I thought briefly about retiring just before I came to the U.S., but it seemed farcical to do so in my mid 40s.
One thing I admire about Americans is that they often simply don’t retire. Whether this is due to the absence of a decent safety net, I don’t know. They seem to enjoy it, though. You have people cranking on into their 80s and even 90s. Biden (and Trump) are in some ways representative.
They don’t seem to stop and wonder what kind of life is that? To work, and then drop dead.
One of my colleagues told me today, as I am retiring in 6 weeks, people's life expectancy post retirement is 8 years !!!!!
Surely not these days but I don't know. Used to be that coal miners were lucky to get five. Although both my grandfathers bucked that and made 90, somewhat remarkably.
I think I might renounce my citizenship. I would rather be a citizen of any country on earth, than this shit-heap of spineless cowardice that is the UK
It would be the end of your travels.
Well we would hardly be in "a nation mourns" territory if a minor journal lost its resident travel freeloader though, would we?
I think the utter hatred and contempt for this country from right wing nutters is why I struggle to have any respect for them.
Why don't you just f*ck off to Turkmenistan and leave people who still give a shit about truth and decency a nice break? Don't let the door bang you on the ass as you leave.
The right does seem to be heading ever rightwards. What's striking is how few voices on the right there are wondering whether this is a good idea.
Are there any of Reform's positions that weren't held by New Labour during the Blair era?
I'd say not being an EU member state was a pretty big one.
I think I might renounce my citizenship. I would rather be a citizen of any country on earth, than this shit-heap of spineless cowardice that is the UK
Posting it without comment shows a distinct lack of ambition OLB, you could have written “posted for only the 59th time in the last few days since the publicity stunt hit the media.”
Reassuring, the fact I hadn't seen it suggests I don't spend as much time on here as I fear! FWIW, I used to work in a pizza restaurant and so consider myself an authority on this topic. Pineapple on pizza is fine.
Your “should I retire” discourse is inferesting. I echo those who warn you of having nothing at all to do. Many find it less fun than they expected
But of course it depends on those hobbies of yours. May I ask what they are? If they are truly absorbing then you’re sorted - go for it
My ideal life would be a life of travel and flint knapping. I am in the incredibly fortunate position of being well paid to do what I would ideally do anyway - if I had all the money in the world
I DREAD the concept of retirement. I might have to do something I DON’T like doing
My main hobby is writing. I keep plugging away at that, have just finished a first draft of my second novel (first not published). If I could become a published author with the prospect of even some meagre earnings I would retire soon. I am also involved in various local community groups and activities and would like to be able to do more there. And parents and parents in law are reaching ages where they might need more of my time too. We have no mortgage, no school fees, some property income, my wife has a well paid job and I will get a little bit of pension income when I turn 50 so I could stop soon, depending on how comfy a retirement we are after and how much we want to help the kids through Uni and early adulthood.
Someone said a few years ago that there are only about 10 novelists in the UK able to make a decent living from writing. Depressing if true.
I think it's probably a few more than that, but the point stands that novelists don't tend to make much money. There's an oft-quoted 2022 figure that the median annual earnings for a writer in the UK is £7k. A common estimate for sales for a first novel, in its first year, is 200-300 copies. That says, it depends what you are writing. Literary fiction sells peanuts. Genre stuff, like romance and fantasy, can sell much more.
300 copies is terrifying, in a market the size of the UK.
Go on the Tube or a train and see how many people are reading a book, as compared to looking at their smartphones scrolling TikTok or watching vids, then remember what it was like 30-40 years ago
Book-reading is disappearing as a pastime, and doing so fast. This doesn’t make me happy but it is the case
IQs are falling, attention spans are dwindling, and at the same time competition for eyes and minds is only getting fiercer
I love me a good book, especially history, memoir, some science, even a smidgen of poetry. Can’t stand novels tho. Made up bollocks
I was recently reading a book in a park near where my English relatives live; three youths passed by. The gobbiest one said, "Look, he's reading a book. Pathetic."
They all then spat at me. One piece of gob flecked my face. I picked up my copy of "Cien años.." and walked briskly after them.
Undoubtedly, they'd not expected this from a book worm.
They picked up their pace; I picked up mine. They broke and ran. I gave them some choice abuse in Spanish and not-so-colloquial in English.
Reading literature is endangered, not to say dangerous in public. Yet a pretty wide humanistic culture has conferred a constant advantage in the quite mathematical work I do.
I think I might renounce my citizenship. I would rather be a citizen of any country on earth, than this shit-heap of spineless cowardice that is the UK
It would be the end of your travels.
I shall be a proud citizen of nowhere
Join the gang. But we all have to have dual citizenship.
I thought briefly about retiring just before I came to the U.S., but it seemed farcical to do so in my mid 40s.
One thing I admire about Americans is that they often simply don’t retire. Whether this is due to the absence of a decent safety net, I don’t know. They seem to enjoy it, though. You have people cranking on into their 80s and even 90s. Biden (and Trump) are in some ways representative.
They don’t seem to stop and wonder what kind of life is that? To work, and then drop dead.
One of my colleagues told me today, as I am retiring in 6 weeks, people's life expectancy post retirement is 8 years !!!!!
Surely not these days but I don't know. Used to be that coal miners were lucky to get five. Although both my grandfathers bucked that and made 90, somewhat remarkably.
In my region, the North East, it is certainly lower than other parts of the country. I think it is 77 for men from the last figures released.
My Grandfathers both made it to their mid seventies. My Dad to 85.
I think I might renounce my citizenship. I would rather be a citizen of any country on earth, than this shit-heap of spineless cowardice that is the UK
It would be the end of your travels.
Well we would hardly be in "a nation mourns" territory if a minor journal lost its resident travel freeloader though, would we?
I think the utter hatred and contempt for this country from right wing nutters is why I struggle to have any respect for them.
