Yes it really is quite extraordinary that someone thought fit to publish such letchery. I know they are trying to corner the Dirty Old Man target demographic, but even so! Lea Ypi publishes a few excerpts in this tweet.
BTW Her book is an excellent rumination on Freedom, set as Albania falls apart. I really enjoyed it.
It occurs to me that it's the generation who was writing for the lad mags who are now writing for The Spectator. Done people never grow up, but quite how they came to dominate the world's oldest news periodical I do not know.
Is it reflective of their general content?
Regardless, is it commercially successful? If so, then there's your answer how they came to dominate.
The Spectator is remarkably commercially successful, despite (because of?) its ancient and noble lineage. In a world of declining newspaper sales I believe it has tripled or even quadrupled its readership in a couple of decades
Hence the competition to buy it. I believe Uncle Rupert sees it as the final jewel in his crown. He’s desperate to purchase it as the last move of his long career
Yes it sells well. Does it matter that the quality of its readership has gone down and that few with intellectual integrity or a moral compass read it now? Probably not.
I imagine the editors can cope with the disapproval of a retired accountant who plays golf when he’s not kvetching at “repartee” and listening to toe tapping ballads in the al fresco terrace bars of Tenerife
I am sure the editors can cope. On the wider front, what matters is the Speccie's lack of a consistent vision of what is for the political and societal good of the UK, and by what political route we might travel in that direction.
This epic fails occurs at just the time that the right and centre right is collapsing in contradictions and when the former contrarian sanity of the Spectator is needed. Contrarian insanity won't really do.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist edited to very very very very sloppy to the extent of being incompetent culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
tim reposted on his twitter the guy who first noticed it, Oz Katerji.
Jones's first article said that "The Defence Select Committee concluded..." and now as you show it has been amended to what actually happened which is that "Greenpeace's evidence to the defence select committee concluded..."
And Jones is blaming the error on a trip to the dentist making him groggy.
If Jones' answer is honest (possible) then perhaps he should blame it on not having someone competent checking his article before he submits it.
Maybe but as a supposed campaigning journalist he shouldn't have written it in the first place. Or are you saying journalists can write any old bollocks as long as someone afterwards and pre-publication changes the outright untruths. I mean where to start for such a person.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist lying culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
I must say though, one of the things I agreed with Corbyn, and Jones, on was the nuclear deterrent. I understand the MAD argument, but I wish we never had them.
This jibe doesn’t really have the effect intended because it makes you think “Yeah, no, I’d rather read that Spectator article”
I think my time would be better spent arguing on pb.com, or even reading the latest Marian Keyes book ("My Favourite Mistake" - it'd probably make you pine for the Booker Prize longlist) than in reading either.
I know of only one knocking shop in Cambridge - a localish hotel. A friend of mine was due to give birth, and her parents stayed at the hotel when they came down for the birth. They moved out after one night's stay, due to (ahem) interesting experiences with some other guests.
The area around Cambridge station has improved massive over the last decade with the CB1 development - though it was hardly the worst part of Cambridge before. I am unsurprised that there are such places there - the station allows easy access for visitors, and it is relatively central. Many of the flats are also fairly modern, and there are student digs.
But no, I've never been to one. Don't desire to, either.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist lying culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
I must say though, one of the things I agreed with Corbyn, and Jones, on was the nuclear deterrent. I understand the MAD argument, but I wish we never had them.
We are seeing in Russia/Ukraine the absurdity of humans having nuclear weapons.
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist lying culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
I must say though, one of the things I agreed with Corbyn, and Jones, on was the nuclear deterrent. I understand the MAD argument, but I wish we never had them.
We are seeing in Russia/Ukraine the absurdity of humans having nuclear weapons.
But that war is also making them more desirable and necessary. Sadly.
Another reason Russia should be put back in its box.
Yes it really is quite extraordinary that someone thought fit to publish such letchery. I know they are trying to corner the Dirty Old Man target demographic, but even so! Lea Ypi publishes a few excerpts in this tweet.
BTW Her book is an excellent rumination on Freedom, set as Albania falls apart. I really enjoyed it.
It occurs to me that it's the generation who was writing for the lad mags who are now writing for The Spectator. Done people never grow up, but quite how they came to dominate the world's oldest news periodical I do not know.
Is it reflective of their general content?
Regardless, is it commercially successful? If so, then there's your answer how they came to dominate.
The Spectator is remarkably commercially successful, despite (because of?) its ancient and noble lineage. In a world of declining newspaper sales I believe it has tripled or even quadrupled its readership in a couple of decades
Hence the competition to buy it. I believe Uncle Rupert sees it as the final jewel in his crown. He’s desperate to purchase it as the last move of his long career
Yes it sells well. Does it matter that the quality of its readership has gone down and that few with intellectual integrity or a moral compass read it now? Probably not.
I imagine the editors can cope with the disapproval of a retired accountant who plays golf when he’s not kvetching at “repartee” and listening to toe tapping ballads in the al fresco terrace bars of Tenerife
ie you know I'm right. But, yes, shit sells. No argument there.
Anyway, bigger fish, where are we now on the Middle East after the judicious "calibrated" Israeli response to the wild and not "calibrated" Iranian strike that was only foiled by Israel's rapid air defence capabilities?
Is it the end of this little bout of tit-for-tat iyo?
Nuclear weapons have in all likelihood kept the West safe for the past 75 years, but at the price of introducing humanity-ending risk to civilisation.
One of the overwhelming successes of international relations has been the maintenance of the nuclear taboo. Unfortunately, the risk of that taboo being broken in the next, say, decade, is unacceptably high. By that I don’t mean all-out nuclear war, but the deteriorating international situation making someone calculate that making a point by actually using a nuke is worthwhile. That doesn’t need to be using it in the theatre of war or against civilian targets, but it might be a warning shot over enemy territory, or a demonstration over sea, or to knock out communications, or some such. At that point, the genie is out of the bottle, and at that point the danger grows significantly (though still, the risk of all out global nuclear war remains low, given no-one actually wants to fight one).
Mr. Topping, we may rather be seeing the absurdity of abandoning nuclear weapons, as Ukraine did.
Trading nuclear weapons for unspecified guarantees from flaky allies who when push comes to shove don’t even meet the minimum requirements is definitely the height of absurdity.
This jibe doesn’t really have the effect intended because it makes you think “Yeah, no, I’d rather read that Spectator article”
I think my time would be better spent arguing on pb.com, or even reading the latest Marian Keyes book ("My Favourite Mistake" - it'd probably make you pine for the Booker Prize longlist) than in reading either.
I’ve never managed a poo and a wank at the same time (technically a “pank”, according to the profanisaurus) but I have had ferocious diarrhoea while vomiting at the same time after acute food poisoning in Asia. I don’t recommend it
Yes it really is quite extraordinary that someone thought fit to publish such letchery. I know they are trying to corner the Dirty Old Man target demographic, but even so! Lea Ypi publishes a few excerpts in this tweet.
BTW Her book is an excellent rumination on Freedom, set as Albania falls apart. I really enjoyed it.
It occurs to me that it's the generation who was writing for the lad mags who are now writing for The Spectator. Done people never grow up, but quite how they came to dominate the world's oldest news periodical I do not know.
It’s got you all talking about it and linking to it, like a bunch of scandalised old spinsters, so in that sense: job done
It got us talking about Lea Ypi's book in a roundabout way, which is much more interesting. I'll definitely look out for it.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist edited to very very very very sloppy to the extent of being incompetent culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
Hmm, a misattributed quote in one of his articles, now corrected. Terrible. I'll never read a word of his again.
Yes it really is quite extraordinary that someone thought fit to publish such letchery. I know they are trying to corner the Dirty Old Man target demographic, but even so! Lea Ypi publishes a few excerpts in this tweet.
BTW Her book is an excellent rumination on Freedom, set as Albania falls apart. I really enjoyed it.
It occurs to me that it's the generation who was writing for the lad mags who are now writing for The Spectator. Done people never grow up, but quite how they came to dominate the world's oldest news periodical I do not know.
It’s got you all talking about it and linking to it, like a bunch of scandalised old spinsters, so in that sense: job done
It got us talking about Lea Ypi's book in a roundabout way, which is much more interesting. I'll definitely look out for it.
Not me. I just checked out her (nice shapely) legs in the Daily Mail expose on this sordid affair - “see pages 11-14 and 22-29 for more details and photos in this shocking story of terrible misogyny in posh British journalism”
But then I’m just a raddled old perv. I might apply for a job at the Spectator
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Unless he was gay. Or unless a woman wrote the article. Is no one allowed to comment on who they think is attractive in print any more.
Yes it really is quite extraordinary that someone thought fit to publish such letchery. I know they are trying to corner the Dirty Old Man target demographic, but even so! Lea Ypi publishes a few excerpts in this tweet.
BTW Her book is an excellent rumination on Freedom, set as Albania falls apart. I really enjoyed it.
It occurs to me that it's the generation who was writing for the lad mags who are now writing for The Spectator. Done people never grow up, but quite how they came to dominate the world's oldest news periodical I do not know.
It’s got you all talking about it and linking to it, like a bunch of scandalised old spinsters, so in that sense: job done
It got us talking about Lea Ypi's book in a roundabout way, which is much more interesting. I'll definitely look out for it.
Not me. I just checked out her (nice shapely) legs in the Daily Mail expose on this sordid affair - “see pages 11-14 and 22-29 for more details and photos in this shocking story of terrible misogyny in posh British journalism”
But then I’m just a raddled old perv. I might apply for a job at the Spectator
They already have some bloke who approximates your schtick, as you regularly point out. Brilliant, apparently.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist edited to very very very very sloppy to the extent of being incompetent culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
Hmm, a misattributed quote in one of his articles, now corrected. Terrible. I'll never read a word of his again.
