"Be fair to Thomas. He has a far greater role than you may realize. He is one of the leading life coaches for preschool age boys on the Autism Spectrum. I have been impressed by his communication of important lessons to his most devoted fans like "You should try new things, you might like them" and, much appreciated by their class mates, "It is easier to make friends with someone if you don't crash into them". All valuable lessons for our wonderful, quirky grandson."
and
"My son (now 23) as a two and a half year old, proudly described his freshly deposited stools in terms of their proportion as the various trains in the series, “Mum! I’ve done a Gordon, a Henry, a James and an Edward!” He certainly did. Priceless."
And then I come to PB ...
Must say that is one of the funnier pieces I have read in a while.
Given up on the opening ceremony now. Just too boring for words.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
You pissed , a 4 year old could read that as Biden giving orders not taking them
Has @JosiasJessop really tried to pick at my "Failtrack" comment?
They failed! Catastrophically! A failure to do basic maintenance not only led to a succession of deadly accidents, they then had to impose blanket 20mph speed restrictions because "where else might there be gauge-corner cracking" was met by "we have no idea".
They had no idea how to manage the handful of upgrade projects they tried, a Manchester resignalling scheme was trying to things the manufacturer of the equipment said was impossible. They literally bankrupted themselves (and Virgin Trains with them) with the West Coast fiasco where the upgrade was never completed.
A company that killed people due to corporate negligence, failed to fulfil its basic function and then bankrupted itself through incompetence can be described as having failed.
Gauge corner cracking was understood. Just politically, they couldn't name the cause.
Strangely, all of goods wagons without anti-lock brakes got replaced/remnoved from higher speed running very very fast.
Oh, was that the primary problem? Any decent article or website on that, please?
Strangely hard to find :-)
But the withdrawal of freight was published...
Basically, a certain government minister was obsessed with rail freight. In particular, getting more freight to run on the "empty" passenger lines. So no investment required.
In order to run freight on passenger rail lines, it has to run faster.
Many of the older freight wagons didn't have anti-lock brakes. Which means, that when they skid to a halt, a small flat is formed on the wheel. Which means a hammering effect when running. As with many things, the hammering effect is not just linear to speed...
So the line was being battered by the equivalent of several thousands angry dwarves...
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
America gives a flying fuck. They have already warned us about what we are trying to do. The world tends not to give preferential treatment to untrustworthy shits.
No, they don't.
+1 - it's currently a domestic dispute - I suspect the only time it becomes interesting to the US will be when the dispute gives them something they can use for other purposes.
Not entirely true. 31M Americans claim to be "Irish Americans" and the current POTUS is one of them. They still have a very strong influence in US politics, and the Dems in particular and Ireland could be a useful distraction for Biden.
Interestingly there are 16M people in UK who claim Irish heritage (including myself), though we don't tend to call ourselves "Irish Britons"
The idea that the US Congress will pass a preferential trade deal to a UK that has damaged (or worse) peace in Ireland is literal fantasy. They cannot have been clearer that we can go whistle if we screw over Ireland. As you say, the Irish lobby and block in Congress is strong.
Again, if a trade deal with the UK boosts US jobs and the US economy they won't give a flying fuck.
Biden the Irishman has literally fucked Ireland's economy more than we ever could with his minimum global tax rate.
The US gives a shit about the US.
Yes, all the worries about Biden being anti-British were overblown.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
America gives a flying fuck. They have already warned us about what we are trying to do. The world tends not to give preferential treatment to untrustworthy shits.
No, they don't.
+1 - it's currently a domestic dispute - I suspect the only time it becomes interesting to the US will be when the dispute gives them something they can use for other purposes.
Not entirely true. 31M Americans claim to be "Irish Americans" and the current POTUS is one of them. They still have a very strong influence in US politics, and the Dems in particular and Ireland could be a useful distraction for Biden.
Interestingly there are 16M people in UK who claim Irish heritage (including myself), though we don't tend to call ourselves "Irish Britons"
The idea that the US Congress will pass a preferential trade deal to a UK that has damaged (or worse) peace in Ireland is literal fantasy. They cannot have been clearer that we can go whistle if we screw over Ireland. As you say, the Irish lobby and block in Congress is strong.
Again, if a trade deal with the UK boosts US jobs and the US economy they won't give a flying fuck.
Biden the Irishman has literally fucked Ireland's economy more than we ever could with his minimum global tax rate.
The US gives a shit about the US.
And quite right too. The essence of Palmerstonian foreign policy. The little countries always were and always will be pawns in the game.
NHS nurses dancing around beds is almost starting to look sane.
On trampolines no less! God, that was embarrassing! Advertising to the world that Britons are obsessed with the NHS ( a system that only the developing world is envious of) or suggesting we are a bunch of hypochondriacs, or both.
These ceremonies are always absurd, pretentious and boring. At least London was fairly consistently funny as well, often deliberately.
1. Is the agreement itself. It clearly doesn’t work, was never likely to work, and is punitive to GB-NI trade which from memory is the great a majority of trade relating to NI.
It urgently needs to replaced, and given that the U.K. has conceded a regulatory border in its own territory I have much sympathy with @Charles and @Philip_Thompson’s solutions which is effectively to leave it to the U.K. to police by exception.
2. Is the brazen bad faith of Johnson to: a) agree an unworkable deal b) ignore predictable warnings on said deal c) sell it to the country as “oven-ready” d) lie that it would avoid any kind of border between GB and NI e) u-turn on all of the above and blame the remainer parliament for making him do it.*
The EU are not innocent in this affair. They will need to move, if they care about the people on the island of Ireland.
But it is hard for them to do so as well when Boris and “Frosty” are pissing on their leg and telling them it is raining.
Remainers need to be more acute in their criticisms of the NIP. Leavers need to be more aware that Boris’s “Millwall diplomacy” is likely to be sub-optimal.
*Boris created his own trap by trashing May’s (better) deal; and refusing to concede any further delays. He therefore left new deal or no deal on the table, and Parliament was naturally keen to avoid a ruinous and democratically obscene “no deal”.
Not often agreeing with Gardenwalker, I am delighted to agree that most of the above is pretty much on the ball, if you assume a point of view and accept the style is somewhat adversarial to Boris.
So just two qualifications, neither very important now; Parliament trashed May's deal. Not Boris. That doesn't matter now but it is true.
Secondly, further delay was, at the time, politically impossible. Boris privately (IMHO) made the big and fairly noble call to reject No Deal, at huge personal cost. Since the only deal on the table was one with a bad Ireland deal.
Boris is a Machiavelli politician anyway. Circumstances since getting a bad but only available Brexit through a parliament that never wanted one mean he has to act in ways which are Machiavelli squared.
I wonder how anyone else would be faring by now? Politically? Polling? Personally? It is worth thinking about. The current marmite Boris - everyone either loves him or loathes him is not quite true to the complex situation. Less uncritical support and opposition and more nuance would be a worthwhile project.
"Be fair to Thomas. He has a far greater role than you may realize. He is one of the leading life coaches for preschool age boys on the Autism Spectrum. I have been impressed by his communication of important lessons to his most devoted fans like "You should try new things, you might like them" and, much appreciated by their class mates, "It is easier to make friends with someone if you don't crash into them". All valuable lessons for our wonderful, quirky grandson."
and
"My son (now 23) as a two and a half year old, proudly described his freshly deposited stools in terms of their proportion as the various trains in the series, “Mum! I’ve done a Gordon, a Henry, a James and an Edward!” He certainly did. Priceless."
And then I come to PB ...
Must say that is one of the funnier pieces I have read in a while.
Given up on the opening ceremony now. Just too boring for words.
He is discussing something on a screen (I think) and not the books. So it has no meaning. For those who go to the trouble of reading the books to 2/3+ year olds, can we hear it for Toby, who redeems the dullness, and has his own rather touching past.
1. Is the agreement itself. It clearly doesn’t work, was never likely to work, and is punitive to GB-NI trade which from memory is the great a majority of trade relating to NI.
It urgently needs to replaced, and given that the U.K. has conceded a regulatory border in its own territory I have much sympathy with @Charles and @Philip_Thompson’s solutions which is effectively to leave it to the U.K. to police by exception.
2. Is the brazen bad faith of Johnson to: a) agree an unworkable deal b) ignore predictable warnings on said deal c) sell it to the country as “oven-ready” d) lie that it would avoid any kind of border between GB and NI e) u-turn on all of the above and blame the remainer parliament for making him do it.*
The EU are not innocent in this affair. They will need to move, if they care about the people on the island of Ireland.
But it is hard for them to do so as well when Boris and “Frosty” are pissing on their leg and telling them it is raining.
Remainers need to be more acute in their criticisms of the NIP. Leavers need to be more aware that Boris’s “Millwall diplomacy” is likely to be sub-optimal.
*Boris created his own trap by trashing May’s (better) deal; and refusing to concede any further delays. He therefore left new deal or no deal on the table, and Parliament was naturally keen to avoid a ruinous and democratically obscene “no deal”.
NHS nurses dancing around beds is almost starting to look sane.
