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The Law of Unintended Consequences – politicalbetting.com

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  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 72,907

    Eabhal said:

    Catching up, but Kemi Badenoch did a very good job at PMQs I thought. Sir Funeral Director scraped through with his righteous chin wobbling indignation that anyone should dare to put his vital child welfare bill in jeopardy, but it was fairly thin stuff and I think Kemi had the best of it and it wasn't close.

    https://www.politico.eu/article/pmqs-uk-keir-starmer-wins-as-kemi-badenoch-goes-full-elon-musk/

    When Starmer asked Kemi “have you ever mentioned this before Musk did, as MP or Minister” and Kemi couldn’t answer, that was the zinger that won it for Starmer today.

    That in a nutshell is the Tory weakness trying to match Reform on this, it’s so transparent they didn’t ask these questions till in opposition.
    I think you should delete that post as it is a banned subject
    Sarcastic?
    No - haven't you seen @TSE repeated warnings this subject is banned due to the OSA ?

    Chilling.

    The UK desperately needs that Act repealing and a First Amendment replacement.

    It doesn't matter that Musk etc are batshit crazy, that power could be abused by anyone.
    It is chilling if people on a forum about politics cannot discuss the exchange between the prime minister and the LOTO at PMQs. That CANNOT be the intention of the OSA.
    As TSE has repeatedly advised us, it's not due to the OSA but because discussion of the topic stimulated a number of defamtory posts.
    In which discussing PMQs is fine, and posters are incorrect to suggest discussing it are banned?

    Eabhal said:

    Catching up, but Kemi Badenoch did a very good job at PMQs I thought. Sir Funeral Director scraped through with his righteous chin wobbling indignation that anyone should dare to put his vital child welfare bill in jeopardy, but it was fairly thin stuff and I think Kemi had the best of it and it wasn't close.

    https://www.politico.eu/article/pmqs-uk-keir-starmer-wins-as-kemi-badenoch-goes-full-elon-musk/

    When Starmer asked Kemi “have you ever mentioned this before Musk did, as MP or Minister” and Kemi couldn’t answer, that was the zinger that won it for Starmer today.

    That in a nutshell is the Tory weakness trying to match Reform on this, it’s so transparent they didn’t ask these questions till in opposition.
    I think you should delete that post as it is a banned subject
    Sarcastic?
    No - haven't you seen @TSE repeated warnings this subject is banned due to the OSA ?

    Chilling.

    The UK desperately needs that Act repealing and a First Amendment replacement.

    It doesn't matter that Musk etc are batshit crazy, that power could be abused by anyone.
    It is chilling if people on a forum about politics cannot discuss the exchange between the prime minister and the LOTO at PMQs. That CANNOT be the intention of the OSA.
    As TSE has repeatedly advised us, it's not due to the OSA but because discussion of the topic stimulated a number of defamtory posts.
    In which discussing PMQs is fine, and posters are incorrect to suggest discussing it are banned?
    Discussing the discussion of the grooming scandal is banned.
    A particular post might be entirely innocuous, but the last few days has shown it immediately provokes others which are less so.

    The site is no happier about it than we are - but they're the ones potentially liable if some idiot takes legal action.

    So for now, that's where we are.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 64,059

    Nigelb said:

    Catching up, but Kemi Badenoch did a very good job at PMQs I thought. Sir Funeral Director scraped through with his righteous chin wobbling indignation that anyone should dare to put his vital child welfare bill in jeopardy, but it was fairly thin stuff and I think Kemi had the best of it and it wasn't close.

    https://www.politico.eu/article/pmqs-uk-keir-starmer-wins-as-kemi-badenoch-goes-full-elon-musk/

    When Starmer asked Kemi “have you ever mentioned this before Musk did, as MP or Minister” and Kemi couldn’t answer, that was the zinger that won it for Starmer today.

    That in a nutshell is the Tory weakness trying to match Reform on this, it’s so transparent they didn’t ask these questions till in opposition.
    I think you should delete that post as it is a banned subject
    Sarcastic?
    No.
    @TheScreamingEagles has repeatedly and clearly said that, until further notice, it's a banned topic for discussion.
    Posters were getting carried away and posting potentially libellous comments - fur which gets site can be liable.
    I can respect that, but surely discussing PMQs is not the same thing?
    The main subject at PMQs was the banned one, so on this occasion no
  • bigglesbiggles Posts: 6,362
    edited January 8
    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    ohnotnow said:

    ydoethur said:

    biggles said:

    So how much extra income tax is everyone prepared to pay in order for the country to afford vast increases in military spending?

    None. We borrow up front to increase the size and capability of the armed forces, and then pay it back by ransacking France and Ireland like the old days.
    I thought they were skint too?

    It would be better to invade somewhere with spare cash like Canada.

    Ummm...actually, that might not be a smart suggestion right now.
    I hear the Virgin Islands has a fair amount of cash, on paper at least. Rather inexplicably.
    The Yanks bought their Virgin isles off Denmark in 1917, for US 25 million, by agreement of both countries, and there had been a plebiscite on the Islands previously.

    Incidentally, as part of the treaty of transfer, the United States accepted a Danish demand for a declaration stating that they would "not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland"



    They still drive on the left in the USVI thanks to their Danish heritage - in US-built left-hand-drive vehicles massively too wide for the roads. The islands are a bit rough but 'interesting' and definitely not a suitable destination for a self-drive holiday.
    I went there in the 1970s, flying with the famous "Antillies Airboats" airline. They flew ex-war Grumman Goose's between the islands, landing in the harbour, then taxi-ing up the slipway. We flew from St Croix to St Thomas on them, over to St John, and the BVI, then vin a Short Sandringham flying boat to Puerto Rico. I think it likely that we flew on the one that the boss pranged and died in a few years later.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilles_Air_Boats

    My Dad loved flying, though gave up his licence after leaving the RAF. He didn't trust civvy maintenance engineers.



    Is it as terrifying as I imagine to land on a flying boat on the water? I think it would look all wrong in the way in…
  • TimSTimS Posts: 13,505

    Nigelb said:

    Catching up, but Kemi Badenoch did a very good job at PMQs I thought. Sir Funeral Director scraped through with his righteous chin wobbling indignation that anyone should dare to put his vital child welfare bill in jeopardy, but it was fairly thin stuff and I think Kemi had the best of it and it wasn't close.

    https://www.politico.eu/article/pmqs-uk-keir-starmer-wins-as-kemi-badenoch-goes-full-elon-musk/

    When Starmer asked Kemi “have you ever mentioned this before Musk did, as MP or Minister” and Kemi couldn’t answer, that was the zinger that won it for Starmer today.

    That in a nutshell is the Tory weakness trying to match Reform on this, it’s so transparent they didn’t ask these questions till in opposition.
    I think you should delete that post as it is a banned subject
    Sarcastic?
    No.
    @TheScreamingEagles has repeatedly and clearly said that, until further notice, it's a banned topic for discussion.
    Posters were getting carried away and posting potentially libellous comments - fur which gets site can be liable.
    I can respect that, but surely discussing PMQs is not the same thing?
    Discussing what we can discuss is of course very meta, but is it more or less meta to discuss what Meta said yesterday about what can be discussed on Meta?
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 50,280
    Nigelb said:

    Eabhal said:

    Catching up, but Kemi Badenoch did a very good job at PMQs I thought. Sir Funeral Director scraped through with his righteous chin wobbling indignation that anyone should dare to put his vital child welfare bill in jeopardy, but it was fairly thin stuff and I think Kemi had the best of it and it wasn't close.

    https://www.politico.eu/article/pmqs-uk-keir-starmer-wins-as-kemi-badenoch-goes-full-elon-musk/

    When Starmer asked Kemi “have you ever mentioned this before Musk did, as MP or Minister” and Kemi couldn’t answer, that was the zinger that won it for Starmer today.

    That in a nutshell is the Tory weakness trying to match Reform on this, it’s so transparent they didn’t ask these questions till in opposition.
    I think you should delete that post as it is a banned subject
    Sarcastic?
    No - haven't you seen @TSE repeated warnings this subject is banned due to the OSA ?

    Chilling.

    The UK desperately needs that Act repealing and a First Amendment replacement.

    It doesn't matter that Musk etc are batshit crazy, that power could be abused by anyone.
    It is chilling if people on a forum about politics cannot discuss the exchange between the prime minister and the LOTO at PMQs. That CANNOT be the intention of the OSA.
    As TSE has repeatedly advised us, it's not due to the OSA but because discussion of the topic stimulated a number of defamtory posts.
    In which discussing PMQs is fine, and posters are incorrect to suggest discussing it are banned?

    Eabhal said:

    Catching up, but Kemi Badenoch did a very good job at PMQs I thought. Sir Funeral Director scraped through with his righteous chin wobbling indignation that anyone should dare to put his vital child welfare bill in jeopardy, but it was fairly thin stuff and I think Kemi had the best of it and it wasn't close.

    https://www.politico.eu/article/pmqs-uk-keir-starmer-wins-as-kemi-badenoch-goes-full-elon-musk/

    When Starmer asked Kemi “have you ever mentioned this before Musk did, as MP or Minister” and Kemi couldn’t answer, that was the zinger that won it for Starmer today.

    That in a nutshell is the Tory weakness trying to match Reform on this, it’s so transparent they didn’t ask these questions till in opposition.
    I think you should delete that post as it is a banned subject
    Sarcastic?
    No - haven't you seen @TSE repeated warnings this subject is banned due to the OSA ?

    Chilling.

    The UK desperately needs that Act repealing and a First Amendment replacement.

    It doesn't matter that Musk etc are batshit crazy, that power could be abused by anyone.
    It is chilling if people on a forum about politics cannot discuss the exchange between the prime minister and the LOTO at PMQs. That CANNOT be the intention of the OSA.
    As TSE has repeatedly advised us, it's not due to the OSA but because discussion of the topic stimulated a number of defamtory posts.
    In which discussing PMQs is fine, and posters are incorrect to suggest discussing it are banned?
    Discussing the discussion of the grooming scandal is banned.
    A particular post might be entirely innocuous, but the last few days has shown it immediately provokes others which are less so.

    The site is no happier about it than we are - but they're the ones potentially liable if some idiot takes legal action.

    So for now, that's where we are.
    It is as much a comment about some of the idiotic posts said idiot(s) have been posting on here of late, as it is about the new regulatory regime itself.
  • TimS said:

    Nigelb said:

    Catching up, but Kemi Badenoch did a very good job at PMQs I thought. Sir Funeral Director scraped through with his righteous chin wobbling indignation that anyone should dare to put his vital child welfare bill in jeopardy, but it was fairly thin stuff and I think Kemi had the best of it and it wasn't close.

    https://www.politico.eu/article/pmqs-uk-keir-starmer-wins-as-kemi-badenoch-goes-full-elon-musk/

    When Starmer asked Kemi “have you ever mentioned this before Musk did, as MP or Minister” and Kemi couldn’t answer, that was the zinger that won it for Starmer today.

    That in a nutshell is the Tory weakness trying to match Reform on this, it’s so transparent they didn’t ask these questions till in opposition.
    I think you should delete that post as it is a banned subject
    Sarcastic?
    No.
    @TheScreamingEagles has repeatedly and clearly said that, until further notice, it's a banned topic for discussion.
    Posters were getting carried away and posting potentially libellous comments - fur which gets site can be liable.
    I can respect that, but surely discussing PMQs is not the same thing?
    Discussing what we can discuss is of course very meta, but is it more or less meta to discuss what Meta said yesterday about what can be discussed on Meta?
    We can't discuss that.
    I'm sorry about that.
  • ohnotnowohnotnow Posts: 4,207
    GIN1138 said:

    Catching up, but Kemi Badenoch did a very good job at PMQs I thought. Sir Funeral Director scraped through with his righteous chin wobbling indignation that anyone should dare to put his vital child welfare bill in jeopardy, but it was fairly thin stuff and I think Kemi had the best of it and it wasn't close.

    https://www.politico.eu/article/pmqs-uk-keir-starmer-wins-as-kemi-badenoch-goes-full-elon-musk/

    When Starmer asked Kemi “have you ever mentioned this before Musk did, as MP or Minister” and Kemi couldn’t answer, that was the zinger that won it for Starmer today.

    That in a nutshell is the Tory weakness trying to match Reform on this, it’s so transparent they didn’t ask these questions till in opposition.
    The Tories were in power a long time and made many mistakes. That is true. But they are now in Opposition and their role now is to probe, ask questions and subject the government to scrutiny for THEIR decisions.

    Otherwise what is the point of the Opposition?

    I thought Kemi did very well today and Starmer was woeful (easily his worse performance since July)
    I thought Keir was meh. But Kemi having no comeback for the accusation was quite a bad look. If she was an untainted new face, fair enough. But she's held relevant posts in government leading up to now. Had she been Welsh Secretary, or Fisheries Minister before now - then she could have just shoved some people under the bus and moved on.
  • Jim_MillerJim_Miller Posts: 3,079
    In an ideal world, Trump's father would spank him, and Trump's mother would send him to bed without supper. Alas, we do not live in that world.