Why don't you just f*ck off to Turkmenistan and leave people who still give a shit about truth and decency a nice break? Don't let the door bang you on the ass as you leave.
The right does seem to be heading ever rightwards. What's striking is how few voices on the right there are wondering whether this is a good idea.
Are there any of Reform's positions that weren't held by New Labour during the Blair era?
I'd say not being an EU member state was a pretty big one.
Well that's also now Labour policy so it doesn't count. Any others?
Posting it without comment shows a distinct lack of ambition OLB, you could have written “posted for only the 59th time in the last few days since the publicity stunt hit the media.”
Reassuring, the fact I hadn't seen it suggests I don't spend as much time on here as I fear! FWIW, I used to work in a pizza restaurant and so consider myself an authority on this topic. Pineapple on pizza is fine.
Your “should I retire” discourse is inferesting. I echo those who warn you of having nothing at all to do. Many find it less fun than they expected
But of course it depends on those hobbies of yours. May I ask what they are? If they are truly absorbing then you’re sorted - go for it
My ideal life would be a life of travel and flint knapping. I am in the incredibly fortunate position of being well paid to do what I would ideally do anyway - if I had all the money in the world
I DREAD the concept of retirement. I might have to do something I DON’T like doing
My main hobby is writing. I keep plugging away at that, have just finished a first draft of my second novel (first not published). If I could become a published author with the prospect of even some meagre earnings I would retire soon. I am also involved in various local community groups and activities and would like to be able to do more there. And parents and parents in law are reaching ages where they might need more of my time too. We have no mortgage, no school fees, some property income, my wife has a well paid job and I will get a little bit of pension income when I turn 50 so I could stop soon, depending on how comfy a retirement we are after and how much we want to help the kids through Uni and early adulthood.
Someone said a few years ago that there are only about 10 novelists in the UK able to make a decent living from writing. Depressing if true.
I think it's probably a few more than that, but the point stands that novelists don't tend to make much money. There's an oft-quoted 2022 figure that the median annual earnings for a writer in the UK is £7k. A common estimate for sales for a first novel, in its first year, is 200-300 copies. That says, it depends what you are writing. Literary fiction sells peanuts. Genre stuff, like romance and fantasy, can sell much more.
300 copies is terrifying, in a market the size of the UK.
Go on the Tube or a train and see how many people are reading a book, as compared to looking at their smartphones scrolling TikTok or watching vids, then remember what it was like 30-40 years ago
Book-reading is disappearing as a pastime, and doing so fast. This doesn’t make me happy but it is the case
IQs are falling, attention spans are dwindling, and at the same time competition for eyes and minds is only getting fiercer
I love me a good book, especially history, memoir, some science, even a smidgen of poetry. Can’t stand novels tho. Made up bollocks
I was recently reading a book in a park near where my English relatives live; three youths passed by. The gobbiest one said, "Look, he's reading a book. Pathetic."
They all then spat at me. One piece of gob flecked my face. I picked up my copy of "Cien años.." and walked briskly after them.
Undoubtedly, they'd not expected this from a book worm.
They picked up their pace; I picked up mine. They broke and ran. I gave them some choice abuse in Spanish and not-so-colloquial in English.
Reading literature is endangered, not to say dangerous in public. Yet a pretty wide humanistic culture has conferred a constant advantage in the quite mathematical work I do.
Er, is that a true story? Or some meta fiction about fiction?
I'm not going to write an autobiography but in my v. early 50's I was lucky enough to find a really interesting NHS job. Didn't take me far afield but I met all sorts of interesting people really making a (good) difference to other people's lives in all sorts of ways.
I reckon most people's autobiography would be interesting enough for a book if written well and truthfully. It's amazing what happens in a life. The difference between a lurid one and a mundane one isn't in the grand scheme of things so enormous. There's much excitement in an ordinary life and plenty of ordinariness in an eventful one.
I'm not going to write an autobiography but in my v. early 50's I was lucky enough to find a really interesting NHS job. Didn't take me far afield but I met all sorts of interesting people really making a (good) difference to other people's lives in all sorts of ways.
I reckon most people's autobiography would be interesting enough for a book if written well and truthfully. It's amazing what happens in a life. The difference between a lurid one and a mundane one isn't in the grand scheme of things so enormous. There's much excitement in an ordinary life and plenty of ordinariness in an eventful one.
I dearly hope you will spare us your autobiography.
Posting it without comment shows a distinct lack of ambition OLB, you could have written “posted for only the 59th time in the last few days since the publicity stunt hit the media.”
Reassuring, the fact I hadn't seen it suggests I don't spend as much time on here as I fear! FWIW, I used to work in a pizza restaurant and so consider myself an authority on this topic. Pineapple on pizza is fine.
Your “should I retire” discourse is inferesting. I echo those who warn you of having nothing at all to do. Many find it less fun than they expected
But of course it depends on those hobbies of yours. May I ask what they are? If they are truly absorbing then you’re sorted - go for it
My ideal life would be a life of travel and flint knapping. I am in the incredibly fortunate position of being well paid to do what I would ideally do anyway - if I had all the money in the world
I DREAD the concept of retirement. I might have to do something I DON’T like doing
My main hobby is writing. I keep plugging away at that, have just finished a first draft of my second novel (first not published). If I could become a published author with the prospect of even some meagre earnings I would retire soon. I am also involved in various local community groups and activities and would like to be able to do more there. And parents and parents in law are reaching ages where they might need more of my time too. We have no mortgage, no school fees, some property income, my wife has a well paid job and I will get a little bit of pension income when I turn 50 so I could stop soon, depending on how comfy a retirement we are after and how much we want to help the kids through Uni and early adulthood.
Someone said a few years ago that there are only about 10 novelists in the UK able to make a decent living from writing. Depressing if true.