Owen generally writes a load of old polemical shit, and I rarely if ever agree with anything that comes out of his mouth unless it's a generic "Tories are crap". But he does it in quite a readable way. He's a good writer, a leader in his craft. In that sense - inaccuracies aside - he's in the same boat as your lechy old Speccie columnist.
Mr. kinabalu, I'd prefer North Korea to cease to exist, and for a reunited and democratic Korea to retain nukes, given who their neighbour is and how history has tended to go.
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Unless he was gay. Or unless a woman wrote the article. Is no one allowed to comment on who they think is attractive in print any more.
Indeed. It should also be noted that Lea Ypi really is quite attractive - and, what’s more, she knows it and uses it. There are plenty of photos of her giving lectures and interviews in surprisingly short skirts and dresses for an esteemed academic
I’ve no problem with that. I like beautiful women: good luck to her. But she is undoubtedly using her sexuality to her own ends. And the Spectator piece is a guy admitting that yes, it worked, and he responded to it, as men do
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Unless he was gay. Or unless a woman wrote the article. Is no one allowed to comment on who they think is attractive in print any more.
Anyone is perfectly free to comment on who they think is attractive. But when virtually the only thing you can think to say about a talk by an intelligent, attractive woman was the way she made you want to go and visit a brothel, it's a little bit more than that.
I'm sure a good writer could have actually addressed what she said in her talk, either in agreement or disagreement, and expressed her physical appeal at the same time.
Personally I wanted to know more of what she said; not about the sad life of the Spectator prat.
"For the first time, we were able to destroy such an aircraft. But even better, another plane that followed it was forced to turn around. This means that a number of missiles were not fired at Ukraine. The operation was a true success," GUR spokesman Andriy Yusov said about the downing of the Tu-22M3 strategic bomber.
Ukraine are having problems with Su-25s being able to fly close support missions unhindered on the front lines, but they've had a few successes against strategic aviation recently, with the A-50 they took down, and a notable hit on a long-range radar station earlier this week.
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Unless he was gay. Or unless a woman wrote the article. Is no one allowed to comment on who they think is attractive in print any more.
Anyone is perfectly free to comment on who they think is attractive. But when virtually the only thing you can think to say about a talk by an intelligent, attractive woman was the way she made you want to go and visit a brothel, it's a little bit more than that.
I'm sure a good writer could have actually addressed what she said in her talk, either in agreement or disagreement, and expressed her physical appeal at the same time.
Personally I wanted to know more of what she said; not about the sad life of the Spectator prat.
If you actually read the piece - which almost no one on here has - it’s all about the male libido. How it sadly prevails over sensible thought
His subject is himself and male sexuality and it’s interesting and well-written. It’s not remotely about Albanian communism, or anything she said, she’s not the subject
Should he have included the details of the brothel-visit? I don’t know, it’s a tough call - but I can see why. That’s the bit that drives home the desperate and maudlin futility of so much male sexual desire, with a dash of humour
But I think this just goes whoosh over a lot of PB heads
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Unless he was gay. Or unless a woman wrote the article. Is no one allowed to comment on who they think is attractive in print any more.
Allowed to? Of course they can.
And can other people comment on the appropriateness of linking that attractiveness to prostitution? Of course they can.
This is mere taste and suitability, not free speech.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist edited to very very very very sloppy to the extent of being incompetent culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
Hmm, a misattributed quote in one of his articles, now corrected. Terrible. I'll never read a word of his again.
LOL misattributed. It was central to his entire argument. Uncorrected, doltish Guardian readers - there are one or two on this board - might have picked up that ball and run with it. They wouldn't all have been like you who would have gone directly to Hansard to check whether that was indeed the case.
But it's cool - you read Jones and like what he writes because you agree with everything he says and why he says it. Whatever it is. And confirmation of that type is very reassuring. So enjoy.
I'm driven to ask why on earth would Iran call it quits. They have already pre-vowed to retaliate if Israel retaliated to their retaliation.
I imagine the back channels are buzzing as we speak.
My guess on why Iran would call it quits is that nothing major, no big civilian centres and nothing high profile were destroyed so Iranian top people can go on tv and laugh “those pathetic Israelis cannot destroy mighty Iran - look at this pathetic attempt. Like a flea on a camel. Please forget our very unsuccessful huge strike.”
Iran also know that the Israelis just showed what they can do so far inland in Iran, near sensitive nuclear sites, in a very limited attack and so “next time” it could be a lot worse.
So honour restored and the phoney war can continue through proxies.
I was thinking much the same. Israel has won these exchanges, Iran will downplay everything for domestic audience but in reality they've been humiliated.
Unfortunately, as Leon alludes, it now gives Israel a free hand to destroy Gaza. No one is now coming to their rescue.
Yes it really is quite extraordinary that someone thought fit to publish such letchery. I know they are trying to corner the Dirty Old Man target demographic, but even so! Lea Ypi publishes a few excerpts in this tweet.
BTW Her book is an excellent rumination on Freedom, set as Albania falls apart. I really enjoyed it.
Hopefully cancel culture kicks in and the Spectator has to close down.
Such rampant misogyny needs to end.
Is this is the new Taki? For High Life read ...
Lea Ypi's 'Free' is one of those book (along with 'The Collapse' by Mary Elise Sarotte) that dramatically makes you shift your understanding about the end of the Cold War and gives some deeper understanding into why the people of the countries of the former Soviet Union (and some Eastern European members of the EU) and increasingly looking backwards to the communist era. Nostalgia is only part of the reason: Ypi develops a theory of freedom as being something 'inseparable from responsibility towards others, towards society', something that communism seemed to offer that neo-liberalism doesn't.
It's a mash-up of stiff from Kant, Hegel and I'm not entirely onboard with that (nostalgia and 'it was better in the old days' is a big chunk of it) but it's nice to get a proper perspective from someone who had the full Stalinist experience.
I'd take issue withthe suggestion that communism engenders responsibility towards others and towards society. I would argue it does the opppsite.
The attraction of communism is that (in theory) it does offer that responsibility ("from each according to his ability, etc."). In practice it just leads to despotism by whoever seizes the power levers.
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Unless he was gay. Or unless a woman wrote the article. Is no one allowed to comment on who they think is attractive in print any more.
Anyone is perfectly free to comment on who they think is attractive. But when virtually the only thing you can think to say about a talk by an intelligent, attractive woman was the way she made you want to go and visit a brothel, it's a little bit more than that.
I'm sure a good writer could have actually addressed what she said in her talk, either in agreement or disagreement, and expressed her physical appeal at the same time.
Personally I wanted to know more of what she said; not about the sad life of the Spectator prat.
Oh come. You and I both know that, without the brothel action, the piece wouldn't have been published by the Spectator at all.
But the best journalism comes from curiosity. Left or right, lech or prude, comic or serious, you really notice the difference when you're reading the work of someone who is actively engaged with and fascinated by the world around them. They can have awful political views, but they remain interesting to read.
Curious journalists are more unpredictable in their views too. By contrast there are some whose every article is just a recut version of what they wrote last time. I don't think Owen Jones is particularly curious. On the right there are plenty of equivalents, like Melanie Philips. Or "guest contributors" like David Frost. The worst sort of political journalism is just the endless repetition of partisan talking points.
That's why I really like reading Marie Le Conte, for example. Curious, interested in those around her. Interested in you, the reader.
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Unless he was gay. Or unless a woman wrote the article. Is no one allowed to comment on who they think is attractive in print any more.
Anyone is perfectly free to comment on who they think is attractive. But when virtually the only thing you can think to say about a talk by an intelligent, attractive woman was the way she made you want to go and visit a brothel, it's a little bit more than that.
I'm sure a good writer could have actually addressed what she said in her talk, either in agreement or disagreement, and expressed her physical appeal at the same time.
Personally I wanted to know more of what she said; not about the sad life of the Spectator prat.
If you actually read the piece - which almost no one on here has - it’s all about the male libido. How it sadly prevails over sensible thought
His subject is himself and male sexuality and it’s interesting and well-written. It’s not remotely about Albanian communism, or anything she said, she’s not the subject
Should he have included the details of the brothel-visit? I don’t know, it’s a tough call - but I can see why. That’s the bit that drives home the desperate and maudlin futility of so much male sexual desire, with a dash of humour
But I think this just goes whoosh over a lot of PB heads
I rad it. So did Mrs J. Her view on it would entertain you.,,
I have no problem with a sad old man talking about his decrepit libido. What is odd is hanging that off a hook involving a talk by an attractive, intelligent woman.
By all means, he could have written two articles: one on her talk, and one on the brothel position. It is the juxtaposition of the two that seems odd and more than a little creepy.
I know of only one knocking shop in Cambridge - a localish hotel. A friend of mine was due to give birth, and her parents stayed at the hotel when they came down for the birth. They moved out after one night's stay, due to (ahem) interesting experiences with some other guests.
The area around Cambridge station has improved massive over the last decade with the CB1 development - though it was hardly the worst part of Cambridge before. I am unsurprised that there are such places there - the station allows easy access for visitors, and it is relatively central. Many of the flats are also fairly modern, and there are student digs.
But no, I've never been to one. Don't desire to, either.
Every now and then a romp with a prostitute sex worker is added to my bucket list and then, like most of the list, crossed off again. If I wanted to do it before I die, I'd have done it already.
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Unless he was gay. Or unless a woman wrote the article. Is no one allowed to comment on who they think is attractive in print any more.