    (You can often predict what the Loser would say . . . by reading some "Calvin and Hobbes" comic strips.)
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 51,966
    a
    Eabhal said:

    Catching up, but Kemi Badenoch did a very good job at PMQs I thought. Sir Funeral Director scraped through with his righteous chin wobbling indignation that anyone should dare to put his vital child welfare bill in jeopardy, but it was fairly thin stuff and I think Kemi had the best of it and it wasn't close.

    https://www.politico.eu/article/pmqs-uk-keir-starmer-wins-as-kemi-badenoch-goes-full-elon-musk/

    When Starmer asked Kemi “have you ever mentioned this before Musk did, as MP or Minister” and Kemi couldn’t answer, that was the zinger that won it for Starmer today.

    That in a nutshell is the Tory weakness trying to match Reform on this, it’s so transparent they didn’t ask these questions till in opposition.
    I think you should delete that post as it is a banned subject
    Sarcastic?
    No - haven't you seen @TSE repeated warnings this subject is banned due to the OSA ?

    Chilling.

    The UK desperately needs that Act repealing and a First Amendment replacement.

    It doesn't matter that Musk etc are batshit crazy, that power could be abused by anyone.
    It is chilling if people on a forum about politics cannot discuss the exchange between the prime minister and the LOTO at PMQs. That CANNOT be the intention of the OSA.
    As TSE has repeatedly advised us, it's not due to the OSA but because discussion of the topic stimulated a number of defamatory posts.
    It is an interesting law.

    Because it shares one feature with an earlier law that was not passed. It doesn’t include the defence of truth.

    So you could say the literal exact, proven to the highest judicial and scientific proof. But if that truth potentially offends a hypothetical person, down you go.

    Maybe Private Eye not going electronic was a good idea.

    Not very useful for combatting fake news online, is it?
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 64,059
    ohnotnow said:

    GIN1138 said:

    Catching up, but Kemi Badenoch did a very good job at PMQs I thought. Sir Funeral Director scraped through with his righteous chin wobbling indignation that anyone should dare to put his vital child welfare bill in jeopardy, but it was fairly thin stuff and I think Kemi had the best of it and it wasn't close.

    https://www.politico.eu/article/pmqs-uk-keir-starmer-wins-as-kemi-badenoch-goes-full-elon-musk/

    When Starmer asked Kemi “have you ever mentioned this before Musk did, as MP or Minister” and Kemi couldn’t answer, that was the zinger that won it for Starmer today.

    That in a nutshell is the Tory weakness trying to match Reform on this, it’s so transparent they didn’t ask these questions till in opposition.
    The Tories were in power a long time and made many mistakes. That is true. But they are now in Opposition and their role now is to probe, ask questions and subject the government to scrutiny for THEIR decisions.

    Otherwise what is the point of the Opposition?

    I thought Kemi did very well today and Starmer was woeful (easily his worse performance since July)
    I thought Keir was meh. But Kemi having no comeback for the accusation was quite a bad look. If she was an untainted new face, fair enough. But she's held relevant posts in government leading up to now. Had she been Welsh Secretary, or Fisheries Minister before now - then she could have just shoved some people under the bus and moved on.
    You are discussing the banned subject !!!!

  • bigglesbiggles Posts: 6,362

    a

    Eabhal said:

    Catching up, but Kemi Badenoch did a very good job at PMQs I thought. Sir Funeral Director scraped through with his righteous chin wobbling indignation that anyone should dare to put his vital child welfare bill in jeopardy, but it was fairly thin stuff and I think Kemi had the best of it and it wasn't close.

    https://www.politico.eu/article/pmqs-uk-keir-starmer-wins-as-kemi-badenoch-goes-full-elon-musk/

    When Starmer asked Kemi “have you ever mentioned this before Musk did, as MP or Minister” and Kemi couldn’t answer, that was the zinger that won it for Starmer today.

    That in a nutshell is the Tory weakness trying to match Reform on this, it’s so transparent they didn’t ask these questions till in opposition.
    I think you should delete that post as it is a banned subject
    Sarcastic?
    No - haven't you seen @TSE repeated warnings this subject is banned due to the OSA ?

    Chilling.

    The UK desperately needs that Act repealing and a First Amendment replacement.

    It doesn't matter that Musk etc are batshit crazy, that power could be abused by anyone.
    It is chilling if people on a forum about politics cannot discuss the exchange between the prime minister and the LOTO at PMQs. That CANNOT be the intention of the OSA.
    As TSE has repeatedly advised us, it's not due to the OSA but because discussion of the topic stimulated a number of defamatory posts.
    It is an interesting law.

    Because it shares one feature with an earlier law that was not passed. It doesn’t include the defence of truth.

    So you could say the literal exact, proven to the highest judicial and scientific proof. But if that truth potentially offends a hypothetical person, down you go.

    Maybe Private Eye not going electronic was a good idea.

    Not very useful for combatting fake news online, is it?
    The question is, which deep pocketed individual will fight this on principle? Will Murdoch become an unlikely hero from nowhere? Or maybe Musk?
  • ohnotnowohnotnow Posts: 4,207

    ohnotnow said:

    GIN1138 said:

    Catching up, but Kemi Badenoch did a very good job at PMQs I thought. Sir Funeral Director scraped through with his righteous chin wobbling indignation that anyone should dare to put his vital child welfare bill in jeopardy, but it was fairly thin stuff and I think Kemi had the best of it and it wasn't close.

    https://www.politico.eu/article/pmqs-uk-keir-starmer-wins-as-kemi-badenoch-goes-full-elon-musk/

    When Starmer asked Kemi “have you ever mentioned this before Musk did, as MP or Minister” and Kemi couldn’t answer, that was the zinger that won it for Starmer today.

    That in a nutshell is the Tory weakness trying to match Reform on this, it’s so transparent they didn’t ask these questions till in opposition.
    The Tories were in power a long time and made many mistakes. That is true. But they are now in Opposition and their role now is to probe, ask questions and subject the government to scrutiny for THEIR decisions.

    Otherwise what is the point of the Opposition?

    I thought Kemi did very well today and Starmer was woeful (easily his worse performance since July)
    I thought Keir was meh. But Kemi having no comeback for the accusation was quite a bad look. If she was an untainted new face, fair enough. But she's held relevant posts in government leading up to now. Had she been Welsh Secretary, or Fisheries Minister before now - then she could have just shoved some people under the bus and moved on.
    You are discussing the banned subject !!!!

    Kemi being a bit 'mid' is banned now? I didn't even mention 'AI'!!
  • biggles said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    ohnotnow said:

    ydoethur said:

    biggles said:

    So how much extra income tax is everyone prepared to pay in order for the country to afford vast increases in military spending?

    None. We borrow up front to increase the size and capability of the armed forces, and then pay it back by ransacking France and Ireland like the old days.
    I thought they were skint too?

    It would be better to invade somewhere with spare cash like Canada.

    Ummm...actually, that might not be a smart suggestion right now.
    I hear the Virgin Islands has a fair amount of cash, on paper at least. Rather inexplicably.
    The Yanks bought their Virgin isles off Denmark in 1917, for US 25 million, by agreement of both countries, and there had been a plebiscite on the Islands previously.

    Incidentally, as part of the treaty of transfer, the United States accepted a Danish demand for a declaration stating that they would "not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland"



    They still drive on the left in the USVI thanks to their Danish heritage - in US-built left-hand-drive vehicles massively too wide for the roads. The islands are a bit rough but 'interesting' and definitely not a suitable destination for a self-drive holiday.
    I went there in the 1970s, flying with the famous "Antillies Airboats" airline. They flew ex-war Grumman Goose's between the islands, landing in the harbour, then taxi-ing up the slipway. We flew from St Croix to St Thomas on them, over to St John, and the BVI, then vin a Short Sandringham flying boat to Puerto Rico. I think it likely that we flew on the one that the boss pranged and died in a few years later.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilles_Air_Boats

    My Dad loved flying, though gave up his licence after leaving the RAF. He didn't trust civvy maintenance engineers.



    Is it as terrifying as I imagine to land on a flying boat on the water? I think it would look all wrong in the way in…
    That was the centre of my boyish imagination in those Tintin books.
    I absolutely loved the idea of doing thar, and I would re-,read the pages wifh this images again and again.
    Something about the mixture of air and water.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 64,059
    biggles said:

    a

    Eabhal said:

    Catching up, but Kemi Badenoch did a very good job at PMQs I thought. Sir Funeral Director scraped through with his righteous chin wobbling indignation that anyone should dare to put his vital child welfare bill in jeopardy, but it was fairly thin stuff and I think Kemi had the best of it and it wasn't close.

    https://www.politico.eu/article/pmqs-uk-keir-starmer-wins-as-kemi-badenoch-goes-full-elon-musk/

    When Starmer asked Kemi “have you ever mentioned this before Musk did, as MP or Minister” and Kemi couldn’t answer, that was the zinger that won it for Starmer today.

    That in a nutshell is the Tory weakness trying to match Reform on this, it’s so transparent they didn’t ask these questions till in opposition.
    I think you should delete that post as it is a banned subject
    Sarcastic?
    No - haven't you seen @TSE repeated warnings this subject is banned due to the OSA ?

    Chilling.

    The UK desperately needs that Act repealing and a First Amendment replacement.

    It doesn't matter that Musk etc are batshit crazy, that power could be abused by anyone.
    It is chilling if people on a forum about politics cannot discuss the exchange between the prime minister and the LOTO at PMQs. That CANNOT be the intention of the OSA.
    As TSE has repeatedly advised us, it's not due to the OSA but because discussion of the topic stimulated a number of defamatory posts.
    It is an interesting law.

    Because it shares one feature with an earlier law that was not passed. It doesn’t include the defence of truth.

    So you could say the literal exact, proven to the highest judicial and scientific proof. But if that truth potentially offends a hypothetical person, down you go.

    Maybe Private Eye not going electronic was a good idea.

    Not very useful for combatting fake news online, is it?
    The question is, which deep pocketed individual will fight this on principle? Will Murdoch become an unlikely hero from nowhere? Or maybe Musk?
    You can see on here tonight that, notwithstanding a specific instruction from TSE not to discuss grooming, some posts are doing just that !!!
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 49,524
    edited January 8
    biggles said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    ohnotnow said:

    ydoethur said:

    biggles said:

    So how much extra income tax is everyone prepared to pay in order for the country to afford vast increases in military spending?

    None. We borrow up front to increase the size and capability of the armed forces, and then pay it back by ransacking France and Ireland like the old days.
    I thought they were skint too?

    It would be better to invade somewhere with spare cash like Canada.

    Ummm...actually, that might not be a smart suggestion right now.
    I hear the Virgin Islands has a fair amount of cash, on paper at least. Rather inexplicably.
    The Yanks bought their Virgin isles off Denmark in 1917, for US 25 million, by agreement of both countries, and there had been a plebiscite on the Islands previously.

    Incidentally, as part of the treaty of transfer, the United States accepted a Danish demand for a declaration stating that they would "not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland"



    They still drive on the left in the USVI thanks to their Danish heritage - in US-built left-hand-drive vehicles massively too wide for the roads. The islands are a bit rough but 'interesting' and definitely not a suitable destination for a self-drive holiday.
    I went there in the 1970s, flying with the famous "Antillies Airboats" airline. They flew ex-war Grumman Goose's between the islands, landing in the harbour, then taxi-ing up the slipway. We flew from St Croix to St Thomas on them, over to St John, and the BVI, then vin a Short Sandringham flying boat to Puerto Rico. I think it likely that we flew on the one that the boss pranged and died in a few years later.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilles_Air_Boats

    My Dad loved flying, though gave up his licence after leaving the RAF. He didn't trust civvy maintenance engineers.



    Is it as terrifying as I imagine to land on a flying boat on the water? I think it would look all wrong in the way in…
    I don't remember it being scary, but I was 11, so took it all on trust.

    There were only 8 or 10 seats, and a single pilot. After taxiing into the harbour the pilot had to hand crank up the wheels. The co-pilots controls were removed so it could be used as a further passenger seat. My older brother got that by the Law of Baggsie.

    St John was the nicest of the American Islands, with good snorkelling, Tortola quite backward and untouched. St Thomas even then was a bit ruined by cruise ships. We quite liked San Juan in Puerto Rico too, with interesting Spanish fortress.

    I don't know what it's like now.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 64,059
    edited January 8
    ohnotnow said:

    ohnotnow said:

    GIN1138 said:

    Catching up, but Kemi Badenoch did a very good job at PMQs I thought. Sir Funeral Director scraped through with his righteous chin wobbling indignation that anyone should dare to put his vital child welfare bill in jeopardy, but it was fairly thin stuff and I think Kemi had the best of it and it wasn't close.

    https://www.politico.eu/article/pmqs-uk-keir-starmer-wins-as-kemi-badenoch-goes-full-elon-musk/

    When Starmer asked Kemi “have you ever mentioned this before Musk did, as MP or Minister” and Kemi couldn’t answer, that was the zinger that won it for Starmer today.

    That in a nutshell is the Tory weakness trying to match Reform on this, it’s so transparent they didn’t ask these questions till in opposition.
    The Tories were in power a long time and made many mistakes. That is true. But they are now in Opposition and their role now is to probe, ask questions and subject the government to scrutiny for THEIR decisions.

    Otherwise what is the point of the Opposition?

    I thought Kemi did very well today and Starmer was woeful (easily his worse performance since July)
    I thought Keir was meh. But Kemi having no comeback for the accusation was quite a bad look. If she was an untainted new face, fair enough. But she's held relevant posts in government leading up to now. Had she been Welsh Secretary, or Fisheries Minister before now - then she could have just shoved some people under the bus and moved on.
    You are discussing the banned subject !!!!