I think it's probably a few more than that, but the point stands that novelists don't tend to make much money. There's an oft-quoted 2022 figure that the median annual earnings for a writer in the UK is £7k. A common estimate for sales for a first novel, in its first year, is 200-300 copies. That says, it depends what you are writing. Literary fiction sells peanuts. Genre stuff, like romance and fantasy, can sell much more.
300 copies is terrifying, in a market the size of the UK.
Go on the Tube or a train and see how many people are reading a book, as compared to looking at their smartphones scrolling TikTok or watching vids, then remember what it was like 30-40 years ago
Book-reading is disappearing as a pastime, and doing so fast. This doesn’t make me happy but it is the case
IQs are falling, attention spans are dwindling, and at the same time competition for eyes and minds is only getting fiercer
I love me a good book, especially history, memoir, some science, even a smidgen of poetry. Can’t stand novels tho. Made up bollocks
I was recently reading a book in a park near where my English relatives live; three youths passed by. The gobbiest one said, "Look, he's reading a book. Pathetic."
They all then spat at me. One piece of gob flecked my face. I picked up my copy of "Cien años.." and walked briskly after them.
Undoubtedly, they'd not expected this from a book worm.
They picked up their pace; I picked up mine. They broke and ran. I gave them some choice abuse in Spanish and not-so-colloquial in English.
Reading literature is endangered, not to say dangerous in public. Yet a pretty wide humanistic culture has conferred a constant advantage in the quite mathematical work I do.
That’s beautiful humour. I love the idea of park yobs saying “look, he’s reading a book. Pathetic”.
I am surprised they didn’t follow it up with “I think we should unsheathe our daggers and pierce the ragamuffin for his cocking a snook at normal modern pastimes.”
The reintroduction plan was signed off in recent weeks by the environment secretary, Steve Reed, who passed it to No 10. But there it was blocked by senior Downing Street officials, who were not in favour of the policy as they view it as a “Tory legacy”, sources said.
I think I might renounce my citizenship. I would rather be a citizen of any country on earth, than this shit-heap of spineless cowardice that is the UK
It would be the end of your travels.
Well we would hardly be in "a nation mourns" territory if a minor journal lost its resident travel freeloader though, would we?
I think the utter hatred and contempt for this country from right wing nutters is why I struggle to have any respect for them.
Why don't you just f*ck off to Turkmenistan and leave people who still give a shit about truth and decency a nice break? Don't let the door bang you on the ass as you leave.
The right does seem to be heading ever rightwards. What's striking is how few voices on the right there are wondering whether this is a good idea.
Are there any of Reform's positions that weren't held by New Labour during the Blair era?
I'd say not being an EU member state was a pretty big one.
Well that's also now Labour policy so it doesn't count. Any others?
Ha, ha - it seems like the goalposts have moved 18,000 leap years into distant space. Great stuff!
I think I might renounce my citizenship. I would rather be a citizen of any country on earth, than this shit-heap of spineless cowardice that is the UK
It would be the end of your travels.
Well we would hardly be in "a nation mourns" territory if a minor journal lost its resident travel freeloader though, would we?
I think the utter hatred and contempt for this country from right wing nutters is why I struggle to have any respect for them.
Why don't you just f*ck off to Turkmenistan and leave people who still give a shit about truth and decency a nice break? Don't let the door bang you on the ass as you leave.
The right does seem to be heading ever rightwards. What's striking is how few voices on the right there are wondering whether this is a good idea.
Are there any of Reform's positions that weren't held by New Labour during the Blair era?
I'd say not being an EU member state was a pretty big one.
Well that's also now Labour policy so it doesn't count. Any others?
Massively reducing the size of the state and workers rights, repealing the Climate Change Act and Human Rights Act, getting rid of the Supreme Court etc.
I thought briefly about retiring just before I came to the U.S., but it seemed farcical to do so in my mid 40s.
One thing I admire about Americans is that they often simply don’t retire. Whether this is due to the absence of a decent safety net, I don’t know. They seem to enjoy it, though. You have people cranking on into their 80s and even 90s. Biden (and Trump) are in some ways representative.
They don’t seem to stop and wonder what kind of life is that? To work, and then drop dead.
One of my colleagues told me today, as I am retiring in 6 weeks, people's life expectancy post retirement is 8 years !!!!!
Surely not these days but I don't know. Used to be that coal miners were lucky to get five. Although both my grandfathers bucked that and made 90, somewhat remarkably.
In my region, the North East, it is certainly lower than other parts of the country. I think it is 77 for men from the last figures released.
My Grandfathers both made it to their mid seventies. My Dad to 85.
The most harrowing thing in the world just happened to me
I had THAT experience when you order some yummy food on a delivery service, then the time-to-arrival keeps being slightly extended, and they apologise, and they extend again somewhat more, and then this keeps happening, and you think about giving up and getting pizza, but you really want that nicer meal, until finally you realise - your hunger at screaming pitch by this point - that you’ve been waiting TWO HOURS for a meal that was meant to arrive in 25 minutes
And then they cancel
Is there anything more agonizing than that? It’s up there with genocide, in my book. Maybe worse
I’m not sure I have a position on beavers (stop sniggering).
But this report adds to the feeling that Labour’s philosophy amounts to “let’s stick it up the Tories”.
The story's final paragraph reads ...
A government spokesperson said: “This story is categorically untrue. The government is working with Natural England to review options on species reintroduction, including beavers.”
I’m not sure I have a position on beavers (stop sniggering).
But this report adds to the feeling that Labour’s philosophy amounts to “let’s stick it up the Tories”.
The story's final paragraph reads ...
A government spokesperson said: “This story is categorically untrue. The government is working with Natural England to review options on species reintroduction, including beavers.”
Of course they would say that.
However, if it had been agreed earlier, why does it have to be reviewed again?
I’m not sure I have a position on beavers (stop sniggering).
But this report adds to the feeling that Labour’s philosophy amounts to “let’s stick it up the Tories”.
