Wtf is a ham pasta bake? Sounds grim. Also no favourite Xmas movie?! Home Alone is an easy choice for anyone who's got kids or been a kid, so everyone ever.
Ham pasta bake is proof that Starmer has not focussed grouped his food like Blair or Brown did, and taken steps to avoid giving imaginary offence to Jews, Muslims and anyone with a sense of taste.
Wtf is a ham pasta bake? Sounds grim. Also no favourite Xmas movie?! Home Alone is an easy choice for anyone who's got kids or been a kid, so everyone ever.
Easily answered. Macaroni cheese, with added bits of ham in it, browned in the oven, is an example.
But why would anyone use ham instead of bacon for that? Ham brings nothing to the table, it's the proverbial knife in a gun fight in that kind of dish.
Some people do. Think of croques monsieur. And it may be a variety of ham which is more like bacon in UK terms.
I'm astounded at how PB righties will seek to pick complaints about any pol who isn't a Tory ...
I think it's just an example of bland food for a bland person. It's the same as someone saying a rich tea is their favourite biscuit. It's a safe, nothing answer or the person is just bland.
Of all the things that I could use my photo allowance on - snapshot of Ukrainian APCs coming over the hill at Snagost, a picture of the 1.5m people at the latest Trump rally, letter of pleading from one of the pensioners set to lose their WFA, I am choosing this.
@MaxPB you need to seriously get a grip if you are not a huge fan.
I see this work the hammer will once again be taken to working age benefits whilst nothing is done about the ludicrously non-affordable triple lock for boomers.
Starmer has already hammered pensioners winter fuel allowance so many will freeze this winter
Rich pensioners can sell their mansions and buy smaller and cheaper to heat properties. The country benefits. You’re welcome.
Perfect evidence of the attitudes of heartlessness of those on the left. And they say the Tories are the "nasty party".
I am sorry but those with large expensive assets do not need my sympathy. The lack of perspective is mind blowing.
Some years ago we sold a four bedroomed house partly at least because with all our children married with homes of their own we didn't need it. We sold it to a couple with one adult son. They have now sold it on to another couple with one teenage child.
Our current two bedroomed home is a great deal easier to heat and to manage generally.
That is something to be done before they leave University, so they don't boomerang .
Wtf is a ham pasta bake? Sounds grim. Also no favourite Xmas movie?! Home Alone is an easy choice for anyone who's got kids or been a kid, so everyone ever.
Easily answered. Macaroni cheese, with added bits of ham in it, browned in the oven, is an example.
But why would anyone use ham instead of bacon for that? Ham brings nothing to the table, it's the proverbial knife in a gun fight in that kind of dish.
Some people do. Think of croques monsieur. And it may be a variety of ham which is more like bacon in UK terms.
I'm astounded at how PB righties will seek to pick complaints about any pol who isn't a Tory ...
I think it's just an example of bland food for a bland person. It's the same as someone saying a rich tea is their favourite biscuit. It's a safe, nothing answer or the person is just bland.
I could well say Bath Oliver is my favourite biscuit ...
Of all the things that I could use my photo allowance on - snapshot of Ukrainian APCs coming over the hill at Snagost, a picture of the 1.5m people at the latest Trump rally, letter of pleading from one of the pensioners set to lose their WFA, I am choosing this.
@MaxPB you need to seriously get a grip if you are not a huge fan.
Of all the things that I could use my photo allowance on - snapshot of Ukrainian APCs coming over the hill at Snagost, a picture of the 1.5m people at the latest Trump rally, letter of pleading from one of the pensioners set to lose their WFA, I am choosing this.
@MaxPB you need to seriously get a grip if you are not a huge fan.
Apparently ham + wheat dough + cheese sauce is OK in a pizza. But not an oven.
Of all the things that I could use my photo allowance on - snapshot of Ukrainian APCs coming over the hill at Snagost, a picture of the 1.5m people at the latest Trump rally, letter of pleading from one of the pensioners set to lose their WFA, I am choosing this.
@MaxPB you need to seriously get a grip if you are not a huge fan.
Wtf is a ham pasta bake? Sounds grim. Also no favourite Xmas movie?! Home Alone is an easy choice for anyone who's got kids or been a kid, so everyone ever.
Easily answered. Macaroni cheese, with added bits of ham in it, browned in the oven, is an example.
But why would anyone use ham instead of bacon for that? Ham brings nothing to the table, it's the proverbial knife in a gun fight in that kind of dish.
Some people do. Think of croques monsieur. And it may be a variety of ham which is more like bacon in UK terms.
I'm astounded at how PB righties will seek to pick complaints about any pol who isn't a Tory ...
I think it's just an example of bland food for a bland person. It's the same as someone saying a rich tea is their favourite biscuit. It's a safe, nothing answer or the person is just bland.
I could well say Bath Oliver is my favourite biscuit ...
"Delicious with wine and cheese". How could it not be.
Wtf is a ham pasta bake? Sounds grim. Also no favourite Xmas movie?! Home Alone is an easy choice for anyone who's got kids or been a kid, so everyone ever.
Easily answered. Macaroni cheese, with added bits of ham in it, browned in the oven, is an example.
But why would anyone use ham instead of bacon for that? Ham brings nothing to the table, it's the proverbial knife in a gun fight in that kind of dish.
Some people do. Think of croques monsieur. And it may be a variety of ham which is more like bacon in UK terms.
I'm astounded at how PB righties will seek to pick complaints about any pol who isn't a Tory ...
I think it's just an example of bland food for a bland person. It's the same as someone saying a rich tea is their favourite biscuit. It's a safe, nothing answer or the person is just bland.
I could well say Bath Oliver is my favourite biscuit ...
"Delicious with wine and cheese". How could it not be.
*hungry*
Or Abernethy, which is however a bit too salty for my good. (Or at least it tastes a little salty. I haven't checked the back of the packet.)
Yet I'd score -1 on the 1 to 11 MaxPB Biscuit Score.
Of all the things that I could use my photo allowance on - snapshot of Ukrainian APCs coming over the hill at Snagost, a picture of the 1.5m people at the latest Trump rally, letter of pleading from one of the pensioners set to lose their WFA, I am choosing this.
@MaxPB you need to seriously get a grip if you are not a huge fan.
At least it contains meat and dairy. We must draw optimism where we can.
Wtf is a ham pasta bake? Sounds grim. Also no favourite Xmas movie?! Home Alone is an easy choice for anyone who's got kids or been a kid, so everyone ever.
Die Hard (to trigger people) or Muppet Christmas Carol are obvious choices
Ham in pasta, honestly wtf is happening here. Of all the weird shit that I accept on PB, this is a step too far. Next people will be telling me carbonara has cream in it along with their ham.
Of all the things that I could use my photo allowance on - snapshot of Ukrainian APCs coming over the hill at Snagost, a picture of the 1.5m people at the latest Trump rally, letter of pleading from one of the pensioners set to lose their WFA, I am choosing this.
@MaxPB you need to seriously get a grip if you are not a huge fan.
At least it contains meat and dairy. We must draw optimism where we can.
Of all the things that I could use my photo allowance on - snapshot of Ukrainian APCs coming over the hill at Snagost, a picture of the 1.5m people at the latest Trump rally, letter of pleading from one of the pensioners set to lose their WFA, I am choosing this.
@MaxPB you need to seriously get a grip if you are not a huge fan.
That's pancetta.
Which is effectively dry cured ham. With a fancy name.
Ham in pasta, honestly wtf is happening here. Of all the weird shit that I accept on PB, this is a step too far. Next people will be telling me carbonara has cream in it along with their ham.
Can I pick up a point from the weekend? Someone (I think it was @boulay , but I can't find it) posted that a friend had died of iirc cancer at the young age of 46, linked a Guardian obit, and observed that the friend
Does anyone have access to the OED? I'm trying to find the origin and etymology of the word "agentic"
It seems to be REALLY new, the earliest citation I can find is 2011. But surely it is older than that. There are hints that it comes from psychological theory in the 20th century. Any PB wordniks have a better idea, or, perhaps, a sub for the OED?
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
The Tory partisans would be telling us how normal and unpretentious their candidate was if they said they liked a ham pasta bake.
Genuinely arguments like these just undermine any sense of impartiality and perspective that they claim to have. It just makes you look silly.
Is SKS a crap PM. Possibly. But it’s not because he makes food you don’t like. Not any more than Johnson lying about how much exercise he did made him a bad PM.
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
It’s why I say that his odds of victory again are underrated. They seem totally intent on just “actually he didn’t win” and somehow they’ll be in government again soon. It’s really not a good lesson to learn.
There are reasons he won. But they don’t seem to want to listen to anyone that voted for him. Take my Mum for instance, she voted for Thatcher. She also voted for SKS. I’m sure they aren’t the sort of voter they want back based on the commentary I’ve read but wouldn’t it be useful to ask why she voted that way?