    Kemi being a bit 'mid' is banned now? I didn't even mention 'AI'!!
    You referred to PMQs which relates to grooming

    There is a lot many of us would like to say but refrain as a matter of respect to @TSE and the site owners

    The OSA is chilling and will have wide scale consequences on all on line forums
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 51,966
    biggles said:

    a

    Eabhal said:

    Catching up, but Kemi Badenoch did a very good job at PMQs I thought. Sir Funeral Director scraped through with his righteous chin wobbling indignation that anyone should dare to put his vital child welfare bill in jeopardy, but it was fairly thin stuff and I think Kemi had the best of it and it wasn't close.

    https://www.politico.eu/article/pmqs-uk-keir-starmer-wins-as-kemi-badenoch-goes-full-elon-musk/

    When Starmer asked Kemi “have you ever mentioned this before Musk did, as MP or Minister” and Kemi couldn’t answer, that was the zinger that won it for Starmer today.

    That in a nutshell is the Tory weakness trying to match Reform on this, it’s so transparent they didn’t ask these questions till in opposition.
    I think you should delete that post as it is a banned subject
    Sarcastic?
    No - haven't you seen @TSE repeated warnings this subject is banned due to the OSA ?

    Chilling.

    The UK desperately needs that Act repealing and a First Amendment replacement.

    It doesn't matter that Musk etc are batshit crazy, that power could be abused by anyone.
    It is chilling if people on a forum about politics cannot discuss the exchange between the prime minister and the LOTO at PMQs. That CANNOT be the intention of the OSA.
    As TSE has repeatedly advised us, it's not due to the OSA but because discussion of the topic stimulated a number of defamatory posts.
    It is an interesting law.

    Because it shares one feature with an earlier law that was not passed. It doesn’t include the defence of truth.

    So you could say the literal exact, proven to the highest judicial and scientific proof. But if that truth potentially offends a hypothetical person, down you go.

    Maybe Private Eye not going electronic was a good idea.

    Not very useful for combatting fake news online, is it?
    The question is, which deep pocketed individual will fight this on principle? Will Murdoch become an unlikely hero from nowhere? Or maybe Musk?
    Prosecuting for truth that offends. That’s the history of libel law. Right there.

    The rich and powerful will love this law.

  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 49,524
    ohnotnow said:

    GIN1138 said:

    Catching up, but Kemi Badenoch did a very good job at PMQs I thought. Sir Funeral Director scraped through with his righteous chin wobbling indignation that anyone should dare to put his vital child welfare bill in jeopardy, but it was fairly thin stuff and I think Kemi had the best of it and it wasn't close.

    https://www.politico.eu/article/pmqs-uk-keir-starmer-wins-as-kemi-badenoch-goes-full-elon-musk/

    When Starmer asked Kemi “have you ever mentioned this before Musk did, as MP or Minister” and Kemi couldn’t answer, that was the zinger that won it for Starmer today.

    That in a nutshell is the Tory weakness trying to match Reform on this, it’s so transparent they didn’t ask these questions till in opposition.
    The Tories were in power a long time and made many mistakes. That is true. But they are now in Opposition and their role now is to probe, ask questions and subject the government to scrutiny for THEIR decisions.

    Otherwise what is the point of the Opposition?

    I thought Kemi did very well today and Starmer was woeful (easily his worse performance since July)
    I thought Keir was meh. But Kemi having no comeback for the accusation was quite a bad look. If she was an untainted new face, fair enough. But she's held relevant posts in government leading up to now. Had she been Welsh Secretary, or Fisheries Minister before now - then she could have just shoved some people under the bus and moved on.
    I thought so too. Ed Davey was good with his two questions.

  • ohnotnowohnotnow Posts: 4,207
    Foxy said:

    biggles said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    ohnotnow said:

    ydoethur said:

    biggles said:

    So how much extra income tax is everyone prepared to pay in order for the country to afford vast increases in military spending?

    None. We borrow up front to increase the size and capability of the armed forces, and then pay it back by ransacking France and Ireland like the old days.
    I thought they were skint too?

    It would be better to invade somewhere with spare cash like Canada.

    Ummm...actually, that might not be a smart suggestion right now.
    I hear the Virgin Islands has a fair amount of cash, on paper at least. Rather inexplicably.
    The Yanks bought their Virgin isles off Denmark in 1917, for US 25 million, by agreement of both countries, and there had been a plebiscite on the Islands previously.

    Incidentally, as part of the treaty of transfer, the United States accepted a Danish demand for a declaration stating that they would "not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland"



    They still drive on the left in the USVI thanks to their Danish heritage - in US-built left-hand-drive vehicles massively too wide for the roads. The islands are a bit rough but 'interesting' and definitely not a suitable destination for a self-drive holiday.
    I went there in the 1970s, flying with the famous "Antillies Airboats" airline. They flew ex-war Grumman Goose's between the islands, landing in the harbour, then taxi-ing up the slipway. We flew from St Croix to St Thomas on them, over to St John, and the BVI, then vin a Short Sandringham flying boat to Puerto Rico. I think it likely that we flew on the one that the boss pranged and died in a few years later.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilles_Air_Boats

    My Dad loved flying, though gave up his licence after leaving the RAF. He didn't trust civvy maintenance engineers.



    Is it as terrifying as I imagine to land on a flying boat on the water? I think it would look all wrong in the way in…
    I don't remember it being scary, but I was 11, so took it all on trust.

    There were only 8 or 10 seats, and a single pilot. After taxiing into the harbour the pilot had to hand crank up the wheels. The co-pilots controls were removed so it could be used as a further passenger seat. My older brother got that by the Law of Baggsie.

    St John was the nicest of the American Islands, with good snorkelling, Tortola quite backward and untouched. St Thomas even then was a bit ruined by cruise ships. We quite liked San Juan in Puerto Rico too, with interesting Spanish fortress.

    I don't know what it's like now.
    This has suddenly brought back a TV show I haven't thought about since I watched it in 1983.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_of_the_Gold_Monkey

    There must be at least three other people who remember this.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdFN6agkNnQ

    Two. Surely? One? Hello?
  • devolution is supposedly democratic

    so is evolution undemocratic?
  • bigglesbiggles Posts: 6,362
    Foxy said:

    biggles said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    ohnotnow said:

    ydoethur said:

    biggles said:

    So how much extra income tax is everyone prepared to pay in order for the country to afford vast increases in military spending?

    None. We borrow up front to increase the size and capability of the armed forces, and then pay it back by ransacking France and Ireland like the old days.
    I thought they were skint too?

    It would be better to invade somewhere with spare cash like Canada.

    Ummm...actually, that might not be a smart suggestion right now.
    I hear the Virgin Islands has a fair amount of cash, on paper at least. Rather inexplicably.
    The Yanks bought their Virgin isles off Denmark in 1917, for US 25 million, by agreement of both countries, and there had been a plebiscite on the Islands previously.

    Incidentally, as part of the treaty of transfer, the United States accepted a Danish demand for a declaration stating that they would "not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland"



    They still drive on the left in the USVI thanks to their Danish heritage - in US-built left-hand-drive vehicles massively too wide for the roads. The islands are a bit rough but 'interesting' and definitely not a suitable destination for a self-drive holiday.
    I went there in the 1970s, flying with the famous "Antillies Airboats" airline. They flew ex-war Grumman Goose's between the islands, landing in the harbour, then taxi-ing up the slipway. We flew from St Croix to St Thomas on them, over to St John, and the BVI, then vin a Short Sandringham flying boat to Puerto Rico. I think it likely that we flew on the one that the boss pranged and died in a few years later.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilles_Air_Boats

    My Dad loved flying, though gave up his licence after leaving the RAF. He didn't trust civvy maintenance engineers.



    Is it as terrifying as I imagine to land on a flying boat on the water? I think it would look all wrong in the way in…
    I don't remember it being scary, but I was 11, so took it all on trust.

    There were only 8 or 10 seats, and a single pilot. After taxiing into the harbour the pilot had to hand crank up the wheels. The co-pilots controls were removed so it could be used as a further passenger seat. My older brother got that by the Law of Baggsie.

    St John was the nicest of the American Islands, with good snorkelling, Tortola quite backward and untouched. St Thomas even then was a bit ruined by cruise ships. We quite liked San Juan in Puerto Rico too, with interesting Spanish fortress.

    I don't know what it's like now.
    Sounds like paradise. Also I think we’re both from Leicestershire, and I am mentally contrasting that with drizzle at home!
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 64,059

    The Anglo-Canada “agreement” is the idea whose time has come.

    Freedom of movement.
    A single market from Vancouver to the North Sea.
    Enhanced defence co-operation, including procurement.

    With privileged access to the U.S. on one side via NAFTA, and the EU on the other via an EFTA type arrangement.

    It would be excellent
  • bigglesbiggles Posts: 6,362
    ohnotnow said:

    Foxy said:

    biggles said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    ohnotnow said:

    ydoethur said:

    biggles said:

    So how much extra income tax is everyone prepared to pay in order for the country to afford vast increases in military spending?

    None. We borrow up front to increase the size and capability of the armed forces, and then pay it back by ransacking France and Ireland like the old days.
    I thought they were skint too?

    It would be better to invade somewhere with spare cash like Canada.

    Ummm...actually, that might not be a smart suggestion right now.
    I hear the Virgin Islands has a fair amount of cash, on paper at least. Rather inexplicably.
    The Yanks bought their Virgin isles off Denmark in 1917, for US 25 million, by agreement of both countries, and there had been a plebiscite on the Islands previously.

    Incidentally, as part of the treaty of transfer, the United States accepted a Danish demand for a declaration stating that they would "not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland"



    They still drive on the left in the USVI thanks to their Danish heritage - in US-built left-hand-drive vehicles massively too wide for the roads. The islands are a bit rough but 'interesting' and definitely not a suitable destination for a self-drive holiday.
    I went there in the 1970s, flying with the famous "Antillies Airboats" airline. They flew ex-war Grumman Goose's between the islands, landing in the harbour, then taxi-ing up the slipway. We flew from St Croix to St Thomas on them, over to St John, and the BVI, then vin a Short Sandringham flying boat to Puerto Rico. I think it likely that we flew on the one that the boss pranged and died in a few years later.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilles_Air_Boats

    My Dad loved flying, though gave up his licence after leaving the RAF. He didn't trust civvy maintenance engineers.



    Is it as terrifying as I imagine to land on a flying boat on the water? I think it would look all wrong in the way in…
    I don't remember it being scary, but I was 11, so took it all on trust.

    There were only 8 or 10 seats, and a single pilot. After taxiing into the harbour the pilot had to hand crank up the wheels. The co-pilots controls were removed so it could be used as a further passenger seat. My older brother got that by the Law of Baggsie.

    St John was the nicest of the American Islands, with good snorkelling, Tortola quite backward and untouched. St Thomas even then was a bit ruined by cruise ships. We quite liked San Juan in Puerto Rico too, with interesting Spanish fortress.

    I don't know what it's like now.
    This has suddenly brought back a TV show I haven't thought about since I watched it in 1983.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_of_the_Gold_Monkey

    There must be at least three other people who remember this.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdFN6agkNnQ

    Two. Surely? One? Hello?
    For half a second I thought you’d gone with “Mysterious Cities of Gold”. Loved that.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 52,810

    The Anglo-Canada “agreement” is the idea whose time has come.

    Freedom of movement.
    A single market from Vancouver to the North Sea.
    Enhanced defence co-operation, including procurement.

    With privileged access to the U.S. on one side via NAFTA, and the EU on the other via an EFTA type arrangement.

    It could have some positive cultural effects on the UK because our political and media elite would have to focus on North America but from a non-US-centric perspective for a change.
  • bigglesbiggles Posts: 6,362

    The Anglo-Canada “agreement” is the idea whose time has come.

    Freedom of movement.
    A single market from Vancouver to the North Sea.
    Enhanced defence co-operation, including procurement.

    With privileged access to the U.S. on one side via NAFTA, and the EU on the other via an EFTA type arrangement.

    And Greenland? The heart of NATO.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 72,907
    edited January 8
    Foxy said:

    biggles said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    ohnotnow said:

    ydoethur said:

    biggles said:

    So how much extra income tax is everyone prepared to pay in order for the country to afford vast increases in military spending?

    None. We borrow up front to increase the size and capability of the armed forces, and then pay it back by ransacking France and Ireland like the old days.
    I thought they were skint too?

    It would be better to invade somewhere with spare cash like Canada.

    Ummm...actually, that might not be a smart suggestion right now.
    I hear the Virgin Islands has a fair amount of cash, on paper at least. Rather inexplicably.
    The Yanks bought their Virgin isles off Denmark in 1917, for US 25 million, by agreement of both countries, and there had been a plebiscite on the Islands previously.

    Incidentally, as part of the treaty of transfer, the United States accepted a Danish demand for a declaration stating that they would "not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland"



    They still drive on the left in the USVI thanks to their Danish heritage - in US-built left-hand-drive vehicles massively too wide for the roads. The islands are a bit rough but 'interesting' and definitely not a suitable destination for a self-drive holiday.
    I went there in the 1970s, flying with the famous "Antillies Airboats" airline. They flew ex-war Grumman Goose's between the islands, landing in the harbour, then taxi-ing up the slipway. We flew from St Croix to St Thomas on them, over to St John, and the BVI, then vin a Short Sandringham flying boat to Puerto Rico. I think it likely that we flew on the one that the boss pranged and died in a few years later.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilles_Air_Boats

    My Dad loved flying, though gave up his licence after leaving the RAF. He didn't trust civvy maintenance engineers.



