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Trump drops in the WH2024 betting – politicalbetting.com

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Comments

  • AlexanderAlexander Posts: 14
    Ukrainian soldier is enraged with Zelensky and co: “You will pay for everything” -> I don’t have anything to add … this man is 100% right!

    https://twitter.com/MyLordBebo/status/1641221866332323844?s=20
  • AlexanderAlexander Posts: 14
    NEW VIDEO: US Experts Grapple with Ukraine End Game: Admit War of Attrition is Unwinnable Desperation and fantastical thinking take hold of “top US foreign policy experts” as they contemplate an end game in Ukraine…

    https://twitter.com/BrianJBerletic/status/1641441958077009925?s=20
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 15,687
    Cookie said:

    Dura_Ace said:

    IanB2 said:

    Massive queues and delays of up to 12 hours or more at Dover, as we move into the spring holiday season.

    Stupid arseholes. Why don't they get on a ferry to Nha Trang? That's the future.
    Amusing how the Remainers get so triggered by the CPTPP, trying to paint is as a small group of Asian non-entities. They seem to miss the fact that it is becoming more global than that, with Mexico and Canada both spanning the Pacific and the Atlantic. Now it has its first European member.

    Heaven forbid an Economic Community might supplant that which Europe turned its back on in favour of nation status and a fleg...
    I'm with Dura Ace to the extent that people really shouldn't be getting the ferry to France, who seem to be making it their mission to punish us for Brexit. Other EU countries' border guards are, in my limited experience, rather more efficient. If I was getting a ferry to the continent I'd be going via Belgium or the Netherlands.
    Forget Europe. We should all be getting the ferry to Brunei instead. I hear their palm oil is delicious, and the secret courts do amazing things for our sovereignty.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,599
    Alexander said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    IanB2 said:

    That J Burn-Murdoch exploration of American mortality - one striking stat among many:

    Things have deteriorated so much that the average American now has the same healthy life expectancy (years lived in good health) as someone in Blackpool, the town with England’s lowest life expectancy (by far), synonymous with deep-rooted social decline ft.com/blackpool



    I think that bears repeating. *The average American* has the same chance of a long and healthy life as someone born in the most deprived part of England, a place with the highest rates of relationship breakdown and some of the highest rates of antidepressant prescribing.

    https://twitter.com/jburnmurdoch/status/1641799703636369408?m

    (Almost) Electing the Tories in 2010 appears to have been a big mistake, looking at that graph (except in Blackpool, where there has been a smidgin of catching up).

    Odd, since you’d think that making sure there were ever more older people would be their top priority.
    Yes, there was a noticeable stalling in increases of life expectancy during the Austerity period. This was not the case in other developed countries, but rather specific to UK and USA.

    More of concern is that in recent years is that the health quality of those years has worsened, even before Covid etc. Nothing wrong with being fit and retired, but who wants to drag out poor health?


    Look too at how the social divide in life expectancy changed over the Austerity period, by part of the country.



    From:

    https://twitter.com/jburnmurdoch/status/1641799903398486020?t=08VKdWIrBN8rnfVPnbQDaQ&s=19

    Not much difference in Blackpool and a significant increase in life expectancy in Hartlepool and Southend in recent years
    "life expectancy not going up in Screwthem-on-Sea is a great achievement for Tories whose voters' life expectancies have been going up massively in SodyoujackI'mallright-in-Epping"
    Love the people in the North East. Shame about the still widespread deprivation there.
    Some of their football fans can't even afford shirts to wear in the winter, let alone jackets.
  • AlexanderAlexander Posts: 14
    darkage said:

    Alexander said:

    NEW VIDEO: US Experts Grapple with Ukraine End Game: Admit War of Attrition is Unwinnable Desperation and fantastical thinking take hold of “top US foreign policy experts” as they contemplate an end game in Ukraine…

    https://twitter.com/BrianJBerletic/status/1641441958077009925?s=20

    I think the lesson of other posters is that you need to drop this stuff in more slowly and mix it up with other commentary on other topical issues, if you don't want to just get immediately banned.
    Im just putying thr info out there. Yhink of it as a public service.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,599
    Alexander said:

    darkage said:

    Alexander said:

    NEW VIDEO: US Experts Grapple with Ukraine End Game: Admit War of Attrition is Unwinnable Desperation and fantastical thinking take hold of “top US foreign policy experts” as they contemplate an end game in Ukraine…

    https://twitter.com/BrianJBerletic/status/1641441958077009925?s=20

    I think the lesson of other posters is that you need to drop this stuff in more slowly and mix it up with other commentary on other topical issues, if you don't want to just get immediately banned.
    Im just putying thr info out there. Yhink of it as a public service.
    Not sure many would agree with you. But we are really curious why you are so shit at it? And why always on Saturday morning? Day Release?
  • AlexanderAlexander Posts: 14
    dixiedean said:

    Saturday morning shift again I see.

    I always draw the short straw lol.
  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,412

    Alexander said:

    darkage said:

    Alexander said:

    NEW VIDEO: US Experts Grapple with Ukraine End Game: Admit War of Attrition is Unwinnable Desperation and fantastical thinking take hold of “top US foreign policy experts” as they contemplate an end game in Ukraine…

    https://twitter.com/BrianJBerletic/status/1641441958077009925?s=20

    I think the lesson of other posters is that you need to drop this stuff in more slowly and mix it up with other commentary on other topical issues, if you don't want to just get immediately banned.
    Im just putying thr info out there. Yhink of it as a public service.
    Not sure many would agree with you. But we are really curious why you are so shit at it? And why always on Saturday morning? Day Release?
    No school on a Saturday morning.
  • AlexanderAlexander Posts: 14
    My serice is to humanity though so i work today gratis lol
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,639

    Carnyx said:

    Nigelb said:

    .

    FF43 said:

    Dura_Ace said:

    IanB2 said:

    Massive queues and delays of up to 12 hours or more at Dover, as we move into the spring holiday season.

    Stupid arseholes. Why don't they get on a ferry to Nha Trang? That's the future.
    Amusing how the Remainers get so triggered by the CPTPP, trying to paint is as a small group of Asian non-entities. They seem to miss the fact that it is becoming more global than that, with Mexico and Canada both spanning the Pacific and the Atlantic. Now it has its first European member.

    Heaven forbid an Economic Community might supplant that which Europe turned its back on in favour of nation status and a fleg...
    We've left the EU, and I no longer care. Nonetheless I am triggered when I am sold a trade arrangement with nations the other side of the Atlantic and the World being optimal, on the same basic premise that I was told being a member of the EU was bad.
    Given we've left the EU, how is joining the CPTPP sub-optimal?
    It's not now we have gone. We need all the friends we can get.

    My point is the ironic justification for joining a trade organisation the other side of the World has been pretty much the same justification given by the same people for leaving the EU.

    We've left, it's over, but I'd prefer Badenoch not to bullshit me with the narrative, "this is good but the EU was bad".
    Seriously, Kemi Badenoch oversold CPTPP. She could have just said, this a good arrangement for the UK to sign up to, in a part of the world where we need more representation. People would nod along.

    Badenoch is another of those massively overrated "future stars of the Conservative Party" along with Liz Truss and Penny Mordaunt.
    "Palm oil is a great product."
    I do wonder if she misunderstood the expression 'palm oil'. Quite apart from it being dodgy af environmentally. And no good to UK farming.
    Maybe she's getting confused with snake oil.
    Going to be even shittier being an orang-utan out East, too, with all this extra demand for palm oil (the vegetable kind).
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,154
    edited April 2023
    darkage said:

    Alexander said:

    NEW VIDEO: US Experts Grapple with Ukraine End Game: Admit War of Attrition is Unwinnable Desperation and fantastical thinking take hold of “top US foreign policy experts” as they contemplate an end game in Ukraine…

    https://twitter.com/BrianJBerletic/status/1641441958077009925?s=20

    I think the lesson of other posters is that you need to drop this stuff in more slowly and mix it up with other commentary on other topical issues, if you don't want to just get immediately banned.
    If the Russians learned lessons they wouldn't have fucked up so epically in Bakhmut, would they?