Anyone is perfectly free to comment on who they think is attractive. But when virtually the only thing you can think to say about a talk by an intelligent, attractive woman was the way she made you want to go and visit a brothel, it's a little bit more than that.
I'm sure a good writer could have actually addressed what she said in her talk, either in agreement or disagreement, and expressed her physical appeal at the same time.
Personally I wanted to know more of what she said; not about the sad life of the Spectator prat.
So you are bemoaning the fact that this Speccie article wasn't a deep dive into pros and cons of Albanian communism.
Jeez Louise. She was a vehicle for his thoughts about women and himself.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist edited to very very very very sloppy to the extent of being incompetent culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
Hmm, a misattributed quote in one of his articles, now corrected. Terrible. I'll never read a word of his again.
Owen generally writes a load of old polemical shit, and I rarely if ever agree with anything that comes out of his mouth unless it's a generic "Tories are crap". But he does it in quite a readable way. He's a good writer, a leader in his craft. In that sense - inaccuracies aside - he's in the same boat as your lechy old Speccie columnist.
He is a polemicist, yes. And from quite far to the left so most people won't agree with most of what he says. But his status as a hate object (which he enjoys tbf) is not because he's crap it's because he's effective.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
"repulsive and a disgrace" sounds to me like a step on the way to getting him sacked.
Listen you and I are both men d'un age certain. Are we saying that no one is allowed to comment on a person's looks any more.
Context is everything.
Well I haven't seen the entire article as it is paywalled. Neither have you, I suspect.
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Unless he was gay. Or unless a woman wrote the article. Is no one allowed to comment on who they think is attractive in print any more.
Anyone is perfectly free to comment on who they think is attractive. But when virtually the only thing you can think to say about a talk by an intelligent, attractive woman was the way she made you want to go and visit a brothel, it's a little bit more than that.
I'm sure a good writer could have actually addressed what she said in her talk, either in agreement or disagreement, and expressed her physical appeal at the same time.
Personally I wanted to know more of what she said; not about the sad life of the Spectator prat.
If you actually read the piece - which almost no one on here has - it’s all about the male libido. How it sadly prevails over sensible thought
His subject is himself and male sexuality and it’s interesting and well-written. It’s not remotely about Albanian communism, or anything she said, she’s not the subject
Should he have included the details of the brothel-visit? I don’t know, it’s a tough call - but I can see why. That’s the bit that drives home the desperate and maudlin futility of so much male sexual desire, with a dash of humour
But I think this just goes whoosh over a lot of PB heads
I rad it. So did Mrs J. Her view on it would entertain you.,,
I have no problem with a sad old man talking about his decrepit libido. What is odd is hanging that off a hook involving a talk by an attractive, intelligent woman.
By all means, he could have written two articles: one on her talk, and one on the brothel position. It is the juxtaposition of the two that seems odd and more than a little creepy.
Isn't the implication of the link obvious?
A man is such a victim of his libido that he can be raised to an uncontrollable pitch of arousal during a lecture by a female academic, but, to the relief of all concerned, this arousal can be safely discharged in the environs of the neighborhood brothel.
I’ve reread the piece to make sure. It’s actually very good. Poignant, touching, revelatory of the human condition - for men and women
It’s not even slightly insulting to the Albanian academic, it just says she’s so beautiful he can’t focus on her words and then gets serious urges, as men do
He also then describes, articulately, exactly how he satisfied those urges with a friendly 48 year old Chinese sex worker/housewife. Now I know this will be shocking to many PBers but a lot of men do this, some even hide it, all their lives, from friends and family
Personally I find that more interesting to read than another Owen Jones think piece about Gaza, or the New Statesman on heterodox post-liberals advising Starmer
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist lying culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
I must say though, one of the things I agreed with Corbyn, and Jones, on was the nuclear deterrent. I understand the MAD argument, but I wish we never had them.
We are seeing in Russia/Ukraine the absurdity of humans having nuclear weapons.
What I've learned here is that Russia's nukes are useless because there are no circumstances under which they would use them on the battlefield. But ours are apparently essential. Strange that the deterrent effect only appears to work in one direction.
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Unless he was gay. Or unless a woman wrote the article. Is no one allowed to comment on who they think is attractive in print any more.
Anyone is perfectly free to comment on who they think is attractive. But when virtually the only thing you can think to say about a talk by an intelligent, attractive woman was the way she made you want to go and visit a brothel, it's a little bit more than that.
I'm sure a good writer could have actually addressed what she said in her talk, either in agreement or disagreement, and expressed her physical appeal at the same time.
Personally I wanted to know more of what she said; not about the sad life of the Spectator prat.
So you are bemoaning the fact that this Speccie article wasn't a deep dive into pros and cons of Albanian communism.
Jeez Louise. She was a vehicle for his thoughts about women and himself.
And I haven't even read the effing article.
LOL. Remember how you slammed me yesterday for having views on something I haven't read?
You see, it's perfectly possible to have views on something without having read it.
And yes, the talk was obviously interesting enough for him to want to attend (unless he was stalking her...). And a good writer should be able to make something interesting about a talk involving politics for a magazine that covers politics.
Yes it really is quite extraordinary that someone thought fit to publish such letchery. I know they are trying to corner the Dirty Old Man target demographic, but even so! Lea Ypi publishes a few excerpts in this tweet.
BTW Her book is an excellent rumination on Freedom, set as Albania falls apart. I really enjoyed it.
Hopefully cancel culture kicks in and the Spectator has to close down.
Such rampant misogyny needs to end.
Is this is the new Taki? For High Life read ...
Lea Ypi's 'Free' is one of those book (along with 'The Collapse' by Mary Elise Sarotte) that dramatically makes you shift your understanding about the end of the Cold War and gives some deeper understanding into why the people of the countries of the former Soviet Union (and some Eastern European members of the EU) and increasingly looking backwards to the communist era. Nostalgia is only part of the reason: Ypi develops a theory of freedom as being something 'inseparable from responsibility towards others, towards society', something that communism seemed to offer that neo-liberalism doesn't.
It's a mash-up of stiff from Kant, Hegel and I'm not entirely onboard with that (nostalgia and 'it was better in the old days' is a big chunk of it) but it's nice to get a proper perspective from someone who had the full Stalinist experience.
That, though, is partly down to the "shock therapy" economic advice given to the states which emerged from communist domination after the fall of the Soviet Union.
History might have been very different had people like Jeffrey Sachs had a bit less hubris.
Agree.
The dominant narrative was "it was the neoliberalism wot won it" so let's give 'em it full force.
Re Jeffrey Sachs: it's an interesting thought experiment to imagine what might have happened if we had worked in the early 90s to strengthen international institutions and governance rather than working on poverty eradication through pumping aid (which got siphoned off due to...bad governance). But that's just the yearnings of a sad old internationalist...
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Unless he was gay. Or unless a woman wrote the article. Is no one allowed to comment on who they think is attractive in print any more.
Anyone is perfectly free to comment on who they think is attractive. But when virtually the only thing you can think to say about a talk by an intelligent, attractive woman was the way she made you want to go and visit a brothel, it's a little bit more than that.
I'm sure a good writer could have actually addressed what she said in her talk, either in agreement or disagreement, and expressed her physical appeal at the same time.
Personally I wanted to know more of what she said; not about the sad life of the Spectator prat.
If you actually read the piece - which almost no one on here has - it’s all about the male libido. How it sadly prevails over sensible thought
His subject is himself and male sexuality and it’s interesting and well-written. It’s not remotely about Albanian communism, or anything she said, she’s not the subject
Should he have included the details of the brothel-visit? I don’t know, it’s a tough call - but I can see why. That’s the bit that drives home the desperate and maudlin futility of so much male sexual desire, with a dash of humour
But I think this just goes whoosh over a lot of PB heads
I rad it. So did Mrs J. Her view on it would entertain you.,,
I have no problem with a sad old man talking about his decrepit libido. What is odd is hanging that off a hook involving a talk by an attractive, intelligent woman.
By all means, he could have written two articles: one on her talk, and one on the brothel position. It is the juxtaposition of the two that seems odd and more than a little creepy.
What hook is he supposed to hang it off if not his “decrepit libido” being stimulated by an attractive woman in a surprise situation?
Now maybe when he’s sitting at breakfast his marmalade on toast starts making him feel the need to go for a wank. Maybe the booze aisles at Waitrose make him feel like a jaunt to a Killing Kittens evening but probably not. He is stimulated by something unexpectedly powerful and writes about it.
I’m sure loads of men of all ages have similar urges and don’t have the freedom or ability to act on them yet alone write about them so it’s fair enough to have someone write about it. I’m sure Cosmopolitan has plenty of articles by female journos who write about some weird situations which led to weird situations and good for them.
As an aside, not a fan of the way the BBC News bar has reduced the number of standard categories (Politics, Health etc) while the number of selected 'important' categories has increased (currently, Israel-Gaza, Cost of Living, Ukraine, India Election, and Climate).
Climate's not going anywhere. Cost of Living has been entirely standard of late and its continued presence is odd. And, I'd argue (much as I think Ukraine is important) the other categories can be easily found without the BBC helpfully nudging its audience to topics it thinks worthiest. /grumpygrumble
Yes it really is quite extraordinary that someone thought fit to publish such letchery. I know they are trying to corner the Dirty Old Man target demographic, but even so! Lea Ypi publishes a few excerpts in this tweet.
BTW Her book is an excellent rumination on Freedom, set as Albania falls apart. I really enjoyed it.
Hopefully cancel culture kicks in and the Spectator has to close down.
Such rampant misogyny needs to end.
Is this is the new Taki? For High Life read ...