    Is it as terrifying as I imagine to land on a flying boat on the water? I think it would look all wrong in the way in…
    I don't remember it being scary, but I was 11, so took it all on trust.

    There were only 8 or 10 seats, and a single pilot. After taxiing into the harbour the pilot had to hand crank up the wheels. The co-pilots controls were removed so it could be used as a further passenger seat. My older brother got that by the Law of Baggsie.

    St John was the nicest of the American Islands, with good snorkelling, Tortola quite backward and untouched. St Thomas even then was a bit ruined by cruise ships. We quite liked San Juan in Puerto Rico too, with interesting Spanish fortress.

    I don't know what it's like now.
    Was it one of these ?
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_G-21_Goose

    My favourite flying boat, just for looks, is this beauty:
    https://oldmachinepress.com/2020/02/05/latecoere-631-flying-boat-airliner/

    Absolute death trap, though.
  • ohnotnowohnotnow Posts: 4,207

    ohnotnow said:

    ohnotnow said:

    GIN1138 said:

    Catching up, but Kemi Badenoch did a very good job at PMQs I thought. Sir Funeral Director scraped through with his righteous chin wobbling indignation that anyone should dare to put his vital child welfare bill in jeopardy, but it was fairly thin stuff and I think Kemi had the best of it and it wasn't close.

    https://www.politico.eu/article/pmqs-uk-keir-starmer-wins-as-kemi-badenoch-goes-full-elon-musk/

    When Starmer asked Kemi “have you ever mentioned this before Musk did, as MP or Minister” and Kemi couldn’t answer, that was the zinger that won it for Starmer today.

    That in a nutshell is the Tory weakness trying to match Reform on this, it’s so transparent they didn’t ask these questions till in opposition.
    The Tories were in power a long time and made many mistakes. That is true. But they are now in Opposition and their role now is to probe, ask questions and subject the government to scrutiny for THEIR decisions.

    Otherwise what is the point of the Opposition?

    I thought Kemi did very well today and Starmer was woeful (easily his worse performance since July)
    I thought Keir was meh. But Kemi having no comeback for the accusation was quite a bad look. If she was an untainted new face, fair enough. But she's held relevant posts in government leading up to now. Had she been Welsh Secretary, or Fisheries Minister before now - then she could have just shoved some people under the bus and moved on.
    You are discussing the banned subject !!!!

    Kemi being a bit 'mid' is banned now? I didn't even mention 'AI'!!
    You referred to PMQs which relates to grooming

    There is a lot many of us would like to say but refrain as a matter of respect to @TSE and the site owners

    The OSA is chilling and will have wide scale consequences on all on line forums
    Sorry - I was being a bit troll-y.

    A fair number of small IT/geek forums I used to enjoy folded under previous over-broad bits of legislation due to the burden it places on the owners of the sites. I vaguely, faintly, hope that some of the anonymous parliamentarians who frequent this tavern might raise some issues going forward.

    A law designed to target FB which makes ~$14bn in profit per quarter but also draws in PB which, I imagine, draws in somewhat less - seems 'a tad' over-broad to me.
  • ohnotnowohnotnow Posts: 4,207
    biggles said:

    ohnotnow said:

    Foxy said:

    biggles said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    ohnotnow said:

    ydoethur said:

    biggles said:

    So how much extra income tax is everyone prepared to pay in order for the country to afford vast increases in military spending?

    None. We borrow up front to increase the size and capability of the armed forces, and then pay it back by ransacking France and Ireland like the old days.
    I thought they were skint too?

    It would be better to invade somewhere with spare cash like Canada.

    Ummm...actually, that might not be a smart suggestion right now.
    I hear the Virgin Islands has a fair amount of cash, on paper at least. Rather inexplicably.
    The Yanks bought their Virgin isles off Denmark in 1917, for US 25 million, by agreement of both countries, and there had been a plebiscite on the Islands previously.

    Incidentally, as part of the treaty of transfer, the United States accepted a Danish demand for a declaration stating that they would "not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland"



    They still drive on the left in the USVI thanks to their Danish heritage - in US-built left-hand-drive vehicles massively too wide for the roads. The islands are a bit rough but 'interesting' and definitely not a suitable destination for a self-drive holiday.
    I went there in the 1970s, flying with the famous "Antillies Airboats" airline. They flew ex-war Grumman Goose's between the islands, landing in the harbour, then taxi-ing up the slipway. We flew from St Croix to St Thomas on them, over to St John, and the BVI, then vin a Short Sandringham flying boat to Puerto Rico. I think it likely that we flew on the one that the boss pranged and died in a few years later.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilles_Air_Boats

    My Dad loved flying, though gave up his licence after leaving the RAF. He didn't trust civvy maintenance engineers.



    Is it as terrifying as I imagine to land on a flying boat on the water? I think it would look all wrong in the way in…
    I don't remember it being scary, but I was 11, so took it all on trust.

    There were only 8 or 10 seats, and a single pilot. After taxiing into the harbour the pilot had to hand crank up the wheels. The co-pilots controls were removed so it could be used as a further passenger seat. My older brother got that by the Law of Baggsie.

    St John was the nicest of the American Islands, with good snorkelling, Tortola quite backward and untouched. St Thomas even then was a bit ruined by cruise ships. We quite liked San Juan in Puerto Rico too, with interesting Spanish fortress.

    I don't know what it's like now.
    This has suddenly brought back a TV show I haven't thought about since I watched it in 1983.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_of_the_Gold_Monkey

    There must be at least three other people who remember this.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdFN6agkNnQ

    Two. Surely? One? Hello?
    For half a second I thought you’d gone with “Mysterious Cities of Gold”. Loved that.
    Now there's another totally legitimate download I need to queue up, dammit! ;-)
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 64,059
    ohnotnow said:

    ohnotnow said:

    ohnotnow said:

    GIN1138 said:

    Catching up, but Kemi Badenoch did a very good job at PMQs I thought. Sir Funeral Director scraped through with his righteous chin wobbling indignation that anyone should dare to put his vital child welfare bill in jeopardy, but it was fairly thin stuff and I think Kemi had the best of it and it wasn't close.

    https://www.politico.eu/article/pmqs-uk-keir-starmer-wins-as-kemi-badenoch-goes-full-elon-musk/

    When Starmer asked Kemi “have you ever mentioned this before Musk did, as MP or Minister” and Kemi couldn’t answer, that was the zinger that won it for Starmer today.

    That in a nutshell is the Tory weakness trying to match Reform on this, it’s so transparent they didn’t ask these questions till in opposition.
    The Tories were in power a long time and made many mistakes. That is true. But they are now in Opposition and their role now is to probe, ask questions and subject the government to scrutiny for THEIR decisions.

    Otherwise what is the point of the Opposition?

    I thought Kemi did very well today and Starmer was woeful (easily his worse performance since July)
    I thought Keir was meh. But Kemi having no comeback for the accusation was quite a bad look. If she was an untainted new face, fair enough. But she's held relevant posts in government leading up to now. Had she been Welsh Secretary, or Fisheries Minister before now - then she could have just shoved some people under the bus and moved on.
    You are discussing the banned subject !!!!

    Kemi being a bit 'mid' is banned now? I didn't even mention 'AI'!!
    You referred to PMQs which relates to grooming

    There is a lot many of us would like to say but refrain as a matter of respect to @TSE and the site owners

    The OSA is chilling and will have wide scale consequences on all on line forums
    Sorry - I was being a bit troll-y.

    A fair number of small IT/geek forums I used to enjoy folded under previous over-broad bits of legislation due to the burden it places on the owners of the sites. I vaguely, faintly, hope that some of the anonymous parliamentarians who frequent this tavern might raise some issues going forward.

    A law designed to target FB which makes ~$14bn in profit per quarter but also draws in PB which, I imagine, draws in somewhat less - seems 'a tad' over-broad to me.
    OBS is shocking and as you see tonight closes down free speech

    Unfortunately all the political parties are in favour of it and it will come into force, unless it is successfully challenged in the ECHR
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 49,524
    edited January 8
    Nigelb said:

    Foxy said:

    biggles said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    ohnotnow said:

    ydoethur said:

    biggles said:

    So how much extra income tax is everyone prepared to pay in order for the country to afford vast increases in military spending?

    None. We borrow up front to increase the size and capability of the armed forces, and then pay it back by ransacking France and Ireland like the old days.
    I thought they were skint too?

    It would be better to invade somewhere with spare cash like Canada.

    Ummm...actually, that might not be a smart suggestion right now.
    I hear the Virgin Islands has a fair amount of cash, on paper at least. Rather inexplicably.
    The Yanks bought their Virgin isles off Denmark in 1917, for US 25 million, by agreement of both countries, and there had been a plebiscite on the Islands previously.

    Incidentally, as part of the treaty of transfer, the United States accepted a Danish demand for a declaration stating that they would "not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland"



    They still drive on the left in the USVI thanks to their Danish heritage - in US-built left-hand-drive vehicles massively too wide for the roads. The islands are a bit rough but 'interesting' and definitely not a suitable destination for a self-drive holiday.
    I went there in the 1970s, flying with the famous "Antillies Airboats" airline. They flew ex-war Grumman Goose's between the islands, landing in the harbour, then taxi-ing up the slipway. We flew from St Croix to St Thomas on them, over to St John, and the BVI, then vin a Short Sandringham flying boat to Puerto Rico. I think it likely that we flew on the one that the boss pranged and died in a few years later.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilles_Air_Boats

    My Dad loved flying, though gave up his licence after leaving the RAF. He didn't trust civvy maintenance engineers.



    Is it as terrifying as I imagine to land on a flying boat on the water? I think it would look all wrong in the way in…
    I don't remember it being scary, but I was 11, so took it all on trust.

    There were only 8 or 10 seats, and a single pilot. After taxiing into the harbour the pilot had to hand crank up the wheels. The co-pilots controls were removed so it could be used as a further passenger seat. My older brother got that by the Law of Baggsie.

    St John was the nicest of the American Islands, with good snorkelling, Tortola quite backward and untouched. St Thomas even then was a bit ruined by cruise ships. We quite liked San Juan in Puerto Rico too, with interesting Spanish fortress.

    I don't know what it's like now.
    Was it one of these ?
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_G-21_Goose

    My favourite flying boat, just for looks, is this beauty:
    https://oldmachinepress.com/2020/02/05/latecoere-631-flying-boat-airliner/

    Absolute death trap, though.
    Yes, that was the Goose that I flew in. The luggage was in the nose, and as my father doesn't travel light it took a while to get airborne. It's a bit like a noisy speedboat until you are in the air.

    It looks like some are still flying commercially.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 49,524
    biggles said:

    Foxy said:

    biggles said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    ohnotnow said:

    ydoethur said:

    biggles said:

    So how much extra income tax is everyone prepared to pay in order for the country to afford vast increases in military spending?

    None. We borrow up front to increase the size and capability of the armed forces, and then pay it back by ransacking France and Ireland like the old days.
    I thought they were skint too?

    It would be better to invade somewhere with spare cash like Canada.

    Ummm...actually, that might not be a smart suggestion right now.
    I hear the Virgin Islands has a fair amount of cash, on paper at least. Rather inexplicably.
    The Yanks bought their Virgin isles off Denmark in 1917, for US 25 million, by agreement of both countries, and there had been a plebiscite on the Islands previously.

    Incidentally, as part of the treaty of transfer, the United States accepted a Danish demand for a declaration stating that they would "not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland"



    They still drive on the left in the USVI thanks to their Danish heritage - in US-built left-hand-drive vehicles massively too wide for the roads. The islands are a bit rough but 'interesting' and definitely not a suitable destination for a self-drive holiday.
    I went there in the 1970s, flying with the famous "Antillies Airboats" airline. They flew ex-war Grumman Goose's between the islands, landing in the harbour, then taxi-ing up the slipway. We flew from St Croix to St Thomas on them, over to St John, and the BVI, then vin a Short Sandringham flying boat to Puerto Rico. I think it likely that we flew on the one that the boss pranged and died in a few years later.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilles_Air_Boats

    My Dad loved flying, though gave up his licence after leaving the RAF. He didn't trust civvy maintenance engineers.



    Is it as terrifying as I imagine to land on a flying boat on the water? I think it would look all wrong in the way in…
    I don't remember it being scary, but I was 11, so took it all on trust.

    There were only 8 or 10 seats, and a single pilot. After taxiing into the harbour the pilot had to hand crank up the wheels. The co-pilots controls were removed so it could be used as a further passenger seat. My older brother got that by the Law of Baggsie.

    St John was the nicest of the American Islands, with good snorkelling, Tortola quite backward and untouched. St Thomas even then was a bit ruined by cruise ships. We quite liked San Juan in Puerto Rico too, with interesting Spanish fortress.

    I don't know what it's like now.
    Sounds like paradise. Also I think we’re both from Leicestershire, and I am mentally contrasting that with drizzle at home!
    I am Leics by adoption, a Wiganer by birth.
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,427
    edited January 8
    I kinda get what Trumps beef is with Mexico and maybe even Panama. But what's his problem with Greenland? Is there anything actually at Greenland? 😂
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 21,495
    GIN1138 said:

    I kinda get what Trumps beef is with Mexico and maybe even Panama. But what's his problem with Greenland? If there anything actually at Greenland? 😂

    Rare earth materials, allegedly.
    Although since his interest seems to go back a while, one can’t help wonder if it’s just a hobbyhorse he developed one day while poring over maps.

