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,
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?
To be fair, there are some PBers - like @Leon - who are always travelling and therefore have many different IP addresses.
But almost every single comment? I mean come 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"
Any recommendations for Hamburg? I'm likely to be there for a day in October - not somewhere I'd ordinarily opt to visit, I assumed it would be as 'interesting' as, say, Southampton - sounds like I'm wrong.
If you're into model railways, or if you're not, you never need to see another one again as the Minatur Wonderland is the definitive set. The trains run on time here.
(My own guess? As electric cars become significantly cheaper than internal combustion cars -- as I predict they will in the next 5-10 years -- people will buy more of them. As cars become better at driving themselves, more people will be able to use them, which will also increase car sales.
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.
Out of interest what would happen if someone came on writing similar things but from a bona fide UK IP address? How much does their technical trace accelerate their banning vs the content of what they write?
I am quite intrigued why it is every time the same approach - one line comments - almost identical. And every time it leads to a ban after about an hour or so. Same thing week after week. Faced with this - wouldn't you try out a different strategy?
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.
What is especially mad is that they are going to all this trouble to get the technology right, but they can't maintain their amiable persona for more than about ten minutes, before they start getting menacing, weird, and/or pro-Putin and anti-vax. It's like building a sports car then immediately driving it into a ditch, cause you don't know how to steer
How hard is it to be chatty for a couple of days, then slowly introduce your agenda?
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.
With respect to Africa, they DID notice that Thatcher AND Reagan were, effectively if not rhetorically, pro-apartheid.
A legacy whose stink is still cogent . . . and pungent.
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,
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
In a dark room somewhere in St Petersburg, someone adds to the @Leon file:
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?
To be fair, there are some PBers - like @Leon - who are always travelling and therefore have many different IP addresses.
But almost every single comment? I mean come on...
My posts will also be from dozens of different IPs - but you have a real name for me, and I’ve been here for almost a decade. Leon, well, we all know who he is really.
That a new poster turns up with a dozen different IPs for a dozen posts - straight in the bin.
I am quite intrigued why it is every time the same approach - one line comments - almost identical. And every time it leads to a ban after about an hour or so. Same thing week after week. Faced with this - wouldn't you try out a different strategy?
I reckon that there are several sleepers on PB. Biding their time. Posting about pizza, cars and cricket. Listening to a Numbers Station every night, just waiting for the signal...
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
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?
They are all dead. And been replaced by the Lizard Men in people suits.
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?
They are all dead. And been replaced by the Lizard Men in people suits.
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.
I am quite intrigued why it is every time the same approach - one line comments - almost identical. And every time it leads to a ban after about an hour or so. Same thing week after week. Faced with this - wouldn't you try out a different strategy?
Not a very bright troll, I think. They certainly do all sound like the same person.
Was it ever established whether the poster we had a few months ago (can’t remember the name but his avatar was an image of Malcolm McDowell) was a particularly eloquent Russian troll or just a well educated British Tankie? Or Seamus Milne. He was - unusually - dealing out the pro-Russian talking points from a left wing perspective. I recall there were some oddities with his IP address profile too.
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?
They are all dead. And been replaced by the Lizard Men in people suits.
Didn’t you get the memo?
Oh sh!t, should I have been vaccinated?
No, Lizard People have a terrible reaction to the vaccine.
(My own guess? As electric cars become significantly cheaper than internal combustion cars -- as I predict they will in the next 5-10 years -- people will buy more of them. As cars become better at driving themselves, more people will be able to use them, which will also increase car sales.
I had an Uber driver with a Chevy Bolt the other day, and she gushed about it the whole journey. Her view was that because fuel was basically free (she had solar panels at home and drove evenings), she was making $2-3 more per hour than when she drove a Prius.
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.
He's already told us many times about something that happened in 1987, which involved getting found not guilty.
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.
With respect to Africa, they DID notice that Thatcher AND Reagan were, effectively if not rhetorically, pro-apartheid.
A legacy whose stink is still cogent . . . and pungent.
Absolutely wrong on Thatcher. How do I know this?
Because I went to see F W De Klerk give a lecture on the Ending of Apartheid at the Albert Hall, and afterwards there was a private function with Thatcher and De Klerk present (the only time I ever encountered her in person) - in both the lecture and his personal comments afterwards De Klerk was quite firm that Thatcher encouraged S Africa to come in from the cold, and end apartheid
And see here, Mandela talking of his first meeting with her. "Margaret Thatcher is an enemy of apartheid"
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.
Out of interest what would happen if someone came on writing similar things but from a bona fide UK IP address? How much does their technical trace accelerate their banning vs the content of what they write?
Great question.
We welcome a range of views on this site*, and we're happy to have total nutters like @Dura_Ace and @kle4.
But when people start spreading stuff that is basically made up (BA pilots dropping dead after being vaccinated, for example), then the ban hammer tends to get waved.
* Publicly disliking Radiohead is - I'm afraid- a rare example of a perversion that is not acceptable.
