Incidentally, I watched a 2018 film yesterday, Cutterhead.
A 90 minute horror-drama film set in a tunnel boring machine in Denmark. It is remarkably good, and uses darkness, claustrophobia and sound to immense effect. Essentially it is a film set in just two 'rooms'. And it is anything but boring.
The attorney-general was called in by the government to press the Metropolitan Police into providing Taylor Swift with a taxpayer-funded blue-light escort to her Wembley concerts this summer.
Lord Hermer KC, the government’s top lawyer, was asked to intervene after Scotland Yard warned that granting the US pop star “VVIP” protection would breach its long-standing protocols.
According to sources, it was only after this intervention that the Met relented and Swift was provided with the escort. It is unclear who requested the attorney-general’s involvement but the decision is highly unusual.
Taylor Swift has passed me by in musical terms. I am old and no-one gave me a free ticket so I have never knowingly listened to her tunes.
However, I really cannot see what this particular fuss is about, bearing in mind Taylor Swift had recently been forced to cancel Austrian concerts after being targeted by terrorists. If there is to be an inquiry, it should be into why the Metropolitan Police did not see the need for special precautions.
I agree. Particularly after Trump targeted her with his tweet I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT.
Why would that encourage some kind of terrorism? Are we now going to clear our throats look to the ground and mumble, "achulley Taylor Swift was not in fact targeted by islamic extremist but mostly at risk because of someone tweeting he didn't like her/her music".
It wasn't that he didn't like her music.
It was because she endorsed Kamala Harris and has millions of followers. He was livid. He knows what he is doing.
I don't think Taylor Swift is in any danger from islamic extremists. She is in danger from MAGA and needs protection. If I were her security I'd hide her abroad until after the election. There is a serious risk.
Why would she be attacked by Republican voters? This is getting a bit derangement, if Republican supporters felt the need to attack celebrities who endorse Democrats, they would be blood everywhere, its as predictable as it is boring for a celebrity to bravely endorse the Democrats.
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
I agree on the Turkeys comment. People make informed choices. Those voting for Trump know exactly who he is. They don't care. My overriding thought is that if the US really were the greatest country on earth he would be absolutely nowhere near power rather than about to be re-elected President. What puzzles me is why so many on the UK right want him to win given the campaign he has fought and the policies he supports, which will clearly be very bad news for the UK.
Are there that many on the UK right who want him to win? A few opportunistic politicians but not that many people so far as I can tell. Is there a single person on pb?
You are unaware of PB's resident Sophist-in-Chief and leading Putin-pimper/Trump-fluffer?
Yes, I want him to win, or more so I loath the alternative. He doesn't really stand for anything I stand for, as an economic liberal with mild social conservatism who believes free markets and free trade enriches all those who engage in it. But, I cannot abide anyone who does pronoun declarations, land acknowledgement and think its a good idea to affirm confused young children about their sexuality and what adults call gender identity.
Was NOT talking about you, bub.
But you do prove my point, that the notion that there are no Trump-lovers on PB is flawed, to put it mildly.
Though it IS hard to tell, which are (reasonably) genuine and which are (mainly) Putin-bots motivated by desire to stay OUT of the trenches.
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
Many African Americans see themselves being pushed to the back of the queue by recent immigrants. They see the Democratic Party increasingly interested in Hispanic groups, and as taking the African American vote for granted.
Harris’s history as a hard charging DA, especially after BLM, isn’t doing her many favours there, either.
Many progressives won't even acknowledge that 'PC Culture' exists, they believe it is all just 'common sense'. In most cases the most appropriate response is to just leave them alone with their opinions and watch how things play out.
If Trump wins it is at least in part because progressives have succumbed to belief and ideology over practical politics. It is most obvious with the migrant question. Money and resources gets poured in to accommodating people who have entered the country illegally, in a context where the state is failing to provide basic assistance to its own citizens. It should be obvious that citizens should always be prioritised over migrants but there is a kind of denial of reality and the issue becomes too hard to address for fear of breaking taboos in the tribe. Trump just plays absolutely brilliantly on these weaknesses; his opponents are even happy to help him along by insulting his supporters and claiming that anyone that doesn't agree with them is a 'fascist'.
Have you any hard evidence for that, beyond the MAGA rhetoric ?
The Biden-Harris administration are not exactly funding this in secret. It’s loud and proud in their own press releases.
That's peanuts compared with the total budget, though. Darkage's characterisation of the level of spending isn't borne out by the figures.
https://rollcall.com/2024/10/08/analysis-digging-into-fema-spending-claims-on-the-campaign-trail/ ...a history of the program shows policymakers on both sides of the aisle, including Trump, have cut spending deals that included a small slice of Federal Emergency Management Agency appropriations specifically to help states and localities care for migrants released into their communities, totaling just over $1.7 billion.
During that time, FEMA’s disaster relief fund has gotten several orders of magnitude more money, nearly $244 billion, and the two funding streams are entirely separate...
Incidentally, I watched a 2018 film yesterday, Cutterhead.
A 90 minute horror-drama film set in a tunnel boring machine in Denmark. It is remarkably good, and uses darkness, claustrophobia and sound to immense effect. Essentially it is a film set in just two 'rooms'. And it is anything but boring.
I love tunnelling. It's why I LOL at the Boring Company.
As an aside, the film portrays the multinational nature of tunnelling very well. Especially of that nation is Ireland. Or, more accurately, Arranmore Island off the coast of Ireland, home of the Tunnelling Tigers.
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
I agree on the Turkeys comment. People make informed choices. Those voting for Trump know exactly who he is. They don't care. My overriding thought is that if the US really were the greatest country on earth he would be absolutely nowhere near power rather than about to be re-elected President. What puzzles me is why so many on the UK right want him to win given the campaign he has fought and the policies he supports, which will clearly be very bad news for the UK.
Are there that many on the UK right who want him to win? A few opportunistic politicians but not that many people so far as I can tell. Is there a single person on pb?
You are unaware of PB's resident Sophist-in-Chief and leading Putin-pimper/Trump-fluffer?
Yes, I want him to win, or more so I loath the alternative. He doesn't really stand for anything I stand for, as an economic liberal with mild social conservatism who believes free markets and free trade enriches all those who engage in it. But, I cannot abide anyone who does pronoun declarations, land acknowledgement and think its a good idea to affirm confused young children about their sexuality and what adults call gender identity.
Yeah, because you care so much about women and girls that you support the side that will restrict abortion and other contraceptive rights.
Sad news about Alex Salmond, RiP. The grim reaper found him far too early. There's been no more significant figure in Scottish politics. Our paths crossed briefly when he was at RBS.
Sad news about Alex Salmond, RiP. The grim reaper found him far too early. There's been no more significant figure in Scottish politics. Our paths crossed briefly when he was at RBS.
Sad news about Alex Salmond, RiP. The grim reaper found him far too early. There's been no more significant figure in Scottish politics. Our paths crossed briefly when he was at RBS.
Putting my tinfoil hat on, I hope Salmond gets a thorough autopsy considering where he died.
Though why the Russians would want him dead is another matter...
He was a big bloke. That's probably the likeliest explanation. I never disliked him in the way that some did. I find it very sad that he died a long way from home and probably pretty much alone.
Hmm. 69 is far too young, of course, but if you gotta go a speedy heart attack is one of the best possible ways (if that is indeed what happened)
For me the sadness, if there is any, is that he didn't have kids. "Dying without issue" always strikes me as a terribly melancholy phrase
There could of course be any number of reasons for that, and he may never have wanted kids, so this is an entirely personal, subjective take
Yep, I hope it was quick to the extent he had no idea what was happening.
Never understood that pov. Obviously I’d prefer to avoid the pain, fear & degradation factors (a forlorn hope I fear) but I wouldn’t want to miss the moment.
I want to die when I’m 100 years old.
I want my wife to be so upset that she cancels her upcoming 21st birthday party as a mark of respect.
Reminds me of Pablo Casals. Well into his nineties he took a wife hardly a quarter his age. Someone asked, elliptically, "are there any health concerns?" to which the maestro replied, "Well, if she dies, she dies."
Putting my tinfoil hat on, I hope Salmond gets a thorough autopsy considering where he died.
Though why the Russians would want him dead is another matter...
He was a big bloke. That's probably the likeliest explanation. I never disliked him in the way that some did. I find it very sad that he died a long way from home and probably pretty much alone.
Hmm. 69 is far too young, of course, but if you gotta go a speedy heart attack is one of the best possible ways (if that is indeed what happened)
For me the sadness, if there is any, is that he didn't have kids. "Dying without issue" always strikes me as a terribly melancholy phrase
There could of course be any number of reasons for that, and he may never have wanted kids, so this is an entirely personal, subjective take
Yep, I hope it was quick to the extent he had no idea what was happening.
Never understood that pov. Obviously I’d prefer to avoid the pain, fear & degradation factors (a forlorn hope I fear) but I wouldn’t want to miss the moment.
I want to die when I’m 100 years old.
I want my wife to be so upset that she cancels her upcoming 21st birthday party as a mark of respect.
One of the things one is supposed to do when one gets (very) old….. over 80 for example …. is to write a “What if” letter to one’s nearest, dearest and whoever is going to pick up the pieces. For example, I’ve included instructions on how to advise the various websites to which I contribute, such as this. So if one day a post comes up here under my name and signed Young Prince Cole you’ll all know what’s happened.
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
I agree on the Turkeys comment. People make informed choices. Those voting for Trump know exactly who he is. They don't care. My overriding thought is that if the US really were the greatest country on earth he would be absolutely nowhere near power rather than about to be re-elected President. What puzzles me is why so many on the UK right want him to win given the campaign he has fought and the policies he supports, which will clearly be very bad news for the UK.
Are there that many on the UK right who want him to win? A few opportunistic politicians but not that many people so far as I can tell. Is there a single person on pb?
You are unaware of PB's resident Sophist-in-Chief and leading Putin-pimper/Trump-fluffer?
Yes, I want him to win, or more so I loath the alternative. He doesn't really stand for anything I stand for, as an economic liberal with mild social conservatism who believes free markets and free trade enriches all those who engage in it. But, I cannot abide anyone who does pronoun declarations, land acknowledgement and think its a good idea to affirm confused young children about their sexuality and what adults call gender identity.
