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Biden now a 40% betting chance of winning WH2 – politicalbetting.com

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  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 51,625
    Sandpit said:

    George Monbiot: “Britain’s surging deer population is causing an ecological disaster. I have a solution: wolves”

    https://twitter.com/guardianopinion/status/1689957723058929665

    Monbiot proving once again, that he’s not properly thought through his simplistic solutions to complex problems.

    Does he really want to replace a deer problem with a wolf problem? Deer don’t generally end up in back gardens, having fights with dogs and children.
    If the wolves get out of control then we could bring back the famous British lions.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,583
    Is this actually going to happen? Very funny if it does.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/08/11/elon-musk-fight-mark-zuckerberg-ancient-roman-setting-italy/

    The much-hyped cage fight between the two giants of the tech world, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, appears to be on after the Italian government said it had agreed to host “a big event” at an ancient Roman location in Italy.

    The Italian culture ministry said it was planning to hold a large event in a historical setting involving the two rival billionaires.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,419

    Brexit, barge, Rwanda. How much more of our money is this incompetent shower of a government going to waste? Ffs, just go now!

    Assuming the barge is cheaper than hotel accommodation, how is that wasting money?
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,634

    Brexit, barge, Rwanda. How much more of our money is this incompetent shower of a government going to waste? Ffs, just go now!

    You forgot Lady Mone and her mates. Yachts don't pay for themselves!
  • MiklosvarMiklosvar Posts: 1,855

    Brexit, barge, Rwanda. How much more of our money is this incompetent shower of a government going to waste? Ffs, just go now!

    Assuming the barge is cheaper than hotel accommodation, how is that wasting money?
    We are paying for it and for hotel accommodation while the water is sorted out, I imagine
  • ThomasNasheThomasNashe Posts: 5,331

    Brexit, barge, Rwanda. How much more of our money is this incompetent shower of a government going to waste? Ffs, just go now!

    Assuming the barge is cheaper than hotel accommodation, how is that wasting money?
    That’s a mighty assumption.
  • ThomasNasheThomasNashe Posts: 5,331

    Brexit, barge, Rwanda. How much more of our money is this incompetent shower of a government going to waste? Ffs, just go now!

    Assuming the barge is cheaper than hotel accommodation, how is that wasting money?
    That’s a mighty assumption.
    Foxy said:

    Brexit, barge, Rwanda. How much more of our money is this incompetent shower of a government going to waste? Ffs, just go now!

    You forgot Lady Mone and her mates. Yachts don't pay for themselves!
    Yes, I was just thinking of the incompetence column, as opposed to the blatant corruption column.
  • ThomasNasheThomasNashe Posts: 5,331
    Foxy said:

    Brexit, barge, Rwanda. How much more of our money is this incompetent shower of a government going to waste? Ffs, just go now!

    Assuming the barge is cheaper than hotel accommodation, how is that wasting money?
    At current occupancy rates it would be cheaper to book them a suite each at Claridges.
    + if you book into Claridges you don’t generally have to pay for its refurbishment beforehand, and for the security around it.
  • ThomasNasheThomasNashe Posts: 5,331
    I actually quite welcomed the arrival of Sunak, given the previous two. But enough!
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,583
    edited August 2023

    Sandpit said:

    Something of a setback for unmanned aerial taxis, as if anyone genuinely thought they could ever be certified in a Western country.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2023/08/11/stephen-fitzpatrick-ovo-energy-flying-taxi-crash-cotswolds/

    Vertical Aerospace, founded by Stephen Fitzpatrick, was dealt a blow on Wednesday when a test flight failed in dramatic fashion.

    The Bristol-based startup, which is producing a five-seater flying taxi that can reach speeds of up to 200mph, said in a short statement that its prototype had crashed during a test of the “aircraft’s manoeuvrability”.

    Announcing Wednesday’s crash to investors, Vertical Aerospace said: “The aircraft was remotely piloted and there were no injuries.

    “Our flight test programme is designed to establish the limits of the aircraft’s performance, and the incident occurred during an uncrewed test of the aircraft’s manoeuvrability during a motor failure test scenario, which is a key requirement to progress to crewed operations. We are working closely with the relevant authorities.”


    Presumably that’s going to be a full AAIB field investigation, in which case they’re going to be grounded for months at best, and probably out of money. The report will be worth reading though!

    Well, at least their testing program has a better moral basis than that of Virgin Galactic.

    VG can't fly their vehicles remotely.

    In this case they are designed to be. So the only thing lost was a bit of money.

    Not entirely sure the damage will buff out, though.

    https://www.flightglobal.com/aerospace/vertical-faces-setback-after-vx4-prototype-crashes-during-flight-testing/154475.article
    That aircraft is totally Donald Ducked, it probably spun-in after they simulated an engine failure, and the company was already very close to being out of money. The wreck is probably already in a hangar in Farnborough, getting stripped down and the black boxes being read out.

    At least VG knew they were putting their own pilots at risk, and prepared appropriately, even if they did suffer one sad failure.
  • Foxy said:

    Brexit, barge, Rwanda. How much more of our money is this incompetent shower of a government going to waste? Ffs, just go now!

    Assuming the barge is cheaper than hotel accommodation, how is that wasting money?
    At current occupancy rates it would be cheaper to book them a suite each at Claridges.
    + if you book into Claridges you don’t generally have to pay for its refurbishment beforehand, and for the security around it.
    And if you run Claridges, you keep it open for more than a week before you have to close it due to a disease outbreak.
  • Foxy said:

    Westminster voting intention:

    LAB: 48% (+1)
    CON: 24% (-1)
    LDEM: 10% (-1)
    REF: 6% (-1)
    GRN: 6% (+1)

    via @Omnisis, 10 - 11 Aug

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1690028926137929728?t=7eZVCMPYYhLV9CSESb1tJA&s=19

    So "stop the boats week" has gone well...

    Any other leader would be 20 points ahead. BJO fans please explain.

