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Even CON voters think that ministers should provide all the COVID-19 messages – politicalbetting.com

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  • pingping Posts: 3,805
    edited June 2023

    ydoethur said:

    My camera does it scant justice but there is a stunningly beautiful moon visible tonight from Cannock at least. Must be near the perigee and I think the dust is turning it yellow.

    I just got a new phonerecently - the Galaxy S23 Ultra. These days I choose phones as much for the camera as the rest of it. In this case it has a 200 megapixel camera and I use it to its limits. Two photos taken today. One of that same moon and one of a Common Blue butterfly in the meadow. First of the year for me



    Nice pics. I almost feel a bit guilty posting this….

    https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/13/23637401/samsung-fake-moon-photos-ai-galaxy-s21-s23-ultra
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,864

    HYUFD said:

    Foxy said:

    .

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    nico679 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Another tinpot character cosplaying Churchill.

    DeSantis: As president, I recognize that the woke mind virus represents a war on the truth so we will wage a war on the woke. We will fight the woke in education, we will fight the woke in corporations, we will fight the woke in the halls of congress.
    https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1665086349483835392

    He really is an arsehole . And for a right wing nutjob to suggest that there’s woke mind virus war on the truth is astonishing . I hope Trump destroys him in the primaries . It’s a sad day when Trump looks the better alternative !
    There certainly is in many of our colleges and universities, De Santis is only saying what a lot of ordinary Americans think
    Our colleges and universities are teaching different things to what you believe. That doesn’t mean they’re fighting a “war on truth”. It could be that academics studying a field have updated that field since you were at school.
    Towards a leftist interpretation of history and culture in particular yes
    Does a leftist interpretation mean mentioning that slavery existed and that gay people exist?

    Nobody has never denied the former, it is trashing Churchill, an obsession with slavery (which the RN played a key part in ending) a trashing of the past and a pursuance of a Marxist view of history against so called western imperialism and cultural supremacy the right is fighting back against in the next phase of the culture wars. Gay history is old news it is trans history now
    That really is a bizarre caricature of the modern world. Don't disappear down the same rabbit hole that Plato did.
    It certainly isn't some extremist position, it is what most conservatives and rightwingers across the western world feel now and indeed increasingly many non aligned centrists too
    Right wingers yes but not most conservatives who are simply not on your page
    Oh absolutely most conservatives, indeed I would say most Conservative and ReformUK voters would take an even more hostile attitude to Wokeism and the Marxist view of heritage and culture than I do
  • SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 17,559

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    So some scientists apparently say it was wrong for the government to try and help restaurants and cafes to get some much needed income after the winter lockdown via 'Eat Out to help out' in summer 2020. Apart from the most austere socialists I would imagine anyone who might even consider voting Tory will probably take Sunak's side on that, as will the hospitality industry
    The hospitality industry could have been given financial support in some other way. No scientific advice was saying, “Don’t support the hospitality industry financially.” The question is whether they could have been supported in some other way without having the same impact on case numbers.
    'Some other way' ie even more borrowing or extra taxes to fund support
    EOTHO cost a lot of money. The budget for that could’ve been spent differently. No extra borrowing or taxes required.

    Of course, the extra cases of COVID-19 cost money in terms of lost productivity and healthcare costs. A proportion of those cases have gone on to be Long COVID, with further lost productivity and healthcare costs, all requiring more borrowing or extra taxes.
    The first point, compared to the fraud / wastage & all the other spurging (e.g. furlough went on far too long)., it was a drop in the ocean for an industry that would have needed propping up regardless.

    The second, there were infinite ways you could get COVID if you returned to going outside and socialising, and going in holiday etc. If it wasn't a restaurant, people were still meeting up in groups regardless. Cases were low at the time, but the foreign holiday season imported and seeded Delta widely across the UK, just in time for new school year.

    I personally don't think the scheme was a brilliant idea, but on the list of mistakes it is well down the list.
    "It's not the crime, it's the cover-up."
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,505
    edited June 2023

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    So some scientists apparently say it was wrong for the government to try and help restaurants and cafes to get some much needed income after the winter lockdown via 'Eat Out to help out' in summer 2020. Apart from the most austere socialists I would imagine anyone who might even consider voting Tory will probably take Sunak's side on that, as will the hospitality industry
    The hospitality industry could have been given financial support in some other way. No scientific advice was saying, “Don’t support the hospitality industry financially.” The question is whether they could have been supported in some other way without having the same impact on case numbers.
    'Some other way' ie even more borrowing or extra taxes to fund support
    EOTHO cost a lot of money. The budget for that could’ve been spent differently. No extra borrowing or taxes required.

    Of course, the extra cases of COVID-19 cost money in terms of lost productivity and healthcare costs. A proportion of those cases have gone on to be Long COVID, with further lost productivity and healthcare costs, all requiring more borrowing or extra taxes.
    The first point, compared to the fraud / wastage & all the other spurging (e.g. furlough went on far too long)., it was a drop in the ocean for an industry that would have needed propping up regardless.

    The second, there were infinite ways you could get COVID if you returned to going outside and socialising, and going in holiday etc. If it wasn't a restaurant, people were still meeting up in groups regardless. Cases were low at the time, but the foreign holiday season imported and seeded Delta widely across the UK, just in time for new school year.

    I personally don't think the scheme was a brilliant idea, but on the list of mistakes it is well down the list.
    "It's not the crime, it's the cover-up."
    We aren't talking about Schofield again are we?

    More seriously, i think the level of fraud in the Sunak business support schemes seems far more of a scandal, than perhaps a misguided scheme to stop hospitality going bust when cases were low.
  • MightyAlexMightyAlex Posts: 1,690

    ydoethur said:

    My camera does it scant justice but there is a stunningly beautiful moon visible tonight from Cannock at least. Must be near the perigee and I think the dust is turning it yellow.

    I just got a new phonerecently - the Galaxy S23 Ultra. These days I choose phones as much for the camera as the rest of it. In this case it has a 200 megapixel camera and I use it to its limits. Two photos taken today. One of that same moon and one of a Common Blue butterfly in the meadow. First of the year for me



    This might be relevant:

    https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/11nzrb0/samsung_space_zoom_moon_shots_are_fake_and_here/
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 49,106

    ydoethur said:

    My camera does it scant justice but there is a stunningly beautiful moon visible tonight from Cannock at least. Must be near the perigee and I think the dust is turning it yellow.

