Barely a third think they’ll get timely treatment from the NHS – politicalbetting.com

JosiasJessop said:

rcs1000 said:

@JosiasJessop and co:

I've been keen to recreate the Z88 design using modern components rather than the Psion Series 5. Basically, a top notch (but silent) keyboard, sitting below a letterbox sized display.

Given the availability of decent SBCs these days and the ability to source displays from China (maybe using the ones used for rear view mirrors), I don't reckon it would be too hard. EXCEPT for battery management. That'd be tough.

The problem is the amount of text that needs to be entered. OSK's are fineish for a tweet of a couple of sentences. I used to write up my walks on a Psion 5 - the text for many of the coastal walks write-ups were done on a Psion 5, and that was bearable. But for large amounts of text, or things with lots of graphics, then a large screen is required - and you're into either phones-or-tablets-with-keyboard, or 10-inch laptop territory.

A Psion 5 replacement would be very much specialist kit. I'd love on, though. I think the late Paul Allen was working on one twenty years ago, but it was never released.

Edit: it was released, but my god, they needed a better industrial designer...
https://www.zdnet.com/article/remembering-the-flipstart-mobile-pc-by-microsoft-cofounder-paul-allen/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_FlipStart

Also: where the Psion 5 really won was from using just two AA batteries and getting tremendous life out of them.

rcs1000 said:

JosiasJessop said:

rcs1000 said:

@JosiasJessop and co:

I've been keen to recreate the Z88 design using modern components rather than the Psion Series 5. Basically, a top notch (but silent) keyboard, sitting below a letterbox sized display.

Given the availability of decent SBCs these days and the ability to source displays from China (maybe using the ones used for rear view mirrors), I don't reckon it would be too hard. EXCEPT for battery management. That'd be tough.

The problem is the amount of text that needs to be entered. OSK's are fineish for a tweet of a couple of sentences. I used to write up my walks on a Psion 5 - the text for many of the coastal walks write-ups were done on a Psion 5, and that was bearable. But for large amounts of text, or things with lots of graphics, then a large screen is required - and you're into either phones-or-tablets-with-keyboard, or 10-inch laptop territory.

A Psion 5 replacement would be very much specialist kit. I'd love on, though. I think the late Paul Allen was working on one twenty years ago, but it was never released.

Edit: it was released, but my god, they needed a better industrial designer...
https://www.zdnet.com/article/remembering-the-flipstart-mobile-pc-by-microsoft-cofounder-paul-allen/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_FlipStart

Also: where the Psion 5 really won was from using just two AA batteries and getting tremendous life out of them.

Yes... but what I'm looking for is a form factor like this:



Easy to enter text. Easy to carry around.

JosiasJessop said:

rcs1000 said:

@JosiasJessop and co:

I've been keen to recreate the Z88 design using modern components rather than the Psion Series 5. Basically, a top notch (but silent) keyboard, sitting below a letterbox sized display.

Given the availability of decent SBCs these days and the ability to source displays from China (maybe using the ones used for rear view mirrors), I don't reckon it would be too hard. EXCEPT for battery management. That'd be tough.

The problem is the amount of text that needs to be entered. OSK's are fineish for a tweet of a couple of sentences. I used to write up my walks on a Psion 5 - the text for many of the coastal walks write-ups were done on a Psion 5, and that was bearable. But for large amounts of text, or things with lots of graphics, then a large screen is required - and you're into either phones-or-tablets-with-keyboard, or 10-inch laptop territory.

A Psion 5 replacement would be very much specialist kit. I'd love on, though. I think the late Paul Allen was working on one twenty years ago, but it was never released.

Edit: it was released, but my god, they needed a better industrial designer...
https://www.zdnet.com/article/remembering-the-flipstart-mobile-pc-by-microsoft-cofounder-paul-allen/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_FlipStart

Also: where the Psion 5 really won was from using just two AA batteries and getting tremendous life out of them.

Sunil_Prasannan said:

ydoethur said:

pigeon said:

https://twitter.com/mikeysmith/status/1563572047048912897

Efficiency minister Jacob Rees-Mogg spent £1,300 of public money travelling to Wales by car.

A return train ticket would have cost £98.

I have to confess to mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, Rees-Mogg is clearly behaving here like an entitled, hypocritical, fantastically rich prick. As per usual.

On the other hand, if you tried to get from London to Wrexham and back by train it would probably take about a week. Combination of knackered tracks, digging up and replacing knackered tracks, broken down trains, industrial action, connecting services that are deliberately planned so you have to wait as long for the connections to arrive as humanly possible, and about 50,000 other duff excuses for late notice delays and cancellations ("unavailability of train crew" is the favourite at the moment, but anything else, up to and including swans trespassing on the line and signalling equipment being struck by lightning, is also possible.)

Anyone who needs to rely on trains to get around knows how abject they can be, and frequently are.

A return ticket would have cost around £200, so the article is wrong in that respect.

However, Wrexham actually has a very good railway service to Crewe, which is of course the hub of the WCML and amply served by fast expresses to London. So it would only have taken 3 hours 40 minutes with one easy change to get there. Having driven from here to London and here to Rhyl many times, that compares very favourably with the road option.

He was spending the money because he didn't want to be with oiks. No other reason.

Which also means if he wanted to pay £1,300 (what was he using for fuel? Liquid gold?) he should fund the difference himself.

£98.10

Off-peak return. Euston to Wrexham General.

Luckyguy1983 said:

ydoethur said:

pigeon said:

https://twitter.com/mikeysmith/status/1563572047048912897

Efficiency minister Jacob Rees-Mogg spent £1,300 of public money travelling to Wales by car.

A return train ticket would have cost £98.

I have to confess to mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, Rees-Mogg is clearly behaving here like an entitled, hypocritical, fantastically rich prick. As per usual.

On the other hand, if you tried to get from London to Wrexham and back by train it would probably take about a week. Combination of knackered tracks, digging up and replacing knackered tracks, broken down trains, industrial action, connecting services that are deliberately planned so you have to wait as long for the connections to arrive as humanly possible, and about 50,000 other duff excuses for late notice delays and cancellations ("unavailability of train crew" is the favourite at the moment, but anything else, up to and including swans trespassing on the line and signalling equipment being struck by lightning, is also possible.)

Anyone who needs to rely on trains to get around knows how abject they can be, and frequently are.

A return ticket would have cost around £200, so the article is wrong in that respect.

However, Wrexham actually has a very good railway service to Crewe, which is of course the hub of the WCML and amply served by fast expresses to London. So it would only have taken 3 hours 40 minutes with one easy change to get there. Having driven from here to London and here to Rhyl many times, that compares very favourably with the road option.

He was spending the money because he didn't want to be with oiks. No other reason.

Which also means if he wanted to pay £1,300 (what was he using for fuel? Liquid gold?) he should fund the difference himself.