On trampolines no less! God, that was embarrassing! Advertising to the world that Britons are obsessed with the NHS ( a system that only the developing world is envious of) or suggesting we are a bunch of hypochondriacs, or both.
These ceremonies are always absurd, pretentious and boring. At least London was fairly consistently funny as well, often deliberately.
Danny Boyle was an inspired choice as artistic director for the Olympics ceremonies.
"Be fair to Thomas. He has a far greater role than you may realize. He is one of the leading life coaches for preschool age boys on the Autism Spectrum. I have been impressed by his communication of important lessons to his most devoted fans like "You should try new things, you might like them" and, much appreciated by their class mates, "It is easier to make friends with someone if you don't crash into them". All valuable lessons for our wonderful, quirky grandson."
and
"My son (now 23) as a two and a half year old, proudly described his freshly deposited stools in terms of their proportion as the various trains in the series, “Mum! I’ve done a Gordon, a Henry, a James and an Edward!” He certainly did. Priceless."
And then I come to PB ...
That is a very funny piece. I remember loving the Rev Awdry books as a kid but as an adult I can certainly understand why my parents hated reading them to me. The Mr Men books are the worst though.
Rail privatisation has been a disaster. Even the Tories agree.
I'm not a Tory, but I utterly disagree. Despite the tragedy last year, rail is safer than ever, whilst passenger numbers have increased massively pre-Covid. In what way do you see it as being a 'disaster'?
The problem is that the youngsters cannot recall how bad British rail had got in the 70's and 80's. Starved off investment, old rolling stock, tatty outlook and a very classic nationlized outlook on life. They see the shiny new rolling stock, and vastly improved services and think, ah yes, but it could all be better if nationalized because no-one would be making profits.
You can argue, very cogently, that the model of privatisation was terrible. I think it was. Choice works in things like groceries - I have a range of supermarkets, at a range of prices and quality (not always the same thing). I can pick and choose. That doesn't work for rail services. On the whole to go from A to B there will be one company only, so no choice at the point of service, only companies competing to run franchises for a period of years.
We have also continued to subsidize rail travel, but in a way that makes people think that we don't. This leads to complaints that we don't support rail in the same way that other countries do, and this is unfair. Its just not as obvious.
I think the best thing for a young chap (say under 35) who wants to privatise the rail network again, would be to watch comedy from the 70's and 80's and see how often BR is mocked. Its instructive...
For years on here I chundered on about moving to a concession model instead of the franchise model - after all, some services were already concessions (E.g. London Overground, Merseyrail). Some of the left persuasion on here argued against it, and said it should be full nationalisation. Now it looks as though we're moving to a concession model, and suddenly they're saying it's nationalisation!
The amusing fact is that the government has much more detailed control over the railways than they ever had under BR. I'm unsure it's been to the railway's advantage (cough IEP)...
*sigh* passenger rail operations have always been nationalised. A franchise is awarded to a private sector operator who fulfil the contract then hand the keys back to the owner - the state.
(Snip)
I'm not sure why you're sighing, as I know that, and it does not go against what I wrote. Besides, if they've always been nationalised in your view, then why were people complaining about privatisation?
Because both major parties are pushing ideology. The treasury over-ruled John Major's idea to recreate the big 4 and gave us Railtrack et al. "Its now privatised" they said. "Eugh, privatised is bad" said Labour. Both wrong.
The successful model is the commercialised state entity model pushed by Thatcher and adopted by so many of the European rail networks. So many of our franchised operators are run by Arriva, owned by Deutsche Bahn, owned by the German government and run commercially.
State ownership works, but only if commercial. When the state tries to directly control industry - as the godawful Department for Trannsport has been increasingly doing for the last few years - it all turns to shit.
The Tories failed to privatise passenger rail operations or the network. Labour failed to show that state ownership and control works. Both are wrong. But their supporters parrot what they say no matter how far from reality it is.
Okay, that sounds like a reasonable argument, and one I have some, if not full, sympathy for.
To back it up, I would argue that BR was very efficient in the 1980s. However, it was efficient at managing a shrinking network. Renewals cost too much on a route? Rationalise it. A freight service getting in the way of passenger services? Price them out when it comes to renewing the signals and pointwork.
IMV (and some may disagree) the best thing privatisation did was remove some old thinking within the management; made them think about expansion rather than retraction. There was zero chance of that happening under BR.
Very little changed in practice. In the early 80s BR was run centrally on a "shut it to save money" edict from government. They rationalised because they were instructed to. Then a change in government strategy and sectorisation created the turnaround we saw up to privatisation. State ownership can run a network down or can expand it depending on the brief.
Exactly the same post 1994. A couple of stand-out franchises (Virgin Trains, Chiltern Railways, Anglia), a load that were indifferent, and many that were shit. I have already given you one example of a franchise (Northern) run on the exact same "price them off" approach as BR, and First Capital Connect had a similarly awful franchise. Subsidy quintupled post privatisation and if the government didn't want to fund things properly they went backwards quickly.
Then we have train procurement. BR notoriously penny-pinched in the mid 80s, rejecting a like-for-like replacement of the ageing DMU fleets and instead buying cheap railbuses. Engines? Scrap. Gearboxes? Scrap. Doors? Scrap.
But how is that different from some of the ludicrous micro-management we now see from the DfT? They have specced Intercity fleets not capable of running to the timetable (original spec Class 800) at double of the price of the revised can achieve the DfT dictated timetable 802s. Go a bit further back and they did the same with the Voyager fleets - not long enough, too cramped as built to tilt. Or the 185s for Transpennine with not enough sets, vehicles or seats. Or the Thameslink Class 700s with seats without tray tables (nw retrofit at huge costs but the whole fleet will get new seats as the current ones not fit for purpose).
I could go on. However bad BR were, Strategic Rail Authority/DfT have topped it. However creative the post 94 railway was, the pre-94 railway was. The villain is always the government, which is why we need arms length commercial operators who deliver the public function and can borrow at government rates. Like the rest of Europe.
Has @JosiasJessop really tried to pick at my "Failtrack" comment?
They failed! Catastrophically! A failure to do basic maintenance not only led to a succession of deadly accidents, they then had to impose blanket 20mph speed restrictions because "where else might there be gauge-corner cracking" was met by "we have no idea".
They had no idea how to manage the handful of upgrade projects they tried, a Manchester resignalling scheme was trying to things the manufacturer of the equipment said was impossible. They literally bankrupted themselves (and Virgin Trains with them) with the West Coast fiasco where the upgrade was never completed.
A company that killed people due to corporate negligence, failed to fulfil its basic function and then bankrupted itself through incompetence can be described as having failed.
Gauge corner cracking was understood. Just politically, they couldn't name the cause.
Strangely, all of goods wagons without anti-lock brakes got replaced/remnoved from higher speed running very very fast.
Oh, was that the primary problem? Any decent article or website on that, please?
Strangely hard to find :-)
But the withdrawal of freight was published...
Basically, a certain government minister was obsessed with rail freight. In particular, getting more freight to run on the "empty" passenger lines. So no investment required.
In order to run freight on passenger rail lines, it has to run faster.
Many of the older freight wagons didn't have anti-lock brakes. Which means, that when they skid to a halt, a small flat is formed on the wheel. Which means a hammering effect when running. As with many things, the hammering effect is not just linear to speed...
So the line was being battered by the equivalent of several thousands angry dwarves...
Not that Railtrack noticed. Maintenance was contracted out, no control, no records. After Hatfield the Inspectorate asked where else was vulnerable and Railtrack hadn't a clue. Hence my 4 hour trip Manchester to London in the midst of the emergency inspections.
1. Is the agreement itself. It clearly doesn’t work, was never likely to work, and is punitive to GB-NI trade which from memory is the great a majority of trade relating to NI.
It urgently needs to replaced, and given that the U.K. has conceded a regulatory border in its own territory I have much sympathy with @Charles and @Philip_Thompson’s solutions which is effectively to leave it to the U.K. to police by exception.
2. Is the brazen bad faith of Johnson to: a) agree an unworkable deal b) ignore predictable warnings on said deal c) sell it to the country as “oven-ready” d) lie that it would avoid any kind of border between GB and NI e) u-turn on all of the above and blame the remainer parliament for making him do it.*
The EU are not innocent in this affair. They will need to move, if they care about the people on the island of Ireland.
But it is hard for them to do so as well when Boris and “Frosty” are pissing on their leg and telling them it is raining.
Remainers need to be more acute in their criticisms of the NIP. Leavers need to be more aware that Boris’s “Millwall diplomacy” is likely to be sub-optimal.
*Boris created his own trap by trashing May’s (better) deal; and refusing to concede any further delays. He therefore left new deal or no deal on the table, and Parliament was naturally keen to avoid a ruinous and democratically obscene “no deal”.
Not often agreeing with Gardenwalker, I am delighted to agree that most of the above is pretty much on the ball, if you assume a point of view and accept the style is somewhat adversarial to Boris.
So just two qualifications, neither very important now; Parliament trashed May's deal. Not Boris. That doesn't matter now but it is true.