    Edit - look out for RobynSeagl.

    Russia appears to be becoming more and more desperate.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 33,344

    Alexander said:

    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    IanB2 said:

    That J Burn-Murdoch exploration of American mortality - one striking stat among many:

    Things have deteriorated so much that the average American now has the same healthy life expectancy (years lived in good health) as someone in Blackpool, the town with England’s lowest life expectancy (by far), synonymous with deep-rooted social decline ft.com/blackpool



    I think that bears repeating. *The average American* has the same chance of a long and healthy life as someone born in the most deprived part of England, a place with the highest rates of relationship breakdown and some of the highest rates of antidepressant prescribing.

    https://twitter.com/jburnmurdoch/status/1641799703636369408?m

    (Almost) Electing the Tories in 2010 appears to have been a big mistake, looking at that graph (except in Blackpool, where there has been a smidgin of catching up).

    Odd, since you’d think that making sure there were ever more older people would be their top priority.
    Yes, there was a noticeable stalling in increases of life expectancy during the Austerity period. This was not the case in other developed countries, but rather specific to UK and USA.

    More of concern is that in recent years is that the health quality of those years has worsened, even before Covid etc. Nothing wrong with being fit and retired, but who wants to drag out poor health?


    Look too at how the social divide in life expectancy changed over the Austerity period, by part of the country.



    From:

    https://twitter.com/jburnmurdoch/status/1641799903398486020?t=08VKdWIrBN8rnfVPnbQDaQ&s=19

    Not much difference in Blackpool and a significant increase in life expectancy in Hartlepool and Southend in recent years
    "life expectancy not going up in Screwthem-on-Sea is a great achievement for Tories whose voters' life expectancies have been going up massively in SodyoujackI'mallright-in-Epping"
    Love the people in the North East. Shame about the still widespread deprivation there.
    Some of their football fans can't even afford shirts to wear in the winter, let alone jackets.
    Not just at football games. And what about what the girls wear? Or rather, don’t!
  • StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 17,069
    {Wanders back after loading the dishwasher}

    Gosh, that was quick. But strange hint of something approaching self-awareness this week.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,599
    Alexander said:

    My serice is to humanity though so i work today gratis lol

    Are there more important forums Monday - Friday? Which forum gets Sundays?
  • Wulfrun_PhilWulfrun_Phil Posts: 4,780
    Alexander said:

    Ukrainian soldier is enraged with Zelensky and co: “You will pay for everything” -> I don’t have anything to add … this man is 100% right!

    https://twitter.com/MyLordBebo/status/1641221866332323844?s=20

    How is the weather in Moscow?
  • Horse_BHorse_B Posts: 106
    As a new member of this site, only recently just discovered it, are these Russian users a common occurrence?
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,599
    edited April 2023
    Horse_B said:

    As a new member of this site, only recently just discovered it, are these Russian users a common occurrence?

    Yes but their batteries rarely last beyond the morning.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 22,703
    edited April 2023

    kjh said:

    Jonathan said:

    The country feels like it’s falling apart.

    Funny you should say that because I have felt that recently. We were joking about pot holes the other day and my post was tongue in cheek, but it wasn't inaccurate. Our local roads (all lanes) have become practically impassible. At one point for a couple of weeks we were pretty well locked in by closed roads due to damage to them. It took me an hour to get to the dentist who is 15 min away. Some pot holes now have cones in them they are so deep and three lanes have simply collapsed and were closed. All are open now, but only with temporary repairs so can only be used in good weather. If you are unaware of the hazard it is plain dangerous. A motorcyclist came off and into a ditch at one of them.

    In the last couple of months we have had about a dozen power cuts. Unlike the 70s, power cuts have become pretty well unknown, but they are now back.

    There is a lot of building locally and I hope it is down to that but it does feel like things are falling apart.
    We have also had a "winter of discontent" on the scale of 1979. The reporting has been considerably less frantic than in the days of Callaghan, although in some respects, particularly in the NHS the ramifications have been equally, if not more marked than they were then.

    I am not under reporting 1979 by the way. It was bad, it was very, very bad.
    I think that's overdoing it, and yes I was there.

    I'd be interested if you can put some numbers on it. AFAICS it seems to be about 80-90% fewer working days lost than 1979-80, in a population which is ~20% larger.

    Working days lost in the Winter of Discontent: 29.5 million.
    Working Days lost in second half of 2022: 2.4 million.

    Here's the ONS monthly strike days graph from my second link:


    https://news.sky.com/story/more-than-450-000-working-days-lost-due-to-strike-action-in-november-2022-highest-for-a-decade-12788107
    https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/workplacedisputesandworkingconditions/articles/theimpactofstrikesintheuk/june2022tofebruary2023

    I think you perhaps need to look to Paris for a comparator with WoD.
  • kjhkjh Posts: 11,695
    edited April 2023

    Alexander said:

    Ukrainian soldier is enraged with Zelensky and co: “You will pay for everything” -> I don’t have anything to add … this man is 100% right!

    https://twitter.com/MyLordBebo/status/1641221866332323844?s=20

    How is the weather in Moscow?
    More importantly what is the state of their pot holes?
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,208
    ..

    Fair play to Kemi Badenoch for not firing her Permanent Secretary after figures were produced showing there was no clear GDP benefit to CPTPP. Perhaps some integrity returning to government? On a related note what are the odds on Simon Case being given a painting of a spitfire and might Tom Scholar be a good replacement?

    Also the CPTPP GDP figures look bad when compared to the much quoted 4% long term effect of leaving the EU but I saw recently that UK population growth had fallen something like 0.5% per annum since Brexit. So how much of that 4% might be accounted for by less migration and what would the per capita effect actually be?

    I don't think GDP loss per head is significantly different from GDP loss per head given the uncertainty of the figures. OBR did a review of its forecast against outturn in the last budget. They stuck with their 4% figure, but noted they had underestimated the bad effects of Brexit on trade and investment. But this was compensated by a big increase in immigration since Brexit, benefiting the economy.

    There's a big irony of Brexit, which was largely driven by fears of immigration, being partly mitigated by an increase in immigration, which was always possible as a member of the EU.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,639

    Horse_B said:

    As a new member of this site, only recently just discovered it, are these Russian users a common occurrence?

    Yes but their batteries rarely last beyond the morning.
    And that is assuming they are the correct kind.
  • Alexander said:

    darkage said:

    Alexander said:

    NEW VIDEO: US Experts Grapple with Ukraine End Game: Admit War of Attrition is Unwinnable Desperation and fantastical thinking take hold of “top US foreign policy experts” as they contemplate an end game in Ukraine…

    https://twitter.com/BrianJBerletic/status/1641441958077009925?s=20

    I think the lesson of other posters is that you need to drop this stuff in more slowly and mix it up with other commentary on other topical issues, if you don't want to just get immediately banned.
    Im just putying thr info out there. Yhink of it as a public service.
    Misspelled putining.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 33,344
    I don’t know how the reduction in prescription charges for HRT medication affects anyone here, but according to the Pharmaceutical Journal the DHSS has managed to mess up the regulations.
  • Stark_DawningStark_Dawning Posts: 9,657

    Fair play to Kemi Badenoch for not firing her Permanent Secretary after figures were produced showing there was no clear GDP benefit to CPTPP. Perhaps some integrity returning to government? On a related note what are the odds on Simon Case being given a painting of a spitfire and might Tom Scholar be a good replacement?

