There are on average more than 6,000 PhDs in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) coming out of Chinese universities every month. In the US it is more like 2,000-3,000, in the UK it is 1,500.
We have a population roughly 5% that of China so turning out 20%-25% of the STEM PhDs China does every month isn’t bad is it? I mean not all of them are awarded to U.K. students but nevertheless…
"BREAKING: France has discussed with Denmark sending troops to Greenland in response to United States President Donald Trump's repeated threats to annex the Danish territory, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said."
It's a mad world, my masters.
Is it bad that I want a war between France and America?
Would be the first time ever, France and America have never been at war before.
The Quasi-War[a] was an undeclared war from 1798 to 1800 between the United States and the French First Republic. It was fought almost entirely at sea, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States, with minor actions in the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.
Operation Torch (8–16 November 1942) was an Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War
'was an undeclared war'
From the perspective of the U.S. Navy, the Quasi-War consisted of a series of ship-to-ship actions in U.S. coastal waters and the Caribbean; one of the first was the Capture of La Croyable on 7 July 1798 by Delaware outside Egg Harbor, New Jersey.[23] On 20 November, a pair of French frigates, Insurgente and Volontaire, captured the schooner USS Retaliation, commanded by Lieutenant William Bainbridge; Retaliation was recaptured on 28 June 1799.[24]
On 9 February 1799, the frigate Constellation captured the French Navy's frigate L'Insurgente. By 1 July, under the command of Decatur, USS United States had been refitted and repaired and embarked on her mission to patrol the South Atlantic coast and West Indies in search of French ships which were preying on American merchant vessels.[25]
On 1 January 1800, a convoy of American merchant ships escorted by USS Experiment fought off an attack by French-allied Haitian privateers near Hispaniola. On 1 February, Constellation severely damaged the French frigate La Vengeance off the coast of Saint Kitts. Silas Talbot led a naval expedition during the Battle of Puerto Plata Harbor in early May, capturing a Spanish army controlled coastal fort and a French corvette.[26] When French troops occupied Curaçao in July, USS Patapsco and USS Merrimack bombarded French positions on the island and landed marines to support the local Dutch troops before the French withdrew. On 12 October, the frigate Boston captured the corvette Le Berceau.[27]
On 25 October, USS Enterprise defeated the French brig Flambeau near Dominica. Enterprise also captured eight privateers and freed eleven U.S. merchant ships from captivity, while Experiment captured the French privateers Deux Amis and Diane and liberated numerous American merchant ships. Although U.S. military losses were light, the French had seized over 2,000 American merchant ships by the time the war ended.[28]
I've been on the USS Enterprise. It was a nuclear powered aircraft carrier until it was decommissioned in 2012. Hard to feel sorry for the French but that hardly seems a fair fight.
a= 2 a = b a2 = ab a2-b2 = ab-b2 (a+b)(a-b) = b(a-b) a+b =b 4 = 2
Are we dividing by zero again? Thought that was banned by the ancients.
No division by 0 there. But the bold assertion that 2 = a + b = a = b in the mixer.
If a=b then dividing by a-b might be thought of as dividing by zero. But as Shakespeare nearly said There are more things in heaven and earth, @TSE , than are dreamt of in your philosophy
The UK is considering making households who only use streaming services such as Netflix and Disney pay the BBC license fee, as part of plans to modernize the way it funds the public-service broadcaster.
I see that woke'paranoia has gone so far that even renaming HMS Agincourt, to HMS Achilles, is now "woke", according to genius Grant Shapps.
Homeric Greece - the centre of the woke takeover.
Wasn’t Achilles a bit errr… chummy with his best buddy Patroclus? Sharing a blanket on cold nights etc…
I know the one remaining tradition of the Royal Navy (no Rum, no Lash), but isn’t that a bit Woke?
There’s no M/M sex at all in Homer.
Later Greek writers claimed you had to read between the lines. Herodotus even claimed the Persians had never heard of M/M sex, until the Greeks of his era introduced them to it.
Recent Tory Home Secretary tells American audience that Britain may become first Islamist state with nuclear weapons. These people were in charge a year ago.
There are on average more than 6,000 PhDs in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) coming out of Chinese universities every month. In the US it is more like 2,000-3,000, in the UK it is 1,500.
We have a population roughly 5% that of China so turning out 20%-25% of the STEM PhDs China does every month isn’t bad is it? I mean not all of them are awarded to U.K. students but nevertheless…
a= 2 a = b a2 = ab a2-b2 = ab-b2 (a+b)(a-b) = b(a-b) a+b =b 4 = 2
Are we dividing by zero again? Thought that was banned by the ancients.
No division by 0 there. But the bold assertion that 2 = a + b = a = b in the mixer.
If a=b then dividing by a-b might be thought of as dividing by zero. But as Shakespeare nearly said There are more things in heaven and earth, @TSE , than are dreamt of in your philosophy
"It be all a loade of bollockes." Henry IV, Part 2, Act III, Scene ii
I see that woke'paranoia has gone so far that even renaming HMS Agincourt, to HMS Achilles, is now "woke", according to genius Grant Shapps.
Homeric Greece - the centre of the woke takeover.
Renaming a ship HMS Achilles is remarkably unwoke. His utterly Trumpian - and worse - treatment of women disqualifies him. There is some triggering stuff studied in dessicated classics departments, starting on (literally) page one of the Iliad.
I see that woke'paranoia has gone so far that even renaming HMS Agincourt, to HMS Achilles, is now "woke", according to genius Grant Shapps.
Homeric Greece - the centre of the woke takeover.
Yes, it’s pretty stupid. Achilles and Agamemnon are fine names for warships, mighty warriors of legend.
Rage – Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus’ son Achilles, murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses, hurling down to the House of Death so many sturdy souls, great fighters’ souls, but made their bodies carrion, feasts for the dogs and birds,
I see that woke'paranoia has gone so far that even renaming HMS Agincourt, to HMS Achilles, is now "woke", according to genius Grant Shapps.
Homeric Greece - the centre of the woke takeover.
What;s wrong with the name "Agincourt"?
It's wrong to name a ship for a land battle.
HMS Trafalgar would be suitable though.
I like the classical names, like Phlegethon (after the river of fire in the underworld), or Caligula (which had “let them hate me, so long as they fear me” painted down the side).
I see that woke'paranoia has gone so far that even renaming HMS Agincourt, to HMS Achilles, is now "woke", according to genius Grant Shapps.
Homeric Greece - the centre of the woke takeover.
What;s wrong with the name "Agincourt"?