The story's final paragraph reads ...
A government spokesperson said: “This story is categorically untrue. The government is working with Natural England to review options on species reintroduction, including beavers.”
Sure, but it’s in the Guardian. So I am inclined to give it some credence as the Guardian is ostensibly sympathetic to Labour.
I’m not sure I have a position on beavers (stop sniggering).
But this report adds to the feeling that Labour’s philosophy amounts to “let’s stick it up the Tories”.
The story's final paragraph reads ...
A government spokesperson said: “This story is categorically untrue. The government is working with Natural England to review options on species reintroduction, including beavers.”
Sure, but it’s in the Guardian. So I am inclined to give it some credence as the Guardian is ostensibly sympathetic to Labour.
And they have form on this:
Natural history GCSE on hold as qualification seen as ‘Tory initiative’, claims campaigner
The most harrowing thing in the world just happened to me
I had THAT experience when you order some yummy food on a delivery service, then the time-to-arrival keeps being slightly extended, and they apologise, and they extend again somewhat more, and then this keeps happening, and you think about giving up and getting pizza, but you really want that nicer meal, until finally you realise - your hunger at screaming pitch by this point - that you’ve been waiting TWO HOURS for a meal that was meant to arrive in 25 minutes
And then they cancel
Is there anything more agonizing than that? It’s up there with genocide, in my book. Maybe worse
This happens here in New York, but for Uber.
You order an Uber, and then for whatever reason they don’t want to take the job. But they also don’t want to cancel because it presumably hits their rating or something.
So they stall, sit on a corner somewhere and wait for YOU to cancel. Which, if you do, means you pay some forfeit.
It’s a stand-off.
Ubers are now grotesquely expensive in New York. On both cost and convenience grounds, I now try to avoid them. Yellow cabs are much better.
A major high street lender has raised mortgage rates amid ongoing bond market chaos.
Virgin Money increased the price of two and five-year deals by up to 0.2 percentage points on Wednesday as a government bond sell-off threatened to keep interest rates higher for longer.
The bank’s 65pc and 75pc loan-to-value (LTV) purchase rates rose by 0.2pc, while its 85pc LTV five-year fixes were raised by 0.1pc.
Inflationary pressures, in part due to Rachel Reeves’s tax-raising Budget, have spooked the bond market in the past week and raised the cost of government borrowing.
Rather, she seems to be left carrying the bag while Trump’s inflationary stance tests global risk appetite for sovereign bonds.
The NYT today reports that “In Global Market Rout, Britain is the ‘Weakest Link’”.
She chose to borrow an additional £150bn over 5 years, no one forced her to do that. She chose to push up the deficit rather than leave it falling as it was before the budget. If the previous government was still in power we wouldn't be seen as the weakest link at all. If anything gilts would be seen as a good bet because we'd be one of a few countries with falling indebtedness and a growing economy.
I think I might renounce my citizenship. I would rather be a citizen of any country on earth, than this shit-heap of spineless cowardice that is the UK
It would be the end of your travels.
Well we would hardly be in "a nation mourns" territory if a minor journal lost its resident travel freeloader though, would we?
I think the utter hatred and contempt for this country from right wing nutters is why I struggle to have any respect for them.
Why don't you just f*ck off to Turkmenistan and leave people who still give a shit about truth and decency a nice break? Don't let the door bang you on the ass as you leave.
The right does seem to be heading ever rightwards. What's striking is how few voices on the right there are wondering whether this is a good idea.
Are there any of Reform's positions that weren't held by New Labour during the Blair era?
I'd say not being an EU member state was a pretty big one.
Well that's also now Labour policy so it doesn't count. Any others?
Ha, ha - it seems like the goalposts have moved 18,000 leap years into distant space. Great stuff!
Tony Blair yesterday held out the prospect of Britain withdrawing from its obligations under the European convention on human rights if its latest wave of asylum reforms failed to stem the flow of unfounded asylum seekers.
I’m not sure I have a position on beavers (stop sniggering).
But this report adds to the feeling that Labour’s philosophy amounts to “let’s stick it up the Tories”.
I sometimes wonder if that’s all they have left, already
They’ve realised they are clueless. eg Starmer apparently being shocked there “was no plan”. They are coming to accept that Reeves is awful and the economy will not turn. They are not enjoying themselves at all, certainly not like they expected. They can’t even wallow in the freebies as Starmer’s petty grift screwed that. Turns out they are also childish and thin skinned and can’t cope with criticism - see all the lefties on here. And finally they are - already - suspecting that they are a one term government, led by a fool, and they will end up hated by many
it’s not great. So what’s left? Sticking it to the Tories and the right. There is at least some petty pleasure to be had in annoying your enemies even if it fucks the country. This might even explain the Chagos Surrender
A major high street lender has raised mortgage rates amid ongoing bond market chaos.
Virgin Money increased the price of two and five-year deals by up to 0.2 percentage points on Wednesday as a government bond sell-off threatened to keep interest rates higher for longer.
The bank’s 65pc and 75pc loan-to-value (LTV) purchase rates rose by 0.2pc, while its 85pc LTV five-year fixes were raised by 0.1pc.
Inflationary pressures, in part due to Rachel Reeves’s tax-raising Budget, have spooked the bond market in the past week and raised the cost of government borrowing.
Rather, she seems to be left carrying the bag while Trump’s inflationary stance tests global risk appetite for sovereign bonds.
The NYT today reports that “In Global Market Rout, Britain is the ‘Weakest Link’”.
She chose to borrow an additional £150bn over 5 years, no one forced her to do that. She chose to push up the deficit rather than leave it falling as it was before the budget. If the previous government was still in power we wouldn't be seen as the weakest link at all. If anything gilts would be seen as a good bet because we'd be one of a few countries with falling indebtedness and a growing economy.
I think actually she probably did need to borrow.