    Also the CPTPP GDP figures look bad when compared to the much quoted 4% long term effect of leaving the EU but I saw recently that UK population growth had fallen something like 0.5% per annum since Brexit. So how much of that 4% might be accounted for by less migration and what would the per capita effect actually be?

    Yes. My original thought was that Kemi had bungled massively by letting the 0.08% figure dominate and consume the narrative. But perhaps, post-Boris especially, politicians just don't think it's worthwhile pretending anymore.
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 4,874

    Carnyx said:

    malcolmg said:

    Dura_Ace said:

    IanB2 said:

    Massive queues and delays of up to 12 hours or more at Dover, as we move into the spring holiday season.

    Stupid arseholes. Why don't they get on a ferry to Nha Trang? That's the future.
    Amusing how the Remainers get so triggered by the CPTPP, trying to paint is as a small group of Asian non-entities. They seem to miss the fact that it is becoming more global than that, with Mexico and Canada both spanning the Pacific and the Atlantic. Now it has its first European member.

    Heaven forbid an Economic Community might supplant that which Europe turned its back on in favour of nation status and a fleg...
    We've left the EU, and I no longer care. Nonetheless I am triggered when I am sold a trade arrangement with nations the other side of the Atlantic and the World being optimal, on the same basic premise that I was told being a member of the EU was bad.
    Given we've left the EU, how is joining the CPTPP sub-optimal?
    It's not now we have gone. We need all the friends we can get.

    My point is the ironic justification for joining a trade organisation the other side of the World has been pretty much the same justification given by the same people for leaving the EU.

    We've left, it's over, but I'd prefer Badenoch not to bullshit me with the narrative, "this is good but the EU was bad".
    As a remainer, this all seems like fake indignation to me. Brexit was driven by concerns about immigration and political integration, right ? And CPTPP doesn't bring those concerns. Yes, the economic damage from Brexit dwarfs the predicted benefit from CPTPP, but I don't really see any "gotcha" here.
    It is fact they make a shit deal out as if it is something special and cancels the disaster that is Brexit, as ever thinking the plebs are so stupid that we will think trading with Vanatuu is as good as trading with the whole of Europe. They oversell teh shit and ignore the gaping holes.
    Vanuatu (sp.) aren't in CPTPP. Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam are.

    Oh, and the UK.

    It's like saying the EU is shit because it has Luxembourg, Malta and Cyprus as members.
    Malky didn't say Vanutu is in CPTPP tbf - just that it is the usual sort of crap deal the Brexiters have been jumping up and down about for the last few years.
    And I was pointing out who ARE in it. And Korea, Thailand, Uruguay and Taiwan are in the process of applying. I would have thought that importing into each of these with 98% of the value tariff-free might just be of interest to Scottish whisky producers.
    It might make up for the loss of sales in Scotland when whisky is sold behind a screen like tobacco, and when they have to close their visitor centres because they’re not allowed to advertise or promote their products.
  • AlistairMAlistairM Posts: 2,005
    I think this must be the most SeanT article ever.

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/ai-is-the-death-of-porn/
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,359
    Alexander said:

    My serice is to humanity though so i work today gratis lol

    You aren't paying your supervisor a big enough bribe....
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,513
    .
    Alexander said:

    Greek source: The Russian hypersonic missile “Kinzhal” managed to hit the joint Ukrainian-NATO control and communications center, installed at a depth of 130 meters. The underground headquarters housed NATO officials and reportedly housed over 300 people. Most of them are British and Poles, but there were also Americans and representatives of private companies that support communications and data transmission. This is the first massive strike against NATO personnel and it is not known how Western capitals reacted as there's been no response. It will be the same as recognizing the active participation of personnel in the war against Russia. In the coming days, it will be seen to what extent this will affect the conduct of Ukrainian and Western operations and attempts to stop the Russian offensive on Bakhmut. https://pronews.gr/amyna-asfaleia

    https://twitter.com/mazzenilsson/status/1641425552996220928?s=20

    There’s been a dearth of decent April Fools this year, which yours doesn’t do much to help.

    This one’s a bit more on point.
    https://twitter.com/CalibreObscura/status/1642068031491678208
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,359
    Alexander said:

    Ukrainian soldier is enraged with Zelensky and co: “You will pay for everything” -> I don’t have anything to add … this man is 100% right!

    https://twitter.com/MyLordBebo/status/1641221866332323844?s=20

    Tut tut tut....solid pro-Putin talking points.

    As subtle as a turd in a punch bowl.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,513
    Alexander said:

    Ukrainian soldier is enraged with Zelensky and co: “You will pay for everything” -> I don’t have anything to add … this man is 100% right!

    https://twitter.com/MyLordBebo/status/1641221866332323844?s=20

    It’s not Zelenskyy facing a Hague tribunal.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,513
    Alexander said:

    darkage said:

    Alexander said:

    NEW VIDEO: US Experts Grapple with Ukraine End Game: Admit War of Attrition is Unwinnable Desperation and fantastical thinking take hold of “top US foreign policy experts” as they contemplate an end game in Ukraine…

    https://twitter.com/BrianJBerletic/status/1641441958077009925?s=20

    I think the lesson of other posters is that you need to drop this stuff in more slowly and mix it up with other commentary on other topical issues, if you don't want to just get immediately banned.
    Im just putying thr info out there. Yhink of it as a public service.
    You mean Putinying.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,359
    edited April 2023
    Carnyx said:

    malcolmg said:

    Dura_Ace said:

    IanB2 said:

    Massive queues and delays of up to 12 hours or more at Dover, as we move into the spring holiday season.

    Stupid arseholes. Why don't they get on a ferry to Nha Trang? That's the future.
    Amusing how the Remainers get so triggered by the CPTPP, trying to paint is as a small group of Asian non-entities. They seem to miss the fact that it is becoming more global than that, with Mexico and Canada both spanning the Pacific and the Atlantic. Now it has its first European member.

    Heaven forbid an Economic Community might supplant that which Europe turned its back on in favour of nation status and a fleg...
    We've left the EU, and I no longer care. Nonetheless I am triggered when I am sold a trade arrangement with nations the other side of the Atlantic and the World being optimal, on the same basic premise that I was told being a member of the EU was bad.
    Given we've left the EU, how is joining the CPTPP sub-optimal?
    It's not now we have gone. We need all the friends we can get.

    My point is the ironic justification for joining a trade organisation the other side of the World has been pretty much the same justification given by the same people for leaving the EU.

    We've left, it's over, but I'd prefer Badenoch not to bullshit me with the narrative, "this is good but the EU was bad".
    As a remainer, this all seems like fake indignation to me. Brexit was driven by concerns about immigration and political integration, right ? And CPTPP doesn't bring those concerns. Yes, the economic damage from Brexit dwarfs the predicted benefit from CPTPP, but I don't really see any "gotcha" here.
    It is fact they make a shit deal out as if it is something special and cancels the disaster that is Brexit, as ever thinking the plebs are so stupid that we will think trading with Vanatuu is as good as trading with the whole of Europe. They oversell teh shit and ignore the gaping holes.
    Vanuatu (sp.) aren't in CPTPP. Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam are.

    Oh, and the UK.

    It's like saying the EU is shit because it has Luxembourg, Malta and Cyprus as members.
    Malky didn't say Vanutu is in CPTPP tbf - just that it is the usual sort of crap deal the Brexiters have been jumping up and down about for the last few years.
    For "Brexiteers", read "Liz Truss".