He'd have needed a car at the Wales end unless he was meeting someone at Pret A Manger. That's another £150 odd. Not vast but it all mounts up. If the chauffeur was already on a full time salary too, that makes a difference.

Carnyx said:

Sunil_Prasannan said:

ydoethur said:

pigeon said:

https://twitter.com/mikeysmith/status/1563572047048912897

Efficiency minister Jacob Rees-Mogg spent £1,300 of public money travelling to Wales by car.

A return train ticket would have cost £98.

I have to confess to mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, Rees-Mogg is clearly behaving here like an entitled, hypocritical, fantastically rich prick. As per usual.

On the other hand, if you tried to get from London to Wrexham and back by train it would probably take about a week. Combination of knackered tracks, digging up and replacing knackered tracks, broken down trains, industrial action, connecting services that are deliberately planned so you have to wait as long for the connections to arrive as humanly possible, and about 50,000 other duff excuses for late notice delays and cancellations ("unavailability of train crew" is the favourite at the moment, but anything else, up to and including swans trespassing on the line and signalling equipment being struck by lightning, is also possible.)

Anyone who needs to rely on trains to get around knows how abject they can be, and frequently are.

A return ticket would have cost around £200, so the article is wrong in that respect.

However, Wrexham actually has a very good railway service to Crewe, which is of course the hub of the WCML and amply served by fast expresses to London. So it would only have taken 3 hours 40 minutes with one easy change to get there. Having driven from here to London and here to Rhyl many times, that compares very favourably with the road option.

He was spending the money because he didn't want to be with oiks. No other reason.

Which also means if he wanted to pay £1,300 (what was he using for fuel? Liquid gold?) he should fund the difference himself.

£98.10

Off-peak return. Euston to Wrexham General.

Isn't that prole class? He'd want to go first.

dixiedean said:

williamglenn said:

Labour to change constitution to rule out coalition with the SNP

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/19637086/labour-constitution-rule-out-snp-coalition/

Be ironic if they do that.
Then find themselves under a Tory/SNP coalition because the only possible alternative administration is unconstitutional.

HYUFD said:

dixiedean said:

williamglenn said:

Labour to change constitution to rule out coalition with the SNP

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/19637086/labour-constitution-rule-out-snp-coalition/

Be ironic if they do that.
Then find themselves under a Tory/SNP coalition because the only possible alternative administration is unconstitutional.

No they are changing their party constitution there is no written UK constitution. Though ruling out a coalition does not prevent a Labour minority government with SNP confidence and supply in return for indyref2

Carnyx said:

Eabhal said:

Edinburgh update - the situation with the bins is seriously bad now. My street has cleared a couple of parking spots to pile waste up.

And no offence to any PB canines, but I hate those stupid toxic bags of shit that get lobbed all over the shop.

So even worse than normal Festival time? I remember the streets having to be hosed down after clearing of litter, junk and general theatrical crap as I walked to my office in the morning in August

pigeon said:

Leon said:

MaxPB said:

pigeon said:

dixiedean said:

rottenborough said:

Genuine, LOL, mouthful of evening beer over the keyboard moment:


"Liz Truss’s sound leadership will help Britain prosper"

https://twitter.com/MoS_Politics/status/1563566519744835584

"We can take comfort in the fact that our governing party is both experienced and successful."

I'm not sure how much of this is deliberately trolling, and how much is down to the average Mail reader being so thick or so demented that they actually buy this bullshit.

Given the average age of a Daily Mail reader I wouldn't rule out dementia.

I would rule it out. The Daily Mail is a phenomenally successful news website - the 6th most visited in the world (English language)

The Mail website and the dead tree paper are two quite different things though. The former is a very successful vehicle for advertising sales driven mostly by celebrity clickbait pap. The latter is bias confirmation targeted at reactionary old farts.

Eabhal said:

Carnyx said:

Eabhal said:

Edinburgh update - the situation with the bins is seriously bad now. My street has cleared a couple of parking spots to pile waste up.

And no offence to any PB canines, but I hate those stupid toxic bags of shit that get lobbed all over the shop.

So even worse than normal Festival time? I remember the streets having to be hosed down after clearing of litter, junk and general theatrical crap as I walked to my office in the morning in August

Way, way worse. This is Leith!

Andy_JS said:

rcs1000 said:

@JosiasJessop and co:

I've been keen to recreate the Z88 design using modern components rather than the Psion Series 5. Basically, a top notch (but silent) keyboard, sitting below a letterbox sized display.

Given the availability of decent SBCs these days and the ability to source displays from China (maybe using the ones used for rear view mirrors), I don't reckon it would be too hard. EXCEPT for battery management. That'd be tough.

We've still got a Z88. I was using it a few weeks ago.

pigeon said:

dixiedean said:

williamglenn said:

Labour to change constitution to rule out coalition with the SNP

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/19637086/labour-constitution-rule-out-snp-coalition/

Be ironic if they do that.
Then find themselves under a Tory/SNP coalition because the only possible alternative administration is unconstitutional.

It's meaningless bollocks. Notwithstanding the fact that it's almost certain the SNP would never entertain the possibility of a formal coalition at Westminster, it does nothing at all to prevent Labour from entering into any other arrangement short of one. It changes nothing in practice, it's just a performative gesture aimed at the gullible.

Sunil_Prasannan said:

Leon said:

Cyclefree said:

Leon said:

Fpt on cricket (sorry @Cyclefree )

But in general cricket is thriving. The Indian Premier League is one of the richest, and most watched sports leagues in the world. I’ve just been reading the stats. Incredible sums

It can only be good for cricket that money is flooding in. Yes it will change the sport but this means sport will survive and prosper and attract young kids, creating the stars of the future

Eg I’ve realised that the IPL money could save West Indian cricket. As we know windies cricket has been on a long downwards slope and many Caribbean boys are playing basketball and looking at the NBA

With the money you can now make in cricket (without having to be 7 foot tall) they will surely return to their first native sport: cricket

The money means cricket will expand globally, as well

https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/08/26/the-footballisation-of-cricket

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/10/20/cricket-looks-set-to-become-a-global-game


I adore cricket. This summer has reminded me of that. It’s great that it prospers

And I am happy that you enjoy it!

Cricket is hugely civilising. It is also highly cerebral. The “chess of physical sports”. It is great for Homo sapiens if it is becoming a dominant global sport

Also YAY ENGLISH SPORTS RULE THE WORLD

Cricket is highly boring and tedious, especially the five day version. That's why hardly anyone outside the Commonwealth plays it.

Carnyx said:

DougSeal said:

HYUFD said:

dixiedean said:

williamglenn said:

Labour to change constitution to rule out coalition with the SNP

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/19637086/labour-constitution-rule-out-snp-coalition/

Be ironic if they do that.
Then find themselves under a Tory/SNP coalition because the only possible alternative administration is unconstitutional.