Lea Ypi's 'Free' is one of those book (along with 'The Collapse' by Mary Elise Sarotte) that dramatically makes you shift your understanding about the end of the Cold War and gives some deeper understanding into why the people of the countries of the former Soviet Union (and some Eastern European members of the EU) and increasingly looking backwards to the communist era. Nostalgia is only part of the reason: Ypi develops a theory of freedom as being something 'inseparable from responsibility towards others, towards society', something that communism seemed to offer that neo-liberalism doesn't.
It's a mash-up of stiff from Kant, Hegel and I'm not entirely onboard with that (nostalgia and 'it was better in the old days' is a big chunk of it) but it's nice to get a proper perspective from someone who had the full Stalinist experience.
Yes, an excellent summary.
She has a recent podcast series on the subject too.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
"repulsive and a disgrace" sounds to me like a step on the way to getting him sacked.
Listen you and I are both men d'un age certain. Are we saying that no one is allowed to comment on a person's looks any more.
Context is everything.
Well I haven't seen the entire article as it is paywalled. Neither have you, I suspect.
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Unless he was gay. Or unless a woman wrote the article. Is no one allowed to comment on who they think is attractive in print any more.
Anyone is perfectly free to comment on who they think is attractive. But when virtually the only thing you can think to say about a talk by an intelligent, attractive woman was the way she made you want to go and visit a brothel, it's a little bit more than that.
I'm sure a good writer could have actually addressed what she said in her talk, either in agreement or disagreement, and expressed her physical appeal at the same time.
Personally I wanted to know more of what she said; not about the sad life of the Spectator prat.
So you are bemoaning the fact that this Speccie article wasn't a deep dive into pros and cons of Albanian communism.
Jeez Louise. She was a vehicle for his thoughts about women and himself.
And I haven't even read the effing article.
LOL. Remember how you slammed me yesterday for having views on something I haven't read?
You see, it's perfectly possible to have views on something without having read it.
And yes, the talk was obviously interesting enough for him to want to attend (unless he was stalking her...). And a good writer should be able to make something interesting about a talk involving politics for a magazine that covers politics.
Anyway, at least you’ve give us the exact address, postcode and what3words (///didnt.visit.honestly) of that brothel in northwest Cambridge by the chip shop so we can all make sure to huffily avoid it, as you did
Yes it really is quite extraordinary that someone thought fit to publish such letchery. I know they are trying to corner the Dirty Old Man target demographic, but even so! Lea Ypi publishes a few excerpts in this tweet.
BTW Her book is an excellent rumination on Freedom, set as Albania falls apart. I really enjoyed it.
Hopefully cancel culture kicks in and the Spectator has to close down.
Such rampant misogyny needs to end.
Is this is the new Taki? For High Life read ...
Lea Ypi's 'Free' is one of those book (along with 'The Collapse' by Mary Elise Sarotte) that dramatically makes you shift your understanding about the end of the Cold War and gives some deeper understanding into why the people of the countries of the former Soviet Union (and some Eastern European members of the EU) and increasingly looking backwards to the communist era. Nostalgia is only part of the reason: Ypi develops a theory of freedom as being something 'inseparable from responsibility towards others, towards society', something that communism seemed to offer that neo-liberalism doesn't.
It's a mash-up of stiff from Kant, Hegel and I'm not entirely onboard with that (nostalgia and 'it was better in the old days' is a big chunk of it) but it's nice to get a proper perspective from someone who had the full Stalinist experience.
That, though, is partly down to the "shock therapy" economic advice given to the states which emerged from communist domination after the fall of the Soviet Union.
History might have been very different had people like Jeffrey Sachs had a bit less hubris.
Agree.
The dominant narrative was "it was the neoliberalism wot won it" so let's give 'em it full force.
Re Jeffrey Sachs: it's an interesting thought experiment to imagine what might have happened if we had worked in the early 90s to strengthen international institutions and governance rather than working on poverty eradication through pumping aid (which got siphoned off due to...bad governance). But that's just the yearnings of a sad old internationalist...
William Easterly is masterful on Sachs although he had the grace to accept the progress of the MDGs.
I am definitely an Easterly-ite if it's between him and Sachs (and it sort of is).
It's the Telegraph whipping up it's readers about Loan Charge tax dodgers. 322 referrals since September 2022 under a partnership agreement between HMRC and the Samaritans, some of whom may be Loan Charge people.
Nothing about severity of case linked to referrals, or what has actually happened in these referrals.
That is, about 4-5 per week or 0.6 per day in a country of 55 million adults,
Bluntly, I'd say the Telegraph are trying to make a mountain out of a molehill here.
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Unless he was gay. Or unless a woman wrote the article. Is no one allowed to comment on who they think is attractive in print any more.
Anyone is perfectly free to comment on who they think is attractive. But when virtually the only thing you can think to say about a talk by an intelligent, attractive woman was the way she made you want to go and visit a brothel, it's a little bit more than that.
I'm sure a good writer could have actually addressed what she said in her talk, either in agreement or disagreement, and expressed her physical appeal at the same time.
Personally I wanted to know more of what she said; not about the sad life of the Spectator prat.
So you are bemoaning the fact that this Speccie article wasn't a deep dive into pros and cons of Albanian communism.
Jeez Louise. She was a vehicle for his thoughts about women and himself.
And I haven't even read the effing article.
LOL. Remember how you slammed me yesterday for having views on something I haven't read?
You see, it's perfectly possible to have views on something without having read it.
And yes, the talk was obviously interesting enough for him to want to attend (unless he was stalking her...). And a good writer should be able to make something interesting about a talk involving politics for a magazine that covers politics.
I think the juxtaposition of a talk about post-communist Albania (if that was what it was about) and a (sad old? Not very woke, now, is it JJ) man's sexual urges is itself part of the point.
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Unless he was gay. Or unless a woman wrote the article. Is no one allowed to comment on who they think is attractive in print any more.
Anyone is perfectly free to comment on who they think is attractive. But when virtually the only thing you can think to say about a talk by an intelligent, attractive woman was the way she made you want to go and visit a brothel, it's a little bit more than that.
I'm sure a good writer could have actually addressed what she said in her talk, either in agreement or disagreement, and expressed her physical appeal at the same time.
Personally I wanted to know more of what she said; not about the sad life of the Spectator prat.
If you actually read the piece - which almost no one on here has - it’s all about the male libido. How it sadly prevails over sensible thought
His subject is himself and male sexuality and it’s interesting and well-written. It’s not remotely about Albanian communism, or anything she said, she’s not the subject
Should he have included the details of the brothel-visit? I don’t know, it’s a tough call - but I can see why. That’s the bit that drives home the desperate and maudlin futility of so much male sexual desire, with a dash of humour
But I think this just goes whoosh over a lot of PB heads
I rad it. So did Mrs J. Her view on it would entertain you.,,
I have no problem with a sad old man talking about his decrepit libido. What is odd is hanging that off a hook involving a talk by an attractive, intelligent woman.
By all means, he could have written two articles: one on her talk, and one on the brothel position. It is the juxtaposition of the two that seems odd and more than a little creepy.
What hook is he supposed to hang it off if not his “decrepit libido” being stimulated by an attractive woman in a surprise situation?
Now maybe when he’s sitting at breakfast his marmalade on toast starts making him feel the need to go for a wank. Maybe the booze aisles at Waitrose make him feel like a jaunt to a Killing Kittens evening but probably not. He is stimulated by something unexpectedly powerful and writes about it.
I’m sure loads of men of all ages have similar urges and don’t have the freedom or ability to act on them yet alone write about them so it’s fair enough to have someone write about it. I’m sure Cosmopolitan has plenty of articles by female journos who write about some weird situations which led to weird situations and good for them.
I haven't read the article but I can confirm the male libido is off the scale.
I probably mentally undress and contemplate the idea of having sex with virtually every woman I see or meet. And it happens unconsciously. Once that phase is "resolved" it can die back a bit so you stop thinking about it in professional interactions.
That's the same point Jon Snow once made, and it's very different from acting on it. I'm not sure it necessarily diminishes much with age.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
"repulsive and a disgrace" sounds to me like a step on the way to getting him sacked.
Listen you and I are both men d'un age certain. Are we saying that no one is allowed to comment on a person's looks any more.
Context is everything.
Well I haven't seen the entire article as it is paywalled. Neither have you, I suspect.
Good for middle aged loaded old lads mag. Unsuitable for a politics, culture and current affairs magazine. Its not exactly rocket science.
The Spectator has ALWAYS been like this. It mixes the high and the low, the sordid and the cerebral, the arts and the heart. And it seeks to surprise as all good magazines should
I very much doubt you subscribe, or ever will, and as it’s paywalled that means you never read it, so why on earth should they care what you think?
I know of only one knocking shop in Cambridge - a localish hotel. A friend of mine was due to give birth, and her parents stayed at the hotel when they came down for the birth. They moved out after one night's stay, due to (ahem) interesting experiences with some other guests.
The area around Cambridge station has improved massive over the last decade with the CB1 development - though it was hardly the worst part of Cambridge before. I am unsurprised that there are such places there - the station allows easy access for visitors, and it is relatively central. Many of the flats are also fairly modern, and there are student digs.
But no, I've never been to one. Don't desire to, either.
Can you tell me the name of this hotel knocking shop so I don’t accidentally visit it on my frequent visits to Cambridge.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist lying culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
I must say though, one of the things I agreed with Corbyn, and Jones, on was the nuclear deterrent. I understand the MAD argument, but I wish we never had them.
We are seeing in Russia/Ukraine the absurdity of humans having nuclear weapons.