    Broken, sleazy Tories, Libdems, AND Reform on the slide!
  • Foxy said:

    George Monbiot: “Britain’s surging deer population is causing an ecological disaster. I have a solution: wolves”

    https://twitter.com/guardianopinion/status/1689957723058929665

    Surely wolves aren't vegan?
    Wolves tram extension... must have Wolves tram extension... :lol:
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 62,714
    Cummings savages Sunak and pitches new party to replace Tories

    https://reaction.life/cummings-savages-sunak-and-pitches-new-party-to-replace-tories/
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 22,075

    George Monbiot: “Britain’s surging deer population is causing an ecological disaster. I have a solution: wolves”

    https://twitter.com/guardianopinion/status/1689957723058929665

    Viewcode: "Britain's surging commentariat twat population is causing a conversation disaster. I have a solution: wolves in Moonbat's bedpan"

    Please goodness in Heaven above, will somebody please tell the commentariat to shut the efff up. Who paid him for this arsebiscuitry?
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,401
    edited August 2023
    Back off my 17 day retreat.
    With added COVID.
    Not sure what to do with myself now to be honest.
    Chippy, Lem Sip, then bed looks favourite I reckon.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,583
    AI is coming for - the travel writer.

    https://slashdot.org/story/23/08/11/1038255/a-new-frontier-for-travel-scammers-ai-generated-guidebooks

    The books are the result of a swirling mix of modern tools: A.I. apps that can produce text and fake portraits; websites with a seemingly endless array of stock photos and graphics; self-publishing platforms -- like Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing -- with few guardrails against the use of A.I.; and the ability to solicit, purchase and post phony online reviews, which runs counter to Amazon's policies and may soon face increased regulation from the Federal Trade Commission. The use of these tools in tandem has allowed the books to rise near the top of Amazon search results and sometimes garner Amazon endorsements such as "#1 Travel Guide on Alaska." A recent Amazon search for the phrase "Paris Travel Guide 2023," for example, yielded dozens of guides with that exact title. One, whose author is listed as Stuart Hartley, boasts, ungrammatically, that it is "Everything you Need to Know Before Plan a Trip to Paris."
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,249
    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    Something of a setback for unmanned aerial taxis, as if anyone genuinely thought they could ever be certified in a Western country.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2023/08/11/stephen-fitzpatrick-ovo-energy-flying-taxi-crash-cotswolds/

    Vertical Aerospace, founded by Stephen Fitzpatrick, was dealt a blow on Wednesday when a test flight failed in dramatic fashion.

    The Bristol-based startup, which is producing a five-seater flying taxi that can reach speeds of up to 200mph, said in a short statement that its prototype had crashed during a test of the “aircraft’s manoeuvrability”.

    Announcing Wednesday’s crash to investors, Vertical Aerospace said: “The aircraft was remotely piloted and there were no injuries.

    “Our flight test programme is designed to establish the limits of the aircraft’s performance, and the incident occurred during an uncrewed test of the aircraft’s manoeuvrability during a motor failure test scenario, which is a key requirement to progress to crewed operations. We are working closely with the relevant authorities.”


    Presumably that’s going to be a full AAIB field investigation, in which case they’re going to be grounded for months at best, and probably out of money. The report will be worth reading though!

    Well, at least their testing program has a better moral basis than that of Virgin Galactic.

    VG can't fly their vehicles remotely.

    In this case they are designed to be. So the only thing lost was a bit of money.

    Not entirely sure the damage will buff out, though.

    https://www.flightglobal.com/aerospace/vertical-faces-setback-after-vx4-prototype-crashes-during-flight-testing/154475.article
    That aircraft is totally Donald Ducked, it probably spun-in after they simulated an engine failure, and the company was already very close to being out of money. The wreck is probably already in a hangar in Farnborough, getting stripped down and the black boxes being read out.

    At least VG knew they were putting their own pilots at risk, and prepared appropriately, even if they did suffer one sad failure.
    VG didn’t have proper black boxes.

    Their vehicles are extremely dangerous in a number of ways. And have killed a number of people in testing. Through gross incompetence in at least one case.
  • What's this about Leeandersonaire's disease on the barge?
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,419

    I actually quite welcomed the arrival of Sunak, given the previous two. But enough!

    Everyone with very poor judgement did.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,634
    dixiedean said:

    Back off my 17 day retreat.
    With added COVID.
    Not sure what to do with myself now to be honest.
    Chippy, Lem Sip, then bed looks favourite I reckon.

    Latest version isn't too bad, sore throat, muscle aches and a stinker of a headache.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,249
    Foxy said:

    George Monbiot: “Britain’s surging deer population is causing an ecological disaster. I have a solution: wolves”

    https://twitter.com/guardianopinion/status/1689957723058929665

    Surely wolves aren't vegan?
    Venison is vegan, so the wolves would be vegan.

    Until they start eating dogs and cats.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,134
    dixiedean said:

    Back off my 17 day retreat.
    With added COVID.
    Not sure what to do with myself now to be honest.
    Chippy, Lem Sip, then bed looks favourite I reckon.

    Sounds good. That's a long retreat, 17 days?
  • El_CapitanoEl_Capitano Posts: 4,239
    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.
  • darkagedarkage Posts: 5,398
    Sandpit said:

    George Monbiot: “Britain’s surging deer population is causing an ecological disaster. I have a solution: wolves”

    https://twitter.com/guardianopinion/status/1689957723058929665

    Monbiot proving once again, that he’s not properly thought through his simplistic solutions to complex problems.

    Does he really want to replace a deer problem with a wolf problem? Deer don’t generally end up in back gardens, having fights with dogs and children.
    His complete and total certainty that he has found the answer to this problem is admirable. No risks, no downsides, no possible perverse outcomes.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,249

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Would be even cheaper to grant themselves planning permission and build custom. Why not?
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,277
    Sandpit said:

    AI is coming for - the travel writer.

    https://slashdot.org/story/23/08/11/1038255/a-new-frontier-for-travel-scammers-ai-generated-guidebooks

    The books are the result of a swirling mix of modern tools: A.I. apps that can produce text and fake portraits; websites with a seemingly endless array of stock photos and graphics; self-publishing platforms -- like Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing -- with few guardrails against the use of A.I.; and the ability to solicit, purchase and post phony online reviews, which runs counter to Amazon's policies and may soon face increased regulation from the Federal Trade Commission. The use of these tools in tandem has allowed the books to rise near the top of Amazon search results and sometimes garner Amazon endorsements such as "#1 Travel Guide on Alaska." A recent Amazon search for the phrase "Paris Travel Guide 2023," for example, yielded dozens of guides with that exact title. One, whose author is listed as Stuart Hartley, boasts, ungrammatically, that it is "Everything you Need to Know Before Plan a Trip to Paris."

    Great thx bye
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,249

    I actually quite welcomed the arrival of Sunak, given the previous two. But enough!

    Everyone with very poor judgement did.
    The current government is past the “Change The CEO” stage.

