I believe that we got most of the top von Braun team, and the Soviets got most of the technicians. So we came out ahead, but they did get something from those advances
Werner von Braun ranks perhaps (with Thomas Jefferson?) as historical figure whose general reputation has perhaps the MOST in my own lifetime.
In WvB's case, from acclaimed rocket scientist to reviled war criminal.
Apart from Jimmy Saville.
Plenty of folk thought he was a wrong 'un tbf, just got shouted down by the BUT CHARITEE crowd, and Leeds fans.
I do not think that is right.
Savile was a bloody awful broadcaster imo, speaking in catchphrases and barely able to string a sentence together. I guess I was of the Goldilocks generation for Savile. Too young to know him as a pioneering DJ and too old for Jim'll Fix It. Before the exposures, I did once discuss him with a Fleet Street hack who said the red tops were all over the rumours but could not stand anything up. You'd have thought MI5 or Special Branch might have taken a look because of Savile's proximity to Mrs Thatcher and the government but if so, nada.
Far more people claim now they always sensed he was a wrong un than actually did at the time. His tv style with kids was widely lauded as being refreshingly direct and unpatronizing.
I'm looking forward to the drama with Steve Coogan. It's a grim but fascinating tale.
Life expectancy in Thailand - 77.8 - is now higher than life expectancy in the USA - 76.4
If the trends continue for another couple of years American life expectancy will, in one of history’s grandest reversals, be overtaken by life expectancy in Vietnam (right now it is 75.7 and rising, unlike the USA)
Diet? Climate?
First, yes. Hardly any obese people here, much better diet, and few fewer cars. They walk and cycle and move around a lot
Climate I doubt, some of the longest lived nations - Iceland - have hideous cold climates, some, like Spain, have great climates
Three other major factors: no terrible drug/opioid crisis here, better healthcare for the really poor (and a safety net), and of course fewer murders and gunshot suicides because fewer guns
Coming to a city near you, soon. Modal share of cycling in Central London (as opposed to Inner London or London) is now at 11%. Inner London is 8%. That's double since 2010. https://twitter.com/willnorman/status/1494567072046764050
You live in Inner London not Central (imo) - have you noticed anything yet?
And they have hardly started building the network of safe cycling routes. Being followed at a distance in certain places such as Manchester, Leicester, Nottingham.
Yes, for sure. Cycling is surging. And e-bikes are accelerating the trend (and easier for older or less fit people)
I am all for it. Get rid of every single fucking car in our cities. Sure we will lose something but the benefits are so tremendous it has to happen - and it will happen
Cleaner, quieter, lovelier, greener cities, with all that hideous infrastructure now dedicated to cars - ugly car parks, horrible urban motorways, grimy garages and workshops - suddenly liberated and freed up to become new parks, urban woods, glorious European boulevards where people WALK and STROLL without fear of being run over
We can keep a fair few autonomous e-cars that purr about the place then park themselves at night
The future of the city is carless and splendid
Wait till you are 70 and your legs go, and you can't get a cab because the council's put bollards down all the roads.
They never close off *all* the roads - just modal filtering, which is an excellent thing. And these days it seems to be cameras, not bollards - which I don't think is as good.
In due course, when we have the thing properly sorted, Leon will be able to get a Canta. They go between properly spaced (1.3-1.5m apart) bollards.
I believe that we got most of the top von Braun team, and the Soviets got most of the technicians. So we came out ahead, but they did get something from those advances
Werner von Braun ranks perhaps (with Thomas Jefferson?) as historical figure whose general reputation has perhaps the MOST in my own lifetime.
In WvB's case, from acclaimed rocket scientist to reviled war criminal.
Apart from Jimmy Saville.
Plenty of folk thought he was a wrong 'un tbf, just got shouted down by the BUT CHARITEE crowd, and Leeds fans.
I do not think that is right.
Savile was a bloody awful broadcaster imo, speaking in catchphrases and barely able to string a sentence together. I guess I was of the Goldilocks generation for Savile. Too young to know him as a pioneering DJ and too old for Jim'll Fix It. Before the exposures, I did once discuss him with a Fleet Street hack who said the red tops were all over the rumours but could not stand anything up. You'd have thought MI5 or Special Branch might have taken a look because of Savile's proximity to Mrs Thatcher and the government but if so, nada.
Far more people claim now they always sensed he was a wrong un than actually did at the time. His tv style with kids was widely lauded as being refreshingly direct and unpatronizing.
I'm looking forward to the drama with Steve Coogan. It's a grim but fascinating tale.
I take it that's Steve Coogan appearing in a drama about JS, not a 'grim but fascinating drama' ABOUT Steve Coogan we've not been told of?
it was Reaching for the Stars. Failed to even hit London.
That Star Wars waning before it was launched.
Some have harsh words for this man of renown, But some think our attitude Should be one of gratitude, Like the widows and cripples in old London town, Who owe their large pensions to Wernher von Braun.
You too may be a big hero, Once you've learned to count backwards to zero. "In German oder English I know how to count down, Und I'm learning Chinese," says Wernher von Braun.
Though, perhaps ironically, key technologies for American military superiority in missiles and the Apollo program were developed without Von Braun and actually against his advice.
Von Braun and his team went to quite some lengths to make sure they could surrender to the Americans not the Soviets - which would have changed history. Assuming, of course, that the Soviets learned from and worked with them, which is perhaps somewhat outside their character of the period.
The Soviet missile program was heavy dependent on the German V2 program. More so than the Americans. Who had a number of non-German teams who rapidly over took the Germans - especially in military designs.
This is not surprising when you consider that the Russians took many of the mid level people in the V2 program and several of the manufacturing facilities.
When Starmer wins, I believe the Tories will be out of power for a generation.
Scottish generation or the more accepted kind?
Its difficult to see the future. I think the country is ready for a change and that change will be a Starmer led government. However he will quickly find that government is hard, notably so in the prevailing economic conditions. There is no guarantee that the country will keep electing labour governments, or even just coalitions that don't include the tories. However the tories do need to go away, take a look at themselves again and root out the curupt and venal self servers.
When Starmer wins, I believe the Tories will be out of power for a generation.
A Tory generation can be as short as 50 days though. Then its an entirely new government!
A true story. I got chatting with my cab driver from Phnom Penh airport to my hotel this evening and when he heard I was British and from London, instead of saying Chelsea! Or “Leicester need a new striker” - like most SE Asians in this context, he said, with a chuckle “in London you have many many prime ministers”
I thought he was understandably mocking the chaos in our recent politics, but then he added “this is democracy, it’s good”
So I dunno. He might have been making an extremely subtle point that even a turbulent democracy can be seen - maybe obviously so - as superior to the quasi-autocracy they have here in Cambodia. The turbulence is the point. It shows that unpopular leaders are toppled by the public will, as does not happen in indochina
The big point about democracy is that it offers a major revolution/coup every five years or so. Without the piles of dead people making the place untidy.
Anyone who doesn’t have anchoring responsibilities at home (job, kids, stupid pets) and who has money and who ISN”T travelling is an idiot
Travel is all there is, in the end, along with love and art. The new, the fascinating, the challenging, the strange. It is the best. It doesn’t just broaden the mind it enriches it in an intoxicating way, like adding wine to a sauce, like lashing burning booze on the stodgy Christmas pud
You have one life. Go see the world before your knees give out
Not long until the clocks go forward and here comes the Summer
We are exactly half way through February but I'm afraid there's quite a lot of March to go as well.
Equally, I've been sat in my conservatory working all afternoon and it's been perfectly pleasant.
Remarkable how quickly my solar panels have gone back to generating meaningful amounts of electricity on clear days like today; it's about 40 percent of what I get in midsummer. And next week it will be not-quite dark at 6 pm here.
I'm sure there's another nasty surprise to come from winter, but the brilliant thing about this time of year is the tinges of hope.
When Starmer wins, I believe the Tories will be out of power for a generation.
A Tory generation can be as short as 50 days though. Then its an entirely new government!