What I've learned here is that Russia's nukes are useless because there are no circumstances under which they would use them on the battlefield. But ours are apparently essential. Strange that the deterrent effect only appears to work in one direction.
Nuclear weapons, under current taboos, are only to be used in existential situations.
Russia isn’t going to nuke a battlefield in Ukraine (probably) - because Russia isn’t going to cease to exist.
You should also note that Western militaries got rid of tactical nuclear weapons, when smart weapons became available.
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Unless he was gay. Or unless a woman wrote the article. Is no one allowed to comment on who they think is attractive in print any more.
Anyone is perfectly free to comment on who they think is attractive. But when virtually the only thing you can think to say about a talk by an intelligent, attractive woman was the way she made you want to go and visit a brothel, it's a little bit more than that.
I'm sure a good writer could have actually addressed what she said in her talk, either in agreement or disagreement, and expressed her physical appeal at the same time.
Personally I wanted to know more of what she said; not about the sad life of the Spectator prat.
So you are bemoaning the fact that this Speccie article wasn't a deep dive into pros and cons of Albanian communism.
Jeez Louise. She was a vehicle for his thoughts about women and himself.
And I haven't even read the effing article.
LOL. Remember how you slammed me yesterday for having views on something I haven't read?
You see, it's perfectly possible to have views on something without having read it.
And yes, the talk was obviously interesting enough for him to want to attend (unless he was stalking her...). And a good writer should be able to make something interesting about a talk involving politics for a magazine that covers politics.
Anyway, at least you’ve give us the exact address, postcode and what3words (///didnt.visit.honestly) of that brothel in northwest Cambridge by the chip shop so we can all make sure to huffily avoid it, as you did
I run and drive past it regularly, as it happens. And it's not northwest Cambridge...
Anecdotally, Cambridge services on the A14 is also frequented by women who offer such services, in case you wish to spread your particular collection of unusual diseases.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist lying culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
I must say though, one of the things I agreed with Corbyn, and Jones, on was the nuclear deterrent. I understand the MAD argument, but I wish we never had them.
We are seeing in Russia/Ukraine the absurdity of humans having nuclear weapons.
What I've learned here is that Russia's nukes are useless because there are no circumstances under which they would use them on the battlefield. But ours are apparently essential. Strange that the deterrent effect only appears to work in one direction.
Nuclear weapons - not much use in an aggressive war, but would prevent you from being invaded. That seems perfectly logical and consistent.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
"repulsive and a disgrace" sounds to me like a step on the way to getting him sacked.
Listen you and I are both men d'un age certain. Are we saying that no one is allowed to comment on a person's looks any more.
Context is everything.
Well I haven't seen the entire article as it is paywalled. Neither have you, I suspect.
Good for middle aged loaded old lads mag. Unsuitable for a politics, culture and current affairs magazine. Its not exactly rocket science.
The Spectator has ALWAYS been like this. It mixes the high and the low, the sordid and the cerebral, the arts and the heart. And it seeks to surprise as all good magazines should
I very much doubt you subscribe, or ever will, and as it’s paywalled that means you never read it, so why on earth should they care what you think?
I let my sub lapse when eager deference to writers older than I gave way to lofty disdain for hacks who are younger. Twas ever thus. Bring back Jeffrey Barnard.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist edited to very very very very sloppy to the extent of being incompetent culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
Hmm, a misattributed quote in one of his articles, now corrected. Terrible. I'll never read a word of his again.
LOL misattributed. It was central to his entire argument. Uncorrected, doltish Guardian readers - there are one or two on this board - might have picked up that ball and run with it. They wouldn't all have been like you who would have gone directly to Hansard to check whether that was indeed the case.
But it's cool - you read Jones and like what he writes because you agree with everything he says and why he says it. Whatever it is. And confirmation of that type is very reassuring. So enjoy.
I agree with maybe 50% of what he says. But I am in the unusual position (on here) of actually reading a fair amount of his stuff. This helps when forming an opinion on it. You were arguing exactly that point yesterday and I agree with it.
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Unless he was gay. Or unless a woman wrote the article. Is no one allowed to comment on who they think is attractive in print any more.
Anyone is perfectly free to comment on who they think is attractive. But when virtually the only thing you can think to say about a talk by an intelligent, attractive woman was the way she made you want to go and visit a brothel, it's a little bit more than that.
I'm sure a good writer could have actually addressed what she said in her talk, either in agreement or disagreement, and expressed her physical appeal at the same time.
Personally I wanted to know more of what she said; not about the sad life of the Spectator prat.
If you actually read the piece - which almost no one on here has - it’s all about the male libido. How it sadly prevails over sensible thought
His subject is himself and male sexuality and it’s interesting and well-written. It’s not remotely about Albanian communism, or anything she said, she’s not the subject
Should he have included the details of the brothel-visit? I don’t know, it’s a tough call - but I can see why. That’s the bit that drives home the desperate and maudlin futility of so much male sexual desire, with a dash of humour
But I think this just goes whoosh over a lot of PB heads
I rad it. So did Mrs J. Her view on it would entertain you.,,
I have no problem with a sad old man talking about his decrepit libido. What is odd is hanging that off a hook involving a talk by an attractive, intelligent woman.
By all means, he could have written two articles: one on her talk, and one on the brothel position. It is the juxtaposition of the two that seems odd and more than a little creepy.
What hook is he supposed to hang it off if not his “decrepit libido” being stimulated by an attractive woman in a surprise situation?
Now maybe when he’s sitting at breakfast his marmalade on toast starts making him feel the need to go for a wank. Maybe the booze aisles at Waitrose make him feel like a jaunt to a Killing Kittens evening but probably not. He is stimulated by something unexpectedly powerful and writes about it.
I’m sure loads of men of all ages have similar urges and don’t have the freedom or ability to act on them yet alone write about them so it’s fair enough to have someone write about it. I’m sure Cosmopolitan has plenty of articles by female journos who write about some weird situations which led to weird situations and good for them.
I haven't read the article but I can confirm the male libido is off the scale.
I probably mentally undress and contemplate the idea of having sex with virtually every woman I see or meet. And it happens unconsciously. Once that phase is "resolved" it can die back a bit so you stop thinking about it in professional interactions.
That's the same point Jon Snow once made, and it's very different from acting on it. I'm not sure it necessarily diminishes much with age.
** remembers having some very enjoyable drinks with @Casino_Royale **
** decides not to remember what I was mentally contemplating .... **
** wanders off to watch Jason Beer KC ..... ** (That's enough! Ed)
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Unless he was gay. Or unless a woman wrote the article. Is no one allowed to comment on who they think is attractive in print any more.
Anyone is perfectly free to comment on who they think is attractive. But when virtually the only thing you can think to say about a talk by an intelligent, attractive woman was the way she made you want to go and visit a brothel, it's a little bit more than that.
I'm sure a good writer could have actually addressed what she said in her talk, either in agreement or disagreement, and expressed her physical appeal at the same time.
Personally I wanted to know more of what she said; not about the sad life of the Spectator prat.
If you actually read the piece - which almost no one on here has - it’s all about the male libido. How it sadly prevails over sensible thought
His subject is himself and male sexuality and it’s interesting and well-written. It’s not remotely about Albanian communism, or anything she said, she’s not the subject
Should he have included the details of the brothel-visit? I don’t know, it’s a tough call - but I can see why. That’s the bit that drives home the desperate and maudlin futility of so much male sexual desire, with a dash of humour
But I think this just goes whoosh over a lot of PB heads
I rad it. So did Mrs J. Her view on it would entertain you.,,
I have no problem with a sad old man talking about his decrepit libido. What is odd is hanging that off a hook involving a talk by an attractive, intelligent woman.
By all means, he could have written two articles: one on her talk, and one on the brothel position. It is the juxtaposition of the two that seems odd and more than a little creepy.
What hook is he supposed to hang it off if not his “decrepit libido” being stimulated by an attractive woman in a surprise situation?
Now maybe when he’s sitting at breakfast his marmalade on toast starts making him feel the need to go for a wank. Maybe the booze aisles at Waitrose make him feel like a jaunt to a Killing Kittens evening but probably not. He is stimulated by something unexpectedly powerful and writes about it.
I’m sure loads of men of all ages have similar urges and don’t have the freedom or ability to act on them yet alone write about them so it’s fair enough to have someone write about it. I’m sure Cosmopolitan has plenty of articles by female journos who write about some weird situations which led to weird situations and good for them.
I haven't read the article but I can confirm the male libido is off the scale.
I probably mentally undress and contemplate the idea of having sex with virtually every woman I see or meet. And it happens unconsciously. Once that phase is "resolved" it can die back a bit so you stop thinking about it in professional interactions.
That's the same point Jon Snow once made, and it's very different from acting on it. I'm not sure it necessarily diminishes much with age.
Unfortunately it doesn’t diminish with age. I had a period a year or two ago when it weirdly disappeared and - frankly - it was a relief. I was much more relaxed. Then it came back - the gibbering monkey on my shoulder
Coincidentally I had drinks with a XXXXXX friend this week - over from XXXX. He visits sex workers all the time and has been doing so for 20 years at least and his wife and family have no idea and probably never will. He’s got a very strong libido and he admits, very honestly, that if it wasn’t for this he would have left his wife in search of sexual variety, breaking up a happy family
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist lying culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
I must say though, one of the things I agreed with Corbyn, and Jones, on was the nuclear deterrent. I understand the MAD argument, but I wish we never had them.
We are seeing in Russia/Ukraine the absurdity of humans having nuclear weapons.
What I've learned here is that Russia's nukes are useless because there are no circumstances under which they would use them on the battlefield. But ours are apparently essential. Strange that the deterrent effect only appears to work in one direction.