No they are changing their party constitution there is no written UK constitution. Though ruling out a coalition does not prevent a Labour minority government with SNP confidence and supply in return for indyref2

If anyone says “there is no written U.K. constitution” on here again I’m getting Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction on their ass.

It’s uncodified. It’s not unwritten. It’s written in loads of places.

Yes, but it can be changed. Just like that. Ergo not a proper constitution. The Tories could pass a law that HMG had to be run by a
committee of clowns. You see?

rcs1000 said:

JosiasJessop said:

rcs1000 said:

@JosiasJessop and co:

I've been keen to recreate the Z88 design using modern components rather than the Psion Series 5. Basically, a top notch (but silent) keyboard, sitting below a letterbox sized display.

Given the availability of decent SBCs these days and the ability to source displays from China (maybe using the ones used for rear view mirrors), I don't reckon it would be too hard. EXCEPT for battery management. That'd be tough.

The problem is the amount of text that needs to be entered. OSK's are fineish for a tweet of a couple of sentences. I used to write up my walks on a Psion 5 - the text for many of the coastal walks write-ups were done on a Psion 5, and that was bearable. But for large amounts of text, or things with lots of graphics, then a large screen is required - and you're into either phones-or-tablets-with-keyboard, or 10-inch laptop territory.

A Psion 5 replacement would be very much specialist kit. I'd love on, though. I think the late Paul Allen was working on one twenty years ago, but it was never released.

Edit: it was released, but my god, they needed a better industrial designer...
https://www.zdnet.com/article/remembering-the-flipstart-mobile-pc-by-microsoft-cofounder-paul-allen/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_FlipStart

Also: where the Psion 5 really won was from using just two AA batteries and getting tremendous life out of them.

Yes... but what I'm looking for is a form factor like this:



Easy to enter text. Easy to carry around.

rcs1000 said:

JosiasJessop said:

rcs1000 said:

@JosiasJessop and co:

I've been keen to recreate the Z88 design using modern components rather than the Psion Series 5. Basically, a top notch (but silent) keyboard, sitting below a letterbox sized display.

Given the availability of decent SBCs these days and the ability to source displays from China (maybe using the ones used for rear view mirrors), I don't reckon it would be too hard. EXCEPT for battery management. That'd be tough.

The problem is the amount of text that needs to be entered. OSK's are fineish for a tweet of a couple of sentences. I used to write up my walks on a Psion 5 - the text for many of the coastal walks write-ups were done on a Psion 5, and that was bearable. But for large amounts of text, or things with lots of graphics, then a large screen is required - and you're into either phones-or-tablets-with-keyboard, or 10-inch laptop territory.

A Psion 5 replacement would be very much specialist kit. I'd love on, though. I think the late Paul Allen was working on one twenty years ago, but it was never released.

Edit: it was released, but my god, they needed a better industrial designer...
https://www.zdnet.com/article/remembering-the-flipstart-mobile-pc-by-microsoft-cofounder-paul-allen/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_FlipStart

Also: where the Psion 5 really won was from using just two AA batteries and getting tremendous life out of them.

Yes... but what I'm looking for is a form factor like this:



Easy to enter text. Easy to carry around.

JosiasJessop said:

rcs1000 said:

JosiasJessop said:

rcs1000 said:

@JosiasJessop and co:

I've been keen to recreate the Z88 design using modern components rather than the Psion Series 5. Basically, a top notch (but silent) keyboard, sitting below a letterbox sized display.

Given the availability of decent SBCs these days and the ability to source displays from China (maybe using the ones used for rear view mirrors), I don't reckon it would be too hard. EXCEPT for battery management. That'd be tough.

The problem is the amount of text that needs to be entered. OSK's are fineish for a tweet of a couple of sentences. I used to write up my walks on a Psion 5 - the text for many of the coastal walks write-ups were done on a Psion 5, and that was bearable. But for large amounts of text, or things with lots of graphics, then a large screen is required - and you're into either phones-or-tablets-with-keyboard, or 10-inch laptop territory.

A Psion 5 replacement would be very much specialist kit. I'd love on, though. I think the late Paul Allen was working on one twenty years ago, but it was never released.

Edit: it was released, but my god, they needed a better industrial designer...
https://www.zdnet.com/article/remembering-the-flipstart-mobile-pc-by-microsoft-cofounder-paul-allen/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_FlipStart

Also: where the Psion 5 really won was from using just two AA batteries and getting tremendous life out of them.

Yes... but what I'm looking for is a form factor like this:



Easy to enter text. Easy to carry around.

Is the screen suitable for modern applications though? It's okayish if you just want to enter text, but I doubt you can get any decent GUI on it (*). Say you're a flint dildo knapper writing a review of holidays near archaeological sites in deeper Tibet. You not only need to write some perfect prose; you need to send it along with a few piccies to your editor via email. You think you are technically competent, but get lost with any CLI. Can that format device do it well?

(*) Cue PBers showing me a 1001 times it has been done...

ohnotnow said:

rcs1000 said:

JosiasJessop said:

rcs1000 said:

@JosiasJessop and co:

I've been keen to recreate the Z88 design using modern components rather than the Psion Series 5. Basically, a top notch (but silent) keyboard, sitting below a letterbox sized display.

Given the availability of decent SBCs these days and the ability to source displays from China (maybe using the ones used for rear view mirrors), I don't reckon it would be too hard. EXCEPT for battery management. That'd be tough.

The problem is the amount of text that needs to be entered. OSK's are fineish for a tweet of a couple of sentences. I used to write up my walks on a Psion 5 - the text for many of the coastal walks write-ups were done on a Psion 5, and that was bearable. But for large amounts of text, or things with lots of graphics, then a large screen is required - and you're into either phones-or-tablets-with-keyboard, or 10-inch laptop territory.

A Psion 5 replacement would be very much specialist kit. I'd love on, though. I think the late Paul Allen was working on one twenty years ago, but it was never released.

Edit: it was released, but my god, they needed a better industrial designer...
https://www.zdnet.com/article/remembering-the-flipstart-mobile-pc-by-microsoft-cofounder-paul-allen/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_FlipStart

Also: where the Psion 5 really won was from using just two AA batteries and getting tremendous life out of them.

Yes... but what I'm looking for is a form factor like this:



Easy to enter text. Easy to carry around.

Reminds me - I know a UK politician who has a rpi 400 setup to do video conferencing. It just slips under the tv/monitor in their office to take up no space when it's not in use. Quite neat really.

ydoethur said:

pigeon said:

https://twitter.com/mikeysmith/status/1563572047048912897

Efficiency minister Jacob Rees-Mogg spent £1,300 of public money travelling to Wales by car.

A return train ticket would have cost £98.