A true story. I got chatting with my cab driver from Phnom Penh airport to my hotel this evening and when he heard I was British and from London, instead of saying Chelsea! Or “Leicester need a new striker” - like most SE Asians in this context, he said, with a chuckle “in London you have many many prime ministers”
I thought he was understandably mocking the chaos in our recent politics, but then he added “this is democracy, it’s good”
So I dunno. He might have been making an extremely subtle point that even a turbulent democracy can be seen - maybe obviously so - as superior to the quasi-autocracy they have here in Cambodia. The turbulence is the point. It shows that unpopular leaders are toppled by the public will, as does not happen in indochina
The big point about democracy is that it offers a major revolution/coup every five years or so. Without the piles of dead people making the place untidy.
Not long until the clocks go forward and here comes the Summer
We are exactly half way through February but I'm afraid there's quite a lot of March to go as well.
Equally, I've been sat in my conservatory working all afternoon and it's been perfectly pleasant.
Remarkable how quickly my solar panels have gone back to generating meaningful amounts of electricity on clear days like today; it's about 40 percent of what I get in midsummer. And next week it will be not-quite dark at 6 pm here.
I'm sure there's another nasty surprise to come from winter, but the brilliant thing about this time of year is the tinges of hope.
Yes, mine too. I've been running a high spec PC, three monitors and a dishwasher all afternoon. Cost, 12p.
If the government's serious about net zero offering everyone especially those with a south facing roof free solar panels would make a colossal difference.
I believe that we got most of the top von Braun team, and the Soviets got most of the technicians. So we came out ahead, but they did get something from those advances
Werner von Braun ranks perhaps (with Thomas Jefferson?) as historical figure whose general reputation has perhaps the MOST in my own lifetime.
In WvB's case, from acclaimed rocket scientist to reviled war criminal.
Apart from Jimmy Saville.
Plenty of folk thought he was a wrong 'un tbf, just got shouted down by the BUT CHARITEE crowd, and Leeds fans.
I do not think that is right.
Savile was a bloody awful broadcaster imo, speaking in catchphrases and barely able to string a sentence together. I guess I was of the Goldilocks generation for Savile. Too young to know him as a pioneering DJ and too old for Jim'll Fix It. Before the exposures, I did once discuss him with a Fleet Street hack who said the red tops were all over the rumours but could not stand anything up. You'd have thought MI5 or Special Branch might have taken a look because of Savile's proximity to Mrs Thatcher and the government but if so, nada.
Far more people claim now they always sensed he was a wrong un than actually did at the time. His tv style with kids was widely lauded as being refreshingly direct and unpatronizing.
I'm looking forward to the drama with Steve Coogan. It's a grim but fascinating tale.
I take it that's Steve Coogan appearing in a drama about JS, not a 'grim but fascinating drama' ABOUT Steve Coogan we've not been told of?
That could be in the pipeline too but - yes - I mean that Savile one. Should be good, I think.
Edit: if you read her book then it’s clear (a) she fundamentally disagreed with Trump on various points; and (b) she was always planning a run and wanted distance from him
I believe that we got most of the top von Braun team, and the Soviets got most of the technicians. So we came out ahead, but they did get something from those advances
Werner von Braun ranks perhaps (with Thomas Jefferson?) as historical figure whose general reputation has perhaps the MOST in my own lifetime.
In WvB's case, from acclaimed rocket scientist to reviled war criminal.
Apart from Jimmy Saville.
Plenty of folk thought he was a wrong 'un tbf, just got shouted down by the BUT CHARITEE crowd, and Leeds fans.
I do not think that is right.
Savile was a bloody awful broadcaster imo, speaking in catchphrases and barely able to string a sentence together. I guess I was of the Goldilocks generation for Savile. Too young to know him as a pioneering DJ and too old for Jim'll Fix It. Before the exposures, I did once discuss him with a Fleet Street hack who said the red tops were all over the rumours but could not stand anything up. You'd have thought MI5 or Special Branch might have taken a look because of Savile's proximity to Mrs Thatcher and the government but if so, nada.
Far more people claim now they always sensed he was a wrong un than actually did at the time. His tv style with kids was widely lauded as being refreshingly direct and unpatronizing.
I'm looking forward to the drama with Steve Coogan. It's a grim but fascinating tale.
Do you think you could fit all the people who claim they sensed Savile was a wrong un (but did nothing) into the Blind Beggar or would it take the balcony of the form Iranian embassy, as well? Both have a capacity, according to sworn testimony, of hundred of thousands.....
Not long until the clocks go forward and here comes the Summer
We are exactly half way through February but I'm afraid there's quite a lot of March to go as well.
Equally, I've been sat in my conservatory working all afternoon and it's been perfectly pleasant.
Remarkable how quickly my solar panels have gone back to generating meaningful amounts of electricity on clear days like today; it's about 40 percent of what I get in midsummer. And next week it will be not-quite dark at 6 pm here.
I'm sure there's another nasty surprise to come from winter, but the brilliant thing about this time of year is the tinges of hope.
SSW happening, impacts are not certain, but can result in very chilly weather pace 2018. Winter is not done with us just yet, despite the beautiful day today.
I believe that we got most of the top von Braun team, and the Soviets got most of the technicians. So we came out ahead, but they did get something from those advances
Werner von Braun ranks perhaps (with Thomas Jefferson?) as historical figure whose general reputation has perhaps the MOST in my own lifetime.
In WvB's case, from acclaimed rocket scientist to reviled war criminal.
Apart from Jimmy Saville.
Plenty of folk thought he was a wrong 'un tbf, just got shouted down by the BUT CHARITEE crowd, and Leeds fans.
I do not think that is right.
Savile was a bloody awful broadcaster imo, speaking in catchphrases and barely able to string a sentence together. I guess I was of the Goldilocks generation for Savile. Too young to know him as a pioneering DJ and too old for Jim'll Fix It. Before the exposures, I did once discuss him with a Fleet Street hack who said the red tops were all over the rumours but could not stand anything up. You'd have thought MI5 or Special Branch might have taken a look because of Savile's proximity to Mrs Thatcher and the government but if so, nada.
Far more people claim now they always sensed he was a wrong un than actually did at the time. His tv style with kids was widely lauded as being refreshingly direct and unpatronizing.
I'm looking forward to the drama with Steve Coogan. It's a grim but fascinating tale.
Do you think you could fit all the people who claim they sensed Savile was a wrong un (but did nothing) into the Blind Beggar or would it take the balcony of the form Iranian embassy, as well? Both have a capacity, according to sworn testimony, of hundred of thousands.....
Indeed. Although I was thinking of people generally - the public - rather than just industry insiders.
Imagine being a strapping six foot tall ribeye-fed American GI in Vietnam in 1965, confronted by these tiny 5 foot three Vietnamese “gooks” living mainly on rice and rotten fish, and being told “in sixty years time these ‘gooks’ will have a better life expectancy than you”
Well, a lot of the GIs wouldn't have had much trouble accepting that their government had the country on the wrong path, given the absolute pointlessness of what the government asked them to do in Vietnam.
When Starmer wins, I believe the Tories will be out of power for a generation.
A Tory generation can be as short as 50 days though. Then its an entirely new government!
A true story. I got chatting with my cab driver from Phnom Penh airport to my hotel this evening and when he heard I was British and from London, instead of saying Chelsea! Or “Leicester need a new striker” - like most SE Asians in this context, he said, with a chuckle “in London you have many many prime ministers”
I thought he was understandably mocking the chaos in our recent politics, but then he added “this is democracy, it’s good”
So I dunno. He might have been making an extremely subtle point that even a turbulent democracy can be seen - maybe obviously so - as superior to the quasi-autocracy they have here in Cambodia. The turbulence is the point. It shows that unpopular leaders are toppled by the public will, as does not happen in indochina
He has a point. When we have a leader who is brazenly corrupt or incompetent the people can have them removed. In some countries, the brazenly corrupt leader has the people removed...
Johnson did have people removed (Gove, Sunak?) admittedly not permanently.