Sad
Well there you go, its the filthy pervert who predates on grown women (include adult entertainment stars), or the ideology of filthy perverts who who predate on young children.
Not that it really matters either way because I don't have a vote.
Err...with Trump, who was a friend of Epstein and fantasised about molesting his 14 year old daughter, that isn't an 'either/or' option.
Putting my tinfoil hat on, I hope Salmond gets a thorough autopsy considering where he died.
Though why the Russians would want him dead is another matter...
He was a big bloke. That's probably the likeliest explanation. I never disliked him in the way that some did. I find it very sad that he died a long way from home and probably pretty much alone.
Hmm. 69 is far too young, of course, but if you gotta go a speedy heart attack is one of the best possible ways (if that is indeed what happened)
For me the sadness, if there is any, is that he didn't have kids. "Dying without issue" always strikes me as a terribly melancholy phrase
There could of course be any number of reasons for that, and he may never have wanted kids, so this is an entirely personal, subjective take
Yep, I hope it was quick to the extent he had no idea what was happening.
Never understood that pov. Obviously I’d prefer to avoid the pain, fear & degradation factors (a forlorn hope I fear) but I wouldn’t want to miss the moment.
I want to die when I’m 100 years old.
I want my wife to be so upset that she cancels her upcoming 21st birthday party as a mark of respect.
One of the things one is supposed to do when one gets (very) old….. over 80 for example …. is to write a “What if” letter to one’s nearest, dearest and whoever is going to pick up the pieces. For example, I’ve included instructions on how to advise the various websites to which I contribute, such as this. So if one day a post comes up here under my name and signed Young Prince Cole you’ll all know what’s happened.
That's such a sweet and sincere point I feel awkward, and am compelled to jest that people should write 'I know what you did' to everyone to mess with them.
Incidentally, I watched a 2018 film yesterday, Cutterhead.
A 90 minute horror-drama film set in a tunnel boring machine in Denmark. It is remarkably good, and uses darkness, claustrophobia and sound to immense effect. Essentially it is a film set in just two 'rooms'. And it is anything but boring.
I love tunnelling. It's why I LOL at the Boring Company.
As an aside, the film portrays the multinational nature of tunnelling very well. Especially of that nation is Ireland. Or, more accurately, Arranmore Island off the coast of Ireland, home of the Tunnelling Tigers.
Proper engineering is definitely a bit beyond my world although they seem to have fun doing it. The idea of being paid to burrow through a mountain, absurd.
Sad news about Alex Salmond, RiP. The grim reaper found him far too early. There's been no more significant figure in Scottish politics. Our paths crossed briefly when he was at RBS.
The Rant has what they claim is the final ever photo of Alex... Looks like he'd put on a lot of weight (and he was already overweight) so looks like a classic heart attack / stroke.
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
I agree on the Turkeys comment. People make informed choices. Those voting for Trump know exactly who he is. They don't care. My overriding thought is that if the US really were the greatest country on earth he would be absolutely nowhere near power rather than about to be re-elected President. What puzzles me is why so many on the UK right want him to win given the campaign he has fought and the policies he supports, which will clearly be very bad news for the UK.
Are there that many on the UK right who want him to win? A few opportunistic politicians but not that many people so far as I can tell. Is there a single person on pb?
You are unaware of PB's resident Sophist-in-Chief and leading Putin-pimper/Trump-fluffer?
Yes, I want him to win, or more so I loath the alternative. He doesn't really stand for anything I stand for, as an economic liberal with mild social conservatism who believes free markets and free trade enriches all those who engage in it. But, I cannot abide anyone who does pronoun declarations, land acknowledgement and think its a good idea to affirm confused young children about their sexuality and what adults call gender identity.
Sad
Well there you go, its the filthy pervert who predates on grown women (include adult entertainment stars), or the ideology of filthy perverts who who predate on young children.
Not that it really matters either way because I don't have a vote.
Err...with Trump, who was a friend of Epstein and fantasised about molesting his 14 year old daughter, that isn't an 'either/or' option.
Half of Holywood and DC high politics was involved with Epstein.
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
I agree on the Turkeys comment. People make informed choices. Those voting for Trump know exactly who he is. They don't care. My overriding thought is that if the US really were the greatest country on earth he would be absolutely nowhere near power rather than about to be re-elected President. What puzzles me is why so many on the UK right want him to win given the campaign he has fought and the policies he supports, which will clearly be very bad news for the UK.
Are there that many on the UK right who want him to win? A few opportunistic politicians but not that many people so far as I can tell. Is there a single person on pb?
You are unaware of PB's resident Sophist-in-Chief and leading Putin-pimper/Trump-fluffer?
Yes, I want him to win, or more so I loath the alternative. He doesn't really stand for anything I stand for, as an economic liberal with mild social conservatism who believes free markets and free trade enriches all those who engage in it. But, I cannot abide anyone who does pronoun declarations, land acknowledgement and think its a good idea to affirm confused young children about their sexuality and what adults call gender identity.
Yeah, because you care so much about women and girls that you support the side that will restrict abortion and other contraceptive rights.
Surely such matters are left to the states.
That's an important question: in a federal state, what powers should be centralised and common, and which should be up to the states? Isn't it a similar question to the one that started the American Civil War over slavery?
But the 'leave it to the states' argument on this issue is one only said by people who want to remove reproductive rights from women - because that's exactly what will happen. And, indeed, is happening.
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
I agree on the Turkeys comment. People make informed choices. Those voting for Trump know exactly who he is. They don't care. My overriding thought is that if the US really were the greatest country on earth he would be absolutely nowhere near power rather than about to be re-elected President. What puzzles me is why so many on the UK right want him to win given the campaign he has fought and the policies he supports, which will clearly be very bad news for the UK.
Are there that many on the UK right who want him to win? A few opportunistic politicians but not that many people so far as I can tell. Is there a single person on pb?
You are unaware of PB's resident Sophist-in-Chief and leading Putin-pimper/Trump-fluffer?
Yes, I want him to win, or more so I loath the alternative. He doesn't really stand for anything I stand for, as an economic liberal with mild social conservatism who believes free markets and free trade enriches all those who engage in it. But, I cannot abide anyone who does pronoun declarations, land acknowledgement and think its a good idea to affirm confused young children about their sexuality and what adults call gender identity.
Sad
Well there you go, its the filthy pervert who predates on grown women (include adult entertainment stars), or the ideology of filthy perverts who who predate on young children.
Not that it really matters either way because I don't have a vote.
Err...with Trump, who was a friend of Epstein and fantasised about molesting his 14 year old daughter, that isn't an 'either/or' option.
Half of Holywood and DC high politics was involved with Epstein.
Putting my tinfoil hat on, I hope Salmond gets a thorough autopsy considering where he died.
Though why the Russians would want him dead is another matter...
Certainly not the Russians even if there was anything suspicious, he was a regular presenter on Russia Today
You may have missed how many Russians - once 'allies' of Putin himself - have had literal defenestrations.
We are at war with Russia. A cold war, but a war nonetheless.
Leaving aside anything Salmond might or might not have known: the independence debate over Scotland is fairly quiescent at the moment. Salmond dying might be a good way of reigniting that debate.
Putin wants discord.
I am not sure about this theory but there is a brilliant account of how the Russian state manipulates the media, both domestically and internationally : "Nothing is true and everything is possible" by Peter Pomerantsev (2016). The basic point is that all narratives are co-opted and manipulated to maintain order internally and to sow discord externally. The account of 'Russia Today' is particularly brilliant. It is also a very readable book, about 200 pages or so, one you can read on the tube etc.
Adam Curtis covered some of the same ground in Hypernormalisation and TraumeZone.
The attorney-general was called in by the government to press the Metropolitan Police into providing Taylor Swift with a taxpayer-funded blue-light escort to her Wembley concerts this summer.
Lord Hermer KC, the government’s top lawyer, was asked to intervene after Scotland Yard warned that granting the US pop star “VVIP” protection would breach its long-standing protocols.
According to sources, it was only after this intervention that the Met relented and Swift was provided with the escort. It is unclear who requested the attorney-general’s involvement but the decision is highly unusual.
Taylor Swift has passed me by in musical terms. I am old and no-one gave me a free ticket so I have never knowingly listened to her tunes.
However, I really cannot see what this particular fuss is about, bearing in mind Taylor Swift had recently been forced to cancel Austrian concerts after being targeted by terrorists. If there is to be an inquiry, it should be into why the Metropolitan Police did not see the need for special precautions.
I agree. Particularly after Trump targeted her with his tweet I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT.
Why would that encourage some kind of terrorism? Are we now going to clear our throats look to the ground and mumble, "achulley Taylor Swift was not in fact targeted by islamic extremist but mostly at risk because of someone tweeting he didn't like her/her music".
He wasn't tweeting that he didn't like her music. He was objecting to her personally and her politics. Do you just make stuff up or were you not paying attention?
Incidentally, I watched a 2018 film yesterday, Cutterhead.
A 90 minute horror-drama film set in a tunnel boring machine in Denmark. It is remarkably good, and uses darkness, claustrophobia and sound to immense effect. Essentially it is a film set in just two 'rooms'. And it is anything but boring.
I wanted to go into tunnelling as a career; this film made me kinda glad I didn't.
I once had the occasion to go down a tunnel being cut by the New Austrian Tunnelling Method - ISTR instant Brunel, the lining being sprayed concrete immediately after the cutting face. Or so memory tells me.
The attorney-general was called in by the government to press the Metropolitan Police into providing Taylor Swift with a taxpayer-funded blue-light escort to her Wembley concerts this summer.
Lord Hermer KC, the government’s top lawyer, was asked to intervene after Scotland Yard warned that granting the US pop star “VVIP” protection would breach its long-standing protocols.
According to sources, it was only after this intervention that the Met relented and Swift was provided with the escort. It is unclear who requested the attorney-general’s involvement but the decision is highly unusual.
Taylor Swift has passed me by in musical terms. I am old and no-one gave me a free ticket so I have never knowingly listened to her tunes.
However, I really cannot see what this particular fuss is about, bearing in mind Taylor Swift had recently been forced to cancel Austrian concerts after being targeted by terrorists. If there is to be an inquiry, it should be into why the Metropolitan Police did not see the need for special precautions.
