studied a little civil engineering, but I've never heard of that; I'd been under the impression that design was by far the most important criteria (even more so than concrete composition).
The standard way to 'save' money on concrete structures is to use cheaper concrete (where non-standard concrete is specified), and particularly, as you say, less rebar. In particular, reducing the depths of piles is a great way of reducing costs, and is very hidden.
Hi Josias
There is a report on the US Dept of Commerce website from 2014 referring to Use of High Strength Rebar in Earthquake Resistant Structures.
I think they discuss advances in rebar technology in Japan around pp32.
I'm no expert but I think they add vanadium to prevent the rebar from fracturing when bent during an earthquake. Not used outside earthquake zones because of the cost....
I appreciate that you all may be concerned with the possibility of aliens and the implications of a mid-term opinion poll, although I do have to point out that 1. aliens don't exist and 2. mid-term opinion polls are meaningless. But PB be PB.
Having said that, I came here to mention two things as follows:
1. Apparently Elon's done an Elon and withdrawn free Starlink from Ukraine and all Starlink to the Ukranian military. https://twitter.com/Marine_Ukraine/status/1624393424789962756 Subject to the legal restrictions governing PB, you can draw your own conclusions. 2. I intended to do a backstage discussion of the longer version of "The Intermarium"[1] on Tuesday, but work commitments make that unlikely. It is now delayed to a later date. Apologies.
I thought the Biden Administration had activated the provisions of a Defence Production Act so that - if the US wants Ukraine's military to be able to use Starlink - they can compel Starlink to make it available. Though they have to pay Starlink for this service.
So there seem to be two possibilities. Either this is Elon trying to make sure he's paid by the government, or the government have decided to shut this capability down. Given the money presumably being hoovered up by the normal military contractors it's hard to fault Elon for wanting to get his payment.
The story has already been debunked.
Starlink already comes with a no-military use thing in the contract. So they are actually ignoring Ukrainian military use for comms.
The actual coverage of Ukraine by Starlink is being set by a unit based in the Pentagon.
The issue was use in long range drone ops - such as the remote operated speedboats used against the Russian Black Sea fleet. And it’s that which was blocked.
Allowing such usage would have a number of legal effects - especially around ITAR.
Note that the HIMARS sent to Ukraine weee reportedly geo-locked to prevent stacking targets beyond certain lines.
Has it been debunked, or is that just SpaceX's line? There's rumours that the blocking is about much more than the delivery of munitions.
Comments
The cylindrical UFO that was shot down looks mighty odd, if this has any relationship to it.
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/cylindrical-ufo-videotaped-amateur-astronomer_n_2011817?ncid=engmodushpmg00000004
https://twitter.com/Wahlen_DE/status/1624029797453012993
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VAGk2mvgBEk&fbclid=IwAR3ABtZmRXygn01jYky2Cb0wOUDzi9Q8S-7_3kU5VgmB0ylfAMtcP2s4A6k
But we also need to ask about the role of the media, and the arts world, and the cultural powers who decide whether something is worth caring about. It’s significant that this has been left to GB News, a small and still fringe television channel, to tell the story. It should be on BBC1; this should be regularly discussed on the Today programme. My local arts cinema should be telling me about a new film portraying the scandal.
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/where-is-the-moral-outrage-about-britains-grooming-gang-scandal/
See Google's Project Loon. Who would trust those b*stards since they started sending cars up most of the streets in the world taking photographs and spying on people's wifi?
Impressive! Excessive?
Need to get the biscuits sorted for the PB panic for that. Who is putting the tables away this time?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_D-21
Don't know any Belgium jokes, and if I did I think I'd have the good sense not to... hang on. Is Belgium with all those child abuse murders lately? I do know a Belgium joke. What's Belgium famous for? Chocolates and child abuse, and they only invented the chocolates to get to the kids. [sees Chloë's shocked expression] What?
If medics weren't a caste, that wouldn't be so. It's essentially legalised rape.
The Yorkshire TV documentaries "Johnny Come Home" (1975) are very hard to find nowadays. They're not on Youtube. I'm told it's possible to watch them at the BFI's national archive. One of the paedophiles exposed at that time continued to do it for decades afterwards. There was no real followup to what was shown, even though a child was murdered while the film was being made IIRC.
A similar story with Rotherham etc. it seems.