I am quite intrigued why it is every time the same approach - one line comments - almost identical. And every time it leads to a ban after about an hour or so. Same thing week after week. Faced with this - wouldn't you try out a different strategy?
It depends what their objective is. My guess it's to fill a quota and submit a report. They will be more interested in convincing whoever is paying them to do this stuff than anyone on PB.com. I'm guessing it's working for their purposes, because they haven't changed their approach.
It's a little flattering for PB.com to be seen as such an influential channel that they keep sending these guys over.
I am quite intrigued why it is every time the same approach - one line comments - almost identical. And every time it leads to a ban after about an hour or so. Same thing week after week. Faced with this - wouldn't you try out a different strategy?
I reckon that there are several sleepers on PB. Biding their time. Posting about pizza, cars and cricket. Listening to a Numbers Station every night, just waiting for the signal...
If I was gonna go really deep, I'd pretend to be a quirky, celibate, affable south Asian trainspotter for maybe 15 years, THEN suddenly go pro-Wagner Group, out of the blue, and get banned after 6 minutes
THAT would be tradecraft. Visiting all those stations for 6 minutes of propaganda time
I am quite intrigued why it is every time the same approach - one line comments - almost identical. And every time it leads to a ban after about an hour or so. Same thing week after week. Faced with this - wouldn't you try out a different strategy?
It depends what their objective is. My guess it's to fill a quota and submit a report. They will be more interested in convincing whoever is paying them to do this stuff than anyone on PB.com. I'm guessing it's working for their purposes, because they haven't changed their approach.
It's a little flattering for PB.com to be seen as such an influential channel that they keep sending these guys over.
Or they are the equivalents of the wire laying guy in Enemy At The Gates.
I am quite intrigued why it is every time the same approach - one line comments - almost identical. And every time it leads to a ban after about an hour or so. Same thing week after week. Faced with this - wouldn't you try out a different strategy?
It depends what their objective is. My guess it's to fill a quota and submit a report. They will be more interested in convincing whoever is paying them to do this stuff than anyone on PB.com. I'm guessing it's working for their purposes, because they haven't changed their approach.
It's a little flattering for PB.com to be seen as such an influential channel that they keep sending these guys over.
Yeah, but we've had some really good intelligent ones in the past, while these days we get boring ones.
I think we've probably been downgraded from a Tier One influence site, to a Tier Two, and therefore don't merit the more intelligent trolls.
With that said, I do have a theory: that is that the real Russian troll is someone we'd never suspect (like @Foxy) who's deep undercover, and these obvious trolls exist to draw our attention away from him.
I don't really understand why the GOP wannabees who are running or thinking of running against Trump don't all do what Chris Christie is doing, i.e. tell the truth. They'd have nothing to lose, and potentially much to gain, by doing so. It's a very simple calculation: either Trump is brought down by the various prosecutions and legal cases, or he isn't. If he isn't, he gets the nomination, with near 100% certainly. But if he is, then you don't want to have been on his (losing) side in the ensuing unseemly scrabble to replace him.
Because they are some combination of craven and stupid ?
The only one who’s so far managed to maintain the creative tension between keeping a distance from Trump while successfully pandering to his supporters is Ramaswamy.
“A man who claims he was unlawfully sacked as Scotland’s first “period poverty tsar” because of his sex is to take legal action against the four public bodies that hired him.
“Jason Grant, whose appointment as a period dignity officer in Tayside sparked a global backlash from women, claims his abrupt dismissal was a breach of the Equality Act.
“He has succeeded in arguing he should be able to take legal action against Dundee & Angus College, Perth College, Angus Council and Dundee City Council, which were all represented on a body that appointed 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
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.
I am quite intrigued why it is every time the same approach - one line comments - almost identical. And every time it leads to a ban after about an hour or so. Same thing week after week. Faced with this - wouldn't you try out a different strategy?
It depends what their objective is. My guess it's to fill a quota and submit a report. They will be more interested in convincing whoever is paying them to do this stuff than anyone on PB.com. I'm guessing it's working for their purposes, because they haven't changed their approach.
It's a little flattering for PB.com to be seen as such an influential channel that they keep sending these guys over.
Yeah, but we've had some really good intelligent ones in the past, while these days we get boring ones.
I think we've probably been downgraded from a Tier One influence site, to a Tier Two, and therefore don't merit the more intelligent trolls.
With that said, I do have a theory: that is that the real Russian troll is someone we'd never suspect (like @Foxy) who's deep undercover, and these obvious trolls exist to draw our attention away from him.
More likely someone like you - if they really want to discredit the west ?
I am quite intrigued why it is every time the same approach - one line comments - almost identical. And every time it leads to a ban after about an hour or so. Same thing week after week. Faced with this - wouldn't you try out a different strategy?
It depends what their objective is. My guess it's to fill a quota and submit a report. They will be more interested in convincing whoever is paying them to do this stuff than anyone on PB.com. I'm guessing it's working for their purposes, because they haven't changed their approach.