    The more interesting question is perhaps what his issue with Canada is.

    Ostensibly he is asking Canada to deal with illegal migration into the U.S., or face swingeing tariffs.

    But as far as I know there isn’t a problem of illegal migrants from Canada into the U.S.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 33,133
    Talking in general about news blogsites, (not PB in particular), it's going to be difficult if they're not able to discuss one of the main news items of the day because of this new law.
  • bigglesbiggles Posts: 6,362
    Foxy said:

    biggles said:

    Foxy said:

    biggles said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    ohnotnow said:

    ydoethur said:

    biggles said:

    So how much extra income tax is everyone prepared to pay in order for the country to afford vast increases in military spending?

    None. We borrow up front to increase the size and capability of the armed forces, and then pay it back by ransacking France and Ireland like the old days.
    I thought they were skint too?

    It would be better to invade somewhere with spare cash like Canada.

    Ummm...actually, that might not be a smart suggestion right now.
    I hear the Virgin Islands has a fair amount of cash, on paper at least. Rather inexplicably.
    The Yanks bought their Virgin isles off Denmark in 1917, for US 25 million, by agreement of both countries, and there had been a plebiscite on the Islands previously.

    Incidentally, as part of the treaty of transfer, the United States accepted a Danish demand for a declaration stating that they would "not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland"



    They still drive on the left in the USVI thanks to their Danish heritage - in US-built left-hand-drive vehicles massively too wide for the roads. The islands are a bit rough but 'interesting' and definitely not a suitable destination for a self-drive holiday.
    I went there in the 1970s, flying with the famous "Antillies Airboats" airline. They flew ex-war Grumman Goose's between the islands, landing in the harbour, then taxi-ing up the slipway. We flew from St Croix to St Thomas on them, over to St John, and the BVI, then vin a Short Sandringham flying boat to Puerto Rico. I think it likely that we flew on the one that the boss pranged and died in a few years later.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilles_Air_Boats

    My Dad loved flying, though gave up his licence after leaving the RAF. He didn't trust civvy maintenance engineers.



    Is it as terrifying as I imagine to land on a flying boat on the water? I think it would look all wrong in the way in…
    I don't remember it being scary, but I was 11, so took it all on trust.

    There were only 8 or 10 seats, and a single pilot. After taxiing into the harbour the pilot had to hand crank up the wheels. The co-pilots controls were removed so it could be used as a further passenger seat. My older brother got that by the Law of Baggsie.

    St John was the nicest of the American Islands, with good snorkelling, Tortola quite backward and untouched. St Thomas even then was a bit ruined by cruise ships. We quite liked San Juan in Puerto Rico too, with interesting Spanish fortress.

    I don't know what it's like now.
    Sounds like paradise. Also I think we’re both from Leicestershire, and I am mentally contrasting that with drizzle at home!
    I am Leics by adoption, a Wiganer by birth.
    Nobody is perfect.
  • bigglesbiggles Posts: 6,362
    Andy_JS said:

    Talking in general about news blogsites, (not PB in particular), it's going to be difficult if they're not able to discuss one of the main news items of the day because of this new law.

    Someone with foreign citizenship and deep pockets will do a Guido and set up overseas. Get the balance right and the notoriety will be worth it.
  • The Anglo-Canada “agreement” is the idea whose time has come.

    Freedom of movement.
    A single market from Vancouver to the North Sea.
    Enhanced defence co-operation, including procurement.

    With privileged access to the U.S. on one side via NAFTA, and the EU on the other via an EFTA type arrangement.

    I'm a big fan of Canada, but sadly.I think Trump and Musk will make anything like this very difficult.

    The kind of ideas that are proliferating in the Maga trollosphere are that "We Subsidize Canada with 200 billion a year (false) , so it's basically ours."
    Atlanticists should also be aware that there are now thousands of such posts about Britain, too. since Musk's recent campaign.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 13,700
    edited January 8

    Yes. I was right. We can call it peak Liverpool for this season. They only got on a run due to easy run of fixtures, now they are leggy, off ball like watching players running through treacle. The press fell apart against Manchester Utd, the press was nonexistent this evening against Spurs reserves.

    Let's see how they crumble at the City Ground againt the Mighty Reds....
    It a genuine test now for Liverpool on Tuesday. They couldn’t get the cutting edge of Mo into the game today. They are playing differently now than the opening months of the season because they are tired, mentally, physically, from a game twice a week, forsome not match fit after time injured. And less press is less turnover is less Salah.

    Much like VVD was at Southampton, the Forest defenders may be underrated right now, end up stars at bigger clubs, perhaps even Liverpool. They were excellent against Villa.

    Would both Forest and Liverpool take 1.1 if you offered it right now?
  • GIN1138 said:

    I kinda get what Trumps beef is with Mexico and maybe even Panama. But what's his problem with Greenland? If there anything actually at Greenland? 😂

    Rare earth materials, allegedly.
    Although since his interest seems to go back a while, one can’t help wonder if it’s just a hobbyhorse he developed one day while poring over maps.

    The more interesting question is perhaps what his issue with Canada is.

    Ostensibly he is asking Canada to deal with illegal migration into the U.S., or face swingeing tariffs.

    But as far as I know there isn’t a problem of illegal migrants from Canada into the U.S.
    Musk.

    He started his higher educational and working life in Canada.

    Not good.
  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,427
    edited January 9

    GIN1138 said:

    I kinda get what Trumps beef is with Mexico and maybe even Panama. But what's his problem with Greenland? If there anything actually at Greenland? 😂

    Rare earth materials, allegedly.
    Although since his interest seems to go back a while, one can’t help wonder if it’s just a hobbyhorse he developed one day while poring over maps.

    The more interesting question is perhaps what his issue with Canada is.

    Ostensibly he is asking Canada to deal with illegal migration into the U.S., or face swingeing tariffs.

    But as far as I know there isn’t a problem of illegal migrants from Canada into the U.S.
    You certainly wouldn't think there would be many illegals going south from Canada to US.

    More likely you'd have a higher number of illegals going north from US to Canada?
  • carnforthcarnforth Posts: 5,095


    With privileged access to the U.S. on one side via NAFTA, and the EU on the other via an EFTA type arrangement.

    If the EU won't allow NI to play that role, I doubt they would allow somewhere as big as Canada!

    The main industry of Canada would become smuggling of goods tariff-free between the US and EU.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,852

    GIN1138 said:

    I kinda get what Trumps beef is with Mexico and maybe even Panama. But what's his problem with Greenland? If there anything actually at Greenland? 😂

    Rare earth materials, allegedly.
    Although since his interest seems to go back a while, one can’t help wonder if it’s just a hobbyhorse he developed one day while poring over maps.

    The more interesting question is perhaps what his issue with Canada is.

    Ostensibly he is asking Canada to deal with illegal migration into the U.S., or face swingeing tariffs.

    But as far as I know there isn’t a problem of illegal migrants from Canada into the U.S.
    There is a problem: not a massive one, but the US had a genuine issue with Canada.

    Simply, it's very easy to get a Canadian tourist visa, and people fly to Canada then get a bus to the US border, walk across and claim asylum.

    The number of people is in the tens of thousands a year. So, nothing like the Mexican border, but Trump is right that Canada could have done a better job in preventing this flow.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 53,241

    Yes. I was right. We can call it peak Liverpool for this season. They only got on a run due to easy run of fixtures, now they are leggy, off ball like watching players running through treacle. The press fell apart against Manchester Utd, the press was nonexistent this evening against Spurs reserves.

    Let's see how they crumble at the City Ground againt the Mighty Reds....
    It a genuine test now for Liverpool on Tuesday. They couldn’t get the cutting edge of Mo into the game today. They are playing differently now than the opening months of the season because they are tired, mentally, physically, from a game twice a week, forsome not match fit after time injured. And less press is less turnover is less Salah.

    Much like VVD was at Southampton, the Forest defenders may be underrated right now, end up stars at bigger clubs, perhaps even Liverpool. They were excellent against Villa.

    Would both Forest and Liverpool take 1.1 if you offered it right now?
    Why would Forest voluntarily break a six-win streak? Doing the double over Liverpool would be a great springboard for winning the League. Unlikely yes, but let's keep the dream alive.

    Of course, we'll manage to lose to Luton in the F A Cup. Our track record in that is really poor.

  • GIN1138GIN1138 Posts: 22,427
    rcs1000 said:

    GIN1138 said:

    I kinda get what Trumps beef is with Mexico and maybe even Panama. But what's his problem with Greenland? If there anything actually at Greenland? 😂

    Rare earth materials, allegedly.
    Although since his interest seems to go back a while, one can’t help wonder if it’s just a hobbyhorse he developed one day while poring over maps.

    The more interesting question is perhaps what his issue with Canada is.

    Ostensibly he is asking Canada to deal with illegal migration into the U.S., or face swingeing tariffs.

    But as far as I know there isn’t a problem of illegal migrants from Canada into the U.S.
    There is a problem: not a massive one, but the US had a genuine issue with Canada.

    Simply, it's very easy to get a Canadian tourist visa, and people fly to Canada then get a bus to the US border, walk across and claim asylum.

    The number of people is in the tens of thousands a year. So, nothing like the Mexican border, but Trump is right that Canada could have done a better job in preventing this flow.
    Who knew?
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 33,133
    Can't believe anyone takes Trump seriously when he talks about invading Greenland, etc.
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 21,495
    Andy_JS said:

    Can't believe anyone takes Trump seriously when he talks about invading Greenland, etc.

    Who really knows, though?
    It seems like the best response is to troll him back.
    The Mexican President for example has called for Texas and California to be known as Mexican America.
  • bigglesbiggles Posts: 6,362

    Andy_JS said:

    Can't believe anyone takes Trump seriously when he talks about invading Greenland, etc.

    Who really knows, though?
    It seems like the best response is to troll him back.
    The Mexican President for example has called for Texas and California to be known as Mexican America.
    So the King should send a letter asking how the thirteen colonies are getting on, explaining they are forgiven, and asking if they would like more tea?
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 21,495
    biggles said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Can't believe anyone takes Trump seriously when he talks about invading Greenland, etc.

    Who really knows, though?
    It seems like the best response is to troll him back.
    The Mexican President for example has called for Texas and California to be known as Mexican America.
    So the King should send a letter asking how the thirteen colonies are getting on, explaining they are forgiven, and asking if they would like more tea?
    No, the King should remain above the fray.
    Trudeau, who has now resigned, is at liberty to say what he wants.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 61,229

    The statements from some Canadians on the "British Commonwealth" tag on X News are rather interesting.

    "Canada is part of the British Commonwealth, so stick it."

    "We are British Commonwealth, so Britain won't give us up.:

    Now's our chance to make CANZUK happen. Perhaps it's a shame we don't have Boris as leader at this moment as he'd be more nimble in charting a course for Britain in this new era.
    Boris was (and would be again) a shit PM but he'd make mincemeat of Starmer over this as LOTO.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,852
    Andy_JS said:

    Can't believe anyone takes Trump seriously when he talks about invading Greenland, etc.

    Personally, I think that Canada should announce that if will be conducting a national referendum on merging with the US. Said referendum would be in -say- three and a half years time.

    And Trump should spend the next -say- three and half years campaigning in Canada.

    It would cause absolute consternation in US conservative circles, as the really don't want 40 million socialist Canadians voting. And it would keep Trump out of trouble.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 61,229

    I think Canada and Greenland need to form a defense pact/union. Greencanadaland.

    Too complicated.

    Take the Gr from Greenland and the “anada” from Canada.

    Not woke enough for Trudeau though… need to be trans-inclusive

    So: Granada TV.
    David Cameron could do the PR for it.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 13,700
    rcs1000 said:

    GIN1138 said:

    I kinda get what Trumps beef is with Mexico and maybe even Panama. But what's his problem with Greenland? If there anything actually at Greenland? 😂

    Rare earth materials, allegedly.
    Although since his interest seems to go back a while, one can’t help wonder if it’s just a hobbyhorse he developed one day while poring over maps.

    The more interesting question is perhaps what his issue with Canada is.

    Ostensibly he is asking Canada to deal with illegal migration into the U.S., or face swingeing tariffs.

    But as far as I know there isn’t a problem of illegal migrants from Canada into the U.S.
    There is a problem: not a massive one, but the US had a genuine issue with Canada.

    Simply, it's very easy to get a Canadian tourist visa, and people fly to Canada then get a bus to the US border, walk across and claim asylum.

    The number of people is in the tens of thousands a year. So, nothing like the Mexican border, but Trump is right that Canada could have done a better job in preventing this flow.
    Are you and family quite safe Robert?

    Hopefully you are going to reply - California is a big place you know. Or even - Malibu? Who do you think I am, Ginger Rogers?

    The pictures on UK news of great limbs of fire, jumping around in storm force winds, are ghastly.
  • MoonRabbitMoonRabbit Posts: 13,700
    Groomed by gangs is headline on front of Daily Mirror.

    Didn’t Groomed used to be a positive word?

    Being groomed for the top.
    Number 2 being groomed as successor.