The massive error here is a failure to spell out a coherent growth plan, having promised everyone it was Labour’s #1 policy.
I thought briefly about retiring just before I came to the U.S., but it seemed farcical to do so in my mid 40s.
One thing I admire about Americans is that they often simply don’t retire. Whether this is due to the absence of a decent safety net, I don’t know. They seem to enjoy it, though. You have people cranking on into their 80s and even 90s. Biden (and Trump) are in some ways representative.
They don’t seem to stop and wonder what kind of life is that? To work, and then drop dead.
One of my colleagues told me today, as I am retiring in 6 weeks, people's life expectancy post retirement is 8 years !!!!!
If it helps I have managed 15 years and now with my pacemaker hopefully a few more
And do not hesitate to do whatever you want when you retire and enjoy it
I am into my 24th year of retirement. I have now lived in my retirement abode for longer than any previous house, flat, room, or caravan.
The reintroduction plan was signed off in recent weeks by the environment secretary, Steve Reed, who passed it to No 10. But there it was blocked by senior Downing Street officials, who were not in favour of the policy as they view it as a “Tory legacy”, sources said.
If that is true they are fucking morons.
Most likely, but reintroducing species that have long been extinct in this country is sentimentalist and dumb. It makes no ecological sense.
I think I might renounce my citizenship. I would rather be a citizen of any country on earth, than this shit-heap of spineless cowardice that is the UK
It would be the end of your travels.
Well we would hardly be in "a nation mourns" territory if a minor journal lost its resident travel freeloader though, would we?
I think the utter hatred and contempt for this country from right wing nutters is why I struggle to have any respect for them.
Why don't you just f*ck off to Turkmenistan and leave people who still give a shit about truth and decency a nice break? Don't let the door bang you on the ass as you leave.
The right does seem to be heading ever rightwards. What's striking is how few voices on the right there are wondering whether this is a good idea.
Are there any of Reform's positions that weren't held by New Labour during the Blair era?
I'd say not being an EU member state was a pretty big one.
Well that's also now Labour policy so it doesn't count. Any others?
Ha, ha - it seems like the goalposts have moved 18,000 leap years into distant space. Great stuff!
Tony Blair yesterday held out the prospect of Britain withdrawing from its obligations under the European convention on human rights if its latest wave of asylum reforms failed to stem the flow of unfounded asylum seekers.
It was not New Labour's policy to pull out of the ECHR. It is Reform's policy.
I think I might renounce my citizenship. I would rather be a citizen of any country on earth, than this shit-heap of spineless cowardice that is the UK
It would be the end of your travels.
Well we would hardly be in "a nation mourns" territory if a minor journal lost its resident travel freeloader though, would we?
I think the utter hatred and contempt for this country from right wing nutters is why I struggle to have any respect for them.
Why don't you just f*ck off to Turkmenistan and leave people who still give a shit about truth and decency a nice break? Don't let the door bang you on the ass as you leave.
The right does seem to be heading ever rightwards. What's striking is how few voices on the right there are wondering whether this is a good idea.
Are there any of Reform's positions that weren't held by New Labour during the Blair era?
I'd say not being an EU member state was a pretty big one.
Well that's also now Labour policy so it doesn't count. Any others?
Ha, ha - it seems like the goalposts have moved 18,000 leap years into distant space. Great stuff!
Tony Blair yesterday held out the prospect of Britain withdrawing from its obligations under the European convention on human rights if its latest wave of asylum reforms failed to stem the flow of unfounded asylum seekers.
It was not New Labour's policy to pull out of the ECHR. It is Reform's policy.
lol. I’m sorry. But you got whacked by @williamglenn there
I think I might renounce my citizenship. I would rather be a citizen of any country on earth, than this shit-heap of spineless cowardice that is the UK
It would be the end of your travels.
Well we would hardly be in "a nation mourns" territory if a minor journal lost its resident travel freeloader though, would we?
I think the utter hatred and contempt for this country from right wing nutters is why I struggle to have any respect for them.
Why don't you just f*ck off to Turkmenistan and leave people who still give a shit about truth and decency a nice break? Don't let the door bang you on the ass as you leave.
The right does seem to be heading ever rightwards. What's striking is how few voices on the right there are wondering whether this is a good idea.
Are there any of Reform's positions that weren't held by New Labour during the Blair era?
I'd say not being an EU member state was a pretty big one.
Well that's also now Labour policy so it doesn't count. Any others?
Ha, ha - it seems like the goalposts have moved 18,000 leap years into distant space. Great stuff!
Tony Blair yesterday held out the prospect of Britain withdrawing from its obligations under the European convention on human rights if its latest wave of asylum reforms failed to stem the flow of unfounded asylum seekers.
It was not New Labour's policy to pull out of the ECHR. It is Reform's policy.
Perhaps they are what a Blair government would have been like if he wasn't held back by the Labour party.
I think I might renounce my citizenship. I would rather be a citizen of any country on earth, than this shit-heap of spineless cowardice that is the UK
It would be the end of your travels.
Well we would hardly be in "a nation mourns" territory if a minor journal lost its resident travel freeloader though, would we?
I think the utter hatred and contempt for this country from right wing nutters is why I struggle to have any respect for them.
Why don't you just f*ck off to Turkmenistan and leave people who still give a shit about truth and decency a nice break? Don't let the door bang you on the ass as you leave.
The right does seem to be heading ever rightwards. What's striking is how few voices on the right there are wondering whether this is a good idea.
Are there any of Reform's positions that weren't held by New Labour during the Blair era?
"Positions"?
It's an anti-immigration party first and foremost. Generally suspicious of modern and foreign things.
The antithesis of Blair's project back then. It really couldn't be more different. That's why it's doing well.
I'm not going to write an autobiography but in my v. early 50's I was lucky enough to find a really interesting NHS job. Didn't take me far afield but I met all sorts of interesting people really making a (good) difference to other people's lives in all sorts of ways.