I have to confess to mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, Rees-Mogg is clearly behaving here like an entitled, hypocritical, fantastically rich prick. As per usual.

On the other hand, if you tried to get from London to Wrexham and back by train it would probably take about a week. Combination of knackered tracks, digging up and replacing knackered tracks, broken down trains, industrial action, connecting services that are deliberately planned so you have to wait as long for the connections to arrive as humanly possible, and about 50,000 other duff excuses for late notice delays and cancellations ("unavailability of train crew" is the favourite at the moment, but anything else, up to and including swans trespassing on the line and signalling equipment being struck by lightning, is also possible.)

Anyone who needs to rely on trains to get around knows how abject they can be, and frequently are.

A return ticket would have cost around £200, so the article is wrong in that respect.

However, Wrexham actually has a very good railway service to Crewe, which is of course the hub of the WCML and amply served by fast expresses to London. So it would only have taken 3 hours 40 minutes with one easy change to get there. Having driven from here to London and here to Rhyl many times, that compares very favourably with the road option.

He was spending the money because he didn't want to be with oiks. No other reason.

Which also means if he wanted to pay £1,300 (what was he using for fuel? Liquid gold?) he should fund the difference himself.

rcs1000 said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

rcs1000 said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

It seems John Redwood is looking for answers to the Winter crisis from his blog commentors - perhaps if he joins the Government they may filter through!

'The immediate need is a further package of measures to cut the cost of energy by reducing energy taxes, and to provide some offset to the loss of spending power from the increase in gas and electricity prices. It needs to ensure those on low incomes are looked after. What would you like to see in that announcement?'
https://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2022/08/27/paying-for-energy/#comments

This is Reform UK's Winter policy, and I think it's probably the nearest to my own thoughts for now:



Full policy deck here: https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2022/08/25/the-reform-partys-emergency-energy-plan/

If you want to minimize future UK oil and gas production, that is definitely the way to go.

I don't want to do that. But the effect of prices at the projected level is that many will not be able to pay. That means no money for these companies. They are expecting the Government to step in and prevent that with a subsidy - that isn't the free market in operation is it?

Can you also tell me why renewable electricity providers, whose raw material has not increased in price, should be riding the gas price and charging consumers such excessive prices, and again, expecting the Government to make up the shortfall.

So, renewable energy providers - by and large - are not benefitting from the bonanza. Most commercial wind and solar in the UK is sold on long-term fixed price contracts (via contracts-for-difference). Her Majesty's Government expected to lose out on this arrangement, which is why there is a renwables levy on peoples' bills. Given HMG is currently making out like a bandito on these arrangements (effectively buying wind and solar at £60/MWh and selling it at £250+ (and more than £500 of late). The government should immediately scrap this levy, which would cut bills 15%.

Ultimately, though, energy consumption has to decline meaningfully in the UK. The price of coal has gone through the roof. The price of natural gas has gone through the roof. Our nuclear plants are managing less uptime than was expected.

We need to reduce our demand. All the subsidies in the world don't change the fact that there is a limited amount of coal and gas in the world, and the reduction in supplies from Russia needs to be met with reduced demand.

I would suggest - as I mentioned before - scrapping the renewable levy. I would also suggest that the government looks to make direct grants to the most vulnerable households to enable them to pay their energy bills.

People used to worry about the cost of energy. They used to turn off lights when they left the room. They would never just leave the central heating on when they left the house.

It's hard, but world gas supply has fallen, and therefore demand has to fall too. We - all of us - need to be much more energy efficient.

Carnyx said:

Eabhal said:

Edinburgh update - the situation with the bins is seriously bad now. My street has cleared a couple of parking spots to pile waste up.

And no offence to any PB canines, but I hate those stupid toxic bags of shit that get lobbed all over the shop.

So even worse than normal Festival time? I remember the streets having to be hosed down after clearing of litter, junk and general theatrical crap as I walked to my office in the morning in August

Carnyx said:

HYUFD said:

dixiedean said:

williamglenn said:

Labour to change constitution to rule out coalition with the SNP

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/19637086/labour-constitution-rule-out-snp-coalition/

Be ironic if they do that.
Then find themselves under a Tory/SNP coalition because the only possible alternative administration is unconstitutional.

No they are changing their party constitution there is no written UK constitution. Though ruling out a coalition does not prevent a Labour minority government with SNP confidence and supply in return for indyref2

As always, unionists are completely missing the point - which is that a Labour or Tory minority government would be hopelessly unstable anyway, right fromt he start, however much you try to blame the SNP from your respective points of view.

One could also point out that it was the Tories who cancelled EVEL.

Leon said:

Andy_JS said:

williamglenn said:

Labour to change constitution to rule out coalition with the SNP

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/19637086/labour-constitution-rule-out-snp-coalition/

The right move by Starmer. Otherwise Labour's general election campaign would be derailed yet again by the subject.

Yes, that’s clever. Close the argument down

Labour are going to win in 2024

DougSeal said:

HYUFD said:

dixiedean said:

williamglenn said:

Labour to change constitution to rule out coalition with the SNP

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/19637086/labour-constitution-rule-out-snp-coalition/

Be ironic if they do that.
Then find themselves under a Tory/SNP coalition because the only possible alternative administration is unconstitutional.

No they are changing their party constitution there is no written UK constitution. Though ruling out a coalition does not prevent a Labour minority government with SNP confidence and supply in return for indyref2

If anyone says “there is no written U.K. constitution” on here again I’m getting Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction on their ass.

It’s uncodified. It’s not unwritten. It’s written in loads of places.

HYUFD said:

DougSeal said:

HYUFD said:

dixiedean said:

williamglenn said:

Labour to change constitution to rule out coalition with the SNP

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/19637086/labour-constitution-rule-out-snp-coalition/

Be ironic if they do that.
Then find themselves under a Tory/SNP coalition because the only possible alternative administration is unconstitutional.

No they are changing their party constitution there is no written UK constitution. Though ruling out a coalition does not prevent a Labour minority government with SNP confidence and supply in return for indyref2

If anyone says “there is no written U.K. constitution” on here again I’m getting Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction on their ass.

It’s uncodified. It’s not unwritten. It’s written in loads of places.

Conventions can be overridden constitutions can't. Legally our constitution is Crown in Parliament nothing else

FeersumEnjineeya said:

rcs1000 said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

rcs1000 said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

rcs1000 said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

It seems John Redwood is looking for answers to the Winter crisis from his blog commentors - perhaps if he joins the Government they may filter through!

'The immediate need is a further package of measures to cut the cost of energy by reducing energy taxes, and to provide some offset to the loss of spending power from the increase in gas and electricity prices. It needs to ensure those on low incomes are looked after. What would you like to see in that announcement?'
https://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2022/08/27/paying-for-energy/#comments

This is Reform UK's Winter policy, and I think it's probably the nearest to my own thoughts for now:



Full policy deck here: https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2022/08/25/the-reform-partys-emergency-energy-plan/

If you want to minimize future UK oil and gas production, that is definitely the way to go.