    On front of Mirror is it another type of gang based grooming, other than the type we are not allowed to discuss, or maybe they are really all same thing? But outcome for mothers only son that makes me feel sad - it confirms word grooming is now tied to evil intent and sad outcomes.

    Perhaps grooming always was a sinister thing, we are only just becoming woke to it? Perhaps to understand it’s mannerly, being nice to one another, compliment each other, make each other feel good - this always came with a hefty dose of naivety, because we should really be schooled to be wary of people saying nice things to us, and suspect they are up to no good?

    Grooming a reference word for something always at play at the heart of all human interaction, especially politics? Politicians are all groomers, or lap dancers dancing for something in return? Didn’t Boris Johnson groom the Tory party, then sweet talk the UK electorate into bed with him on promises he could never keep? Journalists too? didn’t Chris Huhne shout down the phone at his estranged partner “you dafty - Isabel Oakeshott is using you.”
    And anyone selling anything? From used cars to City Bonds? Each and every one, groomers.

    Are we all groomers, and been grooming all this week, each time we use The PB like button - the PB GROOMING BUTTON? When you use it, what are you really up to? Approving a point made, or buttering someone up to like you?

    Perhaps schooling has never taught enough soft skills, to equip us to know the difference between someone wanting to be friends, and someone with selfish and greedy intent to manipulate us? How can we spot this difference? For those of you who are parents, how do you help your children to know the difference, and not end up groomed? 😕
  • DriverDriver Posts: 5,223

    The statements from some Canadians on the "British Commonwealth" tag on X News are rather interesting.

    "Canada is part of the British Commonwealth, so stick it."

    "We are British Commonwealth, so Britain won't give us up.:

    Now's our chance to make CANZUK happen. Perhaps it's a shame we don't have Boris as leader at this moment as he'd be more nimble in charting a course for Britain in this new era.
    Boris was (and would be again) a shit PM but he'd make mincemeat of Starmer over this as LOTO.
    I've long felt that he would have been a far more effective LOTO than PM. He never was good at defending things he didn't believe, vital for a PM but almost irrelevant for a LOTO.

    I do wonder if the roles are similar enough for the former to be adequate training for the latter.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 61,229

    The statements from some Canadians on the "British Commonwealth" tag on X News are rather interesting.

    "Canada is part of the British Commonwealth, so stick it."

    "We are British Commonwealth, so Britain won't give us up.:

    "English" Canada (i.e. outside Quebec) was essentially built on loyalism.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 33,133

    The statements from some Canadians on the "British Commonwealth" tag on X News are rather interesting.

    "Canada is part of the British Commonwealth, so stick it."

    "We are British Commonwealth, so Britain won't give us up.:

    "English" Canada (i.e. outside Quebec) was essentially built on loyalism.
    United Empire Loyalists. Kicked out of the USA around 1775.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 33,133
    edited January 9

    Groomed by gangs is headline on front of Daily Mirror.

    Didn’t Groomed used to be a positive word?

    Being groomed for the top.
    Number 2 being groomed as successor.

    On front of Mirror is it another type of gang based grooming, other than the type we are not allowed to discuss, or maybe they are really all same thing? But outcome for mothers only son that makes me feel sad - it confirms word grooming is now tied to evil intent and sad outcomes.

    Perhaps grooming always was a sinister thing, we are only just becoming woke to it? Perhaps to understand it’s mannerly, being nice to one another, compliment each other, make each other feel good - this always came with a hefty dose of naivety, because we should really be schooled to be wary of people saying nice things to us, and suspect they are up to no good?

    Grooming a reference word for something always at play at the heart of all human interaction, especially politics? Politicians are all groomers, or lap dancers dancing for something in return? Didn’t Boris Johnson groom the Tory party, then sweet talk the UK electorate into bed with him on promises he could never keep? Journalists too? didn’t Chris Huhne shout down the phone at his estranged partner “you dafty - Isabel Oakeshott is using you.”
    And anyone selling anything? From used cars to City Bonds? Each and every one, groomers.

    Are we all groomers, and been grooming all this week, each time we use The PB like button - the PB GROOMING BUTTON? When you use it, what are you really up to? Approving a point made, or buttering someone up to like you?

    Perhaps schooling has never taught enough soft skills, to equip us to know the difference between someone wanting to be friends, and someone with selfish and greedy intent to manipulate us? How can we spot this difference? For those of you who are parents, how do you help your children to know the difference, and not end up groomed? 😕

    Aren't we banned from talking about this subject?
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 52,810
    rcs1000 said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Can't believe anyone takes Trump seriously when he talks about invading Greenland, etc.

    Personally, I think that Canada should announce that if will be conducting a national referendum on merging with the US. Said referendum would be in -say- three and a half years time.

    And Trump should spend the next -say- three and half years campaigning in Canada.

    It would cause absolute consternation in US conservative circles, as the really don't want 40 million socialist Canadians voting. And it would keep Trump out of trouble.
    The could draft Cameron to lead the Remain in the Commonwealth campaign.
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 8,629

    biggles said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Can't believe anyone takes Trump seriously when he talks about invading Greenland, etc.

    Who really knows, though?
    It seems like the best response is to troll him back.
    The Mexican President for example has called for Texas and California to be known as Mexican America.
    So the King should send a letter asking how the thirteen colonies are getting on, explaining they are forgiven, and asking if they would like more tea?
    No, the King should remain above the fray.
    Trudeau, who has now resigned, is at liberty to say what he wants.
    We could nominate Boris as Governor General of America? After all he was born in New York and has a Russian use name
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 22,707

    rcs1000 said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Can't believe anyone takes Trump seriously when he talks about invading Greenland, etc.

    Personally, I think that Canada should announce that if will be conducting a national referendum on merging with the US. Said referendum would be in -say- three and a half years time.

    And Trump should spend the next -say- three and half years campaigning in Canada.

    It would cause absolute consternation in US conservative circles, as the really don't want 40 million socialist Canadians voting. And it would keep Trump out of trouble.
    The could draft Cameron to lead the Remain in the Commonwealth campaign.
    Because that worked so well last time... 😃
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 53,241
    rcs1000 said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Can't believe anyone takes Trump seriously when he talks about invading Greenland, etc.

    Personally, I think that Canada should announce that if will be conducting a national referendum on merging with the US. Said referendum would be in -say- three and a half years time.

    And Trump should spend the next -say- three and half years campaigning in Canada.

    It would cause absolute consternation in US conservative circles, as the really don't want 40 million socialist Canadians voting. And it would keep Trump out of trouble.
    Personally, I think that Canada should announce that if will be conducting a national referendum on merging with Greenland.

    Get in first.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 55,489
    Californian fires look even more horrendous now than they did a few hours ago. There’s an awful lot of houses that have gone up, and a shortage of water to control the fires. Planes and helicopters that were helping have been grounded due to the high winds.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 57,145
    Bangkok in January. Snoozing in the sun

    *blisssssssss*
  • LeonLeon Posts: 57,145
    Well done Rachel from Accounts (part 738)


    “Permanent job vacancies in UK shrink at fastest pace for four years

    “Job market data deepens sense of gloom enveloping UK plc as analysts plan close look at effects of NICs rise on hiring”

    Worst government ever?

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jan/09/permanent-job-vacancies-in-uk-shrink-at-fastest-pace-for-four-years

    Never mind thing thing and thing, and the government’s calamitous energy and foreign policies, in six months Labour have economically shat the bed, also the wardrobe, the curtains, the fireplace, the hallway, the sofa, and that bit under the stairs

    Hilariously bad if it weren’t so tragic for the nation

  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 55,489
    300k people have now been ordered to evacuate from Los Angeles.
    https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1877127621454008527

    Aerial photo of the Pacific Palisades area after the fire went through, whole streets completely destroyed.
    https://x.com/faytuksnetwork/status/1877146156431446022

    The fire is now said to be almost at Hollywood Boulevard.
  • TazTaz Posts: 15,671
    Sandpit said:

    300k people have now been ordered to evacuate from Los Angeles.
    https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1877127621454008527

    Aerial photo of the Pacific Palisades area after the fire went through, whole streets completely destroyed.
    https://x.com/faytuksnetwork/status/1877146156431446022

    The fire is now said to be almost at Hollywood Boulevard.

    Airbnb showing their empathy.

    https://x.com/anammostarac/status/1876872587738833184?s=61
  • TazTaz Posts: 15,671
    Leon said:

    Well done Rachel from Accounts (part 738)


    “Permanent job vacancies in UK shrink at fastest pace for four years

    “Job market data deepens sense of gloom enveloping UK plc as analysts plan close look at effects of NICs rise on hiring”

    Worst government ever?

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jan/09/permanent-job-vacancies-in-uk-shrink-at-fastest-pace-for-four-years

    Never mind thing thing and thing, and the government’s calamitous energy and foreign policies, in six months Labour have economically shat the bed, also the wardrobe, the curtains, the fireplace, the hallway, the sofa, and that bit under the stairs

    Hilariously bad if it weren’t so tragic for the nation

    Don’t worry. She’s planning to give a speech to reassure the bond markets, investors and businesses.

    It will all be okay.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 57,145
    Taz said:

    Leon said:

    Well done Rachel from Accounts (part 738)


    “Permanent job vacancies in UK shrink at fastest pace for four years

    “Job market data deepens sense of gloom enveloping UK plc as analysts plan close look at effects of NICs rise on hiring”

    Worst government ever?

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jan/09/permanent-job-vacancies-in-uk-shrink-at-fastest-pace-for-four-years

    Never mind thing thing and thing, and the government’s calamitous energy and foreign policies, in six months Labour have economically shat the bed, also the wardrobe, the curtains, the fireplace, the hallway, the sofa, and that bit under the stairs

    Hilariously bad if it weren’t so tragic for the nation

    Don’t worry. She’s planning to give a speech to reassure the bond markets, investors and businesses.

    It will all be okay.
    Yes thank god for that. Hopefully she’ll say “this government has a plan for growth, and the way to achieve that is for me to keeping pointlessly using the word “growth” because it’s a bit like saying “the candyman” in that movie, because that’s the only way to get growth and that’s our plan for growth and also other stuff”
  • LeonLeon Posts: 57,145
    Taz said:

    Sandpit said:

    300k people have now been ordered to evacuate from Los Angeles.
    https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1877127621454008527

    Aerial photo of the Pacific Palisades area after the fire went through, whole streets completely destroyed.
    https://x.com/faytuksnetwork/status/1877146156431446022

    The fire is now said to be almost at Hollywood Boulevard.

    Airbnb showing their empathy.

    https://x.com/anammostarac/status/1876872587738833184?s=61
    Airbnb are like the Ryanair of old
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 55,489
    Taz said:

    Sandpit said:

    300k people have now been ordered to evacuate from Los Angeles.
    https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1877127621454008527

    Aerial photo of the Pacific Palisades area after the fire went through, whole streets completely destroyed.
    https://x.com/faytuksnetwork/status/1877146156431446022

    The fire is now said to be almost at Hollywood Boulevard.

    Airbnb showing their empathy.

    https://x.com/anammostarac/status/1876872587738833184?s=61
    These new ‘sharing’ tech companies see natural disasters as an opportunity. The new fake taxi companies will be the same, 10x the normal price to evacuate people who are about to lose everything. To them it’s no different from having a big sporting event in town, just ignore the state of emergency being declared.

    Meanwhile there’s now Hollywood Boulevard hotels being evacuated, mostly containing people who’d already been evacuated from their houses. By today it could be over half a million people displaced.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 28,771
    biggles said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    ohnotnow said:

    ydoethur said:

    biggles said:

    So how much extra income tax is everyone prepared to pay in order for the country to afford vast increases in military spending?

    None. We borrow up front to increase the size and capability of the armed forces, and then pay it back by ransacking France and Ireland like the old days.
    I thought they were skint too?

    It would be better to invade somewhere with spare cash like Canada.

    Ummm...actually, that might not be a smart suggestion right now.
    I hear the Virgin Islands has a fair amount of cash, on paper at least. Rather inexplicably.
    The Yanks bought their Virgin isles off Denmark in 1917, for US 25 million, by agreement of both countries, and there had been a plebiscite on the Islands previously.

    Incidentally, as part of the treaty of transfer, the United States accepted a Danish demand for a declaration stating that they would "not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland"



    They still drive on the left in the USVI thanks to their Danish heritage - in US-built left-hand-drive vehicles massively too wide for the roads. The islands are a bit rough but 'interesting' and definitely not a suitable destination for a self-drive holiday.
    I went there in the 1970s, flying with the famous "Antillies Airboats" airline. They flew ex-war Grumman Goose's between the islands, landing in the harbour, then taxi-ing up the slipway. We flew from St Croix to St Thomas on them, over to St John, and the BVI, then vin a Short Sandringham flying boat to Puerto Rico. I think it likely that we flew on the one that the boss pranged and died in a few years later.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilles_Air_Boats

    My Dad loved flying, though gave up his licence after leaving the RAF. He didn't trust civvy maintenance engineers.



    Is it as terrifying as I imagine to land on a flying boat on the water? I think it would look all wrong in the way in…
    Username checks out... oh, hold on
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 29,203
    ...

    The Anglo-Canada “agreement” is the idea whose time has come.

    Freedom of movement.
    A single market from Vancouver to the North Sea.
    Enhanced defence co-operation, including procurement.