    I just got a new phonerecently - the Galaxy S23 Ultra. These days I choose phones as much for the camera as the rest of it. In this case it has a 200 megapixel camera and I use it to its limits. Two photos taken today. One of that same moon and one of a Common Blue butterfly in the meadow. First of the year for me



    This might be relevant:

    https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/11nzrb0/samsung_space_zoom_moon_shots_are_fake_and_here/
    On the other hand Samsung phones are really very good at macro images of insects etc.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,864
    edited June 2023
    Labour Party membership has fallen by almost 170,000 since 2018 and by approximately 19,000 since last summer, despite tens of thousands of members joining the party over the last year, new figures suggest.
    https://labourlist.org/2023/06/labour-party-members-numbers-membership-how-many-big/

    Despite a big lead in the opinion polls, Starmer has seen Labour membership fall well below where it was at its peak under Jeremy Corbyn
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,505
    HYUFD said:

    Labour Party membership has fallen by almost 170,000 since 2018 and by approximately 19,000 since last summer, despite tens of thousands of members joining the party over the last year, new figures suggest.
    https://labourlist.org/2023/06/labour-party-members-numbers-membership-how-many-big/

    Despite a big lead in the opinion polls Starmer has seen Labour membership fall well below where it was at its peak under Jeremy Corbyn

    I am not sure Starmer will be unhappy that all the trots and marxists lot have gone, especially if he can get prawn sandwich business types to make large donations (rather than trouble makers paying their £50 membership dues).
  • CorrectHorseBatCorrectHorseBat Posts: 1,761
    HYUFD said:

    Labour Party membership has fallen by almost 170,000 since 2018 and by approximately 19,000 since last summer, despite tens of thousands of members joining the party over the last year, new figures suggest.
    https://labourlist.org/2023/06/labour-party-members-numbers-membership-how-many-big/

    Despite a big lead in the opinion polls Starmer has seen Labour membership fall well below where it was at its peak under Jeremy Corbyn

    And?
  • FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,928

    HYUFD said:

    Labour Party membership has fallen by almost 170,000 since 2018 and by approximately 19,000 since last summer, despite tens of thousands of members joining the party over the last year, new figures suggest.
    https://labourlist.org/2023/06/labour-party-members-numbers-membership-how-many-big/

    Despite a big lead in the opinion polls Starmer has seen Labour membership fall well below where it was at its peak under Jeremy Corbyn

    I am not sure Starmer will be unhappy that all the trots and marxists lot have gone, especially if he can get prawn sandwich business types to make large donations (rather than trouble makers paying their £50 membership dues).
    Not really the ideal of a political party though. Mass civic engagement in politics is one thing we have failed quite badly on.
  • Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 32,682

    ydoethur said:

    My camera does it scant justice but there is a stunningly beautiful moon visible tonight from Cannock at least. Must be near the perigee and I think the dust is turning it yellow.

    I just got a new phonerecently - the Galaxy S23 Ultra. These days I choose phones as much for the camera as the rest of it. In this case it has a 200 megapixel camera and I use it to its limits. Two photos taken today. One of that same moon and one of a Common Blue butterfly in the meadow. First of the year for me



    This might be relevant:

    https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/11nzrb0/samsung_space_zoom_moon_shots_are_fake_and_here/
    Not really unless you are claiming I am using AI to change these photos. I take hundreds of such photos each week and never make any changes to them at all.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,505
    edited June 2023

    HYUFD said:

    Labour Party membership has fallen by almost 170,000 since 2018 and by approximately 19,000 since last summer, despite tens of thousands of members joining the party over the last year, new figures suggest.
    https://labourlist.org/2023/06/labour-party-members-numbers-membership-how-many-big/

    Despite a big lead in the opinion polls Starmer has seen Labour membership fall well below where it was at its peak under Jeremy Corbyn

    I am not sure Starmer will be unhappy that all the trots and marxists lot have gone, especially if he can get prawn sandwich business types to make large donations (rather than trouble makers paying their £50 membership dues).
    Not really the ideal of a political party though. Mass civic engagement in politics is one thing we have failed quite badly on.
    To be fair, not all Corbyn groupies were marxists / trots, rather a bit like Trump, people who feel the system doesn't work for them. However, from all the reports, these more moderate types didn't really engage in the local meeting etc (i think more a badge of cool saying they had joined a movement to their online peers). it was the hard left old school nutters taking over local organs of the party.
  • Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 32,682
    ping said:

    ydoethur said:

    My camera does it scant justice but there is a stunningly beautiful moon visible tonight from Cannock at least. Must be near the perigee and I think the dust is turning it yellow.

    I just got a new phonerecently - the Galaxy S23 Ultra. These days I choose phones as much for the camera as the rest of it. In this case it has a 200 megapixel camera and I use it to its limits. Two photos taken today. One of that same moon and one of a Common Blue butterfly in the meadow. First of the year for me



    Nice pics. I almost feel a bit guilty posting this….

    https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/13/23637401/samsung-fake-moon-photos-ai-galaxy-s21-s23-ultra
    As I said to Alex, so what? That article refers to photos manipulated for advertising purposes. These are my own photos taken with my own phone.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,864
    edited June 2023

    HYUFD said:

    Labour Party membership has fallen by almost 170,000 since 2018 and by approximately 19,000 since last summer, despite tens of thousands of members joining the party over the last year, new figures suggest.
    https://labourlist.org/2023/06/labour-party-members-numbers-membership-how-many-big/

    Despite a big lead in the opinion polls Starmer has seen Labour membership fall well below where it was at its peak under Jeremy Corbyn

    I am not sure Starmer will be unhappy that all the trots and marxists lot have gone, especially if he can get prawn sandwich business types to make large donations (rather than trouble makers paying their £50 membership dues).
    Not really the ideal of a political party though. Mass civic engagement in politics is one thing we have failed quite badly on.
    Labour had over 500,000 members under Corbyn, even more than the 400,000 members it had under Blair pre 1997 (which declined rapidly after the 2003 war in Iraq).

    Tory membership rose under Hague. If anything party membership strength could be said to be inversely correlated to electoral success. The most ideological socialists or conservatives will only join Labour or the Conservatives when the party is shifting in their direction, even if the average swing voter who would never think of joining a political party is moving in the other direction.

    You do need members to deliver leaflets and campaign though and help input into local policy and provide local councillors
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,505
    edited June 2023

    ping said:

    ydoethur said:

    My camera does it scant justice but there is a stunningly beautiful moon visible tonight from Cannock at least. Must be near the perigee and I think the dust is turning it yellow.