Anyone who doesn’t have anchoring responsibilities at home (job, kids, stupid pets) and who has money and who ISN”T travelling is an idiot
Travel is all there is, in the end, along with love and art. The new, the fascinating, the challenging, the strange. It is the best. It doesn’t just broaden the mind it enriches it in an intoxicating way, like adding wine to a sauce, like lashing burning booze on the stodgy Christmas pud
You have one life. Go see the world before your knees give out
You're probably right. I will try more.
I have a wealthy female relative who has barely been outside Europe - in fact I’d guess that Egypt (ie Sharm) and once in the USA is her entire non European travel experience
She used to blame it on kids (fair enough), and then her job (hmm, she can easily work from home, but OK). Now she is essentially retired early, is notably affluent, has a willing companion, is intellectually curious and educated and STILL she doesn’t travel
Portugal, Malaga, Greece, a spot of France, same same same. When I ask her why she doesn’t experiment and go a bit further she says “we have cats” like the cats allow her to go to the Algarve for a fortnight but forbid her from going to India or Singapore or the Arctic or Madagascar
i honestly don’t get it. Fear of the unknown? She’s not a cowardly person in my experience. Apathy? Why?
She is in her late 50s and in 15 years it will be too late
Woke Queen Camilla will not wear the Koh-i-Noor diamond for the coronation. She will wear Queen Mary's crown instead. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64638152
I thought Queen Mary's crown was made to house the Koh I Noor. And I think the crown in their picture looks like the Delhi Durbar crown. Which the Indians definitely wouldn't want Camilla to wear.
Edit: if you read her book then it’s clear (a) she fundamentally disagreed with Trump on various points; and (b) she was always planning a run and wanted distance from him
She did until she didn't until she did again, right?
Anyone who doesn’t have anchoring responsibilities at home (job, kids, stupid pets) and who has money and who ISN”T travelling is an idiot
Travel is all there is, in the end, along with love and art. The new, the fascinating, the challenging, the strange. It is the best. It doesn’t just broaden the mind it enriches it in an intoxicating way, like adding wine to a sauce, like lashing burning booze on the stodgy Christmas pud
You have one life. Go see the world before your knees give out
You can see the world on Youtube. No need to get dressed and leave home.
Imagine being a strapping six foot tall ribeye-fed American GI in Vietnam in 1965, confronted by these tiny 5 foot three Vietnamese “gooks” living mainly on rice and rotten fish, and being told “in sixty years time these ‘gooks’ will have a better life expectancy than you”
Well, a lot of the GIs wouldn't have had much trouble accepting that their government had the country on the wrong path, given the absolute pointlessness of what the government asked them to do in Vietnam.
Never mind over 60 years their life expectancy took a nosedive soon as they got the callup.
Woke Queen Camilla will not wear the Koh-i-Noor diamond for the coronation. She will wear Queen Mary's crown instead. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64638152
It's not up to Camilla, the British answer to Mike Pence, to decide what she wears or doesn't wear at the coronation.
No surprise that nut boy won't let his wife wear a bigger diamond in her hat than he does. She'd embarrass him.
If he were truly woke, he'd return the Koh-i-Noor to where his family stole it.
But that would be opening the floodgates. There'd be much of the royal art collection for starters, robbed after the restoration from those who'd bought stuff at auction from the Commonwealth government using their own money.
I wonder whether he and his hangers-on will f*** the coronation up. Many held back at his mother's funeral, but the crowning is me me me all the way.
Incidentally, if Biden declines to run for re-election he will be the first incumbent President not to run for re-election since LBJ. Could be a pretty strong reason for him to want to see it through.
Anyone who doesn’t have anchoring responsibilities at home (job, kids, stupid pets) and who has money and who ISN”T travelling is an idiot
Travel is all there is, in the end, along with love and art. The new, the fascinating, the challenging, the strange. It is the best. It doesn’t just broaden the mind it enriches it in an intoxicating way, like adding wine to a sauce, like lashing burning booze on the stodgy Christmas pud
You have one life. Go see the world before your knees give out
You're probably right. I will try more.
I have a wealthy female relative who has barely been outside Europe - in fact I’d guess that Egypt (ie Sharm) and once in the USA is her entire non European travel experience
She used to blame it on kids (fair enough), and then her job (hmm, she can easily work from home, but OK). Now she is essentially retired early, is notably affluent, has a willing companion, is intellectually curious and educated and STILL she doesn’t travel
Portugal, Malaga, Greece, a spot of France, same same same. When I ask her why she doesn’t experiment and go a bit further she says “we have cats” like the cats allow her to go to the Algarve for a fortnight but forbid her from going to India or Singapore or the Arctic or Madagascar
i honestly don’t get it. Fear of the unknown? She’s not a cowardly person in my experience. Apathy? Why?
She is in her late 50s and in 15 years it will be too late
It's really simple, she doesn't want to.
Unless you are really lucky (and you are) you can't see everywhere so you may as well go to the places you enjoy going to.
Not long until the clocks go forward and here comes the Summer
Four weeks to Cheltenham and another fortnight after that before the clocks change.
For me the first big change is when the sun sets AFTER 5pm - we are already past that, it happened on Feb 7 in London
Then there’s the first crocus tips in Regents Park. Around now? Then the symbolic date of March 1, which feels like the end of the jail sentence even if you have to wear an ankle tag and you are only out on licence, and might get called in to the cop shop of cold every now and again
Most beautiful of all is the moment when you turn to the sun and and you sense REAL solar warmth and your pineal gland lights up with joy. That can happen any moment between the last half of Feb or mid March, depending on where you are in the UK, and your luck
Tho it must be said I despise the entire thing and God willing I will stay out here in indochina for another 2-3 weeks
Woke Queen Camilla will not wear the Koh-i-Noor diamond for the coronation. She will wear Queen Mary's crown instead. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64638152
It's not up to Camilla, the British answer to Mike Pence, to decide what she wears or doesn't wear at the coronation.
No surprise that nut boy won't let his wife wear a bigger diamond in her hat than he does. She'd embarrass him.
If he were truly woke, he'd return the Koh-i-Noor to where his family stole it.
But that would be opening the floodgates. There'd be much of the royal art collection for starters, robbed after the restoration from those who'd bought stuff at auction from the Commonwealth government using their own money.
I wonder whether he and his hangers-on will f*** the coronation up. Many held back at his mother's funeral, but the crowning is me me me all the way.
It wasn't stolen.
I was under the impression that General Flashman (VC and bar) 'retrieved' it during the Indian Mutiny? Is that not right?
Anyone who doesn’t have anchoring responsibilities at home (job, kids, stupid pets) and who has money and who ISN”T travelling is an idiot
Travel is all there is, in the end, along with love and art. The new, the fascinating, the challenging, the strange. It is the best. It doesn’t just broaden the mind it enriches it in an intoxicating way, like adding wine to a sauce, like lashing burning booze on the stodgy Christmas pud
You have one life. Go see the world before your knees give out
You're probably right. I will try more.
I have a wealthy female relative who has barely been outside Europe - in fact I’d guess that Egypt (ie Sharm) and once in the USA is her entire non European travel experience
She used to blame it on kids (fair enough), and then her job (hmm, she can easily work from home, but OK). Now she is essentially retired early, is notably affluent, has a willing companion, is intellectually curious and educated and STILL she doesn’t travel
Portugal, Malaga, Greece, a spot of France, same same same. When I ask her why she doesn’t experiment and go a bit further she says “we have cats” like the cats allow her to go to the Algarve for a fortnight but forbid her from going to India or Singapore or the Arctic or Madagascar
i honestly don’t get it. Fear of the unknown? She’s not a cowardly person in my experience. Apathy? Why?
She is in her late 50s and in 15 years it will be too late
It's really simple, she doesn't want to.
Unless you are really lucky (and you are) you can't see everywhere so you may as well go to the places you enjoy going to.
Some people like snuggling up on the sofa watching TV with their partner. Others like travelling the world. Enjoy your life how you want.
I believe that we got most of the top von Braun team, and the Soviets got most of the technicians. So we came out ahead, but they did get something from those advances
Werner von Braun ranks perhaps (with Thomas Jefferson?) as historical figure whose general reputation has perhaps the MOST in my own lifetime.
