The question as always with the election is the halting of counting round 3am then the sudden massive vote dumps for Biden in states like Wisconsin. Its this that fuels the questions about the result and why so many republicans believe there was election fraud.
Postal ballots were counted later.
Seriously: Republicans controlled Wisconsin, Arizona and Georgia.
This would therefore be the first time in history that the opposition party managed to rig the election.
"Train to Bavaria — a lovely way to travel, if you can live with the delays From London to Altotting, via Augsnurg — Melanie McDonagh finds German trains are no better than our own"
I travelled on a German train from Berlin to Amsterdam in the summer: while only one trip, it was a pretty good experience.
I am afraid the actual facts say that you are wrong
"Last year, a third of all long-distance trains operated by Germany's national railway company Deutsche Bahn ran late, the worst showing in 10 years, deepening an existential crisis in a country where failing to show up on time is verboten."
The whining from the journalists when they discovered that they would be travelling in fairly ordinary seats was wonderful. Especially when they'd been attacking the government for creating an "Airforce One" luxury jet.
AIUI, there was a hierarchy that meant that, on a chartered BA plane, the politicians would sit in 1st, the top staff and the top hacks would all sit in biz together, and everyone else would be at the back.
The new plane only has two classes, which means that only the politicians and their staff are at the front, and all of the media are at the back.
Which has really upset the media top dogs. Laura and Kay don’t ever fly economy.
"'You're kind of raised to hate tourists': Maui fires fan tensions on Hawaiian island"
Every area which is a tourist destination has a love/hate relationship with tourism. Especially the kind that brings expensive gentrification.
Hawaii is much more complex and interesting than a tourism/locals thing (tho that matters, of course)
There is a real and growing sense of Hawaiian-ness. Hawaii as a "nation full of Hawaiians" is older than America itself. Hawaii's native culture goes back many uninterrupted centuries. A lot of them feel colonised, and definitely condescended. Many of them believe that Hawaii is importing problems from the mainland (obesity, drugs, crime). They look at other Asian countries with apparently better lives - and citizens in Hawaii who tell them this (Japan, Taiwan, S Korea). And they have the Union Jack in their flag
"Train to Bavaria — a lovely way to travel, if you can live with the delays From London to Altotting, via Augsnurg — Melanie McDonagh finds German trains are no better than our own"
I travelled on a German train from Berlin to Amsterdam in the summer: while only one trip, it was a pretty good experience.
My brother who uses them regularly says they have really gone downhill.
It's not even in dispute. The Germans admit it themselves. Their train system has gone down the khazi
Like I said, this does not suddenly mean British trains being a bit shoddy (and often way too expensive) is acceptable, but it IS necessary perspective. Few PB-ers seem to travel much, or, if they do travel, they go to the regular, nice, rich places they always go to, which are - predictably - nice and rich
Travel further afield and you can see post-pandemic and war-related issues EVERYWHERE. And sometimes arguably worse than that - eg the decline of urban inland America
In short, Britain is in the doldrums, but we are far from alone, and some are actually sinking
I think we are just never happier than when we think we are doomed.
Britain is actually a safe, clean and pretty well run country in most respects.
Lol a ludicrous property bubble and a failing health service and you call it well run.
"Train to Bavaria — a lovely way to travel, if you can live with the delays From London to Altotting, via Augsnurg — Melanie McDonagh finds German trains are no better than our own"
I travelled on a German train from Berlin to Amsterdam in the summer: while only one trip, it was a pretty good experience.
I am afraid the actual facts say that you are wrong
"Last year, a third of all long-distance trains operated by Germany's national railway company Deutsche Bahn ran late, the worst showing in 10 years, deepening an existential crisis in a country where failing to show up on time is verboten."
And Germany, of course, is also in recession. Unlike the UK
"In late May, confirmation came through of what many had feared. With gross domestic product (GDP) in Europe’s largest economy falling over two consecutive quarters—first by 0.5 percent in last year’s final quarter and then by 0.5 percent in the first quarter of 2023—Germany had officially fallen into a recession. And given its preeminent status as Europe’s leading economy, the implications for the region and the world cannot be underestimated. Is a prompt escape from this gloomy economic territory feasible, and if not, what does that mean for the world?"
Germany MAY be facing what Britain endured in the GFC - a massive challenge and abrupt shock to its fundamental economic model. For us it was our dependence on Financial Services, which suddenly became a serious negative, for them it might be their dependence on high value exports to China, at a time when China is simultaneously slumping, and ALSO trying to replace those high value German exports, worldwide
We have yet to really recover from the shock of the GFC...
It is certainly facing a shock. It has a heavy dependence on manufacturing and has been over dependent on Russia for energy. Sectors such as chemicals are openly saying they may have to move.
However it would be rash to understeimate the resilience of Germany its part of the national psyche to refuse to admit they are beaten.
It would indeed be rash to underestimate Germany, which is an admirable nation in many ways. Equally, no one got rich betting against the British eventually battling through. It's what we tend to do (in war, at least, if not in association football)
But before we knock ourselves into shape we generally have a decade or two of pathetic adolescent weeping, and maybe that is where we are now
I think where Britain falls behind is significantly down to education and aspiration. Immigrant groups are pro-education and very ambitious for their children.
Britain seems run by old people who want to squeeze young people till the pips squeak, unless related to them.
Yes the old problem of the gerontocracy. The UK is a health service with a small country attached.
That specific sentence is rather familiar, even for those of us who agree with the sentiment.
It's an excellent line, but 87% of GDP arises from non-health related activity. And most people most of the time go out of their way to avoid doctors as far as they possibly can. The average person sees their GP fewer than 5 times a year. Most people spend more time than that drinking, gambling, feeding the cat and tickling the baby's toes. Which is exactly as it should be.
Fewer than 5?
Before I got a phone call from the GP - which I had to battle for 2 months ago - I hadn't seen one since 2019.
I'm not sure I will ever "see" one again.
No, less than five. This mimsy hypergrammaticism really pisses me off
Has anyone mentioned that Christie is now polling second to Trump in New Hampshire?
Yep: DeSantis has managed to drop out of the top two.
Christie is definitely setting himself up as the old Republican candidate.
The total implosion of the RDS campaign, is very wierd. I spent months wondering if he’d stand, but then he did and he might as well not bothered. His team have been worse then useless, spending their days online sh!tposting and trashing moderates.
Vivek Ramaswamy is trying his best to achieve a 'Dean Scream' moment:
"Train to Bavaria — a lovely way to travel, if you can live with the delays From London to Altotting, via Augsnurg — Melanie McDonagh finds German trains are no better than our own"
I travelled on a German train from Berlin to Amsterdam in the summer: while only one trip, it was a pretty good experience.
My brother who uses them regularly says they have really gone downhill.
It's not even in dispute. The Germans admit it themselves. Their train system has gone down the khazi
Like I said, this does not suddenly mean British trains being a bit shoddy (and often way too expensive) is acceptable, but it IS necessary perspective. Few PB-ers seem to travel much, or, if they do travel, they go to the regular, nice, rich places they always go to, which are - predictably - nice and rich
Travel further afield and you can see post-pandemic and war-related issues EVERYWHERE. And sometimes arguably worse than that - eg the decline of urban inland America
In short, Britain is in the doldrums, but we are far from alone, and some are actually sinking
I think we are just never happier than when we think we are doomed.
Britain is actually a safe, clean and pretty well run country in most respects.
Everything outside of London averages out to Mississippi, according to that FT graph.
Not great.
The same visualisation shows most of Europe worse off.
Lies, damned lies and statistics.
London isn't as productive as figures make out. There is a tendency to accrue production figures to the capital (or HQ) which completely distorts any figures. Its the same around the globe.
Comparing UK without London with any other country is complete gibberish unless you remove their capital too.
Try living in Cheshire and Mississippi and Bucharest and see which is really worse off. Its complete nonsense.
"Train to Bavaria — a lovely way to travel, if you can live with the delays From London to Altotting, via Augsnurg — Melanie McDonagh finds German trains are no better than our own"
I travelled on a German train from Berlin to Amsterdam in the summer: while only one trip, it was a pretty good experience.
I am afraid the actual facts say that you are wrong
"Last year, a third of all long-distance trains operated by Germany's national railway company Deutsche Bahn ran late, the worst showing in 10 years, deepening an existential crisis in a country where failing to show up on time is verboten."
And Germany, of course, is also in recession. Unlike the UK
"In late May, confirmation came through of what many had feared. With gross domestic product (GDP) in Europe’s largest economy falling over two consecutive quarters—first by 0.5 percent in last year’s final quarter and then by 0.5 percent in the first quarter of 2023—Germany had officially fallen into a recession. And given its preeminent status as Europe’s leading economy, the implications for the region and the world cannot be underestimated. Is a prompt escape from this gloomy economic territory feasible, and if not, what does that mean for the world?"