Of all the things that I could use my photo allowance on - snapshot of Ukrainian APCs coming over the hill at Snagost, a picture of the 1.5m people at the latest Trump rally, letter of pleading from one of the pensioners set to lose their WFA, I am choosing this.
@MaxPB you need to seriously get a grip if you are not a huge fan.
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
Sir Keir Intelligence Depletion Syndrome (SKIDS). Apparently endemic in the rightwards-leaning community. SKIDS has left its indelible mark on so many members of our beloved PB Tory community. Few are untouched by this spreading stain.
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
25-30 days of leave is fairly standard in good private sector jobs. Working days that is - not including bank holidays.
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
25-30 days of leave is fairly standard in good private sector jobs. Working days that is - not including bank holidays.
He’s talking paternity leave not holiday.
Minimum for me would be 5 weeks and ideally 28/30 before bank holidays
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
For mine in 2023 it was a paltry two weeks, and apparently had to be applied for about a decade in advance... People I met on the NCT course usually had more generous schemes.
Ham in pasta, honestly wtf is happening here. Of all the weird shit that I accept on PB, this is a step too far. Next people will be telling me carbonara has cream in it along with their ham.
If you become a good (or even reasonable) cook, then you start just using whatever's in the fridge, rather then exactly following the recipe. Vary things up, try them out. Sometimes you like them and stick with them.
Many moons ago, we had a short discussion where someone said: "Who on Earth uses Smash?" (the instant mashed potato). I replied that I kept some in the cupboard. Often we have veg left after a meal, so we heat it up the next morning as part of bubble and squeak. If there was not enough potato leftovers, we added some smash.. Job jobbed.
I see this work the hammer will once again be taken to working age benefits whilst nothing is done about the ludicrously non-affordable triple lock for boomers.
Starmer has already hammered pensioners winter fuel allowance so many will freeze this winter
Rich pensioners can sell their mansions and buy smaller and cheaper to heat properties. The country benefits. You’re welcome.
Perfect evidence of the attitudes of heartlessness of those on the left. And they say the Tories are the "nasty party".
I am sorry but those with large expensive assets do not need my sympathy. The lack of perspective is mind blowing.
If you listen to some people on the right then you'd believe that the country is so close to the edge of bankruptcy that it cannot afford any additional spending on the health service, while at the same time the country is so flush with cash that it is desirable and possible to give millionaire pensioners a handout for heating their homes in winter.
Pull the other one.
The assumption that all pensioners are millionaires is an interesting one.
In leftworld, redefine groups as “rich”, then switch off empathy.
It's not an assumption. It's a rhetorical device.
The median net wealth of pensioner households is £470,000. The WFP, over the course of their retired lives, represents 2% of that value.
If all pensioners are rich, obviously we should abolish the state pension.
It's effectively a benefit like Universal Credit, so there would be some logic in applying the same eligibility requirements and tapering to it.
What's unfair IMO is historical NICs rates were lower than they are today, yet pensioners get triple-locked increases. I think it unlikely I'll enjoy a state pension that is significantly higher in real terms than the current one, despite my larger contribution.
It isn't as you need NI contributions or credits to claim it, like JSA but unlike UC which is a benefit with no prior contributions link
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
It’s why I say that his odds of victory again are underrated. They seem totally intent on just “actually he didn’t win” and somehow they’ll be in government again soon. It’s really not a good lesson to learn.
There are reasons he won. But they don’t seem to want to listen to anyone that voted for him. Take my Mum for instance, she voted for Thatcher. She also voted for SKS. I’m sure they aren’t the sort of voter they want back based on the commentary I’ve read but wouldn’t it be useful to ask why she voted that way?
We won't know the answers for these questions for a fair while. I think its legitimate to say that Starmer both won a huge landslide (and that is certainly true in MP numbers and control of parliament) and also to say that there was very little enthusiasm for his incoming government - the result, as ever, was far more about throwing out the failed government.
We have FPTP. It can lead to odd results. Its results can seem and perhaps are often unfair, but it does tend to produce majority government (in terms of MP numbers, not votes).
We need to give the government time, and you know what, they've got it. No need for an election until middle of 2029. A lot can change.
Though with Macron likely to be ejected fairly soon...
European countries may send their troops to Ukraine, – Le Monde.
This is currently being discussed at the state level. And it is allegedly connected with “the possible refusal of the US to support Ukraine after Trump takes office as US President on January 20, 2025.” https://x.com/front_ukrainian/status/1860958032684827114
Ham in pasta, honestly wtf is happening here. Of all the weird shit that I accept on PB, this is a step too far. Next people will be telling me carbonara has cream in it along with their ham.
If you become a good (or even reasonable) cook, then you start just using whatever's in the fridge, rather then exactly following the recipe. Vary things up, try them out. Sometimes you like them and stick with them.
Many moons ago, we had a short discussion where someone said: "Who on Earth uses Smash?" (the instant mashed potato). I replied that I kept some in the cupboard. Often we have veg left after a meal, so we heat it up the next morning as part of bubble and squeak. If there was not enough potato leftovers, we added some smash.. Job jobbed.
Ham in pasta, honestly wtf is happening here. Of all the weird shit that I accept on PB, this is a step too far. Next people will be telling me carbonara has cream in it along with their ham.
If you become a good (or even reasonable) cook, then you start just using whatever's in the fridge, rather then exactly following the recipe. Vary things up, try them out. Sometimes you like them and stick with them.
Many moons ago, we had a short discussion where someone said: "Who on Earth uses Smash?" (the instant mashed potato). I replied that I kept some in the cupboard. Often we have veg left after a meal, so we heat it up the next morning as part of bubble and squeak. If there was not enough potato leftovers, we added some smash.. Job jobbed.
A member of Trump’s new cabinet says Trump will end the Ukraine war by threatening Putin that he will flood Ukraine with weaponry
“Sebastian Gorka, who Trump just named a Director of national security policy in the White House, says that Trump's strategy for ending the Ukraine war will include threatening Putin to provide Ukraine with exponentially more military "aid"”
If Trump turns out to be BETTER for Ukraine than Biden that will explode heads
That would be a good outcome
Indeed. But I am sceptical, because it would also be against what Trump, and especially the GOP, have spent the last few years saying.
After all, the GOP could have pressurised Biden to flood Ukraine with weaponry. Instead, they starved Ukraine of weapons for months.
Yes. But that would fit with standard GOP misdemeanor, of blocking any effective action by a Dem President, so that they can take the credit for it under a GOP President instead. We shouldn't expect consistency from the GOP.
Get Musk interested in building rockets with an explosive payload, it's not an impossible reverse ferret. And Ukraine are obviously working hard diplomatically to help Trump agree to help them, by creating different narratives that appeal to him, since defending democracy doesn't motivate him.
Musk also has a line to Putin and has spoken of enabling ceasefires - indeed he mapped out one scenario for a truce and was widely mocked for it. I’m not sure why. At least he tried and if it had somehow worked it would have saved many thousands of lives
I think Musk is a #### but those criticising him over Ukraine need to consider how transformative Starlink was for fighting the Russians.
Transformative for both sides, as Russia is also extensively using it. And SpaceX are being handsomely paid for Ukrainian use by the US government. If Musk was doing it because it was the right thing to do, he wouldn't occasionally threaten to stop its use if he doesn't get paid.
That's a little unfair. Almost* every other company that had provided equipment to Ukraine have been paid for that equipment. Why shouldn't starlink be paid for?
* The only exception I can think of is the Turkish drone company who donated some drones after the public in the Baltic States donated money to buy some for Ukraine.
Boehringer Ingelheim have donated. Accenture have donated. Even OnlyFans have donated. Maybe they haven’t all done that much, but there are a lot of companies that have donated something.
Ham in pasta, honestly wtf is happening here. Of all the weird shit that I accept on PB, this is a step too far. Next people will be telling me carbonara has cream in it along with their ham.
If you become a good (or even reasonable) cook, then you start just using whatever's in the fridge, rather then exactly following the recipe. Vary things up, try them out. Sometimes you like them and stick with them.
Many moons ago, we had a short discussion where someone said: "Who on Earth uses Smash?" (the instant mashed potato). I replied that I kept some in the cupboard. Often we have veg left after a meal, so we heat it up the next morning as part of bubble and squeak. If there was not enough potato leftovers, we added some smash.. Job jobbed.
I used to eat the dried smash cubes as snacks.
PB's very own Bridget Jones.
I hope I don't look as rough as she does in the trailer for the new film.
Edit - I see she's 55 but playing early forties. Needs de-aging in the Harrison Ford style!