In WvB's case, from acclaimed rocket scientist to reviled war criminal.
Apart from Jimmy Saville.
Plenty of folk thought he was a wrong 'un tbf, just got shouted down by the BUT CHARITEE crowd, and Leeds fans.
I do not think that is right.
Savile was a bloody awful broadcaster imo, speaking in catchphrases and barely able to string a sentence together. I guess I was of the Goldilocks generation for Savile. Too young to know him as a pioneering DJ and too old for Jim'll Fix It. Before the exposures, I did once discuss him with a Fleet Street hack who said the red tops were all over the rumours but could not stand anything up. You'd have thought MI5 or Special Branch might have taken a look because of Savile's proximity to Mrs Thatcher and the government but if so, nada.
I’d watch Jim’ll Fix It with my family on Saturday nights in the early eighties when I was an under 10. I remember wondering why he was famous. He seemed so weird and, as the youth today would have it, “cringe” compared to others on TV like, I dunno, Noel Edmonds or Les Dawson. His work with Stoke Mandeville hospital was always mentioned so I used to think maybe he was some sort of doctor who also hosted shows on TV.
Not long until the clocks go forward and here comes the Summer
Four weeks to Cheltenham and another fortnight after that before the clocks change.
For me the first big change is when the sun sets AFTER 5pm - we are already past that, it happened on Feb 7 in London
Then there’s the first crocus tips in Regents Park. Around now? Then the symbolic date of March 1, which feels like the end of the jail sentence even if you have to wear an ankle tag and you are only out on licence, and might get called in to the cop shop of cold every now and again
Most beautiful of all is the moment when you turn to the sun and and you sense REAL solar warmth and your pineal gland lights up with joy. That can happen any moment between the last half of Feb or mid March, depending on where you are in the UK, and your luck
Tho it must be said I despise the entire thing and God willing I will stay out here in indochina for another 2-3 weeks
Today I reached the milestone of "can go for a walk during the day without taking gloves and not getting told I should have done". Though the local media is still talking up a Beast From The East like they have been all winter...
Incidentally, if Biden declines to run for re-election he will be the first incumbent President not to run for re-election since LBJ. Could be a pretty strong reason for him to want to see it through.
Who was the last first term president not even to attempt to run for re-election, however desultorily?
I keep coming up with Rutherford B. Hayes in 1880.
Anyone who doesn’t have anchoring responsibilities at home (job, kids, stupid pets) and who has money and who ISN”T travelling is an idiot
Travel is all there is, in the end, along with love and art. The new, the fascinating, the challenging, the strange. It is the best. It doesn’t just broaden the mind it enriches it in an intoxicating way, like adding wine to a sauce, like lashing burning booze on the stodgy Christmas pud
You have one life. Go see the world before your knees give out
You're probably right. I will try more.
I have a wealthy female relative who has barely been outside Europe - in fact I’d guess that Egypt (ie Sharm) and once in the USA is her entire non European travel experience
She used to blame it on kids (fair enough), and then her job (hmm, she can easily work from home, but OK). Now she is essentially retired early, is notably affluent, has a willing companion, is intellectually curious and educated and STILL she doesn’t travel
Portugal, Malaga, Greece, a spot of France, same same same. When I ask her why she doesn’t experiment and go a bit further she says “we have cats” like the cats allow her to go to the Algarve for a fortnight but forbid her from going to India or Singapore or the Arctic or Madagascar
i honestly don’t get it. Fear of the unknown? She’s not a cowardly person in my experience. Apathy? Why?
She is in her late 50s and in 15 years it will be too late
It's really simple, she doesn't want to.
Unless you are really lucky (and you are) you can't see everywhere so you may as well go to the places you enjoy going to.
Really? Is that it?
That doesn’t make sense because she is always saying Oooh, I’dl love to go there, or, Mmm, India, sounds amazing, or Wow, let’s do Vietnam
Yet it never happens. And she has four to six holidays a year. She’s rich. And she has time. So your explanation doesn’t add up
It's as if they are trying to confirm everyone's opinion of them. Russian discussion programme talking about why they should get rid of Valentine's Day because it is soulless.
It's as if they are trying to confirm everyone's opinion of them. Russian discussion programme talking about why they should get rid of Valentine's Day because it is soulless.
Anyone who doesn’t have anchoring responsibilities at home (job, kids, stupid pets) and who has money and who ISN”T travelling is an idiot
Travel is all there is, in the end, along with love and art. The new, the fascinating, the challenging, the strange. It is the best. It doesn’t just broaden the mind it enriches it in an intoxicating way, like adding wine to a sauce, like lashing burning booze on the stodgy Christmas pud
You have one life. Go see the world before your knees give out
You're probably right. I will try more.
I have a wealthy female relative who has barely been outside Europe - in fact I’d guess that Egypt (ie Sharm) and once in the USA is her entire non European travel experience
She used to blame it on kids (fair enough), and then her job (hmm, she can easily work from home, but OK). Now she is essentially retired early, is notably affluent, has a willing companion, is intellectually curious and educated and STILL she doesn’t travel
Portugal, Malaga, Greece, a spot of France, same same same. When I ask her why she doesn’t experiment and go a bit further she says “we have cats” like the cats allow her to go to the Algarve for a fortnight but forbid her from going to India or Singapore or the Arctic or Madagascar
i honestly don’t get it. Fear of the unknown? She’s not a cowardly person in my experience. Apathy? Why?
She is in her late 50s and in 15 years it will be too late
Lots of people have no desire to travel at all, which I find mystifying but each to their own.
Phnom Penh. First trip for ten years. Last time they had impoverished slums and Khmer Rouge trials now they have Chinese skyscrapers and chic rooftop bars
Looks like Honolulu - where I was visiting for a week, just a week (or rather two) ago.
Must say I REALLY enjoyed my stay in O'ahu. First time ever in Hawai'i and it was a trip & a half. Thing that surprised me the most was the SPIRITUAL dimension.
Personal highlights included touring the USS Missouri, with an excellent Japanese tour leader. Also chit-chatting with Amanda Knox (aka Foxy Knoxy) at a benefit for the Hawaii Innocence Project, in company with a gentleman (and gentle man) who'd just been released from nearly quarter-century in prison for a crime he did NOT commit.
Showed up on the Island with one Aloha (aka Hawaiian) shirt. Left with five! Including one that I got after seeing a fellow wearing similar on a city bus. It depicts scenes from the life work of Father Damien and Sister Marianne of Moloka'i, purchased from the gift shop
Stayed for most of my visit in air-conditioned comfort at a hotel in Waikiki, right next to Fort DeRussy, which is (mostly) a beautiful park with an equally beautiful beach. On final day, before my red-eye back home, I moved to the YMCA so I could chill (relatively speaking, no a/c) before my flight.
BTW (also FYI) took public transport everywhere, including to & from the airport. Great deal, get a "Holo" card and total cost for unlimited bus rides capped at $7.50 per day. Took me from Waikiki to Hale'ima (my farthest West on the face of the Earth!) and back. Riding with a few tourists, but mostly locals.
Mahalo Oah'u! God Bless Hawai'i!!
AND eat yer heart out, Leon!
I love Hawaii. It is far more interesting than the average punter is led to expect
For a start the geology and geography is insane - the volcanoes!
Also the history is vivid and it does have a spiritual side which is intense in places. One of the spookiest locales I have ever visited is right on the northern tip of the Big Island. A site of consistent human sacrifice for many centuries. The idea that Hawaiians were all peace loving garland wearing hippy types is nonsense. They were eager cannibals for a start, tho Woke historians hate this and try to pretend it was all made up. Pff!
There is now a fair amount of obesity and drug use but that’s true of West Bromwich
The Baggies are a fine body of clean living thin men.