It's a little flattering for PB.com to be seen as such an influential channel that they keep sending these guys over.
Yeah, but we've had some really good intelligent ones in the past, while these days we get boring ones.
I think we've probably been downgraded from a Tier One influence site, to a Tier Two, and therefore don't merit the more intelligent trolls.
With that said, I do have a theory: that is that the real Russian troll is someone we'd never suspect (like @Foxy) who's deep undercover, and these obvious trolls exist to draw our attention away from him.
Where would you go if you wanted to seriously influence British politics, via a forum?
It's not obvious. All the newspaper comments sections are ideological silos. Guardianistas read the comments on the Guardian, Daily Mail readers do their venting at the Mail. The Times is so rigidly paywalled it's near pointless
Perhaps the FT? Or maybe the Mail simply because it has so many visitors, including Americans
Did anyone (else) notice, who is - or rather was - our latest Putin-bots favorite PBer?
Gee, wonder why? (Not really.)
"Uh, we had a slight Russian Bot malfunction, but uh... everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here now, thank you. How are you?"
I have just visited the vineyards on Pico in the Azores. The vines are grown from the old lava fields in small boxed fields with small lava walls.
This ensures they have heat and low humidity with protection from sea and wind.
Low production of grapes though.
High alcohol content of white wine (14%) but low of the red.
Funnily enough I was thinking about the Azores this week, because county Waterford reminded me very much of them with the blue hydrangeas, dark sand beaches and soft landscapes. I’d love to go back (I had a week in Sao Miguel a few years ago, in an old white house on the big crater lake at Sete Cidades - but it pissed down with rain the whole time) and I’d like to see the Pico vineyards. The (white) wine was pretty good.
For fans of English wine, vineyards are starting to get véraison now in places depending on what grapes they grow. I’ll find out later this week if my few fruiting vines - I’m only in second year - are getting there yet. But this year is a huge crop so they need a lot of Sun between now and October to ripen.
I was interested in this BBC piece about the apparent success of Suits advancing a theory that there is a certain reaction against the more common in recent years trend of 'prestige' shows which only have 10-13 episodes per year.
I'm not sure that is true, but I do regret that some great shows do so few episodes per year now the opportunity for later binges is much diminished. It's not as though going 10 episodes a year instead of 20 has actually led to increased quality per episode, even though it seems like it should.
I am quite intrigued why it is every time the same approach - one line comments - almost identical. And every time it leads to a ban after about an hour or so. Same thing week after week. Faced with this - wouldn't you try out a different strategy?
It depends what their objective is. My guess it's to fill a quota and submit a report. They will be more interested in convincing whoever is paying them to do this stuff than anyone on PB.com. I'm guessing it's working for their purposes, because they haven't changed their approach.
It's a little flattering for PB.com to be seen as such an influential channel that they keep sending these guys over.
Yeah, but we've had some really good intelligent ones in the past, while these days we get boring ones.
I think we've probably been downgraded from a Tier One influence site, to a Tier Two, and therefore don't merit the more intelligent trolls.
With that said, I do have a theory: that is that the real Russian troll is someone we'd never suspect (like @Foxy) who's deep undercover, and these obvious trolls exist to draw our attention away from him.
Well I know there is a Lincolnshire Poacher Numbers Station. Maybe there is also a Leicestershire Doctor?
I am quite intrigued why it is every time the same approach - one line comments - almost identical. And every time it leads to a ban after about an hour or so. Same thing week after week. Faced with this - wouldn't you try out a different strategy?
It depends what their objective is. My guess it's to fill a quota and submit a report. They will be more interested in convincing whoever is paying them to do this stuff than anyone on PB.com. I'm guessing it's working for their purposes, because they haven't changed their approach.
It's a little flattering for PB.com to be seen as such an influential channel that they keep sending these guys over.
Yeah, but we've had some really good intelligent ones in the past, while these days we get boring ones.
I think we've probably been downgraded from a Tier One influence site, to a Tier Two, and therefore don't merit the more intelligent trolls.
With that said, I do have a theory: that is that the real Russian troll is someone we'd never suspect (like @Foxy) who's deep undercover, and these obvious trolls exist to draw our attention away from him.
Foxy is suitably avuncular. I shall think of him as Uncle Vanya from now on.
Did anyone (else) notice, who is - or rather was - our latest Putin-bots favorite PBer?
Gee, wonder why? (Not really.)
"Uh, we had a slight Russian Bot malfunction, but uh... everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here now, thank you. How are you?"
I am quite intrigued why it is every time the same approach - one line comments - almost identical. And every time it leads to a ban after about an hour or so. Same thing week after week. Faced with this - wouldn't you try out a different strategy?
It depends what their objective is. My guess it's to fill a quota and submit a report. They will be more interested in convincing whoever is paying them to do this stuff than anyone on PB.com. I'm guessing it's working for their purposes, because they haven't changed their approach.