I agree. Particularly after Trump targeted her with his tweet I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT.
Why would that encourage some kind of terrorism? Are we now going to clear our throats look to the ground and mumble, "achulley Taylor Swift was not in fact targeted by islamic extremist but mostly at risk because of someone tweeting he didn't like her/her music".
He wasn't tweeting that he didn't like her music. He was objecting to her personally and her politics. Do you just make stuff up or were you not paying attention?
I put "didn't like her/her music", either or. Why would this instigate violence? Some people are really losing their mind.
Putting my tinfoil hat on, I hope Salmond gets a thorough autopsy considering where he died.
Though why the Russians would want him dead is another matter...
He was a big bloke. That's probably the likeliest explanation. I never disliked him in the way that some did. I find it very sad that he died a long way from home and probably pretty much alone.
Hmm. 69 is far too young, of course, but if you gotta go a speedy heart attack is one of the best possible ways (if that is indeed what happened)
For me the sadness, if there is any, is that he didn't have kids. "Dying without issue" always strikes me as a terribly melancholy phrase
There could of course be any number of reasons for that, and he may never have wanted kids, so this is an entirely personal, subjective take
Yep, I hope it was quick to the extent he had no idea what was happening.
Never understood that pov. Obviously I’d prefer to avoid the pain, fear & degradation factors (a forlorn hope I fear) but I wouldn’t want to miss the moment.
I want to die when I’m 100 years old.
I want my wife to be so upset that she cancels her upcoming 21st birthday party as a mark of respect.
One of the things one is supposed to do when one gets (very) old….. over 80 for example …. is to write a “What if” letter to one’s nearest, dearest and whoever is going to pick up the pieces. For example, I’ve included instructions on how to advise the various websites to which I contribute, such as this. So if one day a post comes up here under my name and signed Young Prince Cole you’ll all know what’s happened.
This is so terribly sweet and good natured.
And I wish I wasn't picturing some Silicon Valley venture capitalist turning it into an app.
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
I agree on the Turkeys comment. People make informed choices. Those voting for Trump know exactly who he is. They don't care. My overriding thought is that if the US really were the greatest country on earth he would be absolutely nowhere near power rather than about to be re-elected President. What puzzles me is why so many on the UK right want him to win given the campaign he has fought and the policies he supports, which will clearly be very bad news for the UK.
Are there that many on the UK right who want him to win? A few opportunistic politicians but not that many people so far as I can tell. Is there a single person on pb?
You are unaware of PB's resident Sophist-in-Chief and leading Putin-pimper/Trump-fluffer?
Yes, I want him to win, or more so I loath the alternative. He doesn't really stand for anything I stand for, as an economic liberal with mild social conservatism who believes free markets and free trade enriches all those who engage in it. But, I cannot abide anyone who does pronoun declarations, land acknowledgement and think its a good idea to affirm confused young children about their sexuality and what adults call gender identity.
Sad
Well there you go, its the filthy pervert who predates on grown women (include adult entertainment stars), or the ideology of filthy perverts who who predate on young children.
Not that it really matters either way because I don't have a vote.
Err...with Trump, who was a friend of Epstein and fantasised about molesting his 14 year old daughter, that isn't an 'either/or' option.
Half of Holywood and DC high politics was involved with Epstein.
But not Harris.
Rolf or Kamala? Because one of those seems much more likely than the other.
Incidentally, I watched a 2018 film yesterday, Cutterhead.
A 90 minute horror-drama film set in a tunnel boring machine in Denmark. It is remarkably good, and uses darkness, claustrophobia and sound to immense effect. Essentially it is a film set in just two 'rooms'. And it is anything but boring.
I love tunnelling. It's why I LOL at the Boring Company.
As an aside, the film portrays the multinational nature of tunnelling very well. Especially of that nation is Ireland. Or, more accurately, Arranmore Island off the coast of Ireland, home of the Tunnelling Tigers.
Proper engineering is definitely a bit beyond my world although they seem to have fun doing it. The idea of being paid to burrow through a mountain, absurd.
I loved tunnelling. I still love tunnelling. A very minor regret in life is that I did not go into it. But it was the right decision.
People don't comprehend how different tunnels are, and how many differing tunnelling techniques there are, and how individual the machines are to cope with differing conditions. And it is a job where mistakes can easily be fatal.
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
I agree on the Turkeys comment. People make informed choices. Those voting for Trump know exactly who he is. They don't care. My overriding thought is that if the US really were the greatest country on earth he would be absolutely nowhere near power rather than about to be re-elected President. What puzzles me is why so many on the UK right want him to win given the campaign he has fought and the policies he supports, which will clearly be very bad news for the UK.
Are there that many on the UK right who want him to win? A few opportunistic politicians but not that many people so far as I can tell. Is there a single person on pb?
You are unaware of PB's resident Sophist-in-Chief and leading Putin-pimper/Trump-fluffer?
Yes, I want him to win, or more so I loath the alternative. He doesn't really stand for anything I stand for, as an economic liberal with mild social conservatism who believes free markets and free trade enriches all those who engage in it. But, I cannot abide anyone who does pronoun declarations, land acknowledgement and think its a good idea to affirm confused young children about their sexuality and what adults call gender identity.
Yeah, because you care so much about women and girls that you support the side that will restrict abortion and other contraceptive rights.
Surely such matters are left to the states.
You know, it's funny, but as an historian of the nineteenth century I'm reminded that certain Americans said exactly the same thing about slavery.
Putting my tinfoil hat on, I hope Salmond gets a thorough autopsy considering where he died.
Though why the Russians would want him dead is another matter...
He was a big bloke. That's probably the likeliest explanation. I never disliked him in the way that some did. I find it very sad that he died a long way from home and probably pretty much alone.
Hmm. 69 is far too young, of course, but if you gotta go a speedy heart attack is one of the best possible ways (if that is indeed what happened)
For me the sadness, if there is any, is that he didn't have kids. "Dying without issue" always strikes me as a terribly melancholy phrase
There could of course be any number of reasons for that, and he may never have wanted kids, so this is an entirely personal, subjective take
Yep, I hope it was quick to the extent he had no idea what was happening.
Never understood that pov. Obviously I’d prefer to avoid the pain, fear & degradation factors (a forlorn hope I fear) but I wouldn’t want to miss the moment.
I want to die when I’m 100 years old.
I want my wife to be so upset that she cancels her upcoming 21st birthday party as a mark of respect.
Even though she’s upset at missing the eighth orgasm of the evening?
Incidentally, I watched a 2018 film yesterday, Cutterhead.
A 90 minute horror-drama film set in a tunnel boring machine in Denmark. It is remarkably good, and uses darkness, claustrophobia and sound to immense effect. Essentially it is a film set in just two 'rooms'. And it is anything but boring.
I wanted to go into tunnelling as a career; this film made me kinda glad I didn't.
I once had the occasion to go down a tunnel being cut by the New Austrian Tunnelling Method - ISTR instant Brunel, the lining being sprayed concrete immediately after the cutting face. Or so memory tells me.
Yep, NATM. You dig out a small portion of the tunnel - say, 120 degrees, for a few feet, perhaps put mesh up, and then spray shotcrete (a type of wet concrete) on the wall to strengthen it. Although as ever, there are 1,001 variations.
It is very useful when you do not want the tunnel to be round, e.g. in station boxes.
Was in use when the Heathrow Tunnel collapsed in the early 1990s...
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
I agree on the Turkeys comment. People make informed choices. Those voting for Trump know exactly who he is. They don't care. My overriding thought is that if the US really were the greatest country on earth he would be absolutely nowhere near power rather than about to be re-elected President. What puzzles me is why so many on the UK right want him to win given the campaign he has fought and the policies he supports, which will clearly be very bad news for the UK.
Are there that many on the UK right who want him to win? A few opportunistic politicians but not that many people so far as I can tell. Is there a single person on pb?
You are unaware of PB's resident Sophist-in-Chief and leading Putin-pimper/Trump-fluffer?
Yes, I want him to win, or more so I loath the alternative. He doesn't really stand for anything I stand for, as an economic liberal with mild social conservatism who believes free markets and free trade enriches all those who engage in it. But, I cannot abide anyone who does pronoun declarations, land acknowledgement and think its a good idea to affirm confused young children about their sexuality and what adults call gender identity.
Sad
Well there you go, its the filthy pervert who predates on grown women (include adult entertainment stars), or the ideology of filthy perverts who who predate on young children.
Not that it really matters either way because I don't have a vote.
Err...with Trump, who was a friend of Epstein and fantasised about molesting his 14 year old daughter, that isn't an 'either/or' option.
Half of Holywood and DC high politics was involved with Epstein.
Epstein met a lot of people, but there were few who were as close to him as Epstein. Show me anything like this quote from Trump: "I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy. He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life."
Putting my tinfoil hat on, I hope Salmond gets a thorough autopsy considering where he died.
Though why the Russians would want him dead is another matter...
He was a big bloke. That's probably the likeliest explanation. I never disliked him in the way that some did. I find it very sad that he died a long way from home and probably pretty much alone.
Hmm. 69 is far too young, of course, but if you gotta go a speedy heart attack is one of the best possible ways (if that is indeed what happened)
For me the sadness, if there is any, is that he didn't have kids. "Dying without issue" always strikes me as a terribly melancholy phrase
There could of course be any number of reasons for that, and he may never have wanted kids, so this is an entirely personal, subjective take
Yep, I hope it was quick to the extent he had no idea what was happening.
Never understood that pov. Obviously I’d prefer to avoid the pain, fear & degradation factors (a forlorn hope I fear) but I wouldn’t want to miss the moment.
I want to die when I’m 100 years old.
I want my wife to be so upset that she cancels her upcoming 21st birthday party as a mark of respect.
One of the things one is supposed to do when one gets (very) old….. over 80 for example …. is to write a “What if” letter to one’s nearest, dearest and whoever is going to pick up the pieces. For example, I’ve included instructions on how to advise the various websites to which I contribute, such as this. So if one day a post comes up here under my name and signed Young Prince Cole you’ll all know what’s happened.
That's such a sweet and sincere point I feel awkward, and am compelled to jest that people should write 'I know what you did' to everyone to mess with them.