    With privileged access to the U.S. on one side via NAFTA, and the EU on the other via an EFTA type arrangement.

    This is like being obsessed jumping into a long term relationship with someone else to avoid fixing oneself. I think we need a break from nation-changing international treaties, and to put in place the necessary reforms to make our country work again. Before that it's pointless doing all these sticking plasters.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 72,114

    biggles said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    ohnotnow said:

    ydoethur said:

    biggles said:

    So how much extra income tax is everyone prepared to pay in order for the country to afford vast increases in military spending?

    None. We borrow up front to increase the size and capability of the armed forces, and then pay it back by ransacking France and Ireland like the old days.
    I thought they were skint too?

    It would be better to invade somewhere with spare cash like Canada.

    Ummm...actually, that might not be a smart suggestion right now.
    I hear the Virgin Islands has a fair amount of cash, on paper at least. Rather inexplicably.
    The Yanks bought their Virgin isles off Denmark in 1917, for US 25 million, by agreement of both countries, and there had been a plebiscite on the Islands previously.

    Incidentally, as part of the treaty of transfer, the United States accepted a Danish demand for a declaration stating that they would "not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland"



    They still drive on the left in the USVI thanks to their Danish heritage - in US-built left-hand-drive vehicles massively too wide for the roads. The islands are a bit rough but 'interesting' and definitely not a suitable destination for a self-drive holiday.
    I went there in the 1970s, flying with the famous "Antillies Airboats" airline. They flew ex-war Grumman Goose's between the islands, landing in the harbour, then taxi-ing up the slipway. We flew from St Croix to St Thomas on them, over to St John, and the BVI, then vin a Short Sandringham flying boat to Puerto Rico. I think it likely that we flew on the one that the boss pranged and died in a few years later.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilles_Air_Boats

    My Dad loved flying, though gave up his licence after leaving the RAF. He didn't trust civvy maintenance engineers.



    Is it as terrifying as I imagine to land on a flying boat on the water? I think it would look all wrong in the way in…
    Username checks out... oh, hold on
    Landing on water certainly Gingers things up.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 55,489

    biggles said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    ohnotnow said:

    ydoethur said:

    biggles said:

    So how much extra income tax is everyone prepared to pay in order for the country to afford vast increases in military spending?

    None. We borrow up front to increase the size and capability of the armed forces, and then pay it back by ransacking France and Ireland like the old days.
    I thought they were skint too?

    It would be better to invade somewhere with spare cash like Canada.

    Ummm...actually, that might not be a smart suggestion right now.
    I hear the Virgin Islands has a fair amount of cash, on paper at least. Rather inexplicably.
    The Yanks bought their Virgin isles off Denmark in 1917, for US 25 million, by agreement of both countries, and there had been a plebiscite on the Islands previously.

    Incidentally, as part of the treaty of transfer, the United States accepted a Danish demand for a declaration stating that they would "not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland"



    They still drive on the left in the USVI thanks to their Danish heritage - in US-built left-hand-drive vehicles massively too wide for the roads. The islands are a bit rough but 'interesting' and definitely not a suitable destination for a self-drive holiday.
    I went there in the 1970s, flying with the famous "Antillies Airboats" airline. They flew ex-war Grumman Goose's between the islands, landing in the harbour, then taxi-ing up the slipway. We flew from St Croix to St Thomas on them, over to St John, and the BVI, then vin a Short Sandringham flying boat to Puerto Rico. I think it likely that we flew on the one that the boss pranged and died in a few years later.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilles_Air_Boats

    My Dad loved flying, though gave up his licence after leaving the RAF. He didn't trust civvy maintenance engineers.



    Is it as terrifying as I imagine to land on a flying boat on the water? I think it would look all wrong in the way in…
    Username checks out... oh, hold on
    It must look really weird, once you got close to the ground you’d lose sense of height and speed, and not have an obvious aim point on which to judge the approach. Definitely a time to pay very close attention to the instruments!
  • BattlebusBattlebus Posts: 101

    ...

    The Anglo-Canada “agreement” is the idea whose time has come.

    Freedom of movement.
    A single market from Vancouver to the North Sea.
    Enhanced defence co-operation, including procurement.

    With privileged access to the U.S. on one side via NAFTA, and the EU on the other via an EFTA type arrangement.

    This is like being obsessed jumping into a long term relationship with someone else to avoid fixing oneself. I think we need a break from nation-changing international treaties, and to put in place the necessary reforms to make our country work again. Before that it's pointless doing all these sticking plasters.
    Time to undo the Union? Cast Wales (and Yorkshire) adrift and tell them to sort themselves out.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 24,312
    edited January 9
    Sandpit said:

    300k people have now been ordered to evacuate from Los Angeles.
    https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1877127621454008527

    Aerial photo of the Pacific Palisades area after the fire went through, whole streets completely destroyed.
    https://x.com/faytuksnetwork/status/1877146156431446022

    The fire is now said to be almost at Hollywood Boulevard.

    Ooof. I hope that OGH Minor and his are fine. I wonder what has helped it spread this time - over there it is sometimes high winds as well as a crispy landscape.

    It's just down the coast from a fire I recall reports of in the 1990s, which were in a place called Laguna Beach - where the fire was driven by dried vegetation, wicked along by wooden fences and and aggravated by large trees and inadequate water supplies.

    There was a famous photograph of one house, with a sealed roof so no gaps between tiles, double glazing to keep the heat out, and a garden full of succulent plants, which survived alone on a slope where the rest had burnt down.

    https://archive.is/20220514040334/https://www.ocregister.com/2022/05/12/coastal-fire-ice-plant-no-foil-for-dry-overgrown-canyons-this-time-around/
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 43,888
    Andy_JS said:

    Groomed by gangs is headline on front of Daily Mirror.

    Didn’t Groomed used to be a positive word?

    Being groomed for the top.
    Number 2 being groomed as successor.

    On front of Mirror is it another type of gang based grooming, other than the type we are not allowed to discuss, or maybe they are really all same thing? But outcome for mothers only son that makes me feel sad - it confirms word grooming is now tied to evil intent and sad outcomes.

    Perhaps grooming always was a sinister thing, we are only just becoming woke to it? Perhaps to understand it’s mannerly, being nice to one another, compliment each other, make each other feel good - this always came with a hefty dose of naivety, because we should really be schooled to be wary of people saying nice things to us, and suspect they are up to no good?

    Grooming a reference word for something always at play at the heart of all human interaction, especially politics? Politicians are all groomers, or lap dancers dancing for something in return? Didn’t Boris Johnson groom the Tory party, then sweet talk the UK electorate into bed with him on promises he could never keep? Journalists too? didn’t Chris Huhne shout down the phone at his estranged partner “you dafty - Isabel Oakeshott is using you.”
    And anyone selling anything? From used cars to City Bonds? Each and every one, groomers.

    Are we all groomers, and been grooming all this week, each time we use The PB like button - the PB GROOMING BUTTON? When you use it, what are you really up to? Approving a point made, or buttering someone up to like you?

    Perhaps schooling has never taught enough soft skills, to equip us to know the difference between someone wanting to be friends, and someone with selfish and greedy intent to manipulate us? How can we spot this difference? For those of you who are parents, how do you help your children to know the difference, and not end up groomed? 😕

    Aren't we banned from talking about this subject?
    I think he's referring to this story, which is heartbeaking. The boy was fourteen years old:

    "Mother 'not surprised' son killed on London bus"

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp9n9xyjlzgo

    "... However, she said he had experienced some "extremely challenging times" and had been taken into care for a number of years.
    She added Kelyan was "underweight, very hungry, tattooed and exposed to drugs""

    ..."According to court documents seen by the BBC, Kelyan was due in court next week facing a charge of carrying a machete."

    I wonder if his mum was a single mother because the dad had abandoned them? An issue David Lammy has spoked eloquently about in the past.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 72,114
    rcs1000 said:

    Sandpit said:

    Californian fires look even more horrendous now than they did a few hours ago. There’s an awful lot of houses that have gone up, and a shortage of water to control the fires. Planes and helicopters that were helping have been grounded due to the high winds.

    The winds are finally dying down, but there are three or four enormous fires still burning in Los Angeles. We're only about 200 yards from the mandatory evacuation zone, so we have everything packed and ready in case we need to depart in the middle of the night.
    Fingers crossed it isn't. Sounds absolutely horrendous.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,129
    rcs1000 said:

    Sandpit said:

    Californian fires look even more horrendous now than they did a few hours ago. There’s an awful lot of houses that have gone up, and a shortage of water to control the fires. Planes and helicopters that were helping have been grounded due to the high winds.

    The winds are finally dying down, but there are three or four enormous fires still burning in Los Angeles. We're only about 200 yards from the mandatory evacuation zone, so we have everything packed and ready in case we need to depart in the middle of the night.
    Stay safe!
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 49,524
    Taz said:

    Sandpit said:

    300k people have now been ordered to evacuate from Los Angeles.
    https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1877127621454008527

    Aerial photo of the Pacific Palisades area after the fire went through, whole streets completely destroyed.
    https://x.com/faytuksnetwork/status/1877146156431446022

    The fire is now said to be almost at Hollywood Boulevard.

    Airbnb showing their empathy.

    https://x.com/anammostarac/status/1876872587738833184?s=61
    2 Canadian planes are assisting with the LA fires. Even Trump cannot stop Canadians being nice.

    https://bsky.app/profile/joshuahind.bsky.social/post/3lf74ziadx22u
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 55,489
    rcs1000 said:

    Sandpit said:

    Californian fires look even more horrendous now than they did a few hours ago. There’s an awful lot of houses that have gone up, and a shortage of water to control the fires. Planes and helicopters that were helping have been grounded due to the high winds.

    The winds are finally dying down, but there are three or four enormous fires still burning in Los Angeles. We're only about 200 yards from the mandatory evacuation zone, so we have everything packed and ready in case we need to depart in the middle of the night.
    Best of luck to you and your family, what an horrible situation to be in.
  • TazTaz Posts: 15,671
    Sandpit said:

    Taz said:

    Sandpit said:

    300k people have now been ordered to evacuate from Los Angeles.
    https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1877127621454008527

    Aerial photo of the Pacific Palisades area after the fire went through, whole streets completely destroyed.
    https://x.com/faytuksnetwork/status/1877146156431446022

    The fire is now said to be almost at Hollywood Boulevard.

    Airbnb showing their empathy.

    https://x.com/anammostarac/status/1876872587738833184?s=61
    These new ‘sharing’ tech companies see natural disasters as an opportunity. The new fake taxi companies will be the same, 10x the normal price to evacuate people who are about to lose everything. To them it’s no different from having a big sporting event in town, just ignore the state of emergency being declared.

    Meanwhile there’s now Hollywood Boulevard hotels being evacuated, mostly containing people who’d already been evacuated from their houses. By today it could be over half a million people displaced.
    I had a double take at Fake Taxi. Not sure I’d want a lift in that !!

    But you’re right. These companies see these things as no different to large scale sporting events. Until they get some bad publicity and they enter damage limitation manoeuvres.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,852
    MattW said:

    Sandpit said:

    300k people have now been ordered to evacuate from Los Angeles.
    https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1877127621454008527

    Aerial photo of the Pacific Palisades area after the fire went through, whole streets completely destroyed.
    https://x.com/faytuksnetwork/status/1877146156431446022

    The fire is now said to be almost at Hollywood Boulevard.

    Ooof. I hope that OGH Minor and his are fine. I wonder what has helped it spread this time - over there it is sometimes high winds as well as a crispy landscape.

    It's just down the coast from a fire I recall reports of in the 1990s, which were in a place called Laguna Beach - where the fire was driven by dried vegetation, wicked along by wooden fences and and aggravated by large trees and inadequate water supplies.

    There was a famous photograph of one house, with a sealed roof so no gaps between tiles, double glazing to keep the heat out, and a garden full of succulent plants, which survived alone on a slope where the rest had burnt down.

    https://archive.is/20220514040334/https://www.ocregister.com/2022/05/12/coastal-fire-ice-plant-no-foil-for-dry-overgrown-canyons-this-time-around/
    It's been bone dry here: we haven't had the normal December rains. There was then very high winds (with gusts approaching 100mph), which essentially moved the fire faster than firefighters were able to deal with it. This also meant that roads simply didn't act as firebreaks, because burning material was able to fly across gaps.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 55,489
    Taz said:

    Sandpit said:

    Taz said:

    Sandpit said:

    300k people have now been ordered to evacuate from Los Angeles.
    https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1877127621454008527

    Aerial photo of the Pacific Palisades area after the fire went through, whole streets completely destroyed.
    https://x.com/faytuksnetwork/status/1877146156431446022

    The fire is now said to be almost at Hollywood Boulevard.

    Airbnb showing their empathy.

    https://x.com/anammostarac/status/1876872587738833184?s=61
    These new ‘sharing’ tech companies see natural disasters as an opportunity. The new fake taxi companies will be the same, 10x the normal price to evacuate people who are about to lose everything. To them it’s no different from having a big sporting event in town, just ignore the state of emergency being declared.

    Meanwhile there’s now Hollywood Boulevard hotels being evacuated, mostly containing people who’d already been evacuated from their houses. By today it could be over half a million people displaced.
    I had a double take at Fake Taxi. Not sure I’d want a lift in that !!

    But you’re right. These companies see these things as no different to large scale sporting events. Until they get some bad publicity and they enter damage limitation manoeuvres.
    No, not *that* Fake Taxi!