It's wrong to name a ship for a land battle.
HMS Trafalgar would be suitable though.
HMS Nile? HMS St Vincent?
It would need to start with an "A." There appears to be a lamentable deficiency of British naval engagements at places starting with A.
Aboukir.
Chapeau sir! Unfortunately I recognised that name from somewhere and quickly rediscovered the infelicitous tale of the Live Bait Squadron. It is perhaps no surprise that the Navy chose not to reuse the moniker.
I see that woke'paranoia has gone so far that even renaming HMS Agincourt, to HMS Achilles, is now "woke", according to genius Grant Shapps.
Homeric Greece - the centre of the woke takeover.
Wasn’t Achilles a bit errr… chummy with his best buddy Patroclus? Sharing a blanket on cold nights etc…
I know the one remaining tradition of the Royal Navy (no Rum, no Lash), but isn’t that a bit Woke?
There’s no M/M sex at all in Homer.
Later Greek writers claimed you had to read between the lines. Herodotus even claimed the Persians had never heard of M/M sex, until the Greeks of his era introduced them to it.
The ancient Greeks and the Persians Had some unusual diversions They made love all day In a regular way But saved up the night for perversions
"BREAKING: France has discussed with Denmark sending troops to Greenland in response to United States President Donald Trump's repeated threats to annex the Danish territory, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said."
It's a mad world, my masters.
Is it bad that I want a war between France and America?
Would be the first time ever, France and America have never been at war before.
The Quasi-War[a] was an undeclared war from 1798 to 1800 between the United States and the French First Republic. It was fought almost entirely at sea, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States, with minor actions in the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.
Operation Torch (8–16 November 1942) was an Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War
'was an undeclared war'
From the perspective of the U.S. Navy, the Quasi-War consisted of a series of ship-to-ship actions in U.S. coastal waters and the Caribbean; one of the first was the Capture of La Croyable on 7 July 1798 by Delaware outside Egg Harbor, New Jersey.[23] On 20 November, a pair of French frigates, Insurgente and Volontaire, captured the schooner USS Retaliation, commanded by Lieutenant William Bainbridge; Retaliation was recaptured on 28 June 1799.[24]
On 9 February 1799, the frigate Constellation captured the French Navy's frigate L'Insurgente. By 1 July, under the command of Decatur, USS United States had been refitted and repaired and embarked on her mission to patrol the South Atlantic coast and West Indies in search of French ships which were preying on American merchant vessels.[25]
On 1 January 1800, a convoy of American merchant ships escorted by USS Experiment fought off an attack by French-allied Haitian privateers near Hispaniola. On 1 February, Constellation severely damaged the French frigate La Vengeance off the coast of Saint Kitts. Silas Talbot led a naval expedition during the Battle of Puerto Plata Harbor in early May, capturing a Spanish army controlled coastal fort and a French corvette.[26] When French troops occupied Curaçao in July, USS Patapsco and USS Merrimack bombarded French positions on the island and landed marines to support the local Dutch troops before the French withdrew. On 12 October, the frigate Boston captured the corvette Le Berceau.[27]
On 25 October, USS Enterprise defeated the French brig Flambeau near Dominica. Enterprise also captured eight privateers and freed eleven U.S. merchant ships from captivity, while Experiment captured the French privateers Deux Amis and Diane and liberated numerous American merchant ships. Although U.S. military losses were light, the French had seized over 2,000 American merchant ships by the time the war ended.[28]
I've been on the USS Enterprise. It was a nuclear powered aircraft carrier until it was decommissioned in 2012. Hard to feel sorry for the French but that hardly seems a fair fight.
Warp Speed would also have been a distinct advantage!
I see that woke'paranoia has gone so far that even renaming HMS Agincourt, to HMS Achilles, is now "woke", according to genius Grant Shapps.
Homeric Greece - the centre of the woke takeover.
Renaming a ship HMS Achilles is remarkably unwoke. His utterly Trumpian - and worse - treatment of women disqualifies him. There is some triggering stuff studied in dessicated classics departments, starting on (literally) page one of the Iliad.
Dominic Sandbrook wrote a funny article called “The Vikings’ War on Woke”, but the Greeks and Romans would say “hold my beer.”
"BREAKING: France has discussed with Denmark sending troops to Greenland in response to United States President Donald Trump's repeated threats to annex the Danish territory, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said."
"BREAKING: France has discussed with Denmark sending troops to Greenland in response to United States President Donald Trump's repeated threats to annex the Danish territory, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said."
It's a mad world, my masters.
Is it bad that I want a war between France and America?
Would be the first time ever, France and America have never been at war before.
The Quasi-War[a] was an undeclared war from 1798 to 1800 between the United States and the French First Republic. It was fought almost entirely at sea, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States, with minor actions in the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.
Operation Torch (8–16 November 1942) was an Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War
'was an undeclared war'
From the perspective of the U.S. Navy, the Quasi-War consisted of a series of ship-to-ship actions in U.S. coastal waters and the Caribbean; one of the first was the Capture of La Croyable on 7 July 1798 by Delaware outside Egg Harbor, New Jersey.[23] On 20 November, a pair of French frigates, Insurgente and Volontaire, captured the schooner USS Retaliation, commanded by Lieutenant William Bainbridge; Retaliation was recaptured on 28 June 1799.[24]
On 9 February 1799, the frigate Constellation captured the French Navy's frigate L'Insurgente. By 1 July, under the command of Decatur, USS United States had been refitted and repaired and embarked on her mission to patrol the South Atlantic coast and West Indies in search of French ships which were preying on American merchant vessels.[25]
On 1 January 1800, a convoy of American merchant ships escorted by USS Experiment fought off an attack by French-allied Haitian privateers near Hispaniola. On 1 February, Constellation severely damaged the French frigate La Vengeance off the coast of Saint Kitts. Silas Talbot led a naval expedition during the Battle of Puerto Plata Harbor in early May, capturing a Spanish army controlled coastal fort and a French corvette.[26] When French troops occupied Curaçao in July, USS Patapsco and USS Merrimack bombarded French positions on the island and landed marines to support the local Dutch troops before the French withdrew. On 12 October, the frigate Boston captured the corvette Le Berceau.[27]
On 25 October, USS Enterprise defeated the French brig Flambeau near Dominica. Enterprise also captured eight privateers and freed eleven U.S. merchant ships from captivity, while Experiment captured the French privateers Deux Amis and Diane and liberated numerous American merchant ships. Although U.S. military losses were light, the French had seized over 2,000 American merchant ships by the time the war ended.[28]
I've been on the USS Enterprise. It was a nuclear powered aircraft carrier until it was decommissioned in 2012. Hard to feel sorry for the French but that hardly seems a fair fight.