Secondly, further delay was, at the time, politically impossible. Boris privately (IMHO) made the big and fairly noble call to reject No Deal, at huge personal cost. Since the only deal on the table was one with a bad Ireland deal.
Boris is a Machiavelli politician anyway. Circumstances since getting a bad but only available Brexit through a parliament that never wanted one mean he has to act in ways which are Machiavelli squared.
I wonder how anyone else would be faring by now? Politically? Polling? Personally? It is worth thinking about. The current marmite Boris - everyone either loves him or loathes him is not quite true to the complex situation. Less uncritical support and opposition and more nuance would be a worthwhile project.
While Parliament did trash the deal, Boris had the option of turning round and making slight changes to May's scheme and going "take it or No Deal" or creating a new deal and going "new deal or no deal". The fact he took the latter option was his choice / mistake.
Has @JosiasJessop really tried to pick at my "Failtrack" comment?
They failed! Catastrophically! A failure to do basic maintenance not only led to a succession of deadly accidents, they then had to impose blanket 20mph speed restrictions because "where else might there be gauge-corner cracking" was met by "we have no idea".
They had no idea how to manage the handful of upgrade projects they tried, a Manchester resignalling scheme was trying to things the manufacturer of the equipment said was impossible. They literally bankrupted themselves (and Virgin Trains with them) with the West Coast fiasco where the upgrade was never completed.
A company that killed people due to corporate negligence, failed to fulfil its basic function and then bankrupted itself through incompetence can be described as having failed.
I agree with most of that - but again, you miss that similar things happened under BR - except they could not bankrupt themselves because they were government owned.
Besides, note that Network Rail has been nationalised since Railtrack folded, and most of the failures in the railway system was down to them - from the WCML Upgrade fiasco to the GWML electrification.
I have made the case that neither "privatised" nor "nationalised" as defined by the tow parties works. So I am not attacking Railtrack to attack "privatisation". It simply was a failed business.
As for "similar things happened under BR" that isn't true is it? When did BR fail to network-wide complete basic maintenance? When there were infrastructure-fail accidents (Newton, Bellgrove, Clapham) there were specific equipment (or design) failures.
And your point about NR is true to a point - it isn't the best company! But the WCML upgrade was not them, it was Railtrack. The lack of knowledge both of how to run electrification schemes or even what the network looked like (a big GWML issue) was down to Railtrack
BR failed on infrastructure maintenance many times, sometimes causing disasters. And if you want to see an utter disregard for human life, I might point you at the Glanrhyd disaster.
I cannot think of a major infrastructure project that Network Rail has succeeded with - they've been really bad at it. Worse,
"The lack of knowledge both of how to run electrification schemes"
That was largely down to Blair's government not ordering any big schemes. If you don't do this sort of work regularly, you will lose the knowledge on how best to do them.
"or even what the network looked like (a big GWML issue) was down to Railtrack"
I'm not fully convinced by that. There was the point I made earlier, but that is heavily contested. As for the reason the GWML upgrade was so costly: a big mistake was trying to rely on a massively mechanised system on a 170+ year old system.
1. Is the agreement itself. It clearly doesn’t work, was never likely to work, and is punitive to GB-NI trade which from memory is the great a majority of trade relating to NI.
It urgently needs to replaced, and given that the U.K. has conceded a regulatory border in its own territory I have much sympathy with @Charles and @Philip_Thompson’s solutions which is effectively to leave it to the U.K. to police by exception.
2. Is the brazen bad faith of Johnson to: a) agree an unworkable deal b) ignore predictable warnings on said deal c) sell it to the country as “oven-ready” d) lie that it would avoid any kind of border between GB and NI e) u-turn on all of the above and blame the remainer parliament for making him do it.*
The EU are not innocent in this affair. They will need to move, if they care about the people on the island of Ireland.
But it is hard for them to do so as well when Boris and “Frosty” are pissing on their leg and telling them it is raining.
Remainers need to be more acute in their criticisms of the NIP. Leavers need to be more aware that Boris’s “Millwall diplomacy” is likely to be sub-optimal.
*Boris created his own trap by trashing May’s (better) deal; and refusing to concede any further delays. He therefore left new deal or no deal on the table, and Parliament was naturally keen to avoid a ruinous and democratically obscene “no deal”.
Not often agreeing with Gardenwalker, I am delighted to agree that most of the above is pretty much on the ball, if you assume a point of view and accept the style is somewhat adversarial to Boris.
So just two qualifications, neither very important now; Parliament trashed May's deal. Not Boris. That doesn't matter now but it is true.
Secondly, further delay was, at the time, politically impossible. Boris privately (IMHO) made the big and fairly noble call to reject No Deal, at huge personal cost. Since the only deal on the table was one with a bad Ireland deal.
Boris is a Machiavelli politician anyway. Circumstances since getting a bad but only available Brexit through a parliament that never wanted one mean he has to act in ways which are Machiavelli squared.
I wonder how anyone else would be faring by now? Politically? Polling? Personally? It is worth thinking about. The current marmite Boris - everyone either loves him or loathes him is not quite true to the complex situation. Less uncritical support and opposition and more nuance would be a worthwhile project.
While Parliament did trash the deal, Boris had the option of turning round and making slight changes to May's scheme and going "take it or No Deal" or creating a new deal and going "new deal or no deal". The fact he took the latter option was his choice / mistake.
I think the devil there is in the detail. Exactly what sort of other deal/revised May deal would have got through ERG and parliament? is it possible that this flawed deal was the necessary compromise at the time?
1. Is the agreement itself. It clearly doesn’t work, was never likely to work, and is punitive to GB-NI trade which from memory is the great a majority of trade relating to NI.
It urgently needs to replaced, and given that the U.K. has conceded a regulatory border in its own territory I have much sympathy with @Charles and @Philip_Thompson’s solutions which is effectively to leave it to the U.K. to police by exception.
2. Is the brazen bad faith of Johnson to: a) agree an unworkable deal b) ignore predictable warnings on said deal c) sell it to the country as “oven-ready” d) lie that it would avoid any kind of border between GB and NI e) u-turn on all of the above and blame the remainer parliament for making him do it.*
The EU are not innocent in this affair. They will need to move, if they care about the people on the island of Ireland.
But it is hard for them to do so as well when Boris and “Frosty” are pissing on their leg and telling them it is raining.
Remainers need to be more acute in their criticisms of the NIP. Leavers need to be more aware that Boris’s “Millwall diplomacy” is likely to be sub-optimal.
*Boris created his own trap by trashing May’s (better) deal; and refusing to concede any further delays. He therefore left new deal or no deal on the table, and Parliament was naturally keen to avoid a ruinous and democratically obscene “no deal”.
"A ban on farm feed made of animal remains introduced during the BSE crisis is to be lifted in the EU to allow cheap pig protein to be fed to chickens over fears that European farmers are being undercut by lower standards elsewhere."
Does anyone want to eat chicken fed with dead pigs? This will likely affect all ready meals that use cheap chicken from the EU.
I'm surprised that the UK govt isn't making more of the horrors of this as a reason why we won't accept dynamic alignment to resolve the NI issue.
The U.S. will drop opposition to Russia's controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in a deal with Germany to allow its completion, officials said
Does anyone think this will come back to haunt the west? Also seems to be a total failure on Germany’s part to put all its eggs in the nordstream basket…
I was going to say that Moorgate crash may have been suicide, but it might not have been and it was considered a tube line back then rather than part of the mainline network.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
America gives a flying fuck. They have already warned us about what we are trying to do. The world tends not to give preferential treatment to untrustworthy shits.
No, they don't.
+1 - it's currently a domestic dispute - I suspect the only time it becomes interesting to the US will be when the dispute gives them something they can use for other purposes.
Not entirely true. 31M Americans claim to be "Irish Americans" and the current POTUS is one of them. They still have a very strong influence in US politics, and the Dems in particular and Ireland could be a useful distraction for Biden.
Interestingly there are 16M people in UK who claim Irish heritage (including myself), though we don't tend to call ourselves "Irish Britons"
The idea that the US Congress will pass a preferential trade deal to a UK that has damaged (or worse) peace in Ireland is literal fantasy. They cannot have been clearer that we can go whistle if we screw over Ireland. As you say, the Irish lobby and block in Congress is strong.
Again, if a trade deal with the UK boosts US jobs and the US economy they won't give a flying fuck.
Biden the Irishman has literally fucked Ireland's economy more than we ever could with his minimum global tax rate.
The US gives a shit about the US.
Of course countries put their own interests first. That doesn't say all that much about the relative importance Biden might give to UK versus Irish interests. Biden certainly isn't going to prioritise either over US interests.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
I was going to say that Moorgate crash may have been suicide, but it might not have been and it was considered a tube line back then rather than part of the mainline network.
Moorgate was - my father-in-law (RIP) was the first police officer on site.
1. Is the agreement itself. It clearly doesn’t work, was never likely to work, and is punitive to GB-NI trade which from memory is the great a majority of trade relating to NI.