One idea which has been suggested to me is to arrange for an attractive young lady, fashionably dressed in black and veiled, to attend the funeral. She shouldn’t speak to any of the other mourners and should leave the ceremony as soon as is appropriate. It will provide a talking point for years!
UK drops its opposition to international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, removing key hurdle to one being issued and underlining tougher stance towards Israel taken by the new govt"
Putting my tinfoil hat on, I hope Salmond gets a thorough autopsy considering where he died.
Though why the Russians would want him dead is another matter...
He was a big bloke. That's probably the likeliest explanation. I never disliked him in the way that some did. I find it very sad that he died a long way from home and probably pretty much alone.
Hmm. 69 is far too young, of course, but if you gotta go a speedy heart attack is one of the best possible ways (if that is indeed what happened)
For me the sadness, if there is any, is that he didn't have kids. "Dying without issue" always strikes me as a terribly melancholy phrase
There could of course be any number of reasons for that, and he may never have wanted kids, so this is an entirely personal, subjective take
Yep, I hope it was quick to the extent he had no idea what was happening.
Never understood that pov. Obviously I’d prefer to avoid the pain, fear & degradation factors (a forlorn hope I fear) but I wouldn’t want to miss the moment.
I want to die when I’m 100 years old.
I want my wife to be so upset that she cancels her upcoming 21st birthday party as a mark of respect.
One of the things one is supposed to do when one gets (very) old….. over 80 for example …. is to write a “What if” letter to one’s nearest, dearest and whoever is going to pick up the pieces. For example, I’ve included instructions on how to advise the various websites to which I contribute, such as this. So if one day a post comes up here under my name and signed Young Prince Cole you’ll all know what’s happened.
That's such a sweet and sincere point I feel awkward, and am compelled to jest that people should write 'I know what you did' to everyone to mess with them.
One idea which has been suggested to me is to arrange for an attractive young lady, fashionably dressed in black and veiled, to attend the funeral. She shouldn’t speak to any of the other mourners and should leave the ceremony as soon as is appropriate. It will provide a talking point for years!
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
I agree on the Turkeys comment. People make informed choices. Those voting for Trump know exactly who he is. They don't care. My overriding thought is that if the US really were the greatest country on earth he would be absolutely nowhere near power rather than about to be re-elected President. What puzzles me is why so many on the UK right want him to win given the campaign he has fought and the policies he supports, which will clearly be very bad news for the UK.
Are there that many on the UK right who want him to win? A few opportunistic politicians but not that many people so far as I can tell. Is there a single person on pb?
You are unaware of PB's resident Sophist-in-Chief and leading Putin-pimper/Trump-fluffer?
Yes, I want him to win, or more so I loath the alternative. He doesn't really stand for anything I stand for, as an economic liberal with mild social conservatism who believes free markets and free trade enriches all those who engage in it. But, I cannot abide anyone who does pronoun declarations, land acknowledgement and think its a good idea to affirm confused young children about their sexuality and what adults call gender identity.
Sad
Well there you go, its the filthy pervert who predates on grown women (include adult entertainment stars), or the ideology of filthy perverts who who predate on young children.
Not that it really matters either way because I don't have a vote.
Err...with Trump, who was a friend of Epstein and fantasised about molesting his 14 year old daughter, that isn't an 'either/or' option.
Half of Holywood and DC high politics was involved with Epstein.
Epstein met a lot of people, but there were few who were as close to him as Epstein. Show me anything like this quote from Trump: "I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy. He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life."
Well, there's always Bill Clinton, who took about 700 flights on the "Lolita Express"
UK drops its opposition to international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, removing key hurdle to one being issued and underlining tougher stance towards Israel taken by the new govt"
Good evening everyone, except that it isn’t a good evening. As an SNP member for 50 years, I first met Alex Salmond in 1979, at a meeting of the 79 Group, in a dusty back room of a union office in Glasgow in 1980. I last met him when campaigning for our MSP a few years ago. He was always larger than life, and a political giant.
He was the greatest Scot of my generation and passed away without seeing the free independent Scotland we both longed for. He didn’t even live long enough to clear his name after the odious quisling Sturgeon and her henchpersons tried to put him in jail.😢. Many in the SNP hierarchy will be relieved tonight. Independence supporters less so.
He got the closest to Scottish independence that anyone will in my lifetime, because he realised that the economic case for independence needed to be won, If he hadn’t been wishy washy on the currency issue (an independent Scotland should not be linked to sterling), Scotland would now be an independent nation.
His successors think that social issues are more important; they’re not!
I always thought he was a similar age to me. He’s several years younger.
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
I agree on the Turkeys comment. People make informed choices. Those voting for Trump know exactly who he is. They don't care. My overriding thought is that if the US really were the greatest country on earth he would be absolutely nowhere near power rather than about to be re-elected President. What puzzles me is why so many on the UK right want him to win given the campaign he has fought and the policies he supports, which will clearly be very bad news for the UK.
Are there that many on the UK right who want him to win? A few opportunistic politicians but not that many people so far as I can tell. Is there a single person on pb?
You are unaware of PB's resident Sophist-in-Chief and leading Putin-pimper/Trump-fluffer?
Yes, I want him to win, or more so I loath the alternative. He doesn't really stand for anything I stand for, as an economic liberal with mild social conservatism who believes free markets and free trade enriches all those who engage in it. But, I cannot abide anyone who does pronoun declarations, land acknowledgement and think its a good idea to affirm confused young children about their sexuality and what adults call gender identity.
Sad
Well there you go, its the filthy pervert who predates on grown women (include adult entertainment stars), or the ideology of filthy perverts who who predate on young children.
Not that it really matters either way because I don't have a vote.
Err...with Trump, who was a friend of Epstein and fantasised about molesting his 14 year old daughter, that isn't an 'either/or' option.
Half of Holywood and DC high politics was involved with Epstein.
Epstein met a lot of people, but there were few who were as close to him as Epstein. Show me anything like this quote from Trump: "I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy. He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life."
Well, there's always Bill Clinton, who took about 700 flights on the "Lolita Express"
I think there's several reasons Hilary takes centre stage more than Bill these days.
UK drops its opposition to international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, removing key hurdle to one being issued and underlining tougher stance towards Israel taken by the new govt"
Incidentally, I watched a 2018 film yesterday, Cutterhead.
A 90 minute horror-drama film set in a tunnel boring machine in Denmark. It is remarkably good, and uses darkness, claustrophobia and sound to immense effect. Essentially it is a film set in just two 'rooms'. And it is anything but boring.
I wanted to go into tunnelling as a career; this film made me kinda glad I didn't.
I once had the occasion to go down a tunnel being cut by the New Austrian Tunnelling Method - ISTR instant Brunel, the lining being sprayed concrete immediately after the cutting face. Or so memory tells me.
Yep, NATM. You dig out a small portion of the tunnel - say, 120 degrees, for a few feet, perhaps put mesh up, and then spray shotcrete (a type of wet concrete) on the wall to strengthen it. Although as ever, there are 1,001 variations.
It is very useful when you do not want the tunnel to be round, e.g. in station boxes.
Was in use when the Heathrow Tunnel collapsed in the early 1990s...
Thanks!
BTW - did yuou see my query about your photo of a road needing work? Were the odd patterns in the setts evidence of an old tramway? The sort of thing used for agricultural produce or coprolites, perhaps, in the old days?
UK drops its opposition to international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, removing key hurdle to one being issued and underlining tougher stance towards Israel taken by the new govt"
Good evening everyone, except that it isn’t a good evening. As an SNP member for 50 years, I first met Alex Salmond in 1979, at a meeting of the 79 Group, in a dusty back room of a union office in Glasgow in 1980. I last met him when campaigning for our MSP a few years ago. He was always larger than life, and a political giant.
He was the greatest Scot of my generation and passed away without seeing the free independent Scotland we both longed for. He didn’t even live long enough to clear his name after the odious quisling Sturgeon and her henchpersons tried to put him in jail.😢. Many in the SNP hierarchy will be relieved tonight. Independence supporters less so.
He got the closest to Scottish independence that anyone will in my lifetime, because he realised that the economic case for independence needed to be won, If he hadn’t been wishy washy on the currency issue (an independent Scotland should not be linked to sterling), Scotland would now be an independent nation.
His successors think that social issues are more important; they’re not!
I always thought he was a similar age to me. He’s several years younger.
RIP Alex Salmond.
His own lawyer called him a "sex pest". There is no doubt that his behaviour towards women was frequently poor, even if it didn't reach the level of assault. He is not a good choice of hero.
"Boris is an A* arsehole" - it's that polished political insight that I read pb.com. for...😏
Those of you who never met him can draw your own conclusions, but you might pause for a moment and consider that the large majority of those who met him, worked for him, worked with him, had him work for them, or taught him, always considered him utterly unsuitable for senior political office. And so it sadly transpired.
Incidentally, I watched a 2018 film yesterday, Cutterhead.
A 90 minute horror-drama film set in a tunnel boring machine in Denmark. It is remarkably good, and uses darkness, claustrophobia and sound to immense effect. Essentially it is a film set in just two 'rooms'. And it is anything but boring.
I wanted to go into tunnelling as a career; this film made me kinda glad I didn't.
I once had the occasion to go down a tunnel being cut by the New Austrian Tunnelling Method - ISTR instant Brunel, the lining being sprayed concrete immediately after the cutting face. Or so memory tells me.
Yep, NATM. You dig out a small portion of the tunnel - say, 120 degrees, for a few feet, perhaps put mesh up, and then spray shotcrete (a type of wet concrete) on the wall to strengthen it. Although as ever, there are 1,001 variations.
It is very useful when you do not want the tunnel to be round, e.g. in station boxes.
Was in use when the Heathrow Tunnel collapsed in the early 1990s...
Thanks!
BTW - did yuou see my query about your photo of a road needing work? Were the odd patterns in the setts evidence of an old tramway? The sort of thing used for agricultural produce or coprolites, perhaps, in the old days?
I remember when the main road through Barrhead was being resurfaced a few years ago, the granite setts and tram rails were exposed. Trams stopped running through Barrhead in the late 1950s.
Given that Glasgow was the last British city with trams, only being withdrawn in 1963, it’s sad that it now has to rely on an inadequate First Bus “service “.