    I just got a new phonerecently - the Galaxy S23 Ultra. These days I choose phones as much for the camera as the rest of it. In this case it has a 200 megapixel camera and I use it to its limits. Two photos taken today. One of that same moon and one of a Common Blue butterfly in the meadow. First of the year for me



    Nice pics. I almost feel a bit guilty posting this….

    https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/13/23637401/samsung-fake-moon-photos-ai-galaxy-s21-s23-ultra
    As I said to Alex, so what? That article refers to photos manipulated for advertising purposes. These are my own photos taken with my own phone.
    Samsung phone does the moon trick on everybodies device. Its built into the camera software. There are some great videos where people have hung low res photos of the moon, then used samsung to take a photo of the photo and the result has all sorts of detail not in the original photo.
  • MightyAlexMightyAlex Posts: 1,690

    ydoethur said:

    My camera does it scant justice but there is a stunningly beautiful moon visible tonight from Cannock at least. Must be near the perigee and I think the dust is turning it yellow.

    I just got a new phonerecently - the Galaxy S23 Ultra. These days I choose phones as much for the camera as the rest of it. In this case it has a 200 megapixel camera and I use it to its limits. Two photos taken today. One of that same moon and one of a Common Blue butterfly in the meadow. First of the year for me



    This might be relevant:

    https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/11nzrb0/samsung_space_zoom_moon_shots_are_fake_and_here/
    Not really unless you are claiming I am using AI to change these photos. I take hundreds of such photos each week and never make any changes to them at all.
    Not you, just that the Samsung image processor seems to map a 'texture' onto anything that looks to it like the moon. So the guy in the link blurred a pic of the moon on his monitor, pointed the phone at it and it produced a textured moon pic.

    I've no idea how image processing works for anything but its interesting that Samsung are using fancy code to make the moon the sensor can see look more like the moon. And begs the question what else is being enhanced when we take a digital image.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,505
    edited June 2023

    ydoethur said:

    My camera does it scant justice but there is a stunningly beautiful moon visible tonight from Cannock at least. Must be near the perigee and I think the dust is turning it yellow.

    I just got a new phonerecently - the Galaxy S23 Ultra. These days I choose phones as much for the camera as the rest of it. In this case it has a 200 megapixel camera and I use it to its limits. Two photos taken today. One of that same moon and one of a Common Blue butterfly in the meadow. First of the year for me



    This might be relevant:

    https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/11nzrb0/samsung_space_zoom_moon_shots_are_fake_and_here/
    Not really unless you are claiming I am using AI to change these photos. I take hundreds of such photos each week and never make any changes to them at all.
    Not you, just that the Samsung image processor seems to map a 'texture' onto anything that looks to it like the moon. So the guy in the link blurred a pic of the moon on his monitor, pointed the phone at it and it produced a textured moon pic.

    I've no idea how image processing works for anything but its interesting that Samsung are using fancy code to make the moon the sensor can see look more like the moon. And begs the question what else is being enhanced when we take a digital image.
    Google pixels are known for the great photos they produce, but it well known a huge proportion of that is down to all the AI processing going on under the hood. So much so that the inferior spec cameras on their lower end pixels often appear to be able to produce the same photo out as the higher end pixel.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,505
    edited June 2023
    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Labour Party membership has fallen by almost 170,000 since 2018 and by approximately 19,000 since last summer, despite tens of thousands of members joining the party over the last year, new figures suggest.
    https://labourlist.org/2023/06/labour-party-members-numbers-membership-how-many-big/

    Despite a big lead in the opinion polls Starmer has seen Labour membership fall well below where it was at its peak under Jeremy Corbyn

    I am not sure Starmer will be unhappy that all the trots and marxists lot have gone, especially if he can get prawn sandwich business types to make large donations (rather than trouble makers paying their £50 membership dues).
    Not really the ideal of a political party though. Mass civic engagement in politics is one thing we have failed quite badly on.
    Labour had over 500,000 members under Corbyn, even more than the 400,000 members it had under Blair pre 1997 (which declined rapidly after the 2003 war in Iraq).

    Tory membership rose under Hague. If anything party membership strength could be said to be inversely correlated to electoral success. The most ideological socialists or conservatives will only join Labour or the Conservatives when the party is shifting in their direction, even if the average swing voter who would never think of joining a political party is moving in the other direction.

    You do need members to deliver leaflets and campaign though and help input into local policy and provide local councillors
    Its worth remembering that even with cult of Corbyn and 500k members, at the last GE, Labour in many places where struggling for people on the ground. There were all the stories of how loads of support in London, but people wouldn't go any further than Milton Keynes and the likes of the Stoke MP made a big thing of not having any real help (and put it partly down to antisemitism from the leadership).

    Obviously we had the "scandal" (that Michael Crick got very excited as if it was scandal of the century) under Cameron of the young Tory lot getting shipped around the country to enable the campaign effort.
  • MightyAlexMightyAlex Posts: 1,690
    edited June 2023

    ydoethur said:

    My camera does it scant justice but there is a stunningly beautiful moon visible tonight from Cannock at least. Must be near the perigee and I think the dust is turning it yellow.

    I just got a new phonerecently - the Galaxy S23 Ultra. These days I choose phones as much for the camera as the rest of it. In this case it has a 200 megapixel camera and I use it to its limits. Two photos taken today. One of that same moon and one of a Common Blue butterfly in the meadow. First of the year for me



    This might be relevant:

    https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/11nzrb0/samsung_space_zoom_moon_shots_are_fake_and_here/
    Not really unless you are claiming I am using AI to change these photos. I take hundreds of such photos each week and never make any changes to them at all.
    Not you, just that the Samsung image processor seems to map a 'texture' onto anything that looks to it like the moon. So the guy in the link blurred a pic of the moon on his monitor, pointed the phone at it and it produced a textured moon pic.

    I've no idea how image processing works for anything but its interesting that Samsung are using fancy code to make the moon the sensor can see look more like the moon. And begs the question what else is being enhanced when we take a digital image.
    Google pixels are known for the great photos they produce, but it well known a huge proportion of that is down to all the AI processing going on under the hood. So much so that the inferior spec cameras on their lower end pixels often appear to be able to produce the same photo out as the higher end pixel.
    Is there a digital camera that provides a 'true' image?

    I can imagine the RAW file of a Canon or other big manufacture is the closest we can get. But I've no idea how much processing is there in a 'basic' image and the temptation be to stick a little ai chip in the next models could be big.
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 21,298
    According to the Mirror, Rishi and his wife have donated $3M for a new computer lab to the US College where Mrs Sunak studied.