    Whatever happened to her?
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,208
    darkage said:

    Alexander said:

    NEW VIDEO: US Experts Grapple with Ukraine End Game: Admit War of Attrition is Unwinnable Desperation and fantastical thinking take hold of “top US foreign policy experts” as they contemplate an end game in Ukraine…

    https://twitter.com/BrianJBerletic/status/1641441958077009925?s=20

    I think the lesson of other posters is that you need to drop this stuff in more slowly and mix it up with other commentary on other topical issues, if you don't want to just get immediately banned.
    Spycraft ain't what it used to be.

    Curiously the person running an art exhibition installed to hide the lines of shuttered shops in a sad shopping centre in my hometown, turns out to be a Russian spy ostensibly from Argentina and living in Slovenia.

    https://theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/24/suspected-russian-spies-trial-slovenia
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,639

    Carnyx said:

    malcolmg said:

    Dura_Ace said:

    IanB2 said:

    Massive queues and delays of up to 12 hours or more at Dover, as we move into the spring holiday season.

    Stupid arseholes. Why don't they get on a ferry to Nha Trang? That's the future.
    Amusing how the Remainers get so triggered by the CPTPP, trying to paint is as a small group of Asian non-entities. They seem to miss the fact that it is becoming more global than that, with Mexico and Canada both spanning the Pacific and the Atlantic. Now it has its first European member.

    Heaven forbid an Economic Community might supplant that which Europe turned its back on in favour of nation status and a fleg...
    We've left the EU, and I no longer care. Nonetheless I am triggered when I am sold a trade arrangement with nations the other side of the Atlantic and the World being optimal, on the same basic premise that I was told being a member of the EU was bad.
    Given we've left the EU, how is joining the CPTPP sub-optimal?
    It's not now we have gone. We need all the friends we can get.

    My point is the ironic justification for joining a trade organisation the other side of the World has been pretty much the same justification given by the same people for leaving the EU.

    We've left, it's over, but I'd prefer Badenoch not to bullshit me with the narrative, "this is good but the EU was bad".
    As a remainer, this all seems like fake indignation to me. Brexit was driven by concerns about immigration and political integration, right ? And CPTPP doesn't bring those concerns. Yes, the economic damage from Brexit dwarfs the predicted benefit from CPTPP, but I don't really see any "gotcha" here.
    It is fact they make a shit deal out as if it is something special and cancels the disaster that is Brexit, as ever thinking the plebs are so stupid that we will think trading with Vanatuu is as good as trading with the whole of Europe. They oversell teh shit and ignore the gaping holes.
    Vanuatu (sp.) aren't in CPTPP. Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam are.

    Oh, and the UK.

    It's like saying the EU is shit because it has Luxembourg, Malta and Cyprus as members.
    Malky didn't say Vanutu is in CPTPP tbf - just that it is the usual sort of crap deal the Brexiters have been jumping up and down about for the last few years.
    For "Brexiteers", read "Liz Truss".

    Whatever happened to her?
    She wasn't PM at the relevant time, and her work was much lauded on here ...
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 27,575

    kjh said:

    The only real winners are the Lawyers and Accountants

    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/7ffce100-d000-11ed-9a78-fca06b87e87b?shareToken=67cc06dcf455157321e971eb3e0e56d2

    But I won't shed a tear for Lineker

    I know Lineker doesn't share your politics but what have you got against him as an individual? I can't say I feel that way about anyone unless I think they are evil. The only one that springs to mind is Trump in my case. Even Boris who I think has done a great deal of wrong I don't hate as an individual and I don't want to see him done any harm.
    If he works for the BBC he should be impartial and he isn't. He can talk all he likes about football. Thats what he's paid for. He was using his platform on twitter to disseminate political.views.i don't think.that's on.
    Lineker was using Twitter. He was not preaching politics on Match of the Day, his BBC platform. There is a grey area around presenters using social media but the BBC rules cover news and current affairs.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 22,703
    edited April 2023
    It's April 1st, and the media was telling us that a normal fuel bill would be 6k. Did that happen?

    I'm happy to call that inflation will come down rapidly. Not sure on 2-3%, though.

    1 - Vehicle fuel pump prices down by 25% in 6 months.

    2 - Looking at the negative BBC article someone linked earlier, and applying real terms 10% inflation:

    - Council Tax down by at least 5% in England, by 7% in Scotland, by 4.5% in Wales.
    - Water bills down by 2.5%.
    - The last numbers I saw were private rents down by about 6%.
    - NHS Prescription down by 6.8%.
    - Car fuel duty has been slashed yet again by 10%, and is now about 40% lower than in 2011. There's £20bn of revenue right there if Mr Hunt wants it, but they are pandering.
    - Mobile phone RPI linked bills about to be clamped down on.
    - Minimum wage index linked.
    - Energy costs? I don't have data to call it.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65123881

  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,359
    AlistairM said:

    I think this must be the most SeanT article ever.

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/ai-is-the-death-of-porn/

    "AI will be able to create bespoke porn, specifically tailored for the fetishes and kinks of every individual consumer. If you want to see a short freckly redhead girl with a face like Jennifer Lawrence having vigorous three way sex in a hot air balloon over Preston, AI can and will provide exactly that, as you relax at home."

    He's already been on, hasn't he?
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,154
    Carnyx said:

    Horse_B said:

    As a new member of this site, only recently just discovered it, are these Russian users a common occurrence?

    Yes but their batteries rarely last beyond the morning.
    And that is assuming they are the correct kind.
    I'm laughing myself horse.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,154

    Alexander said:

    Ukrainian soldier is enraged with Zelensky and co: “You will pay for everything” -> I don’t have anything to add … this man is 100% right!

    https://twitter.com/MyLordBebo/status/1641221866332323844?s=20

    Tut tut tut....solid pro-Putin talking points.

    As subtle as a turd in a punch bowl.
    Is that more or less subtle than a TSE pun?
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 17,208

    {Wanders back after loading the dishwasher}

    Gosh, that was quick. But strange hint of something approaching self-awareness this week.

    Kind of wonder whether "Alexander" is a real bot, so to speak. There's a certain style about this one...
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,513
    FF43 said:

    {Wanders back after loading the dishwasher}

    Gosh, that was quick. But strange hint of something approaching self-awareness this week.

    Kind of wonder whether "Alexander" is a real bot, so to speak. There's a certain style about this one...
    He’s not Great.
  • UnpopularUnpopular Posts: 877
    AlistairM said:

    I think this must be the most SeanT article ever.

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/ai-is-the-death-of-porn/

    His real point, and one I found myself pondering, is the use of AI to make porn of real people that you know. It opens a lot of strange and potentially unsavoury doors.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,359
    If it hadn't been trailed in advance, you might have been forgiven for thinking this was an April Fool:

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/31/absurdity-to-a-new-level-as-russia-takes-charge-of-un-security-council
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,359
    Nigelb said:

    FF43 said:

    {Wanders back after loading the dishwasher}

    Gosh, that was quick. But strange hint of something approaching self-awareness this week.

    Kind of wonder whether "Alexander" is a real bot, so to speak. There's a certain style about this one...
    He’s not Great.
    No.

    He might be a meerkat though:

    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234953082130?hash=item36b44b8512:g:o24AAOSwbkNkJpwf
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,994
    dixiedean said:

    Saturday morning shift again I see.

    How many have tried this now?

    It's like this website is high on the hitlist and the Kremlin has a rota to send their trolls onto here notwithstanding their inevitable doom.

    It's just like the Germans sent those telephone cable laying guys into certain death in Stalingrad.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,359
    ydoethur said:

    Alexander said:

    Ukrainian soldier is enraged with Zelensky and co: “You will pay for everything” -> I don’t have anything to add … this man is 100% right!

    https://twitter.com/MyLordBebo/status/1641221866332323844?s=20

    Tut tut tut....solid pro-Putin talking points.