Anyone who doesn’t have anchoring responsibilities at home (job, kids, stupid pets) and who has money and who ISN”T travelling is an idiot
Travel is all there is, in the end, along with love and art. The new, the fascinating, the challenging, the strange. It is the best. It doesn’t just broaden the mind it enriches it in an intoxicating way, like adding wine to a sauce, like lashing burning booze on the stodgy Christmas pud
You have one life. Go see the world before your knees give out
I don't know about that. If you're doing one thing then you can't do another. There's a choice between knowing the world as a whole, to a limited extent, and getting to know a small corner of it extremely well. There are a whole bunch of tradeoffs, and other good things that a person might do with their time.
I've certainly enjoyed the travel that I've done, and there's a fair few places I'd still like to get to, but everything in life is about choices, and I think that, given the choice, I'd rather aim to do a leisurely Land's End to John O'Groats cycle ride, or Mizen to Malin, rather than a coast-to-coast US road trip.
And besides that, I've never felt particularly at home anywhere, and rather like the idea of finding a place to put down some proper roots.
Anyone who doesn’t have anchoring responsibilities at home (job, kids, stupid pets) and who has money and who ISN”T travelling is an idiot
Travel is all there is, in the end, along with love and art. The new, the fascinating, the challenging, the strange. It is the best. It doesn’t just broaden the mind it enriches it in an intoxicating way, like adding wine to a sauce, like lashing burning booze on the stodgy Christmas pud
You have one life. Go see the world before your knees give out
You're probably right. I will try more.
I have a wealthy female relative who has barely been outside Europe - in fact I’d guess that Egypt (ie Sharm) and once in the USA is her entire non European travel experience
She used to blame it on kids (fair enough), and then her job (hmm, she can easily work from home, but OK). Now she is essentially retired early, is notably affluent, has a willing companion, is intellectually curious and educated and STILL she doesn’t travel
Portugal, Malaga, Greece, a spot of France, same same same. When I ask her why she doesn’t experiment and go a bit further she says “we have cats” like the cats allow her to go to the Algarve for a fortnight but forbid her from going to India or Singapore or the Arctic or Madagascar
i honestly don’t get it. Fear of the unknown? She’s not a cowardly person in my experience. Apathy? Why?
She is in her late 50s and in 15 years it will be too late
It's really simple, she doesn't want to.
Unless you are really lucky (and you are) you can't see everywhere so you may as well go to the places you enjoy going to.
Really? Is that it?
That doesn’t make sense because she is always saying Oooh, I’dl love to go there, or, Mmm, India, sounds amazing, or Wow, let’s do Vietnam
Yet it never happens. And she has four to six holidays a year. She’s rich. And she has time. So your explanation doesn’t add up
WTF is it? I’ve noticed it in others
The same as people who say they'd love to come to that party next friday, but don't actually turn up. People are odd, but they don't like to upset others. You love travel, she humours you in conversation, but actually isn't bothered.
Not long until the clocks go forward and here comes the Summer
Four weeks to Cheltenham and another fortnight after that before the clocks change.
For me the first big change is when the sun sets AFTER 5pm - we are already past that, it happened on Feb 7 in London
Then there’s the first crocus tips in Regents Park. Around now? Then the symbolic date of March 1, which feels like the end of the jail sentence even if you have to wear an ankle tag and you are only out on licence, and might get called in to the cop shop of cold every now and again
Most beautiful of all is the moment when you turn to the sun and and you sense REAL solar warmth and your pineal gland lights up with joy. That can happen any moment between the last half of Feb or mid March, depending on where you are in the UK, and your luck
Tho it must be said I despise the entire thing and God willing I will stay out here in indochina for another 2-3 weeks
The cross-quarter day in early February - the point at which the darkest quarter of the year is left behind felt particularly noticeable here in Ireland. I think it's because it's generally a lot milder here during the winter, and so the change in the light levels is the main signal of changing seasons that there is.
Of what I understand, the plans on agriculture seem sound, on energy OK. I am not going to pretend to know whether the financial services deregulations would have been helpful.
Of what I understand, the plans on agriculture seem sound, on energy OK. I am not going to pretend to know whether the financial services deregulations would have been helpful.
Of what I understand, the plans on agriculture seem sound, on energy OK. I am not going to pretend to know whether the financial services deregulations would have been helpful.
ROFL, we did deregulation and the banks crashed the world economy.
Of what I understand, the plans on agriculture seem sound, on energy OK. I am not going to pretend to know whether the financial services deregulations would have been helpful.
It's as if they are trying to confirm everyone's opinion of them. Russian discussion programme talking about why they should get rid of Valentine's Day because it is soulless.
India urges people to ditch 'western' Valentine's Day and announces February 14th is now Cow Hug Day -Campaign by government supposed to counteract 'dazzle of western civilisation' -Hugging cow 'will bring emotional richness' and 'increase happiness'
Anyone who doesn’t have anchoring responsibilities at home (job, kids, stupid pets) and who has money and who ISN”T travelling is an idiot
Travel is all there is, in the end, along with love and art. The new, the fascinating, the challenging, the strange. It is the best. It doesn’t just broaden the mind it enriches it in an intoxicating way, like adding wine to a sauce, like lashing burning booze on the stodgy Christmas pud
You have one life. Go see the world before your knees give out
You're probably right. I will try more.
I have a wealthy female relative who has barely been outside Europe - in fact I’d guess that Egypt (ie Sharm) and once in the USA is her entire non European travel experience
She used to blame it on kids (fair enough), and then her job (hmm, she can easily work from home, but OK). Now she is essentially retired early, is notably affluent, has a willing companion, is intellectually curious and educated and STILL she doesn’t travel
Portugal, Malaga, Greece, a spot of France, same same same. When I ask her why she doesn’t experiment and go a bit further she says “we have cats” like the cats allow her to go to the Algarve for a fortnight but forbid her from going to India or Singapore or the Arctic or Madagascar
i honestly don’t get it. Fear of the unknown? She’s not a cowardly person in my experience. Apathy? Why?
She is in her late 50s and in 15 years it will be too late
It's really simple, she doesn't want to.
Unless you are really lucky (and you are) you can't see everywhere so you may as well go to the places you enjoy going to.
Really? Is that it?
That doesn’t make sense because she is always saying Oooh, I’dl love to go there, or, Mmm, India, sounds amazing, or Wow, let’s do Vietnam
Yet it never happens. And she has four to six holidays a year. She’s rich. And she has time. So your explanation doesn’t add up
WTF is it? I’ve noticed it in others
The same as people who say they'd love to come to that party next friday, but don't actually turn up. People are odd, but they don't like to upset others. You love travel, she humours you in conversation, but actually isn't bothered.
No, it’s more complex than that. She really isn’t the type to humour me. Trust me!
She is maybe deluding herself. Convincing herself that she really likes travel and expressing this loudly and saying that one day soon she will do that overland train trip to Burma or the Patagonian road trip blah blah
That is perhaps closer to the truth. She is middle class, educated and wealthy and it is slightly shameful - in that milieu - to admit that actually you don’t want to see any particularly foreign cultures because you’re not that interested, in reality, and yet another fortnight in Tavira or Mykonos is just fine and weird places are too weird
Of what I understand, the plans on agriculture seem sound, on energy OK. I am not going to pretend to know whether the financial services deregulations would have been helpful.
She’s on her way back. After the May elections.
Nah, it'll be Boris on a 'Truss plan but done right this time' platform.
How odd, the PB trans obsessives have decided not to mention that the case is now considered to be a hate crime.
This is the reality for trans people - and yet Rishi would rather score political points.
Oh, come on. Do you think nobody's going to click the link?
Police investigating the killing of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey have said they are now considering whether it could have been a hate crime.
Yes, that's "considering whether it could have been", which is not the same as "is".
This 'hate' term is just horrendous. Would this murder (about which I know nothing) be somehow less bad if it were some other sort of emotion, perhaps with less hate, or more bad if the 'hate' were somehow intensified?
It's as if they are trying to confirm everyone's opinion of them. Russian discussion programme talking about why they should get rid of Valentine's Day because it is soulless.