It's a little flattering for PB.com to be seen as such an influential channel that they keep sending these guys over.
Yeah, but we've had some really good intelligent ones in the past, while these days we get boring ones.
I think we've probably been downgraded from a Tier One influence site, to a Tier Two, and therefore don't merit the more intelligent trolls.
With that said, I do have a theory: that is that the real Russian troll is someone we'd never suspect (like @Foxy) who's deep undercover, and these obvious trolls exist to draw our attention away from him.
No, I am still waiting for my cheque from Conservative Central Office.
I didn't go to Cambridge so definitely not a Russian agent.
I am quite intrigued why it is every time the same approach - one line comments - almost identical. And every time it leads to a ban after about an hour or so. Same thing week after week. Faced with this - wouldn't you try out a different strategy?
It depends what their objective is. My guess it's to fill a quota and submit a report. They will be more interested in convincing whoever is paying them to do this stuff than anyone on PB.com. I'm guessing it's working for their purposes, because they haven't changed their approach.
It's a little flattering for PB.com to be seen as such an influential channel that they keep sending these guys over.
Yeah, but we've had some really good intelligent ones in the past, while these days we get boring ones.
I think we've probably been downgraded from a Tier One influence site, to a Tier Two, and therefore don't merit the more intelligent trolls.
With that said, I do have a theory: that is that the real Russian troll is someone we'd never suspect (like @Foxy) who's deep undercover, and these obvious trolls exist to draw our attention away from him.
Where would you go if you wanted to seriously influence British politics, via a forum?
It's not obvious. All the newspaper comments sections are ideological silos. Guardianistas read the comments on the Guardian, Daily Mail readers do their venting at the Mail. The Times is so rigidly paywalled it's near pointless
Perhaps the FT? Or maybe the Mail simply because it has so many visitors, including Americans
The FT comment zones are usually very quiet.
The Mail, though, I'm sure that gets a lot of attention.
I am quite intrigued why it is every time the same approach - one line comments - almost identical. And every time it leads to a ban after about an hour or so. Same thing week after week. Faced with this - wouldn't you try out a different strategy?
It depends what their objective is. My guess it's to fill a quota and submit a report. They will be more interested in convincing whoever is paying them to do this stuff than anyone on PB.com. I'm guessing it's working for their purposes, because they haven't changed their approach.
It's a little flattering for PB.com to be seen as such an influential channel that they keep sending these guys over.
Yeah, but we've had some really good intelligent ones in the past, while these days we get boring ones.
I think we've probably been downgraded from a Tier One influence site, to a Tier Two, and therefore don't merit the more intelligent trolls.
With that said, I do have a theory: that is that the real Russian troll is someone we'd never suspect (like @Foxy) who's deep undercover, and these obvious trolls exist to draw our attention away from him.
Where would you go if you wanted to seriously influence British politics, via a forum?
It's not obvious. All the newspaper comments sections are ideological silos. Guardianistas read the comments on the Guardian, Daily Mail readers do their venting at the Mail. The Times is so rigidly paywalled it's near pointless
Perhaps the FT? Or maybe the Mail simply because it has so many visitors, including Americans
The FT comment zones are usually very quiet.
The Mail, though, I'm sure that gets a lot of attention.
The FT is quite influential in the EU, however (I am sure this is one reason it is so assiduously Remoaner). And it has prestige in the USA
The comments aren't THAT quiet - and you do see accusations of "bots at work here"
If I was a bot I'd target the FT for the intelligentsia and the Mail for hoi polloi
I am quite intrigued why it is every time the same approach - one line comments - almost identical. And every time it leads to a ban after about an hour or so. Same thing week after week. Faced with this - wouldn't you try out a different strategy?
It depends what their objective is. My guess it's to fill a quota and submit a report. They will be more interested in convincing whoever is paying them to do this stuff than anyone on PB.com. I'm guessing it's working for their purposes, because they haven't changed their approach.
It's a little flattering for PB.com to be seen as such an influential channel that they keep sending these guys over.
Yeah, but we've had some really good intelligent ones in the past, while these days we get boring ones.
I think we've probably been downgraded from a Tier One influence site, to a Tier Two, and therefore don't merit the more intelligent trolls.
With that said, I do have a theory: that is that the real Russian troll is someone we'd never suspect (like @Foxy) who's deep undercover, and these obvious trolls exist to draw our attention away from him.
No, I am still waiting for my cheque from Conservative Central Office.
I didn't go to Cambridge so definitely not a Russian agent.
Cheque? Was that a deliberate trigger for another cashless society spat? Russian troll causing discord on the site, I reckon.
I am quite intrigued why it is every time the same approach - one line comments - almost identical. And every time it leads to a ban after about an hour or so. Same thing week after week. Faced with this - wouldn't you try out a different strategy?