Nuclear weapons - not much use in an aggressive war, but would prevent you from being invaded. That seems perfectly logical and consistent.
They could easily be used to 'wipe' a country 'off the map'.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist edited to very very very very sloppy to the extent of being incompetent culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
Hmm, a misattributed quote in one of his articles, now corrected. Terrible. I'll never read a word of his again.
LOL misattributed. It was central to his entire argument. Uncorrected, doltish Guardian readers - there are one or two on this board - might have picked up that ball and run with it. They wouldn't all have been like you who would have gone directly to Hansard to check whether that was indeed the case.
But it's cool - you read Jones and like what he writes because you agree with everything he says and why he says it. Whatever it is. And confirmation of that type is very reassuring. So enjoy.
I agree with maybe 50% of what he says. But I am in the unusual position (on here) of actually reading a fair amount of his stuff. This helps when forming an opinion on it. You were arguing exactly that point yesterday and I agree with it.
Very true. I do read his stuff AAMOF. Probably about 50% of it. Same with Polly. Otherwise what fun would it be to read someone I agree with all the time.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
"repulsive and a disgrace" sounds to me like a step on the way to getting him sacked.
Listen you and I are both men d'un age certain. Are we saying that no one is allowed to comment on a person's looks any more.
Context is everything.
Well I haven't seen the entire article as it is paywalled. Neither have you, I suspect.
Good for middle aged loaded old lads mag. Unsuitable for a politics, culture and current affairs magazine. Its not exactly rocket science.
The Spectator has ALWAYS been like this. It mixes the high and the low, the sordid and the cerebral, the arts and the heart. And it seeks to surprise as all good magazines should
I very much doubt you subscribe, or ever will, and as it’s paywalled that means you never read it, so why on earth should they care what you think?
And I don't care if they care or not, its very much up to them. Just commenting on here as the topic du jour.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist lying culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
I must say though, one of the things I agreed with Corbyn, and Jones, on was the nuclear deterrent. I understand the MAD argument, but I wish we never had them.
We are seeing in Russia/Ukraine the absurdity of humans having nuclear weapons.
What I've learned here is that Russia's nukes are useless because there are no circumstances under which they would use them on the battlefield. But ours are apparently essential. Strange that the deterrent effect only appears to work in one direction.
The deterrent factor is working in both directions. We're not engaging Russia directly because they have nukes so we're being deterred.
If Ukraine had nukes, Russia wouldn't have invaded. If Russia didn't have nukes, we might have joined the war on Ukraine's side.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist lying culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
I must say though, one of the things I agreed with Corbyn, and Jones, on was the nuclear deterrent. I understand the MAD argument, but I wish we never had them.
We are seeing in Russia/Ukraine the absurdity of humans having nuclear weapons.
What I've learned here is that Russia's nukes are useless because there are no circumstances under which they would use them on the battlefield. But ours are apparently essential. Strange that the deterrent effect only appears to work in one direction.
Nuclear weapons, under current taboos, are only to be used in existential situations.
Russia isn’t going to nuke a battlefield in Ukraine (probably) - because Russia isn’t going to cease to exist.
You should also note that Western militaries got rid of tactical nuclear weapons, when smart weapons became available.
For what existential situation are Britain's nukes supposed to exist?
'Look, you never know when a Norman brigand adventurer might turn up. We don't want to end up speaking a messy mixture of French dialects, western German dialects, old Norse and Latin after all.'
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist lying culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
I must say though, one of the things I agreed with Corbyn, and Jones, on was the nuclear deterrent. I understand the MAD argument, but I wish we never had them.
We are seeing in Russia/Ukraine the absurdity of humans having nuclear weapons.
What I've learned here is that Russia's nukes are useless because there are no circumstances under which they would use them on the battlefield. But ours are apparently essential. Strange that the deterrent effect only appears to work in one direction.
Nuclear weapons - not much use in an aggressive war, but would prevent you from being invaded. That seems perfectly logical and consistent.
They could easily be used to 'wipe' a country 'off the map'.
This jibe doesn’t really have the effect intended because it makes you think “Yeah, no, I’d rather read that Spectator article”
I assume the wank/shit article is a vivid and creative metaphor for the last 14 years of Tory government? This other article (and no I haven't read it, one of the nice things about PB is the free summaries of behind the paywall journalism) sounds like another exhibit in the Boomer sex obsession school of writing. The generation who think they invented shagging and still find it a fascinating topic of conversation. I think the divide on this is as much generational as political. Nobody is denying the male libido, people are simply questioning whether there is much interesting to say about it in print. I'd rather have sex than read about it, but perhaps reading about it is what you do when having it is not on the table?
Yes it really is quite extraordinary that someone thought fit to publish such letchery. I know they are trying to corner the Dirty Old Man target demographic, but even so! Lea Ypi publishes a few excerpts in this tweet.
BTW Her book is an excellent rumination on Freedom, set as Albania falls apart. I really enjoyed it.
Hopefully cancel culture kicks in and the Spectator has to close down.
Such rampant misogyny needs to end.
Is this is the new Taki? For High Life read ...
Lea Ypi's 'Free' is one of those book (along with 'The Collapse' by Mary Elise Sarotte) that dramatically makes you shift your understanding about the end of the Cold War and gives some deeper understanding into why the people of the countries of the former Soviet Union (and some Eastern European members of the EU) and increasingly looking backwards to the communist era. Nostalgia is only part of the reason: Ypi develops a theory of freedom as being something 'inseparable from responsibility towards others, towards society', something that communism seemed to offer that neo-liberalism doesn't.
It's a mash-up of stiff from Kant, Hegel and I'm not entirely onboard with that (nostalgia and 'it was better in the old days' is a big chunk of it) but it's nice to get a proper perspective from someone who had the full Stalinist experience.
Yes, an excellent summary.
She has a recent podcast series on the subject too.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
"repulsive and a disgrace" sounds to me like a step on the way to getting him sacked.
Listen you and I are both men d'un age certain. Are we saying that no one is allowed to comment on a person's looks any more.
Context is everything.
Well I haven't seen the entire article as it is paywalled. Neither have you, I suspect.
Good for middle aged loaded old lads mag. Unsuitable for a politics, culture and current affairs magazine. Its not exactly rocket science.
The Spectator has ALWAYS been like this. It mixes the high and the low, the sordid and the cerebral, the arts and the heart. And it seeks to surprise as all good magazines should
I very much doubt you subscribe, or ever will, and as it’s paywalled that means you never read it, so why on earth should they care what you think?
And I don't care if they care or not, its very much up to them. Just commenting on here as the topic du jour.
My point is you are acting as if this is some sordid new departure for the Spectator. It really isn’t. I’m old enough to remember when they ran a piece about a guy “wanking himself into hospital” which became mildly celebrated and got quoted in the US Congress and cited in famous books of psychology. So none of this is new
Worst brothel ever visited: Locals only establishment in Sham Shui Po. Fucking horror show but still got the job done.
Might write an article for the The Spectator about it if I can work in angle about how the character and extent of Kautsky and Bauer's writings on Great Power Chauvinism influenced Stalin and eventually led to the SMO.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist lying culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
I must say though, one of the things I agreed with Corbyn, and Jones, on was the nuclear deterrent. I understand the MAD argument, but I wish we never had them.
We are seeing in Russia/Ukraine the absurdity of humans having nuclear weapons.
What I've learned here is that Russia's nukes are useless because there are no circumstances under which they would use them on the battlefield. But ours are apparently essential. Strange that the deterrent effect only appears to work in one direction.
Nuclear weapons - not much use in an aggressive war, but would prevent you from being invaded. That seems perfectly logical and consistent.
They could easily be used to 'wipe' a country 'off the map'.
To be fair Tippex has the same effect and is a lot, lot cheaper, not to mention safer.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
"repulsive and a disgrace" sounds to me like a step on the way to getting him sacked.
Listen you and I are both men d'un age certain. Are we saying that no one is allowed to comment on a person's looks any more.
Context is everything.
Well I haven't seen the entire article as it is paywalled. Neither have you, I suspect.
Good for middle aged loaded old lads mag. Unsuitable for a politics, culture and current affairs magazine. Its not exactly rocket science.
The Spectator has ALWAYS been like this. It mixes the high and the low, the sordid and the cerebral, the arts and the heart. And it seeks to surprise as all good magazines should
I very much doubt you subscribe, or ever will, and as it’s paywalled that means you never read it, so why on earth should they care what you think?
And I don't care if they care or not, its very much up to them. Just commenting on here as the topic du jour.
My point is you are acting as if this is some sordid new departure for the Spectator. It really isn’t. I’m old enough to remember when they ran a piece about a guy “wanking himself into hospital” which became mildly celebrated and got quoted in the US Congress and cited in famous books of psychology. So none of this is new
I doubt it shall survive contact with the generation or two below you, it shall have to choose one or the other.
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
Jones' actual output not living up to his rep as a crazy leftist culture warrior? Surely not!
Crazy leftist lying culture warrior as per @Isam's post on the "correction" to his article on the UK's defence spending.
I must say though, one of the things I agreed with Corbyn, and Jones, on was the nuclear deterrent. I understand the MAD argument, but I wish we never had them.
We are seeing in Russia/Ukraine the absurdity of humans having nuclear weapons.
What I've learned here is that Russia's nukes are useless because there are no circumstances under which they would use them on the battlefield. But ours are apparently essential. Strange that the deterrent effect only appears to work in one direction.
Nuclear weapons, under current taboos, are only to be used in existential situations.