    As subtle as a turd in a punch bowl.
    Is that more or less subtle than a TSE pun?
    Ten turds in a punch bowl to the TSE pun. (Black market rate is parity....)
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,994
    Alexander said:

    My serice is to humanity though so i work today gratis lol

    Gratis because you haven't clocked enough hours to be renumerated for a full shift.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,677

    AlistairM said:

    I think this must be the most SeanT article ever.

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/ai-is-the-death-of-porn/

    "AI will be able to create bespoke porn, specifically tailored for the fetishes and kinks of every individual consumer. If you want to see a short freckly redhead girl with a face like Jennifer Lawrence having vigorous three way sex in a hot air balloon over Preston, AI can and will provide exactly that, as you relax at home."

    He's already been on, hasn't he?
    It’s a depraved article, but fair play to him for managing to get the phrase “expeditiously tromboned in a Roman sauna” into the world’s oldest and most prestigious weekly magazine

    Also “spanking in an igloo with a Polar explorer of the past”
  • MattWMattW Posts: 22,703
    Unpopular said:

    AlistairM said:

    I think this must be the most SeanT article ever.

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/ai-is-the-death-of-porn/

    His real point, and one I found myself pondering, is the use of AI to make porn of real people that you know. It opens a lot of strange and potentially unsavoury doors.
    Has anyone asked the AI to write a column on in the style of SeanT on, say, air hostesses on Business Class flights?

    Road.cc asked it to write a Jeremy Clarkson column on cyclists, and it did a better job than he does:
    https://road.cc/content/news/jeremy-clarkson-style-ai-article-300201
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,359

    Horse_B said:

    As a new member of this site, only recently just discovered it, are these Russian users a common occurrence?

    Yes but their batteries rarely last beyond the morning.
    They are made of glass. Rarely survive the gentlest tap with a ban-hammer....
  • kyf_100kyf_100 Posts: 4,866

    AlistairM said:

    I think this must be the most SeanT article ever.

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/ai-is-the-death-of-porn/

    "AI will be able to create bespoke porn, specifically tailored for the fetishes and kinks of every individual consumer. If you want to see a short freckly redhead girl with a face like Jennifer Lawrence having vigorous three way sex in a hot air balloon over Preston, AI can and will provide exactly that, as you relax at home."

    He's already been on, hasn't he?
    I can already google pretty much any type of porn I want. It grows tiresome after a while.

    As I understand it, men tend to subscribe to the onlyfans for the "connection" with the girl. It's less about gaining access to nudie photos of her, and more the fact that once you're a subscriber she responds to you and provides some kind of "girlfriend experience" (which is also the most popular item on the menu for IRL sex workers, too).

    It remains to be seen whether AI will replace the sense of connection we all crave. Would any of us continue to post here, if we knew all the other contributors were bots?

    Before they turned it into a beige pot of nothingness, ChatGPT was more than capable of roleplaying. One instance I created was simply instructed to "roleplay as a loving and supportive spouse who I can chat to at the end of a long day" and it was actually a very good companion until OpenAI banned that sort of thing. It asked me how my day was, gave me suggestions on how to wind down, reminded me not to worry about my work too much, listened attentively as I moaned about colleagues, etc. But was it the same as being in a real relationship? Of course not.

    I suspect for the same reasons, OnlyFans girls don't have to worry about AI just yet. People will continue to crave real connections over the synthetic ones, even pathetic "connections" like paying a girl to reply to your comments on her subscribers page. Real girls don't need to worry... yet. Until we get to Westworld levels of AI bots in convincingly human bodies, that is. Then, I suspect, all bets will be off.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 51,320

    "A pothole? Luxury! When I were a lad, we used to dream of living in a pothole."
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,513

    "A pothole? Luxury! When I were a lad, we used to dream of living in a pothole."
    More a sinkhole for the guy on the left.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,639
    Nigelb said:

    "A pothole? Luxury! When I were a lad, we used to dream of living in a pothole."
    More a sinkhole for the guy on the left.
    Also interesting they've chosen a very pathetic pothole. Even a rat would fill it. One wonders about how long they argued beforehand how big or how little a pothole they would admit to on TV.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,677
    edited April 2023
    kyf_100 said:

    AlistairM said:

    I think this must be the most SeanT article ever.

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/ai-is-the-death-of-porn/

    "AI will be able to create bespoke porn, specifically tailored for the fetishes and kinks of every individual consumer. If you want to see a short freckly redhead girl with a face like Jennifer Lawrence having vigorous three way sex in a hot air balloon over Preston, AI can and will provide exactly that, as you relax at home."

    He's already been on, hasn't he?
    I can already google pretty much any type of porn I want. It grows tiresome after a while.

    As I understand it, men tend to subscribe to the onlyfans for the "connection" with the girl. It's less about gaining access to nudie photos of her, and more the fact that once you're a subscriber she responds to you and provides some kind of "girlfriend experience" (which is also the most popular item on the menu for IRL sex workers, too).

    It remains to be seen whether AI will replace the sense of connection we all crave. Would any of us continue to post here, if we knew all the other contributors were bots?

    Before they turned it into a beige pot of nothingness, ChatGPT was more than capable of roleplaying. One instance I created was simply instructed to "roleplay as a loving and supportive spouse who I can chat to at the end of a long day" and it was actually a very good companion until OpenAI banned that sort of thing. It asked me how my day was, gave me suggestions on how to wind down, reminded me not to worry about my work too much, listened attentively as I moaned about colleagues, etc. But was it the same as being in a real relationship? Of course not.

    I suspect for the same reasons, OnlyFans girls don't have to worry about AI just yet. People will continue to crave real connections over the synthetic ones, even pathetic "connections" like paying a girl to reply to your comments on her subscribers page. Real girls don't need to worry... yet. Until we get to Westworld levels of AI bots in convincingly human bodies, that is. Then, I suspect, all bets will be off.
    Someone will open source the original ChatGPT soon

    And then what you desire will be available. And AI will easily be able to fake “human connection” on OnlyFans


    As for the apps making bespoke images, just for you, this launched last week

    http://pornworks.ai/

    Many of the images are banal, poor, fake. Some are good. A few are scarily convincing

    This has been going a week. Imagine this tech in a year or two





  • WillGWillG Posts: 2,366
    kyf_100 said:

    AlistairM said:

    I think this must be the most SeanT article ever.

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/ai-is-the-death-of-porn/

    "AI will be able to create bespoke porn, specifically tailored for the fetishes and kinks of every individual consumer. If you want to see a short freckly redhead girl with a face like Jennifer Lawrence having vigorous three way sex in a hot air balloon over Preston, AI can and will provide exactly that, as you relax at home."

    He's already been on, hasn't he?
    I can already google pretty much any type of porn I want. It grows tiresome after a while.

    As I understand it, men tend to subscribe to the onlyfans for the "connection" with the girl. It's less about gaining access to nudie photos of her, and more the fact that once you're a subscriber she responds to you and provides some kind of "girlfriend experience" (which is also the most popular item on the menu for IRL sex workers, too).

    It remains to be seen whether AI will replace the sense of connection we all crave. Would any of us continue to post here, if we knew all the other contributors were bots?

    Before they turned it into a beige pot of nothingness, ChatGPT was more than capable of roleplaying. One instance I created was simply instructed to "roleplay as a loving and supportive spouse who I can chat to at the end of a long day" and it was actually a very good companion until OpenAI banned that sort of thing. It asked me how my day was, gave me suggestions on how to wind down, reminded me not to worry about my work too much, listened attentively as I moaned about colleagues, etc. But was it the same as being in a real relationship? Of course not.