    Bloody odd thing for a British PM to do.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,505

    ydoethur said:

    My camera does it scant justice but there is a stunningly beautiful moon visible tonight from Cannock at least. Must be near the perigee and I think the dust is turning it yellow.

    I just got a new phonerecently - the Galaxy S23 Ultra. These days I choose phones as much for the camera as the rest of it. In this case it has a 200 megapixel camera and I use it to its limits. Two photos taken today. One of that same moon and one of a Common Blue butterfly in the meadow. First of the year for me



    This might be relevant:

    https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/11nzrb0/samsung_space_zoom_moon_shots_are_fake_and_here/
    Not really unless you are claiming I am using AI to change these photos. I take hundreds of such photos each week and never make any changes to them at all.
    Not you, just that the Samsung image processor seems to map a 'texture' onto anything that looks to it like the moon. So the guy in the link blurred a pic of the moon on his monitor, pointed the phone at it and it produced a textured moon pic.

    I've no idea how image processing works for anything but its interesting that Samsung are using fancy code to make the moon the sensor can see look more like the moon. And begs the question what else is being enhanced when we take a digital image.
    Google pixels are known for the great photos they produce, but it well known a huge proportion of that is down to all the AI processing going on under the hood. So much so that the inferior spec cameras on their lower end pixels often appear to be able to produce the same photo out as the higher end pixel.
    Is there a digital camera that provides a 'true' image?

    I can imagine the RAW file of a Canon or other big manufacture is the closest we can get. But I've no idea how much processing is there in a 'basic' image and the temptation be to stick a little ai chip in the next models could be big.
    I don't really know much about DSLR cameras. I just know all the camera phones do a lot of processing hnder the hood, e.g. Apple famous for its oversmoothing effect on skin.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,505
    edited June 2023

    According to the Mirror, Rishi and his wife have donated $3M for a new computer lab to the US College where Mrs Sunak studied.

    Bloody odd thing for a British PM to do.

    Why? Its extremely normal for alumni of US universities who are successful to give back. In fact, its some what expected, in the way tipping culture is ingrained in US.

    Mrs Sunak is extremely wealthy, I imagine she has been contacted repeatedly about making a sizeable donation. Also, would we be surprised if they head to the US, when Rishi politicial career is over, and so always good to ensure you aren't personna nongrata among the high society.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 22,371
    HYUFD said:

    Foxy said:

    .

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    nico679 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Another tinpot character cosplaying Churchill.

    DeSantis: As president, I recognize that the woke mind virus represents a war on the truth so we will wage a war on the woke. We will fight the woke in education, we will fight the woke in corporations, we will fight the woke in the halls of congress.
    https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1665086349483835392

    He really is an arsehole . And for a right wing nutjob to suggest that there’s woke mind virus war on the truth is astonishing . I hope Trump destroys him in the primaries . It’s a sad day when Trump looks the better alternative !
    There certainly is in many of our colleges and universities, De Santis is only saying what a lot of ordinary Americans think
    Our colleges and universities are teaching different things to what you believe. That doesn’t mean they’re fighting a “war on truth”. It could be that academics studying a field have updated that field since you were at school.
    Towards a leftist interpretation of history and culture in particular yes
    Does a leftist interpretation mean mentioning that slavery existed and that gay people exist?

    Nobody has never denied the former, it is trashing Churchill, an obsession with slavery (which the RN played a key part in ending) a trashing of the past and a pursuance of a Marxist view of history against so called western imperialism and cultural supremacy the right is fighting back against in the next phase of the culture wars. Gay history is old news it is trans history now
    That really is a bizarre caricature of the modern world. Don't disappear down the same rabbit hole that Plato did.
    It certainly isn't some extremist position, it is what most conservatives and rightwingers across the western world feel now and indeed increasingly many non aligned centrists too
    "many, more, some"
  • Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 32,682

    ydoethur said:

    My camera does it scant justice but there is a stunningly beautiful moon visible tonight from Cannock at least. Must be near the perigee and I think the dust is turning it yellow.

    I just got a new phonerecently - the Galaxy S23 Ultra. These days I choose phones as much for the camera as the rest of it. In this case it has a 200 megapixel camera and I use it to its limits. Two photos taken today. One of that same moon and one of a Common Blue butterfly in the meadow. First of the year for me



    This might be relevant:

    https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/11nzrb0/samsung_space_zoom_moon_shots_are_fake_and_here/
    Not really unless you are claiming I am using AI to change these photos. I take hundreds of such photos each week and never make any changes to them at all.
    Not you, just that the Samsung image processor seems to map a 'texture' onto anything that looks to it like the moon. So the guy in the link blurred a pic of the moon on his monitor, pointed the phone at it and it produced a textured moon pic.

    I've no idea how image processing works for anything but its interesting that Samsung are using fancy code to make the moon the sensor can see look more like the moon. And begs the question what else is being enhanced when we take a digital image.
    Google pixels are known for the great photos they produce, but it well known a huge proportion of that is down to all the AI processing going on under the hood. So much so that the inferior spec cameras on their lower end pixels often appear to be able to produce the same photo out as the higher end pixel.
    Is there a digital camera that provides a 'true' image?

    I can imagine the RAW file of a Canon or other big manufacture is the closest we can get. But I've no idea how much processing is there in a 'basic' image and the temptation be to stick a little ai chip in the next models could be big.
    I take several thousand images of insects in the wild each month. Each insect is pretty much unique as they all have subtle differences in colouration, pattern and wear. If the camera is not providing a true image then it is at least providing one that is accurate enough for me to differentiate between thousands of different insects which is good enough for me. No other affordable and practical camera comes close to being able to do this.
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 21,298
    edited June 2023

    According to the Mirror, Rishi and his wife have donated $3M for a new computer lab to the US College where Mrs Sunak studied.

    Bloody odd thing for a British PM to do.

    Why? Its extremely normal for alumni of US universities who are successful to give back. In fact, its some what expected, in the way tipping culture is ingrained in US.

    Mrs Sunak is extremely wealthy, I imagine she has been contacted repeatedly about making a sizeable donation. Also, would we be surprised if they head to the US, when Rishi politicial career is over, and so always good to ensure you aren't personna nongrata among the high society.
    I know it is normal in the US.
    But Sunak is supposed to be PM of Britain.

    The donation happened in 2018 and the computer lab is called the Murthy-Sunak Center, so it is a joint donation.

    Have, one wonders, the Sunaks donated anything to British causes?
  • Richard_TyndallRichard_Tyndall Posts: 32,682

    ydoethur said:

    My camera does it scant justice but there is a stunningly beautiful moon visible tonight from Cannock at least. Must be near the perigee and I think the dust is turning it yellow.