Ham in pasta, honestly wtf is happening here. Of all the weird shit that I accept on PB, this is a step too far. Next people will be telling me carbonara has cream in it along with their ham.
If you become a good (or even reasonable) cook, then you start just using whatever's in the fridge, rather then exactly following the recipe. Vary things up, try them out. Sometimes you like them and stick with them.
Many moons ago, we had a short discussion where someone said: "Who on Earth uses Smash?" (the instant mashed potato). I replied that I kept some in the cupboard. Often we have veg left after a meal, so we heat it up the next morning as part of bubble and squeak. If there was not enough potato leftovers, we added some smash.. Job jobbed.
I used to eat the dried smash cubes as snacks.
I've never gone quite *that* far.
when I was a student, I would have periods of intense pain, where I sometimes would not sleep for a night or two. My appetite also disappeared. Once, when the pain mostly disappeared, I slept and woke up famished. I went into the hall's kitchen and made a couple of packets of Smash and a couple of tins of baked beans and sausages. Put them on two plates, and wolfed down the lot. Surprisingly, I was not sick.
Can I pick up a point from the weekend? Just a thought.
Someone (I can't find it) posted that a friend had died of iirc cancer at the young age of 46, linked a Guardian obit, and observed that the friend had "done the right thing" rather than going to make money.
Depending how successful one's making money has been, it seems a good opportunity to invest a piece of that in an memoriam something - either singularly, or with other friends of the gent.
Given his work, it could be anything like a student scholarship sponsoring a student each year or for a term, an annual Lecture, a competition, or something else. It might be good to do something around sending a student on a Business MSc to build long-term wealth creation there.
It's variable amounts of money, depending on what is done - but reasonably well-off people like many of us on PB will spend £5k or £100k on things like cars and conservatories, and it may a small hit to do once in a lifetime or a decade - especially if collective or if we have a big pension fund or portfolio.
That will be enormously appreciated * by family and friends, and gives a way of continuing his work via whatever is funded.
* I was surprised at the weekend by how much third-party appreciation means to partner, family etc. I just acknowledged in my Bash the Barriers feed that I was inspired by a gent called Richard Bennett, aka the Heavy Metal Handcyclist. He had developed a way of using public FOI requests (asking eg for Equality Impact Assessment which have never been done) to get Councils to remove barriers, advised many others, and had a fair quantity of barriers removed.
He gave a lot of encouragement on social media, and passed away in 2022. A JustGiving in memoriam raised 10k+ for Wheels for Wellbeing. When I found it it was at £9960 target 10k, so I added £41 to take it £1 over the target (as you do).
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
25-30 days of leave is fairly standard in good private sector jobs. Working days that is - not including bank holidays.
He’s talking paternity leave not holiday.
Minimum for me would be 5 weeks and ideally 28/30 before bank holidays
I really can't think what anyone would do with that 5 weeks except drive your poor wife to distraction.
Ham in pasta, honestly wtf is happening here. Of all the weird shit that I accept on PB, this is a step too far. Next people will be telling me carbonara has cream in it along with their ham.
If you become a good (or even reasonable) cook, then you start just using whatever's in the fridge, rather then exactly following the recipe. Vary things up, try them out. Sometimes you like them and stick with them.
Many moons ago, we had a short discussion where someone said: "Who on Earth uses Smash?" (the instant mashed potato). I replied that I kept some in the cupboard. Often we have veg left after a meal, so we heat it up the next morning as part of bubble and squeak. If there was not enough potato leftovers, we added some smash.. Job jobbed.
My missus is very big on Tim Spector and the Zoe app at the moment. She been making recipies from his cookbook, and most of them have been absolutely delicious as well as allegedly healthy. Last night's spinach and cashew coconut curry with home-made naans was the best. Back to my pedestrian cooking tonight though.
A member of Trump’s new cabinet says Trump will end the Ukraine war by threatening Putin that he will flood Ukraine with weaponry
“Sebastian Gorka, who Trump just named a Director of national security policy in the White House, says that Trump's strategy for ending the Ukraine war will include threatening Putin to provide Ukraine with exponentially more military "aid"”
If Trump turns out to be BETTER for Ukraine than Biden that will explode heads
That would be a good outcome
Indeed. But I am sceptical, because it would also be against what Trump, and especially the GOP, have spent the last few years saying.
After all, the GOP could have pressurised Biden to flood Ukraine with weaponry. Instead, they starved Ukraine of weapons for months.
Yes. But that would fit with standard GOP misdemeanor, of blocking any effective action by a Dem President, so that they can take the credit for it under a GOP President instead. We shouldn't expect consistency from the GOP.
Get Musk interested in building rockets with an explosive payload, it's not an impossible reverse ferret. And Ukraine are obviously working hard diplomatically to help Trump agree to help them, by creating different narratives that appeal to him, since defending democracy doesn't motivate him.
Musk also has a line to Putin and has spoken of enabling ceasefires - indeed he mapped out one scenario for a truce and was widely mocked for it. I’m not sure why. At least he tried and if it had somehow worked it would have saved many thousands of lives
I think Musk is a #### but those criticising him over Ukraine need to consider how transformative Starlink was for fighting the Russians.
Transformative for both sides, as Russia is also extensively using it. And SpaceX are being handsomely paid for Ukrainian use by the US government. If Musk was doing it because it was the right thing to do, he wouldn't occasionally threaten to stop its use if he doesn't get paid.
That's a little unfair. Almost* every other company that had provided equipment to Ukraine have been paid for that equipment. Why shouldn't starlink be paid for?
* The only exception I can think of is the Turkish drone company who donated some drones after the public in the Baltic States donated money to buy some for Ukraine.
Boehringer Ingelheim have donated. Accenture have donated. Even OnlyFans have donated. Maybe they haven’t all done that much, but there are a lot of companies that have donated something.
As usual, they donated some and been paid for a lot more.
Ham in pasta, honestly wtf is happening here. Of all the weird shit that I accept on PB, this is a step too far. Next people will be telling me carbonara has cream in it along with their ham.
If you become a good (or even reasonable) cook, then you start just using whatever's in the fridge, rather then exactly following the recipe. Vary things up, try them out. Sometimes you like them and stick with them.
Many moons ago, we had a short discussion where someone said: "Who on Earth uses Smash?" (the instant mashed potato). I replied that I kept some in the cupboard. Often we have veg left after a meal, so we heat it up the next morning as part of bubble and squeak. If there was not enough potato leftovers, we added some smash.. Job jobbed.
I used to eat the dried smash cubes as snacks.
PB's very own Bridget Jones.
I hope I don't look as rough as she does in the trailer for the new film.
Edit - I see she's 55 but playing early forties. Needs de-aging in the Harrison Ford style!
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
25-30 days of leave is fairly standard in good private sector jobs. Working days that is - not including bank holidays.
He’s talking paternity leave not holiday.
Minimum for me would be 5 weeks and ideally 28/30 before bank holidays
I really can't think what anyone would do with that 5 weeks except drive your poor wife to distraction.
My wife had a caesarean - 6 week recovery were bending and stomach strength is minimal, so looking after a baby needs a bit of help.
Ham in pasta, honestly wtf is happening here. Of all the weird shit that I accept on PB, this is a step too far. Next people will be telling me carbonara has cream in it along with their ham.
If you become a good (or even reasonable) cook, then you start just using whatever's in the fridge, rather then exactly following the recipe. Vary things up, try them out. Sometimes you like them and stick with them.
Many moons ago, we had a short discussion where someone said: "Who on Earth uses Smash?" (the instant mashed potato). I replied that I kept some in the cupboard. Often we have veg left after a meal, so we heat it up the next morning as part of bubble and squeak. If there was not enough potato leftovers, we added some smash.. Job jobbed.
I used to eat the dried smash cubes as snacks.
PB's very own Bridget Jones.
I hope I don't look as rough as she does in the trailer for the new film.
Edit - I see she's 55 but playing early forties. Needs de-aging in the Harrison Ford style!
Sexist, ageist pig.
More a comment on the believability of the actor in the role.
Ham in pasta, honestly wtf is happening here. Of all the weird shit that I accept on PB, this is a step too far. Next people will be telling me carbonara has cream in it along with their ham.
If you become a good (or even reasonable) cook, then you start just using whatever's in the fridge, rather then exactly following the recipe. Vary things up, try them out. Sometimes you like them and stick with them.
Many moons ago, we had a short discussion where someone said: "Who on Earth uses Smash?" (the instant mashed potato). I replied that I kept some in the cupboard. Often we have veg left after a meal, so we heat it up the next morning as part of bubble and squeak. If there was not enough potato leftovers, we added some smash.. Job jobbed.