It urgently needs to replaced, and given that the U.K. has conceded a regulatory border in its own territory I have much sympathy with @Charles and @Philip_Thompson’s solutions which is effectively to leave it to the U.K. to police by exception.
2. Is the brazen bad faith of Johnson to: a) agree an unworkable deal b) ignore predictable warnings on said deal c) sell it to the country as “oven-ready” d) lie that it would avoid any kind of border between GB and NI e) u-turn on all of the above and blame the remainer parliament for making him do it.*
The EU are not innocent in this affair. They will need to move, if they care about the people on the island of Ireland.
But it is hard for them to do so as well when Boris and “Frosty” are pissing on their leg and telling them it is raining.
Remainers need to be more acute in their criticisms of the NIP. Leavers need to be more aware that Boris’s “Millwall diplomacy” is likely to be sub-optimal.
*Boris created his own trap by trashing May’s (better) deal; and refusing to concede any further delays. He therefore left new deal or no deal on the table, and Parliament was naturally keen to avoid a ruinous and democratically obscene “no deal”.
Not often agreeing with Gardenwalker, I am delighted to agree that most of the above is pretty much on the ball, if you assume a point of view and accept the style is somewhat adversarial to Boris.
So just two qualifications, neither very important now; Parliament trashed May's deal. Not Boris. That doesn't matter now but it is true.
Secondly, further delay was, at the time, politically impossible. Boris privately (IMHO) made the big and fairly noble call to reject No Deal, at huge personal cost. Since the only deal on the table was one with a bad Ireland deal.
Boris is a Machiavelli politician anyway. Circumstances since getting a bad but only available Brexit through a parliament that never wanted one mean he has to act in ways which are Machiavelli squared.
I wonder how anyone else would be faring by now? Politically? Polling? Personally? It is worth thinking about. The current marmite Boris - everyone either loves him or loathes him is not quite true to the complex situation. Less uncritical support and opposition and more nuance would be a worthwhile project.
While Parliament did trash the deal, Boris had the option of turning round and making slight changes to May's scheme and going "take it or No Deal" or creating a new deal and going "new deal or no deal". The fact he took the latter option was his choice / mistake.
I remember the evening when the deal was first announced and Theresa May did her speech in the dark on the steps of Downing Street, and Boris was immediately denouncing it on all the news channels before the text had even been made public.
"A ban on farm feed made of animal remains introduced during the BSE crisis is to be lifted in the EU to allow cheap pig protein to be fed to chickens over fears that European farmers are being undercut by lower standards elsewhere."
Does anyone want to eat chicken fed with dead pigs? This will likely affect all ready meals that use cheap chicken from the EU.
I'm surprised that the UK govt isn't making more of the horrors of this as a reason why we won't accept dynamic alignment to resolve the NI issue.
Some vegetarian pig- and chicken-substitute for me, please
"Be fair to Thomas. He has a far greater role than you may realize. He is one of the leading life coaches for preschool age boys on the Autism Spectrum. I have been impressed by his communication of important lessons to his most devoted fans like "You should try new things, you might like them" and, much appreciated by their class mates, "It is easier to make friends with someone if you don't crash into them". All valuable lessons for our wonderful, quirky grandson."
and
"My son (now 23) as a two and a half year old, proudly described his freshly deposited stools in terms of their proportion as the various trains in the series, “Mum! I’ve done a Gordon, a Henry, a James and an Edward!” He certainly did. Priceless."
And then I come to PB ...
That is a very funny piece. I remember loving the Rev Awdry books as a kid but as an adult I can certainly understand why my parents hated reading them to me. The Mr Men books are the worst though.
Disappointing that Hirohito didn't arrive by parachute like HMQ.
Tbf unidentified objects floating down by parachute over Japanese cities are not entirely auspicious..
Reprising Enola Gay also not unproblematic.
I on the whole loved the Boyle thing but wtf was that about?
Reminds me that I went to Washington DC some years, nay decades, back after they had just put the Enola Gay on display in the main Air and Space Museum on the Mall. 1995-6 or so? Interestingly, the exhibition talked about the events of 1945 - the plane;s design and production, IIRC, preparations, life on the atoll, and the flight to Hiroshima. Then the exhibition stopped and the rest of the hall was empty. Elements in the US, including the Air Force's political supporters, had thrown a huge wobbly about showing things like charred chairs and so on. So ...
1. Is the agreement itself. It clearly doesn’t work, was never likely to work, and is punitive to GB-NI trade which from memory is the great a majority of trade relating to NI.
It urgently needs to replaced, and given that the U.K. has conceded a regulatory border in its own territory I have much sympathy with @Charles and @Philip_Thompson’s solutions which is effectively to leave it to the U.K. to police by exception.
2. Is the brazen bad faith of Johnson to: a) agree an unworkable deal b) ignore predictable warnings on said deal c) sell it to the country as “oven-ready” d) lie that it would avoid any kind of border between GB and NI e) u-turn on all of the above and blame the remainer parliament for making him do it.*
The EU are not innocent in this affair. They will need to move, if they care about the people on the island of Ireland.
But it is hard for them to do so as well when Boris and “Frosty” are pissing on their leg and telling them it is raining.
Remainers need to be more acute in their criticisms of the NIP. Leavers need to be more aware that Boris’s “Millwall diplomacy” is likely to be sub-optimal.
*Boris created his own trap by trashing May’s (better) deal; and refusing to concede any further delays. He therefore left new deal or no deal on the table, and Parliament was naturally keen to avoid a ruinous and democratically obscene “no deal”.
Not often agreeing with Gardenwalker, I am delighted to agree that most of the above is pretty much on the ball, if you assume a point of view and accept the style is somewhat adversarial to Boris.
So just two qualifications, neither very important now; Parliament trashed May's deal. Not Boris. That doesn't matter now but it is true.
Secondly, further delay was, at the time, politically impossible. Boris privately (IMHO) made the big and fairly noble call to reject No Deal, at huge personal cost. Since the only deal on the table was one with a bad Ireland deal.
Boris is a Machiavelli politician anyway. Circumstances since getting a bad but only available Brexit through a parliament that never wanted one mean he has to act in ways which are Machiavelli squared.
I wonder how anyone else would be faring by now? Politically? Polling? Personally? It is worth thinking about. The current marmite Boris - everyone either loves him or loathes him is not quite true to the complex situation. Less uncritical support and opposition and more nuance would be a worthwhile project.
While Parliament did trash the deal, Boris had the option of turning round and making slight changes to May's scheme and going "take it or No Deal" or creating a new deal and going "new deal or no deal". The fact he took the latter option was his choice / mistake.
I remember the evening when the deal was first announced and Theresa May did her speech in the dark on the steps of Downing Street, and Boris was immediately denouncing it on all the news channels before the text had even been made public.
Yes, this is what I meant.
By the time May was trying to get her agreement approved, Boris was Prince over the Water and happy to denounce it to curry ERG favour (and perhaps even to some extent to encourage ERG recalcitrance).
"Be fair to Thomas. He has a far greater role than you may realize. He is one of the leading life coaches for preschool age boys on the Autism Spectrum. I have been impressed by his communication of important lessons to his most devoted fans like "You should try new things, you might like them" and, much appreciated by their class mates, "It is easier to make friends with someone if you don't crash into them". All valuable lessons for our wonderful, quirky grandson."
and
"My son (now 23) as a two and a half year old, proudly described his freshly deposited stools in terms of their proportion as the various trains in the series, “Mum! I’ve done a Gordon, a Henry, a James and an Edward!” He certainly did. Priceless."
And then I come to PB ...
That is a very funny piece. I remember loving the Rev Awdry books as a kid but as an adult I can certainly understand why my parents hated reading them to me. The Mr Men books are the worst though.
Oh lordy yes. The same story 100 times. Just dreadful.
"A ban on farm feed made of animal remains introduced during the BSE crisis is to be lifted in the EU to allow cheap pig protein to be fed to chickens over fears that European farmers are being undercut by lower standards elsewhere."
Does anyone want to eat chicken fed with dead pigs? This will likely affect all ready meals that use cheap chicken from the EU.
I'm surprised that the UK govt isn't making more of the horrors of this as a reason why we won't accept dynamic alignment to resolve the NI issue.
Thanks. How such a move, unless matched here, would affect the equation needs much thought. The government, I imagine, isn't making a fuss because it would quite like 'equivalence' as in general I guess most of us would.
If we reach the point where German meat products are unwanted here because of lower standards, while GB products are unwanted there because lower standards then apart from us all becoming vegans I have no idea what to suggest.
The U.S. will drop opposition to Russia's controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in a deal with Germany to allow its completion, officials said
Does anyone think this will come back to haunt the west? Also seems to be a total failure on Germany’s part to put all its eggs in the nordstream basket…
At the moment the major problem it is causing is in America with “universally hated” Ted Cruz using it as an excuse to hold up EVERY single senior State Department nomination until sanctions are reinstated.
Has @JosiasJessop really tried to pick at my "Failtrack" comment?
They failed! Catastrophically! A failure to do basic maintenance not only led to a succession of deadly accidents, they then had to impose blanket 20mph speed restrictions because "where else might there be gauge-corner cracking" was met by "we have no idea".