    I just got a new phonerecently - the Galaxy S23 Ultra. These days I choose phones as much for the camera as the rest of it. In this case it has a 200 megapixel camera and I use it to its limits. Two photos taken today. One of that same moon and one of a Common Blue butterfly in the meadow. First of the year for me



    This might be relevant:

    https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/11nzrb0/samsung_space_zoom_moon_shots_are_fake_and_here/
    Not really unless you are claiming I am using AI to change these photos. I take hundreds of such photos each week and never make any changes to them at all.
    Not you, just that the Samsung image processor seems to map a 'texture' onto anything that looks to it like the moon. So the guy in the link blurred a pic of the moon on his monitor, pointed the phone at it and it produced a textured moon pic.

    I've no idea how image processing works for anything but its interesting that Samsung are using fancy code to make the moon the sensor can see look more like the moon. And begs the question what else is being enhanced when we take a digital image.
    Google pixels are known for the great photos they produce, but it well known a huge proportion of that is down to all the AI processing going on under the hood. So much so that the inferior spec cameras on their lower end pixels often appear to be able to produce the same photo out as the higher end pixel.
    Is there a digital camera that provides a 'true' image?

    I can imagine the RAW file of a Canon or other big manufacture is the closest we can get. But I've no idea how much processing is there in a 'basic' image and the temptation be to stick a little ai chip in the next models could be big.
    I don't really know much about DSLR cameras. I just know all the camera phones do a lot of processing hnder the hood, e.g. Apple famous for its oversmoothing effect on skin.
    A number of friends of mine who do deep space astrophotography use DSLRs for this. The only thing they have to do when photo stacking is make sure they take lens cap on photos as well so as to allow the stacking programmes to remove random pixels that might be misinterpreted as stars.
  • Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 13,760

    According to the Mirror, Rishi and his wife have donated $3M for a new computer lab to the US College where Mrs Sunak studied.

    Bloody odd thing for a British PM to do.

    He just doesn't seem to be able to stop himself (or his Mrs) from doing stupid, elitist, tech-bro shit.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,505
    edited June 2023

    According to the Mirror, Rishi and his wife have donated $3M for a new computer lab to the US College where Mrs Sunak studied.

    Bloody odd thing for a British PM to do.

    Why? Its extremely normal for alumni of US universities who are successful to give back. In fact, its some what expected, in the way tipping culture is ingrained in US.

    Mrs Sunak is extremely wealthy, I imagine she has been contacted repeatedly about making a sizeable donation. Also, would we be surprised if they head to the US, when Rishi politicial career is over, and so always good to ensure you aren't personna nongrata among the high society.
    I know it is normal in the US.
    But Sunak is supposed to be PM of Britain.

    The donation happened in 2018 and the computer lab is called the Murthy-Sunak Center, so it is a joint donation.
    I don't really see the issue, again its pretty common for joint donations in the US e.g. Bill & Melinda Gates.

    They both studied in US, before being PM, spent a lot of time there, have a house there, and as I say reckon they will move there in the future (hence the green card and non-dom status). This was 2018, i presume while still a backbench MP.
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 21,298

    According to the Mirror, Rishi and his wife have donated $3M for a new computer lab to the US College where Mrs Sunak studied.

    Bloody odd thing for a British PM to do.

    Why? Its extremely normal for alumni of US universities who are successful to give back. In fact, its some what expected, in the way tipping culture is ingrained in US.

    Mrs Sunak is extremely wealthy, I imagine she has been contacted repeatedly about making a sizeable donation. Also, would we be surprised if they head to the US, when Rishi politicial career is over, and so always good to ensure you aren't personna nongrata among the high society.
    I know it is normal in the US.
    But Sunak is supposed to be PM of Britain.

    The donation happened in 2018 and the computer lab is called the Murthy-Sunak Center, so it is a joint donation.
    I don't really see the issue, again its pretty common for joint donations in the US e.g. Bill & Melinda Gates.

    They both studied in US, before being PM, spent a lot of time there, have a house there, and as I say reckon they will move there in the future (hence the green card and non-dom status).
    I presume you are just trolling us now.
    His loyalties appear to be divided. Not only does he appear struggle with understanding the lives of ordinary people, he doesn’t seem to be sure which country’s interests he is supposed to be defending.
  • MightyAlexMightyAlex Posts: 1,690

    ydoethur said:

    My camera does it scant justice but there is a stunningly beautiful moon visible tonight from Cannock at least. Must be near the perigee and I think the dust is turning it yellow.

    I just got a new phonerecently - the Galaxy S23 Ultra. These days I choose phones as much for the camera as the rest of it. In this case it has a 200 megapixel camera and I use it to its limits. Two photos taken today. One of that same moon and one of a Common Blue butterfly in the meadow. First of the year for me



    This might be relevant:

    https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/11nzrb0/samsung_space_zoom_moon_shots_are_fake_and_here/
    Not really unless you are claiming I am using AI to change these photos. I take hundreds of such photos each week and never make any changes to them at all.
    Not you, just that the Samsung image processor seems to map a 'texture' onto anything that looks to it like the moon. So the guy in the link blurred a pic of the moon on his monitor, pointed the phone at it and it produced a textured moon pic.

    I've no idea how image processing works for anything but its interesting that Samsung are using fancy code to make the moon the sensor can see look more like the moon. And begs the question what else is being enhanced when we take a digital image.
    Google pixels are known for the great photos they produce, but it well known a huge proportion of that is down to all the AI processing going on under the hood. So much so that the inferior spec cameras on their lower end pixels often appear to be able to produce the same photo out as the higher end pixel.
    Is there a digital camera that provides a 'true' image?

    I can imagine the RAW file of a Canon or other big manufacture is the closest we can get. But I've no idea how much processing is there in a 'basic' image and the temptation be to stick a little ai chip in the next models could be big.
    I take several thousand images of insects in the wild each month. Each insect is pretty much unique as they all have subtle differences in colouration, pattern and wear. If the camera is not providing a true image then it is at least providing one that is accurate enough for me to differentiate between thousands of different insects which is good enough for me. No other affordable and practical camera comes close to being able to do this.
    For sure the Samsung 2x phones seem really well reviewed for the photos and zoom potential. I suppose I was thinking about the processing needed to take the snapshot of data from the sensor and make it resemble the outside world. Maybe ai is brilliant at shuffling the pixels around and making the image seem better but is it possible the algorithms could be distorting the picture too?
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,505
    edited June 2023

    According to the Mirror, Rishi and his wife have donated $3M for a new computer lab to the US College where Mrs Sunak studied.