It depends what their objective is. My guess it's to fill a quota and submit a report. They will be more interested in convincing whoever is paying them to do this stuff than anyone on PB.com. I'm guessing it's working for their purposes, because they haven't changed their approach.
It's a little flattering for PB.com to be seen as such an influential channel that they keep sending these guys over.
Yeah, but we've had some really good intelligent ones in the past, while these days we get boring ones.
I think we've probably been downgraded from a Tier One influence site, to a Tier Two, and therefore don't merit the more intelligent trolls.
With that said, I do have a theory: that is that the real Russian troll is someone we'd never suspect (like @Foxy) who's deep undercover, and these obvious trolls exist to draw our attention away from him.
No, I am still waiting for my cheque from Conservative Central Office.
I didn't go to Cambridge so definitely not a Russian agent.
That's until the right phrase triggers your hidden personality.
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"
Any recommendations for Hamburg? I'm likely to be there for a day in October - not somewhere I'd ordinarily opt to visit, I assumed it would be as 'interesting' as, say, Southampton - sounds like I'm wrong.
I don't really understand why the GOP wannabees who are running or thinking of running against Trump don't all do what Chris Christie is doing, i.e. tell the truth. They'd have nothing to lose, and potentially much to gain, by doing so. It's a very simple calculation: either Trump is brought down by the various prosecutions and legal cases, or he isn't. If he isn't, he gets the nomination, with near 100% certainly. But if he is, then you don't want to have been on his (losing) side in the ensuing unseemly scrabble to replace him.
Because they are some combination of craven and stupid ?
The only one who’s so far managed to maintain the creative tension between keeping a distance from Trump while successfully pandering to his supporters is Ramaswamy.
Also, they will hope that if Trump is brought down, his fans will seek the closest possible alternative - they certainly won't switch to a critic. If Trump is convicted it will be because of a crime. There's no crime in pretending to sympathise with him, so you can try to be the Legal UltraTrumpist.
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"
Any recommendations for Hamburg? I'm likely to be there for a day in October - not somewhere I'd ordinarily opt to visit, I assumed it would be as 'interesting' as, say, Southampton - sounds like I'm wrong.
If you haven’t booked accommodation yet..
That looked like a building site when I went past about 2 months ago. Are they finished?
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.
Couldn't they just be moving from one coffee shop to another? (Unlikely, I know. Would simply involve logging on to a different network each time using a laptop, rather than their own mobile device).
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.
Couldn't they just be moving from one coffee shop to another? (Unlikely, I know. Would simply involve logging on to a different network each time using a laptop, rather than their own mobile device).
Sure:
And if they'd had a couple of IP addresses, that would have been the most likely explanation. But someone who has a dozen IP addresses in 90 minutes on a Tuesday evening... well... it seems unlikely.
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.
What is especially mad is that they are going to all this trouble to get the technology right, but they can't maintain their amiable persona for more than about ten minutes, before they start getting menacing, weird, and/or pro-Putin and anti-vax. It's like building a sports car then immediately driving it into a ditch, cause you don't know how to steer
How hard is it to be chatty for a couple of days, then slowly introduce your agenda?
What is the point? Most odd
I'd guess its the same person (not paid, just an amateur - we flatter ourselves) using different computers - perhaps a college student with any number of systems to borrow for a few minutes. The style is too similar - English pretty good, shuns upper case, same right-wing themes.
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.
What is especially mad is that they are going to all this trouble to get the technology right, but they can't maintain their amiable persona for more than about ten minutes, before they start getting menacing, weird, and/or pro-Putin and anti-vax. It's like building a sports car then immediately driving it into a ditch, cause you don't know how to steer
How hard is it to be chatty for a couple of days, then slowly introduce your agenda?
What is the point? Most odd
I'd guess its the same person (not paid, just an amateur - we flatter ourselves) using different computers - perhaps a college student with any number of systems to borrow for a few minutes. The style is too similar - English pretty good, shuns upper case, same right-wing themes.
There are settings in some VPN systems to randomly exit at points all over the place. So every few seconds your IP changes.
I have just visited the vineyards on Pico in the Azores. The vines are grown from the old lava fields in small boxed fields with small lava walls.
This ensures they have heat and low humidity with protection from sea and wind.
Low production of grapes though.
High alcohol content of white wine (14%) but low of the red.
Funnily enough I was thinking about the Azores this week, because county Waterford reminded me very much of them with the blue hydrangeas, dark sand beaches and soft landscapes. I’d love to go back (I had a week in Sao Miguel a few years ago, in an old white house on the big crater lake at Sete Cidades - but it pissed down with rain the whole time) and I’d like to see the Pico vineyards. The (white) wine was pretty good.
For fans of English wine, vineyards are starting to get véraison now in places depending on what grapes they grow. I’ll find out later this week if my few fruiting vines - I’m only in second year - are getting there yet. But this year is a huge crop so they need a lot of Sun between now and October to ripen.
I was canoeing in Sete Cidades a week ago. We had good sunny weather.
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.