UK drops its opposition to international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, removing key hurdle to one being issued and underlining tougher stance towards Israel taken by the new govt"
UK drops its opposition to international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, removing key hurdle to one being issued and underlining tougher stance towards Israel taken by the new govt"
Good evening everyone, except that it isn’t a good evening. As an SNP member for 50 years, I first met Alex Salmond in 1979, at a meeting of the 79 Group, in a dusty back room of a union office in Glasgow in 1980. I last met him when campaigning for our MSP a few years ago. He was always larger than life, and a political giant.
He was the greatest Scot of my generation and passed away without seeing the free independent Scotland we both longed for. He didn’t even live long enough to clear his name after the odious quisling Sturgeon and her henchpersons tried to put him in jail.😢. Many in the SNP hierarchy will be relieved tonight. Independence supporters less so.
He got the closest to Scottish independence that anyone will in my lifetime, because he realised that the economic case for independence needed to be won, If he hadn’t been wishy washy on the currency issue (an independent Scotland should not be linked to sterling), Scotland would now be an independent nation.
His successors think that social issues are more important; they’re not!
I always thought he was a similar age to me. He’s several years younger.
RIP Alex Salmond.
His own lawyer called him a "sex pest". There is no doubt that his behaviour towards women was frequently poor, even if it didn't reach the level of assault. He is not a good choice of hero.
Incidentally, I watched a 2018 film yesterday, Cutterhead.
A 90 minute horror-drama film set in a tunnel boring machine in Denmark. It is remarkably good, and uses darkness, claustrophobia and sound to immense effect. Essentially it is a film set in just two 'rooms'. And it is anything but boring.
UK drops its opposition to international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, removing key hurdle to one being issued and underlining tougher stance towards Israel taken by the new govt"
UK drops its opposition to international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, removing key hurdle to one being issued and underlining tougher stance towards Israel taken by the new govt"
UK drops its opposition to international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, removing key hurdle to one being issued and underlining tougher stance towards Israel taken by the new govt"
UK drops its opposition to international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, removing key hurdle to one being issued and underlining tougher stance towards Israel taken by the new govt"
As for Xi, China did not sign the Rome statute, so the ICC has no jurisdiction. China is covered by the ICJ and other UN bodies. The 2022 UN Human Rights Office report on Xinjiang did conclude that China's actions there "may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity." However, the UN's ability to take action against a permanent member of the Security Council is limited.
UK drops its opposition to international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, removing key hurdle to one being issued and underlining tougher stance towards Israel taken by the new govt"
Sad news about Alex Salmond, RiP. The grim reaper found him far too early. There's been no more significant figure in Scottish politics. Our paths crossed briefly when he was at RBS.
Good evening everyone, except that it isn’t a good evening. As an SNP member for 50 years, I first met Alex Salmond in 1979, at a meeting of the 79 Group, in a dusty back room of a union office in Glasgow in 1980. I last met him when campaigning for our MSP a few years ago. He was always larger than life, and a political giant.
He was the greatest Scot of my generation and passed away without seeing the free independent Scotland we both longed for. He didn’t even live long enough to clear his name after the odious quisling Sturgeon and her henchpersons tried to put him in jail.😢. Many in the SNP hierarchy will be relieved tonight. Independence supporters less so.
He got the closest to Scottish independence that anyone will in my lifetime, because he realised that the economic case for independence needed to be won, If he hadn’t been wishy washy on the currency issue (an independent Scotland should not be linked to sterling), Scotland would now be an independent nation.
His successors think that social issues are more important; they’re not!
I always thought he was a similar age to me. He’s several years younger.
RIP Alex Salmond.
His own lawyer called him a "sex pest". There is no doubt that his behaviour towards women was frequently poor, even if it didn't reach the level of assault. He is not a good choice of hero.
Every hero, on examination, does pretty shitty things
JFK was a borderline rapist. Martin Luther King probably WAS an actual rapist
Who else?
Gandhi? Outright racist
Churchill we know was flawed
Lincoln thought blacks were inferior and should be sent back to Africa
To become a hero you almost always end up trampling over people, because that is how things are achieved; and most people will exploit others even if they don't mean to, it is near-impossible to succeed without doing so
I am hardpushed to find a hero, let alone a political hero, who hasn't got serious issues
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
I agree on the Turkeys comment. People make informed choices. Those voting for Trump know exactly who he is. They don't care. My overriding thought is that if the US really were the greatest country on earth he would be absolutely nowhere near power rather than about to be re-elected President. What puzzles me is why so many on the UK right want him to win given the campaign he has fought and the policies he supports, which will clearly be very bad news for the UK.
Are there that many on the UK right who want him to win? A few opportunistic politicians but not that many people so far as I can tell. Is there a single person on pb?
You are unaware of PB's resident Sophist-in-Chief and leading Putin-pimper/Trump-fluffer?
Yes, I want him to win, or more so I loath the alternative. He doesn't really stand for anything I stand for, as an economic liberal with mild social conservatism who believes free markets and free trade enriches all those who engage in it. But, I cannot abide anyone who does pronoun declarations, land acknowledgement and think its a good idea to affirm confused young children about their sexuality and what adults call gender identity.
Yeah, because you care so much about women and girls that you support the side that will restrict abortion and other contraceptive rights.
Surely such matters are left to the states.
That's an important question: in a federal state, what powers should be centralised and common, and which should be up to the states? Isn't it a similar question to the one that started the American Civil War over slavery?
But the 'leave it to the states' argument on this issue is one only said by people who want to remove reproductive rights from women - because that's exactly what will happen. And, indeed, is happening.
I disagree
I absolutely don’t want abortion rights to be restricted beyond reason (my personal view is around viability so in the 20-22 week region).
But it should be a matter for the states and if the local voters and politicians want to restrict access to basic medical care for women then that is their decision no matter how much we might disapprove
UK drops its opposition to international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, removing key hurdle to one being issued and underlining tougher stance towards Israel taken by the new govt"
Good evening everyone, except that it isn’t a good evening. As an SNP member for 50 years, I first met Alex Salmond in 1979, at a meeting of the 79 Group, in a dusty back room of a union office in Glasgow in 1980. I last met him when campaigning for our MSP a few years ago. He was always larger than life, and a political giant.
He was the greatest Scot of my generation and passed away without seeing the free independent Scotland we both longed for. He didn’t even live long enough to clear his name after the odious quisling Sturgeon and her henchpersons tried to put him in jail.😢. Many in the SNP hierarchy will be relieved tonight. Independence supporters less so.
He got the closest to Scottish independence that anyone will in my lifetime, because he realised that the economic case for independence needed to be won, If he hadn’t been wishy washy on the currency issue (an independent Scotland should not be linked to sterling), Scotland would now be an independent nation.
His successors think that social issues are more important; they’re not!
I always thought he was a similar age to me. He’s several years younger.
RIP Alex Salmond.
His own lawyer called him a "sex pest". There is no doubt that his behaviour towards women was frequently poor, even if it didn't reach the level of assault. He is not a good choice of hero.
Every hero, on examination, does pretty shitty things
JFK was a borderline rapist. Martin Luther King probably WAS an actual rapist
Who else?
Gandhi? Outright racist
Churchill we know was flawed
Lincoln thought blacks were inferior and should be sent back to Africa
To become a hero you almost always end up trampling over people, because that is how things are achieved; and most people will exploit others even if they don't mean to, it is near-impossible to succeed without doing so
I am hardpushed to find a hero, let alone a political hero, who hasn't got serious issues
Good evening everyone, except that it isn’t a good evening. As an SNP member for 50 years, I first met Alex Salmond in 1979, at a meeting of the 79 Group, in a dusty back room of a union office in Glasgow in 1980. I last met him when campaigning for our MSP a few years ago. He was always larger than life, and a political giant.
He was the greatest Scot of my generation and passed away without seeing the free independent Scotland we both longed for. He didn’t even live long enough to clear his name after the odious quisling Sturgeon and her henchpersons tried to put him in jail.😢. Many in the SNP hierarchy will be relieved tonight. Independence supporters less so.
He got the closest to Scottish independence that anyone will in my lifetime, because he realised that the economic case for independence needed to be won, If he hadn’t been wishy washy on the currency issue (an independent Scotland should not be linked to sterling), Scotland would now be an independent nation.
His successors think that social issues are more important; they’re not!
I always thought he was a similar age to me. He’s several years younger.
RIP Alex Salmond.
His own lawyer called him a "sex pest". There is no doubt that his behaviour towards women was frequently poor, even if it didn't reach the level of assault. He is not a good choice of hero.
Every hero, on examination, does pretty shitty things
JFK was a borderline rapist. Martin Luther King probably WAS an actual rapist
Who else?
Gandhi? Outright racist
Churchill we know was flawed
Lincoln thought blacks were inferior and should be sent back to Africa
To become a hero you almost always end up trampling over people, because that is how things are achieved; and most people will exploit others even if they don't mean to, it is near-impossible to succeed without doing so
I am hardpushed to find a hero, let alone a political hero, who hasn't got serious issues
Can't think of any personal faults like those for the great leaderene
Incidentally, I watched a 2018 film yesterday, Cutterhead.
A 90 minute horror-drama film set in a tunnel boring machine in Denmark. It is remarkably good, and uses darkness, claustrophobia and sound to immense effect. Essentially it is a film set in just two 'rooms'. And it is anything but boring.
I wanted to go into tunnelling as a career; this film made me kinda glad I didn't.
I once had the occasion to go down a tunnel being cut by the New Austrian Tunnelling Method - ISTR instant Brunel, the lining being sprayed concrete immediately after the cutting face. Or so memory tells me.
Yep, NATM. You dig out a small portion of the tunnel - say, 120 degrees, for a few feet, perhaps put mesh up, and then spray shotcrete (a type of wet concrete) on the wall to strengthen it. Although as ever, there are 1,001 variations.
It is very useful when you do not want the tunnel to be round, e.g. in station boxes.
Was in use when the Heathrow Tunnel collapsed in the early 1990s...
Thanks!
BTW - did yuou see my query about your photo of a road needing work? Were the odd patterns in the setts evidence of an old tramway? The sort of thing used for agricultural produce or coprolites, perhaps, in the old days?