    Bloody odd thing for a British PM to do.

    Why? Its extremely normal for alumni of US universities who are successful to give back. In fact, its some what expected, in the way tipping culture is ingrained in US.

    Mrs Sunak is extremely wealthy, I imagine she has been contacted repeatedly about making a sizeable donation. Also, would we be surprised if they head to the US, when Rishi politicial career is over, and so always good to ensure you aren't personna nongrata among the high society.
    I know it is normal in the US.
    But Sunak is supposed to be PM of Britain.

    The donation happened in 2018 and the computer lab is called the Murthy-Sunak Center, so it is a joint donation.
    I don't really see the issue, again its pretty common for joint donations in the US e.g. Bill & Melinda Gates.

    They both studied in US, before being PM, spent a lot of time there, have a house there, and as I say reckon they will move there in the future (hence the green card and non-dom status).
    I presume you are just trolling us now.
    His loyalties appear to be divided. Not only does he appear struggle with understanding the lives of ordinary people, he doesn’t seem to be sure which country’s interests he is supposed to be defending.
    In 2018, he was a nobody in political world, and in reality just like Bill / Melinda gates donations, it all comes from one of their wealth (despite both names being on the donation). Mrs Sunak really is the one with the financial clout in that couple.

    US colleges are just way better at this than UK at finding ways to get their rich alumni to cough up. It really is totally unremarkable for a wealthy alumni (even ones who don't now live in the US) to stump up money like this.
  • carnforthcarnforth Posts: 4,828

    According to the Mirror, Rishi and his wife have donated $3M for a new computer lab to the US College where Mrs Sunak studied.

    Bloody odd thing for a British PM to do.

    Why? Its extremely normal for alumni of US universities who are successful to give back. In fact, its some what expected, in the way tipping culture is ingrained in US.

    Mrs Sunak is extremely wealthy, I imagine she has been contacted repeatedly about making a sizeable donation. Also, would we be surprised if they head to the US, when Rishi politicial career is over, and so always good to ensure you aren't personna nongrata among the high society.
    I know it is normal in the US.
    But Sunak is supposed to be PM of Britain.

    The donation happened in 2018 and the computer lab is called the Murthy-Sunak Center, so it is a joint donation.

    Have, one wonders, the Sunaks donated anything to British causes?
    If you're the rich(er) one, of course you put your spouse's name on it too. Only polite.
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 8,443

    Government want to remove driving licenses from Just Stop Oil protestors.

    Wut

    Rather hypocritical of them to drive though?
    It’ll be great when hypocrisy is made illegal.
    Custodial sentences all round.
    I thing we should stone hypocrites
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 8,443
    Carnyx said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    tlg86 said:
    You're absolutely sure he was referring to Hillsborough? Innocent until proven guilty.
    99% of Manchester United fans have condemned this, they know what it refers to, and it isn't about the 2018/19 season.
    But do you know for sure? Innocent until proven guilty.
    The criminal standard in a courtroom is guilty beyond reasonable doubt. You are now asking for a higher standard of proof. TSE is gently suggesting that your doubt is not reasonable.
    Perhaps he’s calling the the Tories to be mullered at the next election. Even worse that they were in 97.

    97 - not enough

    Implausible, may be, but can it be ruled out?
    As a Tory I find that deeply offensive and threatening. If true I hope the police throw the book at him for this heinous crime
    I am not sure 'Toryism' is a protected characteristic for hate crime purposes: https://hatecrime.campaign.gov.uk
    Religion is a protected characteristic and being a Tory was once almost indistinguishable from being an English Anglican
    Rishi is an Anglican?
    He went to Winchester, an Anglican school
    In which year did Rishi convert, then?
    "Be confirmed", I gather, is the posh terminology.
    You gather wrongly… confirmation is the adult reaffirmation of belief in a believer who was baptised as an infant.

    A convert is baptised as an adult so doesn’t need to be confirmed
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,505
    edited June 2023
    BBC News - Ghetto Kids: Winning Britain's Got Talent would mean a bigger house in Uganda
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-65796859

    I don't watch any of these shows, but i thought the point was to identify previously missed talent from the country that show is hosted in? Not a known accomplished foreign dance troop that performed at the world cup.
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 8,443

    Andy_JS said:

    "Rowan Atkinson says he feels ‘duped’ by electric cars
    Actor says ‘honeymoon’ with them ‘is coming to an end’ and their day of ‘great environmental benefit’ has yet to dawn

    The actor, who studied an electrical and electronic engineering degree, points out that although electric cars have zero emissions when on the road, their actual manufacture, according to research by Volvo, suggests greenhouse gas emissions during production are 70 per cent higher than petrol vehicles, in part due to the lithium-ion batteries which require “rare earth metals and huge amounts of energy” to create." (£)

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/06/03/rowan-atkinson-duped-electric-cars/

    There is another big hidden "cost" to EVs. Because they are 2-3x the weight of an ICE car, the road wear is significantly increased, as is tyre wear. We are all going to have to pay for the roads to be repaired more often, and making more tyres / more road construction isn't exactly green.
    The tyre graveyard in Kuwait is pretty dystopian as it is.

    image
    Are they burning the tyres?
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 8,443
    rcs1000 said:

    Dura_Ace said:

    DavidL said:

    Andy_JS said:

    "Rowan Atkinson says he feels ‘duped’ by electric cars
    Actor says ‘honeymoon’ with them ‘is coming to an end’ and their day of ‘great environmental benefit’ has yet to dawn

    The actor, who studied an electrical and electronic engineering degree, points out that although electric cars have zero emissions when on the road, their actual manufacture, according to research by Volvo, suggests greenhouse gas emissions during production are 70 per cent higher than petrol vehicles, in part due to the lithium-ion batteries which require “rare earth metals and huge amounts of energy” to create." (£)

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/06/03/rowan-atkinson-duped-electric-cars/

    There is another big hidden "cost" to EVs. Because they are 2-3x the weight of an ICE car, the road wear is significantly increased, as is tyre wear. We are all going to have to pay for the roads to be repaired more often, and making more tyres / more road construction isn't exactly green.
    Didn’t realise that the differential was so great. Would have considerable consequences in the event of a high speed collision.
    It's not. Model S weight: ~2,000kg. 5 Series weight: ~1,700kg

    2-3x is nonsense.
    @Dura_Ace's numbers are spot on.