I reckon most people's autobiography would be interesting enough for a book if written well and truthfully. It's amazing what happens in a life. The difference between a lurid one and a mundane one isn't in the grand scheme of things so enormous. There's much excitement in an ordinary life and plenty of ordinariness in an eventful one.
Yes, but then you are a Chartered Accountant so your views on what is *interesting* may differ from someone who has followed a more exciting path?
I think I might renounce my citizenship. I would rather be a citizen of any country on earth, than this shit-heap of spineless cowardice that is the UK
It would be the end of your travels.
Well we would hardly be in "a nation mourns" territory if a minor journal lost its resident travel freeloader though, would we?
I think the utter hatred and contempt for this country from right wing nutters is why I struggle to have any respect for them.
Why don't you just f*ck off to Turkmenistan and leave people who still give a shit about truth and decency a nice break? Don't let the door bang you on the ass as you leave.
The right does seem to be heading ever rightwards. What's striking is how few voices on the right there are wondering whether this is a good idea.
Are there any of Reform's positions that weren't held by New Labour during the Blair era?
I'd say not being an EU member state was a pretty big one.
Well that's also now Labour policy so it doesn't count. Any others?
Ha, ha - it seems like the goalposts have moved 18,000 leap years into distant space. Great stuff!
Tony Blair yesterday held out the prospect of Britain withdrawing from its obligations under the European convention on human rights if its latest wave of asylum reforms failed to stem the flow of unfounded asylum seekers.
It was not New Labour's policy to pull out of the ECHR. It is Reform's policy.
lol. I’m sorry. But you got whacked by @williamglenn there
Yep, I forgot we left the ECHR and the EU under the last Labour government. My bad.
I’m not sure I have a position on beavers (stop sniggering).
But this report adds to the feeling that Labour’s philosophy amounts to “let’s stick it up the Tories”.
The story's final paragraph reads ...
A government spokesperson said: “This story is categorically untrue. The government is working with Natural England to review options on species reintroduction, including beavers.”
Sure, but it’s in the Guardian. So I am inclined to give it some credence as the Guardian is ostensibly sympathetic to Labour.
And they have form on this:
Natural history GCSE on hold as qualification seen as ‘Tory initiative’, claims campaigner
I’m not sure I have a position on beavers (stop sniggering).
But this report adds to the feeling that Labour’s philosophy amounts to “let’s stick it up the Tories”.
The story's final paragraph reads ...
A government spokesperson said: “This story is categorically untrue. The government is working with Natural England to review options on species reintroduction, including beavers.”
Sure, but it’s in the Guardian. So I am inclined to give it some credence as the Guardian is ostensibly sympathetic to Labour.
And they have form on this:
Natural history GCSE on hold as qualification seen as ‘Tory initiative’, claims campaigner
Further to retirement, obviously it depends on your circumstances and your personality. Also the extent to which you define yourself by your job and/or are boosted in self-esteem by its status. The latter is human nature, I think. Even I was afflicted. I used to enjoy the impact on people, the respect I'd see in their eyes, when I'd say I was a Chartered Accountant or (even more so until 2008) a bond trader. That doesn't happen now and I miss it.
Don’t worry Kinabalu, I’m in awe of you by virtue of you being an ex-chartered accountant and an ex bond trader - nobody can take that away from you.
When Muhammed Ali retired people still feared his punch, still bowed to his wit and wisdom and craved his approval - you are the Ali of PB.
Respect.
Well thank you. Yes, on here everybody knows who and what I was. It's very gratifying. But IRL (dreaded term) that's not so much the case. I present as just a bloke like any other. Nothing special.
Have you thought about getting one of those badges people wear at conferences with their names on but yours could just say “former Chartered accountant and Bond trader”.
This way people could behave appropriately in your presence and not have an embarrassing moment where one of their friends, the sort who knows people who know people, tells them they were just speaking to an ex chartered accountant and ex bond trader and they feel like utter buffoons.
Think you should consider it.
I'd feel a bit of a plonker doing that. No, it's fine, I've got used to it. I wasn't complaining, I was just flagging the issue for some of the younger guns on here so they're prepared for it when it happens.
The reintroduction plan was signed off in recent weeks by the environment secretary, Steve Reed, who passed it to No 10. But there it was blocked by senior Downing Street officials, who were not in favour of the policy as they view it as a “Tory legacy”, sources said.
If that is true they are fucking morons.
Most likely, but reintroducing species that have long been extinct in this country is sentimentalist and dumb. It makes no ecological sense.
What does make "ecological sense" then?
Dredging rivers* and making ever higher flood barriers?
The reintroduction plan was signed off in recent weeks by the environment secretary, Steve Reed, who passed it to No 10. But there it was blocked by senior Downing Street officials, who were not in favour of the policy as they view it as a “Tory legacy”, sources said.
If that is true they are fucking morons.
Most likely, but reintroducing species that have long been extinct in this country is sentimentalist and dumb. It makes no ecological sense.
What does make "ecological sense" then?
Dredging rivers* and making ever higher flood barriers?
*Not that this works
You are confusing hydrological engineering with ecology. Different things old chap.
I'm not going to write an autobiography but in my v. early 50's I was lucky enough to find a really interesting NHS job. Didn't take me far afield but I met all sorts of interesting people really making a (good) difference to other people's lives in all sorts of ways.
I reckon most people's autobiography would be interesting enough for a book if written well and truthfully. It's amazing what happens in a life. The difference between a lurid one and a mundane one isn't in the grand scheme of things so enormous. There's much excitement in an ordinary life and plenty of ordinariness in an eventful one.
I dearly hope you will spare us your autobiography.
The reintroduction plan was signed off in recent weeks by the environment secretary, Steve Reed, who passed it to No 10. But there it was blocked by senior Downing Street officials, who were not in favour of the policy as they view it as a “Tory legacy”, sources said.