Germany MAY be facing what Britain endured in the GFC - a massive challenge and abrupt shock to its fundamental economic model. For us it was our dependence on Financial Services, which suddenly became a serious negative, for them it might be their dependence on high value exports to China, at a time when China is simultaneously slumping, and ALSO trying to replace those high value German exports, worldwide
We have yet to really recover from the shock of the GFC...
It is certainly facing a shock. It has a heavy dependence on manufacturing and has been over dependent on Russia for energy. Sectors such as chemicals are openly saying they may have to move.
However it would be rash to understeimate the resilience of Germany its part of the national psyche to refuse to admit they are beaten.
It would indeed be rash to underestimate Germany, which is an admirable nation in many ways. Equally, no one got rich betting against the British eventually battling through. It's what we tend to do (in war, at least, if not in association football)
But before we knock ourselves into shape we generally have a decade or two of pathetic adolescent weeping, and maybe that is where we are now
I think where Britain falls behind is significantly down to education and aspiration. Immigrant groups are pro-education and very ambitious for their children.
Britain seems run by old people who want to squeeze young people till the pips squeak, unless related to them.
Yes the old problem of the gerontocracy. The UK is a health service with a small country attached.
That specific sentence is rather familiar, even for those of us who agree with the sentiment.
It's an excellent line, but 87% of GDP arises from non-health related activity. And most people most of the time go out of their way to avoid doctors as far as they possibly can. The average person sees their GP fewer than 5 times a year. Most people spend more time than that drinking, gambling, feeding the cat and tickling the baby's toes. Which is exactly as it should be.
My cats are of the opinion that 87% of GDP should be devoted to feeding cats.
I am of the opinion that 87% of GDP should be spent on nuclear weapons to guard against the inevitable evolution of opposable thumbs by cats. Then we will really, really need the nukes.
Why does this bring up the disquieting picture of legions of cats with opposable thumbs fast asleep and warming themselves in the glow of multiple nuclear explosions with lesser species delegated to open the tins and keep the chairs warm.
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
"Train to Bavaria — a lovely way to travel, if you can live with the delays From London to Altotting, via Augsnurg — Melanie McDonagh finds German trains are no better than our own"
I travelled on a German train from Berlin to Amsterdam in the summer: while only one trip, it was a pretty good experience.
My brother who uses them regularly says they have really gone downhill.
It's not even in dispute. The Germans admit it themselves. Their train system has gone down the khazi
Like I said, this does not suddenly mean British trains being a bit shoddy (and often way too expensive) is acceptable, but it IS necessary perspective. Few PB-ers seem to travel much, or, if they do travel, they go to the regular, nice, rich places they always go to, which are - predictably - nice and rich
Travel further afield and you can see post-pandemic and war-related issues EVERYWHERE. And sometimes arguably worse than that - eg the decline of urban inland America
In short, Britain is in the doldrums, but we are far from alone, and some are actually sinking
I think we are just never happier than when we think we are doomed.
Britain is actually a safe, clean and pretty well run country in most respects.
Everything outside of London averages out to Mississippi, according to that FT graph.
Not great.
The same visualisation shows most of Europe worse off.
Lies, damned lies and statistics.
London isn't as productive as figures make out. There is a tendency to accrue production figures to the capital (or HQ) which completely distorts any figures. Its the same around the globe.
Comparing UK without London with any other country is complete gibberish unless you remove their capital too.
Try living in Cheshire and Mississippi and Bucharest and see which is really worse off. Its complete nonsense.
The era when those interested in the financial markets consulted the FT for its financial news and analysis are long gone.
Today, it fishes in the same pool as the Guardian but want to pretend they're centrist.
The question as always with the election is the halting of counting round 3am then the sudden massive vote dumps for Biden in states like Wisconsin. Its this that fuels the questions about the result and why so many republicans believe there was election fraud.
Postal ballots were counted later.
Seriously: Republicans controlled Wisconsin, Arizona and Georgia.
This would therefore be the first time in history that the opposition party managed to rig the election.
Yes but why was voting halted. Its that which gives rise to the various voting fraud theories. Also i believe there was a sudden vote dump of 100000 votes for Biden in Wisconsin.
"'You're kind of raised to hate tourists': Maui fires fan tensions on Hawaiian island"
Every area which is a tourist destination has a love/hate relationship with tourism. Especially the kind that brings expensive gentrification.
Hawaii is much more complex and interesting than a tourism/locals thing (tho that matters, of course)
There is a real and growing sense of Hawaiian-ness. Hawaii as a "nation full of Hawaiians" is older than America itself. Hawaii's native culture goes back many uninterrupted centuries. A lot of them feel colonised, and definitely condescended. Many of them believe that Hawaii is importing problems from the mainland (obesity, drugs, crime). They look at other Asian countries with apparently better lives - and citizens in Hawaii who tell them this (Japan, Taiwan, S Korea). And they have the Union Jack in their flag
Aloha, iHawaii!
It would press all sorts of American buttons if they seceded and then joined the Commonwealth, maybe even requesting HM The King as head of state, as Papua New Guinea did.
I'm not sure there's any realistic secession mechanism though.
Has anyone mentioned that Christie is now polling second to Trump in New Hampshire?
Yep: DeSantis has managed to drop out of the top two.
Christie is definitely setting himself up as the old Republican candidate.
The total implosion of the RDS campaign, is very wierd. I spent months wondering if he’d stand, but then he did and he might as well not bothered. His team have been worse then useless, spending their days online sh!tposting and trashing moderates.
Vivek Ramaswamy is trying his best to achieve a 'Dean Scream' moment:
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
"'You're kind of raised to hate tourists': Maui fires fan tensions on Hawaiian island"
Every area which is a tourist destination has a love/hate relationship with tourism. Especially the kind that brings expensive gentrification.
Hawaii is much more complex and interesting than a tourism/locals thing (tho that matters, of course)
There is a real and growing sense of Hawaiian-ness. Hawaii as a "nation full of Hawaiians" is older than America itself. Hawaii's native culture goes back many uninterrupted centuries. A lot of them feel colonised, and definitely condescended. Many of them believe that Hawaii is importing problems from the mainland (obesity, drugs, crime). They look at other Asian countries with apparently better lives - and citizens in Hawaii who tell them this (Japan, Taiwan, S Korea). And they have the Union Jack in their flag
Aloha, iHawaii!
It would press all sorts of American buttons if they seceded and then joined the Commonwealth, maybe even requesting HM The King as head of state, as Papua New Guinea did.
I'm not sure there's any realistic secession mechanism though.
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Oh by the way Leon good article in the spectator this week.
"Train to Bavaria — a lovely way to travel, if you can live with the delays From London to Altotting, via Augsnurg — Melanie McDonagh finds German trains are no better than our own"
I travelled on a German train from Berlin to Amsterdam in the summer: while only one trip, it was a pretty good experience.
I am afraid the actual facts say that you are wrong
"Last year, a third of all long-distance trains operated by Germany's national railway company Deutsche Bahn ran late, the worst showing in 10 years, deepening an existential crisis in a country where failing to show up on time is verboten."
The whining from the journalists when they discovered that they would be travelling in fairly ordinary seats was wonderful. Especially when they'd been attacking the government for creating an "Airforce One" luxury jet.
AIUI, there was a hierarchy that meant that, on a chartered BA plane, the politicians would sit in 1st, the top staff and the top hacks would all sit in biz together, and everyone else would be at the back.
The new plane only has two classes, which means that only the politicians and their staff are at the front, and all of the media are at the back.
Which has really upset the media top dogs. Laura and Kay don’t ever fly economy.
Yes - it was quite splendid to watch them trying to complain without sounding totally like Pollyfilla from Private Eye.
Has anyone mentioned that Christie is now polling second to Trump in New Hampshire?
Yep: DeSantis has managed to drop out of the top two.
Christie is definitely setting himself up as the old Republican candidate.
The total implosion of the RDS campaign, is very wierd. I spent months wondering if he’d stand, but then he did and he might as well not bothered. His team have been worse then useless, spending their days online sh!tposting and trashing moderates.
Vivek Ramaswamy is trying his best to achieve a 'Dean Scream' moment:
"Ramaswamy favors "major concessions to Russia" in the Russo-Ukrainian war. He favors ending U.S. military aid to Ukraine, excluding Ukraine from NATO (saying he is "dead-set opposed" to it), and allowing Russia to occupy regions of Ukraine in exchange for an agreement that Russia end its alliance with China.[95][96] He called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a "bully"[96] and in a 2023 interview made unsupported claims that Jews and other minorities have been poorly treated in Ukraine under Zelensky (who is himself Jewish)."
"Train to Bavaria — a lovely way to travel, if you can live with the delays From London to Altotting, via Augsnurg — Melanie McDonagh finds German trains are no better than our own"
I travelled on a German train from Berlin to Amsterdam in the summer: while only one trip, it was a pretty good experience.
My brother who uses them regularly says they have really gone downhill.