Anyone who doesn’t have anchoring responsibilities at home (job, kids, stupid pets) and who has money and who ISN”T travelling is an idiot
Travel is all there is, in the end, along with love and art. The new, the fascinating, the challenging, the strange. It is the best. It doesn’t just broaden the mind it enriches it in an intoxicating way, like adding wine to a sauce, like lashing burning booze on the stodgy Christmas pud
You have one life. Go see the world before your knees give out
I don't know about that. If you're doing one thing then you can't do another. There's a choice between knowing the world as a whole, to a limited extent, and getting to know a small corner of it extremely well. There are a whole bunch of tradeoffs, and other good things that a person might do with their time.
I've certainly enjoyed the travel that I've done, and there's a fair few places I'd still like to get to, but everything in life is about choices, and I think that, given the choice, I'd rather aim to do a leisurely Land's End to John O'Groats cycle ride, or Mizen to Malin, rather than a coast-to-coast US road trip.
And besides that, I've never felt particularly at home anywhere, and rather like the idea of finding a place to put down some proper roots.
I buy that. There’s a shocking number of places on the island of Great Britain I’ve never been to or been only fleetingly. My knowledge of Manchester largely stems from my old firm sending me to a G4S ankle tagging depot in Trafford to deliver Equality Act training. It’s not just Leon who gets the classy work trips.
Of what I understand, the plans on agriculture seem sound, on energy OK. I am not going to pretend to know whether the financial services deregulations would have been helpful.
Five months too late, maybe?
They were due to be phased in after the mini budget. Interesting to look at the measures set out like this.
Ford plans to cut one in nine jobs in Europe, axing 3,800 roles in product development and administration as part of a drive to lower costs in the region and concentrate engineering know-how in the United States, the automaker said on Tuesday
I highly doubt Haley will be a serious contender though. Not only is she too RINO for most Republicans she also does worse against Biden who beats her by 6% compared to 4% for Trump and 3% for DeSantis.
How odd, the PB trans obsessives have decided not to mention that the case is now considered to be a hate crime.
This is the reality for trans people - and yet Rishi would rather score political points.
Oh, come on. Do you think nobody's going to click the link?
Police investigating the killing of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey have said they are now considering whether it could have been a hate crime.
Yes, that's "considering whether it could have been", which is not the same as "is".
This 'hate' term is just horrendous. Would this murder (about which I know nothing) be somehow less bad if it were some other sort of emotion, perhaps with less hate, or more bad if the 'hate' were somehow intensified?
This must be a proxy for something else entirely.
Well, yes, but apparently it makes a handy shorthand for "motivated by the victim's membership of a minority group".
Wiki suggests that "bias crime" is a term also used, maybe that's a better term?
How odd, the PB trans obsessives have decided not to mention that the case is now considered to be a hate crime.
This is the reality for trans people - and yet Rishi would rather score political points.
Oh, come on. Do you think nobody's going to click the link?
Police investigating the killing of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey have said they are now considering whether it could have been a hate crime.
Yes, that's "considering whether it could have been", which is not the same as "is".
This 'hate' term is just horrendous. Would this murder (about which I know nothing) be somehow less bad if it were some other sort of emotion, perhaps with less hate, or more bad if the 'hate' were somehow intensified?
This must be a proxy for something else entirely.
"Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to SUFFERING!" - Master Yoda.
Anyone who doesn’t have anchoring responsibilities at home (job, kids, stupid pets) and who has money and who ISN”T travelling is an idiot
Travel is all there is, in the end, along with love and art. The new, the fascinating, the challenging, the strange. It is the best. It doesn’t just broaden the mind it enriches it in an intoxicating way, like adding wine to a sauce, like lashing burning booze on the stodgy Christmas pud
You have one life. Go see the world before your knees give out
You're probably right. I will try more.
I have a wealthy female relative who has barely been outside Europe - in fact I’d guess that Egypt (ie Sharm) and once in the USA is her entire non European travel experience
She used to blame it on kids (fair enough), and then her job (hmm, she can easily work from home, but OK). Now she is essentially retired early, is notably affluent, has a willing companion, is intellectually curious and educated and STILL she doesn’t travel
Portugal, Malaga, Greece, a spot of France, same same same. When I ask her why she doesn’t experiment and go a bit further she says “we have cats” like the cats allow her to go to the Algarve for a fortnight but forbid her from going to India or Singapore or the Arctic or Madagascar
i honestly don’t get it. Fear of the unknown? She’s not a cowardly person in my experience. Apathy? Why?
She is in her late 50s and in 15 years it will be too late
It's really simple, she doesn't want to.
Unless you are really lucky (and you are) you can't see everywhere so you may as well go to the places you enjoy going to.
Really? Is that it?
That doesn’t make sense because she is always saying Oooh, I’dl love to go there, or, Mmm, India, sounds amazing, or Wow, let’s do Vietnam
Yet it never happens. And she has four to six holidays a year. She’s rich. And she has time. So your explanation doesn’t add up
WTF is it? I’ve noticed it in others
The same as people who say they'd love to come to that party next friday, but don't actually turn up. People are odd, but they don't like to upset others. You love travel, she humours you in conversation, but actually isn't bothered.
No, it’s more complex than that. She really isn’t the type to humour me. Trust me!
She is maybe deluding herself. Convincing herself that she really likes travel and expressing this loudly and saying that one day soon she will do that overland train trip to Burma or the Patagonian road trip blah blah
That is perhaps closer to the truth. She is middle class, educated and wealthy and it is slightly shameful - in that milieu - to admit that actually you don’t want to see any particularly foreign cultures because you’re not that interested, in reality, and yet another fortnight in Tavira or Mykonos is just fine and weird places are too weird
That sounds plausible to me. Some activities are seen socially as both rewarding and enviable, and they may well be both, so even unconsciously people might feel a bit weird in admitting they don't feel any interest in travelling to amazing places, they don't want to read a classic novel, etc. It's a bit like stock work questions about developing one's career, with a pretty clear implication something is wrong with an employee if they don't want to develop in their role further, when they might be perfectly content, even happy, with it and find fulfillment elsewhere.
Anyone who doesn’t have anchoring responsibilities at home (job, kids, stupid pets) and who has money and who ISN”T travelling is an idiot
Travel is all there is, in the end, along with love and art. The new, the fascinating, the challenging, the strange. It is the best. It doesn’t just broaden the mind it enriches it in an intoxicating way, like adding wine to a sauce, like lashing burning booze on the stodgy Christmas pud
You have one life. Go see the world before your knees give out
I think travel is great but the 'broadens the mind' thing is more of a saying than the truth imo. People who travel a lot are as prone to a fixed mindset as those who don't. In which case they lug it around with them along with the rest of their luggage.
"Anything to declare?" "Yep. Two suitcases, a carry-all, and my fixed mindset"
Anyone who doesn’t have anchoring responsibilities at home (job, kids, stupid pets) and who has money and who ISN”T travelling is an idiot
Travel is all there is, in the end, along with love and art. The new, the fascinating, the challenging, the strange. It is the best. It doesn’t just broaden the mind it enriches it in an intoxicating way, like adding wine to a sauce, like lashing burning booze on the stodgy Christmas pud
You have one life. Go see the world before your knees give out
I don't know about that. If you're doing one thing then you can't do another. There's a choice between knowing the world as a whole, to a limited extent, and getting to know a small corner of it extremely well. There are a whole bunch of tradeoffs, and other good things that a person might do with their time.
I've certainly enjoyed the travel that I've done, and there's a fair few places I'd still like to get to, but everything in life is about choices, and I think that, given the choice, I'd rather aim to do a leisurely Land's End to John O'Groats cycle ride, or Mizen to Malin, rather than a coast-to-coast US road trip.
And besides that, I've never felt particularly at home anywhere, and rather like the idea of finding a place to put down some proper roots.
I buy that. There’s a shocking number of places on the island of Great Britain I’ve never been to or been only fleetingly. My knowledge of Manchester largely stems from my old firm sending me to a G4S ankle tagging depot in Trafford to deliver Equality Act training. It’s not just Leon who gets the classy work trips.
"I would liked to have seen Montana the Clitheroe-Hellifield Line."