My missus is very big on Tim Spector and the Zoe app at the moment. She been making recipies from his cookbook, and most of them have been absolutely delicious as well as allegedly healthy. Last night's spinach and cashew coconut curry with home-made naans was the best. Back to my pedestrian cooking tonight though.
Ten years ago, before our son arrived, we used HelloFresh for six months. It was expensive, but excellent in that it got us out of our eating rut. We both quite like cooking, but would often cook the same old thing over and over. Thanks to Hello Fresh, we got to try a load of different recipes easily. Even better, we got to keep the recipe cards afterwards, so we could make them as many times as we wanted.
(And Kudos to Hello Fresh: when we quit they asked why, we said our lives had changed, and they said fair enough. They send us no follow-up emails with new offers, and no calls asking us to come back. That's a dramatic change from many companies, who never seem to take 'no' for an answer.)
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
25-30 days of leave is fairly standard in good private sector jobs. Working days that is - not including bank holidays.
He’s talking paternity leave not holiday.
Minimum for me would be 5 weeks and ideally 28/30 before bank holidays
I really can't think what anyone would do with that 5 weeks except drive your poor wife to distraction.
My wife had a caesarean - 6 week recovery were bending and stomach strength is minimal, so looking after a baby needs a bit of help.
Even after a straightforward birth looking after a newborn baby is still a hell of a job; my wife was extremely grateful that I was able to take the time off work to help with ours.
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
25-30 days of leave is fairly standard in good private sector jobs. Working days that is - not including bank holidays.
He’s talking paternity leave not holiday.
Minimum for me would be 5 weeks and ideally 28/30 before bank holidays
I really can't think what anyone would do with that 5 weeks except drive your poor wife to distraction.
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
I thought he was a vegetarian.
No he’s not. But is there anything wrong if he was?
Ham in pasta, honestly wtf is happening here. Of all the weird shit that I accept on PB, this is a step too far. Next people will be telling me carbonara has cream in it along with their ham.
If you become a good (or even reasonable) cook, then you start just using whatever's in the fridge, rather then exactly following the recipe. Vary things up, try them out. Sometimes you like them and stick with them.
Many moons ago, we had a short discussion where someone said: "Who on Earth uses Smash?" (the instant mashed potato). I replied that I kept some in the cupboard. Often we have veg left after a meal, so we heat it up the next morning as part of bubble and squeak. If there was not enough potato leftovers, we added some smash.. Job jobbed.
I used to eat the dried smash cubes as snacks.
PB's very own Bridget Jones.
I hope I don't look as rough as she does in the trailer for the new film.
Edit - I see she's 55 but playing early forties. Needs de-aging in the Harrison Ford style!
Sexist, ageist pig.
More a comment on the believability of the actor in the role.
Hmmmm - sounds like some retrospective explaining there.
A member of Trump’s new cabinet says Trump will end the Ukraine war by threatening Putin that he will flood Ukraine with weaponry
“Sebastian Gorka, who Trump just named a Director of national security policy in the White House, says that Trump's strategy for ending the Ukraine war will include threatening Putin to provide Ukraine with exponentially more military "aid"”
If Trump turns out to be BETTER for Ukraine than Biden that will explode heads
That would be a good outcome
Indeed. But I am sceptical, because it would also be against what Trump, and especially the GOP, have spent the last few years saying.
After all, the GOP could have pressurised Biden to flood Ukraine with weaponry. Instead, they starved Ukraine of weapons for months.
Yes. But that would fit with standard GOP misdemeanor, of blocking any effective action by a Dem President, so that they can take the credit for it under a GOP President instead. We shouldn't expect consistency from the GOP.
Get Musk interested in building rockets with an explosive payload, it's not an impossible reverse ferret. And Ukraine are obviously working hard diplomatically to help Trump agree to help them, by creating different narratives that appeal to him, since defending democracy doesn't motivate him.
Musk also has a line to Putin and has spoken of enabling ceasefires - indeed he mapped out one scenario for a truce and was widely mocked for it. I’m not sure why. At least he tried and if it had somehow worked it would have saved many thousands of lives
I think Musk is a #### but those criticising him over Ukraine need to consider how transformative Starlink was for fighting the Russians.
Transformative for both sides, as Russia is also extensively using it. And SpaceX are being handsomely paid for Ukrainian use by the US government. If Musk was doing it because it was the right thing to do, he wouldn't occasionally threaten to stop its use if he doesn't get paid.
That's a little unfair. Almost* every other company that had provided equipment to Ukraine have been paid for that equipment. Why shouldn't starlink be paid for?
* The only exception I can think of is the Turkish drone company who donated some drones after the public in the Baltic States donated money to buy some for Ukraine.
Boehringer Ingelheim have donated. Accenture have donated. Even OnlyFans have donated. Maybe they haven’t all done that much, but there are a lot of companies that have donated something.
As usual, they donated some and been paid for a lot more.
At least they donated something.
However, to be fair, so did SpaceX. The US government is paying them now, but the initial period of service was largely provided for free, IIRC.
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
Ham in pasta, honestly wtf is happening here. Of all the weird shit that I accept on PB, this is a step too far. Next people will be telling me carbonara has cream in it along with their ham.
If you become a good (or even reasonable) cook, then you start just using whatever's in the fridge, rather then exactly following the recipe. Vary things up, try them out. Sometimes you like them and stick with them.
Many moons ago, we had a short discussion where someone said: "Who on Earth uses Smash?" (the instant mashed potato). I replied that I kept some in the cupboard. Often we have veg left after a meal, so we heat it up the next morning as part of bubble and squeak. If there was not enough potato leftovers, we added some smash.. Job jobbed.
I used to eat the dried smash cubes as snacks.
PB's very own Bridget Jones.
I hope I don't look as rough as she does in the trailer for the new film.
Edit - I see she's 55 but playing early forties. Needs de-aging in the Harrison Ford style!
Sexist, ageist pig.
More a comment on the believability of the actor in the role.
Hmmmm - sounds like some retrospective explaining there.
A member of Trump’s new cabinet says Trump will end the Ukraine war by threatening Putin that he will flood Ukraine with weaponry
“Sebastian Gorka, who Trump just named a Director of national security policy in the White House, says that Trump's strategy for ending the Ukraine war will include threatening Putin to provide Ukraine with exponentially more military "aid"”
If Trump turns out to be BETTER for Ukraine than Biden that will explode heads
That would be a good outcome
Indeed. But I am sceptical, because it would also be against what Trump, and especially the GOP, have spent the last few years saying.
After all, the GOP could have pressurised Biden to flood Ukraine with weaponry. Instead, they starved Ukraine of weapons for months.
Yes. But that would fit with standard GOP misdemeanor, of blocking any effective action by a Dem President, so that they can take the credit for it under a GOP President instead. We shouldn't expect consistency from the GOP.
Get Musk interested in building rockets with an explosive payload, it's not an impossible reverse ferret. And Ukraine are obviously working hard diplomatically to help Trump agree to help them, by creating different narratives that appeal to him, since defending democracy doesn't motivate him.
Musk also has a line to Putin and has spoken of enabling ceasefires - indeed he mapped out one scenario for a truce and was widely mocked for it. I’m not sure why. At least he tried and if it had somehow worked it would have saved many thousands of lives
I think Musk is a #### but those criticising him over Ukraine need to consider how transformative Starlink was for fighting the Russians.
Transformative for both sides, as Russia is also extensively using it. And SpaceX are being handsomely paid for Ukrainian use by the US government. If Musk was doing it because it was the right thing to do, he wouldn't occasionally threaten to stop its use if he doesn't get paid.
That's a little unfair. Almost* every other company that had provided equipment to Ukraine have been paid for that equipment. Why shouldn't starlink be paid for?
* The only exception I can think of is the Turkish drone company who donated some drones after the public in the Baltic States donated money to buy some for Ukraine.
Boehringer Ingelheim have donated. Accenture have donated. Even OnlyFans have donated. Maybe they haven’t all done that much, but there are a lot of companies that have donated something.
As usual, they donated some and been paid for a lot more.
At least they donated something.
However, to be fair, so did SpaceX. The US government is paying them now, but the initial period of service was largely provided for free, IIRC.
The context for the request for payment was the US government slinging several billion at Lockheed for GEO provided data support for Ukrainian related ops, incidentally.
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
I thought he was a vegetarian.
No he’s not. But is there anything wrong if he was?
He was a vegetarian. Then he came out as a pescatarian this year. Now he cooks meat most Saturdays.
There's nothing there - the guy is a human vacuum.
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
I thought he was a vegetarian.
No he’s not. But is there anything wrong if he was?
Starmer is a vegetarian. Find it slightly odd that his dish to cook of choice involves meat.
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
I thought he was a vegetarian.
No he’s not. But is there anything wrong if he was?
He was a vegetarian. Then he came out as a pescatarian this year. Now he cooks meat most Saturdays.