It's not even in dispute. The Germans admit it themselves. Their train system has gone down the khazi
Like I said, this does not suddenly mean British trains being a bit shoddy (and often way too expensive) is acceptable, but it IS necessary perspective. Few PB-ers seem to travel much, or, if they do travel, they go to the regular, nice, rich places they always go to, which are - predictably - nice and rich
Travel further afield and you can see post-pandemic and war-related issues EVERYWHERE. And sometimes arguably worse than that - eg the decline of urban inland America
In short, Britain is in the doldrums, but we are far from alone, and some are actually sinking
I think we are just never happier than when we think we are doomed.
Britain is actually a safe, clean and pretty well run country in most respects.
Everything outside of London averages out to Mississippi, according to that FT graph.
Not great.
The same visualisation shows most of Europe worse off.
Lies, damned lies and statistics.
London isn't as productive as figures make out. There is a tendency to accrue production figures to the capital (or HQ) which completely distorts any figures. Its the same around the globe.
Comparing UK without London with any other country is complete gibberish unless you remove their capital too.
Try living in Cheshire and Mississippi and Bucharest and see which is really worse off. Its complete nonsense.
London is fantastically productive relative to the price of things, but not necessarily so much so when you look at the value of things.
Value bears little relation to price. Consider water, cabbages, potatoes, wheat, beef, apples, and the prices they command. Compare these with the prices fintech commands.
"Train to Bavaria — a lovely way to travel, if you can live with the delays From London to Altotting, via Augsnurg — Melanie McDonagh finds German trains are no better than our own"
I travelled on a German train from Berlin to Amsterdam in the summer: while only one trip, it was a pretty good experience.
My brother who uses them regularly says they have really gone downhill.
It's not even in dispute. The Germans admit it themselves. Their train system has gone down the khazi
Like I said, this does not suddenly mean British trains being a bit shoddy (and often way too expensive) is acceptable, but it IS necessary perspective. Few PB-ers seem to travel much, or, if they do travel, they go to the regular, nice, rich places they always go to, which are - predictably - nice and rich
Travel further afield and you can see post-pandemic and war-related issues EVERYWHERE. And sometimes arguably worse than that - eg the decline of urban inland America
In short, Britain is in the doldrums, but we are far from alone, and some are actually sinking
I think we are just never happier than when we think we are doomed.
Britain is actually a safe, clean and pretty well run country in most respects.
Everything outside of London averages out to Mississippi, according to that FT graph.
Not great.
The same visualisation shows most of Europe worse off.
Lies, damned lies and statistics.
London isn't as productive as figures make out. There is a tendency to accrue production figures to the capital (or HQ) which completely distorts any figures. Its the same around the globe.
Comparing UK without London with any other country is complete gibberish unless you remove their capital too.
Try living in Cheshire and Mississippi and Bucharest and see which is really worse off. Its complete nonsense.
London is fantastically productive relative to the price of things, but not necessarily so much so when you look at the value of things.
Value bears little relation to price. Consider water, cabbages, potatoes, wheat, beef, apples, and the prices they command. Compare these with the prices fintech commands.
Agreed much of London output is inflated by asset bubbles.
Has anyone mentioned that Christie is now polling second to Trump in New Hampshire?
Yep: DeSantis has managed to drop out of the top two.
Christie is definitely setting himself up as the old Republican candidate.
The total implosion of the RDS campaign, is very wierd. I spent months wondering if he’d stand, but then he did and he might as well not bothered. His team have been worse then useless, spending their days online sh!tposting and trashing moderates.
Vivek Ramaswamy is trying his best to achieve a 'Dean Scream' moment:
"Ramaswamy favors "major concessions to Russia" in the Russo-Ukrainian war. He favors ending U.S. military aid to Ukraine, excluding Ukraine from NATO (saying he is "dead-set opposed" to it), and allowing Russia to occupy regions of Ukraine in exchange for an agreement that Russia end its alliance with China.[95][96] He called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a "bully"[96] and in a 2023 interview made unsupported claims that Jews and other minorities have been poorly treated in Ukraine under Zelensky (who is himself Jewish)."
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Not sure why you tagged me in this. Seville old town is nothing like where people live typically, which you yourself said.
Where people actually live is a different matter. Which is why they live there.
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Oh by the way Leon good article in the spectator this week.
Police and prosecutors in the Andrew Malkinson case knew there was another man’s DNA on the victim’s clothes in 2007 – three years after he was wrongly convicted of rape – but he remained in prison for another 13 yrs.
"'You're kind of raised to hate tourists': Maui fires fan tensions on Hawaiian island"
Every area which is a tourist destination has a love/hate relationship with tourism. Especially the kind that brings expensive gentrification.
Hawaii is much more complex and interesting than a tourism/locals thing (tho that matters, of course)
There is a real and growing sense of Hawaiian-ness. Hawaii as a "nation full of Hawaiians" is older than America itself. Hawaii's native culture goes back many uninterrupted centuries. A lot of them feel colonised, and definitely condescended. Many of them believe that Hawaii is importing problems from the mainland (obesity, drugs, crime). They look at other Asian countries with apparently better lives - and citizens in Hawaii who tell them this (Japan, Taiwan, S Korea). And they have the Union Jack in their flag
Aloha, iHawaii!
It would press all sorts of American buttons if they seceded and then joined the Commonwealth, maybe even requesting HM The King as head of state, as Papua New Guinea did.
I'm not sure there's any realistic secession mechanism though.
It would be a fascinating political exercise. The Woke Yankee Left is all about minority ethnic rights and the assertion therof, to the point of obsession and madness, well how about the minority ethnic colony that is Hawaii saying: "Right, we're off, we've had enough of you oppressive white exploiters"
How could the Democrats - if they were in power- morally refuse?
At what point do we consider prosecuting officials from the time?
I will offer you any odds the answer is 'never.'
The Devil looks after his own, and so does the British government.
What I've been uncovering following raising a routine safeguarding concern a few months ago is enough to turn anyone into a raging Leninist. With added shootings.
Police and prosecutors in the Andrew Malkinson case knew there was another man’s DNA on the victim’s clothes in 2007 – three years after he was wrongly convicted of rape – but he remained in prison for another 13 yrs.
Those there at the time, who made the original mistake, would have been entirely driven by avoiding embarrassment for themselves lest it affect their careers.
One innocent man would take a very distant second place to that.
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Oh by the way Leon good article in the spectator this week.
Spassiba!
Impressive body of work Leon but as a good man i wont identify you.
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Not sure why you tagged me in this. Seville old town is nothing like where people live typically, which you yourself said.
Where people actually live is a different matter. Which is why they live there.
You're going to have get used to us tagging you in posts every time we go for a walk.
This is the bit that is blowing my mind, was Andrew Malkinson's lawyer Lionel Hutz?
They decided not to take further action, and there is no record they told the body responsible for investigating miscarriages of justice, though Malkinson’s lawyers were notified.
This pro-Russian pro-Putin thing really does seem to be a thing amongst the Republican Party grassroots and the European far-right (God knows how) so that sort of half-explains the persistent and pathetic troll farm attempts on here that never end.
They presumably think they'll get through to their target audience by doing it, somehow.
This is the bit that is blowing my mind, was Andrew Malkinson's lawyer Lionel Hutz?
They decided not to take further action, and there is no record they told the body responsible for investigating miscarriages of justice, though Malkinson’s lawyers were notified.
"'You're kind of raised to hate tourists': Maui fires fan tensions on Hawaiian island"
Every area which is a tourist destination has a love/hate relationship with tourism. Especially the kind that brings expensive gentrification.
Hawaii is much more complex and interesting than a tourism/locals thing (tho that matters, of course)
There is a real and growing sense of Hawaiian-ness. Hawaii as a "nation full of Hawaiians" is older than America itself. Hawaii's native culture goes back many uninterrupted centuries. A lot of them feel colonised, and definitely condescended. Many of them believe that Hawaii is importing problems from the mainland (obesity, drugs, crime). They look at other Asian countries with apparently better lives - and citizens in Hawaii who tell them this (Japan, Taiwan, S Korea). And they have the Union Jack in their flag
Aloha, iHawaii!
It would press all sorts of American buttons if they seceded and then joined the Commonwealth, maybe even requesting HM The King as head of state, as Papua New Guinea did.
I'm not sure there's any realistic secession mechanism though.
It would be a fascinating political exercise. The Woke Yankee Left is all about minority ethnic rights and the assertion therof, to the point of obsession and madness, well how about the minority ethnic colony that is Hawaii saying: "Right, we're off, we've had enough of you oppressive white exploiters"
How could the Democrats - if they were in power- morally refuse?
All of that falls over the second it looks like they might actually lose power.
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Oh by the way Leon good article in the spectator this week.
Spassiba!
Impressive body of work Leon but as a good man i wont identify you.
Few people realise that I secretly self-identfy as Julie Burchill so I am grateful for your discretion
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Oh by the way Leon good article in the spectator this week.
Spassiba!
Impressive body of work Leon but as a good man i wont identify you.
Oh, really, won't you? Please, do tell!
I've always wanted to know who @Leon really is - I've been trying to work it out for years.