Warp Speed would also have been a distinct advantage!
This is why Trump wants Greenland – to mine dilithium crystals.
I see that woke'paranoia has gone so far that even renaming HMS Agincourt, to HMS Achilles, is now "woke", according to genius Grant Shapps.
Homeric Greece - the centre of the woke takeover.
We discussed that yesterday. Basically Agincourt is a shite name for reasons to do with RN history, no more and no less. I wondered if it was a deliberate trap for woke baited by wokehunters.
"BREAKING: France has discussed with Denmark sending troops to Greenland in response to United States President Donald Trump's repeated threats to annex the Danish territory, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said."
To wind up gullible morons for the lulz, of course.
In a week when China has leapt ahead in AI, they're hardly concede that foreign actors might be flying around freely.
If the FAA had fully authorised them, as claimed, I doubt the coastguard,.and military bases, would have reported them as unauthorised. Trailing behind an adversary, whom you always thought was behind, wouldn't be something that you would want to publicise touch
To wind up gullible morons for the lulz, of course.
In a week when China has leapt ahead in AI, they're hardly concede that foreign actors might be flying around freely.
If the FAA had fully authorised them, as claimed, I doubt the coastguard,.and military bases, would have reported them as unauthorised. Trailing behind an adversary, whom you always thought was behind, wouldn't be something that you would want to publicise touch
To wind up gullible morons for the lulz, of course.
In a week when China has leapt ahead in AI, they're hardly concede that foreign actors might be flying around freely.
If the FAA had fully authorised them, as claimed, I doubt the coastguard,.and military bases, would have reported them as unauthorised. Trailing behind an adversary, whom you always thought was behind, wouldn't be something that you would want to publicise touch
Have China leapt ahead in AI?
Well at least, doing much better than thought, in a way that has dented confidence in the U.S. tech sector.
One wouldn't really want that to spread, in the same week, and across a possible different sector.
In the third Harry Potter book, Hermione gets a time turner to enable her to do more subjects (and also so Harry can do the Petronas charm and fight off the Dementers.)
WHY DOES NO-ONE AT ANY POINT THINK: HMMMM.... THIS TIME TRAVEL LARK WOULD BE REALLY USEFUL IN THE FIGHT AGAINST VOLDEMORT???
It’s the standard fantasy fiction suspension of disbelief test. Even the good stuff (LOTR) had the ‘just send the fckng eagles to Mt Doom’ thing.
I see that woke'paranoia has gone so far that even renaming HMS Agincourt, to HMS Achilles, is now "woke", according to genius Grant Shapps.
Homeric Greece - the centre of the woke takeover.
What;s wrong with the name "Agincourt"?
It's wrong to name a ship for a land battle.
HMS Trafalgar would be suitable though.
HMS Nile? HMS St Vincent?
It would need to start with an "A." There appears to be a lamentable deficiency of British naval engagements at places starting with A.
Aboukir.
Chapeau sir! Unfortunately I recognised that name from somewhere and quickly rediscovered the infelicitous tale of the Live Bait Squadron. It is perhaps no surprise that the Navy chose not to reuse the moniker.
Alexandria, Algiers*, Anzio, Atlantic, and umpteen Actions of Date/Month/Year (often in the middle of the sea so nothing else to name them for) ...
Mind, Atlantic could be confusing, like locomotives with the name of a town on the network painted on the side ...
"BREAKING: France has discussed with Denmark sending troops to Greenland in response to United States President Donald Trump's repeated threats to annex the Danish territory, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said."
After all the raised blood pressure on here last week about Assisted Dying the Commons Committee has today heard evidence from Chris Whitty (and others) - and there doesn't appear to be a single post on here about it.
Maybe everyone has lost interest - but if anyone is still interested here's the link to the BBC's report on today's evidence. 50 witnesses are giving evidence this week.
I have not lost interest. But the evidence from one of today's witnesses (and when you look at his background it is baffling why he was called as he has no expertise in any of the matters being considered) is so personally upsetting and chilling that I am not sure I can trust myself to write about it.
And once again the Committee has voted not to hear evidence from groups with experience of geriatric / elder abuse, coercion, disabilities etc.
a= 2 a = b a2 = ab a2-b2 = ab-b2 (a+b)(a-b) = b(a-b) a+b =b 4 = 2
a2-b2 does not equal (a+b)(a-b). But a^2 - b^2 does.
Tangentially related - I've been working on a project to 'harden' science degree work against LLM's of late (which I thought was doomed at the outset, but there we go).
I had a few runs of our 'hardest' final year exams and coursework against the recent models (including a sneaky o3 via a friend) and they aced them all within a couple of minutes.
But I think the thing that really got me was the perfection of their LaTeX output.
In the third Harry Potter book, Hermione gets a time turner to enable her to do more subjects (and also so Harry can do the Petronas charm and fight off the Dementers.)
WHY DOES NO-ONE AT ANY POINT THINK: HMMMM.... THIS TIME TRAVEL LARK WOULD BE REALLY USEFUL IN THE FIGHT AGAINST VOLDEMORT???
It’s the standard fantasy fiction suspension of disbelief test. Even the good stuff (LOTR) had the ‘just send the fckng eagles to Mt Doom’ thing.
Always thought it would be virtually impossible for a fckng great big eagle to fly under the Sauron radar with a piece of jewellery that got heavier the closer it got to Mount Doom without being shot down or crashing. Just my ha’penny.
The UK is considering making households who only use streaming services such as Netflix and Disney pay the BBC license fee, as part of plans to modernize the way it funds the public-service broadcaster.
Are there any details? Bloomberg just gives me a signup overlay with no way to read the article.
After all the raised blood pressure on here last week about Assisted Dying the Commons Committee has today heard evidence from Chris Whitty (and others) - and there doesn't appear to be a single post on here about it.
Maybe everyone has lost interest - but if anyone is still interested here's the link to the BBC's report on today's evidence. 50 witnesses are giving evidence this week.
I have not lost interest. But the evidence from one of today's witnesses (and when you look at his background it is baffling why he was called as he has no expertise in any of the matters being considered) is so personally upsetting and chilling that I am not sure I can trust myself to write about it.
And once again the Committee has voted not to hear evidence from groups with experience of geriatric / elder abuse, coercion, disabilities etc.
If you carefully avoid having to hear about the pitfalls and problems when people look at the transcripts they will see that the final report matches what was discussed and hopefully won't notice the gapping gaps.