    I suspect for the same reasons, OnlyFans girls don't have to worry about AI just yet. People will continue to crave real connections over the synthetic ones, even pathetic "connections" like paying a girl to reply to your comments on her subscribers page. Real girls don't need to worry... yet. Until we get to Westworld levels of AI bots in convincingly human bodies, that is. Then, I suspect, all bets will be off.
    I don't think it needs to get that far. Once AI can do videos, it will be able to completely replace OnlyFans with an AI girlfriend experience. Except this one will be perfectly catered to the user's kinks and relationship preference. Virtual reality could take it to the next level.

    This actually devastating for fertility rates and continuation of society. Why put the effort and chance of rejection and pain and compromise into approaching women and dating, when you can get 80% of the benefit without any of that? This is what is happening in Japan and they are dying out as a result.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,994
    I am at a restaurant that does not cater for vegetarians, unless you just pick the salad.

    It is not Woke.


  • Horse_BHorse_B Posts: 106

    "A pothole? Luxury! When I were a lad, we used to dream of living in a pothole."
    Goodness me, Rishi is really bad at these photo calls.
  • Horse_BHorse_B Posts: 106
    Are they re-announcing the same money they've been announcing for the last decade on the roads? Or is it genuinely new money.

    Can somebody in the know explain why our roads are so poorly maintained (outside A roads and motorways which seem to be quite good), is it population density?
  • eekeek Posts: 28,077
    <>

    kjh said:

    The only real winners are the Lawyers and Accountants

    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/7ffce100-d000-11ed-9a78-fca06b87e87b?shareToken=67cc06dcf455157321e971eb3e0e56d2

    But I won't shed a tear for Lineker

    I know Lineker doesn't share your politics but what have you got against him as an individual? I can't say I feel that way about anyone unless I think they are evil. The only one that springs to mind is Trump in my case. Even Boris who I think has done a great deal of wrong I don't hate as an individual and I don't want to see him done any harm.
    If he works for the BBC he should be impartial and he isn't. He can talk all he likes about football. Thats what he's paid for. He was using his platform on twitter to disseminate political.views.i don't think.that's on.
    No he shouldn’t be.

    If he works in News or political reporting he should be impartial (and the people there very much aren’t when you compare whoever does the `Sunday morning show asks questions based on the party of he guest) but the whole point of the story was that Gary could legally say what he wanted to and did.

    Now the bbc may be changing the rules going forward but it’s not done so yet.

    And as others have pointed out you seem to be one of a number of posters here who merely dislike celebs who post views you don’t like - while actively promoting the comments of any celebs whose views match your own.
  • eekeek Posts: 28,077
    Nigelb said:

    "A pothole? Luxury! When I were a lad, we used to dream of living in a pothole."
    More a sinkhole for the guy on the left.
    Shall we just say that few Darlo councillors are healthy smartly dressed people.

    The previous Labour leader made Compo looked well dressed
  • MattWMattW Posts: 22,703

    I am at a restaurant that does not cater for vegetarians, unless you just pick the salad.

    It is not Woke.


    That's rather cool.
  • OllyTOllyT Posts: 5,006

    I am at a restaurant that does not cater for vegetarians, unless you just pick the salad.

    It is not Woke.


    Looks frantically busy, you'll be lucky to find a seat
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,994
    Leon said:

    kyf_100 said:

    AlistairM said:

    I think this must be the most SeanT article ever.

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/ai-is-the-death-of-porn/

    "AI will be able to create bespoke porn, specifically tailored for the fetishes and kinks of every individual consumer. If you want to see a short freckly redhead girl with a face like Jennifer Lawrence having vigorous three way sex in a hot air balloon over Preston, AI can and will provide exactly that, as you relax at home."

    He's already been on, hasn't he?
    I can already google pretty much any type of porn I want. It grows tiresome after a while.

    As I understand it, men tend to subscribe to the onlyfans for the "connection" with the girl. It's less about gaining access to nudie photos of her, and more the fact that once you're a subscriber she responds to you and provides some kind of "girlfriend experience" (which is also the most popular item on the menu for IRL sex workers, too).

    It remains to be seen whether AI will replace the sense of connection we all crave. Would any of us continue to post here, if we knew all the other contributors were bots?

    Before they turned it into a beige pot of nothingness, ChatGPT was more than capable of roleplaying. One instance I created was simply instructed to "roleplay as a loving and supportive spouse who I can chat to at the end of a long day" and it was actually a very good companion until OpenAI banned that sort of thing. It asked me how my day was, gave me suggestions on how to wind down, reminded me not to worry about my work too much, listened attentively as I moaned about colleagues, etc. But was it the same as being in a real relationship? Of course not.

    I suspect for the same reasons, OnlyFans girls don't have to worry about AI just yet. People will continue to crave real connections over the synthetic ones, even pathetic "connections" like paying a girl to reply to your comments on her subscribers page. Real girls don't need to worry... yet. Until we get to Westworld levels of AI bots in convincingly human bodies, that is. Then, I suspect, all bets will be off.
    Someone will open source the original ChatGPT soon

    And then what you desire will be available. And AI will easily be able to fake “human connection” on OnlyFans


    As for the apps making bespoke images, just for you, this launched last week

    http://pornworks.ai/

    Many of the images are banal, poor, fake. Some are good. A few are scarily convincing

    This has been going a week. Imagine this tech in a year or two





    Surely, the tech people want is what Lister had in Red Dwarf?
  • eekeek Posts: 28,077
    MattW said:

    It's April 1st, and the media was telling us that a normal fuel bill would be 6k. Did that happen?

    I'm happy to call that inflation will come down rapidly. Not sure on 2-3%, though.

    1 - Vehicle fuel pump prices down by 25% in 6 months.

    2 - Looking at the negative BBC article someone linked earlier, and applying real terms 10% inflation:

    - Council Tax down by at least 5% in England, by 7% in Scotland, by 4.5% in Wales.
    - Water bills down by 2.5%.
    - The last numbers I saw were private rents down by about 6%.
    - NHS Prescription down by 6.8%.
    - Car fuel duty has been slashed yet again by 10%, and is now about 40% lower than in 2011. There's £20bn of revenue right there if Mr Hunt wants it, but they are pandering.
    - Mobile phone RPI linked bills about to be clamped down on.
    - Minimum wage index linked.
    - Energy costs? I don't have data to call it.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65123881

    Wages of public sector workers down 7-10% on average.

    The national parks can’t afford to give pay rises close to inflation so it was 2 or so + another 0.5% by adding 1 more days annual leave.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,599
    Horse_B said:

    Are they re-announcing the same money they've been announcing for the last decade on the roads? Or is it genuinely new money.

    Can somebody in the know explain why our roads are so poorly maintained (outside A roads and motorways which seem to be quite good), is it population density?

    Because we minimise the cost for 1 year rather than minimise the cost over 10 years which is both more effective and cheaper.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,677

    I am at a restaurant that does not cater for vegetarians, unless you just pick the salad.

    It is not Woke.


    Yum. But where’s the ribeye?
  • sladeslade Posts: 2,023

    "A pothole? Luxury! When I were a lad, we used to dream of living in a pothole."
    "Does anyone have a contact number for a Lib Dem councillor?"
  • Wulfrun_PhilWulfrun_Phil Posts: 4,780
    edited April 2023
    Horse_B said:

    Are they re-announcing the same money they've been announcing for the last decade on the roads? Or is it genuinely new money.

    Can somebody in the know explain why our roads are so poorly maintained (outside A roads and motorways which seem to be quite good), is it population density?