I don't want to do that. But the effect of prices at the projected level is that many will not be able to pay. That means no money for these companies. They are expecting the Government to step in and prevent that with a subsidy - that isn't the free market in operation is it?

Can you also tell me why renewable electricity providers, whose raw material has not increased in price, should be riding the gas price and charging consumers such excessive prices, and again, expecting the Government to make up the shortfall.

So, renewable energy providers - by and large - are not benefitting from the bonanza. Most commercial wind and solar in the UK is sold on long-term fixed price contracts (via contracts-for-difference). Her Majesty's Government expected to lose out on this arrangement, which is why there is a renwables levy on peoples' bills. Given HMG is currently making out like a bandito on these arrangements (effectively buying wind and solar at £60/MWh and selling it at £250+ (and more than £500 of late). The government should immediately scrap this levy, which would cut bills 15%.

Ultimately, though, energy consumption has to decline meaningfully in the UK. The price of coal has gone through the roof. The price of natural gas has gone through the roof. Our nuclear plants are managing less uptime than was expected.

We need to reduce our demand. All the subsidies in the world don't change the fact that there is a limited amount of coal and gas in the world, and the reduction in supplies from Russia needs to be met with reduced demand.

I would suggest - as I mentioned before - scrapping the renewable levy. I would also suggest that the government looks to make direct grants to the most vulnerable households to enable them to pay their energy bills.

People used to worry about the cost of energy. They used to turn off lights when they left the room. They would never just leave the central heating on when they left the house.

It's hard, but world gas supply has fallen, and therefore demand has to fall too. We - all of us - need to be much more energy efficient.

I don't agree. Use of energy = a growing and thriving economy. Why should people be made to switch their lights off when they leave a room - why should that be anyone else's business? Why should they not have the house like a sauna and prance around in their smalls if they so wish? Why is it acceptable, when technology improves every year, and new sources of energy come on stream all the time, to ask people to contemplate a life of less comfort than their parents enjoyed? And why should this dark ages-recalling reversion of society be sold to people for such an absurd reason as a wish to alter the course of relations between Ukraine and Russia - two of the most corrupt and backward nations in Europe. The whole thing is beyond ridiculous.

The dictionary definition of economics (or so I was told) is "a study of the efficient allocation of scarce resources." There is nothing inherently good or bad about energy usage. It is an enabler.

If I buy a more efficient air conditioning unit that uses less power to cool a room..., then my lower usage of energy does not somehow make the country a worse place to be.

The world currently has a shortage of energy, because the world's largest gas exporter is sending 80% less abroad than it was.

In the short term, we have two options.

We could give in, stop arming the Ukrainians, and I'm sure the Russians would be happy to turn the taps back on (as well as to see sanctions removed).

Or we could be a little more efficient in our usage of energy, because there is less available than there was.

Those are really the only two short-term options.

In the medium term, we can enter into long-term energy supply contracts with politically stable countries. We can also build more solar, wind and nuclear. Storage - gas and coal - would probably also be a good idea. Having six months of gas imports lined up would have made a massive difference.

In the long term, we can also incentivize oil & gas exploration companies to drill more wells in the UK (albeit probably mostly off-shore), and also to look into unconventional sources of energy, such as coal seam methane and shale gas.

Yes, if we want to turn the UK into a steaming archipelago.

Combustion of available fossil fuel resources sufficient to eliminate the Antarctic Ice Sheet

HYUFD said:

Carnyx said:

algarkirk said:

Carnyx said:

DougSeal said:

HYUFD said:

dixiedean said:

williamglenn said:

Labour to change constitution to rule out coalition with the SNP

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/19637086/labour-constitution-rule-out-snp-coalition/

Be ironic if they do that.
Then find themselves under a Tory/SNP coalition because the only possible alternative administration is unconstitutional.

No they are changing their party constitution there is no written UK constitution. Though ruling out a coalition does not prevent a Labour minority government with SNP confidence and supply in return for indyref2

If anyone says “there is no written U.K. constitution” on here again I’m getting Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction on their ass.

It’s uncodified. It’s not unwritten. It’s written in loads of places.

Yes, but it can be changed. Just like that. Ergo not a proper constitution. The Tories could pass a law that HMG had to be run by a committee of clowns. You see?

Yes indeed. Because part of our constitution is the supremacy of parliament, and within that the supremacy of the commons.

Which means, for example that parliament can pass laws to ensure that 6 year olds can't get a machine gun for Christmas without a bogus constitutional principle stopping them, aided and abetted by the SC.

Who would you like to be constitutionally supreme instead?

Quite so.

On the other hand, it's open to Pmt to declare the C of E a subversive organization and order its assets to be seized asnd turned over to hedgehog hospitals.

Except that would be theft as the Church of England assets belong to the Church of England not the state, even if the Queen is its Supreme Governor

HYUFD said:

Carnyx said:

algarkirk said:

Carnyx said:

DougSeal said:

HYUFD said:

dixiedean said:

williamglenn said:

Labour to change constitution to rule out coalition with the SNP

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/19637086/labour-constitution-rule-out-snp-coalition/

Be ironic if they do that.
Then find themselves under a Tory/SNP coalition because the only possible alternative administration is unconstitutional.

No they are changing their party constitution there is no written UK constitution. Though ruling out a coalition does not prevent a Labour minority government with SNP confidence and supply in return for indyref2

If anyone says “there is no written U.K. constitution” on here again I’m getting Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction on their ass.

It’s uncodified. It’s not unwritten. It’s written in loads of places.

Yes, but it can be changed. Just like that. Ergo not a proper constitution. The Tories could pass a law that HMG had to be run by a committee of clowns. You see?

Yes indeed. Because part of our constitution is the supremacy of parliament, and within that the supremacy of the commons.

Which means, for example that parliament can pass laws to ensure that 6 year olds can't get a machine gun for Christmas without a bogus constitutional principle stopping them, aided and abetted by the SC.

Who would you like to be constitutionally supreme instead?

Quite so.

On the other hand, it's open to Pmt to declare the C of E a subversive organization and order its assets to be seized asnd turned over to hedgehog hospitals.

Except that would be theft as the Church of England assets belong to the Church of England not the state, even if the Queen is its Supreme Governor

Carnyx said:

HYUFD said:

DougSeal said:

HYUFD said:

dixiedean said:

williamglenn said:

Labour to change constitution to rule out coalition with the SNP

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/19637086/labour-constitution-rule-out-snp-coalition/

Be ironic if they do that.
Then find themselves under a Tory/SNP coalition because the only possible alternative administration is unconstitutional.