This pro-Russian pro-Putin thing really does seem to be a thing amongst the Republican Party grassroots and the European far-right (God knows how) so that sort of half-explains the persistent and pathetic troll farm attempts on here that never end.
They presumably think they'll get through to their target audience by doing it, somehow.
What is the purpose of psychological operations. Its isnt to make people believe your point of view peoples minds are rarely changed easily. It is to sow doubt, discord and mistrust so eventually people stop believing in anything. After all a people in such a state are easily molded.
This pro-Russian pro-Putin thing really does seem to be a thing amongst the Republican Party grassroots and the European far-right (God knows how) so that sort of half-explains the persistent and pathetic troll farm attempts on here that never end.
They presumably think they'll get through to their target audience by doing it, somehow.
What is the purpose of psychological operations. Its isnt to make people believe your point of view peoples minds are rarely changed easily. It is to sow doubt, discord and mistrust so eventually people stop believing in anything. After all a people in such a state are easily molded.
This pro-Russian pro-Putin thing really does seem to be a thing amongst the Republican Party grassroots and the European far-right (God knows how) so that sort of half-explains the persistent and pathetic troll farm attempts on here that never end.
They presumably think they'll get through to their target audience by doing it, somehow.
What does worry me a little, is the Republicans who think that being anti-Ukraine is being anti-Biden, thanks to Hunter.
I still think the MIC will still capture any Replublican president, and the aid to Ukraine will simply be worded as billions of new dollars invested in new jobs for new weapons systems (with the obsolete ones sold for $1 to other NATO countries).
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Oh by the way Leon good article in the spectator this week.
Spassiba!
Impressive body of work Leon but as a good man i wont identify you.
Oh, really, won't you? Please, do tell!
I've always wanted to know who @Leon really is - I've been trying to work it out for years.
This is the bit that is blowing my mind, was Andrew Malkinson's lawyer Lionel Hutz?
They decided not to take further action, and there is no record they told the body responsible for investigating miscarriages of justice, though Malkinson’s lawyers were notified.
Yes, his lawyers are surely as culpably negligent as the CPS and the coppers
This is the bit that is blowing my mind, was Andrew Malkinson's lawyer Lionel Hutz?
They decided not to take further action, and there is no record they told the body responsible for investigating miscarriages of justice, though Malkinson’s lawyers were notified.
Yes, his lawyers are surely as culpably negligent as the CPS and the coppers
Possibly more so, in fact
Being generous it could have been one line in a data dump.
This is the bit that is blowing my mind, was Andrew Malkinson's lawyer Lionel Hutz?
They decided not to take further action, and there is no record they told the body responsible for investigating miscarriages of justice, though Malkinson’s lawyers were notified.
Yes, his lawyers are surely as culpably negligent as the CPS and the coppers
Possibly more so, in fact
6 months in a high security (not too high) American prison will sort them all out.
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Oh by the way Leon good article in the spectator this week.
Spassiba!
Impressive body of work Leon but as a good man i wont identify you.
Oh, really, won't you? Please, do tell!
I've always wanted to know who @Leon really is - I've been trying to work it out for years.
Sorry i cant. Leon is a good poster here and i feel some loyalty and affection for him.
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Not sure why you tagged me in this. Seville old town is nothing like where people live typically, which you yourself said.
Where people actually live is a different matter. Which is why they live there.
You're going to have get used to us tagging you in posts every time we go for a walk.
About to cycle to the pub, btw.
Did you know, that being caught cycling back drunk from the pub can lose you your drivers’ licence?
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Oh by the way Leon good article in the spectator this week.
Spassiba!
Impressive body of work Leon but as a good man i wont identify you.
Oh, really, won't you? Please, do tell!
I've always wanted to know who @Leon really is - I've been trying to work it out for years.
He's George Osborne.
I’m sure somebody said he’s actually Yvette Cooper.
As an occasional public transport user (Car in for MOT) I can't say having my train randomly cancelled is a particularly good advert for the system
I've had lots of problems travelling by train this year to work - a journey of less than 50 miles that takes 1.5 hours by car, often the journey is in excess of 3 hours on the train due to delays, cancellations, timetable changes, the excuses are endless. The train fare is £30 return, about 30p / mile. Lots of people abandoned the train and lost their jobs after the strikes in 2016. By car it would be about £10 in petrol. People travel by car because there is no alternative.
Nothing works in this country any more, it really does feel on the slide back to the 1970s, only with much worse music and worse economic growth.
The problem with the railways is that - regarding the staff, no one cares anymore - it is total disinterest. They just laugh at you.
Not just the railways, but in general British customer service is also getting worse, in my business too. Its back to the Seventies again.
Travel more
Customer service is an issue all over the world, post pandemic. This is not a uniquely British thing. People have been displaced, veteran workers have retired, migration patterns have altered
It is probably worse in some aspects of British life than in other countries, but it is better here than elsewhere in other areas
And urban decay is palpable and visible across the entire western world
I went to the Faeroes wildlife watching earlier in the year, and Hamburg last year, and couldn't help but notice how much better customer service was in each. Germany used to have quite a reputation for rude shop staff, but it has changed. Hamburg is a lovely city, and great dining.
The Faeroese were fantastic though. They don't get many tourists and always are curious and interested in travellers, indeed would invite us in for refreshments in the more isolated villages.
Hamburg is one of the richest regions in all of Europe (and has been for a long time)
"Hamburg and Oberbayern were among the ten most economically powerful EU regions in 2019. In Hamburg the gross domestic product per capita (adjusted for purchasing power) was 95% above the EU average."
The Faroe Islands is one of the richest places on earth, with a GDP per capita of $80,000+ ranking it higher than Singapore
What you've done is basically go to Switzerland and Dubai and say "Gee, these places are doing better than Sunderland"
Yes, I prefer surface travel, and so hard to get too far, but both were delightful places to visit.
Germany will be fine. The Faeroes too, though half the Faeroese live in Denmark now.
I'm not criticising you, I'm just noting that you kinda proved my point. You went to two nice, really rich places and you noticed that they are nicer and richer than the poorer bits of Britain. It is not an insight for the ages
I do envy your trip to the Faroes. It is on my bucket list. I want to see the cliffs and the tunnels!
I'm curious, do you not fly any more? Is this an aversion or just a preference?
I do limit flying, in part because of Co2, but largely because I like surface travel. I took the train to Scotland, then the boat from there. Seeing England change into Scotland, then the Granite of Aberdeen, then into the Norwegian Sea was part of the enjoyment. I don't get seasick.
Faeroes certainly are expensive, but so much coast and marine life that it is best seen by boat.
Leicester to Europe by train is easy as the Eurostar goes from St Pancras, so just walk downstairs from Midland Mainline.
Did you go see the cliffs? Don't they have the highest sea-cliffs in Eurpoe and maybe the world? (I think there is a dispute over the definition of "cliff")
I have a mild obsession with enormous, terrifying sea-cliffs after visiting St Kilda and Foula
I think these are they:
We walked up the highest Faroese mountain (Slættaratindur), and the clouds cleared long enough to see them. To be honest though the whole place is pretty dramatic, though often shrouded in clouds and mist.
Our guide was a great guy, and while we plodded up with poles and hiking boots up the steep and rather slippery path he strolled up and down chatting, hands in pockets in just an old sweater and jeans. As well as guide, he was mayor of the local municipality, kept and slaughtered his own sheep, he also was a hospital manager and ran telemedicine in Greenland. Faroese are very versatile!
This is the bit that is blowing my mind, was Andrew Malkinson's lawyer Lionel Hutz?
They decided not to take further action, and there is no record they told the body responsible for investigating miscarriages of justice, though Malkinson’s lawyers were notified.
Yes, his lawyers are surely as culpably negligent as the CPS and the coppers
Possibly more so, in fact
Being generous it could have been one line in a data dump.
I find these cases quite hard to think about, as they are so distressing
Imagine spending 17 years- 17 fucking years - in jail for a crime you know you did not commit??
How do you not go mad? Especially as all the pressure would be on you to admit your guilt: to secure earlier release?
It takes a special kind of human being to endure that and stay sane, as he seems to have done
"Oxford Street’s decline is a parable for the UK The failure to pedestrianise the shopping street shows our local government system is broken.
By Jonn Elledge"
Bonkers that Oxford Street, Soho, Convent Garden, Greenwich, Camden (I'm no Londoner, sure there are others) aren't all pedestrianised. I run through London when I'm down for work and love it - feels so alive. The city should catch up with the vibe.
As an occasional public transport user (Car in for MOT) I can't say having my train randomly cancelled is a particularly good advert for the system
I've had lots of problems travelling by train this year to work - a journey of less than 50 miles that takes 1.5 hours by car, often the journey is in excess of 3 hours on the train due to delays, cancellations, timetable changes, the excuses are endless. The train fare is £30 return, about 30p / mile. Lots of people abandoned the train and lost their jobs after the strikes in 2016. By car it would be about £10 in petrol. People travel by car because there is no alternative.