    Personally I think replacement of the entire board won’t help. Or even dept. heads.

    I would fire everyone who has a chance of an honour in the Civil Service as well.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,401
    Foxy said:

    dixiedean said:

    Back off my 17 day retreat.
    With added COVID.
    Not sure what to do with myself now to be honest.
    Chippy, Lem Sip, then bed looks favourite I reckon.

    Latest version isn't too bad, sore throat, muscle aches and a stinker of a headache.
    Yep.
    That's the one.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,419

    I actually quite welcomed the arrival of Sunak, given the previous two. But enough!

    Everyone with very poor judgement did.
    The current government is past the “Change The CEO” stage.

    Personally I think replacement of the entire board won’t help. Or even dept. heads.

    I would fire everyone who has a chance of an honour in the Civil Service as well.
    You're not wrong, but everything has got to start somewhere.
  • What's this about Leeandersonaire's disease on the barge?

    Lee-Suella's disease, I think.

    Latest on that...

    Home Office was informed about discovery of Legionella on Wednesday evening

    It continued to move six further migrants onto barge on Thursday

    Following UK Health Security Agency advice these were taken off that evening, before everyone removed today


    https://twitter.com/johnestevens/status/1690040956261740544
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 28,419

    What's this about Leeandersonaire's disease on the barge?

    Lee-Suella's disease, I think.

    Latest on that...

    Home Office was informed about discovery of Legionella on Wednesday evening

    It continued to move six further migrants onto barge on Thursday

    Following UK Health Security Agency advice these were taken off that evening, before everyone removed today


    https://twitter.com/johnestevens/status/1690040956261740544
    Gosh, not 6 more.
  • darkagedarkage Posts: 5,398
    Sandpit said:

    AI is coming for - the travel writer.

    https://slashdot.org/story/23/08/11/1038255/a-new-frontier-for-travel-scammers-ai-generated-guidebooks

    The books are the result of a swirling mix of modern tools: A.I. apps that can produce text and fake portraits; websites with a seemingly endless array of stock photos and graphics; self-publishing platforms -- like Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing -- with few guardrails against the use of A.I.; and the ability to solicit, purchase and post phony online reviews, which runs counter to Amazon's policies and may soon face increased regulation from the Federal Trade Commission. The use of these tools in tandem has allowed the books to rise near the top of Amazon search results and sometimes garner Amazon endorsements such as "#1 Travel Guide on Alaska." A recent Amazon search for the phrase "Paris Travel Guide 2023," for example, yielded dozens of guides with that exact title. One, whose author is listed as Stuart Hartley, boasts, ungrammatically, that it is "Everything you Need to Know Before Plan a Trip to Paris."

    There's something called the 'AI bodge' in my professional field; it is a mutation of cut and paste. Annoying but ultimately manageable.
  • ClippPClippP Posts: 1,904

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Would be even cheaper to grant themselves planning permission and build custom. Why not?
    County Councils are not normally planning authorities.
  • Andy_JS said:

    Michelle Obama is now 3rd favourite for the Dem nom.

    Biden 1.36
    Newsom 13
    M Obama 23
    Kennedy 25
    Harris 27

    https://www.betfair.com/exchange/plus/politics/market/1.178163685

    Nuts she is shorter than Harris who, as @rcs1000 pointed out, has a clear route.

    Read this, which is getting a lot of traction in the US at the moment even though the book has been out for years:

    https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/david-garrow-interview-obama

    My guess is a Michelle Obama campaign is going to run quickly into questions about some of the allegations / points in here
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,277
    I hope AI will hold off on “replacing travel journalists” for just two more months. I’m meant to be going to the Maldives for the Gazette in early October. Two of the swankiest new hotels on the planet, with world class scuba

    Two months. Is all I ask. Plz
  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 9,871

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,486
    Leon said:

    I hope AI will hold off on “replacing travel journalists” for just two more months. I’m meant to be going to the Maldives for the Gazette in early October. Two of the swankiest new hotels on the planet, with world class scuba

    Two months. Is all I ask. Plz

    At least AI would spell “please” correctly.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,249
    ClippP said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Would be even cheaper to grant themselves planning permission and build custom. Why not?
    County Councils are not normally planning authorities.
    Would be interesting though, as a plan…

    Build two or three. Sell the others. Would pay for the accommodation outright.
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,213

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Thanks for this.

    Do you mean actually buying the freeholds and leaving empty until required? With knowledge that planning (change of use) will be granted?

    Staffed by council care workers or contracted-in from private sector?

    Why villages rather than more urbanised locations?
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,634
    edited August 2023
    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,213
    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    More than 250k pa - much more.

    See below:

    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/aug/28/councils-england-wales-pay-1m-pounds-a-year-to-house-child-in-private-care-home#:~:text=11 months old-,Councils in England and Wales pay £1m a year,child in private care home&text=More than 20 councils in,released to the Guardian shows
  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 9,871
    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
  • ClippPClippP Posts: 1,904
    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I hope AI will hold off on “replacing travel journalists” for just two more months. I’m meant to be going to the Maldives for the Gazette in early October. Two of the swankiest new hotels on the planet, with world class scuba

    Two months. Is all I ask. Plz

    At least AI would spell “please” correctly.
    Depends on whom it was imitating.
  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 9,871
    Stocky said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    More than 250k pa - much more.

    See below:

    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/aug/28/councils-england-wales-pay-1m-pounds-a-year-to-house-child-in-private-care-home#:~:text=11 months old-,Councils in England and Wales pay £1m a year,child in private care home&text=More than 20 councils in,released to the Guardian shows
    I feel for these kids but I dont see how we can justify spending 250k a year on them
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,134
    edited August 2023
    viewcode said:

    George Monbiot: “Britain’s surging deer population is causing an ecological disaster. I have a solution: wolves”

    https://twitter.com/guardianopinion/status/1689957723058929665

    Viewcode: "Britain's surging commentariat twat population is causing a conversation disaster. I have a solution: wolves in Moonbat's bedpan"

    Please goodness in Heaven above, will somebody please tell the commentariat to shut the efff up. Who paid him for this arsebiscuitry?
    You can't block the drivelpipe. It just keeps on spouting.

    'Don't wannabe in America. The Woke should be careful what they wish for.'

    'Russia and the West. Why everything they say about Putin is wrong.'