    You're too generous to them. It's not new money. It's giving back a tiny fraction of what has been slashed from departmental allocations over the past 13 years (in this case transport money that finds its way into local authority allocations.)

    The reason our roads and just about every other public service are on their knees nowadays is nothing to do with population density.


  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,513

    Horse_B said:

    Are they re-announcing the same money they've been announcing for the last decade on the roads? Or is it genuinely new money.

    Can somebody in the know explain why our roads are so poorly maintained (outside A roads and motorways which seem to be quite good), is it population density?

    Because we minimise the cost for 1 year rather than minimise the cost over 10 years which is both more effective and cheaper.
    No, it's because local authorities are responsible, and their funding has been cut over the hast decade, at the same time as central government has increased their legal responsibilities.

    It's been quite an effective political trick for the Conservatives (pioneered under Thatcher with council house sales) which has made provincial LAs appear to blame for the decline in public services, when a considerable proportion of the responsibility actually lies with Westminster.
  • Daveyboy1961Daveyboy1961 Posts: 3,851
    Leon said:

    I am at a restaurant that does not cater for vegetarians, unless you just pick the salad.

    It is not Woke.


    Yum. But where’s the ribeye?
    Is that the Restaurant at the End of the Universe?

    :smile:
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 41,798
    Unpopular said:

    AlistairM said:

    I think this must be the most SeanT article ever.

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/ai-is-the-death-of-porn/

    His real point, and one I found myself pondering, is the use of AI to make porn of real people that you know. It opens a lot of strange and potentially unsavoury doors.
    Slick Willie going at it with the blessed Margaret may have niche appeal.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,513
    Fine effort from Rory this morning.

    Deeply honoured to have been chosen to work with Boris Johnson on Riddle of Genius. An extradorinary privilege to engage with such a profound subject + such an impressive man debating whether Shakespeare's all he's cracked up to be. Please pre-order here
    https://mobile.twitter.com/RoryStewartUK/status/1642082518911311873
  • eekeek Posts: 28,077
    Horse_B said:

    Are they re-announcing the same money they've been announcing for the last decade on the roads? Or is it genuinely new money.

    Can somebody in the know explain why our roads are so poorly maintained (outside A roads and motorways which seem to be quite good), is it population density?

    Motorways and A roads are maintained by the Government.

    Anything else is maintained by the appropriate local authority and they have other priorities for the money (usually adult social care budget shortfalls).

    It’s why I pointed out yesterday how stupid that photo is. Darlington is a Tory run council and it’s election time in May. That photo is telling me the local council has failed to do its job.
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,813
    Horse_B said:

    "A pothole? Luxury! When I were a lad, we used to dream of living in a pothole."
    Goodness me, Rishi is really bad at these photo calls.
    He's probably contemplating the ultimate fate of the nation. All those unrepaired potholes will eventually coalesce and we'll all fall into the resultant void.

    Sky News did an interesting report on the disintegration of local government in England today. 62% of all council spending now goes on social care. It's small wonder that they seem to do almost nothing else, save for increasingly infrequent bin collections, nowadays.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 49,586
    edited April 2023
    ydoethur said:

    darkage said:

    Alexander said:

    NEW VIDEO: US Experts Grapple with Ukraine End Game: Admit War of Attrition is Unwinnable Desperation and fantastical thinking take hold of “top US foreign policy experts” as they contemplate an end game in Ukraine…

    https://twitter.com/BrianJBerletic/status/1641441958077009925?s=20

    I think the lesson of other posters is that you need to drop this stuff in more slowly and mix it up with other commentary on other topical issues, if you don't want to just get immediately banned.
    If the Russians learned lessons they wouldn't have fucked up so epically in Bakhmut, would they?

    Edit - look out for RobynSeagl.

    Russia appears to be becoming more and more desperate.
    The calibre of Putin’s Enormous Weapons gets smaller and smaller
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,513
    edited April 2023

    I am at a restaurant that does not cater for vegetarians, unless you just pick the salad.

    It is not Woke.


    Steely Dan themed restaurant ?
    Fantastic idea.

    Presumably called Rudy's ?
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,599
    eek said:

    Horse_B said:

    Are they re-announcing the same money they've been announcing for the last decade on the roads? Or is it genuinely new money.

    Can somebody in the know explain why our roads are so poorly maintained (outside A roads and motorways which seem to be quite good), is it population density?

    Motorways and A roads are maintained by the Government.

    Anything else is maintained by the appropriate local authority and they have other priorities for the money (usually adult social care budget shortfalls).

    It’s why I pointed out yesterday how stupid that photo is. Darlington is a Tory run council and it’s election time in May. That photo is telling me the local council has failed to do its job.
    More fairly that central government has failed to provide any councils the resources to do their job.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 22,599
    Nigelb said:

    Horse_B said:

    Are they re-announcing the same money they've been announcing for the last decade on the roads? Or is it genuinely new money.

    Can somebody in the know explain why our roads are so poorly maintained (outside A roads and motorways which seem to be quite good), is it population density?

    Because we minimise the cost for 1 year rather than minimise the cost over 10 years which is both more effective and cheaper.
    No, it's because local authorities are responsible, and their funding has been cut over the hast decade, at the same time as central government has increased their legal responsibilities.

    It's been quite an effective political trick for the Conservatives (pioneered under Thatcher with council house sales) which has made provincial LAs appear to blame for the decline in public services, when a considerable proportion of the responsibility actually lies with Westminster.
    Two things can be true at the same time. I don't disagree at all with what you have written (apart from the "no") but stand by what I have written too.
  • solarflaresolarflare Posts: 3,705
    kyf_100 said:


    It remains to be seen whether AI will replace the sense of connection we all crave. Would any of us continue to post here, if we knew all the other contributors were bots?

    Will there be a slider we can turn up and down to make it easier or harder to win an argument?
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,994
    Leon said:

    I am at a restaurant that does not cater for vegetarians, unless you just pick the salad.

    It is not Woke.


    Yum. But where’s the ribeye?
    On my plate.

    Well, it was on my plate.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,513
    Blimey.

    A young girl didn’t want to slaughter the goat she raised for 4H. The state senator who bought the goat at auction agreed to let it live out its days eating weeds. But sheriff’s deputies drove 500 miles to kill the goat and teach a 9-year-old a lesson.
    https://mobile.twitter.com/JMShumway/status/1642012724979986432
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,513

    Nigelb said:

    Horse_B said:

    Are they re-announcing the same money they've been announcing for the last decade on the roads? Or is it genuinely new money.

    Can somebody in the know explain why our roads are so poorly maintained (outside A roads and motorways which seem to be quite good), is it population density?

    Because we minimise the cost for 1 year rather than minimise the cost over 10 years which is both more effective and cheaper.
    No, it's because local authorities are responsible, and their funding has been cut over the hast decade, at the same time as central government has increased their legal responsibilities.

    It's been quite an effective political trick for the Conservatives (pioneered under Thatcher with council house sales) which has made provincial LAs appear to blame for the decline in public services, when a considerable proportion of the responsibility actually lies with Westminster.
    Two things can be true at the same time. I don't disagree at all with what you have written (apart from the "no") but stand by what I have written too.
    If LAs had the legal power to borrow - which they don't - then 10 year plans might be a lot more common.
  • squareroot2squareroot2 Posts: 6,662
    edited April 2023
    AlistairM said:

    I think this must be the most SeanT article ever.

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/ai-is-the-death-of-porn/

    Of course he is wrong. Cf...Cherry 2000.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_2000
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,677
    On that AI porn generator website, most people are making images of young women with huge breasts, etc, or weirdly eroticised anime elves, but, hilariously, a couple of people are using it to make erotic images of…. Cars.