Nothing works in this country any more, it really does feel on the slide back to the 1970s, only with much worse music and worse economic growth.
The problem with the railways is that - regarding the staff, no one cares anymore - it is total disinterest. They just laugh at you.
Not just the railways, but in general British customer service is also getting worse, in my business too. Its back to the Seventies again.
Travel more
Customer service is an issue all over the world, post pandemic. This is not a uniquely British thing. People have been displaced, veteran workers have retired, migration patterns have altered
It is probably worse in some aspects of British life than in other countries, but it is better here than elsewhere in other areas
And urban decay is palpable and visible across the entire western world
I went to the Faeroes wildlife watching earlier in the year, and Hamburg last year, and couldn't help but notice how much better customer service was in each. Germany used to have quite a reputation for rude shop staff, but it has changed. Hamburg is a lovely city, and great dining.
The Faeroese were fantastic though. They don't get many tourists and always are curious and interested in travellers, indeed would invite us in for refreshments in the more isolated villages.
Hamburg is one of the richest regions in all of Europe (and has been for a long time)
"Hamburg and Oberbayern were among the ten most economically powerful EU regions in 2019. In Hamburg the gross domestic product per capita (adjusted for purchasing power) was 95% above the EU average."
The Faroe Islands is one of the richest places on earth, with a GDP per capita of $80,000+ ranking it higher than Singapore
What you've done is basically go to Switzerland and Dubai and say "Gee, these places are doing better than Sunderland"
Yes, I prefer surface travel, and so hard to get too far, but both were delightful places to visit.
Germany will be fine. The Faeroes too, though half the Faeroese live in Denmark now.
I'm not criticising you, I'm just noting that you kinda proved my point. You went to two nice, really rich places and you noticed that they are nicer and richer than the poorer bits of Britain. It is not an insight for the ages
I do envy your trip to the Faroes. It is on my bucket list. I want to see the cliffs and the tunnels!
I'm curious, do you not fly any more? Is this an aversion or just a preference?
I do limit flying, in part because of Co2, but largely because I like surface travel. I took the train to Scotland, then the boat from there. Seeing England change into Scotland, then the Granite of Aberdeen, then into the Norwegian Sea was part of the enjoyment. I don't get seasick.
Faeroes certainly are expensive, but so much coast and marine life that it is best seen by boat.
Leicester to Europe by train is easy as the Eurostar goes from St Pancras, so just walk downstairs from Midland Mainline.
Did you go see the cliffs? Don't they have the highest sea-cliffs in Eurpoe and maybe the world? (I think there is a dispute over the definition of "cliff")
I have a mild obsession with enormous, terrifying sea-cliffs after visiting St Kilda and Foula
I think these are they:
We walked up the highest Faroese mountain (Slættaratindur), and the clouds cleared long enough to see them. To be honest though the whole place is pretty dramatic, though often shrouded in clouds and mist.
Our guide was a great guy, and while we plodded up with poles and hiking boots up the steep and rather slippery path he strolled up and down chatting, hands in pockets in just an old sweater and jeans. As well as guide, he was mayor of the local municipality, kept and slaughtered his own sheep, he also was a hospital manager and ran telemedicine in Greenland. Faroese are very versatile!
That’s terrifyingly steep. How does the sheep hang on?
As an occasional public transport user (Car in for MOT) I can't say having my train randomly cancelled is a particularly good advert for the system
I've had lots of problems travelling by train this year to work - a journey of less than 50 miles that takes 1.5 hours by car, often the journey is in excess of 3 hours on the train due to delays, cancellations, timetable changes, the excuses are endless. The train fare is £30 return, about 30p / mile. Lots of people abandoned the train and lost their jobs after the strikes in 2016. By car it would be about £10 in petrol. People travel by car because there is no alternative.
Nothing works in this country any more, it really does feel on the slide back to the 1970s, only with much worse music and worse economic growth.
The problem with the railways is that - regarding the staff, no one cares anymore - it is total disinterest. They just laugh at you.
Not just the railways, but in general British customer service is also getting worse, in my business too. Its back to the Seventies again.
Travel more
Customer service is an issue all over the world, post pandemic. This is not a uniquely British thing. People have been displaced, veteran workers have retired, migration patterns have altered
It is probably worse in some aspects of British life than in other countries, but it is better here than elsewhere in other areas
And urban decay is palpable and visible across the entire western world
I went to the Faeroes wildlife watching earlier in the year, and Hamburg last year, and couldn't help but notice how much better customer service was in each. Germany used to have quite a reputation for rude shop staff, but it has changed. Hamburg is a lovely city, and great dining.
The Faeroese were fantastic though. They don't get many tourists and always are curious and interested in travellers, indeed would invite us in for refreshments in the more isolated villages.
Hamburg is one of the richest regions in all of Europe (and has been for a long time)
"Hamburg and Oberbayern were among the ten most economically powerful EU regions in 2019. In Hamburg the gross domestic product per capita (adjusted for purchasing power) was 95% above the EU average."
The Faroe Islands is one of the richest places on earth, with a GDP per capita of $80,000+ ranking it higher than Singapore
What you've done is basically go to Switzerland and Dubai and say "Gee, these places are doing better than Sunderland"
Yes, I prefer surface travel, and so hard to get too far, but both were delightful places to visit.
Germany will be fine. The Faeroes too, though half the Faeroese live in Denmark now.
I'm not criticising you, I'm just noting that you kinda proved my point. You went to two nice, really rich places and you noticed that they are nicer and richer than the poorer bits of Britain. It is not an insight for the ages
I do envy your trip to the Faroes. It is on my bucket list. I want to see the cliffs and the tunnels!
I'm curious, do you not fly any more? Is this an aversion or just a preference?
I do limit flying, in part because of Co2, but largely because I like surface travel. I took the train to Scotland, then the boat from there. Seeing England change into Scotland, then the Granite of Aberdeen, then into the Norwegian Sea was part of the enjoyment. I don't get seasick.
Faeroes certainly are expensive, but so much coast and marine life that it is best seen by boat.
Leicester to Europe by train is easy as the Eurostar goes from St Pancras, so just walk downstairs from Midland Mainline.
Did you go see the cliffs? Don't they have the highest sea-cliffs in Eurpoe and maybe the world? (I think there is a dispute over the definition of "cliff")
I have a mild obsession with enormous, terrifying sea-cliffs after visiting St Kilda and Foula
I think these are they:
We walked up the highest Faroese mountain (Slættaratindur), and the clouds cleared long enough to see them. To be honest though the whole place is pretty dramatic, though often shrouded in clouds and mist.
Our guide was a great guy, and while we plodded up with poles and hiking boots up the steep and rather slippery path he strolled up and down chatting, hands in pockets in just an old sweater and jeans. As well as guide, he was mayor of the local municipality, kept and slaughtered his own sheep, he also was a hospital manager and ran telemedicine in Greenland. Faroese are very versatile!
That’s terrifyingly steep. How does the sheep hang on?
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Oh by the way Leon good article in the spectator this week.
Spassiba!
Impressive body of work Leon but as a good man i wont identify you.
Oh, really, won't you? Please, do tell!
I've always wanted to know who @Leon really is - I've been trying to work it out for years.
He's George Osborne.
I’m sure somebody said he’s actually Yvette Cooper.
Something very interesting happened to Leon in 1987. Its between me and him though.
As an occasional public transport user (Car in for MOT) I can't say having my train randomly cancelled is a particularly good advert for the system
I've had lots of problems travelling by train this year to work - a journey of less than 50 miles that takes 1.5 hours by car, often the journey is in excess of 3 hours on the train due to delays, cancellations, timetable changes, the excuses are endless. The train fare is £30 return, about 30p / mile. Lots of people abandoned the train and lost their jobs after the strikes in 2016. By car it would be about £10 in petrol. People travel by car because there is no alternative.
Nothing works in this country any more, it really does feel on the slide back to the 1970s, only with much worse music and worse economic growth.
The problem with the railways is that - regarding the staff, no one cares anymore - it is total disinterest. They just laugh at you.
Not just the railways, but in general British customer service is also getting worse, in my business too. Its back to the Seventies again.
Travel more
Customer service is an issue all over the world, post pandemic. This is not a uniquely British thing. People have been displaced, veteran workers have retired, migration patterns have altered
It is probably worse in some aspects of British life than in other countries, but it is better here than elsewhere in other areas
And urban decay is palpable and visible across the entire western world
I went to the Faeroes wildlife watching earlier in the year, and Hamburg last year, and couldn't help but notice how much better customer service was in each. Germany used to have quite a reputation for rude shop staff, but it has changed. Hamburg is a lovely city, and great dining.
The Faeroese were fantastic though. They don't get many tourists and always are curious and interested in travellers, indeed would invite us in for refreshments in the more isolated villages.
Hamburg is one of the richest regions in all of Europe (and has been for a long time)
"Hamburg and Oberbayern were among the ten most economically powerful EU regions in 2019. In Hamburg the gross domestic product per capita (adjusted for purchasing power) was 95% above the EU average."