No they are changing their party constitution there is no written UK constitution. Though ruling out a coalition does not prevent a Labour minority government with SNP confidence and supply in return for indyref2

If anyone says “there is no written U.K. constitution” on here again I’m getting Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction on their ass.

It’s uncodified. It’s not unwritten. It’s written in loads of places.

Conventions can be overridden constitutions can't. Legally our constitution is Crown in Parliament nothing else

Oliver Cromwell wishes to point out that you are wrong. The Crown bit is easily removed.

HYUFD said:

DougSeal said:

HYUFD said:

dixiedean said:

williamglenn said:

Labour to change constitution to rule out coalition with the SNP

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/19637086/labour-constitution-rule-out-snp-coalition/

Be ironic if they do that.
Then find themselves under a Tory/SNP coalition because the only possible alternative administration is unconstitutional.

No they are changing their party constitution there is no written UK constitution. Though ruling out a coalition does not prevent a Labour minority government with SNP confidence and supply in return for indyref2

If anyone says “there is no written U.K. constitution” on here again I’m getting Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction on their ass.

It’s uncodified. It’s not unwritten. It’s written in loads of places.

Conventions can be overridden constitutions can't. Legally our constitution is Crown in Parliament nothing else

Leon said:

I would vote for any party that gets a grip on the border. It is THE fundamental job of any government. Secure the borders. If the Tories can’t do it, we need someone else with some hairy cullions

Enough of this crap

Leon said:

"...there is no point voting Conservative."

HYUFD said:

dixiedean said:

HYUFD said:

Carnyx said:

algarkirk said:

Carnyx said:

DougSeal said:

HYUFD said:

dixiedean said:

williamglenn said:

Labour to change constitution to rule out coalition with the SNP

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/19637086/labour-constitution-rule-out-snp-coalition/

Be ironic if they do that.
Then find themselves under a Tory/SNP coalition because the only possible alternative administration is unconstitutional.

No they are changing their party constitution there is no written UK constitution. Though ruling out a coalition does not prevent a Labour minority government with SNP confidence and supply in return for indyref2

If anyone says “there is no written U.K. constitution” on here again I’m getting Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction on their ass.

It’s uncodified. It’s not unwritten. It’s written in loads of places.

Yes, but it can be changed. Just like that. Ergo not a proper constitution. The Tories could pass a law that HMG had to be run by a committee of clowns. You see?

Yes indeed. Because part of our constitution is the supremacy of parliament, and within that the supremacy of the commons.

Which means, for example that parliament can pass laws to ensure that 6 year olds can't get a machine gun for Christmas without a bogus constitutional principle stopping them, aided and abetted by the SC.

Who would you like to be constitutionally supreme instead?

Quite so.

On the other hand, it's open to Pmt to declare the C of E a subversive organization and order its assets to be seized asnd turned over to hedgehog hospitals.

Except that would be theft as the Church of England assets belong to the Church of England not the state, even if the Queen is its Supreme Governor

It wouldn't be theft if Parliament said it wasn't.

It would, Parliament could technically legislate to make murder legal but it would still be murder.

Plus of course the monarch as Supreme Governor of the Church of England would correctly refuse to sign a bill confiscating its assets anyway

Gallowgate said:

HYUFD said:

DougSeal said:

HYUFD said:

dixiedean said:

williamglenn said:

Labour to change constitution to rule out coalition with the SNP

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/19637086/labour-constitution-rule-out-snp-coalition/

Be ironic if they do that.
Then find themselves under a Tory/SNP coalition because the only possible alternative administration is unconstitutional.

No they are changing their party constitution there is no written UK constitution. Though ruling out a coalition does not prevent a Labour minority government with SNP confidence and supply in return for indyref2

If anyone says “there is no written U.K. constitution” on here again I’m getting Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction on their ass.

It’s uncodified. It’s not unwritten. It’s written in loads of places.

Conventions can be overridden constitutions can't. Legally our constitution is Crown in Parliament nothing else

Constitutions can be overridden. Even the US constitution can be amended.

HYUFD said:

Gallowgate said:

HYUFD said:

DougSeal said:

HYUFD said:

dixiedean said:

williamglenn said:

Labour to change constitution to rule out coalition with the SNP

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/19637086/labour-constitution-rule-out-snp-coalition/

Be ironic if they do that.
Then find themselves under a Tory/SNP coalition because the only possible alternative administration is unconstitutional.

No they are changing their party constitution there is no written UK constitution. Though ruling out a coalition does not prevent a Labour minority government with SNP confidence and supply in return for indyref2

If anyone says “there is no written U.K. constitution” on here again I’m getting Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction on their ass.

It’s uncodified. It’s not unwritten. It’s written in loads of places.

Conventions can be overridden constitutions can't. Legally our constitution is Crown in Parliament nothing else

Constitutions can be overridden. Even the US constitution can be amended.

Only with 2/3 support in both Chambers of Congress and the support of the President and 2/3 of state legislatures

FeersumEnjineeya said:

rcs1000 said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

rcs1000 said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

rcs1000 said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

Luckyguy1983 said:

It seems John Redwood is looking for answers to the Winter crisis from his blog commentors - perhaps if he joins the Government they may filter through!

'The immediate need is a further package of measures to cut the cost of energy by reducing energy taxes, and to provide some offset to the loss of spending power from the increase in gas and electricity prices. It needs to ensure those on low incomes are looked after. What would you like to see in that announcement?'
https://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2022/08/27/paying-for-energy/#comments

This is Reform UK's Winter policy, and I think it's probably the nearest to my own thoughts for now:



Full policy deck here: https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2022/08/25/the-reform-partys-emergency-energy-plan/

If you want to minimize future UK oil and gas production, that is definitely the way to go.

I don't want to do that. But the effect of prices at the projected level is that many will not be able to pay. That means no money for these companies. They are expecting the Government to step in and prevent that with a subsidy - that isn't the free market in operation is it?

Can you also tell me why renewable electricity providers, whose raw material has not increased in price, should be riding the gas price and charging consumers such excessive prices, and again, expecting the Government to make up the shortfall.

So, renewable energy providers - by and large - are not benefitting from the bonanza. Most commercial wind and solar in the UK is sold on long-term fixed price contracts (via contracts-for-difference). Her Majesty's Government expected to lose out on this arrangement, which is why there is a renwables levy on peoples' bills. Given HMG is currently making out like a bandito on these arrangements (effectively buying wind and solar at £60/MWh and selling it at £250+ (and more than £500 of late). The government should immediately scrap this levy, which would cut bills 15%.

Ultimately, though, energy consumption has to decline meaningfully in the UK. The price of coal has gone through the roof. The price of natural gas has gone through the roof. Our nuclear plants are managing less uptime than was expected.