There's nothing there - the guy is a human vacuum.
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
It’s why I say that his odds of victory again are underrated. They seem totally intent on just “actually he didn’t win” and somehow they’ll be in government again soon. It’s really not a good lesson to learn.
There are reasons he won. But they don’t seem to want to listen to anyone that voted for him. Take my Mum for instance, she voted for Thatcher. She also voted for SKS. I’m sure they aren’t the sort of voter they want back based on the commentary I’ve read but wouldn’t it be useful to ask why she voted that way?
We won't know the answers for these questions for a fair while. I think its legitimate to say that Starmer both won a huge landslide (and that is certainly true in MP numbers and control of parliament) and also to say that there was very little enthusiasm for his incoming government - the result, as ever, was far more about throwing out the failed government.
We have FPTP. It can lead to odd results. Its results can seem and perhaps are often unfair, but it does tend to produce majority government (in terms of MP numbers, not votes).
We need to give the government time, and you know what, they've got it. No need for an election until middle of 2029. A lot can change.
Indeed, Starmer got a 1997 style Blair landslide in seats but on a lower voteshare than Kinnock got in 1992.
It was the split on the right between Tories and Reform that led to the Labour landslide not any big enthusiasm for Starmer and his party and now Labour has started to take unpopular decisions it has fallen back further already to Brown 2010 levels in the polls
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
25-30 days of leave is fairly standard in good private sector jobs. Working days that is - not including bank holidays.
He’s talking paternity leave not holiday.
Minimum for me would be 5 weeks and ideally 28/30 before bank holidays
I really can't think what anyone would do with that 5 weeks except drive your poor wife to distraction.
My wife had a caesarean - 6 week recovery were bending and stomach strength is minimal, so looking after a baby needs a bit of help.
Even after a straightforward birth looking after a newborn baby is still a hell of a job; my wife was extremely grateful that I was able to take the time off work to help with ours.
And probably even more grateful when you returned to work.
Incidentally, my 22 year old nephew gave up on vegetarianism this year after a 5-year experiment with it.
I found out when his mother (my sister) told me how much he enjoyed tucking into a steak.
One of my nieces did the same; another is still veggie.
As I've said many times passim, Mrs J stopped being veggie and became pescetarian for health reasons. She had a nasty health issue, and it turns out eating even a can of tuna once a week stops it. She's still mostly veggie, but just eats (say) salmon occasionally. If she does not, then after a month or two the problem returns. It's a bit of a weird situation, but it's very reproducible. Supplements don't seem to help.
So whilst it is perfectly possible for some people to be veggie and healthy, it is not for everyone.
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
25-30 days of leave is fairly standard in good private sector jobs. Working days that is - not including bank holidays.
He’s talking paternity leave not holiday.
Minimum for me would be 5 weeks and ideally 28/30 before bank holidays
I really can't think what anyone would do with that 5 weeks except drive your poor wife to distraction.
My wife had a caesarean - 6 week recovery were bending and stomach strength is minimal, so looking after a baby needs a bit of help.
Even after a straightforward birth looking after a newborn baby is still a hell of a job; my wife was extremely grateful that I was able to take the time off work to help with ours.
And probably even more grateful when you returned to work.
These comments are revealing more about you than you might think.
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
25-30 days of leave is fairly standard in good private sector jobs. Working days that is - not including bank holidays.
He’s talking paternity leave not holiday.
Minimum for me would be 5 weeks and ideally 28/30 before bank holidays
I really can't think what anyone would do with that 5 weeks except drive your poor wife to distraction.
My wife had a caesarean - 6 week recovery were bending and stomach strength is minimal, so looking after a baby needs a bit of help.
Even after a straightforward birth looking after a newborn baby is still a hell of a job; my wife was extremely grateful that I was able to take the time off work to help with ours.
And probably even more grateful when you returned to work.
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
25-30 days of leave is fairly standard in good private sector jobs. Working days that is - not including bank holidays.
He’s talking paternity leave not holiday.
Minimum for me would be 5 weeks and ideally 28/30 before bank holidays
Indeed. This takes me to 60 days of paid leave (30 annual leave, 30 paternity) in the 12 months after the birth, plus bank holidays (so 68, total).
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
I thought he was a vegetarian.
No he’s not. But is there anything wrong if he was?
He was a vegetarian. Then he came out as a pescatarian this year. Now he cooks meat most Saturdays.
There's nothing there - the guy is a human vacuum.
It's a slippery slope on his transition to becoming a Tory. Soon he'll be eating babies.
Ham in pasta, honestly wtf is happening here. Of all the weird shit that I accept on PB, this is a step too far. Next people will be telling me carbonara has cream in it along with their ham.
If you become a good (or even reasonable) cook, then you start just using whatever's in the fridge, rather then exactly following the recipe. Vary things up, try them out. Sometimes you like them and stick with them.
Many moons ago, we had a short discussion where someone said: "Who on Earth uses Smash?" (the instant mashed potato). I replied that I kept some in the cupboard. Often we have veg left after a meal, so we heat it up the next morning as part of bubble and squeak. If there was not enough potato leftovers, we added some smash.. Job jobbed.
My missus is very big on Tim Spector and the Zoe app at the moment. She been making recipies from his cookbook, and most of them have been absolutely delicious as well as allegedly healthy. Last night's spinach and cashew coconut curry with home-made naans was the best. Back to my pedestrian cooking tonight though.
Ten years ago, before our son arrived, we used HelloFresh for six months. It was expensive, but excellent in that it got us out of our eating rut. We both quite like cooking, but would often cook the same old thing over and over. Thanks to Hello Fresh, we got to try a load of different recipes easily. Even better, we got to keep the recipe cards afterwards, so we could make them as many times as we wanted.
(And Kudos to Hello Fresh: when we quit they asked why, we said our lives had changed, and they said fair enough. They send us no follow-up emails with new offers, and no calls asking us to come back. That's a dramatic change from many companies, who never seem to take 'no' for an answer.)
We did one of the almost free trials and still do several of the recipes. Crazy expensive compared to just buying the stuff yourself, but cheap compared to a takeaway or similar, so I guess it depends what it replaces.
Pre-children we'd sit down each week and go through our recipe books looking got new things to try. I must admit time constraints (and the standard child reluctance to try new things at times) mean we do a lot more of the same kind of stuff nowadays.
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
25-30 days of leave is fairly standard in good private sector jobs. Working days that is - not including bank holidays.
He’s talking paternity leave not holiday.
Minimum for me would be 5 weeks and ideally 28/30 before bank holidays
I really can't think what anyone would do with that 5 weeks except drive your poor wife to distraction.
6 weeks.
If the birth goes well then, with my wife's parents nearby and supportive, 2-3 weeks is doable post-birth (I've generally taken the two weeks and then added just a few days annual leave to go up to a weekend, previously. But this will enable me to offer a lot more support over school holidays in the first few months where things that can be done with a baby in tow can be limited and the other three will get some quality time with us/me/my wife. It will be a headache fitting in that much leave with my pre-existing research grants though - ideally they'd automatically extend too, but it's not that simple and my team won't be taking equivalent time off.
Of all the things that I could use my photo allowance on - snapshot of Ukrainian APCs coming over the hill at Snagost, a picture of the 1.5m people at the latest Trump rally, letter of pleading from one of the pensioners set to lose their WFA, I am choosing this.
@MaxPB you need to seriously get a grip if you are not a huge fan.
Apparently ham + wheat dough + cheese sauce is OK in a pizza. But not an oven.
Ham and cheese rotolo, made with cooked not cured ham, is a fairly common variation on the original:
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
I thought he was a vegetarian.
No he’s not. But is there anything wrong if he was?
He was a vegetarian. Then he came out as a pescatarian this year. Now he cooks meat most Saturdays.
There's nothing there - the guy is a human vacuum.
Should add of course, that he made a big thing about his children and wife's family being Jewish and having their Shabbat dinner on a Friday. While following it up with their ham pasta bake the next day!
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
I thought he was a vegetarian.
No he’s not. But is there anything wrong if he was?
He was a vegetarian. Then he came out as a pescatarian this year. Now he cooks meat most Saturdays.
There's nothing there - the guy is a human vacuum.
I'm a vegetarian but cook meat several times a week. It's called having a family.
Of all the things that I could use my photo allowance on - snapshot of Ukrainian APCs coming over the hill at Snagost, a picture of the 1.5m people at the latest Trump rally, letter of pleading from one of the pensioners set to lose their WFA, I am choosing this.
@MaxPB you need to seriously get a grip if you are not a huge fan.
Apparently ham + wheat dough + cheese sauce is OK in a pizza. But not an oven.
Ham and cheese rotolo, made with cooked not cured ham, is a fairly common variation on the original:
And delicious.