I didn't, sorry. I doubt it was a tramway: there was a mill on the 'island' between the river and the canalised river stream, but that's away from the section that washed out, and the nearest railway is quite a way away. I took them to be services trenches post-dating the setts. But might be wrong. ISTR seeing traces of an old tramway outside the old mill at Buckden, just upriver, and it is shown on the NLS 1937 1:25,000 map. But there isn't one on the map at Little Paxton, where the flooding was.
Incidentally, I watched a 2018 film yesterday, Cutterhead.
A 90 minute horror-drama film set in a tunnel boring machine in Denmark. It is remarkably good, and uses darkness, claustrophobia and sound to immense effect. Essentially it is a film set in just two 'rooms'. And it is anything but boring.
I love tunnelling. It's why I LOL at the Boring Company.
As an aside, the film portrays the multinational nature of tunnelling very well. Especially of that nation is Ireland. Or, more accurately, Arranmore Island off the coast of Ireland, home of the Tunnelling Tigers.
Proper engineering is definitely a bit beyond my world although they seem to have fun doing it. The idea of being paid to burrow through a mountain, absurd.
I loved tunnelling. I still love tunnelling. A very minor regret in life is that I did not go into it. But it was the right decision.
People don't comprehend how different tunnels are, and how many differing tunnelling techniques there are, and how individual the machines are to cope with differing conditions. And it is a job where mistakes can easily be fatal.
UK drops its opposition to international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, removing key hurdle to one being issued and underlining tougher stance towards Israel taken by the new govt"
"While he could be charming and entertaining, there was also a less pleasant side to his character.
I would wince when sometimes he would show impatience and irritation towards his staff. He could be very demanding of them.
I can also recall bringing a senior BBC editor from the newsroom in London to see him and was astonished when he asked my colleague if he was on a colonial visit."
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
I agree on the Turkeys comment. People make informed choices. Those voting for Trump know exactly who he is. They don't care. My overriding thought is that if the US really were the greatest country on earth he would be absolutely nowhere near power rather than about to be re-elected President. What puzzles me is why so many on the UK right want him to win given the campaign he has fought and the policies he supports, which will clearly be very bad news for the UK.
Are there that many on the UK right who want him to win? A few opportunistic politicians but not that many people so far as I can tell. Is there a single person on pb?
You are unaware of PB's resident Sophist-in-Chief and leading Putin-pimper/Trump-fluffer?
Yes, I want him to win, or more so I loath the alternative. He doesn't really stand for anything I stand for, as an economic liberal with mild social conservatism who believes free markets and free trade enriches all those who engage in it. But, I cannot abide anyone who does pronoun declarations, land acknowledgement and think its a good idea to affirm confused young children about their sexuality and what adults call gender identity.
Yeah, because you care so much about women and girls that you support the side that will restrict abortion and other contraceptive rights.
Surely such matters are left to the states.
That's an important question: in a federal state, what powers should be centralised and common, and which should be up to the states? Isn't it a similar question to the one that started the American Civil War over slavery?
But the 'leave it to the states' argument on this issue is one only said by people who want to remove reproductive rights from women - because that's exactly what will happen. And, indeed, is happening.
I disagree
I absolutely don’t want abortion rights to be restricted beyond reason (my personal view is around viability so in the 20-22 week region).
But it should be a matter for the states and if the local voters and politicians want to restrict access to basic medical care for women then that is their decision no matter how much we might disapprove
A major issue is that AIUI some of the ore regressive states on this topic are hindering abortions in other states; by restricting women from travelling for abortions, or threatening legal punishments on doctors in those states.
So yeah, like slavery, it should be a federal thing IMV.
Incidentally, I watched a 2018 film yesterday, Cutterhead.
A 90 minute horror-drama film set in a tunnel boring machine in Denmark. It is remarkably good, and uses darkness, claustrophobia and sound to immense effect. Essentially it is a film set in just two 'rooms'. And it is anything but boring.
I love tunnelling. It's why I LOL at the Boring Company.
As an aside, the film portrays the multinational nature of tunnelling very well. Especially of that nation is Ireland. Or, more accurately, Arranmore Island off the coast of Ireland, home of the Tunnelling Tigers.
Proper engineering is definitely a bit beyond my world although they seem to have fun doing it. The idea of being paid to burrow through a mountain, absurd.
I loved tunnelling. I still love tunnelling. A very minor regret in life is that I did not go into it. But it was the right decision.
People don't comprehend how different tunnels are, and how many differing tunnelling techniques there are, and how individual the machines are to cope with differing conditions. And it is a job where mistakes can easily be fatal.
Nah. Tunnelling is boring.
As Yellow Pages used to direct us: "for boring see civil engineers"
Excellent story in the Scotsman tomorrow about Salmond. Apparently his political career got off to a flying start when he stood for the SNP at his primary school in Linlithgow on a platform of half school days and replacing the school milk with ice cream. He won by a landslide.
Those habits of winning votes by promising the unachievable were set early. He was also a very keen Diplomacy player. I remember when there used to be games of that between various PBers
Good evening everyone, except that it isn’t a good evening. As an SNP member for 50 years, I first met Alex Salmond in 1979, at a meeting of the 79 Group, in a dusty back room of a union office in Glasgow in 1980. I last met him when campaigning for our MSP a few years ago. He was always larger than life, and a political giant.
He was the greatest Scot of my generation and passed away without seeing the free independent Scotland we both longed for. He didn’t even live long enough to clear his name after the odious quisling Sturgeon and her henchpersons tried to put him in jail.😢. Many in the SNP hierarchy will be relieved tonight. Independence supporters less so.
He got the closest to Scottish independence that anyone will in my lifetime, because he realised that the economic case for independence needed to be won, If he hadn’t been wishy washy on the currency issue (an independent Scotland should not be linked to sterling), Scotland would now be an independent nation.
His successors think that social issues are more important; they’re not!
I always thought he was a similar age to me. He’s several years younger.
RIP Alex Salmond.
His own lawyer called him a "sex pest". There is no doubt that his behaviour towards women was frequently poor, even if it didn't reach the level of assault. He is not a good choice of hero.
Every hero, on examination, does pretty shitty things
JFK was a borderline rapist. Martin Luther King probably WAS an actual rapist
Who else?
Gandhi? Outright racist
Churchill we know was flawed
Lincoln thought blacks were inferior and should be sent back to Africa
To become a hero you almost always end up trampling over people, because that is how things are achieved; and most people will exploit others even if they don't mean to, it is near-impossible to succeed without doing so
I am hardpushed to find a hero, let alone a political hero, who hasn't got serious issues
On Lincoln - that depends *which* Lincoln you are talking off. He changed a lot in 56 years. Among other things, his belief in "Colonisation" was from before he actually met many black people - like a number of Abolitionists, he assumed that reversing what had happened was the correct idea.
The immediate cause of his assassination was a speech advocating Black voting rights.
Frederick Douglass was of the opinion that Lincoln didn't consider black people inferior.
UK drops its opposition to international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, removing key hurdle to one being issued and underlining tougher stance towards Israel taken by the new govt"
Good evening everyone, except that it isn’t a good evening. As an SNP member for 50 years, I first met Alex Salmond in 1979, at a meeting of the 79 Group, in a dusty back room of a union office in Glasgow in 1980. I last met him when campaigning for our MSP a few years ago. He was always larger than life, and a political giant.
He was the greatest Scot of my generation and passed away without seeing the free independent Scotland we both longed for. He didn’t even live long enough to clear his name after the odious quisling Sturgeon and her henchpersons tried to put him in jail.😢. Many in the SNP hierarchy will be relieved tonight. Independence supporters less so.
He got the closest to Scottish independence that anyone will in my lifetime, because he realised that the economic case for independence needed to be won, If he hadn’t been wishy washy on the currency issue (an independent Scotland should not be linked to sterling), Scotland would now be an independent nation.
His successors think that social issues are more important; they’re not!
I always thought he was a similar age to me. He’s several years younger.
RIP Alex Salmond.
His own lawyer called him a "sex pest". There is no doubt that his behaviour towards women was frequently poor, even if it didn't reach the level of assault. He is not a good choice of hero.
Every hero, on examination, does pretty shitty things
JFK was a borderline rapist. Martin Luther King probably WAS an actual rapist
Who else?
Gandhi? Outright racist
Churchill we know was flawed
Lincoln thought blacks were inferior and should be sent back to Africa
To become a hero you almost always end up trampling over people, because that is how things are achieved; and most people will exploit others even if they don't mean to, it is near-impossible to succeed without doing so
I am hardpushed to find a hero, let alone a political hero, who hasn't got serious issues
On Lincoln - that depends *which* Lincoln you are talking off. He changed a lot in 56 years. Among other things, his belief in "Colonisation" was from before he actually met many black people - like a number of Abolitionists, he assumed that reversing what had happened was the correct idea.
The immediate cause of his assassination was a speech advocating Black voting rights.
Frederick Douglass was of the opinion that Lincoln didn't consider black people inferior.
Good evening everyone, except that it isn’t a good evening. As an SNP member for 50 years, I first met Alex Salmond in 1979, at a meeting of the 79 Group, in a dusty back room of a union office in Glasgow in 1980. I last met him when campaigning for our MSP a few years ago. He was always larger than life, and a political giant.
He was the greatest Scot of my generation and passed away without seeing the free independent Scotland we both longed for. He didn’t even live long enough to clear his name after the odious quisling Sturgeon and her henchpersons tried to put him in jail.😢. Many in the SNP hierarchy will be relieved tonight. Independence supporters less so.
He got the closest to Scottish independence that anyone will in my lifetime, because he realised that the economic case for independence needed to be won, If he hadn’t been wishy washy on the currency issue (an independent Scotland should not be linked to sterling), Scotland would now be an independent nation.
His successors think that social issues are more important; they’re not!
I always thought he was a similar age to me. He’s several years younger.
RIP Alex Salmond.
His own lawyer called him a "sex pest". There is no doubt that his behaviour towards women was frequently poor, even if it didn't reach the level of assault. He is not a good choice of hero.
Every hero, on examination, does pretty shitty things
JFK was a borderline rapist. Martin Luther King probably WAS an actual rapist
Who else?