We need to reduce our demand. All the subsidies in the world don't change the fact that there is a limited amount of coal and gas in the world, and the reduction in supplies from Russia needs to be met with reduced demand.

I would suggest - as I mentioned before - scrapping the renewable levy. I would also suggest that the government looks to make direct grants to the most vulnerable households to enable them to pay their energy bills.

People used to worry about the cost of energy. They used to turn off lights when they left the room. They would never just leave the central heating on when they left the house.

It's hard, but world gas supply has fallen, and therefore demand has to fall too. We - all of us - need to be much more energy efficient.

I don't agree. Use of energy = a growing and thriving economy. Why should people be made to switch their lights off when they leave a room - why should that be anyone else's business? Why should they not have the house like a sauna and prance around in their smalls if they so wish? Why is it acceptable, when technology improves every year, and new sources of energy come on stream all the time, to ask people to contemplate a life of less comfort than their parents enjoyed? And why should this dark ages-recalling reversion of society be sold to people for such an absurd reason as a wish to alter the course of relations between Ukraine and Russia - two of the most corrupt and backward nations in Europe. The whole thing is beyond ridiculous.

The dictionary definition of economics (or so I was told) is "a study of the efficient allocation of scarce resources." There is nothing inherently good or bad about energy usage. It is an enabler.

If I buy a more efficient air conditioning unit that uses less power to cool a room..., then my lower usage of energy does not somehow make the country a worse place to be.

The world currently has a shortage of energy, because the world's largest gas exporter is sending 80% less abroad than it was.

In the short term, we have two options.

We could give in, stop arming the Ukrainians, and I'm sure the Russians would be happy to turn the taps back on (as well as to see sanctions removed).

Or we could be a little more efficient in our usage of energy, because there is less available than there was.

Those are really the only two short-term options.

In the medium term, we can enter into long-term energy supply contracts with politically stable countries. We can also build more solar, wind and nuclear. Storage - gas and coal - would probably also be a good idea. Having six months of gas imports lined up would have made a massive difference.

In the long term, we can also incentivize oil & gas exploration companies to drill more wells in the UK (albeit probably mostly off-shore), and also to look into unconventional sources of energy, such as coal seam methane and shale gas.

Yes, if we want to turn the UK into a steaming archipelago.

Combustion of available fossil fuel resources sufficient to eliminate the Antarctic Ice Sheet

rcs1000 said:

Carnyx said:

JosiasJessop said:

rcs1000 said:

JosiasJessop said:

rcs1000 said:

@JosiasJessop and co:

I've been keen to recreate the Z88 design using modern components rather than the Psion Series 5. Basically, a top notch (but silent) keyboard, sitting below a letterbox sized display.

Given the availability of decent SBCs these days and the ability to source displays from China (maybe using the ones used for rear view mirrors), I don't reckon it would be too hard. EXCEPT for battery management. That'd be tough.

The problem is the amount of text that needs to be entered. OSK's are fineish for a tweet of a couple of sentences. I used to write up my walks on a Psion 5 - the text for many of the coastal walks write-ups were done on a Psion 5, and that was bearable. But for large amounts of text, or things with lots of graphics, then a large screen is required - and you're into either phones-or-tablets-with-keyboard, or 10-inch laptop territory.

A Psion 5 replacement would be very much specialist kit. I'd love on, though. I think the late Paul Allen was working on one twenty years ago, but it was never released.

Edit: it was released, but my god, they needed a better industrial designer...
https://www.zdnet.com/article/remembering-the-flipstart-mobile-pc-by-microsoft-cofounder-paul-allen/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_FlipStart

Also: where the Psion 5 really won was from using just two AA batteries and getting tremendous life out of them.

Yes... but what I'm looking for is a form factor like this:



Easy to enter text. Easy to carry around.

Is the screen suitable for modern applications though? It's okayish if you just want to enter text, but I doubt you can get any decent GUI on it (*). Say you're a flint dildo knapper writing a review of holidays near archaeological sites in deeper Tibet. You not only need to write some perfect prose; you need to send it along with a few piccies to your editor via email. You think you are technically competent, but get lost with any CLI. Can that format device do it well?

(*) Cue PBers showing me a 1001 times it has been done...

No idea. I recall the screen as being about PCW grade, only about 1/5 the top-bottom depth! It was monochrome, LCD, black on a grey background. No way could you look at a pic to check it, so far as I can recall.

GUYS:

A modern version of the Z88 could have a massively larger screen and still fit inside the boundaries of an A4 sized device.

Andy_JS said:

Leon said:

Cyclefree said:

Leon said:

Fpt on cricket (sorry @Cyclefree )

But in general cricket is thriving. The Indian Premier League is one of the richest, and most watched sports leagues in the world. I’ve just been reading the stats. Incredible sums

It can only be good for cricket that money is flooding in. Yes it will change the sport but this means sport will survive and prosper and attract young kids, creating the stars of the future

Eg I’ve realised that the IPL money could save West Indian cricket. As we know windies cricket has been on a long downwards slope and many Caribbean boys are playing basketball and looking at the NBA

With the money you can now make in cricket (without having to be 7 foot tall) they will surely return to their first native sport: cricket

The money means cricket will expand globally, as well

https://www.economist.com/culture/2022/08/26/the-footballisation-of-cricket

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/10/20/cricket-looks-set-to-become-a-global-game


I adore cricket. This summer has reminded me of that. It’s great that it prospers

And I am happy that you enjoy it!

Cricket is hugely civilising. It is also highly cerebral. The “chess of physical sports”. It is great for Homo sapiens if it is becoming a dominant global sport

Also YAY ENGLISH SPORTS RULE THE WORLD

Cricket is 3D chess.

Cyclefree said:

DavidL said:

The fact that a third do really highlights the deficiency in mental health provision.

I hesitate to criticise you @DavidL but that is unworthy of you. Mental health provision is really poor and it causes real problems for those suffering from it and their families. I am one of those as I went through a dark, very dark, decade when my son was seriously ill. We were told at the time that the waiting list even to get considered for a place at the only clinic which really treated his condition was 2 years. This was at the point when through the kindness of a Good Samaritan who called the police he'd narrowly escaped death. So we paid and paid and paid, for years and years. And now, thank God, he is himself again and beginning to live a normal and hopeful life like the rest of us.

But if you don't have the resources, what happens? It is utter misery of a type which if you haven't been through it is hard to comprehend. It is like being in a darkened room with a person howling in pain and trying to find the light switch or the door handle and not even knowing whether there is a door or light switch or if there is whether there is any light outside. It affects the person suffering and those around them. It is no joke. And it is lonely because so many people do treat it as a joke or as made up or as if it's your fault. So you can add guilt and loneliness into the mix. And it is not just a health issue because so many of those who end up in our prisons have mental health issues or their children in foster care.