    BMW 5 Series Curb Weight is 1,695kg.
    Model S Curb Weight is 2,050kg.

    So, around 20% heavier before passengers, etc. All in weight differential probably therefore around 15%.

    Regarding manufacturing emissions: it's fine to measure those, but it is important to realise that over the 40,000 miles your car will drive, 98% of all emissions will come from the tailpipe, not from the manufacturing process.
    But ICE cars are MAGA preferred…so on average their passengers are heavier and out more strain on the roads…
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 49,106
    edited June 2023

    ydoethur said:

    My camera does it scant justice but there is a stunningly beautiful moon visible tonight from Cannock at least. Must be near the perigee and I think the dust is turning it yellow.

    I just got a new phonerecently - the Galaxy S23 Ultra. These days I choose phones as much for the camera as the rest of it. In this case it has a 200 megapixel camera and I use it to its limits. Two photos taken today. One of that same moon and one of a Common Blue butterfly in the meadow. First of the year for me



    This might be relevant:

    https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/11nzrb0/samsung_space_zoom_moon_shots_are_fake_and_here/
    Not really unless you are claiming I am using AI to change these photos. I take hundreds of such photos each week and never make any changes to them at all.
    Not you, just that the Samsung image processor seems to map a 'texture' onto anything that looks to it like the moon. So the guy in the link blurred a pic of the moon on his monitor, pointed the phone at it and it produced a textured moon pic.

    I've no idea how image processing works for anything but its interesting that Samsung are using fancy code to make the moon the sensor can see look more like the moon. And begs the question what else is being enhanced when we take a digital image.
    Google pixels are known for the great photos they produce, but it well known a huge proportion of that is down to all the AI processing going on under the hood. So much so that the inferior spec cameras on their lower end pixels often appear to be able to produce the same photo out as the higher end pixel.
    Is there a digital camera that provides a 'true' image?

    I can imagine the RAW file of a Canon or other big manufacture is the closest we can get. But I've no idea how much processing is there in a 'basic' image and the temptation be to stick a little ai chip in the next models could be big.
    I take several thousand images of insects in the wild each month. Each insect is pretty much unique as they all have subtle differences in colouration, pattern and wear. If the camera is not providing a true image then it is at least providing one that is accurate enough for me to differentiate between thousands of different insects which is good enough for me. No other affordable and practical camera comes close to being able to do this.
    The amount of electronic zoom vs a macrophotograph is quite significant. It isn't just number of megapixels either as there is a definite crowding effect, so size of sensor matters. This would be why astronomical shots need a lot of enhancement in processing to sharpen and remove noise.

    On the other hand the short lens to sensor distance on phones makes for great depth of field and close point of focus, hence the good macro shots of insects etc. I suspect the processing algorithm is much less enhanced for these, so more true to life.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,942
    "Indian official fined after draining reservoir in search of mobile phone

    Rajesh Vishwas dropped phone into Paraklot reservoir in Chhattisgarh state while taking a selfie"

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/31/indian-official-who-drained-paraklot-reservoir-looking-mobile-fined-500-pounds
  • pingping Posts: 3,805
    edited June 2023
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-65795960

    “India's expansive railway system, renowned as one of the world's largest, transports over 25 million passengers annually across a countrywide network of tracks spanning more than 100,000km (62,000 miles).”

    Surely it carries more than 25m passengers?

    That figure feels wrong.
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 8,443
    Foxy said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    nico679 said:

    Nigelb said:

    Another tinpot character cosplaying Churchill.

    DeSantis: As president, I recognize that the woke mind virus represents a war on the truth so we will wage a war on the woke. We will fight the woke in education, we will fight the woke in corporations, we will fight the woke in the halls of congress.
    https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1665086349483835392

    He really is an arsehole . And for a right wing nutjob to suggest that there’s woke mind virus war on the truth is astonishing . I hope Trump destroys him in the primaries . It’s a sad day when Trump looks the better alternative !
    There certainly is in many of our colleges and universities, De Santis is only saying what a lot of ordinary Americans think
    Our colleges and universities are teaching different things to what you believe. That doesn’t mean they’re fighting a “war on truth”. It could be that academics studying a field have updated that field since you were at school.
    Towards a leftist interpretation of history and culture in particular yes
    Does a leftist interpretation mean mentioning that slavery existed and that gay people exist?

    I think the problem with slavery (so far as I can tell) is acknowledging that it existed outside of the transatlantic slave trade 1500 - 1900.
    I don't think anyone denies that, but it is often used as a bit of whataboutary to
    Mexcuse our role in the transatlantic slave trade and slavery's central place in our emergence as a world power.
    Look at the positives… without the triangular trade, America would have been a much less diverse and interesting place
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 8,443

    According to the Mirror, Rishi and his wife have donated $3M for a new computer lab to the US College where Mrs Sunak studied.

    Bloody odd thing for a British PM to do.

    Why? Supporting your Alma mater is a good thing to do regardless of your current role
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 8,443

    According to the Mirror, Rishi and his wife have donated $3M for a new computer lab to the US College where Mrs Sunak studied.

    Bloody odd thing for a British PM to do.

    Why? Its extremely normal for alumni of US universities who are successful to give back. In fact, its some what expected, in the way tipping culture is ingrained in US.

    Mrs Sunak is extremely wealthy, I imagine she has been contacted repeatedly about making a sizeable donation. Also, would we be surprised if they head to the US, when Rishi politicial career is over, and so always good to ensure you aren't personna nongrata among the high society.
    I know it is normal in the US.
    But Sunak is supposed to be PM of Britain.

    The donation happened in 2018 and the computer lab is called the Murthy-Sunak Center, so it is a joint donation.

    Have, one wonders, the Sunaks donated anything to British causes?
    IIRC Sunak was criticised for donating to Winchester because something or other

  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,505
    edited June 2023

    According to the Mirror, Rishi and his wife have donated $3M for a new computer lab to the US College where Mrs Sunak studied.

    Bloody odd thing for a British PM to do.

    Why? Its extremely normal for alumni of US universities who are successful to give back. In fact, its some what expected, in the way tipping culture is ingrained in US.

    Mrs Sunak is extremely wealthy, I imagine she has been contacted repeatedly about making a sizeable donation. Also, would we be surprised if they head to the US, when Rishi politicial career is over, and so always good to ensure you aren't personna nongrata among the high society.
    I know it is normal in the US.
    But Sunak is supposed to be PM of Britain.

    The donation happened in 2018 and the computer lab is called the Murthy-Sunak Center, so it is a joint donation.