They had no idea how to manage the handful of upgrade projects they tried, a Manchester resignalling scheme was trying to things the manufacturer of the equipment said was impossible. They literally bankrupted themselves (and Virgin Trains with them) with the West Coast fiasco where the upgrade was never completed.
A company that killed people due to corporate negligence, failed to fulfil its basic function and then bankrupted itself through incompetence can be described as having failed.
Gauge corner cracking was understood. Just politically, they couldn't name the cause.
Strangely, all of goods wagons without anti-lock brakes got replaced/remnoved from higher speed running very very fast.
Oh, was that the primary problem? Any decent article or website on that, please?
Strangely hard to find :-)
But the withdrawal of freight was published...
Basically, a certain government minister was obsessed with rail freight. In particular, getting more freight to run on the "empty" passenger lines. So no investment required.
In order to run freight on passenger rail lines, it has to run faster.
Many of the older freight wagons didn't have anti-lock brakes. Which means, that when they skid to a halt, a small flat is formed on the wheel. Which means a hammering effect when running. As with many things, the hammering effect is not just linear to speed...
So the line was being battered by the equivalent of several thousands angry dwarves...
Many thanks. I recall something about a loaded stone train from Merehead which started going out of control down the slope of the Mendips and ended up with full brakes and wheels like threepenny bits which played hell the rest of the way to London, was it? But I hadn't realised the problem was so wide.
I was going to say that Moorgate crash may have been suicide, but it might not have been and it was considered a tube line back then rather than part of the mainline network.
Moorgate was - my father-in-law (RIP) was the first police officer on site.
Wasn't the front carriage crushed to being a foot in length or something horrific?
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
The same people saying Biden is going senile now said he would not withstand a long presidential campaign at his age and level of senility back in 2018/9. Perhaps they will be right by 2024 but decent odds on they are wrong.
Disappointing that Hirohito didn't arrive by parachute like HMQ.
Tbf unidentified objects floating down by parachute over Japanese cities are not entirely auspicious..
Reprising Enola Gay also not unproblematic.
I on the whole loved the Boyle thing but wtf was that about?
Good toon, but yes, puzzling.
Apparently Jezza Hunt wanted Hitler to appear somewhere in the London opening ceremony, there was obviously a lot of weird shit floating about in the zeitgeist at that time. Not like now of course.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
The U.S. will drop opposition to Russia's controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in a deal with Germany to allow its completion, officials said
Does anyone think this will come back to haunt the west? Also seems to be a total failure on Germany’s part to put all its eggs in the nordstream basket…
The Germans have made it quite clear that they were going ahead with nordstream whether the US approved or not. The US have accepted that they can't stop them and, pragmatically, have decided not to fall out about it. It is a terrible idea creating a dangerous dependency on a psychopath and it will be yet another source of tension between the likes of Poland, Hungary and Germany. Yet another cracking strategic error for Mutti to finish on.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
The U.S. will drop opposition to Russia's controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in a deal with Germany to allow its completion, officials said
Does anyone think this will come back to haunt the west? Also seems to be a total failure on Germany’s part to put all its eggs in the nordstream basket…
The Germans have made it quite clear that they were going ahead with nordstream whether the US approved or not. The US have accepted that they can't stop them and, pragmatically, have decided not to fall out about it. It is a terrible idea creating a dangerous dependency on a psychopath and it will be yet another source of tension between the likes of Poland, Hungary and Germany. Yet another cracking strategic error for Mutti to finish on.
The East Politics group in Germany can't really get their heads round being opposed to Russia. Opposing Russia equals 1941 or something.
Disappointing that Hirohito didn't arrive by parachute like HMQ.
Tbf unidentified objects floating down by parachute over Japanese cities are not entirely auspicious..
Reprising Enola Gay also not unproblematic.
I on the whole loved the Boyle thing but wtf was that about?
Good toon, but yes, puzzling.
Apparently Jezza Hunt wanted Hitler to appear somewhere in the London opening ceremony, there was obviously a lot of weird shit floating about in the zeitgeist at that time. Not like now of course.
An Ahnenerbe seance, one presumes? I'm glad that idea got dropped. Might have upset our fellow Europeans.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Ah I see so if someone is on Fox, they must be lying. Even if they were Obama's doctor.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Or the BBC criticising Russia Today for being a mouthpiece of the state.
I was going to say that Moorgate crash may have been suicide, but it might not have been and it was considered a tube line back then rather than part of the mainline network.
Moorgate was - my father-in-law (RIP) was the first police officer on site.
Wasn't the front carriage crushed to being a foot in length or something horrific?
Yep, beyond the fact we know he drank himself to sleep that night, he never spoke about it.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Ah I see so if someone is on Fox, they must be lying. Even if they were Obama's doctor.
No, they might be right or wrong, honest or liars. But their content is extremely biased and unreliable regardless.
Good article from Finlan O'Toole, linked earlier, and good precis from @Gardenwalker on NI.
I must say my faith in the good intentions of the EU towards the island of Ireland have been severely shaken with vaccine border-gate but yes, at its core, the UK chose to separate out NI from GB rather than align with the EU. And yes, Boris is a useless, solipsistic, lying, ignorant twat*.
I was going to say that Moorgate crash may have been suicide, but it might not have been and it was considered a tube line back then rather than part of the mainline network.
Moorgate was - my father-in-law (RIP) was the first police officer on site.
Wasn't the front carriage crushed to being a foot in length or something horrific?
No - thats a huge exaggeration. Wikipedia has a more realistic (but horrific) description. For instance the three feet cab was compressed to 6 inches. the first carriage went from 16 m to 6.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Or the BBC criticising Russia Today for being a mouthpiece of the state.
Strange, I manage to watch hours of BBC without Russia Today getting a mention most weeks.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Ah I see so if someone is on Fox, they must be lying. Even if they were Obama's doctor.
No, they might be right or wrong, honest or liars. But their content is extremely biased and unreliable regardless.
So facts are variously reliable or unreliable, depending on the news service. Even if its the same fact.
Hardly surprising given that in June there were only on average around 10-15 deaths from Covid per day reported. It's only in July that Covid deaths have started rising sharply again.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
The same people saying Biden is going senile now said he would not withstand a long presidential campaign at his age and level of senility back in 2018/9. Perhaps they will be right by 2024 but decent odds on they are wrong.
Yes, it made me a very nice profit last time around. I'm less confident now - whatever else, he'll be another four years older - so betting on other stuff.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Or the BBC criticising Russia Today for being a mouthpiece of the state.
Strange, I manage to watch hours of BBC without Russia Today getting a mention most weeks.
Strange indeed. I doubt I have watched hours of BBC this calendar year.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
"A ban on farm feed made of animal remains introduced during the BSE crisis is to be lifted in the EU to allow cheap pig protein to be fed to chickens over fears that European farmers are being undercut by lower standards elsewhere."
Does anyone want to eat chicken fed with dead pigs? This will likely affect all ready meals that use cheap chicken from the EU.
I'm surprised that the UK govt isn't making more of the horrors of this as a reason why we won't accept dynamic alignment to resolve the NI issue.
I'm surprised all those who were outraged at the idea of US chlorinated chicken are silent on this matter. I wonder why.........
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Ah I see so if someone is on Fox, they must be lying. Even if they were Obama's doctor.
No, they might be right or wrong, honest or liars. But their content is extremely biased and unreliable regardless.
So facts are variously reliable or unreliable, depending on the news service. Even if its the same fact.
The opinions of some medic are opinions, not a fact. That they are given an airing of Fox as opposed to anywhere else does indeed tell you something about them.
"Be fair to Thomas. He has a far greater role than you may realize. He is one of the leading life coaches for preschool age boys on the Autism Spectrum. I have been impressed by his communication of important lessons to his most devoted fans like "You should try new things, you might like them" and, much appreciated by their class mates, "It is easier to make friends with someone if you don't crash into them". All valuable lessons for our wonderful, quirky grandson."
and
"My son (now 23) as a two and a half year old, proudly described his freshly deposited stools in terms of their proportion as the various trains in the series, “Mum! I’ve done a Gordon, a Henry, a James and an Edward!” He certainly did. Priceless."
And then I come to PB ...
Must say that is one of the funnier pieces I have read in a while.
Given up on the opening ceremony now. Just too boring for words.
He is discussing something on a screen (I think) and not the books. So it has no meaning. For those who go to the trouble of reading the books to 2/3+ year olds, can we hear it for Toby, who redeems the dullness, and has his own rather touching past.
Oh, the responses to the Graun piece are very much full of comparisons with the old books themselves (by no means always favourable to the movies).
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Ah I see so if someone is on Fox, they must be lying. Even if they were Obama's doctor.
No, they might be right or wrong, honest or liars. But their content is extremely biased and unreliable regardless.
So facts are variously reliable or unreliable, depending on the news service. Even if its the same fact.
The opinions of some medic are opinions, not a fact. That they are given an airing of Fox as opposed to anywhere else does indeed tell you something about them.