It is - and always has been - the Cinderella
of our health service. But we should do
more. We really should. Fat chance.

HYUFD said:

Carnyx said:

HYUFD said:

dixiedean said:

HYUFD said:

Carnyx said:

algarkirk said:

Carnyx said:

DougSeal said:

HYUFD said:

dixiedean said:

williamglenn said:

Labour to change constitution to rule out coalition with the SNP

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/19637086/labour-constitution-rule-out-snp-coalition/

Be ironic if they do that.
Then find themselves under a Tory/SNP coalition because the only possible alternative administration is unconstitutional.

No they are changing their party constitution there is no written UK constitution. Though ruling out a coalition does not prevent a Labour minority government with SNP confidence and supply in return for indyref2

If anyone says “there is no written U.K. constitution” on here again I’m getting Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction on their ass.

It’s uncodified. It’s not unwritten. It’s written in loads of places.

Yes, but it can be changed. Just like that. Ergo not a proper constitution. The Tories could pass a law that HMG had to be run by a committee of clowns. You see?

Yes indeed. Because part of our constitution is the supremacy of parliament, and within that the supremacy of the commons.

Which means, for example that parliament can pass laws to ensure that 6 year olds can't get a machine gun for Christmas without a bogus constitutional principle stopping them, aided and abetted by the SC.

Who would you like to be constitutionally supreme instead?

Quite so.

On the other hand, it's open to Pmt to declare the C of E a subversive organization and order its assets to be seized asnd turned over to hedgehog hospitals.

Except that would be theft as the Church of England assets belong to the Church of England not the state, even if the Queen is its Supreme Governor

It wouldn't be theft if Parliament said it wasn't.

It would, Parliament could technically legislate to make murder legal but it would still be murder.

Plus of course the monarch as Supreme Governor of the Church of England would correctly refuse to sign a bill confiscating its assets anyway

I|n that case we'd be in a republic. Only takes a vote.

No we wouldn't, the Monarch would directly dissolve Parliament and force a general election to get rid of it if the Parliament tried to legislate to legalise theft or murder

Leon said:

rottenborough said:

Leon said:

I would vote for any party that gets a grip on the border. It is THE fundamental job of any government. Secure the borders. If the Tories can’t do it, we need someone else with some hairy cullions

Enough of this crap

You live cheek by jowl with 9 million people. What matter that a few thousand cross the Channel?

Coz they are now Albanian gangsters recruited by drug lords. Literally

I reckon liberals will only wake up to this issue being a “problem “ when “asylum seekers” start raping their daughters. And even then Jolyon Maugham would try and stop deportations

HYUFD said:

Carnyx said:

HYUFD said:

dixiedean said:

HYUFD said:

Carnyx said:

algarkirk said:

Carnyx said:

DougSeal said:

HYUFD said:

dixiedean said:

williamglenn said:

Labour to change constitution to rule out coalition with the SNP

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/politics/19637086/labour-constitution-rule-out-snp-coalition/

Be ironic if they do that.
Then find themselves under a Tory/SNP coalition because the only possible alternative administration is unconstitutional.

No they are changing their party constitution there is no written UK constitution. Though ruling out a coalition does not prevent a Labour minority government with SNP confidence and supply in return for indyref2

If anyone says “there is no written U.K. constitution” on here again I’m getting Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction on their ass.

It’s uncodified. It’s not unwritten. It’s written in loads of places.

Yes, but it can be changed. Just like that. Ergo not a proper constitution. The Tories could pass a law that HMG had to be run by a committee of clowns. You see?

Yes indeed. Because part of our constitution is the supremacy of parliament, and within that the supremacy of the commons.

Which means, for example that parliament can pass laws to ensure that 6 year olds can't get a machine gun for Christmas without a bogus constitutional principle stopping them, aided and abetted by the SC.

Who would you like to be constitutionally supreme instead?

Quite so.

On the other hand, it's open to Pmt to declare the C of E a subversive organization and order its assets to be seized asnd turned over to hedgehog hospitals.

Except that would be theft as the Church of England assets belong to the Church of England not the state, even if the Queen is its Supreme Governor

It wouldn't be theft if Parliament said it wasn't.

It would, Parliament could technically legislate to make murder legal but it would still be murder.

Plus of course the monarch as Supreme Governor of the Church of England would correctly refuse to sign a bill confiscating its assets anyway

I|n that case we'd be in a republic. Only takes a vote.

No we wouldn't, the Monarch would directly dissolve Parliament and force a general election to get rid of it if the Parliament tried to legislate to legalise theft or murder

rcs1000 said:

JosiasJessop said:

rcs1000 said:

JosiasJessop said:

rcs1000 said:

@JosiasJessop and co:

I've been keen to recreate the Z88 design using modern components rather than the Psion Series 5. Basically, a top notch (but silent) keyboard, sitting below a letterbox sized display.

Given the availability of decent SBCs these days and the ability to source displays from China (maybe using the ones used for rear view mirrors), I don't reckon it would be too hard. EXCEPT for battery management. That'd be tough.

The problem is the amount of text that needs to be entered. OSK's are fineish for a tweet of a couple of sentences. I used to write up my walks on a Psion 5 - the text for many of the coastal walks write-ups were done on a Psion 5, and that was bearable. But for large amounts of text, or things with lots of graphics, then a large screen is required - and you're into either phones-or-tablets-with-keyboard, or 10-inch laptop territory.

A Psion 5 replacement would be very much specialist kit. I'd love on, though. I think the late Paul Allen was working on one twenty years ago, but it was never released.

Edit: it was released, but my god, they needed a better industrial designer...
https://www.zdnet.com/article/remembering-the-flipstart-mobile-pc-by-microsoft-cofounder-paul-allen/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_FlipStart

Also: where the Psion 5 really won was from using just two AA batteries and getting tremendous life out of them.

Yes... but what I'm looking for is a form factor like this:



Easy to enter text. Easy to carry around.

Is the screen suitable for modern applications though? It's okayish if you just want to enter text, but I doubt you can get any decent GUI on it (*). Say you're a flint dildo knapper writing a review of holidays near archaeological sites in deeper Tibet. You not only need to write some perfect prose; you need to send it along with a few piccies to your editor via email. You think you are technically competent, but get lost with any CLI. Can that format device do it well?

(*) Cue PBers showing me a 1001 times it has been done...

Of course:

Now, would it be a preferred media device? Would it be as easy to read PB as some other form factors?

Nope. But it would be fine for note taking, email replying, to do list sorting, spreadsheet wrangling, light web browsing, and the like.

The screen would be the same size (roughly) as two large phones end-to-end. You could use the complete width for a web site, or you could have it tiled with two or three apps in different vertical panes. Perhaps Slack on the left, email on the right, and PB in the middle. Modern screens are so high resolution, you be amazed what you could fit in there.