If that is true they are fucking morons.
Most likely, but reintroducing species that have long been extinct in this country is sentimentalist and dumb. It makes no ecological sense.
What does make "ecological sense" then?
Dredging rivers* and making ever higher flood barriers?
*Not that this works
You are confusing hydrological engineering with ecology. Different things old chap.
So, a beaver dam isn't hydrological engineering? And also ecology?
I'm not going to write an autobiography but in my v. early 50's I was lucky enough to find a really interesting NHS job. Didn't take me far afield but I met all sorts of interesting people really making a (good) difference to other people's lives in all sorts of ways.
I reckon most people's autobiography would be interesting enough for a book if written well and truthfully. It's amazing what happens in a life. The difference between a lurid one and a mundane one isn't in the grand scheme of things so enormous. There's much excitement in an ordinary life and plenty of ordinariness in an eventful one.
Yes, but then you are a Chartered Accountant so your views on what is *interesting* may differ from someone who has followed a more exciting path?
No longer, sadly. Stopped paying the subs. Just a civilian now.
"I do not want to dwell on the circumstances, except to say that my phone was stolen and that London is becoming a reeking cesspool of criminality. Perhaps, also, that anyone caught cycling a Lime Bike without a clean criminal record should have the book thrown at them.
The worst part was that at the time of snatching, my phone was unlocked, and therefore wide open for fraudulent activity. I disabled all online banking in time, but that didn’t stop the cretin from ordering himself a couple of Ubers and very nearly a PS5. In a brainwave that was pure Conan Doyle, I looked at the addresses these were ordered to, and they were all to the same flat – a clue.
I took this information to the police station to be added to my police report. I was duly informed this piece of evidence was not substantial enough to warrant an officers going to the address to ask questions, let alone arresting anyone. To me, this seemed like finding a murder weapon with fingerprints on at the scene of the crime, but discounting it because it wasn’t found in the murderer’s hand. Alas, what do I know?"
I wonder if the writer thought about going to the police ombudsman about this. Perhaps narrating the story in the Spectator was more likely to have an effect. This is not what the public want from the police. It is not an acceptable service. Perhaps the writer should have hinted that his account had been used to send a message involving a racial aggravation. That would have been a blue light job.
The Police across the country are a fucking joke when it comes to this.
So many of my friends and colleagues have had their phones nabbed and they’ve gone to the police to say find my iPhone says this phone is at this property and the police say we’re not investigating this and here’s a crime reference number for you to claim on your insurance.
The police are a joke which is why people are taking the law into their own hands. I get burgaled I have people to contact. I get my stuff back and the criminals get beaten....not even that expensive
Posting it without comment shows a distinct lack of ambition OLB, you could have written “posted for only the 59th time in the last few days since the publicity stunt hit the media.”
Reassuring, the fact I hadn't seen it suggests I don't spend as much time on here as I fear! FWIW, I used to work in a pizza restaurant and so consider myself an authority on this topic. Pineapple on pizza is fine.
Your “should I retire” discourse is inferesting. I echo those who warn you of having nothing at all to do. Many find it less fun than they expected
But of course it depends on those hobbies of yours. May I ask what they are? If they are truly absorbing then you’re sorted - go for it
My ideal life would be a life of travel and flint knapping. I am in the incredibly fortunate position of being well paid to do what I would ideally do anyway - if I had all the money in the world
I DREAD the concept of retirement. I might have to do something I DON’T like doing
My main hobby is writing. I keep plugging away at that, have just finished a first draft of my second novel (first not published). If I could become a published author with the prospect of even some meagre earnings I would retire soon. I am also involved in various local community groups and activities and would like to be able to do more there. And parents and parents in law are reaching ages where they might need more of my time too. We have no mortgage, no school fees, some property income, my wife has a well paid job and I will get a little bit of pension income when I turn 50 so I could stop soon, depending on how comfy a retirement we are after and how much we want to help the kids through Uni and early adulthood.
Someone said a few years ago that there are only about 10 novelists in the UK able to make a decent living from writing. Depressing if true.
I think it's probably a few more than that, but the point stands that novelists don't tend to make much money. There's an oft-quoted 2022 figure that the median annual earnings for a writer in the UK is £7k. A common estimate for sales for a first novel, in its first year, is 200-300 copies. That says, it depends what you are writing. Literary fiction sells peanuts. Genre stuff, like romance and fantasy, can sell much more.
300 copies is terrifying, in a market the size of the UK.
Go on the Tube or a train and see how many people are reading a book, as compared to looking at their smartphones scrolling TikTok or watching vids, then remember what it was like 30-40 years ago
Book-reading is disappearing as a pastime, and doing so fast. This doesn’t make me happy but it is the case
IQs are falling, attention spans are dwindling, and at the same time competition for eyes and minds is only getting fiercer
I love me a good book, especially history, memoir, some science, even a smidgen of poetry. Can’t stand novels tho. Made up bollocks
I was recently reading a book in a park near where my English relatives live; three youths passed by. The gobbiest one said, "Look, he's reading a book. Pathetic."
They all then spat at me. One piece of gob flecked my face. I picked up my copy of "Cien años.." and walked briskly after them.
Undoubtedly, they'd not expected this from a book worm.
They picked up their pace; I picked up mine. They broke and ran. I gave them some choice abuse in Spanish and not-so-colloquial in English.
Reading literature is endangered, not to say dangerous in public. Yet a pretty wide humanistic culture has conferred a constant advantage in the quite mathematical work I do.
Er, is that a true story? Or some meta fiction about fiction?
If true, my sympathies, Wankers
Sadly, this is a true story. And all happened in an affluent leafy Tory constituency - correction, previously Tory, not Red Wall seaside dive or inner city sink estate.
Regarding what you said about contemporary literary fiction being dreadful bollocks: one, you could apply the time filter: if some piece of literary fiction is still being read say twenty years after, it may be worth reading.