    'Forget the Single Market (yawn), Brexit is just like having a rave on the M25.'
  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 9,871
    kinabalu said:

    viewcode said:

    George Monbiot: “Britain’s surging deer population is causing an ecological disaster. I have a solution: wolves”

    https://twitter.com/guardianopinion/status/1689957723058929665

    Viewcode: "Britain's surging commentariat twat population is causing a conversation disaster. I have a solution: wolves in Moonbat's bedpan"

    Please goodness in Heaven above, will somebody please tell the commentariat to shut the efff up. Who paid him for this arsebiscuitry?
    You can't block the drivelpipe. It just keeps spouting.

    'Don't wannabe in America. The Woke should be careful what they wish for.'

    'Russia and the West. Why everything they say about Putin is wrong.'

    'Forget the Single Market (yawn), Brexit is just like having a rave on the M25.'
    We could block the drivelpipe, we just arent prepared to
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,634
    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
    If the council is renting it, they aren't paying a private care company.
  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 9,871
    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
    If the council is renting it, they aren't paying a private care company.
    They are still paying 250k a child...how do you justify that?
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,213
    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    Not sure I agree completely. In the example I gave earlier, the rental is 'only' 10% of the annual cost. And, of course, if the council purchases the property it is the massive capital expenditure/ opportunity cost which must be taken into account. With the rental option it is the leaseholder who suffers the opportunity cost - some profit sure but the majority of profit overall is I would say being made by the care provider rather than the leaseholder.
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,213
    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
    If the council is renting it, they aren't paying a private care company.
    They are still paying 250k a child...how do you justify that?
    At last we have a reaction on here which mirrors the reactions of the parishioners one and all.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,277
    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I hope AI will hold off on “replacing travel journalists” for just two more months. I’m meant to be going to the Maldives for the Gazette in early October. Two of the swankiest new hotels on the planet, with world class scuba

    Two months. Is all I ask. Plz

    At least AI would spell “please” correctly.
    Those are the adorable and Very Human Quirks that AI can NEVER REPLACE

    More seriously, travel writing will be one of the last creative jobs to be automated. Quite hard for a computer to have a mojito in Soneva Fushi

    Everyone else is fucked, tho
  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 9,871
    Stocky said:



    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
    If the council is renting it, they aren't paying a private care company.
    They are still paying 250k a child...how do you justify that?
    At last we have a reaction on here which mirrors the reactions of the parishioners one and all.
    There are many people with kids that would love to be able to spend 250k on their kids. They get fuck all but their tax is used for this?
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,583

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    Something of a setback for unmanned aerial taxis, as if anyone genuinely thought they could ever be certified in a Western country.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2023/08/11/stephen-fitzpatrick-ovo-energy-flying-taxi-crash-cotswolds/

    Vertical Aerospace, founded by Stephen Fitzpatrick, was dealt a blow on Wednesday when a test flight failed in dramatic fashion.

    The Bristol-based startup, which is producing a five-seater flying taxi that can reach speeds of up to 200mph, said in a short statement that its prototype had crashed during a test of the “aircraft’s manoeuvrability”.

    Announcing Wednesday’s crash to investors, Vertical Aerospace said: “The aircraft was remotely piloted and there were no injuries.

    “Our flight test programme is designed to establish the limits of the aircraft’s performance, and the incident occurred during an uncrewed test of the aircraft’s manoeuvrability during a motor failure test scenario, which is a key requirement to progress to crewed operations. We are working closely with the relevant authorities.”


    Presumably that’s going to be a full AAIB field investigation, in which case they’re going to be grounded for months at best, and probably out of money. The report will be worth reading though!

    Well, at least their testing program has a better moral basis than that of Virgin Galactic.

    VG can't fly their vehicles remotely.

    In this case they are designed to be. So the only thing lost was a bit of money.

    Not entirely sure the damage will buff out, though.

    https://www.flightglobal.com/aerospace/vertical-faces-setback-after-vx4-prototype-crashes-during-flight-testing/154475.article
    That aircraft is totally Donald Ducked, it probably spun-in after they simulated an engine failure, and the company was already very close to being out of money. The wreck is probably already in a hangar in Farnborough, getting stripped down and the black boxes being read out.

    At least VG knew they were putting their own pilots at risk, and prepared appropriately, even if they did suffer one sad failure.
    VG didn’t have proper black boxes.

    Their vehicles are extremely dangerous in a number of ways. And have killed a number of people in testing. Through gross incompetence in at least one case.
    The US “Experimental Aircraft” category is very American, although as with the Titanic submarine, one hopes that the customers are properly informed as to the risks they’re taking.

    The UK kit car rules are seen as similar by many other countries, but I think it’s brilliant that you can build your own Caterham and get it registered.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,634
    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
    If the council is renting it, they aren't paying a private care company.
    They are still paying 250k a child...how do you justify that?
    It is a legal obligation.

    Not helped by gross underfunding of children's secure residential homes over the years, and often closures because of various abuse and grooming scandals.
  • BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 8,581
    Andy_JS said:

    Michelle Obama is now 3rd favourite for the Dem nom.

    Biden 1.36
    Newsom 13
    M Obama 23
    Kennedy 25
    Harris 27

    https://www.betfair.com/exchange/plus/politics/market/1.178163685

    I'm on her for President at 80/1. Very unlikely. She doesn't want the job. But if Biden is incapacitated and she is the only one certain to beat Trump then maybe duty will call.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,277
    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
    If the council is renting it, they aren't paying a private care company.
    They are still paying 250k a child...how do you justify that?
    It’s totally unjustifiable. The whole welfare state/endless migration house of cards is gonna collapse this decade
  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 9,871
    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
    If the council is renting it, they aren't paying a private care company.
    They are still paying 250k a child...how do you justify that?
    It is a legal obligation.

    Not helped by gross underfunding of children's secure residential homes over the years, and often closures because of various abuse and grooming scandals.
    Then that legal obligation has to fucking change, why should people who struggle to feed there children, house their children be forced to contribute to this?

    Go on justify it most people with kids struggle as I did and often had to do without but there tax money is funding kids having 250k a year on them and you wonder why we say fuck you?
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,134
    Leon said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I hope AI will hold off on “replacing travel journalists” for just two more months. I’m meant to be going to the Maldives for the Gazette in early October. Two of the swankiest new hotels on the planet, with world class scuba

    Two months. Is all I ask. Plz

    At least AI would spell “please” correctly.
    Those are the adorable and Very Human Quirks that AI can NEVER REPLACE

    More seriously, travel writing will be one of the last creative jobs to be automated. Quite hard for a computer to have a mojito in Soneva Fushi

    Everyone else is fucked, tho
    You can't automate 'idle progressive in Hampstead'.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,134
    Barnesian said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Michelle Obama is now 3rd favourite for the Dem nom.