So the logic is that Biden must be compos mentis, because Fox is investigating whether he is or not....
Anyone else watch the mens Hundred cricket last night? Apart from playing silly whatsits with the overs, the time-outs (which are apparently for the benefit of advertisers) and the dreadful graphics, I don't see any difference from t20. Even the songs the crowd were singing were the same as t20.
Shan't bother any more. Not really interested in watching games where I've no local interest.
Of course, as someone who watches cricket anyway and doesn't live in a conurbation, I'm not part of the target audience!
Losing it (and evidently still smarting over having his claims trashed yesterday)
one of highest COVID rates in 🌍 - vaccinations slowing to crawl & not starting 💉 teenagers due to supply problems - truck driver shortage leading to empty supermarkets - Govt wants to tear up NI Protocol, 🇪🇺 rejects - MP expelled from Commons for telling truth about PM
Point 2 comprehensively debunked yesterday, but he repeats it…
Blame it on Boris.....its the only game in town. Keir Starmer is a poor LOTO.. that's why all the shit is being pourer over Boris..
It's a serious problem for those, like myself, who dislike the PM. There is an element of truth in what the right here call "Boris Derangement Syndrome". The entire opposition to him at the moment, and I mean all of it, is focussed on the perceived personal failings of him and his cabinet. That just keeps him as the centre of attention. Have the combined posts of Scott and RP on here shifted a single vote? No. Have FBPE managed to get any traction outside their own Twitter bubble? No. It's makes us look like ranters and plays into Johnson's hands, he is successfully winding us up. Classic Dom said the other day that the 2016 Bus Pledge was there to wind up us Remainers. I can believe it frankly,
If we want to get anywhere in removing this shower then we simply have to start ignoring him a bit more and get on with presenting our alternative to the country. Those persuadable that they're pants have been persuaded, now it's time to get on with persuading those who think that they are 'meh' that there is a better option.
Interesting but I don't agree. People decide on people products and prejudices over a long period. It was well described as the way birds build a nest. We form our opinions bit by bit and they're not easy to dismantle.
He's been around for several years and the ludicrous figure Cummings described appeals to some and repulses others. Finding someone who we like better isn't likely to change our feelings towards him. That'll be achieved as it is being at the moment. Slowly bit by bit.
Cummings didn't say the bus side was to 'wind up the Remainers. He's far too experienced in the dark arts of persuasion to think that would win him any support at all.. He did it because he 'd worked out his target market and by relatively simple research discovered the buttons to push to attract that market.
It's the way advertisers have done it for years. Johnson will be in trouble when the drip drip drip of his behaviour starts to irritate and/or the zeitgeist changes.
Sorry Roger but having remainers shrieking that this was completely unfair and it was only £200m a week net was political genius.
IMO, that could have been countered on air by laying out 99 £1 coins and some change - a pile of £20 for health spending, £12 for pensions ect, picking out 65p as our net EU contribution and asking ' is that going to transform anything?'
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Or the BBC criticising Russia Today for being a mouthpiece of the state.
Strange, I manage to watch hours of BBC without Russia Today getting a mention most weeks.
Allow me to rephrase. Whenever the BBC interviews Russia Today they point out to the hapless representative that nothing could be believed because it is an arm of the Russian state.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Ah I see so if someone is on Fox, they must be lying. Even if they were Obama's doctor.
No, they might be right or wrong, honest or liars. But their content is extremely biased and unreliable regardless.
So facts are variously reliable or unreliable, depending on the news service. Even if its the same fact.
The opinions of some medic are opinions, not a fact. That they are given an airing of Fox as opposed to anywhere else does indeed tell you something about them.
So the logic is that Biden must be compos mentis, because Fox is investigating whether he is or not....
NHS nurses dancing around beds is almost starting to look sane.
With this and no crowds present, Los Angeles 2028 has a very easy job.
Isn't Paris the next one?
Paris 2024 LA 2028 Brisbane 2032
somewhere in Europe 2036.
Dublin/Belfast 2036
Too small - as we say with the ancient Manchester attempts.
I suspect were London to decide to go for it and stated their plans to reuse existing 2012 facilities where possible it would be a shoo-in.
Is it too small? Greater Dublin is 2m. Greater Belfast is 800k. Greater Brisbane is 2.5m.
I also think Manchester could have another go; it’s a different city today and it’s global reputation has improved.
But I’m attracted to a Dublin/Belfast joint bid for the same reason as I like @rcs1000’s idea about a high speed link between the two cities: as a updated commitment to the GFA.
Good article from Finlan O'Toole, linked earlier, and good precis from @Gardenwalker on NI.
I must say my faith in the good intentions of the EU towards the island of Ireland have been severely shaken with vaccine border-gate but yes, at its core, the UK chose to separate out NI from GB rather than align with the EU. And yes, Boris is a useless, solipsistic, lying, ignorant twat*.
What does the asterisk signify, pray? A new and improved Mark of twat, or what?
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Ah I see so if someone is on Fox, they must be lying. Even if they were Obama's doctor.
No, they might be right or wrong, honest or liars. But their content is extremely biased and unreliable regardless.
So facts are variously reliable or unreliable, depending on the news service. Even if its the same fact.
The opinions of some medic are opinions, not a fact. That they are given an airing of Fox as opposed to anywhere else does indeed tell you something about them.
So the logic is that Biden must be compos mentis, because Fox is investigating whether he is or not....
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Or the BBC criticising Russia Today for being a mouthpiece of the state.
Strange, I manage to watch hours of BBC without Russia Today getting a mention most weeks.
Strange indeed. I doubt I have watched hours of BBC this calendar year.
If only Scotland could last longer in the football....
"Be fair to Thomas. He has a far greater role than you may realize. He is one of the leading life coaches for preschool age boys on the Autism Spectrum. I have been impressed by his communication of important lessons to his most devoted fans like "You should try new things, you might like them" and, much appreciated by their class mates, "It is easier to make friends with someone if you don't crash into them". All valuable lessons for our wonderful, quirky grandson."
and
"My son (now 23) as a two and a half year old, proudly described his freshly deposited stools in terms of their proportion as the various trains in the series, “Mum! I’ve done a Gordon, a Henry, a James and an Edward!” He certainly did. Priceless."
And then I come to PB ...
Must say that is one of the funnier pieces I have read in a while.
Given up on the opening ceremony now. Just too boring for words.
He is discussing something on a screen (I think) and not the books. So it has no meaning. For those who go to the trouble of reading the books to 2/3+ year olds, can we hear it for Toby, who redeems the dullness, and has his own rather touching past.
Oh, the responses to the Graun piece are very much full of comparisons with the old books themselves (by no means always favourable to the movies).
I thought the TTTE books were rather good. The bit where Gordon (?) gets walled up in a tunnel has that tinge of horror which you sometimes get in good children's lit (Samuel Whiskers frinstance) but not in disneyfications. And some good deadpan humour. "My doctor has advised me not to push" says the fat controller and then 3 pages later "my doctor has advised me not to pull."
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Or the BBC criticising Russia Today for being a mouthpiece of the state.
Strange, I manage to watch hours of BBC without Russia Today getting a mention most weeks.
Allow me to rephrase. Whenever the BBC interviews Russia Today they point out to the hapless representative that nothing could be believed because it is an arm of the Russian state.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Ah I see so if someone is on Fox, they must be lying. Even if they were Obama's doctor.
No, they might be right or wrong, honest or liars. But their content is extremely biased and unreliable regardless.
So facts are variously reliable or unreliable, depending on the news service. Even if its the same fact.
The opinions of some medic are opinions, not a fact. That they are given an airing of Fox as opposed to anywhere else does indeed tell you something about them.
So the logic is that Biden must be compos mentis, because Fox is investigating whether he is or not....
You're not good at this. This logic is that Fox is not providing useful information on Biden's mental state. Other than for propaganda purposes.
Good article from Finlan O'Toole, linked earlier, and good precis from @Gardenwalker on NI.
I must say my faith in the good intentions of the EU towards the island of Ireland have been severely shaken with vaccine border-gate but yes, at its core, the UK chose to separate out NI from GB rather than align with the EU. And yes, Boris is a useless, solipsistic, lying, ignorant twat*.
What does the asterisk signify, pray? A new and improved Mark of twat, or what?
Ha yes sorry I was going to add that I am using this in the sense of not being part of a woman's body because that is not the common usage of twat imo whereas some think that it is a direct reference.
So what is the heart of the problem? It is not the great Ulster sausage famine. It does not lie in the complexities of phytosanitary standards or the mechanisms of legal interpretation – all of which could be solved with pragmatism and mutual trust. When this problem is dissected, the message written on its heart will be: Boris Johnson is constitutionally incapable of accepting the relationship between cause and effect
Wrong. What is at the heart of the problem is that the EU and the UK want a good relationship in this new situation but that the EU assumes it is OK for the UK to bend its red lines over UK sovereignty and integrity but not OK for the EU to bend its red lines over the single market forbidding entry to high quality products with equivalent standards.