Russia isn’t going to nuke a battlefield in Ukraine (probably) - because Russia isn’t going to cease to exist.
You should also note that Western militaries got rid of tactical nuclear weapons, when smart weapons became available.
For what existential situation are Britain's nukes supposed to exist?
'Look, you never know when a Norman brigand adventurer might turn up. We don't want to end up speaking a messy mixture of French dialects, western German dialects, old Norse and Latin after all.'
It's like house insurance. You never know what might happen. A piece of garbage from the ISS might hit tomorrow.
Worst brothel ever visited: Locals only establishment in Sham Shui Po. Fucking horror show but still got the job done.
Might write an article for the The Spectator about it if I can work in angle about the character and extent of Kautsky and Bauer's writings on Great Power Chauvinism influenced Stalin and eventually led to the SMO.
Best: the Bamboo Club, Saigon
Worst: a restaurant in Havana which we only realised was a brothel after we got there. Me and my mate were with a polite British couple we’d met; we were having dinner at the one big table and all too late we realised the room where the business was done was right next door to the dining room - and punters had to squeeze past the diners to get in. Once they were in they went at it, so dinner was continuously interrupted by fake orgasms and screams of Si Si Si and “you so big!”
Thoughts and prayers for the media who seem desperate to drag more drama out of Israel and Iran .
The media do love their war (see Chris Morris' brilliant take on the Hong Kong-Australian war from the mid 1990s), without realising that the final end result of all the ramping is to decide whether that dead sheep you find in the hills outside Sheffield can be skinned and eaten, and how much radiation you'll get from doing so.
This jibe doesn’t really have the effect intended because it makes you think “Yeah, no, I’d rather read that Spectator article”
I assume the wank/shit article is a vivid and creative metaphor for the last 14 years of Tory government? This other article (and no I haven't read it, one of the nice things about PB is the free summaries of behind the paywall journalism) sounds like another exhibit in the Boomer sex obsession school of writing. The generation who think they invented shagging and still find it a fascinating topic of conversation. I think the divide on this is as much generational as political. Nobody is denying the male libido, people are simply questioning whether there is much interesting to say about it in print. I'd rather have sex than read about it, but perhaps reading about it is what you do when having it is not on the table?
What a load of old wank. To be precise
People like sex and they like reading about sex. And looking at it. And watching it. You can do all of these things even in the same day
Sex is a fundamental part of the human condition and is endlessly fascinating for that and other reasons. See the endless trans debate for evidence
And if there’s a generational divide it is, sadly, that young people are having much less sex, and yet talking about it more. Not the other way round
That's an important part of it IMO: he chose not to talk about what she was saying aside from a small quote; her only importance to him was as a fantasy figure. What she had to say was unimportant - because she was an attractive woman (he would not talk about a man that way, I guess...)
Unless he was gay. Or unless a woman wrote the article. Is no one allowed to comment on who they think is attractive in print any more.
Anyone is perfectly free to comment on who they think is attractive. But when virtually the only thing you can think to say about a talk by an intelligent, attractive woman was the way she made you want to go and visit a brothel, it's a little bit more than that.
I'm sure a good writer could have actually addressed what she said in her talk, either in agreement or disagreement, and expressed her physical appeal at the same time.
Personally I wanted to know more of what she said; not about the sad life of the Spectator prat.
Indeed.
Meanwhile, the other Spectator writer among us has moved to a defence of "she was wearing a short skirt, so she was asking for it".
This jibe doesn’t really have the effect intended because it makes you think “Yeah, no, I’d rather read that Spectator article”
I assume the wank/shit article is a vivid and creative metaphor for the last 14 years of Tory government? This other article (and no I haven't read it, one of the nice things about PB is the free summaries of behind the paywall journalism) sounds like another exhibit in the Boomer sex obsession school of writing. The generation who think they invented shagging and still find it a fascinating topic of conversation. I think the divide on this is as much generational as political. Nobody is denying the male libido, people are simply questioning whether there is much interesting to say about it in print. I'd rather have sex than read about it, but perhaps reading about it is what you do when having it is not on the table?
I'm driven to ask why on earth would Iran call it quits. They have already pre-vowed to retaliate if Israel retaliated to their retaliation.
I imagine the back channels are buzzing as we speak.
My guess on why Iran would call it quits is that nothing major, no big civilian centres and nothing high profile were destroyed so Iranian top people can go on tv and laugh “those pathetic Israelis cannot destroy mighty Iran - look at this pathetic attempt. Like a flea on a camel. Please forget our very unsuccessful huge strike.”
Iran also know that the Israelis just showed what they can do so far inland in Iran, near sensitive nuclear sites, in a very limited attack and so “next time” it could be a lot worse.
So honour restored and the phoney war can continue through proxies.
I was thinking much the same. Israel has won these exchanges, Iran will downplay everything for domestic audience but in reality they've been humiliated.
Unfortunately, as Leon alludes, it now gives Israel a free hand to destroy Gaza. No one is now coming to their rescue.
Netanyahu has managed to strengthen his position in the short term. He'll be pleased. But it's a win for him not for Israel. Israel's interests would be best served by ceasefire, de-escalation and diplomacy.
Same thing with Russia, a disconnect between the interests of the warmongering country and those of its political leadership. Inflicting carnage on Ukraine has nothing at all to do with improving the lot of the Russian people.
Worst brothel ever visited: Locals only establishment in Sham Shui Po. Fucking horror show but still got the job done.
Might write an article for the The Spectator about it if I can work in angle about how the character and extent of Kautsky and Bauer's writings on Great Power Chauvinism influenced Stalin and eventually led to the SMO.
I once stayed in a brothel in Miri in Borneo. Mrs Foxy and I arrived from the bush, and she had a dental abscess that needed treating. We needed somewhere to stay for a couple of nights, and she just asked for somewhere close with air conditioning. I left her with the backpacks and found a Chinese place nearby, and with booked a double room, then went back for her and the bags.
It was then I noticed the lobby full of scantily clad girls. They seemed quite amused to have legitimate customers, even respectably married ones and took great care of us, even locating a dentist who had trained in London. We had a comfortable, if a bit noisy, stay the walls being a bit thin.
Worst brothel ever visited: Locals only establishment in Sham Shui Po. Fucking horror show but still got the job done.
Might write an article for the The Spectator about it if I can work in angle about the character and extent of Kautsky and Bauer's writings on Great Power Chauvinism influenced Stalin and eventually led to the SMO.
Best: the Bamboo Club, Saigon
Worst: a restaurant in Havana which we only realised was a brothel after we got there. Me and my mate were with a polite British couple we’d met; we were having dinner at the one big table and all too late we realised the room where the business was done was right next door to the dining room - and punters had to squeeze past the diners to get in. Once they were in they went at it, so dinner was continuously interrupted by fake orgasms and screams of Si Si Si and “you so big!”
We skipped pudding
'dinner was continuously interrupted by fake orgasms and screams of Si Si Si and “you so big!”'
Yeah, but what were the hostesses and punters in the next room saying?
Haven't seen the whole of the Speccie piece but taken as is it is an example (we were discussing this yesterday) of why I don't take the magazine any more.
That said no one can dispute the quality of the writing - v funny indeed. Which makes it all the more irritating.
And thinking about it so it's offensive. So what. Are people calling for it to be cancelled? I'm sure Owen Jones will. That would be very bad if we're not allowed to be offensive. Ask Dave Chapelle.
As it objectifies women we are at the intersection of offence and abuse but the bigger the outcry the more minded I am too defend it even though it's the hated Speccie.
But on the third hand I am an old(er) white bloke so perhaps my time as leader of the western world is over.
I do hope the publicity benefits Ypi and boosts sales of her book and increases listenership of her podcast. Her family experience of persecution under Hoxha and the growing pains of the new Albania is a very interesting perspective, she seems to be on the leading edge of new left wing thought.
"repulsive and a disgrace" sounds to me like a step on the way to getting him sacked.
Listen you and I are both men d'un age certain. Are we saying that no one is allowed to comment on a person's looks any more.
Context is everything.
Well I haven't seen the entire article as it is paywalled. Neither have you, I suspect.
Good for middle aged loaded old lads mag. Unsuitable for a politics, culture and current affairs magazine. Its not exactly rocket science.
The Spectator has ALWAYS been like this. It mixes the high and the low, the sordid and the cerebral, the arts and the heart. And it seeks to surprise as all good magazines should
I very much doubt you subscribe, or ever will, and as it’s paywalled that means you never read it, so why on earth should they care what you think?
And I don't care if they care or not, its very much up to them. Just commenting on here as the topic du jour.
My point is you are acting as if this is some sordid new departure for the Spectator. It really isn’t. I’m old enough to remember when they ran a piece about a guy “wanking himself into hospital” which became mildly celebrated and got quoted in the US Congress and cited in famous books of psychology. So none of this is new
I doubt it shall survive contact with the generation or two below you, it shall have to choose one or the other.
You could be right. It’s not looking good. Here’s their 200 years of sales in a graph
Comments
The area around Cambridge station has improved massive over the last decade with the CB1 development - though it was hardly the worst part of Cambridge before. I am unsurprised that there are such places there - the station allows easy access for visitors, and it is relatively central. Many of the flats are also fairly modern, and there are student digs.
But no, I've never been to one. Don't desire to, either.
F1: glad I didn't have a bet on sprint qualifying.
Another reason Russia should be put back in its box.
Anyway, bigger fish, where are we now on the Middle East after the judicious "calibrated" Israeli response to the wild and not "calibrated" Iranian strike that was only foiled by Israel's rapid air defence capabilities?
Is it the end of this little bout of tit-for-tat iyo?