The Faroe Islands is one of the richest places on earth, with a GDP per capita of $80,000+ ranking it higher than Singapore
What you've done is basically go to Switzerland and Dubai and say "Gee, these places are doing better than Sunderland"
Yes, I prefer surface travel, and so hard to get too far, but both were delightful places to visit.
Germany will be fine. The Faeroes too, though half the Faeroese live in Denmark now.
I'm not criticising you, I'm just noting that you kinda proved my point. You went to two nice, really rich places and you noticed that they are nicer and richer than the poorer bits of Britain. It is not an insight for the ages
I do envy your trip to the Faroes. It is on my bucket list. I want to see the cliffs and the tunnels!
I'm curious, do you not fly any more? Is this an aversion or just a preference?
I do limit flying, in part because of Co2, but largely because I like surface travel. I took the train to Scotland, then the boat from there. Seeing England change into Scotland, then the Granite of Aberdeen, then into the Norwegian Sea was part of the enjoyment. I don't get seasick.
Faeroes certainly are expensive, but so much coast and marine life that it is best seen by boat.
Leicester to Europe by train is easy as the Eurostar goes from St Pancras, so just walk downstairs from Midland Mainline.
Did you go see the cliffs? Don't they have the highest sea-cliffs in Eurpoe and maybe the world? (I think there is a dispute over the definition of "cliff")
I have a mild obsession with enormous, terrifying sea-cliffs after visiting St Kilda and Foula
I think these are they:
We walked up the highest Faroese mountain (Slættaratindur), and the clouds cleared long enough to see them. To be honest though the whole place is pretty dramatic, though often shrouded in clouds and mist.
Our guide was a great guy, and while we plodded up with poles and hiking boots up the steep and rather slippery path he strolled up and down chatting, hands in pockets in just an old sweater and jeans. As well as guide, he was mayor of the local municipality, kept and slaughtered his own sheep, he also was a hospital manager and ran telemedicine in Greenland. Faroese are very versatile!
I am determined to go. It sounds fabulously exotic. I love these far northern locations
I recommend Greenland if you ever get the chance. Incredible
This pro-Russian pro-Putin thing really does seem to be a thing amongst the Republican Party grassroots and the European far-right (God knows how) so that sort of half-explains the persistent and pathetic troll farm attempts on here that never end.
They presumably think they'll get through to their target audience by doing it, somehow.
You're puzzled why extreme right-wingers in the West are pro-Putin?
"Oxford Street’s decline is a parable for the UK The failure to pedestrianise the shopping street shows our local government system is broken.
By Jonn Elledge"
Bonkers that Oxford Street, Soho, Convent Garden, Greenwich, Camden (I'm no Londoner, sure there are others) aren't all pedestrianised. I run through London when I'm down for work and love it - feels so alive. The city should catch up with the vibe.
And even short of full pedestrianisation there are plenty of examples abroad of city centres that are access only (sauf riverains) where the only traffic is the occasional van or scooter of a resident.
The trouble with Oxford St I assume is how central it is to bus routes, but I’m sure that could be worked out.
This pro-Russian pro-Putin thing really does seem to be a thing amongst the Republican Party grassroots and the European far-right (God knows how) so that sort of half-explains the persistent and pathetic troll farm attempts on here that never end.
They presumably think they'll get through to their target audience by doing it, somehow.
You're puzzled why extreme right-wingers in the West are pro-Putin?
Lots of people at my gym are pro trump and pro putin. Just normal goid lads.
This pro-Russian pro-Putin thing really does seem to be a thing amongst the Republican Party grassroots and the European far-right (God knows how) so that sort of half-explains the persistent and pathetic troll farm attempts on here that never end.
They presumably think they'll get through to their target audience by doing it, somehow.
What is the purpose of psychological operations. Its isnt to make people believe your point of view peoples minds are rarely changed easily. It is to sow doubt, discord and mistrust so eventually people stop believing in anything. After all a people in such a state are easily molded.
From a soviet propoganda manual lol.
That's very interesting, users @Theshard and @Mayfair also spelled propaganda like that, and look what happened to them. Suggestion being you are the same arsehole every time, or a bunch of them sharing a dodgy spellchecker.
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Oh by the way Leon good article in the spectator this week.
Spassiba!
Impressive body of work Leon but as a good man i wont identify you.
Oh, really, won't you? Please, do tell!
I've always wanted to know who @Leon really is - I've been trying to work it out for years.
He's George Osborne.
I’m sure somebody said he’s actually Yvette Cooper.
Something very interesting happened to Leon in 1987. Its between me and him though.
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Oh by the way Leon good article in the spectator this week.
Spassiba!
Impressive body of work Leon but as a good man i wont identify you.
Oh, really, won't you? Please, do tell!
I've always wanted to know who @Leon really is - I've been trying to work it out for years.
This pro-Russian pro-Putin thing really does seem to be a thing amongst the Republican Party grassroots and the European far-right (God knows how) so that sort of half-explains the persistent and pathetic troll farm attempts on here that never end.
They presumably think they'll get through to their target audience by doing it, somehow.
What is the purpose of psychological operations. Its isnt to make people believe your point of view peoples minds are rarely changed easily. It is to sow doubt, discord and mistrust so eventually people stop believing in anything. After all a people in such a state are easily molded.
From a soviet propoganda manual lol.
That's very interesting, users @Theshard and @Mayfair also spelled propaganda like that, and look what happened to them. Suggestion being you are the same arsehole every time, or a bunch of them sharing a dodgy spellchecker.
Wow you remember old posters from ages back. They live in your head rent free dont they.
This is the bit that is blowing my mind, was Andrew Malkinson's lawyer Lionel Hutz?
They decided not to take further action, and there is no record they told the body responsible for investigating miscarriages of justice, though Malkinson’s lawyers were notified.
Yes, his lawyers are surely as culpably negligent as the CPS and the coppers
Possibly more so, in fact
Being generous it could have been one line in a data dump.
I find these cases quite hard to think about, as they are so distressing
Imagine spending 17 years- 17 fucking years - in jail for a crime you know you did not commit??
How do you not go mad? Especially as all the pressure would be on you to admit your guilt: to secure earlier release?
It takes a special kind of human being to endure that and stay sane, as he seems to have done
Yes agreed.
Presumably 'admitting' your guilt (to get out early) would not stop you being exonerated later as new evidence came to light? Are you out on licence and liable to be re-incarcerated if you later tell the truth?
This pro-Russian pro-Putin thing really does seem to be a thing amongst the Republican Party grassroots and the European far-right (God knows how) so that sort of half-explains the persistent and pathetic troll farm attempts on here that never end.
They presumably think they'll get through to their target audience by doing it, somehow.
You're puzzled why extreme right-wingers in the West are pro-Putin?
Lots of people at my gym are pro trump and pro putin. Just normal goid lads.
This pro-Russian pro-Putin thing really does seem to be a thing amongst the Republican Party grassroots and the European far-right (God knows how) so that sort of half-explains the persistent and pathetic troll farm attempts on here that never end.
They presumably think they'll get through to their target audience by doing it, somehow.
You're puzzled why extreme right-wingers in the West are pro-Putin?
I am not. What does surprise me is how often extreme leftists, and post colonial places in Africa are pro-Putin. Its like they haven't noticed that the Soviet Union has collapsed, nor that Khruschev was Ukranian.
This pro-Russian pro-Putin thing really does seem to be a thing amongst the Republican Party grassroots and the European far-right (God knows how) so that sort of half-explains the persistent and pathetic troll farm attempts on here that never end.
They presumably think they'll get through to their target audience by doing it, somehow.
You're puzzled why extreme right-wingers in the West are pro-Putin?
Lots of people at my gym are pro trump and pro putin. Just normal goid lads.
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Oh by the way Leon good article in the spectator this week.
Spassiba!
Impressive body of work Leon but as a good man i wont identify you.
Oh, really, won't you? Please, do tell!
I've always wanted to know who @Leon really is - I've been trying to work it out for years.
He's George Osborne.
I’m sure somebody said he’s actually Yvette Cooper.
Something very interesting happened to Leon in 1987. Its between me and him though.
Were you in Bananarama?
Lol. Leons a good bloke. He has led an interesting life as well.
This pro-Russian pro-Putin thing really does seem to be a thing amongst the Republican Party grassroots and the European far-right (God knows how) so that sort of half-explains the persistent and pathetic troll farm attempts on here that never end.
They presumably think they'll get through to their target audience by doing it, somehow.
What is the purpose of psychological operations. Its isnt to make people believe your point of view peoples minds are rarely changed easily. It is to sow doubt, discord and mistrust so eventually people stop believing in anything. After all a people in such a state are easily molded.
From a soviet propoganda manual lol.
That's very interesting, users @Theshard and @Mayfair also spelled propaganda like that, and look what happened to them. Suggestion being you are the same arsehole every time, or a bunch of them sharing a dodgy spellchecker.
Wow you remember old posters from ages back. They live in your head rent free dont they.