    Biden 1.36
    Newsom 13
    M Obama 23
    Kennedy 25
    Harris 27

    https://www.betfair.com/exchange/plus/politics/market/1.178163685

    I'm on her for President at 80/1. Very unlikely. She doesn't want the job. But if Biden is incapacitated and she is the only one certain to beat Trump then maybe duty will call.
    Very good bet.
  • BarnesianBarnesian Posts: 8,581
    Foxy said:

    Westminster voting intention:

    LAB: 48% (+1)
    CON: 24% (-1)
    LDEM: 10% (-1)
    REF: 6% (-1)
    GRN: 6% (+1)

    via @Omnisis, 10 - 11 Aug

    https://twitter.com/BritainElects/status/1690028926137929728?t=7eZVCMPYYhLV9CSESb1tJA&s=19

    So "stop the boats week" has gone well...

    Any other leader would be 20 points ahead. BJO fans please explain.

    Adding this to the EMA gives an interesting result. The Greens gain a seat (Bristol Central) and the LibDems get 44 seats, way ahead of the SNP on 19. Tories on 103 seats.

    I thnk Electoral Calculus have recently tuned their model as the numbers haven't changed that much.


  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,411
    Andy_JS said:

    Michelle Obama is now 3rd favourite for the Dem nom.

    Biden 1.36
    Newsom 13
    M Obama 23
    Kennedy 25
    Harris 27

    https://www.betfair.com/exchange/plus/politics/market/1.178163685

    Great lay.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,553
    edited August 2023
    Sandpit said:

    AI is coming for - the travel writer.

    https://slashdot.org/story/23/08/11/1038255/a-new-frontier-for-travel-scammers-ai-generated-guidebooks

    The books are the result of a swirling mix of modern tools: A.I. apps that can produce text and fake portraits; websites with a seemingly endless array of stock photos and graphics; self-publishing platforms -- like Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing -- with few guardrails against the use of A.I.; and the ability to solicit, purchase and post phony online reviews, which runs counter to Amazon's policies and may soon face increased regulation from the Federal Trade Commission. The use of these tools in tandem has allowed the books to rise near the top of Amazon search results and sometimes garner Amazon endorsements such as "#1 Travel Guide on Alaska." A recent Amazon search for the phrase "Paris Travel Guide 2023," for example, yielded dozens of guides with that exact title. One, whose author is listed as Stuart Hartley, boasts, ungrammatically, that it is "Everything you Need to Know Before Plan a Trip to Paris."

    Reminds me of the travel writer who penned a book about Canada without actually visiting the country.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,634
    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
    If the council is renting it, they aren't paying a private care company.
    They are still paying 250k a child...how do you justify that?
    It is a legal obligation.

    Not helped by gross underfunding of children's secure residential homes over the years, and often closures because of various abuse and grooming scandals.
    Then that legal obligation has to fucking change, why should people who struggle to feed there children, house their children be forced to contribute to this?

    Go on justify it most people with kids struggle as I did and often had to do without but there tax money is funding kids having 250k a year on them and you wonder why we say fuck you?
    Sure, I too would far prefer to spend money on Surestart centres, Child and Adolescent Mental Health services, support for parents etc. Otherwise the costs come later and the outcomes worse.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,411

    George Monbiot: “Britain’s surging deer population is causing an ecological disaster. I have a solution: wolves”

    https://twitter.com/guardianopinion/status/1689957723058929665

    I have a solution: venison.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,583
    edited August 2023
    Leon said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I hope AI will hold off on “replacing travel journalists” for just two more months. I’m meant to be going to the Maldives for the Gazette in early October. Two of the swankiest new hotels on the planet, with world class scuba

    Two months. Is all I ask. Plz

    At least AI would spell “please” correctly.
    Those are the adorable and Very Human Quirks that AI can NEVER REPLACE

    More seriously, travel writing will be one of the last creative jobs to be automated. Quite hard for a computer to have a mojito in Soneva Fushi

    Everyone else is fucked, tho
    The computer doesn’t need to have a mojito in Soneva Fushi, it just needs to send the tourists to the local clip joint that will rip them off.

    It doesn’t matter that the tourists will have a crap experience, because another computer will take over a week later, heavily promoting next week’s scam holiday, with the tourists all blaming Google for their poor experience.

    What happens when the AI companies offer to pay the Spectator £10k per review, rather than them pay their actual writer £2k?
  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,486
    Leon said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I hope AI will hold off on “replacing travel journalists” for just two more months. I’m meant to be going to the Maldives for the Gazette in early October. Two of the swankiest new hotels on the planet, with world class scuba

    Two months. Is all I ask. Plz

    At least AI would spell “please” correctly.
    Those are the adorable and Very Human Quirks that AI can NEVER REPLACE

    More seriously, travel writing will be one of the last creative jobs to be automated. Quite hard for a computer to have a mojito in Soneva Fushi

    Everyone else is fucked, tho
    I guess the difference will be between “travel guides” and travel “feels”. If you want an itinerary and descriptions of what is there and food in restaurants then AI will be ok but if you have a favourite travel writer, who you discover likes the things you like, with emotion then AI won’t replace it.

  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,486

    George Monbiot: “Britain’s surging deer population is causing an ecological disaster. I have a solution: wolves”

    https://twitter.com/guardianopinion/status/1689957723058929665

    I have a solution: venison.
    Venison, vidi, vici.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,373

    Andy_JS said:

    Michelle Obama is now 3rd favourite for the Dem nom.

    Biden 1.36
    Newsom 13
    M Obama 23
    Kennedy 25
    Harris 27

    https://www.betfair.com/exchange/plus/politics/market/1.178163685

    Great lay.
    TMI...
  • Pagan2Pagan2 Posts: 9,871
    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
    If the council is renting it, they aren't paying a private care company.
    They are still paying 250k a child...how do you justify that?
    It is a legal obligation.

    Not helped by gross underfunding of children's secure residential homes over the years, and often closures because of various abuse and grooming scandals.
    Then that legal obligation has to fucking change, why should people who struggle to feed there children, house their children be forced to contribute to this?