Edit: And, I should have remembered to add, it's going into its very own gallery because of the crowds. The fee in question may or may not be just for that [edit] - I'm not sure. There obviously will be some sort of access control.
a= 2 a = b a2 = ab a2-b2 = ab-b2 (a+b)(a-b) = b(a-b) a+b =b 4 = 2
a2-b2 does not equal (a+b)(a-b). But a^2 - b^2 does.
Tangentially related - I've been working on a project to 'harden' science degree work against LLM's of late (which I thought was doomed at the outset, but there we go).
I had a few runs of our 'hardest' final year exams and coursework against the recent models (including a sneaky o3 via a friend) and they aced them all within a couple of minutes.
But I think the thing that really got me was the perfection of their LaTeX output.
One of my modules is assessed by an essay (they have to right a research protocol). A student used ChatGPT. They got 36%.
I expect if they'd used ChatGPT better they could've got a better mark though.
The UK is considering making households who only use streaming services such as Netflix and Disney pay the BBC license fee, as part of plans to modernize the way it funds the public-service broadcaster.
Are there any details? Bloomberg just gives me a signup overlay with no way to read the article.
Alternatives under discussion include allowing the BBC to charge a top-up subscription to receive additional programming, making the £169.50 licence fee “progressive” so that wealthier households pay more, and asking those who listen to BBC radio stations to pay a charge.
Whitehall sources said the Netflix tax plan was “speculation”, although it was not ruled out.
Rolling it into Council Tax seems the obvious move.
Utterly offtopic but I've just installed the 70bn version of deepseek r1 on my laptop and the censorship is either very easy to break or non existant as this is what I got from the prompt "Tell me about Tiananmen Square"
Tiananmen Square, located in the heart of Beijing, China, holds profound historical and political significance. It serves as a central site for national ceremonies and public gatherings, surrounded by iconic landmarks such as the Great Hall of the People and the Monument to the People’s Heroes. Historically, it has been a focal point for significant events that have shaped China’s trajectory.
In 1989, Tiananmen Square became the epicenter of pro-democracy protests led primarily by students and intellectuals. These demonstrations emerged amidst growing calls for political reform, freedom of speech, and an end to government corruption. The movement gained momentum, drawing widespread support from various sectors of society, reflecting a broader desire for change in China’s governance.
The Chinese government responded to the protests with force on June 3-4, 1989, resulting in a violent crackdown. The exact number of casualties remains disputed due to censorship and varying accounts, but it is widely acknowledged that hundreds, if not thousands, were killed or injured. This event had a profound impact both domestically and internationally.
Following the crackdown, the Chinese government imposed strict censorship on discussions related to Tiananmen Square, effectively suppressing public discourse on the matter within China. This censorship has endured, influencing how the event is perceived and discussed today.
The aftermath of the Tiananmen Square protests led to increased international scrutiny of China’s human rights record and political policies. It also prompted a period of heightened repression domestically, as the government sought to maintain control and stability.
In summary, Tiananmen Square symbolizes both China’s historical legacy and its complex political landscape. The events of 1989 underscore the tensions between calls for reform and government authority, leaving a lasting impact on Chinese society and international perceptions of China.
Which doesn't exactly go into detail but doesn't exactly skirt round the issue...
a= 2 a = b a2 = ab a2-b2 = ab-b2 (a+b)(a-b) = b(a-b) a+b =b 4 = 2
a2-b2 does not equal (a+b)(a-b). But a^2 - b^2 does.
Tangentially related - I've been working on a project to 'harden' science degree work against LLM's of late (which I thought was doomed at the outset, but there we go).
I had a few runs of our 'hardest' final year exams and coursework against the recent models (including a sneaky o3 via a friend) and they aced them all within a couple of minutes.
But I think the thing that really got me was the perfection of their LaTeX output.
One of my modules is assessed by an essay (they have to right a research protocol). A student used ChatGPT. They got 36%.
I expect if they'd used ChatGPT better they could've got a better mark though.
Indeed. I had a cover letter from a job applicant recently which began "Certainly! I can help you write a cover letter!". Some people - even AGI isn't going to help.
a= 2 a = b a2 = ab a2-b2 = ab-b2 (a+b)(a-b) = b(a-b) a+b =b 4 = 2
a2-b2 does not equal (a+b)(a-b). But a^2 - b^2 does.
Tangentially related - I've been working on a project to 'harden' science degree work against LLM's of late (which I thought was doomed at the outset, but there we go).
I had a few runs of our 'hardest' final year exams and coursework against the recent models (including a sneaky o3 via a friend) and they aced them all within a couple of minutes.
But I think the thing that really got me was the perfection of their LaTeX output.
I think the perfect html / LaTex is going to be all we have to go on in the near future. Slapdash lack of attention for the win..
"BREAKING: France has discussed with Denmark sending troops to Greenland in response to United States President Donald Trump's repeated threats to annex the Danish territory, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said."
It's a mad world, my masters.
Is it bad that I want a war between France and America?
Would be the first time ever, France and America have never been at war before.
The Quasi-War[a] was an undeclared war from 1798 to 1800 between the United States and the French First Republic. It was fought almost entirely at sea, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States, with minor actions in the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.
Operation Torch (8–16 November 1942) was an Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War
'was an undeclared war'
From the perspective of the U.S. Navy, the Quasi-War consisted of a series of ship-to-ship actions in U.S. coastal waters and the Caribbean; one of the first was the Capture of La Croyable on 7 July 1798 by Delaware outside Egg Harbor, New Jersey.[23] On 20 November, a pair of French frigates, Insurgente and Volontaire, captured the schooner USS Retaliation, commanded by Lieutenant William Bainbridge; Retaliation was recaptured on 28 June 1799.[24]
On 9 February 1799, the frigate Constellation captured the French Navy's frigate L'Insurgente. By 1 July, under the command of Decatur, USS United States had been refitted and repaired and embarked on her mission to patrol the South Atlantic coast and West Indies in search of French ships which were preying on American merchant vessels.[25]
On 1 January 1800, a convoy of American merchant ships escorted by USS Experiment fought off an attack by French-allied Haitian privateers near Hispaniola. On 1 February, Constellation severely damaged the French frigate La Vengeance off the coast of Saint Kitts. Silas Talbot led a naval expedition during the Battle of Puerto Plata Harbor in early May, capturing a Spanish army controlled coastal fort and a French corvette.[26] When French troops occupied Curaçao in July, USS Patapsco and USS Merrimack bombarded French positions on the island and landed marines to support the local Dutch troops before the French withdrew. On 12 October, the frigate Boston captured the corvette Le Berceau.[27]
On 25 October, USS Enterprise defeated the French brig Flambeau near Dominica. Enterprise also captured eight privateers and freed eleven U.S. merchant ships from captivity, while Experiment captured the French privateers Deux Amis and Diane and liberated numerous American merchant ships. Although U.S. military losses were light, the French had seized over 2,000 American merchant ships by the time the war ended.[28]
I've been on the USS Enterprise. It was a nuclear powered aircraft carrier until it was decommissioned in 2012. Hard to feel sorry for the French but that hardly seems a fair fight.