Battered and deep-fired, I'm sure it would be just grand.
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
I thought he was a vegetarian.
No he’s not. But is there anything wrong if he was?
He was a vegetarian. Then he came out as a pescatarian this year. Now he cooks meat most Saturdays.
There's nothing there - the guy is a human vacuum.
Should add of course, that he made a big thing about his children and wife's family being Jewish and having their Shabbat dinner on a Friday. While following it up with their ham pasta bake the next day!
He is a void.
A riddle, wrapped in an enigma, encased in a vacuum...
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
I thought he was a vegetarian.
No he’s not. But is there anything wrong if he was?
He was a vegetarian. Then he came out as a pescatarian this year. Now he cooks meat most Saturdays.
There's nothing there - the guy is a human vacuum.
Should add of course, that he made a big thing about his children and wife's family being Jewish and having their Shabbat dinner on a Friday. While following it up with their ham pasta bake the next day!
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
25-30 days of leave is fairly standard in good private sector jobs. Working days that is - not including bank holidays.
He’s talking paternity leave not holiday.
Minimum for me would be 5 weeks and ideally 28/30 before bank holidays
I really can't think what anyone would do with that 5 weeks except drive your poor wife to distraction.
6 weeks.
If the birth goes well then, with my wife's parents nearby and supportive, 2-3 weeks is doable post-birth (I've generally taken the two weeks and then added just a few days annual leave to go up to a weekend, previously. But this will enable me to offer a lot more support over school holidays in the first few months where things that can be done with a baby in tow can be limited and the other three will get some quality time with us/me/my wife. It will be a headache fitting in that much leave with my pre-existing research grants though - ideally they'd automatically extend too, but it's not that simple and my team won't be taking equivalent time off.
I’d have taken off all the time I was allowed to. Not because I enjoy spending time with babies, but because looking after your first baby takes up literally all of one parent’s waking time, but that parent then has no time to look after themselves; that then becomes the job of the second parent. Looking after a subsequent baby is easier, but to counter that there are existing children to look after. This goes on for weeks on end. It doesn’t really stop being a massive joyless slog until you’re about 8 weeks in. (It’s less joyless the second and third time around because you have larger children to keep you distracted.) Babies are awful. Children are great, but babies are awful.
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
I thought he was a vegetarian.
No he’s not. But is there anything wrong if he was?
He was a vegetarian. Then he came out as a pescatarian this year. Now he cooks meat most Saturdays.
There's nothing there - the guy is a human vacuum.
I'm a vegetarian but cook meat several times a week. It's called having a family.
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
25-30 days of leave is fairly standard in good private sector jobs. Working days that is - not including bank holidays.
He’s talking paternity leave not holiday.
Minimum for me would be 5 weeks and ideally 28/30 before bank holidays
I really can't think what anyone would do with that 5 weeks except drive your poor wife to distraction.
6 weeks.
If the birth goes well then, with my wife's parents nearby and supportive, 2-3 weeks is doable post-birth (I've generally taken the two weeks and then added just a few days annual leave to go up to a weekend, previously. But this will enable me to offer a lot more support over school holidays in the first few months where things that can be done with a baby in tow can be limited and the other three will get some quality time with us/me/my wife. It will be a headache fitting in that much leave with my pre-existing research grants though - ideally they'd automatically extend too, but it's not that simple and my team won't be taking equivalent time off.
I’d have taken off all the time I was allowed to. Not because I enjoy spending time with babies, but because looking after your first baby takes up literally all of one parent’s waking time, but that parent then has no time to look after themselves; that then becomes the job of the second parent. Looking after a subsequent baby is easier, but to counter that there are existing children to look after. This goes on for weeks on end. It doesn’t really stop being a massive joyless slog until you’re about 8 weeks in. (It’s less joyless the second and third time around because you have larger children to keep you distracted.) Babies are awful. Children are great, but babies are awful.
They're certainly hard work. Our oldest didn't sleep through the night for over two years. The sleep deprivation was close to torture, and I doubt a single parent would have coped very well, if at all.
A member of Trump’s new cabinet says Trump will end the Ukraine war by threatening Putin that he will flood Ukraine with weaponry
“Sebastian Gorka, who Trump just named a Director of national security policy in the White House, says that Trump's strategy for ending the Ukraine war will include threatening Putin to provide Ukraine with exponentially more military "aid"”
If Trump turns out to be BETTER for Ukraine than Biden that will explode heads
If it happens, I will be pleased. Surpised, too - but I would expect my head to remain intact.
Note, though, the source. Gorka is not exactly reliable. Or even sane.
I think the outline of Trump's approach is becoming clearer - offer Putin the eastern provinces and threaten massive retaliation if he refuses or later reneges on the cease-fire. Invite Western Europe to reinforce the rest of Ukraine (90%?). Details - is Ukraine able to join NATO? does Russia get the punitive sanctions reversed? - remain completely unclear, and might take years to unravel.
The problem is that if there’s European troops on the border and security guarantees, then Ukraine doesn’t need NATO because it’s de facto within the tent anyway. And with Finland having now joined NATO as well, from Putin’s perspective he can’t sell that picture of a strategic end state as a win.
The negotiated settlement is going to be a tricky one if we are to avoid Russian humiliation. And obviously we have to.
Putin can’t accept Ukraine in NATO.
To him, that would be a massive defeat. A massive defeat equals his death by window.
So a I-Can’t-Believe-It’s-Not-NATO for Ukraine might work.
What will work on Trump is that if he cuts off Ukraine, Russia will restate the fall of Kabul before he leaves the Whitehouse. Hence the suggestions of big threats to Russia as well.
Aren't the "big threats" just part of some empty choreography so Trump can sell (to his own voters) whatever shit deal he makes with Putin as a great victory?
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
I thought he was a vegetarian.
No he’s not. But is there anything wrong if he was?
He was a vegetarian. Then he came out as a pescatarian this year. Now he cooks meat most Saturdays.
There's nothing there - the guy is a human vacuum.
I'm a vegetarian but cook meat several times a week. It's called having a family.
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
Sir Keir Intelligence Depletion Syndrome (SKIDS). Apparently endemic in the rightwards-leaning community. SKIDS has left its indelible mark on so many members of our beloved PB Tory community. Few are untouched by this spreading stain.
Particularly prevalent with those leaning towards communism. SKID-MARX.
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
25-30 days of leave is fairly standard in good private sector jobs. Working days that is - not including bank holidays.
He’s talking paternity leave not holiday.
Minimum for me would be 5 weeks and ideally 28/30 before bank holidays
I really can't think what anyone would do with that 5 weeks except drive your poor wife to distraction.
6 weeks.
If the birth goes well then, with my wife's parents nearby and supportive, 2-3 weeks is doable post-birth (I've generally taken the two weeks and then added just a few days annual leave to go up to a weekend, previously. But this will enable me to offer a lot more support over school holidays in the first few months where things that can be done with a baby in tow can be limited and the other three will get some quality time with us/me/my wife. It will be a headache fitting in that much leave with my pre-existing research grants though - ideally they'd automatically extend too, but it's not that simple and my team won't be taking equivalent time off.
I’d have taken off all the time I was allowed to. Not because I enjoy spending time with babies, but because looking after your first baby takes up literally all of one parent’s waking time, but that parent then has no time to look after themselves; that then becomes the job of the second parent. Looking after a subsequent baby is easier, but to counter that there are existing children to look after. This goes on for weeks on end. It doesn’t really stop being a massive joyless slog until you’re about 8 weeks in. (It’s less joyless the second and third time around because you have larger children to keep you distracted.) Babies are awful. Children are great, but babies are awful.
In all honesty, I disagree about babies being awful. The first few days are really hard until they get the hang of sleeping a bit, but I've very fond memories of paternity leave, particularly with our first. Two adults, one baby, nothing else going on - it really was quite a wondrous time. I remember us both watching TV with a sleeping baby during paternity leave and then pausing it for twenty minutes just to watch him as he went though the process of waking up, utterly mesmerised.
With subsequent babies it's been harder, number two in particular we didn't manage so well as we started off with me on the older child and my wife on the baby, which - breastfeeding - made some sense, but we both felt we were missing out, me on baby time and my wife on her relationship with our eldest. Third one we got a bit better at managing that. Hopefully this time we'll perfect it
On babies, I've known several men who don't really find much joy/connection in a baby before about six months, when they interact in more purposeful ways, but I've never felt that way.
ETA: I should note we've been reasonably lucky so far with babies and sleep. Waking has been mostly for feeding and sleep, after feeding, generally straightforward. With the odd run of terrible nights for teething or a bug, of course.
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
25-30 days of leave is fairly standard in good private sector jobs. Working days that is - not including bank holidays.
He’s talking paternity leave not holiday.