    Go on justify it most people with kids struggle as I did and often had to do without but there tax money is funding kids having 250k a year on them and you wonder why we say fuck you?
    Sure, I too would far prefer to spend money on Surestart centres, Child and Adolescent Mental Health services, support for parents etc. Otherwise the costs come later and the outcomes worse.
    Dont give me that shit, these kids are probably more victims of parents and none of those would work. Don't get me wrong I have sympathy for the kids. I just think 250k per child most would go no fuck off and die I am not paying my taxes for that....maybe 25k
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,634
    edited August 2023
    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I hope AI will hold off on “replacing travel journalists” for just two more months. I’m meant to be going to the Maldives for the Gazette in early October. Two of the swankiest new hotels on the planet, with world class scuba

    Two months. Is all I ask. Plz

    At least AI would spell “please” correctly.
    Those are the adorable and Very Human Quirks that AI can NEVER REPLACE

    More seriously, travel writing will be one of the last creative jobs to be automated. Quite hard for a computer to have a mojito in Soneva Fushi

    Everyone else is fucked, tho
    I guess the difference will be between “travel guides” and travel “feels”. If you want an itinerary and descriptions of what is there and food in restaurants then AI will be ok but if you have a favourite travel writer, who you discover likes the things you like, with emotion then AI won’t replace it.

    Nah, travel journalism is formulaic pufferey, commissioned by travel companies to pad out the Sunday supplements.

    Piece of piss for AI.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 54,583

    George Monbiot: “Britain’s surging deer population is causing an ecological disaster. I have a solution: wolves”

    https://twitter.com/guardianopinion/status/1689957723058929665

    I have a solution: venison.
    Send the hunts to look for deer rather than foxes. Shouldn’t be too difficult.
  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,486

    Andy_JS said:

    Michelle Obama is now 3rd favourite for the Dem nom.

    Biden 1.36
    Newsom 13
    M Obama 23
    Kennedy 25
    Harris 27

    https://www.betfair.com/exchange/plus/politics/market/1.178163685

    Great lay.
    If that’s the qualification I would go with Melania.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,373

    Andy_JS said:

    Michelle Obama is now 3rd favourite for the Dem nom.

    Biden 1.36
    Newsom 13
    M Obama 23
    Kennedy 25
    Harris 27

    https://www.betfair.com/exchange/plus/politics/market/1.178163685

    Nuts she is shorter than Harris who, as @rcs1000 pointed out, has a clear route.

    Read this, which is getting a lot of traction in the US at the moment even though the book has been out for years:

    https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/david-garrow-interview-obama

    My guess is a Michelle Obama campaign is going to run quickly into questions about some of the allegations / points in here
    I agree absolutely with your first point, it is literally insane that the incumbent Veep is fifth favourite for the nomination. She's one slip on the steps away from the Presidency ffs.

    With regard to your second point, I flatly disagree about the Michelle Obama campaign, because there isn't one and there isn't going to be one. There's a lot of wishcasting going on, which is not the same thing. She is not Hilary Clinton in any way, shape or form.
  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,486
    Foxy said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I hope AI will hold off on “replacing travel journalists” for just two more months. I’m meant to be going to the Maldives for the Gazette in early October. Two of the swankiest new hotels on the planet, with world class scuba

    Two months. Is all I ask. Plz

    At least AI would spell “please” correctly.
    Those are the adorable and Very Human Quirks that AI can NEVER REPLACE

    More seriously, travel writing will be one of the last creative jobs to be automated. Quite hard for a computer to have a mojito in Soneva Fushi

    Everyone else is fucked, tho
    I guess the difference will be between “travel guides” and travel “feels”. If you want an itinerary and descriptions of what is there and food in restaurants then AI will be ok but if you have a favourite travel writer, who you discover likes the things you like, with emotion then AI won’t replace it.

    Nah, travel journalism is formulaic pufferey, commissioned by travel companies to pad out the Sunday supplements.

    Piece of piss for AI.
    I think a lot of people have travel writers or restaurant critics who they followed advice from and found they were in synch with them and so trust that character and follow their recommendations. I don’t know if you could have that level of focus or personality with AI. That said I’m a complete tech idiot so ignore my opinions.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,373
    Sandpit said:

    George Monbiot: “Britain’s surging deer population is causing an ecological disaster. I have a solution: wolves”

    https://twitter.com/guardianopinion/status/1689957723058929665

    I have a solution: venison.
    Send the hunts to look for deer rather than foxes. Shouldn’t be too difficult.
    Deer hunting is outlawed under the Hunting Act too.

    Actually, it was always more controversial than fox hunting, because it involved the hounds cornering a deer and holding it until the hunt arrived to shoot it, rather than just being killed quickly by the hounds.
  • TresTres Posts: 2,695
    Over a month now since a poll has had the Conservatives in the 30% range. Where's Moonrabbit?
  • darkagedarkage Posts: 5,398
    Stocky said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    Not sure I agree completely. In the example I gave earlier, the rental is 'only' 10% of the annual cost. And, of course, if the council purchases the property it is the massive capital expenditure/ opportunity cost which must be taken into account. With the rental option it is the leaseholder who suffers the opportunity cost - some profit sure but the majority of profit overall is I would say being made by the care provider rather than the leaseholder.
    @Stocky
    I think a lot of HMO property investor types get drawn in to it then realise it is not easy. It is a huge investment of time and money to set up the property, get the staff employed etc, get all the certification etc. And then it is just going to be an overwhelmingly sad and tragic business. I remember a taxi driver telling me he drove one of these kids to school as part of a contract with the council and that he child said that he (the taxi driver) was his only friend.

    The better solution is to somehow intervene to avoid things getting to this stage.
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 11,051

    Brexit, barge, Rwanda. How much more of our money is this incompetent shower of a government going to waste? Ffs, just go now!

    Assuming the barge is cheaper than hotel accommodation, how is that wasting money?
    Given the barge isn’t currently housing anyone and we’re still paying for hotel accommodation, but the barge IS still costing us, that seems like a waste of money.

    Do you know what would save money? Actually process the cases. Of course, you’d have to let a few people in then and that seems anathema to Conservative Home Secretaries, so we just go on paying more money to not do anything.
  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,486
    ydoethur said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Michelle Obama is now 3rd favourite for the Dem nom.

    Biden 1.36
    Newsom 13
    M Obama 23
    Kennedy 25
    Harris 27

    https://www.betfair.com/exchange/plus/politics/market/1.178163685

    Nuts she is shorter than Harris who, as @rcs1000 pointed out, has a clear route.