Warp Speed would also have been a distinct advantage!
The UK is considering making households who only use streaming services such as Netflix and Disney pay the BBC license fee, as part of plans to modernize the way it funds the public-service broadcaster.
Are there any details? Bloomberg just gives me a signup overlay with no way to read the article.
Alternatives under discussion include allowing the BBC to charge a top-up subscription to receive additional programming, making the £169.50 licence fee “progressive” so that wealthier households pay more, and asking those who listen to BBC radio stations to pay a charge.
Whitehall sources said the Netflix tax plan was “speculation”, although it was not ruled out.
Rolling it into Council Tax seems the obvious move.
Labour are bright enough to know the licence fee is dead so are trying to work out how to keep it going. You have to give them some points for realising that rather than kicking the can down the road another 4/5 years.
The problem is there are no easier answers and the options are attaching it to internet charges or council tax. I suspect the council tax is the fairest but politically hardest option especially given other issues council tax has...
Utterly offtopic but I've just installed the 70bn version of deepseek r1 on my laptop and the censorship is either very easy to break or non existant as this is what I got from the prompt "Tell me about Tiananmen Square"
Tiananmen Square, located in the heart of Beijing, China, holds profound historical and political significance. It serves as a central site for national ceremonies and public gatherings, surrounded by iconic landmarks such as the Great Hall of the People and the Monument to the People’s Heroes. Historically, it has been a focal point for significant events that have shaped China’s trajectory.
In 1989, Tiananmen Square became the epicenter of pro-democracy protests led primarily by students and intellectuals. These demonstrations emerged amidst growing calls for political reform, freedom of speech, and an end to government corruption. The movement gained momentum, drawing widespread support from various sectors of society, reflecting a broader desire for change in China’s governance.
The Chinese government responded to the protests with force on June 3-4, 1989, resulting in a violent crackdown. The exact number of casualties remains disputed due to censorship and varying accounts, but it is widely acknowledged that hundreds, if not thousands, were killed or injured. This event had a profound impact both domestically and internationally.
Following the crackdown, the Chinese government imposed strict censorship on discussions related to Tiananmen Square, effectively suppressing public discourse on the matter within China. This censorship has endured, influencing how the event is perceived and discussed today.
The aftermath of the Tiananmen Square protests led to increased international scrutiny of China’s human rights record and political policies. It also prompted a period of heightened repression domestically, as the government sought to maintain control and stability.
In summary, Tiananmen Square symbolizes both China’s historical legacy and its complex political landscape. The events of 1989 underscore the tensions between calls for reform and government authority, leaving a lasting impact on Chinese society and international perceptions of China.
Which doesn't exactly go into detail but doesn't exactly skirt round the issue...
The censorship of the web & app interface seems to be a layer 'above' the model. It'll quite often generate something contentious for a second or two then give the "Oh dear, something has gone wrong" message.
OpenAI/Claude did the same - I guess they have improved their UI code since launch though.
I see Musk is moving into payments,, too, with a deal with Visa.
I can imagine a future where several countries depend on his communications infrastructure, and he also dominates their online debate. I know I gl on about it, but more people should read Varoufakis's technofeudal book. It's not perfect, but it's the start of a new framework, to understand what's going on.
The UK is considering making households who only use streaming services such as Netflix and Disney pay the BBC license fee, as part of plans to modernize the way it funds the public-service broadcaster.
Are there any details? Bloomberg just gives me a signup overlay with no way to read the article.
Alternatives under discussion include allowing the BBC to charge a top-up subscription to receive additional programming, making the £169.50 licence fee “progressive” so that wealthier households pay more, and asking those who listen to BBC radio stations to pay a charge.
Whitehall sources said the Netflix tax plan was “speculation”, although it was not ruled out.
Rolling it into Council Tax seems the obvious move.
Internet tax is the BBC internal favourite, by the way. That way they don't have to change anything.
The UK is considering making households who only use streaming services such as Netflix and Disney pay the BBC license fee, as part of plans to modernize the way it funds the public-service broadcaster.
Are there any details? Bloomberg just gives me a signup overlay with no way to read the article.
Alternatives under discussion include allowing the BBC to charge a top-up subscription to receive additional programming, making the £169.50 licence fee “progressive” so that wealthier households pay more, and asking those who listen to BBC radio stations to pay a charge.
Whitehall sources said the Netflix tax plan was “speculation”, although it was not ruled out.
Rolling it into Council Tax seems the obvious move.
Internet tax is the BBC internal favourite, by the way. That way they don't have to change anything.
Internet tax doesn't work given how many people use mobile as their source of internet access.
Add on Ofcom's new rules for fixed and specified within the contract annual price increases and I would love to see how the BBC licence fee gets added as a internet tax...
I see Musk is moving into payments,, too, with a deal with Visa.
I can imagine a future where several countries depend on his communications infrastructure, and he also dominates their online debate. I know I gl on about it, but more people should read Varoufakis's technofeudal book. It's not perfect, but it's the start of a new framework, to understand what's going on.
Do you have a YouTube lecture (not podcast or interview) that covers it? I just reserved "The New Leviathans" from the library and I can't really have too many on the go.
The UK is considering making households who only use streaming services such as Netflix and Disney pay the BBC license fee, as part of plans to modernize the way it funds the public-service broadcaster.
Are there any details? Bloomberg just gives me a signup overlay with no way to read the article.
Alternatives under discussion include allowing the BBC to charge a top-up subscription to receive additional programming, making the £169.50 licence fee “progressive” so that wealthier households pay more, and asking those who listen to BBC radio stations to pay a charge.
Whitehall sources said the Netflix tax plan was “speculation”, although it was not ruled out.
Rolling it into Council Tax seems the obvious move.
Internet tax is the BBC internal favourite, by the way. That way they don't have to change anything.
Internet tax doesn't work given how many people use mobile as their source of internet access.