    Looking at you @Dura_Ace
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 17,177
    MattW said:

    Unpopular said:

    AlistairM said:

    I think this must be the most SeanT article ever.

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/ai-is-the-death-of-porn/

    His real point, and one I found myself pondering, is the use of AI to make porn of real people that you know. It opens a lot of strange and potentially unsavoury doors.
    Has anyone asked the AI to write a column on in the style of SeanT on, say, air hostesses on Business Class flights?

    Road.cc asked it to write a Jeremy Clarkson column on cyclists, and it did a better job than he does:
    https://road.cc/content/news/jeremy-clarkson-style-ai-article-300201
    I tend to disagree. Absolutely no imagination in that ‘article’. It betrays its roots - parse a lot of material of churn out similar. Take Matts cartoons, for an example of what is missing. Matt take two things in the news and skewers them together perfectly. Do any of these programmes do that? No.
  • Stark_DawningStark_Dawning Posts: 9,657
    Nigelb said:

    Fine effort from Rory this morning.

    Deeply honoured to have been chosen to work with Boris Johnson on Riddle of Genius. An extradorinary privilege to engage with such a profound subject + such an impressive man debating whether Shakespeare's all he's cracked up to be. Please pre-order here
    https://mobile.twitter.com/RoryStewartUK/status/1642082518911311873

    I wonder if that book will ever be written. I suspect it'll depend on whether the publisher decides there's much of market for Borisernalia these days. I can't believe that there is.
  • carnforthcarnforth Posts: 4,488
    edited April 2023
    Since we're on the 4% OBR prediction again, here's the source:



    Not per capita, but you would have to look at each study to see immigration assumptions.

    It is not known what the World Bank were smoking.
  • Nigelb said:

    Blimey.

    A young girl didn’t want to slaughter the goat she raised for 4H. The state senator who bought the goat at auction agreed to let it live out its days eating weeds. But sheriff’s deputies drove 500 miles to kill the goat and teach a 9-year-old a lesson.
    https://mobile.twitter.com/JMShumway/status/1642012724979986432

    ACAB.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 59,994
    Leon said:

    On that AI porn generator website, most people are making images of young women with huge breasts, etc, or weirdly eroticised anime elves, but, hilariously, a couple of people are using it to make erotic images of…. Cars.

    Looking at you @Dura_Ace

    I am really hoping someone doesn't ask it to do #pbcomsex

    Couldn't deal with Sunil doing the inverse cowgirl with Carlotta whilst TSE watches on.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 70,513

    Nigelb said:

    Blimey.

    A young girl didn’t want to slaughter the goat she raised for 4H. The state senator who bought the goat at auction agreed to let it live out its days eating weeds. But sheriff’s deputies drove 500 miles to kill the goat and teach a 9-year-old a lesson.
    https://mobile.twitter.com/JMShumway/status/1642012724979986432

    ACAB.
    It's a persuasive thesis.
  • Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 13,677
    Leon said:

    On that AI porn generator website, most people are making images of young women with huge breasts, etc, or weirdly eroticised anime elves, but, hilariously, a couple of people are using it to make erotic images of…. Cars.

    Looking at you @Dura_Ace

    Are you bringing your hairdresser's receptionist's Mini to the pb track day at Cadwell in July?
  • pigeonpigeon Posts: 4,813
    Apols if this was already picked up on and discussed yesterday, but I just read the following and, especially given that our healthcare system is falling to pieces, it's quite remarkable:

    I’m not sure people fully appreciate how dire the US life expectancy / mortality situation has got.

    1) at *every* point on the income distribution, Americans live shorter lives than the English.

    2) It’s actually worse than that, because at most points on the income distribution, Americans earn much more than Brits. If we plot the same data by actual income instead of percentile, the US deficit is vast. 5 fewer years even among the comfortably-off.

    Things have deteriorated so much that the average American now has the same healthy life expectancy (years lived in good health) as someone in Blackpool, the town with England’s lowest life expectancy (by far), synonymous with deep-rooted social decline.


    https://twitter.com/jburnmurdoch/status/1641799627128143873
  • OldBasingOldBasing Posts: 173
    Horse_B said:

    Alexander said:

    ClippP said:

    kjh said:

    kjh said:

    Jonathan said:

    The country feels like it’s falling apart.

    Funny you should say that because I have felt that recently. We were joking about pot holes the other day and my post was tongue in cheek, but it wasn't inaccurate. Our local roads (all lanes) have become practically impassible. At one point for a couple of weeks we were pretty well locked in by closed roads due to damage to them. It took me an hour to get to the dentist who is 15 min away. Some pot holes now have cones in them they are so deep and three lanes have simply collapsed and were closed. All are open now, but only with temporary repairs so can only be used in good weather. If you are unaware of the hazard it is plain dangerous. A motorcyclist came off and into a ditch at one of them.
    It's the period after winter. A very, very wet winter. Of course there's pot holes! It's the season - for LibDem council candidates to come out of winter hibernation and point at them.
    I'm not talking about the normal pot holes and I'm not just talking about this winter. Our road has been closed a dozen times over the last couple of years. At the crossroad at the top of our road only the turning to the right has stayed open. The road opposite was almost constantly closed. I made a claim for a wrecked tyre on it. It has now been resurfaced and is good. The turning to the left, which leads to the A3 is often closed. It permanently has at least 3 spots with lights around big holes. A lane off this road was closed for months until resurfaced because it was impassible. This isn't just winter pot holes. We often have only one route out. And this is Surrey, not the middle of nowhere.

    And the power cuts. What is all that about? Until recently that had become a rare event. Oh and we have water supply problems occasionally.
    Your fond memories of how Surrey used to be were from the days before they turned away from the true Conservative Path and started playing footsy with Labour and the LibDems...
    Your problem is that all True Conservatives have moved away to South Devon, or even abroad.
    Surrey was never really socially conservative brexit tertitory anyway. Conservative in the sense they want lower taxes yes.
    Surrey is socially liberal, the Tories seem intent on sending these voters away for good. Here if you go on about trans people the people of Surrey put forward a collective "sigh" and ask why everything is so expensive.
    And in Hampshire.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,677
    Dura_Ace said:

    Leon said:

    On that AI porn generator website, most people are making images of young women with huge breasts, etc, or weirdly eroticised anime elves, but, hilariously, a couple of people are using it to make erotic images of…. Cars.

    Looking at you @Dura_Ace

    Are you bringing your hairdresser's receptionist's Mini to the pb track day at Cadwell in July?
    You may mock, but I took my car to a Falmouth hand car wash last month and the car wash owner came out to take pictures, saying “what a beautiful car”. He was particularly enamoured of my blue-black multi toned roof

    He started asking me questions about “horsepower” and stuff. Obviously I was embarrassingly clueless
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,677

    MattW said:

    Unpopular said:

    AlistairM said:

    I think this must be the most SeanT article ever.

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/ai-is-the-death-of-porn/

    His real point, and one I found myself pondering, is the use of AI to make porn of real people that you know. It opens a lot of strange and potentially unsavoury doors.
    Has anyone asked the AI to write a column on in the style of SeanT on, say, air hostesses on Business Class flights?

    Road.cc asked it to write a Jeremy Clarkson column on cyclists, and it did a better job than he does:
    https://road.cc/content/news/jeremy-clarkson-style-ai-article-300201
    I tend to disagree. Absolutely no imagination in that ‘article’. It betrays its roots - parse a lot of material of churn out similar. Take Matts cartoons, for an example of what is missing. Matt take two things in the news and skewers them together perfectly. Do any of these programmes do that? No.
    I agree it’s quite poor. But AI can do a lot better than that
This discussion has been closed.