    (To anyone who doesn’t know what that is, it’s an ‘adult’ website so don’t google it!)
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 57,852
    Taz said:

    Sandpit said:

    Taz said:

    Sandpit said:

    300k people have now been ordered to evacuate from Los Angeles.
    https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1877127621454008527

    Aerial photo of the Pacific Palisades area after the fire went through, whole streets completely destroyed.
    https://x.com/faytuksnetwork/status/1877146156431446022

    The fire is now said to be almost at Hollywood Boulevard.

    Airbnb showing their empathy.

    https://x.com/anammostarac/status/1876872587738833184?s=61
    These new ‘sharing’ tech companies see natural disasters as an opportunity. The new fake taxi companies will be the same, 10x the normal price to evacuate people who are about to lose everything. To them it’s no different from having a big sporting event in town, just ignore the state of emergency being declared.

    Meanwhile there’s now Hollywood Boulevard hotels being evacuated, mostly containing people who’d already been evacuated from their houses. By today it could be over half a million people displaced.
    I had a double take at Fake Taxi. Not sure I’d want a lift in that !!

    But you’re right. These companies see these things as no different to large scale sporting events. Until they get some bad publicity and they enter damage limitation manoeuvres.
    I just googled it...

    NSFW.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 72,114
    So to lighten the mood a touch:

    What sort of idiot carefully disguises everything about his appearance and then takes his favourite highly recognisable brown satchel along to commit a theft?

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8x8x5en46o
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 28,771
    Taz said:

    Sandpit said:

    Taz said:

    Sandpit said:

    300k people have now been ordered to evacuate from Los Angeles.
    https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1877127621454008527

    Aerial photo of the Pacific Palisades area after the fire went through, whole streets completely destroyed.
    https://x.com/faytuksnetwork/status/1877146156431446022

    The fire is now said to be almost at Hollywood Boulevard.

    Airbnb showing their empathy.

    https://x.com/anammostarac/status/1876872587738833184?s=61
    These new ‘sharing’ tech companies see natural disasters as an opportunity. The new fake taxi companies will be the same, 10x the normal price to evacuate people who are about to lose everything. To them it’s no different from having a big sporting event in town, just ignore the state of emergency being declared.

    Meanwhile there’s now Hollywood Boulevard hotels being evacuated, mostly containing people who’d already been evacuated from their houses. By today it could be over half a million people displaced.
    I had a double take at Fake Taxi. Not sure I’d want a lift in that !!

    But you’re right. These companies see these things as no different to large scale sporting events. Until they get some bad publicity and they enter damage limitation manoeuvres.
    Trouble is, there has to be some premium to tempt the drivers into coming out. Should it be capped? Should the cost be borne by the company? Should the company be stopped from adding its own premium on top of the drivers'? Whatever, it's complicated.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 61,229
    Leon said:

    Well done Rachel from Accounts (part 738)


    “Permanent job vacancies in UK shrink at fastest pace for four years

    “Job market data deepens sense of gloom enveloping UK plc as analysts plan close look at effects of NICs rise on hiring”

    Worst government ever?

    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jan/09/permanent-job-vacancies-in-uk-shrink-at-fastest-pace-for-four-years

    Never mind thing thing and thing, and the government’s calamitous energy and foreign policies, in six months Labour have economically shat the bed, also the wardrobe, the curtains, the fireplace, the hallway, the sofa, and that bit under the stairs

    Hilariously bad if it weren’t so tragic for the nation

    And, they are paying other nations in hock to China to give away strategic British territory and they've committed Britain to Reparations.
  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 43,888
    ydoethur said:

    So to lighten the mood a touch:

    What sort of idiot carefully disguises everything about his appearance and then takes his favourite highly recognisable brown satchel along to commit a theft?

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8x8x5en46o

    Who goes to Uttoxeter to steal stuff? He stole £800 of stuff there, so the town must've halved in value... ;)

    (I went to school at Oldfields Hall (*) in the town, and have family outside it...)

    (*) Despite the grand name, a state school.
  • BattlebusBattlebus Posts: 101
    MattW said:

    Sandpit said:

    300k people have now been ordered to evacuate from Los Angeles.
    https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1877127621454008527

    Aerial photo of the Pacific Palisades area after the fire went through, whole streets completely destroyed.
    https://x.com/faytuksnetwork/status/1877146156431446022

    The fire is now said to be almost at Hollywood Boulevard.

    Ooof. I hope that OGH Minor and his are fine. I wonder what has helped it spread this time - over there it is sometimes high winds as well as a crispy landscape.

    It's just down the coast from a fire I recall reports of in the 1990s, which were in a place called Laguna Beach - where the fire was driven by dried vegetation, wicked along by wooden fences and and aggravated by large trees and inadequate water supplies.

    There was a famous photograph of one house, with a sealed roof so no gaps between tiles, double glazing to keep the heat out, and a garden full of succulent plants, which survived alone on a slope where the rest had burnt down.

    https://archive.is/20220514040334/https://www.ocregister.com/2022/05/12/coastal-fire-ice-plant-no-foil-for-dry-overgrown-canyons-this-time-around/
    Google Street View shows the contemporary view now with all of the homes rebuilt in various styles - even Mystic Hills. Not sure if they were mystic before or after the event. Anyway one homeowner seems relaxed about covering his home with a lot of vegetation.


  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 49,524
    rcs1000 said:

    MattW said:

    Sandpit said:

    300k people have now been ordered to evacuate from Los Angeles.
    https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1877127621454008527

    Aerial photo of the Pacific Palisades area after the fire went through, whole streets completely destroyed.
    https://x.com/faytuksnetwork/status/1877146156431446022

    The fire is now said to be almost at Hollywood Boulevard.

    Ooof. I hope that OGH Minor and his are fine. I wonder what has helped it spread this time - over there it is sometimes high winds as well as a crispy landscape.

    It's just down the coast from a fire I recall reports of in the 1990s, which were in a place called Laguna Beach - where the fire was driven by dried vegetation, wicked along by wooden fences and and aggravated by large trees and inadequate water supplies.

    There was a famous photograph of one house, with a sealed roof so no gaps between tiles, double glazing to keep the heat out, and a garden full of succulent plants, which survived alone on a slope where the rest had burnt down.

    https://archive.is/20220514040334/https://www.ocregister.com/2022/05/12/coastal-fire-ice-plant-no-foil-for-dry-overgrown-canyons-this-time-around/
    It's been bone dry here: we haven't had the normal December rains. There was then very high winds (with gusts approaching 100mph), which essentially moved the fire faster than firefighters were able to deal with it. This also meant that roads simply didn't act as firebreaks, because burning material was able to fly across gaps.
    Climate change is just going to get worse under Trump.

    I see Climate Change denier James Woods lost his house to the fires, and was uninsured as his home insurance company withdrew cover. That's what happens when you vote for the Face Eating Leopards party.

    It's not Karma though, it's more like good old Jehovah to destroy a town because of an individuals actions.

  • JosiasJessopJosiasJessop Posts: 43,888
    rcs1000 said:

    Taz said:

    Sandpit said:

    Taz said:

    Sandpit said:

    300k people have now been ordered to evacuate from Los Angeles.
    https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1877127621454008527

    Aerial photo of the Pacific Palisades area after the fire went through, whole streets completely destroyed.
    https://x.com/faytuksnetwork/status/1877146156431446022

    The fire is now said to be almost at Hollywood Boulevard.

    Airbnb showing their empathy.

    https://x.com/anammostarac/status/1876872587738833184?s=61
    These new ‘sharing’ tech companies see natural disasters as an opportunity. The new fake taxi companies will be the same, 10x the normal price to evacuate people who are about to lose everything. To them it’s no different from having a big sporting event in town, just ignore the state of emergency being declared.

    Meanwhile there’s now Hollywood Boulevard hotels being evacuated, mostly containing people who’d already been evacuated from their houses. By today it could be over half a million people displaced.
    I had a double take at Fake Taxi. Not sure I’d want a lift in that !!

    But you’re right. These companies see these things as no different to large scale sporting events. Until they get some bad publicity and they enter damage limitation manoeuvres.
    I just googled it...

    NSFW.
    Surely that depends on what your work is?
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 29,203
    Battlebus said:

    ...

    The Anglo-Canada “agreement” is the idea whose time has come.

    Freedom of movement.
    A single market from Vancouver to the North Sea.
    Enhanced defence co-operation, including procurement.

    With privileged access to the U.S. on one side via NAFTA, and the EU on the other via an EFTA type arrangement.

    This is like being obsessed jumping into a long term relationship with someone else to avoid fixing oneself. I think we need a break from nation-changing international treaties, and to put in place the necessary reforms to make our country work again. Before that it's pointless doing all these sticking plasters.
    Time to undo the Union? Cast Wales (and Yorkshire) adrift and tell them to sort themselves out.
    My impression is that England has done rather well out of Wales, and perhaps not given as much as we should in return - not that devolved Government in Wales has been a shining success.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,065
    Good morning, everyone.

    Rather tired. Overslept by an hour.

    Imagine I wrote something wide awake and witty and then you felt an overwhelming desire to click one of the links below and enjoy about half an hour of someone rambling about F1 (lovely graphs in the last link):

    F1: 2025 Driver Lineup Predictions podcast (Undercutters ep4) is up here:

    Podbean: https://undercutters.podbean.com/e/f1-2025-driver-lineup-predictions/

    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0yBF7aqAxiLHQ68No95w4Y

    Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/bcfe213b-55fb-408a-a823-dc6693ee9f78/episodes/6edca4d8-68f8-4782-9898-2bfab4696c39/undercutters---f1-podcast-f1-2025-driver-lineup-predictions

    Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/f1-2025-driver-lineup-predictions/id1786574257?i=1000683150041

    Transcript: https://morrisf1.blogspot.com/2025/01/undercutters-ep4-f1-2025-driver-lineup.html
  • LeonLeon Posts: 57,145
    rcs1000 said:

    Sandpit said:

    Californian fires look even more horrendous now than they did a few hours ago. There’s an awful lot of houses that have gone up, and a shortage of water to control the fires. Planes and helicopters that were helping have been grounded due to the high winds.

    The winds are finally dying down, but there are three or four enormous fires still burning in Los Angeles. We're only about 200 yards from the mandatory evacuation zone, so we have everything packed and ready in case we need to depart in the middle of the night.
    Crikey. Good luck. I hope you end up with a great story for the family dinner table. Not a burned family dinner table
  • LeonLeon Posts: 57,145
    ydoethur said:

    biggles said:

    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    ohnotnow said:

    ydoethur said:

    biggles said:

    So how much extra income tax is everyone prepared to pay in order for the country to afford vast increases in military spending?

    None. We borrow up front to increase the size and capability of the armed forces, and then pay it back by ransacking France and Ireland like the old days.
    I thought they were skint too?

    It would be better to invade somewhere with spare cash like Canada.

    Ummm...actually, that might not be a smart suggestion right now.
    I hear the Virgin Islands has a fair amount of cash, on paper at least. Rather inexplicably.
    The Yanks bought their Virgin isles off Denmark in 1917, for US 25 million, by agreement of both countries, and there had been a plebiscite on the Islands previously.

    Incidentally, as part of the treaty of transfer, the United States accepted a Danish demand for a declaration stating that they would "not object to the Danish Government extending their political and economic interests to the whole of Greenland"



    They still drive on the left in the USVI thanks to their Danish heritage - in US-built left-hand-drive vehicles massively too wide for the roads. The islands are a bit rough but 'interesting' and definitely not a suitable destination for a self-drive holiday.
    I went there in the 1970s, flying with the famous "Antillies Airboats" airline. They flew ex-war Grumman Goose's between the islands, landing in the harbour, then taxi-ing up the slipway. We flew from St Croix to St Thomas on them, over to St John, and the BVI, then vin a Short Sandringham flying boat to Puerto Rico. I think it likely that we flew on the one that the boss pranged and died in a few years later.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilles_Air_Boats

    My Dad loved flying, though gave up his licence after leaving the RAF. He didn't trust civvy maintenance engineers.



    Is it as terrifying as I imagine to land on a flying boat on the water? I think it would look all wrong in the way in…
    Username checks out... oh, hold on
    Landing on water certainly Gingers things up.
    I’ve flown in multiple seaplanes all over the world. Sri Lanka. Australia. Maldives. Etc

    They are always somewhat magical and no they’re not scary when you land. Can get quite hot inside tho
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 49,524
    So it seems that Musk hasn't been able to identify anything like the amount of DOGE savings that he said he could:

    https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna186924

    Maybe if he had worked harder rather than go on 7 hour ketamine fueled race baiting rants he would have found some savings.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 57,145
    edited January 9
    Telegraph

    “Profits in financial services are set to fall at their fastest rate since the depths of the financial crisis after Rachel Reeves’s Budget tax raid sent costs spiralling.

    Britain’s leading industry is shedding staff and slashing investments as optimism in the tumbles to its lowest level since the aftermath of Liz Truss’s mini-budget in 2022, according to a quarterly survey of the financial industry by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

    Two-thirds of financial services companies anticipate a drop in profits in the next three months, with just one in 10 expecting an increase - an imbalance that matches the very worst moments of the financial crisis when RBS was bailed out by the Government in late 2008.“

    @MaxPB might be right. This stupefyingly inept government might be driving us straight into the wall of a debt crisis and an IMF bailout
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