Minimum for me would be 5 weeks and ideally 28/30 before bank holidays
I really can't think what anyone would do with that 5 weeks except drive your poor wife to distraction.
6 weeks.
If the birth goes well then, with my wife's parents nearby and supportive, 2-3 weeks is doable post-birth (I've generally taken the two weeks and then added just a few days annual leave to go up to a weekend, previously. But this will enable me to offer a lot more support over school holidays in the first few months where things that can be done with a baby in tow can be limited and the other three will get some quality time with us/me/my wife. It will be a headache fitting in that much leave with my pre-existing research grants though - ideally they'd automatically extend too, but it's not that simple and my team won't be taking equivalent time off.
I’d have taken off all the time I was allowed to. Not because I enjoy spending time with babies, but because looking after your first baby takes up literally all of one parent’s waking time, but that parent then has no time to look after themselves; that then becomes the job of the second parent. Looking after a subsequent baby is easier, but to counter that there are existing children to look after. This goes on for weeks on end. It doesn’t really stop being a massive joyless slog until you’re about 8 weeks in. (It’s less joyless the second and third time around because you have larger children to keep you distracted.) Babies are awful. Children are great, but babies are awful.
In all honesty, I disagree about babies being awful. The first few days are really hard until they get the hang of sleeping a bit, but I've very fond memories of paternity leave, particularly with our first. Two adults, one baby, nothing else going on - it really was quite a wondrous time. I remember us both watching TV with a sleeping baby during paternity leave and then pausing it for twenty minutes just to watch him as he went though the process of waking up, utterly mesmerised.
With subsequent babies it's been harder, number two in particular we didn't manage so well as we started off with me on the older child and my wife on the baby, which - breastfeeding - made some sense, but we both felt we were missing out, me on baby time and my wife on her relationship with our eldest. Third one we got a bit better at managing that. Hopefully this time we'll perfect it
On babies, I've known several men who don't really find much joy/connection in a baby before about six months, when they interact in more purposeful ways, but I've never felt that way.
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
25-30 days of leave is fairly standard in good private sector jobs. Working days that is - not including bank holidays.
He’s talking paternity leave not holiday.
Minimum for me would be 5 weeks and ideally 28/30 before bank holidays
I really can't think what anyone would do with that 5 weeks except drive your poor wife to distraction.
6 weeks.
If the birth goes well then, with my wife's parents nearby and supportive, 2-3 weeks is doable post-birth (I've generally taken the two weeks and then added just a few days annual leave to go up to a weekend, previously. But this will enable me to offer a lot more support over school holidays in the first few months where things that can be done with a baby in tow can be limited and the other three will get some quality time with us/me/my wife. It will be a headache fitting in that much leave with my pre-existing research grants though - ideally they'd automatically extend too, but it's not that simple and my team won't be taking equivalent time off.
I’d have taken off all the time I was allowed to. Not because I enjoy spending time with babies, but because looking after your first baby takes up literally all of one parent’s waking time, but that parent then has no time to look after themselves; that then becomes the job of the second parent. Looking after a subsequent baby is easier, but to counter that there are existing children to look after. This goes on for weeks on end. It doesn’t really stop being a massive joyless slog until you’re about 8 weeks in. (It’s less joyless the second and third time around because you have larger children to keep you distracted.) Babies are awful. Children are great, but babies are awful.
They're certainly hard work. Our oldest didn't sleep through the night for over two years. The sleep deprivation was close to torture, and I doubt a single parent would have coped very well, if at all.
Yes, there are several "fuck me, how do people do this alone?" moments!
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
25-30 days of leave is fairly standard in good private sector jobs. Working days that is - not including bank holidays.
He’s talking paternity leave not holiday.
Minimum for me would be 5 weeks and ideally 28/30 before bank holidays
I really can't think what anyone would do with that 5 weeks except drive your poor wife to distraction.
6 weeks.
If the birth goes well then, with my wife's parents nearby and supportive, 2-3 weeks is doable post-birth (I've generally taken the two weeks and then added just a few days annual leave to go up to a weekend, previously. But this will enable me to offer a lot more support over school holidays in the first few months where things that can be done with a baby in tow can be limited and the other three will get some quality time with us/me/my wife. It will be a headache fitting in that much leave with my pre-existing research grants though - ideally they'd automatically extend too, but it's not that simple and my team won't be taking equivalent time off.
I’d have taken off all the time I was allowed to. Not because I enjoy spending time with babies, but because looking after your first baby takes up literally all of one parent’s waking time, but that parent then has no time to look after themselves; that then becomes the job of the second parent. Looking after a subsequent baby is easier, but to counter that there are existing children to look after. This goes on for weeks on end. It doesn’t really stop being a massive joyless slog until you’re about 8 weeks in. (It’s less joyless the second and third time around because you have larger children to keep you distracted.) Babies are awful. Children are great, but babies are awful.
They're certainly hard work. Our oldest didn't sleep through the night for over two years. The sleep deprivation was close to torture, and I doubt a single parent would have coped very well, if at all.
And one of the worst things is to meet other parents whose babies are sleeping from 7 pm to 7 am by 6 months. (Or at least they say they are).
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
I thought he was a vegetarian.
No he’s not. But is there anything wrong if he was?
He was a vegetarian. Then he came out as a pescatarian this year. Now he cooks meat most Saturdays.
There's nothing there - the guy is a human vacuum.
I'm a vegetarian but cook meat several times a week. It's called having a family.
Some on the right people are weirdly obsessed about Starmer. Beneath it all I think they’re trying to process how it was that Starmer defeated them in July. He doesn’t care about Xmas movies and likes ham! Omg. How can that be.
I thought he was a vegetarian.
No he’s not. But is there anything wrong if he was?
He was a vegetarian. Then he came out as a pescatarian this year. Now he cooks meat most Saturdays.
There's nothing there - the guy is a human vacuum.
I'm a vegetarian but cook meat several times a week. It's called having a family.
Something to make PB's public-sector* antagonists' heads explode: just been trying to apply for paternity leave and it looks like the University now offers six weeks at full pay (to be taken in any combination within 12 months of birth). Last time I applied, in 2022, it was the standard two weeks, albeit with one week boosted to full pay and the other at statutory.
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
25-30 days of leave is fairly standard in good private sector jobs. Working days that is - not including bank holidays.
He’s talking paternity leave not holiday.
Minimum for me would be 5 weeks and ideally 28/30 before bank holidays
I really can't think what anyone would do with that 5 weeks except drive your poor wife to distraction.
6 weeks.
If the birth goes well then, with my wife's parents nearby and supportive, 2-3 weeks is doable post-birth (I've generally taken the two weeks and then added just a few days annual leave to go up to a weekend, previously. But this will enable me to offer a lot more support over school holidays in the first few months where things that can be done with a baby in tow can be limited and the other three will get some quality time with us/me/my wife. It will be a headache fitting in that much leave with my pre-existing research grants though - ideally they'd automatically extend too, but it's not that simple and my team won't be taking equivalent time off.
I’d have taken off all the time I was allowed to. Not because I enjoy spending time with babies, but because looking after your first baby takes up literally all of one parent’s waking time, but that parent then has no time to look after themselves; that then becomes the job of the second parent. Looking after a subsequent baby is easier, but to counter that there are existing children to look after. This goes on for weeks on end. It doesn’t really stop being a massive joyless slog until you’re about 8 weeks in. (It’s less joyless the second and third time around because you have larger children to keep you distracted.) Babies are awful. Children are great, but babies are awful.
With ours I remember walking to the car with him in a basket, very hot day, taking him home after his birth in a Sydney hospital and thinking, "gosh, look at him, what a responsibility we have here now." Fortunately my wife proved up to it.
A member of Trump’s new cabinet says Trump will end the Ukraine war by threatening Putin that he will flood Ukraine with weaponry
“Sebastian Gorka, who Trump just named a Director of national security policy in the White House, says that Trump's strategy for ending the Ukraine war will include threatening Putin to provide Ukraine with exponentially more military "aid"”
If Trump turns out to be BETTER for Ukraine than Biden that will explode heads
If it happens, I will be pleased. Surpised, too - but I would expect my head to remain intact.
Note, though, the source. Gorka is not exactly reliable. Or even sane.
I think the outline of Trump's approach is becoming clearer - offer Putin the eastern provinces and threaten massive retaliation if he refuses or later reneges on the cease-fire. Invite Western Europe to reinforce the rest of Ukraine (90%?). Details - is Ukraine able to join NATO? does Russia get the punitive sanctions reversed? - remain completely unclear, and might take years to unravel.
The problem is that if there’s European troops on the border and security guarantees, then Ukraine doesn’t need NATO because it’s de facto within the tent anyway. And with Finland having now joined NATO as well, from Putin’s perspective he can’t sell that picture of a strategic end state as a win.