That, or I can use a search function. Definitely one of the two. Clever and striking expression though, did you think of it yourself?
This pro-Russian pro-Putin thing really does seem to be a thing amongst the Republican Party grassroots and the European far-right (God knows how) so that sort of half-explains the persistent and pathetic troll farm attempts on here that never end.
They presumably think they'll get through to their target audience by doing it, somehow.
You're puzzled why extreme right-wingers in the West are pro-Putin?
I am not. What does surprise me is how often extreme leftists, and post colonial places in Africa are pro-Putin. Its like they haven't noticed that the Soviet Union has collapsed, nor that Khruschev was Ukranian.
As an occasional public transport user (Car in for MOT) I can't say having my train randomly cancelled is a particularly good advert for the system
I've had lots of problems travelling by train this year to work - a journey of less than 50 miles that takes 1.5 hours by car, often the journey is in excess of 3 hours on the train due to delays, cancellations, timetable changes, the excuses are endless. The train fare is £30 return, about 30p / mile. Lots of people abandoned the train and lost their jobs after the strikes in 2016. By car it would be about £10 in petrol. People travel by car because there is no alternative.
Nothing works in this country any more, it really does feel on the slide back to the 1970s, only with much worse music and worse economic growth.
The problem with the railways is that - regarding the staff, no one cares anymore - it is total disinterest. They just laugh at you.
Not just the railways, but in general British customer service is also getting worse, in my business too. Its back to the Seventies again.
Travel more
Customer service is an issue all over the world, post pandemic. This is not a uniquely British thing. People have been displaced, veteran workers have retired, migration patterns have altered
It is probably worse in some aspects of British life than in other countries, but it is better here than elsewhere in other areas
And urban decay is palpable and visible across the entire western world
I went to the Faeroes wildlife watching earlier in the year, and Hamburg last year, and couldn't help but notice how much better customer service was in each. Germany used to have quite a reputation for rude shop staff, but it has changed. Hamburg is a lovely city, and great dining.
The Faeroese were fantastic though. They don't get many tourists and always are curious and interested in travellers, indeed would invite us in for refreshments in the more isolated villages.
Hamburg is one of the richest regions in all of Europe (and has been for a long time)
"Hamburg and Oberbayern were among the ten most economically powerful EU regions in 2019. In Hamburg the gross domestic product per capita (adjusted for purchasing power) was 95% above the EU average."
The Faroe Islands is one of the richest places on earth, with a GDP per capita of $80,000+ ranking it higher than Singapore
What you've done is basically go to Switzerland and Dubai and say "Gee, these places are doing better than Sunderland"
Yes, I prefer surface travel, and so hard to get too far, but both were delightful places to visit.
Germany will be fine. The Faeroes too, though half the Faeroese live in Denmark now.
I'm not criticising you, I'm just noting that you kinda proved my point. You went to two nice, really rich places and you noticed that they are nicer and richer than the poorer bits of Britain. It is not an insight for the ages
I do envy your trip to the Faroes. It is on my bucket list. I want to see the cliffs and the tunnels!
I'm curious, do you not fly any more? Is this an aversion or just a preference?
I do limit flying, in part because of Co2, but largely because I like surface travel. I took the train to Scotland, then the boat from there. Seeing England change into Scotland, then the Granite of Aberdeen, then into the Norwegian Sea was part of the enjoyment. I don't get seasick.
Faeroes certainly are expensive, but so much coast and marine life that it is best seen by boat.
Leicester to Europe by train is easy as the Eurostar goes from St Pancras, so just walk downstairs from Midland Mainline.
Did you go see the cliffs? Don't they have the highest sea-cliffs in Eurpoe and maybe the world? (I think there is a dispute over the definition of "cliff")
I have a mild obsession with enormous, terrifying sea-cliffs after visiting St Kilda and Foula
I think these are they:
We walked up the highest Faroese mountain (Slættaratindur), and the clouds cleared long enough to see them. To be honest though the whole place is pretty dramatic, though often shrouded in clouds and mist.
Our guide was a great guy, and while we plodded up with poles and hiking boots up the steep and rather slippery path he strolled up and down chatting, hands in pockets in just an old sweater and jeans. As well as guide, he was mayor of the local municipality, kept and slaughtered his own sheep, he also was a hospital manager and ran telemedicine in Greenland. Faroese are very versatile!
I am determined to go. It sounds fabulously exotic. I love these far northern locations
I recommend Greenland if you ever get the chance. Incredible
And one day I want to go to Svalbard. SVALBARD
Just the name gives me brilliant chills
There is a beautiful desolation to these places. A very hard place to scratch out a living historically.
"Oxford Street’s decline is a parable for the UK The failure to pedestrianise the shopping street shows our local government system is broken.
By Jonn Elledge"
Bonkers that Oxford Street, Soho, Convent Garden, Greenwich, Camden (I'm no Londoner, sure there are others) aren't all pedestrianised. I run through London when I'm down for work and love it - feels so alive. The city should catch up with the vibe.
This pro-Russian pro-Putin thing really does seem to be a thing amongst the Republican Party grassroots and the European far-right (God knows how) so that sort of half-explains the persistent and pathetic troll farm attempts on here that never end.
They presumably think they'll get through to their target audience by doing it, somehow.
You're puzzled why extreme right-wingers in the West are pro-Putin?
Lots of people at my gym are pro trump and pro putin. Just normal goid lads.
And anti-gays and anti-vaccine, right?
Why are you obsessed with lgbt rcs. I know theres plenty of gays in hollywood if thats what you fancy but still.
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Oh by the way Leon good article in the spectator this week.
Spassiba!
Impressive body of work Leon but as a good man i wont identify you.
Few people realise that I secretly self-identfy as Julie Burchill so I am grateful for your discretion
But strangely La Burchill now identifies as Nadine Dorries, so there's no pleasing some folk...
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Oh by the way Leon good article in the spectator this week.
Spassiba!
Impressive body of work Leon but as a good man i wont identify you.
Oh, really, won't you? Please, do tell!
I've always wanted to know who @Leon really is - I've been trying to work it out for years.
Believes in conspiracy theories: Check Writes engagingly: Check Travels widely: Check Has an unhealthy relationship with alcohol: Check
There is only one man, alive or dead, who ticks all these boxes. And, as Sherlock Holmes observed, once you have eliminated the impossible then whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth,
This pro-Russian pro-Putin thing really does seem to be a thing amongst the Republican Party grassroots and the European far-right (God knows how) so that sort of half-explains the persistent and pathetic troll farm attempts on here that never end.
They presumably think they'll get through to their target audience by doing it, somehow.
You're puzzled why extreme right-wingers in the West are pro-Putin?
Lots of people at my gym are pro trump and pro putin. Just normal goid lads.
And anti-gays and anti-vaccine, right?
Why are you obsessed with lgbt rcs. I know theres plenty of gays in hollywood if thats what you fancy but still.
BTW: I admire the new IP address hopping tactic.
And with that, I'm afraid it's time for us to bid you farewell.
This pro-Russian pro-Putin thing really does seem to be a thing amongst the Republican Party grassroots and the European far-right (God knows how) so that sort of half-explains the persistent and pathetic troll farm attempts on here that never end.
They presumably think they'll get through to their target audience by doing it, somehow.
You're puzzled why extreme right-wingers in the West are pro-Putin?
I am not. What does surprise me is how often extreme leftists, and post colonial places in Africa are pro-Putin. Its like they haven't noticed that the Soviet Union has collapsed, nor that Khruschev was Ukranian.
The horseshoe of politics?
No, I think driven by hatred of NATO and former colonialist powers, failing to notice the last 35 years of change in the former USSR and Russias retreat into the comfort zone of Tsarist despotism and Pan-Slavism at the point of a blade.
This pro-Russian pro-Putin thing really does seem to be a thing amongst the Republican Party grassroots and the European far-right (God knows how) so that sort of half-explains the persistent and pathetic troll farm attempts on here that never end.
They presumably think they'll get through to their target audience by doing it, somehow.
You're puzzled why extreme right-wingers in the West are pro-Putin?
Lots of people at my gym are pro trump and pro putin. Just normal goid lads.
And anti-gays and anti-vaccine, right?
Why are you obsessed with lgbt rcs. I know theres plenty of gays in hollywood if thats what you fancy but still.
BTW: I admire the new IP address hopping tactic.
And with that, I'm afraid it's time for us to bid you farewell.
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Not sure why you tagged me in this. Seville old town is nothing like where people live typically, which you yourself said.
Where people actually live is a different matter. Which is why they live there.
You're going to have get used to us tagging you in posts every time we go for a walk.
About to cycle to the pub, btw.
Walking to the pub is better, doesn't matter if you stagger home then.
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Oh by the way Leon good article in the spectator this week.
Spassiba!
Impressive body of work Leon but as a good man i wont identify you.
Oh, really, won't you? Please, do tell!
I've always wanted to know who @Leon really is - I've been trying to work it out for years.
He's George Osborne.
I’m sure somebody said he’s actually Yvette Cooper.