Help please from PB military experts… two low flying jets on manoeuvres over the Yorkshire Dales earlier today… came right overhead… based on them having twin, outward sloping tail fins I think they would be F35s. Is that likely and, if so, where would they be from?
Woke Queen Camilla will not wear the Koh-i-Noor diamond for the coronation. She will wear Queen Mary's crown instead. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64638152
It's not up to Camilla, the British answer to Mike Pence, to decide what she wears or doesn't wear at the coronation.
No surprise that nut boy won't let his wife wear a bigger diamond in her hat than he does. She'd embarrass him.
If he were truly woke, he'd return the Koh-i-Noor to where his family stole it.
But that would be opening the floodgates. There'd be much of the royal art collection for starters, robbed after the restoration from those who'd bought stuff at auction from the Commonwealth government using their own money.
I wonder whether he and his hangers-on will f*** the coronation up. Many held back at his mother's funeral, but the crowning is me me me all the way.
Far from it, he will include a broader representation of faiths and groups at his coronation than his mother had. He has also designed the Monday as a national day of volunteering, building on his own work with the Princes Trust.
The Indians vetoed Camilla wearing the Koh-i-Noor as a key member of the Commonwealth
Anyone who doesn’t have anchoring responsibilities at home (job, kids, stupid pets) and who has money and who ISN”T travelling is an idiot
Travel is all there is, in the end, along with love and art. The new, the fascinating, the challenging, the strange. It is the best. It doesn’t just broaden the mind it enriches it in an intoxicating way, like adding wine to a sauce, like lashing burning booze on the stodgy Christmas pud
You have one life. Go see the world before your knees give out
I think travel is great but the 'broadens the mind' thing is more of a saying than the truth imo. People who travel a lot are as prone to a fixed mindset as those who don't. In which case they lug it around with them along with the rest of their luggage.
"Anything to declare?" "Yep. Two suitcases, a carry-all, and my fixed mindset"
Caelum, non animum mutant, qui trans mare currunt.
Woke Queen Camilla will not wear the Koh-i-Noor diamond for the coronation. She will wear Queen Mary's crown instead. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64638152
It's not up to Camilla, the British answer to Mike Pence, to decide what she wears or doesn't wear at the coronation.
No surprise that nut boy won't let his wife wear a bigger diamond in her hat than he does. She'd embarrass him.
If he were truly woke, he'd return the Koh-i-Noor to where his family stole it.
But that would be opening the floodgates. There'd be much of the royal art collection for starters, robbed after the restoration from those who'd bought stuff at auction from the Commonwealth government using their own money.
I wonder whether he and his hangers-on will f*** the coronation up. Many held back at his mother's funeral, but the crowning is me me me all the way.
Far from it, he will include a broader representation of faiths and groups at his coronation than his mother had. He has also designed the Monday as a national day of volunteering, building on his own work with the Princes Trust.
The Indians vetoed Camilla wearing the Koh-i-Noor as a key member of the Commonwealth
Anyone who doesn’t have anchoring responsibilities at home (job, kids, stupid pets) and who has money and who ISN”T travelling is an idiot
Travel is all there is, in the end, along with love and art. The new, the fascinating, the challenging, the strange. It is the best. It doesn’t just broaden the mind it enriches it in an intoxicating way, like adding wine to a sauce, like lashing burning booze on the stodgy Christmas pud
You have one life. Go see the world before your knees give out
I don't know about that. If you're doing one thing then you can't do another. There's a choice between knowing the world as a whole, to a limited extent, and getting to know a small corner of it extremely well. There are a whole bunch of tradeoffs, and other good things that a person might do with their time.
I've certainly enjoyed the travel that I've done, and there's a fair few places I'd still like to get to, but everything in life is about choices, and I think that, given the choice, I'd rather aim to do a leisurely Land's End to John O'Groats cycle ride, or Mizen to Malin, rather than a coast-to-coast US road trip.
And besides that, I've never felt particularly at home anywhere, and rather like the idea of finding a place to put down some proper roots.
I buy that. There’s a shocking number of places on the island of Great Britain I’ve never been to or been only fleetingly. My knowledge of Manchester largely stems from my old firm sending me to a G4S ankle tagging depot in Trafford to deliver Equality Act training. It’s not just Leon who gets the classy work trips.
Everybody should do one massive American road trip in their lifetime. Coast to coast is ideal if you can afford the time and cost
It is an amazing thing, and it will show you the best and worst of one of the most important and spectacular nations in human history and civilisation, and also - the further south and west you go - mind blowing geography like nowhere else on the planet. It will change you, it will make you a better, more informed person. Read American history, novels, biographies as you go. Read about slavery but also read about amazing American explorers, read about the Civil War and read Kerouac and Hunter S Thompson and Ray Carver. Drink the local craft beer and visit the maddest bars, go to Texan BBQs and hang out in strip clubs. Talk to truckers. Talk to hookers. Talk to everyone. Americans are super friendly and big big talkers. It’s brilliant and peerless and marvellous
And much as I love my own unique country, I suggest it will be more emotionally and intellectually rewarding than a slow cycle ride from Scotland to Cornwall
Of what I understand, the plans on agriculture seem sound, on energy OK. I am not going to pretend to know whether the financial services deregulations would have been helpful.
Five months too late, maybe?
They were due to be phased in after the mini budget. Interesting to look at the measures set out like this.
I meant, wouldn't it have been sensible to publish the plan with or in advance of the not-a-budget-budget?
From a quick skim, there are some things I would support, quite a few I would oppose, but the important thing was if they had a plan, they should have shared it.
Not long until the clocks go forward and here comes the Summer
Four weeks to Cheltenham and another fortnight after that before the clocks change.
For me the first big change is when the sun sets AFTER 5pm - we are already past that, it happened on Feb 7 in London
Then there’s the first crocus tips in Regents Park. Around now? Then the symbolic date of March 1, which feels like the end of the jail sentence even if you have to wear an ankle tag and you are only out on licence, and might get called in to the cop shop of cold every now and again
Most beautiful of all is the moment when you turn to the sun and and you sense REAL solar warmth and your pineal gland lights up with joy. That can happen any moment between the last half of Feb or mid March, depending on where you are in the UK, and your luck
Tho it must be said I despise the entire thing and God willing I will stay out here in indochina for another 2-3 weeks
Today I reached the milestone of "can go for a walk during the day without taking gloves and not getting told I should have done". Though the local media is still talking up a Beast From The East like they have been all winter...
I went for a walk an hour ago wearing gloves. And I was wishing that I was wearing thicker gloves!
How odd, the PB trans obsessives have decided not to mention that the case is now considered to be a hate crime.
This is the reality for trans people - and yet Rishi would rather score political points.
Oh, come on. Do you think nobody's going to click the link?
Police investigating the killing of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey have said they are now considering whether it could have been a hate crime.
Yes, that's "considering whether it could have been", which is not the same as "is".
This 'hate' term is just horrendous. Would this murder (about which I know nothing) be somehow less bad if it were some other sort of emotion, perhaps with less hate, or more bad if the 'hate' were somehow intensified?
This must be a proxy for something else entirely.
Well, yes, but apparently it makes a handy shorthand for "motivated by the victim's membership of a minority group".
Wiki suggests that "bias crime" is a term also used, maybe that's a better term?
It suggests that some murders are better than others in rather random ways. Both the concept and the application are demeaning and tasteless.
Comments
I'm looking forward to the drama with Steve Coogan. It's a grim but fascinating tale.
In due course, when we have the thing properly sorted, Leon will be able to get a Canta. They go between properly spaced (1.3-1.5m apart) bollards.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canta_(vehicle)
I knew a lady who used to tricycle into Surbiton centre in her 80s.
Police investigating the killing of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey have said they are now considering whether it could have been a hate crime.
Yes, that's "considering whether it could have been", which is not the same as "is".
My viewpoint is simple - both sides want the impossible and are unwilling to find a compromise.