What is especially mad is that they are going to all this trouble to get the technology right, but they can't maintain their amiable persona for more than about ten minutes, before they start getting menacing, weird, and/or pro-Putin and anti-vax. It's like building a sports car then immediately driving it into a ditch, cause you don't know how to steer
How hard is it to be chatty for a couple of days, then slowly introduce your agenda?
What is the point? Most odd
I'd guess its the same person (not paid, just an amateur - we flatter ourselves) using different computers - perhaps a college student with any number of systems to borrow for a few minutes. The style is too similar - English pretty good, shuns upper case, same right-wing themes.
I'm sure you're right that @eastside was the same person we've had before. But we've had many iterations that were not him.
And the fact that (in previous incarnations) they had blacklisted IP addresses, which suggests they were routing traffic via compromised PCs in the UK, is highly suggestive of them not being who they say they are.
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"
Any recommendations for Hamburg? I'm likely to be there for a day in October - not somewhere I'd ordinarily opt to visit, I assumed it would be as 'interesting' as, say, Southampton - sounds like I'm wrong.
If you haven’t booked accommodation yet..
That looked like a building site when I went past about 2 months ago. Are they finished?
I walked past it last year and building site would flatter it!
As well as being a flaktower, it was a massive air raid shelter, and survived all the bombings. Indeed it is so solid that demolishing it is effectively impossible, like the U-boat pens at Lorient.
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"
Any recommendations for Hamburg? I'm likely to be there for a day in October - not somewhere I'd ordinarily opt to visit, I assumed it would be as 'interesting' as, say, Southampton - sounds like I'm wrong.
If you haven’t booked accommodation yet..
It's like the architectural equivalent of Michael Fabricant.
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"
Any recommendations for Hamburg? I'm likely to be there for a day in October - not somewhere I'd ordinarily opt to visit, I assumed it would be as 'interesting' as, say, Southampton - sounds like I'm wrong.
If you haven’t booked accommodation yet..
That looked like a building site when I went past about 2 months ago. Are they finished?
I walked past it last year and building site would flatter it!
As well as being a flaktower, it was a massive air raid shelter, and survived all the bombings. Indeed it is so solid that demolishing it is effectively impossible, like the U-boat pens at Lorient.
They tried blowing up one in Berlin, after the war. Hundreds of tons of spare ordinance. Barely dented.
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"
Any recommendations for Hamburg? I'm likely to be there for a day in October - not somewhere I'd ordinarily opt to visit, I assumed it would be as 'interesting' as, say, Southampton - sounds like I'm wrong.
If you haven’t booked accommodation yet..
It's like the architectural equivalent of Michael Fabricant.
30 foot of concrete could be useful if you have the wrong kind of Russian friends.
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,
I don't really understand why the GOP wannabees who are running or thinking of running against Trump don't all do what Chris Christie is doing, i.e. tell the truth. They'd have nothing to lose, and potentially much to gain, by doing so. It's a very simple calculation: either Trump is brought down by the various prosecutions and legal cases, or he isn't. If he isn't, he gets the nomination, with near 100% certainly. But if he is, then you don't want to have been on his (losing) side in the ensuing unseemly scrabble to replace him.
Because they are some combination of craven and stupid ?
The only one who’s so far managed to maintain the creative tension between keeping a distance from Trump while successfully pandering to his supporters is Ramaswamy.
Also, they will hope that if Trump is brought down, his fans will seek the closest possible alternative - they certainly won't switch to a critic. If Trump is convicted it will be because of a crime. There's no crime in pretending to sympathise with him, so you can try to be the Legal UltraTrumpist.
Hasn't worked for mini me DeSantis, who is hated by not a few Trump faithful.
Former senior FBI official pleads guilty to illegally assisting Putin ally https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/08/15/fbi-mcgonigal-guilty-plea/ Former high-ranking FBI official Charles McGonigal pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions and to laundering money by secretly working on behalf of a Russian oligarch he had been tasked with investigating.
The former chief of counterintelligence in the FBI’s New York City office, who was charged in January, settled his New York case with federal prosecutors by pleading guilty to one count in a superseding document that is used to override or avoid a criminal indictment and streamline plea agreements. He faces up to five years in prison and is to be sentenced Dec. 14...
I don't really understand why the GOP wannabees who are running or thinking of running against Trump don't all do what Chris Christie is doing, i.e. tell the truth. They'd have nothing to lose, and potentially much to gain, by doing so. It's a very simple calculation: either Trump is brought down by the various prosecutions and legal cases, or he isn't. If he isn't, he gets the nomination, with near 100% certainly. But if he is, then you don't want to have been on his (losing) side in the ensuing unseemly scrabble to replace him.
Because they are some combination of craven and stupid ?
The only one who’s so far managed to maintain the creative tension between keeping a distance from Trump while successfully pandering to his supporters is Ramaswamy.