    Read this, which is getting a lot of traction in the US at the moment even though the book has been out for years:

    https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/arts-letters/articles/david-garrow-interview-obama

    My guess is a Michelle Obama campaign is going to run quickly into questions about some of the allegations / points in here
    I agree absolutely with your first point, it is literally insane that the incumbent Veep is fifth favourite for the nomination. She's one slip on the steps away from the Presidency ffs.

    With regard to your second point, I flatly disagree about the Michelle Obama campaign, because there isn't one and there isn't going to be one. There's a lot of wishcasting going on, which is not the same thing. She is not Hilary Clinton in any way, shape or form.
    I think MO was given that horrid racist trope of “angry black woman” which will stick. She’s clearly very intelligent and knows the workings of gov from Barrack Obama (was going to write BO but that might be rude). There are too many attack lines for Trump and co against her.

    Weirdly it might be that the first black woman, even woman, president might come from the republicans much as with the Tories producing the first and second (that’s all there were, yes?) female PMs and the first minority PM (if you discount Disraeli).
  • RazedabodeRazedabode Posts: 3,028
    Tres said:

    Over a month now since a poll has had the Conservatives in the 30% range. Where's Moonrabbit?

    It does feel like the situation is terminal. Can’t even do the gimmick that is the barge. Nothing works. Etc etc
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,277
    Foxy said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I hope AI will hold off on “replacing travel journalists” for just two more months. I’m meant to be going to the Maldives for the Gazette in early October. Two of the swankiest new hotels on the planet, with world class scuba

    Two months. Is all I ask. Plz

    At least AI would spell “please” correctly.
    Those are the adorable and Very Human Quirks that AI can NEVER REPLACE

    More seriously, travel writing will be one of the last creative jobs to be automated. Quite hard for a computer to have a mojito in Soneva Fushi

    Everyone else is fucked, tho
    I guess the difference will be between “travel guides” and travel “feels”. If you want an itinerary and descriptions of what is there and food in restaurants then AI will be ok but if you have a favourite travel writer, who you discover likes the things you like, with emotion then AI won’t replace it.

    Nah, travel journalism is formulaic pufferey, commissioned by travel companies to pad out the Sunday supplements.

    Piece of piss for AI.
    Heh. THE MALDIVES, mate, THE MALDIVES
  • LeonLeon Posts: 55,277
    Speaking of freebies. Do any PBers live in the Welsh Marches?

    I might have some luxe free lunches/dinners to share
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,134

    Brexit, barge, Rwanda. How much more of our money is this incompetent shower of a government going to waste? Ffs, just go now!

    Assuming the barge is cheaper than hotel accommodation, how is that wasting money?
    Given the barge isn’t currently housing anyone and we’re still paying for hotel accommodation, but the barge IS still costing us, that seems like a waste of money.

    Do you know what would save money? Actually process the cases. Of course, you’d have to let a few people in then and that seems anathema to Conservative Home Secretaries, so we just go on paying more money to not do anything.
    If we had a half-working system the whole of the developing world would come streaming our way, apparently.
  • darkagedarkage Posts: 5,398
    Leon said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
    If the council is renting it, they aren't paying a private care company.
    They are still paying 250k a child...how do you justify that?
    It’s totally unjustifiable. The whole welfare state/endless migration house of cards is gonna collapse this decade
    To put it in to context £250k is the total income tax paid by 33 working adults that earn £50k per year.
  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 18,355

    George Monbiot: “Britain’s surging deer population is causing an ecological disaster. I have a solution: wolves”

    https://twitter.com/guardianopinion/status/1689957723058929665

    I have a solution: venison.
    Vegan beef?
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,411
    Leon said:

    Foxy said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I hope AI will hold off on “replacing travel journalists” for just two more months. I’m meant to be going to the Maldives for the Gazette in early October. Two of the swankiest new hotels on the planet, with world class scuba

    Two months. Is all I ask. Plz

    At least AI would spell “please” correctly.
    Those are the adorable and Very Human Quirks that AI can NEVER REPLACE

    More seriously, travel writing will be one of the last creative jobs to be automated. Quite hard for a computer to have a mojito in Soneva Fushi

    Everyone else is fucked, tho
    I guess the difference will be between “travel guides” and travel “feels”. If you want an itinerary and descriptions of what is there and food in restaurants then AI will be ok but if you have a favourite travel writer, who you discover likes the things you like, with emotion then AI won’t replace it.

    Nah, travel journalism is formulaic pufferey, commissioned by travel companies to pad out the Sunday supplements.

    Piece of piss for AI.
    Heh. THE MALDIVES, mate, THE MALDIVES
    Underwater in 20 years?
  • boulayboulay Posts: 5,486
    Leon said:

    Foxy said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    boulay said:

    Leon said:

    I hope AI will hold off on “replacing travel journalists” for just two more months. I’m meant to be going to the Maldives for the Gazette in early October. Two of the swankiest new hotels on the planet, with world class scuba

    Two months. Is all I ask. Plz

    At least AI would spell “please” correctly.
    Those are the adorable and Very Human Quirks that AI can NEVER REPLACE

    More seriously, travel writing will be one of the last creative jobs to be automated. Quite hard for a computer to have a mojito in Soneva Fushi

    Everyone else is fucked, tho
    I guess the difference will be between “travel guides” and travel “feels”. If you want an itinerary and descriptions of what is there and food in restaurants then AI will be ok but if you have a favourite travel writer, who you discover likes the things you like, with emotion then AI won’t replace it.

    Nah, travel journalism is formulaic pufferey, commissioned by travel companies to pad out the Sunday supplements.

    Piece of piss for AI.
    Heh. THE MALDIVES, mate, THE MALDIVES
    In 2500 years people will talk about a mysterious paradise that was lost to the sea and like Plato with Atlantis the name of Leon will be forever be linked with the legend of the lost world of the Maldives.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,134
    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
    If the council is renting it, they aren't paying a private care company.
    They are still paying 250k a child...how do you justify that?
    It is a legal obligation.

    Not helped by gross underfunding of children's secure residential homes over the years, and often closures because of various abuse and grooming scandals.
    Then that legal obligation has to fucking change, why should people who struggle to feed there children, house their children be forced to contribute to this?