I hope the GBNews film mentions the local Home Office committees in this country. They rarely get mentioned by anybody. They've got this thing about not doing this and not saying that because it would be bad for "race relations". Whereas most people in all ethnic groups want child abusers locked up whatever the child abusers' ethnic group is. Right-wing culture warriors are hijacking the issue. There is still a real issue though. Otherwise there'd be nothing that could be hijacked.
I'm certainly open to the idea that it is, but it's just that the media seem a bit nonplussed or asleep on that other UFO in China story at the moment. Very little information on it, but I suppose that's not surprising given how highly secretive the Chinese state is.
“The unidentified "object" the U.S. shot down over Canada was a "small metallic balloon" carrying a payload, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News on Sunday.
Details regarding the object were scarce throughout the weekend, but U.S. officials now describe it as a "small metallic balloon with a tethered payload," the official told Fox. President Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered the object shot down on Saturday.
Other reports have described the craft's payload as "cylindrical." U.S. and allied forces had been tracking the device for more than a day by the time it was shot down.”
https://www.foxnews.com/us/us-offers-first-description-unknown-object-shot-down-canada
Pff!
I shall go and watch the finale of The Boys, Season 1. Alert me if the aliens land FOR REAL
https://daily.jstor.org/why-hot-air-balloons-never-really-ahem-took-of/
Weather balloons are just a modernised version.
Plus a dash of genuine WTF because the times is so strange
Positively rudely shaped one here. Useful in stabilising it if it is in any way propelled or tethered or could use the equivalent of a sea anchor. Indeed, it's not impossible that one or two UFO balloons are escapees from tethered ones.
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/anecdotes-from-the-archive/the-serious-work-of-balloons-1916/
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/06/us/east-palestine-ohio-train-derailment-fire-monday/index.html
Perhaps there'll be a press release in a couple of hours saying the Chinese hooha in the sea is all nicely sorted out and wrapped up, too.
Does that mean it genuinely will have been ?
I'm not entirely sure, particularly considering the information source.
There were demands for the army to be put on notice to go in and for suspension of civil rights, mass detentions etc.
Not for the criminals. For the locals. The fear and hatred of the locals he described was fascinating - the assumption in the official world was that the locals would launch a murderous pogrom.
1) you get a full setup, tested, when you arrive.
2) anything breaks, replaced from spare within the hour. No questions - report it, replace it.
3) if you need special keyboards, mice, chairs etc you can ask. They have some stuff they offer officially.
4) if you want something else, buy it yourself. Plug it in. Your risk.
The above is for high end companies with all the legal stuff done to a T.
There’s probably a ton of stuff that’s escaped from its owners floating around up there
It all still looks rather unfathomable , to me, and I think anyone claiming to be certain that this is either a precise re-run of previous espionage conflicts, or something completely as yet unassimilated, might be being a little foolish.
4) Software install blocked. You don’t need it for nearly any input device, these days, anyway. Obvious exemptions for people with software for disability issues of course.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=q_09ieINEDM
Once it goes public, a different dynamic kicks in. Must Do Something.
Then the Me Too thing hits - bet someone in the Chinese Central committee demanded to know if there were any American balloons about. So all the generals who want promotion tell their subordinates - “Find me some balloons. Now!”
Having said that, I came here to mention two things as follows:
1. Apparently Elon's done an Elon and withdrawn free Starlink from Ukraine and all Starlink to the Ukranian military. https://twitter.com/Marine_Ukraine/status/1624393424789962756 Subject to the legal restrictions governing PB, you can draw your own conclusions.
2. I intended to do a backstage discussion of the longer version of "The Intermarium"[1] on Tuesday, but work commitments make that unlikely. It is now delayed to a later date. Apologies.
[1] https://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2023/01/29/the-intermarium/
I'd say this might need quite a while before things become clearer.
Lycamobile tycoon who backed Boris Johnson faces questions over audit ‘irregularities’
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2023/02/12/tory-donor-plunged-accounting-row-grapples-106m-tax-dispute/ (£££)
Edit: The Mineshaft Gap is a worry
2 month transients actually mean little shielding is required. But if you do need it, wrap around fuel tanks are ideal….
Set CRM 114 Discriminator to “OPE”. Set CRM 114 Discriminator to “OPE”.
Initiate Plan R for Ripper. Initiate Plan R for Ripper.
ENDS
A plan was published for the entire city which specified, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, street by street, how many floors would be encouraged, subject to the usual conditions.
Actually it was the second such plan. The first had needed heavy amendment after political controversy, and much of inner Auckland, with its 19th century wooden villas, was “protected”.