Second, with the passage of time outstanding genre fiction re-classifies as literary.
Possible examples, Bonfire of the Vanities; the first Ripley novel.
"I do not want to dwell on the circumstances, except to say that my phone was stolen and that London is becoming a reeking cesspool of criminality. Perhaps, also, that anyone caught cycling a Lime Bike without a clean criminal record should have the book thrown at them.
The worst part was that at the time of snatching, my phone was unlocked, and therefore wide open for fraudulent activity. I disabled all online banking in time, but that didn’t stop the cretin from ordering himself a couple of Ubers and very nearly a PS5. In a brainwave that was pure Conan Doyle, I looked at the addresses these were ordered to, and they were all to the same flat – a clue.
I took this information to the police station to be added to my police report. I was duly informed this piece of evidence was not substantial enough to warrant an officers going to the address to ask questions, let alone arresting anyone. To me, this seemed like finding a murder weapon with fingerprints on at the scene of the crime, but discounting it because it wasn’t found in the murderer’s hand. Alas, what do I know?"
I wonder if the writer thought about going to the police ombudsman about this. Perhaps narrating the story in the Spectator was more likely to have an effect. This is not what the public want from the police. It is not an acceptable service. Perhaps the writer should have hinted that his account had been used to send a message involving a racial aggravation. That would have been a blue light job.
The Police across the country are a fucking joke when it comes to this.
So many of my friends and colleagues have had their phones nabbed and they’ve gone to the police to say find my iPhone says this phone is at this property and the police say we’re not investigating this and here’s a crime reference number for you to claim on your insurance.
The police are a joke which is why people are taking the law into their own hands. I get burgaled I have people to contact. I get my stuff back and the criminals get beaten....not even that expensive
Comments
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/other/comedian-and-actor-tony-slattery-dies-aged-65/ar-BB1rrb23?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=570a7ce9deac454bacdc6a96c8afa67f&ei=17
They all then spat at me. One piece of gob flecked my face. I picked up my copy of "Cien años.." and walked briskly after them.
Undoubtedly, they'd not expected this from a book worm.
They picked up their pace; I picked up mine. They broke and ran. I gave them some choice abuse in Spanish and not-so-colloquial in English.
Reading literature is endangered, not to say dangerous in public. Yet a pretty wide humanistic culture has conferred a constant advantage in the quite mathematical work I do.
My Grandfathers both made it to their mid seventies. My Dad to 85.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/14/no-10-blocks-beaver-release-plan-tory-legacy
Er, is that a true story? Or some meta fiction about fiction?
If true, my sympathies, Wankers
I am surprised they didn’t follow it up with “I think we should unsheathe our daggers and pierce the ragamuffin for his cocking a snook at normal modern pastimes.”
If that is true they are fucking morons.
But how about pulling out of the ECHR?
But this report adds to the feeling that Labour’s philosophy amounts to “let’s stick it up the Tories”.
I had THAT experience when you order some yummy food on a delivery service, then the time-to-arrival keeps being slightly extended, and they apologise, and they extend again somewhat more, and then this keeps happening, and you think about giving up and getting pizza, but you really want that nicer meal, until finally you realise - your hunger at screaming pitch by this point - that you’ve been waiting TWO HOURS for a meal that was meant to arrive in 25 minutes
And then they cancel
Is there anything more agonizing than that? It’s up there with genocide, in my book. Maybe worse
A government spokesperson said: “This story is categorically untrue. The government is working with Natural England to review options on species reintroduction, including beavers.”
However, if it had been agreed earlier, why does it have to be reviewed again?
So I am inclined to give it some credence as the Guardian is ostensibly sympathetic to Labour.
Natural history GCSE on hold as qualification seen as ‘Tory initiative’, claims campaigner
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/02/natural-history-gcse-on-hold-as-qualification-seen-as-tory-initiative-claims-campaigner
You order an Uber, and then for whatever reason they don’t want to take the job. But they also don’t want to cancel because it presumably hits their rating or something.
So they stall, sit on a corner somewhere and wait for YOU to cancel. Which, if you do, means you pay some forfeit.
It’s a stand-off.
Ubers are now grotesquely expensive in New York. On both cost and convenience grounds, I now try to avoid them. Yellow cabs are much better.
NEW THREAD
Tony Blair yesterday held out the prospect of Britain withdrawing from its obligations under the European convention on human rights if its latest wave of asylum reforms failed to stem the flow of unfounded asylum seekers.
They’ve realised they are clueless. eg Starmer apparently being shocked there “was no plan”. They are coming to accept that Reeves is awful and the economy will not turn. They are not enjoying themselves at all, certainly not like they expected. They can’t even wallow in the freebies as Starmer’s petty grift screwed that. Turns out they are also childish and thin skinned and can’t cope with criticism - see all the lefties on here. And finally they are - already - suspecting that they are a one term government, led by a fool, and they will end up hated by many
it’s not great. So what’s left? Sticking it to the Tories and the right. There is at least some petty pleasure to be had in annoying your enemies even if it fucks the country. This might even explain the Chagos Surrender
The massive error here is a failure to spell out a coherent growth plan, having promised everyone it was Labour’s #1 policy.
It's an anti-immigration party first and foremost. Generally suspicious of modern and foreign things.
The antithesis of Blair's project back then. It really couldn't be more different. That's why it's doing well.
Dredging rivers* and making ever higher flood barriers?
*Not that this works
We'll see about that but I think it's on, yes.
And yet you had invested so much naïve hope! Denial is probably the best policy for you.
Regarding what you said about contemporary literary fiction being dreadful bollocks: one, you could apply the time filter: if some piece of literary fiction is still being read say twenty years after, it may be worth reading.
Second, with the passage of time outstanding genre fiction re-classifies
as literary.
Possible examples, Bonfire of the Vanities; the first Ripley novel.