Add on Ofcom's new rules for fixed and specified within the contract annual price increases and I would love to see how the BBC licence fee gets added as a internet tax...
The BBC answer to that is taxing all kinds of internet connections. And yes, it starts getting complicated and bashing into other things.
It's the kind of idea that appeals to non-technical managers in the BBC - tax the internet. Who (who is the "internet", anyway?) is causing all the problems, anyway. Done. Trebles all round;
I've been pondering recently. I wonder if Mr Farage knew that Brexit would be something of a let down, but that was all part of his devious plan. The feeling amongst the masses of betrayal and fury has surged since the referendum, providing the perfect hothouse for Nigel's politics to thrive. So was the actual intention of Brexit from the outset to disappoint? Did Nigel play us all like a fiddle with his eye on the long game?
The UK is considering making households who only use streaming services such as Netflix and Disney pay the BBC license fee, as part of plans to modernize the way it funds the public-service broadcaster.
Are there any details? Bloomberg just gives me a signup overlay with no way to read the article.
Alternatives under discussion include allowing the BBC to charge a top-up subscription to receive additional programming, making the £169.50 licence fee “progressive” so that wealthier households pay more, and asking those who listen to BBC radio stations to pay a charge.
Whitehall sources said the Netflix tax plan was “speculation”, although it was not ruled out.
Rolling it into Council Tax seems the obvious move.
Internet tax is the BBC internal favourite, by the way. That way they don't have to change anything.
Internet tax doesn't work given how many people use mobile as their source of internet access.
Add on Ofcom's new rules for fixed and specified within the contract annual price increases and I would love to see how the BBC licence fee gets added as a internet tax...
It wouldn't technically be a price rise but a tax increase. And, should it come in, I bet the providers blame the BBC as loudly as they can.
Shops and service firms will not be compelled to accept cash, a government minister has said, despite concerns that millions of vulnerable people rely on it.
Emma Reynolds, the new economic secretary to the Treasury, was pressed on coffee shops, trains and leisure centres excluding people by no longer accepting cash.
But she told MPs on the Treasury Committee that there was no chance of the UK becoming cash-free anytime soon.
She said the government was concentrating on ensuring everyone had access to cash, such as through new banking hubs, and on improving people's digital skills.
Cash is legal tender in the UK, but businesses are not obliged to serve people who only want to pay with notes and coins.
Some countries, such as Australia, are planning rules that would force essential services to accept cash.
But Ms Reynolds effectively ruled out such a move in the UK.
"We have no plans to regulate businesses - big or small - to compel them to accept cash," she said.
"BREAKING: France has discussed with Denmark sending troops to Greenland in response to United States President Donald Trump's repeated threats to annex the Danish territory, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said."
It's a mad world, my masters.
Is it bad that I want a war between France and America?
Would be the first time ever, France and America have never been at war before.
The Quasi-War[a] was an undeclared war from 1798 to 1800 between the United States and the French First Republic. It was fought almost entirely at sea, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States, with minor actions in the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.
Operation Torch (8–16 November 1942) was an Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War
'was an undeclared war'
From the perspective of the U.S. Navy, the Quasi-War consisted of a series of ship-to-ship actions in U.S. coastal waters and the Caribbean; one of the first was the Capture of La Croyable on 7 July 1798 by Delaware outside Egg Harbor, New Jersey.[23] On 20 November, a pair of French frigates, Insurgente and Volontaire, captured the schooner USS Retaliation, commanded by Lieutenant William Bainbridge; Retaliation was recaptured on 28 June 1799.[24]
On 9 February 1799, the frigate Constellation captured the French Navy's frigate L'Insurgente. By 1 July, under the command of Decatur, USS United States had been refitted and repaired and embarked on her mission to patrol the South Atlantic coast and West Indies in search of French ships which were preying on American merchant vessels.[25]
On 1 January 1800, a convoy of American merchant ships escorted by USS Experiment fought off an attack by French-allied Haitian privateers near Hispaniola. On 1 February, Constellation severely damaged the French frigate La Vengeance off the coast of Saint Kitts. Silas Talbot led a naval expedition during the Battle of Puerto Plata Harbor in early May, capturing a Spanish army controlled coastal fort and a French corvette.[26] When French troops occupied Curaçao in July, USS Patapsco and USS Merrimack bombarded French positions on the island and landed marines to support the local Dutch troops before the French withdrew. On 12 October, the frigate Boston captured the corvette Le Berceau.[27]
On 25 October, USS Enterprise defeated the French brig Flambeau near Dominica. Enterprise also captured eight privateers and freed eleven U.S. merchant ships from captivity, while Experiment captured the French privateers Deux Amis and Diane and liberated numerous American merchant ships. Although U.S. military losses were light, the French had seized over 2,000 American merchant ships by the time the war ended.[28]
I've been on the USS Enterprise. It was a nuclear powered aircraft carrier until it was decommissioned in 2012. Hard to feel sorry for the French but that hardly seems a fair fight.
Warp Speed would also have been a distinct advantage!
CVN-65, not any of the NCC-1701s, Sunil
And CVN-65, mentioned by @DavidL upthread, was NOT involved in the Quasi War against France, mentioned even further upthread
Recent Tory Home Secretary tells American audience that Britain may become first Islamist state with nuclear weapons. These people were in charge a year ago.
Shops and service firms will not be compelled to accept cash, a government minister has said, despite concerns that millions of vulnerable people rely on it.
Emma Reynolds, the new economic secretary to the Treasury, was pressed on coffee shops, trains and leisure centres excluding people by no longer accepting cash.
But she told MPs on the Treasury Committee that there was no chance of the UK becoming cash-free anytime soon.
She said the government was concentrating on ensuring everyone had access to cash, such as through new banking hubs, and on improving people's digital skills.
Cash is legal tender in the UK, but businesses are not obliged to serve people who only want to pay with notes and coins.
Some countries, such as Australia, are planning rules that would force essential services to accept cash.
But Ms Reynolds effectively ruled out such a move in the UK.
"We have no plans to regulate businesses - big or small - to compel them to accept cash," she said.
I see Musk is moving into payments,, too, with a deal with Visa.
I can imagine a future where several countries depend on his communications infrastructure, and he also dominates their online debate. I know I gl on about it, but more people should read Varoufakis's technofeudal book. It's not perfect, but it's the start of a new framework, to understand what's going on.
I've been pondering recently. I wonder if Mr Farage knew that Brexit would be something of a let down, but that was all part of his devious plan. The feeling amongst the masses of betrayal and fury has surged since the referendum, providing the perfect hothouse for Nigel's politics to thrive. So was the actual intention of Brexit from the outset to disappoint? Did Nigel play us all like a fiddle with his eye on the long game?