The data is now coming in.
Upcoming has increased the stock of housing by 5% and rents are down, especially at the lower end. Auckland property is now cheaper than Wellington (which is totally abnormal, considering the relative jobs mix). And more is expected, since high volumes of construction are expected to hit the market in 23/24.
Thread here
https://twitter.com/1finaleffort/status/1623960076951359488?s=20&t=ScDQxdylafFFARVb0aprhg
As I keep saying over and over, why in flying fuck does the UK not do this is astonishingly not-dense London?
You can even specify, if you hate modern architecture, the particular style to build to (as Haussman did in Paris).
No need to even go near the green belt.
1) upside - people add floors to their houses
2) downside - massive protests from people whose tiny gardens lose light, etc.
I did see this recently on the most densely populated parts of Europe, so clearly some scope as some very attractive places in the top 40.
https://twitter.com/undertheraedar/status/1622555684209295361?t=mTK1MELpNCHSbs-Cd3L48Q&s=19
Somewhere amongst these the correct possibility may lie, I think.
(The two work bags I've used over the last couple of decades have been a leather satchel when I was trying to look grown up, and a backpack now I've gone back to not caring. Using a bag I couldn't put over my shoulder(s) wouldn't occur to me.)
Fun fact, der Brief = the letter in German, hwnce brief to Counsel.
https://unherd.com/thepost/a-glimpse-of-better-housing-in-south-tottenham/
More generally, the attitude to housing in the UK has a bit too much "I've got mine, stuff the rest of you" about it.
Meanwhile this is an appalling medical scandal - https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tavistock-scandal-gender-clinic-puberty-blockers-nhs-investigation-ghrqxk8pn.
Though not so much like the Eastern European doping and more like the forced sterilisation programmes of the last century driven by the bogus science of eugenics, with a dose of racism and sexism on top. Here we have the added homophobia.
Same result though: unjustified experimentation on the vulnerable.
For those not interested in either there is a fantastic programme on Underground Naples on the BBC at the moment. Well worth watching.
I accept that Auckland is not terribly dense, but by global standards neither is London.
The densest square kilometre in the UK is around Bow Common, and much of it looks like this:
(Broomfield Street, E14)
Meanwhile, I live in one of the densest square kilometres in the USA, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
Much of it looks like this:
(West 87th Street, between Columbus and Amsterdam)
(I was first impressed by the variety of jobs he's had, but then began to wonder about that.)
There was an experiment done with chickens years ago when they were raised in a centrifuge that gave them, effectively, a 2.5 G environment. According to the account I read in "The Great Mambo Chicken . . ", the chickens came out lean, healthy, and -- for chickens -- super tough.
(And then there are those odd results with telomeres: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33347069/ )
Thus, as a statement, it distinguished the object from something like a plane or drone which had visible engines or rotors. So it's simply a statement of what little information they have about the object.
You seem to be leaping from, "they have no visible means of proportion," to, "they have an invisible means of propulsion beyond our ken and known physics, implying that they're aliens!"
That's not what the statement says.
So there seem to be two possibilities. Either this is Elon trying to make sure he's paid by the government, or the government have decided to shut this capability down. Given the money presumably being hoovered up by the normal military contractors it's hard to fault Elon for wanting to get his payment.
Watch the show. They show the list of agencies, organizations and experts who documented NO OBJECTION to the proposal.
Then the council, and only the council, said no.
Muppets.
Starlink already comes with a no-military use thing in the contract. So they are actually ignoring Ukrainian military use for comms.
The actual coverage of Ukraine by Starlink is being set by a unit based in the Pentagon.
The issue was use in long range drone ops - such as the remote operated speedboats used against the Russian Black Sea fleet. And it’s that which was blocked.
Allowing such usage would have a number of legal effects - especially around ITAR.
Note that the HIMARS sent to Ukraine weee reportedly geo-locked to prevent stacking targets beyond certain lines.
2) He clearly wants a job in Starmer's government.
As for Scottish Labour, I am told that yes they are very confident now of winning at least a dozen seats.
There is a report on the US Dept of Commerce website from 2014 referring to Use of High Strength Rebar in Earthquake Resistant Structures.
I think they discuss advances in rebar technology in Japan around pp32.
I'm no expert but I think they add vanadium to prevent the rebar from fracturing when bent during an earthquake. Not used outside earthquake zones because of the cost....