Something very interesting happened to Leon in 1987. Its between me and him though.
Were you in Bananarama?
Lol. Leons a good bloke. He has led an interesting life as well.
But how is he supposed to travel, when the BA pilots are all off sick?
You know how I noted that all the Russian trolls were using blacklisted IPs historically, in that they were routing traffic through someone's compromised PC to make it look like they were actually in the UK or wherever.
Well, this one was a bit more interesting. Almost every single comment was from a different IP address. This means that they've set up a fairly sophisticated system to keep jumping between different PCs, so as to - hopefully - avoid being uncovered that way.
Two places I've been to recently where quality of life seemed really high are Madrid and Seville. But I bet their GDP figures aren't that impressive compared to places in the USA that no-one would choose to live in.
Seville has an absolutely exquisite old centre, recently revamped by an ambitious and clever council. As I'm sure you saw. They basically abolished the private car (NB: @BartholomewRoberts) and it is much the better for it
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
Oh by the way Leon good article in the spectator this week.
Spassiba!
Impressive body of work Leon but as a good man i wont identify you.
Few people realise that I secretly self-identfy as Julie Burchill so I am grateful for your discretion
But strangely La Burchill now identifies as Nadine Dorries, so there's no pleasing some folk...
In French, the gender of the word does not necessarily match the gender of the noun that that word represents. Jules is indubitably a woman (if not, my transdar is broked) but there's no guarantee that the word "Burchill" is a feminine noun, which means that the correct construction may just be "Le Burchill".
You know how I noted that all the Russian trolls were using blacklisted IPs historically, in that they were routing traffic through someone's compromised PC to make it look like they were actually in the UK or wherever.
Well, this one was a bit more interesting. Almost every single comment was from a different IP address. This means that they've set up a fairly sophisticated system to keep jumping between different PCs, so as to - hopefully - avoid being uncovered that way.
So how did you know he was a botski?
I'd hate to think you were banning people just in case, especially when they really seem to like me
You know how I noted that all the Russian trolls were using blacklisted IPs historically, in that they were routing traffic through someone's compromised PC to make it look like they were actually in the UK or wherever.
Well, this one was a bit more interesting. Almost every single comment was from a different IP address. This means that they've set up a fairly sophisticated system to keep jumping between different PCs, so as to - hopefully - avoid being uncovered that way.
LOL, because a dozen posts from a dozen different IP addresses, never sends flags to a forum admin?
Comments
Seriously: Republicans controlled Wisconsin, Arizona and Georgia.
This would therefore be the first time in history that the opposition party managed to rig the election.
The new plane only has two classes, which means that only the politicians and their staff are at the front, and all of the media are at the back.
Which has really upset the media top dogs. Laura and Kay don’t ever fly economy.
There is a real and growing sense of Hawaiian-ness. Hawaii as a "nation full of Hawaiians" is older than America itself. Hawaii's native culture goes back many uninterrupted centuries. A lot of them feel colonised, and definitely condescended. Many of them believe that Hawaii is importing problems from the mainland (obesity, drugs, crime). They look at other Asian countries with apparently better lives - and citizens in Hawaii who tell them this (Japan, Taiwan, S Korea). And they have the Union Jack in their flag
Aloha, iHawaii!
https://www.c-span.org/video/?c5081268/vivek-ramaswamy-raps-eminems-lose-yourself
London isn't as productive as figures make out. There is a tendency to accrue production figures to the capital (or HQ) which completely distorts any figures. Its the same around the globe.
Comparing UK without London with any other country is complete gibberish unless you remove their capital too.
Try living in Cheshire and Mississippi and Bucharest and see which is really worse off. Its complete nonsense.
Today, it fishes in the same pool as the Guardian but want to pretend they're centrist.
I'm not sure there's any realistic secession mechanism though.
I still think he has no chance, unless Trump gets taken out.
However if you go into the suburbs you see where most people live. They certainly don't live in adorable houses in the old town. They tend to live in slightly bleak high rise towers, one after the other
The weather and the food and the river and the wine still mean life is pretty sweet, but not quite as nice as it looks
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivek_Ramaswamy#Political_positions
"Ramaswamy favors "major concessions to Russia" in the Russo-Ukrainian war. He favors ending U.S. military aid to Ukraine, excluding Ukraine from NATO (saying he is "dead-set opposed" to it), and allowing Russia to occupy regions of Ukraine in exchange for an agreement that Russia end its alliance with China.[95][96] He called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a "bully"[96] and in a 2023 interview made unsupported claims that Jews and other minorities have been poorly treated in Ukraine under Zelensky (who is himself Jewish)."
Value bears little relation to price. Consider water, cabbages, potatoes, wheat, beef, apples, and the prices they command. Compare these with the prices fintech commands.
Thankfully he's a joke who won't get far.
No action taken despite 2007 discovery of searchable male DNA profile on rape victim’s top that did not match Malkinson’s"
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/aug/15/police-and-cps-had-key-dna-evidence-16-years-before-andrew-malkinson-cleared-of-rape
Where people actually live is a different matter. Which is why they live there.
@premnsikka
This is shocking.
Police and prosecutors in the Andrew Malkinson case knew there was another man’s DNA on the victim’s clothes in 2007 – three years after he was wrongly convicted of rape – but he remained in prison for another 13 yrs.
Heads must roll."
https://twitter.com/premnsikka/status/1691532194295025665
How could the Democrats - if they were in power- morally refuse?
The Devil looks after his own, and so does the British government.
What I've been uncovering following raising a routine safeguarding concern a few months ago is enough to turn anyone into a raging Leninist. With added shootings.
https://twitter.com/acnewsitics/status/1691263788622954496/photo/1
Those there at the time, who made the original mistake, would have been entirely driven by avoiding embarrassment for themselves lest it affect their careers.
One innocent man would take a very distant second place to that.
About to cycle to the pub, btw.
They decided not to take further action, and there is no record they told the body responsible for investigating miscarriages of justice, though Malkinson’s lawyers were notified.
They presumably think they'll get through to their target audience by doing it, somehow.
https://www.newstatesman.com/comment/2023/08/oxford-streets-decline-is-a-parable-for-the-uk
"Oxford Street’s decline is a parable for the UK
The failure to pedestrianise the shopping street shows our local government system is broken.
By Jonn Elledge"
I've always wanted to know who @Leon really is - I've been trying to work it out for years.
From a soviet propoganda manual lol.
I still think the MIC will still capture any Replublican president, and the aid to Ukraine will simply be worded as billions of new dollars invested in new jobs for new weapons systems (with the obsolete ones sold for $1 to other NATO countries).
Possibly more so, in fact
https://inews.co.uk/news/uk/cycling-drunk-crime-uk-law-fine-how-much-punishment-284896
We walked up the highest Faroese mountain (Slættaratindur), and the clouds cleared long enough to see them. To be honest though the whole place is pretty dramatic, though often shrouded in clouds and mist.
Our guide was a great guy, and while we plodded up with poles and hiking boots up the steep and rather slippery path he strolled up and down chatting, hands in pockets in just an old sweater and jeans. As well as guide, he was mayor of the local municipality, kept and slaughtered his own sheep, he also was a hospital manager and ran telemedicine in Greenland. Faroese are very versatile!
Imagine spending 17 years- 17 fucking years - in jail for a crime you know you did not commit??
How do you not go mad? Especially as all the pressure would be on you to admit your guilt: to secure earlier release?
It takes a special kind of human being to endure that and stay sane, as he seems to have done
I recommend Greenland if you ever get the chance. Incredible
And one day I want to go to Svalbard. SVALBARD
Just the name gives me brilliant chills
The trouble with Oxford St I assume is how central it is to bus routes, but I’m sure that could be worked out.
Presumably 'admitting' your guilt (to get out early) would not stop you being exonerated later as new evidence came to light? Are you out on licence and liable to be re-incarcerated if you later tell the truth?
Believes in conspiracy theories: Check
Writes engagingly: Check
Travels widely: Check
Has an unhealthy relationship with alcohol: Check
There is only one man, alive or dead, who ticks all these boxes. And, as Sherlock Holmes observed, once you have eliminated the impossible then whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth,
@Leon is Edgar Allen Poe.
And with that, I'm afraid it's time for us to bid you farewell.
Real leftists hate the Tsars and aristocrats.
But yes a notable change of approach this time round. Altogether more congenial.
Perhaps they are like wasps and they will come in numbers as the summer fades
You know how I noted that all the Russian trolls were using blacklisted IPs historically, in that they were routing traffic through someone's compromised PC to make it look like they were actually in the UK or wherever.
Well, this one was a bit more interesting. Almost every single comment was from a different IP address. This means that they've set up a fairly sophisticated system to keep jumping between different PCs, so as to - hopefully - avoid being uncovered that way.
Pause
The Thick of It is on BBC by the way... 😀
I'd hate to think you were banning people just in case, especially when they really seem to like me
This evening I sampled a bottle of Brothers Cherry Bakewell Cider.
Well I enjoyed it, anyway.