The RoI and UK are sovereign states, the EU is an elaborate trade association. Its elevation into a body that could give sovereign states the runaround is one of the reasons Brexit won the referendum. They are not learning.
It is far simpler than that. The UK was part of something that has red lines which apply to everyone who isn't part of it. We chose to depart, create our own red lines which clash with the EU's lines, then complain that the EU are being inflexible.
We knew their position when we left. Nothing is new or unknown. We demanded 3rd country status and now complain about our treatment as a 3rd country.
If we want to trade with any trading block whether it be sovereign state or supranational we have to follow the rules of that area. Jaguar have to build cars to American spec to sell them in America. The UK will have to supply products to EEA spec to sell them in the EEA. Why should we expect the other side to change or drop their rules because we say so? Does anyone do that?
Yes.
1 Because Ireland is a special case. 2 Because politics is pragmatic. Machiavelli is a better guide than Buddha or the Quakers over how it is to be done. Sadly. 3 Because there is current equivalence in food production standards. We would not think of questioning EU food products. The opposite is also true. 4 Because the expectation that the UK compromise its internal market over NI in neither more nor less realistic than the EU doing so. And the UK and RoI are states, the EU is a trade association. 5 Because it is in the interests of RoI to compromise.
Even if you were right, surely we had a responsibility to agree these issues before we signed a binding treaty that included the Northern Ireland protocol, rather than after the event? Reneging on the protocol, or expecting it to be renegotiated after seven months, or signing it knowing it could not be implemented, seems to many of us to be pure bad faith rather than Machiavellian.
Absolutely not the case whatsoever.
Renegotiations happen all the time, its part and parcel of how life operates. If you agree a salary last year are you expected to then be bound to the same salary five years later? Or can you renegotiate your package annually seeking pay rises every year - if you're able to get them?
Is the EU still bound by the Treaty of Rome unamended? Or Maastricht Treaty unamended? Or have further treaties like Lisbon, Nice etc amended the rules.
The UK is not bound not to seek renegotiations, its perfectly within its rights to renegotiate whatever it doesn't like, at any time it chooses to do so. The UK is also not bound not to exercise Article 16 - Article 16 is literally a part of the Treaty the EU ratified and it is fully a part of international law on that basis so the UK exercising Article 16 if we choose to do so is a good faith action within the law, not a breach of the law.
If everyone negotiated international treaties in the way that Johnson did this one there would soon be no international treaties.
Everyone does negotiate international treaties in that way. Look at the Swiss, they've been renegotiating and in dispute as to how treaties operate for decades.
Johnson is acting to represent the UK's best interest not the EU's. That's how every country operates around the globe.
Nonsense. A Bad Deal is one you find you can't live with as soon as you've signed it. Johnson thus did a Bad Deal. Why? Because the choice was this Bad Deal or No Deal and No Deal wasn't a real world option. So he did the Bad Deal and now seeks to renege on it. This is the situation. Not interested in hearing any drivel from you or anybody else to the contrary.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Ah I see so if someone is on Fox, they must be lying. Even if they were Obama's doctor.
No, they might be right or wrong, honest or liars. But their content is extremely biased and unreliable regardless.
So facts are variously reliable or unreliable, depending on the news service. Even if its the same fact.
The opinions of some medic are opinions, not a fact. That they are given an airing of Fox as opposed to anywhere else does indeed tell you something about them.
So the logic is that Biden must be compos mentis, because Fox is investigating whether he is or not....
Seems reasonable to me.
Yes I can see how it would.
Well that is because both you and Fox are deluded right wing conspiracy nuts.
Good article from Finlan O'Toole, linked earlier, and good precis from @Gardenwalker on NI.
I must say my faith in the good intentions of the EU towards the island of Ireland have been severely shaken with vaccine border-gate but yes, at its core, the UK chose to separate out NI from GB rather than align with the EU. And yes, Boris is a useless, solipsistic, lying, ignorant twat*.
What does the asterisk signify, pray? A new and improved Mark of twat, or what?
Ha yes sorry I was going to add that I am using this in the sense of not being part of a woman's body because that is not the common usage of twat imo whereas some think that it is a direct reference.
Thank you; I am illuminated. Actually, I wonder if the PB keyboard has a male zoological symbol on it (= astrological Mars symbol)? That would be quite helpful.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Or the BBC criticising Russia Today for being a mouthpiece of the state.
Strange, I manage to watch hours of BBC without Russia Today getting a mention most weeks.
Allow me to rephrase. Whenever the BBC interviews Russia Today they point out to the hapless representative that nothing could be believed because it is an arm of the Russian state.
Sounds quite sensible to me.
Because your bias is such that you evidently can't see the equivalence and hence hypocrisy.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Or the BBC criticising Russia Today for being a mouthpiece of the state.
Strange, I manage to watch hours of BBC without Russia Today getting a mention most weeks.
Strange indeed. I doubt I have watched hours of BBC this calendar year.
I have, but almost all of it has been “Only Connect”.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Ah I see so if someone is on Fox, they must be lying. Even if they were Obama's doctor.
No, they might be right or wrong, honest or liars. But their content is extremely biased and unreliable regardless.
So facts are variously reliable or unreliable, depending on the news service. Even if its the same fact.
The opinions of some medic are opinions, not a fact. That they are given an airing of Fox as opposed to anywhere else does indeed tell you something about them.
So the logic is that Biden must be compos mentis, because Fox is investigating whether he is or not....
You're not good at this. This logic is that Fox is not providing useful information on Biden's mental state. Other than for propaganda purposes.
No. If Fox wanted to spread propaganda they should be proclaiming Biden's mental acuity from the rooftops.
I mean, You and KJH would never believe that, because it came from Fox.
Everyone does negotiate international treaties in that way. Look at the Swiss, they've been renegotiating and in dispute as to how treaties operate for decades.
Johnson is acting to represent the UK's best interest not the EU's. That's how every country operates around the globe.
Putting a border down the Irish Sea is acting to represent "the UK's best interest" how exactly?
It is doing precisely the opposite. It is undermining the UK.
Good article from Finlan O'Toole, linked earlier, and good precis from @Gardenwalker on NI.
I must say my faith in the good intentions of the EU towards the island of Ireland have been severely shaken with vaccine border-gate but yes, at its core, the UK chose to separate out NI from GB rather than align with the EU. And yes, Boris is a useless, solipsistic, lying, ignorant twat*.
What does the asterisk signify, pray? A new and improved Mark of twat, or what?
Ha yes sorry I was going to add that I am using this in the sense of not being part of a woman's body because that is not the common usage of twat imo whereas some think that it is a direct reference.
Thank you; I am illuminated. Actually, I wonder if the PB keyboard has a male zoological symbol on it (= astrological Mars symbol)? That would be quite helpful.
As to more restrictions, AAUI the nation says "bring it on".
I have noticed that if anything mask wearing has increased this week.
That's just the way the UK rolls right now. We are frit and won't be unfrit by the winter.
Eh? Both my pub visits – zero masks. Sainsbury's 50% masks. The notion that mask wearing has increased simply doesn't fit the reality... although you are probably just trolling?
Good article from Finlan O'Toole, linked earlier, and good precis from @Gardenwalker on NI.
I must say my faith in the good intentions of the EU towards the island of Ireland have been severely shaken with vaccine border-gate but yes, at its core, the UK chose to separate out NI from GB rather than align with the EU. And yes, Boris is a useless, solipsistic, lying, ignorant twat*.
What does the asterisk signify, pray? A new and improved Mark of twat, or what?
Ha yes sorry I was going to add that I am using this in the sense of not being part of a woman's body because that is not the common usage of twat imo whereas some think that it is a direct reference.
Thank you; I am illuminated. Actually, I wonder if the PB keyboard has a male zoological symbol on it (= astrological Mars symbol)? That would be quite helpful.
Of course I hesitate to google the word "twat".
There is always Twatt in Orkney. Which, as Wikipedia helpfully explains at once, is "Not to be confused with Twatt, Shetland." I think we discussed that particular variety on PB a few years back - including the fact that it was a Fleet Air Arm base, under that name: RNAS Twatt.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Fox being the go to reliable source for these things.
So Fox asking whether Biden is compos mentis means, de facto, he must be fine? that's the logic?
The logic is that what Fox says on this subject is not useful information either way; it would be like trying to judge how well the PM is doing based solely on “Comment is Free”.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Ah I see so if someone is on Fox, they must be lying. Even if they were Obama's doctor.
No, they might be right or wrong, honest or liars. But their content is extremely biased and unreliable regardless.
So facts are variously reliable or unreliable, depending on the news service. Even if its the same fact.
The opinions of some medic are opinions, not a fact. That they are given an airing of Fox as opposed to anywhere else does indeed tell you something about them.
So the logic is that Biden must be compos mentis, because Fox is investigating whether he is or not....
Seems reasonable to me.
Yes I can see how it would.
Well that is because both you and Fox are deluded right wing conspiracy nuts.
Is he talking about Ronnie Jackson? If so @contrarian might want to investigate his background a bit more before concluding that his opinion adds very much to the “debate”.