    Have, one wonders, the Sunaks donated anything to British causes?
    IIRC Sunak was criticised for donating to Winchester because something or other

    Rishi Sunak and wife donate over £100,000 to Winchester college

    “Rishi and his wife have donated to numerous charities and philanthropic causes for many years and will continue to do so. These donations are made to help fund scholarships for children who would not otherwise have the opportunity to go to Winchester.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/apr/05/rishi-sunak-and-wife-donate-over-100000-to-winchester-college

    This only came to light when some saddo went back through the old school magazines and found that he was listed as such and such level benefactor (which meant they had to have given more than £100k).

    We have no idea where else they give money to.
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 8,443

    According to the Mirror, Rishi and his wife have donated $3M for a new computer lab to the US College where Mrs Sunak studied.

    Bloody odd thing for a British PM to do.

    Why? Its extremely normal for alumni of US universities who are successful to give back. In fact, its some what expected, in the way tipping culture is ingrained in US.

    Mrs Sunak is extremely wealthy, I imagine she has been contacted repeatedly about making a sizeable donation. Also, would we be surprised if they head to the US, when Rishi politicial career is over, and so always good to ensure you aren't personna nongrata among the high society.
    I know it is normal in the US.
    But Sunak is supposed to be PM of Britain.

    The donation happened in 2018 and the computer lab is called the Murthy-Sunak Center, so it is a joint donation.

    Have, one wonders, the Sunaks donated anything to British causes?
    IIRC Sunak was criticised for donating to Winchester because something or other

    Rishi Sunak and wife donate over £100,000 to Winchester college

    “Rishi and his wife have donated to numerous charities and philanthropic causes for many years and will continue to do so. These donations are made to help fund scholarships for children who would not otherwise have the opportunity to go to Winchester.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/apr/05/rishi-sunak-and-wife-donate-over-100000-to-winchester-college

    This only came to light when some saddo went back through the old school magazines and found that he was listed as such and such level benefactor (which meant they had to have given more than £100k).

    We have no idea where else they give money to.
    Haters gonna hate
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 52,248

    Andy_JS said:

    "Rowan Atkinson says he feels ‘duped’ by electric cars
    Actor says ‘honeymoon’ with them ‘is coming to an end’ and their day of ‘great environmental benefit’ has yet to dawn

    The actor, who studied an electrical and electronic engineering degree, points out that although electric cars have zero emissions when on the road, their actual manufacture, according to research by Volvo, suggests greenhouse gas emissions during production are 70 per cent higher than petrol vehicles, in part due to the lithium-ion batteries which require “rare earth metals and huge amounts of energy” to create." (£)

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/06/03/rowan-atkinson-duped-electric-cars/

    There is another big hidden "cost" to EVs. Because they are 2-3x the weight of an ICE car, the road wear is significantly increased, as is tyre wear. We are all going to have to pay for the roads to be repaired more often, and making more tyres / more road construction isn't exactly green.
    The tyre graveyard in Kuwait is pretty dystopian as it is.

    image
    Are they burning the tyres?
    Apparently it was arson, but fires happen quite often.

    https://observers.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20210826-kuwait-tyre-graveyard-fire-pollution
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216
    LONDON, June 3 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wants to cut taxes by as much as 2 pence in the pound before the next national election which is expected in 2024, the Telegraph newspaper reported.

    Government officials believed that a slower-than-expected fall in Britain's high inflation rate would not prevent a tax cut from April, the paper said without citing its sources.

    Sunak has previously said he wants to cut taxes but only once the hole in the public finances has been fixed and he has also pledged to halve inflation this year.

    The Telegraph said the tax cuts under consideration could be introduced via Britain's National Insurance social security system or personal income tax.


    https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uks-sunak-wants-cut-taxes-by-up-2-before-election-telegraph-2023-06-03/

    An NI cut would bypass pensioners.......
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,403

    LONDON, June 3 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wants to cut taxes by as much as 2 pence in the pound before the next national election which is expected in 2024, the Telegraph newspaper reported.

    Government officials believed that a slower-than-expected fall in Britain's high inflation rate would not prevent a tax cut from April, the paper said without citing its sources.

    Sunak has previously said he wants to cut taxes but only once the hole in the public finances has been fixed and he has also pledged to halve inflation this year.

    The Telegraph said the tax cuts under consideration could be introduced via Britain's National Insurance social security system or personal income tax.


    https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uks-sunak-wants-cut-taxes-by-up-2-before-election-telegraph-2023-06-03/

    An NI cut would bypass pensioners.......

    I think they benefit enough already tbh
  • MiklosvarMiklosvar Posts: 1,855

    According to the Mirror, Rishi and his wife have donated $3M for a new computer lab to the US College where Mrs Sunak studied.

    Bloody odd thing for a British PM to do.

    Why? Its extremely normal for alumni of US universities who are successful to give back. In fact, its some what expected, in the way tipping culture is ingrained in US.

    Mrs Sunak is extremely wealthy, I imagine she has been contacted repeatedly about making a sizeable donation. Also, would we be surprised if they head to the US, when Rishi politicial career is over, and so always good to ensure you aren't personna nongrata among the high society.
    I know it is normal in the US.
    But Sunak is supposed to be PM of Britain.

    The donation happened in 2018 and the computer lab is called the Murthy-Sunak Center, so it is a joint donation.
    I don't really see the issue, again its pretty common for joint donations in the US e.g. Bill & Melinda Gates.

    They both studied in US, before being PM, spent a lot of time there, have a house there, and as I say reckon they will move there in the future (hence the green card and non-dom status).
    I presume you are just trolling us now.
    His loyalties appear to be divided. Not only does he appear struggle with understanding the lives of ordinary people, he doesn’t seem to be sure which country’s interests he is supposed to be defending.
    In 2018, he was a nobody in political world, and in reality just like Bill / Melinda gates donations, it all comes from one of their wealth (despite both names being on the donation). Mrs Sunak really is the one with the financial clout in that couple.

    US colleges are just way better at this than UK at finding ways to get their rich alumni to cough up. It really is totally unremarkable for a wealthy alumni (even ones who don't now live in the US) to stump up money like this.
    He gave some dosh to Winchester; this was leaked back in the days of Good King Boris.

    Fun fact: Warfarin is named for the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (disappointingly; i used to think it was about warfare against rats).
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,173
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2023_Spanish_general_election

    More Spanish election polling and all show growing leads for PP compared to their previous polls before the locals. Still no sign of an absolute majority but PSOE are not close even if all the minority parties except Vox supported them - which they won't
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