Gandhi? Outright racist
Churchill we know was flawed
Lincoln thought blacks were inferior and should be sent back to Africa
To become a hero you almost always end up trampling over people, because that is how things are achieved; and most people will exploit others even if they don't mean to, it is near-impossible to succeed without doing so
I am hardpushed to find a hero, let alone a political hero, who hasn't got serious issues
Can't think of any personal faults like those for the great leaderene
Maybe if she had lasted more than 45 days some might have manifested themselves.
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
I agree on the Turkeys comment. People make informed choices. Those voting for Trump know exactly who he is. They don't care. My overriding thought is that if the US really were the greatest country on earth he would be absolutely nowhere near power rather than about to be re-elected President. What puzzles me is why so many on the UK right want him to win given the campaign he has fought and the policies he supports, which will clearly be very bad news for the UK.
Are there that many on the UK right who want him to win? A few opportunistic politicians but not that many people so far as I can tell. Is there a single person on pb?
You are unaware of PB's resident Sophist-in-Chief and leading Putin-pimper/Trump-fluffer?
Yes, I want him to win, or more so I loath the alternative. He doesn't really stand for anything I stand for, as an economic liberal with mild social conservatism who believes free markets and free trade enriches all those who engage in it. But, I cannot abide anyone who does pronoun declarations, land acknowledgement and think its a good idea to affirm confused young children about their sexuality and what adults call gender identity.
Yeah, because you care so much about women and girls that you support the side that will restrict abortion and other contraceptive rights.
Surely such matters are left to the states.
That's an important question: in a federal state, what powers should be centralised and common, and which should be up to the states? Isn't it a similar question to the one that started the American Civil War over slavery?
But the 'leave it to the states' argument on this issue is one only said by people who want to remove reproductive rights from women - because that's exactly what will happen. And, indeed, is happening.
I disagree
I absolutely don’t want abortion rights to be restricted beyond reason (my personal view is around viability so in the 20-22 week region).
But it should be a matter for the states and if the local voters and politicians want to restrict access to basic medical care for women then that is their decision no matter how much we might disapprove
A major issue is that AIUI some of the ore regressive states on this topic are hindering abortions in other states; by restricting women from travelling for abortions, or threatening legal punishments on doctors in those states.
So yeah, like slavery, it should be a federal thing IMV.
It is interesting that in Florida, there have been legal attacks on adverts for out of state abortion services. Even attempts at criminal sanction.
In the Slaveocracy period, censoring newspapers and mail to remove anything anti-slavery was a massive issue. Hence Cassius Clay's affection for hallway artillery.
It's good to have the concept of heroes I think, despite living in an increasingly technocratic age which tries to dispel the "great man" myth..Salmond will certainly in 50 years time be regarded as Scottish Nationalisms "great man" 🧐
Good evening everyone, except that it isn’t a good evening. As an SNP member for 50 years, I first met Alex Salmond in 1979, at a meeting of the 79 Group, in a dusty back room of a union office in Glasgow in 1980. I last met him when campaigning for our MSP a few years ago. He was always larger than life, and a political giant.
He was the greatest Scot of my generation and passed away without seeing the free independent Scotland we both longed for. He didn’t even live long enough to clear his name after the odious quisling Sturgeon and her henchpersons tried to put him in jail.😢. Many in the SNP hierarchy will be relieved tonight. Independence supporters less so.
He got the closest to Scottish independence that anyone will in my lifetime, because he realised that the economic case for independence needed to be won, If he hadn’t been wishy washy on the currency issue (an independent Scotland should not be linked to sterling), Scotland would now be an independent nation.
His successors think that social issues are more important; they’re not!
I always thought he was a similar age to me. He’s several years younger.
RIP Alex Salmond.
His own lawyer called him a "sex pest". There is no doubt that his behaviour towards women was frequently poor, even if it didn't reach the level of assault. He is not a good choice of hero.
Every hero, on examination, does pretty shitty things
JFK was a borderline rapist. Martin Luther King probably WAS an actual rapist
Who else?
Gandhi? Outright racist
Churchill we know was flawed
Lincoln thought blacks were inferior and should be sent back to Africa
To become a hero you almost always end up trampling over people, because that is how things are achieved; and most people will exploit others even if they don't mean to, it is near-impossible to succeed without doing so
I am hardpushed to find a hero, let alone a political hero, who hasn't got serious issues
On Lincoln - that depends *which* Lincoln you are talking off. He changed a lot in 56 years. Among other things, his belief in "Colonisation" was from before he actually met many black people - like a number of Abolitionists, he assumed that reversing what had happened was the correct idea.
The immediate cause of his assassination was a speech advocating Black voting rights.
Frederick Douglass was of the opinion that Lincoln didn't consider black people inferior.
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
I agree on the Turkeys comment. People make informed choices. Those voting for Trump know exactly who he is. They don't care. My overriding thought is that if the US really were the greatest country on earth he would be absolutely nowhere near power rather than about to be re-elected President. What puzzles me is why so many on the UK right want him to win given the campaign he has fought and the policies he supports, which will clearly be very bad news for the UK.
Are there that many on the UK right who want him to win? A few opportunistic politicians but not that many people so far as I can tell. Is there a single person on pb?
You are unaware of PB's resident Sophist-in-Chief and leading Putin-pimper/Trump-fluffer?
Yes, I want him to win, or more so I loath the alternative. He doesn't really stand for anything I stand for, as an economic liberal with mild social conservatism who believes free markets and free trade enriches all those who engage in it. But, I cannot abide anyone who does pronoun declarations, land acknowledgement and think its a good idea to affirm confused young children about their sexuality and what adults call gender identity.
Yeah, because you care so much about women and girls that you support the side that will restrict abortion and other contraceptive rights.
Surely such matters are left to the states.
That's an important question: in a federal state, what powers should be centralised and common, and which should be up to the states? Isn't it a similar question to the one that started the American Civil War over slavery?
But the 'leave it to the states' argument on this issue is one only said by people who want to remove reproductive rights from women - because that's exactly what will happen. And, indeed, is happening.
I disagree
I absolutely don’t want abortion rights to be restricted beyond reason (my personal view is around viability so in the 20-22 week region).
But it should be a matter for the states and if the local voters and politicians want to restrict access to basic medical care for women then that is their decision no matter how much we might disapprove
A major issue is that AIUI some of the ore regressive states on this topic are hindering abortions in other states; by restricting women from travelling for abortions, or threatening legal punishments on doctors in those states.
So yeah, like slavery, it should be a federal thing IMV.
IMV that is interfering with interstate commerce so would be a federal matter
UK drops its opposition to international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, removing key hurdle to one being issued and underlining tougher stance towards Israel taken by the new govt"
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
I agree on the Turkeys comment. People make informed choices. Those voting for Trump know exactly who he is. They don't care. My overriding thought is that if the US really were the greatest country on earth he would be absolutely nowhere near power rather than about to be re-elected President. What puzzles me is why so many on the UK right want him to win given the campaign he has fought and the policies he supports, which will clearly be very bad news for the UK.
Are there that many on the UK right who want him to win? A few opportunistic politicians but not that many people so far as I can tell. Is there a single person on pb?
You are unaware of PB's resident Sophist-in-Chief and leading Putin-pimper/Trump-fluffer?
Yes, I want him to win, or more so I loath the alternative. He doesn't really stand for anything I stand for, as an economic liberal with mild social conservatism who believes free markets and free trade enriches all those who engage in it. But, I cannot abide anyone who does pronoun declarations, land acknowledgement and think its a good idea to affirm confused young children about their sexuality and what adults call gender identity.
Yeah, because you care so much about women and girls that you support the side that will restrict abortion and other contraceptive rights.
Surely such matters are left to the states.
That's an important question: in a federal state, what powers should be centralised and common, and which should be up to the states? Isn't it a similar question to the one that started the American Civil War over slavery?
But the 'leave it to the states' argument on this issue is one only said by people who want to remove reproductive rights from women - because that's exactly what will happen. And, indeed, is happening.
I disagree
I absolutely don’t want abortion rights to be restricted beyond reason (my personal view is around viability so in the 20-22 week region).
But it should be a matter for the states and if the local voters and politicians want to restrict access to basic medical care for women then that is their decision no matter how much we might disapprove
A major issue is that AIUI some of the ore regressive states on this topic are hindering abortions in other states; by restricting women from travelling for abortions, or threatening legal punishments on doctors in those states.
So yeah, like slavery, it should be a federal thing IMV.
IMV that is interfering with interstate commerce so would be a federal matter
Excellent story in the Scotsman tomorrow about Salmond. Apparently his political career got off to a flying start when he stood for the SNP at his primary school in Linlithgow on a platform of half school days and replacing the school milk with ice cream. He won by a landslide.
Those habits of winning votes by promising the unachievable were set early. He was also a very keen Diplomacy player. I remember when there used to be games of that between various PBers
That reminds me of my daughter when she was at primary school. During the 1987 GE campaign, there was a class election for the fictitious post of Janitor’s Helper. She won after asserting that she would clean the boys’ toilets. He was heard afterwards saying that she didn’t mean it, but just said it to win votes. And no, she didn’t become s politician!
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
I agree on the Turkeys comment. People make informed choices. Those voting for Trump know exactly who he is. They don't care. My overriding thought is that if the US really were the greatest country on earth he would be absolutely nowhere near power rather than about to be re-elected President. What puzzles me is why so many on the UK right want him to win given the campaign he has fought and the policies he supports, which will clearly be very bad news for the UK.
Are there that many on the UK right who want him to win? A few opportunistic politicians but not that many people so far as I can tell. Is there a single person on pb?
You are unaware of PB's resident Sophist-in-Chief and leading Putin-pimper/Trump-fluffer?
Yes, I want him to win, or more so I loath the alternative. He doesn't really stand for anything I stand for, as an economic liberal with mild social conservatism who believes free markets and free trade enriches all those who engage in it. But, I cannot abide anyone who does pronoun declarations, land acknowledgement and think its a good idea to affirm confused young children about their sexuality and what adults call gender identity.
Yeah, because you care so much about women and girls that you support the side that will restrict abortion and other contraceptive rights.
Surely such matters are left to the states.
That's an important question: in a federal state, what powers should be centralised and common, and which should be up to the states? Isn't it a similar question to the one that started the American Civil War over slavery?