Win/Win for him. If Remain had won disappointed Leavers would have flocked to him after Cameron a la the SNP boost after 2014. As Leave won he can, as you say, reap the rewards of a different disenchantment.
Shops and service firms will not be compelled to accept cash, a government minister has said, despite concerns that millions of vulnerable people rely on it.
Emma Reynolds, the new economic secretary to the Treasury, was pressed on coffee shops, trains and leisure centres excluding people by no longer accepting cash.
But she told MPs on the Treasury Committee that there was no chance of the UK becoming cash-free anytime soon.
She said the government was concentrating on ensuring everyone had access to cash, such as through new banking hubs, and on improving people's digital skills.
Cash is legal tender in the UK, but businesses are not obliged to serve people who only want to pay with notes and coins.
Some countries, such as Australia, are planning rules that would force essential services to accept cash.
But Ms Reynolds effectively ruled out such a move in the UK.
"We have no plans to regulate businesses - big or small - to compel them to accept cash," she said.
Recent Tory Home Secretary tells American audience that Britain may become first Islamist state with nuclear weapons. These people were in charge a year ago.
The Trump-installed interim US attorney for DC is furious about leaks. He sent an office-wide message today complaining that "my email yesterday to you all was leaked almost immediately," calling it "personally insulting," per email obtained by CNN.
In the third Harry Potter book, Hermione gets a time turner to enable her to do more subjects (and also so Harry can do the Petronas charm and fight off the Dementers.)
WHY DOES NO-ONE AT ANY POINT THINK: HMMMM.... THIS TIME TRAVEL LARK WOULD BE REALLY USEFUL IN THE FIGHT AGAINST VOLDEMORT???
It’s the standard fantasy fiction suspension of disbelief test. Even the good stuff (LOTR) had the ‘just send the fckng eagles to Mt Doom’ thing.
Always thought it would be virtually impossible for a fckng great big eagle to fly under the Sauron radar with a piece of jewellery that got heavier the closer it got to Mount Doom without being shot down or crashing. Just my ha’penny.
Weren’t the eagles capable of taking on a Nazgûl? In any case wasn’t Sauron’s radar only attuned to the putting on of the ring rather than it’s proximity to Barad-dûr?
I see Musk is moving into payments,, too, with a deal with Visa.
I can imagine a future where several countries depend on his communications infrastructure, and he also dominates their online debate. I know I gl on about it, but more people should read Varoufakis's technofeudal book. It's not perfect, but it's the start of a new framework, to understand what's going on.
Do you have a YouTube lecture (not podcast or interview) that covers it? I just reserved "The New Leviathans" from the library and I can't really have too many on the go.
A little upset to hear from my friends on Teesside. Matt Vickers and Stockton Tories doing paid adverts on Facebook groups naming councillors who “voted against a national enquiry into grooming gangs”. A staged council vote to ambush them, where at best it’s symbolic as - shockingly enough - borough councillors can’t instigate or block national enquiries.
Councillors now with angry residents banging on their doors. Being called paedos on the Tory Facebook page comments.
The stupid thing is this. Tories trying to weaponise the Labour coverup. And thus highlighting the Tory coverup. Angry people who have had this weaponised to make them angry won’t vote Tory.
In the third Harry Potter book, Hermione gets a time turner to enable her to do more subjects (and also so Harry can do the Petronas charm and fight off the Dementers.)
WHY DOES NO-ONE AT ANY POINT THINK: HMMMM.... THIS TIME TRAVEL LARK WOULD BE REALLY USEFUL IN THE FIGHT AGAINST VOLDEMORT???
It’s the standard fantasy fiction suspension of disbelief test. Even the good stuff (LOTR) had the ‘just send the fckng eagles to Mt Doom’ thing.
Always thought it would be virtually impossible for a fckng great big eagle to fly under the Sauron radar with a piece of jewellery that got heavier the closer it got to Mount Doom without being shot down or crashing. Just my ha’penny.
Weren’t the eagles capable of taking on a Nazgûl? In any case wasn’t Sauron’s radar only attuned to the putting on of the ring rather than it’s proximity to Barad-dûr?
Fair - but they were big ol’ birds, hard to miss with the naked eye, and there was significant peril from ground to air ordinance ie arrows. Huge risk to take. On balance I still think a ground insertion by irregular special forces was probably the sensible approach whatever the armchair elves say.
I can confirm, as a Chartered Accountant, that two plus two does not necessarily equal four.
It equals whatever you want it to equal.
ICAEW, CIMA, or ACCA?
I didn’t realise accountants could get snobby and elitist.
I'm ICAEW.... and an FCA.
But I'm not a snob. My dad made cornflakes for his living (What is now Cereal Partners in Bromborough), and my mum worked at Thomas Higgins (the debt collectors in Wallasey).... as the cleaner.
I never bothered applying to Oxford or Cambridge as the applications from our state secondary got chucked in the bin unread.
Didn't matter. I went to a much better University anyway. Aberystwyth.
Comments
https://news.sky.com/story/uk-visitors-will-have-to-pay-more-to-see-the-mona-lisa-in-the-louvre-in-paris-than-eu-tourists-as-part-of-major-renovation-emmanuel-macron-says-13298471
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-28/uk-considers-making-netflix-users-pay-license-fee-to-fund-bbc
The UK is considering making households who only use streaming services such as Netflix and Disney pay the BBC license fee, as part of plans to modernize the way it funds the public-service broadcaster.
Later Greek writers claimed you had to read between the lines. Herodotus even claimed the Persians had never heard of M/M sex, until the Greeks of his era introduced them to it.
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/suella-braverman-says-the-uk-could-become-the-first-islamist-nation-with-nuclear-weapons_uk_67990ac6e4b0f8946ae28c4a
murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses,
hurling down to the House of Death so many sturdy souls,
great fighters’ souls, but made their bodies carrion,
feasts for the dogs and birds,
Isn't the Mona Lisa Italian?
Had some unusual diversions
They made love all day
In a regular way
But saved up the night for perversions
Achilles is far superior. Plate and all that.
If the FAA had fully authorised them, as claimed, I doubt the coastguard,.and military bases, would have reported them as unauthorised.
Trailing behind an adversary, whom you always thought was behind, wouldn't be something that you would want to publicise touch
And "want to "publicise too much", they should both be, there.
One wouldn't really want that to spread, in the same week, and across a possible different sector.
Mind, Atlantic could be confusing, like locomotives with the name of a town on the network painted on the side ...