The Russian military missiles were linear descendants of the V2. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R-1_(missile)
This is not surprising when you consider that the Russians took many of the mid level people in the V2 program and several of the manufacturing facilities.
Its difficult to see the future. I think the country is ready for a change and that change will be a Starmer led government. However he will quickly find that government is hard, notably so in the prevailing economic conditions. There is no guarantee that the country will keep electing labour governments, or even just coalitions that don't include the tories. However the tories do need to go away, take a look at themselves again and root out the curupt and venal self servers.
Looking forward to that!
But people should know that when we use language like boob shavers this is the result
I'm sure there's another nasty surprise to come from winter, but the brilliant thing about this time of year is the tinges of hope.
If the government's serious about net zero offering everyone especially those with a south facing roof free solar panels would make a colossal difference.
Edit: if you read her book then it’s clear (a) she fundamentally disagreed with Trump on various points; and (b) she was always planning a run and wanted distance from him
At this moment, which of the following do Blue Wall voters think would be the better PM for the UK? (11-12 Feb.)
Rishi Sunak 39% (+2)
Keir Starmer 37% (–)
Don't Know 23% (-2)
Changes +/- 28-29 Jan.
Blue Wall Voting Intention (11-12 Feb.):
Labour 41% (-1)
Conservative 34% (+2)
Liberal Democrat 17% (-2)
Green 4% (–)
Reform UK 3% (-1)
Other 2% (+2)
Changes +/- 28-29 Jan.
She used to blame it on kids (fair enough), and then her job (hmm, she can easily work from home, but OK). Now she is essentially retired early, is notably affluent, has a willing companion, is intellectually curious and educated and STILL she doesn’t travel
Portugal, Malaga, Greece, a spot of France, same same same. When I ask her why she doesn’t experiment and go a bit further she says “we have cats” like the cats allow her to go to the Algarve for a fortnight but forbid her from going to India or Singapore or the Arctic or Madagascar
i honestly don’t get it. Fear of the unknown? She’s not a cowardly person in my experience. Apathy? Why?
She is in her late 50s and in 15 years it will be too late
Wales
WLab 56%
WCon 18%
PC 14%
Ref 7%
Grn 1%
WLD 1%
Scotland
SNP 41%
SLab 31%
SCon 13%
SLD 7%
Grn 3%
Ref 3%
England
Lab 48%
Con 25%
LD 11%
Grn 7%
Ref 6%
English regions:
London
Lab 50%
Con 21%
LD 11%
Grn 7%
Ref 6%
South
Lab 42%
Con 28%
LD 14%
Grn 8%
Ref 7%
Midlands
Lab 46%
Con 31%
LD 9%
Grn 7%
Ref 7%
North
Lab 57%
Con 20%
LD 9%
Grn 6%
Ref 6%
(YouGov / The Times; sample size: 2,061; fieldwork: 8-9 February 2023)
Unless you are really lucky (and you are) you can't see everywhere so you may as well go to the places you enjoy going to.
A blue wall by election would be fascinating. If there was one labour should go at it hell for leather.
Then there’s the first crocus tips in Regents Park. Around now? Then the symbolic date of March 1, which feels like the end of the jail sentence even if you have to wear an ankle tag and you are only out on licence, and might get called in to the cop shop of cold every now and again
Most beautiful of all is the moment when you turn to the sun and and you sense REAL solar warmth and your pineal gland lights up with joy. That can happen any moment between the last half of Feb or mid March, depending on where you are in the UK, and your luck
Tho it must be said I despise the entire thing and God willing I will stay out here in indochina for another 2-3 weeks
I keep coming up with Rutherford B. Hayes in 1880.
That doesn’t make sense because she is always saying Oooh, I’dl love to go there, or, Mmm, India, sounds amazing, or Wow, let’s do Vietnam
Yet it never happens. And she has four to six holidays a year. She’s rich. And she has time. So your explanation doesn’t add up
WTF is it? I’ve noticed it in others
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WynLR63IgM8
I've certainly enjoyed the travel that I've done, and there's a fair few places I'd still like to get to, but everything in life is about choices, and I think that, given the choice, I'd rather aim to do a leisurely Land's End to John O'Groats cycle ride, or Mizen to Malin, rather than a coast-to-coast US road trip.
And besides that, I've never felt particularly at home anywhere, and rather like the idea of finding a place to put down some proper roots.
Covid is old hat. How about a Marburg superspreader event?
https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/who-equatorial-guinea-confirms-first-ever-marburg-virus-disease-outbreak-2023-02-13/
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/revealed-liz-trusss-unpublished-growth-agenda/
Of what I understand, the plans on agriculture seem sound, on energy OK. I am not going to pretend to know whether the financial services deregulations would have been helpful.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11735867/India-urges-people-ditch-western-Valentines-Day-announces-Cow-Hug-Day.html
India urges people to ditch 'western' Valentine's Day and announces February 14th is now Cow Hug Day
-Campaign by government supposed to counteract 'dazzle of western civilisation'
-Hugging cow 'will bring emotional richness' and 'increase happiness'
She is maybe deluding herself. Convincing herself that she really likes travel and expressing this loudly and saying that one day soon she will do that overland train trip to Burma or the Patagonian road trip blah blah
That is perhaps closer to the truth. She is middle class, educated and wealthy and it is slightly shameful - in that milieu - to admit that actually you don’t want to see any particularly foreign cultures because you’re not that interested, in reality, and yet another fortnight in Tavira or Mykonos is just fine and weird places are too weird
This must be a proxy for something else entirely.
https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/ford-eliminate-3800-engineering-administration-jobs-europe-2023-02-14/
Ford plans to cut one in nine jobs in Europe, axing 3,800 roles in product development and administration as part of a drive to lower costs in the region and concentrate engineering know-how in the United States, the automaker said on Tuesday
She does better than Pence v Biden though
https://twitter.com/ppppolls/status/1625486696862355460?t=CzuDTzN3UkLoQj5kas1kYQ&s=19
Wiki suggests that "bias crime" is a term also used, maybe that's a better term?
Steve McQueen is making a film for Apple TV called “Blitz”, starring Saoirse Ronan, Stephen Graham and Paul Weller.
Currently being filmed so will be a while I guess before release.
"Anything to declare?"
"Yep. Two suitcases, a carry-all, and my fixed mindset"
The Indians vetoed Camilla wearing the Koh-i-Noor as a key member of the Commonwealth
My advice to any 18 year olds is to save for a pension and travel as much as you can before you settle down.
I’m looking forward to a proper resumption of travel in a few years.
Horace innit?
It feels like a usurpation of the late Queen’s mana; it’s too soon.
It is an amazing thing, and it will show you the best and worst of one of the most important and spectacular nations in human history and civilisation, and also - the further south and west you go - mind blowing geography like nowhere else on the planet. It will change you, it will make you a better, more informed person. Read American history, novels, biographies as you go. Read about slavery but also read about amazing American explorers, read about the Civil War and read Kerouac and Hunter S Thompson and Ray Carver. Drink the local craft beer and visit the maddest bars, go to Texan BBQs and hang out in strip clubs. Talk to truckers. Talk to hookers. Talk to everyone. Americans are super friendly and big big talkers. It’s brilliant and peerless and marvellous
And much as I love my own unique country, I suggest it will be more emotionally and intellectually rewarding than a slow cycle ride from Scotland to Cornwall
Steve McQueen is one of the best British directors currently working. Maybe the best!
Yes much of modern film making is better, and the very early Bonds were not as big budget, but even so, waiting years for movies can be a real bummer.
Harry Potter managed almost 1 film a year, which as it was not filmed much at the same time feels pretty rare.
From a quick skim, there are some things I would support, quite a few I would oppose, but the important thing was if they had a plan, they should have shared it.
Not about the New Romantics club?
For clarity.
https://twitter.com/hullimages/status/1625538565835837440?s=46&t=8GHRQGqotp5pTeG4u7jvdw
I think Ronan and Graham are both superb actors as well, so this is one of the rare times I am genuinely excited by a forthcoming film.
The Potter franchise was under a bit of pressure to keep the kids as reasonably close to their age in the books.