One of the overwhelming successes of international relations has been the maintenance of the nuclear taboo. Unfortunately, the risk of that taboo being broken in the next, say, decade, is unacceptably high. By that I don’t mean all-out nuclear war, but the deteriorating international situation making someone calculate that making a point by actually using a nuke is worthwhile. That doesn’t need to be using it in the theatre of war or against civilian targets, but it might be a warning shot over enemy territory, or a demonstration over sea, or to knock out communications, or some such. At that point, the genie is out of the bottle, and at that point the danger grows significantly (though still, the risk of all out global nuclear war remains low, given no-one actually wants to fight one).
But then I’m just a raddled old perv. I might apply for a job at the Spectator
https://twitter.com/Gerashchenko_en/status/1781180098894610506
Brilliant, apparently.
I’ve no problem with that. I like beautiful women: good luck to her. But she is undoubtedly using her sexuality to her own ends. And the Spectator piece is a guy admitting that yes, it worked, and he responded to it, as men do
I'm sure a good writer could have actually addressed what she said in her talk, either in agreement or disagreement, and expressed her physical appeal at the same time.
Personally I wanted to know more of what she said; not about the sad life of the Spectator prat.
His subject is himself and male sexuality and it’s interesting and well-written. It’s not remotely about Albanian communism, or anything she said, she’s not the subject
Should he have included the details of the brothel-visit? I don’t know, it’s a tough call - but I can see why. That’s the bit that drives home the desperate and maudlin futility of so much male sexual desire, with a dash of humour
But I think this just goes whoosh over a lot of PB heads
And can other people comment on the appropriateness of linking that attractiveness to prostitution? Of course they can.
This is mere taste and suitability, not free speech.
But it's cool - you read Jones and like what he writes because you agree with everything he says and why he says it. Whatever it is. And confirmation of that type is very reassuring. So enjoy.
Israel has won these exchanges, Iran will downplay everything for domestic audience but in reality they've been humiliated.
Unfortunately, as Leon alludes, it now gives Israel a free hand to destroy Gaza. No one is now coming to their rescue.
Curious journalists are more unpredictable in their views too. By contrast there are some whose every article is just a recut version of what they wrote last time. I don't think Owen Jones is particularly curious. On the right there are plenty of equivalents, like Melanie Philips. Or "guest contributors" like David Frost. The worst sort of political journalism is just the endless repetition of partisan talking points.
That's why I really like reading Marie Le Conte, for example. Curious, interested in those around her. Interested in you, the reader.
I have no problem with a sad old man talking about his decrepit libido. What is odd is hanging that off a hook involving a talk by an attractive, intelligent woman.
By all means, he could have written two articles: one on her talk, and one on the brothel position. It is the juxtaposition of the two that seems odd and more than a little creepy.
https://enormo-haddock.blogspot.com/2024/04/china-pre-qualifying-2024.html
Was tempted by 1.9 for Verstappen (starting 4th) to win but the chance of rain makes that potentially iffy.
prostitutesex worker is added to my bucket list and then, like most of the list, crossed off again. If I wanted to do it before I die, I'd have done it already.And in any case, Russia is sanctioned so there are no flights from here.
Vladimir Putin: Russian sex workers 'are world's best'
https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/vladimir-putin-russian-sex-workers-are-worlds-best-1458107
Jeez Louise. She was a vehicle for his thoughts about women and himself.
And I haven't even read the effing article.
HMRC partners with charity after 10 taxpayers take their own lives over loan charges
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/tax/hmrc-refers-hundreds-samaritans-pursued-payments/ (£££)
https://archive.ph/iFzFe
A man is such a victim of his libido that he can be raised to an uncontrollable pitch of arousal during a lecture by a female academic, but, to the relief of all concerned, this arousal can be safely discharged in the environs of the neighborhood brothel.
It’s not even slightly insulting to the Albanian academic, it just says she’s so beautiful he can’t focus on her words and then gets serious urges, as men do
He also then describes, articulately, exactly how he satisfied those urges with a friendly 48 year old Chinese sex worker/housewife. Now I know this will be shocking to many PBers but a lot of men do this, some even hide it, all their lives, from friends and family
Personally I find that more interesting to read than another Owen Jones think piece about Gaza, or the New Statesman on heterodox post-liberals advising Starmer
You see, it's perfectly possible to have views on something without having read it.
And yes, the talk was obviously interesting enough for him to want to attend (unless he was stalking her...). And a good writer should be able to make something interesting about a talk involving politics for a magazine that covers politics.
The dominant narrative was "it was the neoliberalism wot won it" so let's give 'em it full force.
Re Jeffrey Sachs: it's an interesting thought experiment to imagine what might have happened if we had worked in the early 90s to strengthen international institutions and governance rather than working on poverty eradication through pumping aid (which got siphoned off due to...bad governance). But that's just the yearnings of a sad old internationalist...
Now maybe when he’s sitting at breakfast his marmalade on toast starts making him feel the need to go for a wank. Maybe the booze aisles at Waitrose make him feel like a jaunt to a Killing Kittens evening but probably not. He is stimulated by something unexpectedly powerful and writes about it.
I’m sure loads of men of all ages have similar urges and don’t have the freedom or ability to act on them yet alone write about them so it’s fair enough to have someone write about it. I’m sure Cosmopolitan has plenty of articles by female journos who write about some weird situations which led to weird situations and good for them.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-68838029
Climate's not going anywhere. Cost of Living has been entirely standard of late and its continued presence is odd. And, I'd argue (much as I think Ukraine is important) the other categories can be easily found without the BBC helpfully nudging its audience to topics it thinks worthiest. /grumpygrumble
I am definitely an Easterly-ite if it's between him and Sachs (and it sort of is).
https://archive.ph/sun5B
It's the Telegraph whipping up it's readers about Loan Charge tax dodgers. 322 referrals since September 2022 under a partnership agreement between HMRC and the Samaritans, some of whom may be Loan Charge people.
Nothing about severity of case linked to referrals, or what has actually happened in these referrals.
That is, about 4-5 per week or 0.6 per day in a country of 55 million adults,
Bluntly, I'd say the Telegraph are trying to make a mountain out of a molehill here.
I will now read the damn thing.
I probably mentally undress and contemplate the idea of having sex with virtually every woman I see or meet. And it happens unconsciously. Once that phase is "resolved" it can die back a bit so you stop thinking about it in professional interactions.
That's the same point Jon Snow once made, and it's very different from acting on it. I'm not sure it necessarily diminishes much with age.
I very much doubt you subscribe, or ever will, and as it’s paywalled that means you never read it, so why on earth should they care what you think?
Russia isn’t going to nuke a battlefield in Ukraine (probably) - because Russia isn’t going to cease to exist.
You should also note that Western militaries got rid of tactical nuclear weapons, when smart weapons became available.
Anecdotally, Cambridge services on the A14 is also frequented by women who offer such services, in case you wish to spread your particular collection of unusual diseases.
** decides not to remember what I was mentally contemplating .... **
** wanders off to watch Jason Beer KC ..... ** (That's enough! Ed)
Coincidentally I had drinks with a XXXXXX friend this week - over from XXXX. He visits sex workers all the time and has been doing so for 20 years at
least and his wife and family have no idea and probably never will. He’s got a very strong libido and he admits, very honestly, that if it wasn’t for this he would have left his wife in search of sexual variety, breaking up a happy family
Such is the crooked timber of humanity
If Ukraine had nukes, Russia wouldn't have invaded.
If Russia didn't have nukes, we might have joined the war on Ukraine's side.
'Look, you never know when a Norman brigand adventurer might turn up. We don't want to end up speaking a messy mixture of French dialects, western German dialects, old Norse and Latin after all.'
This other article (and no I haven't read it, one of the nice things about PB is the free summaries of behind the paywall journalism) sounds like another exhibit in the Boomer sex obsession school of writing. The generation who think they invented shagging and still find it a fascinating topic of conversation. I think the divide on this is as much generational as political. Nobody is denying the male libido, people are simply questioning whether there is much interesting to say about it in print. I'd rather have sex than read about it, but perhaps reading about it is what you do when having it is not on the table?
Worst brothel ever visited: Locals only establishment in Sham Shui Po. Fucking horror show but still got the job done.
Might write an article for the The Spectator about it if I can work in angle about how the character and extent of Kautsky and Bauer's writings on Great Power Chauvinism influenced Stalin and eventually led to the SMO.
Worst: a restaurant in Havana which we only realised was a brothel after we got there. Me and my mate were with a polite British couple we’d met; we were having dinner at the one big table and all too late we realised the room where the business was done was right next door to the dining room - and punters had to squeeze past the diners to get in. Once they were in they went at it, so dinner was continuously interrupted by fake orgasms and screams of Si Si Si and “you so big!”
We skipped pudding
People like sex and they like reading about sex. And looking at it. And watching it. You can do all of these things even in the same day
Sex is a fundamental part of the human condition and is endlessly fascinating for that and other reasons. See the endless trans debate for evidence
And if there’s a generational divide it is, sadly, that young people are having much less sex, and yet talking about it more. Not the other way round
Meanwhile, the other Spectator writer among us has moved to a defence of "she was wearing a short skirt, so she was asking for it".
Same thing with Russia, a disconnect between the interests of the warmongering country and those of its political leadership. Inflicting carnage on Ukraine has nothing at all to do with improving the lot of the Russian people.
It was then I noticed the lobby full of scantily clad girls. They seemed quite amused to have legitimate customers, even respectably married ones and took great care of us, even locating a dentist who had trained in London. We had a comfortable, if a bit noisy, stay the walls being a bit thin.
Yeah, but what were the hostesses and punters in the next room saying?