*The Pellew one. Not sure about 1942/3.
I don't think there's much new in that latest statement, though. The Twitter response is simply Trump's fans.
Aland
Alexander Fort
Alexandria
Algeciras
Algiers
Amoy
Antivari
Atlantic
Audierne Bay
And once again the Committee has voted not to hear evidence from groups with experience of geriatric / elder abuse, coercion, disabilities etc.
https://x.com/lucyhunterb/status/1884296701483311291?s=61&t=wWWeJB3W_ksMJK4LA1OvkA
I had a few runs of our 'hardest' final year exams and coursework against the recent models (including a sneaky o3 via a friend) and they aced them all within a couple of minutes.
But I think the thing that really got me was the perfection of their LaTeX output.
"UK visitors will have to pay more to see the Mona Lisa in the Louvre in Paris than EU tourists"
https://news.sky.com/story/uk-visitors-will-have-to-pay-more-to-see-the-mona-lisa-in-the-louvre-in-paris-than-eu-tourists-as-part-of-major-renovation-emmanuel-macron-says-13298471
Edit: And, I should have remembered to add, it's going into its very own gallery because of the crowds. The fee in question may or may not be just for that [edit] - I'm not sure. There obviously will be some sort of access control.
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/jan/28/mona-lisa-to-be-given-special-place-in-renovated-louvre-says-emmanuel-macron
"Macron also announced that from 1 January 2026, visitors to the museum from countries outside the EU would pay a higher entrance fee."
I expect if they'd used ChatGPT better they could've got a better mark though.
https://inews.co.uk/news/media/netflix-users-pay-bbc-licence-fee-new-funding-options-3506537?srsltid=AfmBOooaAcAWo5KND9e0DaOkPhNaU9WZxXjnPdb02_BilUfY29lxfpC-
Alternatives under discussion include allowing the BBC to charge a top-up subscription to receive additional programming, making the £169.50 licence fee “progressive” so that wealthier households pay more, and asking those who listen to BBC radio stations to pay a charge.
Whitehall sources said the Netflix tax plan was “speculation”, although it was not ruled out.
Rolling it into Council Tax seems the obvious move.
Tiananmen Square, located in the heart of Beijing, China, holds profound historical and political significance. It serves as a central site for national ceremonies and public gatherings, surrounded by iconic landmarks such as the Great Hall of the People and the Monument to the People’s Heroes. Historically, it has been a focal point for significant events that have shaped China’s trajectory.
In 1989, Tiananmen Square became the epicenter of pro-democracy protests led primarily by students and intellectuals. These demonstrations emerged amidst growing calls for political reform, freedom of speech, and an end to government corruption. The movement gained momentum, drawing widespread support from various sectors of society, reflecting a broader desire for change in China’s governance.
The Chinese government responded to the protests with force on June 3-4, 1989, resulting in a violent crackdown. The exact number of casualties remains disputed due to censorship and varying accounts, but it is widely acknowledged that hundreds, if not thousands, were killed or injured. This event had a profound impact both domestically and internationally.
Following the crackdown, the Chinese government imposed strict censorship on discussions related to Tiananmen Square, effectively suppressing public discourse on the matter within China. This censorship has endured, influencing how the event is perceived and discussed today.
The aftermath of the Tiananmen Square protests led to increased international scrutiny of China’s human rights record and political policies. It also prompted a period of heightened repression domestically, as the government sought to maintain control and stability.
In summary, Tiananmen Square symbolizes both China’s historical legacy and its complex political landscape. The events of 1989 underscore the tensions between calls for reform and government authority, leaving a lasting impact on Chinese society and international perceptions of China.
Which doesn't exactly go into detail but doesn't exactly skirt round the issue...
The problem is there are no easier answers and the options are attaching it to internet charges or council tax. I suspect the council tax is the fairest but politically hardest option especially given other issues council tax has...
OpenAI/Claude did the same - I guess they have improved their UI code since launch though.
I can imagine a future where several countries depend on his communications infrastructure, and he also dominates their online debate. I know I gl on about it, but more people should read Varoufakis's technofeudal book. It's not perfect, but it's the start of a new framework, to understand what's going on.
Add on Ofcom's new rules for fixed and specified within the contract annual price increases and I would love to see how the BBC licence fee gets added as a internet tax...
It's the kind of idea that appeals to non-technical managers in the BBC - tax the internet. Who (who is the "internet", anyway?) is causing all the problems, anyway. Done. Trebles all round;
Shops and firms will not be forced to accept cash
Shops and service firms will not be compelled to accept cash, a government minister has said, despite concerns that millions of vulnerable people rely on it.
Emma Reynolds, the new economic secretary to the Treasury, was pressed on coffee shops, trains and leisure centres excluding people by no longer accepting cash.
But she told MPs on the Treasury Committee that there was no chance of the UK becoming cash-free anytime soon.
She said the government was concentrating on ensuring everyone had access to cash, such as through new banking hubs, and on improving people's digital skills.
Cash is legal tender in the UK, but businesses are not obliged to serve people who only want to pay with notes and coins.
Some countries, such as Australia, are planning rules that would force essential services to accept cash.
But Ms Reynolds effectively ruled out such a move in the UK.
"We have no plans to regulate businesses - big or small - to compel them to accept cash," she said.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20gevkx8gyo
The Trump-installed interim US attorney for DC is furious about leaks. He sent an office-wide message today complaining that "my email yesterday to you all was leaked almost immediately," calling it "personally insulting," per email obtained by CNN.
https://x.com/MarshallCohen/status/1884345984697680204
https://youtu.be/Fhgm5b8BR0k?si=3Tpbiv2buVedx-ag
Hopefully a better link.
The Guardian is printing letters backing Cold Fusion??
Why not phlogiston?
Councillors now with angry residents banging on their doors. Being called paedos on the Tory Facebook page comments.
The stupid thing is this. Tories trying to weaponise the Labour coverup. And thus highlighting the Tory coverup. Angry people who have had this weaponised to make them angry won’t vote Tory.
They’ll vote reform
Just how stupid and dangerous are these Tories?
But I'm not a snob. My dad made cornflakes for his living (What is now Cereal Partners in Bromborough), and my mum worked at Thomas Higgins (the debt collectors in Wallasey).... as the cleaner.
I never bothered applying to Oxford or Cambridge as the applications from our state secondary got chucked in the bin unread.
Didn't matter. I went to a much better University anyway. Aberystwyth.
And therefore pretty much all the power and energy on earth is the consequence of this cold fusion.