    Go on justify it most people with kids struggle as I did and often had to do without but there tax money is funding kids having 250k a year on them and you wonder why we say fuck you?
    Sure, I too would far prefer to spend money on Surestart centres, Child and Adolescent Mental Health services, support for parents etc. Otherwise the costs come later and the outcomes worse.
    Dont give me that shit, these kids are probably more victims of parents and none of those would work. Don't get me wrong I have sympathy for the kids. I just think 250k per child most would go no fuck off and die I am not paying my taxes for that....maybe 25k
    What about expensive medical treatment for people? Want to cap this too?
  • Be fair to Moonrabibit. I thought her argument that we should be watching the Con share rather than the headline polling lead was correct. The fact that the Con share has dropped since their first poll under Mr Sunak with almost all of the polling companies (and has increased beyond the margin of error in none) is surely significant.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,411
    Leon said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
    If the council is renting it, they aren't paying a private care company.
    They are still paying 250k a child...how do you justify that?
    It’s totally unjustifiable. The whole welfare state/endless migration house of cards is gonna collapse this decade
    Our whole system is set up to treat migrant as hallowed and traumatised guests who deserve the benefit of the doubt and the very best.

    It's a different standard of care to what lifelong residents experience and well they know it.
  • StockyStocky Posts: 10,213
    kinabalu said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
    If the council is renting it, they aren't paying a private care company.
    They are still paying 250k a child...how do you justify that?
    It is a legal obligation.

    Not helped by gross underfunding of children's secure residential homes over the years, and often closures because of various abuse and grooming scandals.
    Then that legal obligation has to fucking change, why should people who struggle to feed there children, house their children be forced to contribute to this?

    Go on justify it most people with kids struggle as I did and often had to do without but there tax money is funding kids having 250k a year on them and you wonder why we say fuck you?
    Sure, I too would far prefer to spend money on Surestart centres, Child and Adolescent Mental Health services, support for parents etc. Otherwise the costs come later and the outcomes worse.
    Dont give me that shit, these kids are probably more victims of parents and none of those would work. Don't get me wrong I have sympathy for the kids. I just think 250k per child most would go no fuck off and die I am not paying my taxes for that....maybe 25k
    What about expensive medical treatment for people? Want to cap this too?
    Yes of course. We already do don't we? You can't have unlimited state funding.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,373

    Leon said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
    If the council is renting it, they aren't paying a private care company.
    They are still paying 250k a child...how do you justify that?
    It’s totally unjustifiable. The whole welfare state/endless migration house of cards is gonna collapse this decade
    Our whole system is set up to treat migrant as hallowed and traumatised guests who deserve the benefit of the doubt and the very best.

    It's a different standard of care to what lifelong residents experience and well they know it.
    We put lifelong residents up on barges?
  • Northern_AlNorthern_Al Posts: 8,375
    ydoethur said:

    Leon said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
    If the council is renting it, they aren't paying a private care company.
    They are still paying 250k a child...how do you justify that?
    It’s totally unjustifiable. The whole welfare state/endless migration house of cards is gonna collapse this decade
    Our whole system is set up to treat migrant as hallowed and traumatised guests who deserve the benefit of the doubt and the very best.

    It's a different standard of care to what lifelong residents experience and well they know it.
    We put lifelong residents up on barges?
    It seems to me that some of our contributors would rather like children in care to also be housed in barges.
    Bugger, I may have given Suella and Lee an idea.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,812

    Sandpit said:

    George Monbiot: “Britain’s surging deer population is causing an ecological disaster. I have a solution: wolves”

    https://twitter.com/guardianopinion/status/1689957723058929665

    Monbiot proving once again, that he’s not properly thought through his simplistic solutions to complex problems.

    Does he really want to replace a deer problem with a wolf problem? Deer don’t generally end up in back gardens, having fights with dogs and children.
    If the wolves get out of control then we could bring back the famous British lions.
    I know an old woman who swallowed a fly…
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,411
    ydoethur said:

    Leon said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
    If the council is renting it, they aren't paying a private care company.
    They are still paying 250k a child...how do you justify that?
    It’s totally unjustifiable. The whole welfare state/endless migration house of cards is gonna collapse this decade
    Our whole system is set up to treat migrant as hallowed and traumatised guests who deserve the benefit of the doubt and the very best.

    It's a different standard of care to what lifelong residents experience and well they know it.
    We put lifelong residents up on barges?
    Basically, it's a moored cruise ship hotel.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,373
    edited August 2023

    ydoethur said:

    Leon said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
    If the council is renting it, they aren't paying a private care company.
    They are still paying 250k a child...how do you justify that?
    It’s totally unjustifiable. The whole welfare state/endless migration house of cards is gonna collapse this decade
    Our whole system is set up to treat migrant as hallowed and traumatised guests who deserve the benefit of the doubt and the very best.

    It's a different standard of care to what lifelong residents experience and well they know it.
    We put lifelong residents up on barges?
    It seems to me that some of our contributors would rather like children in care to also be housed in barges.
    Bugger, I may have given Suella and Lee an idea.
    Oooh, we used to dream of living on a barge. Barge would have been like a palace to us. We had nowt but a rotten dinghy wit'ole in bottom.
  • darkagedarkage Posts: 5,398

    ydoethur said:

    Leon said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    Foxy said:

    Pagan2 said:

    @Stocky - Yes, this is exactly how children’s social care works right now. You can look into County Council minutes and accounts. The sums are eye-watering.

    One of the smartest things Oxfordshire County Council’s rainbow alliance administration is doing, entirely unremarked by the work experience rejects that pass for the local press, is quietly buying up residential properties in villages to convert into children’s homes like this. The RoI is immense.

    Please explain how the roi is immense. It sounds like the child is costing the council 250K a year...thats a huge amount of money to make back if they are there 10 years.....it means the child needs to save the state 2.5 mill
    If the council own them the money isn't going to the private profiteers, so there is a substantial saving.
    The case stated said they were renting it try again
    If the council is renting it, they aren't paying a private care company.
    They are still paying 250k a child...how do you justify that?
    It’s totally unjustifiable. The whole welfare state/endless migration house of cards is gonna collapse this decade
    Our whole system is set up to treat migrant as hallowed and traumatised guests who deserve the benefit of the doubt and the very best.

    It's a different standard of care to what lifelong residents experience and well they know it.
    We put lifelong residents up on barges?
    It seems to me that some of our contributors would rather like children in care to also be housed in barges.
    Bugger, I may have given Suella and Lee an idea.
    Do you think that there should be any financial limit on the amount paid per child?
  • It's so depressing on here this evening. Apart from @Leon's exciting trip to the Maldives,of course.
This discussion has been closed.