Also, they will hope that if Trump is brought down, his fans will seek the closest possible alternative - they certainly won't switch to a critic. If Trump is convicted it will be because of a crime. There's no crime in pretending to sympathise with him, so you can try to be the Legal UltraTrumpist.
Hasn't worked for mini me DeSantis, who is hated by not a few Trump faithful.
Exactly. I do get the idea that going after Trump is not a winning strategy, and that some are seeking to be the fallback Trumpist candidate, but the ones who have done the best as noted has not been the ones who have been the most craven and lickspittle. It's not that the ones doing comparively better as alternatives (rather than the NeverTrumpers) are not Trump sympathising, they clearly are, but despite the hype and dismissal of the, er, dismissal, of his chances, the too obvious ones like DeSantis are flailing.
More generally on the indictments, the bloke at the DOJ Trump wanted to install as AG seems like the most crazy and dangerous of the lot, given he was badgering his bosses to sign false statements (despite them already not agreeing to it), and even phoned his boss and told him he was now in charge, with the very amusing note that the acting AG responded he would not be fired by a subordinate, and scheduled a meeting with Trump who backed down under threat of mass resignations.
Quite a few of his co-conspirators in various charges appear to see no out but to cleave to him and hope he protects them when re-elected, but others really should consider just flipping already - the loyalty people show to a man who demonstrates no loyalty is astonishing. It's not all fear, he has negged half the GOP and frightened the rest.
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.
What is especially mad is that they are going to all this trouble to get the technology right, but they can't maintain their amiable persona for more than about ten minutes, before they start getting menacing, weird, and/or pro-Putin and anti-vax. It's like building a sports car then immediately driving it into a ditch, cause you don't know how to steer
How hard is it to be chatty for a couple of days, then slowly introduce your agenda?
What is the point? Most odd
I'd guess its the same person (not paid, just an amateur - we flatter ourselves) using different computers - perhaps a college student with any number of systems to borrow for a few minutes. The style is too similar - English pretty good, shuns upper case, same right-wing themes.
There are settings in some VPN systems to randomly exit at points all over the place. So every few seconds your IP changes.
Yes, a rotating proxy service. We use one when making requests to Steam to get past their rate limiting.
Not my suggestion - just pointing out that EVs (like ICEs) hoover in vast quantities of air for cooling. They generally filter this air, so as not to cover the internals in crap. So, some of them literally clean the air. I wonder how the various makes deal with the build up on the filters?
This is arse. They have HEPA filters for cabin ventilation but nothing else. The air cooled parts of a Tesla, oil pump for example, does not filter air.
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".
Comments
But almost every single comment? I mean come on...
https://youtu.be/2mNhxi_D5kE
Hamburg is centered on the Alstersee lake. You walk, sail, take boat trips.
Gee, wonder why? (Not really.)
https://www.statista.com/statistics/204342/comparison-of-us-vehicle-production/
Reminder: In the US most "light trucks" are actually cars.
(My own guess? As electric cars become significantly cheaper than internal combustion cars -- as I predict they will in the next 5-10 years -- people will buy more of them. As cars become better at driving themselves, more people will be able to use them, which will also increase car sales.
FWIW, the closest Chevrolet dealer to me is advertising the cheapest Bolt at 27.5 K.
https://buy.leejohnsonchevrolet.com/chevrolet/?evar109=114482&evar120=Sincro
You might have to wait a bit for one, since I see some of their cars are "in transit".)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/08/15/sadiq-khan-charge-drivers-blackwall-tunnel-fund-new-london/
How hard is it to be chatty for a couple of days, then slowly introduce your agenda?
What is the point? Most odd
A legacy whose stink is still cogent . . . and pungent.
He’s Ambrose Bierce
"responds extremely well to flattery"
That a new poster turns up with a dozen different IPs for a dozen posts - straight in the bin.
Didn’t you get the memo?
Was it ever established whether the poster we had a few months ago (can’t remember the name but his avatar was an image of Malcolm McDowell) was a particularly eloquent Russian troll or just a well educated British Tankie? Or Seamus Milne. He was - unusually - dealing out the pro-Russian talking points from a left wing perspective. I recall there were some oddities with his IP address profile too.
Because I went to see F W De Klerk give a lecture on the Ending of Apartheid at the Albert Hall, and afterwards there was a private function with Thatcher and De Klerk present (the only time I ever encountered her in person) - in both the lecture and his personal comments afterwards De Klerk was quite firm that Thatcher encouraged S Africa to come in from the cold, and end apartheid
And see here, Mandela talking of his first meeting with her. "Margaret Thatcher is an enemy of apartheid"
https://order-order.com/2018/08/29/mandela-margaret-thatcher-enemy-apartheid/
Sorry, but this is plain wrong
We welcome a range of views on this site*, and we're happy to have total nutters like @Dura_Ace and @kle4.
But when people start spreading stuff that is basically made up (BA pilots dropping dead after being vaccinated, for example), then the ban hammer tends to get waved.
* Publicly disliking Radiohead is - I'm afraid- a rare example of a perversion that is not acceptable.