But the 'leave it to the states' argument on this issue is one only said by people who want to remove reproductive rights from women - because that's exactly what will happen. And, indeed, is happening.
I disagree
I absolutely don’t want abortion rights to be restricted beyond reason (my personal view is around viability so in the 20-22 week region).
But it should be a matter for the states and if the local voters and politicians want to restrict access to basic medical care for women then that is their decision no matter how much we might disapprove
A major issue is that AIUI some of the ore regressive states on this topic are hindering abortions in other states; by restricting women from travelling for abortions, or threatening legal punishments on doctors in those states.
So yeah, like slavery, it should be a federal thing IMV.
IMV that is interfering with interstate commerce so would be a federal matter
We await the new version of Dred Scott - the discovery that persecuting people in states where abortion is legal, is in fact the Noble Purpose Of The Founders.
"While he could be charming and entertaining, there was also a less pleasant side to his character.
I would wince when sometimes he would show impatience and irritation towards his staff. He could be very demanding of them.
I can also recall bringing a senior BBC editor from the newsroom in London to see him and was astonished when he asked my colleague if he was on a colonial visit."
BBC Scotland Editor speaking ill of the dead.
Couldn't he wait until tomorrow?
I have a feeling the non-application of libel laws to the dead will have an effect on what gets said about Salmond.
This is the problem. The immediate reaction is to patronise not seek to understand. Frank Luntz has said again and again that Trump's appeal is due to immigration and inflation.
On the other hand, Trump is now regularly using fascist language and threatening to lock up and kill US citizens who he does not like. At some point, surely, we need to give people the agency to know that they are voting for a racist who does not believe in the rule of law and to not care.
Look it's the PC culture that's been foisted upon us. I'm not particularly a fan but referring to a racial demographic as turkeys voting for Christmas is a little eyebrow raising.
I agree on the Turkeys comment. People make informed choices. Those voting for Trump know exactly who he is. They don't care. My overriding thought is that if the US really were the greatest country on earth he would be absolutely nowhere near power rather than about to be re-elected President. What puzzles me is why so many on the UK right want him to win given the campaign he has fought and the policies he supports, which will clearly be very bad news for the UK.
Are there that many on the UK right who want him to win? A few opportunistic politicians but not that many people so far as I can tell. Is there a single person on pb?
You are unaware of PB's resident Sophist-in-Chief and leading Putin-pimper/Trump-fluffer?
Yes, I want him to win, or more so I loath the alternative. He doesn't really stand for anything I stand for, as an economic liberal with mild social conservatism who believes free markets and free trade enriches all those who engage in it. But, I cannot abide anyone who does pronoun declarations, land acknowledgement and think its a good idea to affirm confused young children about their sexuality and what adults call gender identity.
Yeah, because you care so much about women and girls that you support the side that will restrict abortion and other contraceptive rights.
Surely such matters are left to the states.
That's an important question: in a federal state, what powers should be centralised and common, and which should be up to the states? Isn't it a similar question to the one that started the American Civil War over slavery?
But the 'leave it to the states' argument on this issue is one only said by people who want to remove reproductive rights from women - because that's exactly what will happen. And, indeed, is happening.
I disagree
I absolutely don’t want abortion rights to be restricted beyond reason (my personal view is around viability so in the 20-22 week region).
But it should be a matter for the states and if the local voters and politicians want to restrict access to basic medical care for women then that is their decision no matter how much we might disapprove
A major issue is that AIUI some of the ore regressive states on this topic are hindering abortions in other states; by restricting women from travelling for abortions, or threatening legal punishments on doctors in those states.
So yeah, like slavery, it should be a federal thing IMV.
IMV that is interfering with interstate commerce so would be a federal matter
Yet apparently it is happening.
Requires the federal government to take them to court - AIUI it would go straight to the Supreme Court (which is problematic but you can’t circumvent the system because you don’t like a decision) - to enforce its rights on interstate commerce
"While he could be charming and entertaining, there was also a less pleasant side to his character.
I would wince when sometimes he would show impatience and irritation towards his staff. He could be very demanding of them.
I can also recall bringing a senior BBC editor from the newsroom in London to see him and was astonished when he asked my colleague if he was on a colonial visit."
BBC Scotland Editor speaking ill of the dead.
Couldn't he wait until tomorrow?
I have a feeling the non-application of libel laws to the dead will have an effect on what gets said about Salmond.
Well, we may get to hear about all the supressed evidence from the trial.
Comments
Ritom Pumped-Storage Plant Project – Tunneling under extreme conditions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AV2NcyX7pk
But you do prove my point, that the notion that there are no Trump-lovers on PB is flawed, to put it mildly.
Though it IS hard to tell, which are (reasonably) genuine and which are (mainly) Putin-bots motivated by desire to stay OUT of the trenches.
Darkage's characterisation of the level of spending isn't borne out by the figures.
https://rollcall.com/2024/10/08/analysis-digging-into-fema-spending-claims-on-the-campaign-trail/
...a history of the program shows policymakers on both sides of the aisle, including Trump, have cut spending deals that included a small slice of Federal Emergency Management Agency appropriations specifically to help states and localities care for migrants released into their communities, totaling just over $1.7 billion.
During that time, FEMA’s disaster relief fund has gotten several orders of magnitude more money, nearly $244 billion, and the two funding streams are entirely separate...
As an aside, the film portrays the multinational nature of tunnelling very well. Especially of that nation is Ireland. Or, more accurately, Arranmore Island off the coast of Ireland, home of the Tunnelling Tigers.
For example, I’ve included instructions on how to advise the various websites to which I contribute, such as this. So if one day a post comes up here under my name and signed Young Prince Cole you’ll all know what’s happened.
But the 'leave it to the states' argument on this issue is one only said by people who want to remove reproductive rights from women - because that's exactly what will happen. And, indeed, is happening.
And I wish I wasn't picturing some Silicon Valley venture capitalist turning it into an app.
People don't comprehend how different tunnels are, and how many differing tunnelling techniques there are, and how individual the machines are to cope with differing conditions. And it is a job where mistakes can easily be fatal.
It is very useful when you do not want the tunnel to be round, e.g. in station boxes.
Was in use when the Heathrow Tunnel collapsed in the early 1990s...
It will provide a talking point for years!
UK drops its opposition to international arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu, removing key hurdle to one being issued and underlining tougher stance towards Israel taken by the new govt"
https://x.com/PippaCrerar/status/1816827327474454968
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXgE32-xgbo
He was the greatest Scot of my generation and passed away without seeing the free independent Scotland we both longed for. He didn’t even live long enough to clear his name after the odious quisling Sturgeon and her henchpersons tried to put him in jail.😢. Many in the SNP hierarchy will be relieved tonight. Independence supporters less so.
He got the closest to Scottish independence that anyone will in my lifetime, because he realised that the economic case for independence needed to be won, If he hadn’t been wishy washy on the currency issue (an independent Scotland should not be linked to sterling), Scotland would now be an independent nation.
His successors think that social issues are more important; they’re not!
I always thought he was a similar age to me. He’s several years younger.
RIP Alex Salmond.
BTW - did yuou see my query about your photo of a road needing work? Were the odd patterns in the setts evidence of an old tramway? The sort of thing used for agricultural produce or coprolites, perhaps, in the old days?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cx2lgjn10g0t
Given that Glasgow was the last British city with trams, only being withdrawn in 1963, it’s sad that it now has to rely on an inadequate First Bus “service “.
(This is unrelated to the fact that he's also on trial in Israel for breach of trust, accepting bribes, and fraud.)
From those recent photos it looks like Salmond has enjoyed a fair bit of wining and dining the last few years.
It's about Angella and Dave.
Angella is 11 years old and arranges her beanie-boos in alphabetical order
Dave is a psychotic warlord who chops people's arms off, with a rusty machete.
On Tuesday, Angella lies about taking some jam from the cupboard. Dave chops some people's arms off.
Who is the bad person, on Tuesday?
I'm open to contrary argument.
No sign of an attempt to reach out to undecided indies.
It's all migrants are all rapists and animals.
Snag is, he keeps stalling them because of his office.
I've got a funny feeling there's another sexual predator and crook who keeps doing the same thing, but I can't quite remember whom... 🤔
JFK was a borderline rapist. Martin Luther King probably WAS an actual rapist
Who else?
Gandhi? Outright racist
Churchill we know was flawed
Lincoln thought blacks were inferior and should be sent back to Africa
To become a hero you almost always end up trampling over people, because that is how things are achieved; and most people will exploit others even if they don't mean to, it is near-impossible to succeed without doing so
I am hardpushed to find a hero, let alone a political hero, who hasn't got serious issues
https://youtu.be/LngsF2T8Ci0
I absolutely don’t want abortion rights to be restricted beyond reason (my personal view is around viability so in the 20-22 week region).
But it should be a matter for the states and if the local voters and politicians want to restrict access to basic medical care for women then that is their decision no matter how much we might disapprove
Could be wrong though.
More info on the mill:
https://www.stneotsmuseum.org.uk/collections/paper-mill-little-paxton/
I would wince when sometimes he would show impatience and irritation towards his staff. He could be very demanding of them.
I can also recall bringing a senior BBC editor from the newsroom in London to see him and was astonished when he asked my colleague if he was on a colonial visit."
BBC Scotland Editor speaking ill of the dead.
Couldn't he wait until tomorrow?
So yeah, like slavery, it should be a federal thing IMV.
Those habits of winning votes by promising the unachievable were set early. He was also a very keen Diplomacy player. I remember when there used to be games of that between various PBers
The immediate cause of his assassination was a speech advocating Black voting rights.
Frederick Douglass was of the opinion that Lincoln didn't consider black people inferior.
Oh, do you mean Maggie?
In the Slaveocracy period, censoring newspapers and mail to remove anything anti-slavery was a massive issue. Hence Cassius Clay's affection for hallway artillery.
https://x.com/NicolaSturgeon
Bounder isn't quite the word.
https://news.stv.tv/politics/nicola-sturgeon-leads-tributes-to-mentor-alex-salmond-following-snp-titans-death
Are we sure he isn't working as an undercover agent for Labour?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commerce_Clause
Who wouldn't vote for that?