And there are many many people in the US who, whilst apparently well thought of and/or respected prior to 2016, are now anything but.
The U.S. will drop opposition to Russia's controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in a deal with Germany to allow its completion, officials said
Does anyone think this will come back to haunt the west? Also seems to be a total failure on Germany’s part to put all its eggs in the nordstream basket…
Germany's habit is to prioritise economics / prosperity over politics.
The only possible solution is, as always in NI, a very large dollop of fudge.
There was no "fudge" in the GFA. The obligations and occasionally painful compromises of all parties were clear. That's why it worked.
Is not compromise itself an example of a fudge?
Not in the context of this discussion which appears to be signing an agreement with the EU then trying to get them to do something else in practice that is to their detriment because that's more convenient for the UK.
All parties lived up the commitments they signed up to in the GFA.
AIUI the EU agreed to collaborate to find a work around. They haven’t done so at all. So the UK is coming up with its own approach.
More generally: I don’t give a flying fuck. If the protocol is endangering peace and community harmony in Northern Ireland then the only right thing to do is bin it.
No surprise you would prefer troubles kicked off again. Damn colonies.
I suspect it would take the actual troubles to kick off in style again (remember we've already seen death threats) before the EU thinks about compromising.
Only one side will be compromising , when trouble starts and Biden phones Bozo with orders.
I know people on here have reservations about Biden’s mental acuity, but I don’t think he’ll be taking orders from Johnson. Heck, even most of us aren’t.
Last night Fox had a former White House Doctor to both Obama and Trump expressing big concerns about Biden's mental state.
Every day Fox have someone expressing concerns about Biden's mental state. It is almost as predictable as Russia Today having someone criticise the West within 2 minutes of watching.
Or the BBC criticising Russia Today for being a mouthpiece of the state.
Strange, I manage to watch hours of BBC without Russia Today getting a mention most weeks.
Strange indeed. I doubt I have watched hours of BBC this calendar year.
If only Scotland could last longer in the football....
Ouch. In fairness their football coverage was better than ITVs but that is the ultimate low bar. In cricket I chose to watch Sky.
The last thing I really enjoyed that was BBC related was the documentary series OJ Made in America. It was outstanding but I am not sure if it was ever shown on the terrestrial channel, I got it through the iPlayer. Absolutely none of their drama, light entertainment etc attracts me at all. I tried line of duty but gave up in the first series.
I do tend to go to the BBC for major news stories but not often. I wouldn't miss the TV channels at all. The radio I would.
Comments
Given up on the opening ceremony now. Just too boring for words.
But the withdrawal of freight was published...
Basically, a certain government minister was obsessed with rail freight. In particular, getting more freight to run on the "empty" passenger lines. So no investment required.
In order to run freight on passenger rail lines, it has to run faster.
Many of the older freight wagons didn't have anti-lock brakes. Which means, that when they skid to a halt, a small flat is formed on the wheel. Which means a hammering effect when running. As with many things, the hammering effect is not just linear to speed...
So the line was being battered by the equivalent of several thousands angry dwarves...
Now, because of the involvement of certain parties......
So just two qualifications, neither very important now; Parliament trashed May's deal. Not Boris. That doesn't matter now but it is true.
Secondly, further delay was, at the time, politically impossible. Boris privately (IMHO) made the big and fairly noble call to reject No Deal, at huge personal cost. Since the only deal on the table was one with a bad Ireland deal.
Boris is a Machiavelli politician anyway. Circumstances since getting a bad but only available Brexit through a parliament that never wanted one mean he has to act in ways which are Machiavelli squared.
I wonder how anyone else would be faring by now? Politically? Polling? Personally? It is worth thinking about. The current marmite Boris - everyone either loves him or loathes him is not quite true to the complex situation. Less uncritical support and opposition and more nuance would be a worthwhile project.
The Mr Men books are the worst though.
I suspect were London to decide to go for it and stated their plans to reuse existing 2012 facilities where possible it would be a shoo-in.
Exactly the same post 1994. A couple of stand-out franchises (Virgin Trains, Chiltern Railways, Anglia), a load that were indifferent, and many that were shit. I have already given you one example of a franchise (Northern) run on the exact same "price them off" approach as BR, and First Capital Connect had a similarly awful franchise. Subsidy quintupled post privatisation and if the government didn't want to fund things properly they went backwards quickly.
Then we have train procurement. BR notoriously penny-pinched in the mid 80s, rejecting a like-for-like replacement of the ageing DMU fleets and instead buying cheap railbuses. Engines? Scrap. Gearboxes? Scrap. Doors? Scrap.
But how is that different from some of the ludicrous micro-management we now see from the DfT? They have specced Intercity fleets not capable of running to the timetable (original spec Class 800) at double of the price of the revised can achieve the DfT dictated timetable 802s. Go a bit further back and they did the same with the Voyager fleets - not long enough, too cramped as built to tilt. Or the 185s for Transpennine with not enough sets, vehicles or seats. Or the Thameslink Class 700s with seats without tray tables (nw retrofit at huge costs but the whole fleet will get new seats as the current ones not fit for purpose).
I could go on. However bad BR were, Strategic Rail Authority/DfT have topped it. However creative the post 94 railway was, the pre-94 railway was. The villain is always the government, which is why we need arms length commercial operators who deliver the public function and can borrow at government rates. Like the rest of Europe.
I cannot think of a major infrastructure project that Network Rail has succeeded with - they've been really bad at it. Worse,
"The lack of knowledge both of how to run electrification schemes"
That was largely down to Blair's government not ordering any big schemes. If you don't do this sort of work regularly, you will lose the knowledge on how best to do them.
"or even what the network looked like (a big GWML issue) was down to Railtrack"
I'm not fully convinced by that. There was the point I made earlier, but that is heavily contested. As for the reason the GWML upgrade was so costly: a big mistake was trying to rely on a massively mechanised system on a 170+ year old system.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connington_South_rail_crash
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/22/eu-to-lift-its-ban-on-feeding-animal-remains-to-domestic-livestock
"A ban on farm feed made of animal remains introduced during the BSE crisis is to be lifted in the EU to allow cheap pig protein to be fed to chickens over fears that European farmers are being undercut by lower standards elsewhere."
Does anyone want to eat chicken fed with dead pigs? This will likely affect all ready meals that use cheap chicken from the EU.
I'm surprised that the UK govt isn't making more of the horrors of this as a reason why we won't accept dynamic alignment to resolve the NI issue.
Does anyone think this will come back to
haunt the west? Also seems to be a total failure on Germany’s part to put all its eggs in the nordstream basket…
I on the whole loved the Boyle thing but wtf was that about?
That doesn't say all that much about the relative importance Biden might give to UK versus Irish interests. Biden certainly isn't going to prioritise either over US interests.
https://proudblacksoutherner1972.substack.com/p/me-annie-glenn-joe-biden-and-what
By the time May was trying to get her agreement approved, Boris was Prince over the Water and happy to denounce it to curry ERG favour (and perhaps even to some extent to encourage ERG recalcitrance).
If we reach the point where German meat products are unwanted here because of lower standards, while GB products are unwanted there because lower standards then apart from us all becoming vegans I have no idea what to suggest.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9817861/Covid-26th-leading-cause-death-England-June.html
Apparently Jezza Hunt wanted Hitler to appear somewhere in the London opening ceremony, there was obviously a lot of weird shit floating about in the zeitgeist at that time. Not like now of course.
I must say my faith in the good intentions of the EU towards the island of Ireland have been severely shaken with vaccine border-gate but yes, at its core, the UK chose to separate out NI from GB rather than align with the EU. And yes, Boris is a useless, solipsistic, lying, ignorant twat*.
I have noticed that if anything mask wearing has increased this week.
That's just the way the UK rolls right now. We are frit and won't be unfrit by the winter.
I'm less confident now - whatever else, he'll be another four years older - so betting on other stuff.
That they are given an airing of Fox as opposed to anywhere else does indeed tell you something about them.
Greater Dublin is 2m. Greater Belfast is 800k.
Greater Brisbane is 2.5m.
I also think Manchester could have another go; it’s a different city today and it’s global reputation has improved.
But I’m attracted to a Dublin/Belfast joint bid for the same reason as I like @rcs1000’s idea about a high speed link between the two cities: as a updated commitment to the GFA.
This logic is that Fox is not providing useful information on Biden's mental state. Other than for propaganda purposes.
I mean, You and KJH would never believe that, because it came from Fox.
It is doing precisely the opposite. It is undermining the UK.
And there are many many people in the US who, whilst apparently well thought of and/or respected prior to 2016, are now anything but.
https://www.designboom.com/design/giant-balloon-head-floats-over-tokyo-07-21-2021/
The last thing I really enjoyed that was BBC related was the documentary series OJ Made in America. It was outstanding but I am not sure if it was ever shown on the terrestrial channel, I got it through the iPlayer. Absolutely none of their drama, light entertainment etc attracts me at all. I tried line of duty but gave up in the first series.
I do tend to go to the BBC for major news stories but not often. I wouldn't miss the TV channels at all. The radio I would.