The negotiated settlement is going to be a tricky one if we are to avoid Russian humiliation. And obviously we have to.
Putin can’t accept Ukraine in NATO.
To him, that would be a massive defeat. A massive defeat equals his death by window.
So a I-Can’t-Believe-It’s-Not-NATO for Ukraine might work.
What will work on Trump is that if he cuts off Ukraine, Russia will restate the fall of Kabul before he leaves the Whitehouse. Hence the suggestions of big threats to Russia as well.
Kabul is already in Taliban hands again so nothing further to fall and they certainly won't want to get involved there again too
Comments
@MaxPB you need to seriously get a grip if you are not a huge fan.
https://www.laurafuentes.com/tomato-basil-baked-pasta-recipe/
Or Abernethy, which is however a bit too salty for my good. (Or at least it tastes a little salty. I haven't checked the back of the packet.)
Yet I'd score -1 on the 1 to 11 MaxPB Biscuit Score.
I'm writing to OfCom.
With a fancy name.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11148297/
As it's from the agens, it may go back some way.
According to the Ngram viewer, it goes back many years:
https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=agentic&year_start=1800&year_end=2022&corpus=en&smoothing=3
*actually private-sector, ish, depends how you see universities I guess.
ETA: I'll still be expected to meet the same targets in terms of publications and funding though, I'm sure!
https://x.com/StevePowers_/status/1861032530373156984
TwiX has been watching the Prime Minister's grilling by Cat Deeley and Andi Peters.
Genuinely arguments like these just undermine any sense of impartiality and perspective that they claim to have. It just makes you look silly.
Is SKS a crap PM. Possibly. But it’s not because he makes food you don’t like. Not any more than Johnson lying about how much exercise he did made him a bad PM.
There are reasons he won. But they don’t seem to want to listen to anyone that voted for him. Take my Mum for instance, she voted for Thatcher. She also voted for SKS. I’m sure they aren’t the sort of voter they want back based on the commentary I’ve read but wouldn’t it be useful to ask why she voted that way?
SKIDS has left its indelible mark on so many members of our beloved PB Tory community. Few are untouched by this spreading stain.
Minimum for me would be 5 weeks and ideally 28/30 before bank holidays
People I met on the NCT course usually had more generous schemes.
Many moons ago, we had a short discussion where someone said: "Who on Earth uses Smash?" (the instant mashed potato). I replied that I kept some in the cupboard. Often we have veg left after a meal, so we heat it up the next morning as part of bubble and squeak. If there was not enough potato leftovers, we added some smash.. Job jobbed.
We have FPTP. It can lead to odd results. Its results can seem and perhaps are often unfair, but it does tend to produce majority government (in terms of MP numbers, not votes).
We need to give the government time, and you know what, they've got it. No need for an election until middle of 2029. A lot can change.
European countries may send their troops to Ukraine, – Le Monde.
This is currently being discussed at the state level. And it is allegedly connected with “the possible refusal of the US to support Ukraine after Trump takes office as US President on January 20, 2025.”
https://x.com/front_ukrainian/status/1860958032684827114
Google has donated: https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-be335ce9375d11732fa3a61995267f1d Lots more companies listed there, including Microsoft, Epic Games
Boehringer Ingelheim have donated. Accenture have donated. Even OnlyFans have donated. Maybe they haven’t all done that much, but there are a lot of companies that have donated something.
Edit - I see she's 55 but playing early forties. Needs de-aging in the Harrison Ford style!
when I was a student, I would have periods of intense pain, where I sometimes would not sleep for a night or two. My appetite also disappeared. Once, when the pain mostly disappeared, I slept and woke up famished. I went into the hall's kitchen and made a couple of packets of Smash and a couple of tins of baked beans and sausages. Put them on two plates, and wolfed down the lot. Surprisingly, I was not sick.
Someone (I can't find it) posted that a friend had died of iirc cancer at the young age of 46, linked a Guardian obit, and observed that the friend had "done the right thing" rather than going to make money.
Depending how successful one's making money has been, it seems a good opportunity to invest a piece of that in an memoriam something - either singularly, or with other friends of the gent.
Given his work, it could be anything like a student scholarship sponsoring a student each year or for a term, an annual Lecture, a competition, or something else. It might be good to do something around sending a student on a Business MSc to build long-term wealth creation there.
It's variable amounts of money, depending on what is done - but reasonably well-off people like many of us on PB will spend £5k or £100k on things like cars and conservatories, and it may a small hit to do once in a lifetime or a decade - especially if collective or if we have a big pension fund or portfolio.
That will be enormously appreciated * by family and friends, and gives a way of continuing his work via whatever is funded.
* I was surprised at the weekend by how much third-party appreciation means to partner, family etc. I just acknowledged in my Bash the Barriers feed that I was inspired by a gent called Richard Bennett, aka the Heavy Metal Handcyclist. He had developed a way of using public FOI requests (asking eg for Equality Impact Assessment which have never been done) to get Councils to remove barriers, advised many others, and had a fair quantity of barriers removed.
He gave a lot of encouragement on social media, and passed away in 2022. A JustGiving in memoriam raised 10k+ for Wheels for Wellbeing. When I found it it was at £9960 target 10k, so I added £41 to take it £1 over the target (as you do).
Anyhoo - I heard quite rapidly from his partner that pleased she was that we still remember. I've never met either of them. Amazing that something that simple got that response.
https://bsky.app/profile/bashthebarriers.bsky.social/post/3lbhznqxouc2n
What the hell is happening to the Palestinian journalist @ytirawi account? He had over 170K followers and now appears to lost them it shows that he follows no one.
https://x.com/KhalilJeries/status/1860770629877661720
(And Kudos to Hello Fresh: when we quit they asked why, we said our lives had changed, and they said fair enough. They send us no follow-up emails with new offers, and no calls asking us to come back. That's a dramatic change from many companies, who never seem to take 'no' for an answer.)
However, to be fair, so did SpaceX. The US government is paying them now, but the initial period of service was largely provided for free, IIRC.
There's nothing there - the guy is a human vacuum.
It was the split on the right between Tories and Reform that led to the Labour landslide not any big enthusiasm for Starmer and his party and now Labour has started to take unpopular decisions it has fallen back further already to Brown 2010 levels in the polls
I found out when his mother (my sister) told me how much he enjoyed tucking into a steak.
As I've said many times passim, Mrs J stopped being veggie and became pescetarian for health reasons. She had a nasty health issue, and it turns out eating even a can of tuna once a week stops it. She's still mostly veggie, but just eats (say) salmon occasionally. If she does not, then after a month or two the problem returns. It's a bit of a weird situation, but it's very reproducible. Supplements don't seem to help.
So whilst it is perfectly possible for some people to be veggie and healthy, it is not for everyone.
I'm not sure I'd rely on our government to negotiate one without getting screwed, though.
"Northvolt’s demise means the battle for dominance of the European market is likely to play out between Asian battery makers"
“The depth of the crisis for the European car industry is almost unlimited. It’s incredibly grim.”
https://x.com/fbermingham/status/1860950646465200457
Simple. Proven to work.
Pre-children we'd sit down each week and go through our recipe books looking got new things to try. I must admit time constraints (and the standard child reluctance to try new things at times) mean we do a lot more of the same kind of stuff nowadays.
Honestly, CATL seem to be the world leaders now.
If the birth goes well then, with my wife's parents nearby and supportive, 2-3 weeks is doable post-birth (I've generally taken the two weeks and then added just a few days annual leave to go up to a weekend, previously. But this will enable me to offer a lot more support over school holidays in the first few months where things that can be done with a baby in tow can be limited and the other three will get some quality time with us/me/my wife. It will be a headache fitting in that much leave with my pre-existing research grants though - ideally they'd automatically extend too, but it's not that simple and my team won't be taking equivalent time off.
And delicious.
He is a void.
Babies are awful. Children are great, but babies are awful.
Our oldest didn't sleep through the night for over two years. The sleep deprivation was close to torture, and I doubt a single parent would have coped very well, if at all.
We need domestic manufacturing capacity.
With subsequent babies it's been harder, number two in particular we didn't manage so well as we started off with me on the older child and my wife on the baby, which - breastfeeding - made some sense, but we both felt we were missing out, me on baby time and my wife on her relationship with our eldest. Third one we got a bit better at managing that. Hopefully this time we'll perfect it
On babies, I've known several men who don't really find much joy/connection in a baby before about six months, when they interact in more purposeful ways, but I've never felt that way.
ETA: I should note we've been reasonably lucky so far with babies and sleep. Waking has been mostly for feeding and sleep, after feeding, generally straightforward. With the odd run of terrible nights for teething or a bug, of course.