It's a little flattering for PB.com to be seen as such an influential channel that they keep sending these guys over.
THAT would be tradecraft. Visiting all those stations for 6 minutes of propaganda time
I think we've probably been downgraded from a Tier One influence site, to a Tier Two, and therefore don't merit the more intelligent trolls.
With that said, I do have a theory: that is that the real Russian troll is someone we'd never suspect (like @Foxy) who's deep undercover, and these obvious trolls exist to draw our attention away from him.
The only one who’s so far managed to maintain the creative tension between keeping a distance from Trump while successfully pandering to his supporters is Ramaswamy.
I thought you might be interested in this.
I have just visited the vineyards on Pico in the Azores. The vines are grown from the old lava fields in small boxed fields with small lava walls.
This ensures they have heat and low humidity with protection from sea and wind.
Low production of grapes though.
High alcohol content of white wine (14%) but low of the red.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/08/15/dundee-scotland-period-tsar-jason-grant-sue-discrimination/
“A man who claims he was unlawfully sacked as Scotland’s first “period poverty tsar” because of his sex is to take legal action against the four public bodies that hired him.
“Jason Grant, whose appointment as a period dignity officer in Tayside sparked a global backlash from women, claims his abrupt dismissal was a breach of the Equality Act.
“He has succeeded in arguing he should be able to take legal action against Dundee & Angus College, Perth College, Angus Council and Dundee City Council, which were all represented on a body that appointed him.”
https://twitter.com/TimothyDSnyder/status/1691550702345031918
It's not obvious. All the newspaper comments sections are ideological silos. Guardianistas read the comments on the Guardian, Daily Mail readers do their venting at the Mail. The Times is so rigidly paywalled it's near pointless
Perhaps the FT? Or maybe the Mail simply because it has so many visitors, including Americans
For fans of English wine, vineyards are starting to get véraison now in places depending on what grapes they grow. I’ll find out later this week if my few fruiting vines - I’m only in second year - are getting there yet. But this year is a huge crop so they need a lot of Sun between now and October to ripen.
I'm not sure that is true, but I do regret that some great shows do so few episodes per year now the opportunity for later binges is much diminished. It's not as though going 10 episodes a year instead of 20 has actually led to increased quality per episode, even though it seems like it should.
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20230815-how-suits-became-tvs-most-popular-show
It's a scary life being a Kremlin critic.
I once spent a very hedonistic week there. The wine ain't cheap
https://callmewine.co.uk/passito-pantelleria-ben-rye-donnafugata-2021-P43625.htm?gclid=CjwKCAjwxOymBhAFEiwAnodBLONMIqpwe6r30aXVFv8agEV7UWUq8KNnusKNH-7AfG4L0z4qLvRsPRoCI34QAvD_BwE
I didn't go to Cambridge so definitely not a Russian agent.
The Mail, though, I'm sure that gets a lot of attention.
The comments aren't THAT quiet - and you do see accusations of "bots at work here"
If I was a bot I'd target the FT for the intelligentsia and the Mail for hoi polloi
And if they'd had a couple of IP addresses, that would have been the most likely explanation. But someone who has a dozen IP addresses in 90 minutes on a Tuesday evening... well... it seems unlikely.
And the fact that (in previous incarnations) they had blacklisted IP addresses, which suggests they were routing traffic via compromised PCs in the UK, is highly suggestive of them not being who they say they are.
As well as being a flaktower, it was a massive air raid shelter, and survived all the bombings. Indeed it is so solid that demolishing it is effectively impossible, like the U-boat pens at Lorient.
Depending on how you measure it, that’s about 600hp equivalent.
What could possibly go wrong?
Asteroid due to wipe out everything on the latitude of London, on Thursday. Just for info.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/08/15/fbi-mcgonigal-guilty-plea/
Former high-ranking FBI official Charles McGonigal pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court to conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions and to laundering money by secretly working on behalf of a Russian oligarch he had been tasked with investigating.
The former chief of counterintelligence in the FBI’s New York City office, who was charged in January, settled his New York case with federal prosecutors by pleading guilty to one count in a superseding document that is used to override or avoid a criminal indictment and streamline plea agreements. He faces up to five years in prison and is to be sentenced Dec. 14...
Just found out from very solid sources that Trump’s PAC won’t assist @JennaEllisEsq
with one penny of legal fees because she has been complimentary and supportive of DeSantis...
https://twitter.com/johncardillo/status/1691489879048302600
More generally on the indictments, the bloke at the DOJ Trump wanted to install as AG seems like the most crazy and dangerous of the lot, given he was badgering his bosses to sign false statements (despite them already not agreeing to it), and even phoned his boss and told him he was now in charge, with the very amusing note that the acting AG responded he would not be fired by a subordinate, and scheduled a meeting with Trump who backed down under threat of mass resignations.
https://www.serioustrouble.show/p/unfortunately-this-episode-is-rico#details