Rishi Sunak’s chopper is going to get him into a lot of trouble – politicalbetting.com

Malmesbury said:

pigeon said:

Coffee is revolting muck. A nice cup of tea is infinitely preferable.

Tea is mud. And responsible for the downfall of the British Empire.

Both rely on boiling bits of plant, but only one is remotely palatable. And I'm reasonably sure that the empire collapsed because people didn't like being colonised and we stopped shooting the ones who rebelled. I doubt that PG Tips really comes into it.

Too much chat from coffee wankers. I think I will go and do a five hour round trip to buy a VR6 TT that I don't really want.

BartholomewRoberts said:

another_richard said:

Miklosvar said:

OnlyLivingBoy said:

RochdalePioneers said:

OnlyLivingBoy said:

He comes across as elitist and out of touch, because he is.

Have you spoken to him? I have, and he really isn't. Or at least he wasn't back in 2020...

I've never spoken to him but I can listen to the words coming out of his mouth and the tone with which he employs them. I'm sure he can seem very nice in person, almost all politicians do, it's one of the typical characteristics of people who go into this line of work. I have spoken to Boris Johnson and David Cameron, among others, and they were very nice to talk to, but that doesn't stop them from being over-privileged, arrogant w*nkers with no real knowledge of, or interest in, the lives of ordinary people. Sunak is just another posh boy who doesn't know the price of a pint of milk.

The out of touch bit is thinking anyone knows the price of a pint of milk, it's a supermarket essential you never buy separately.

Have you spoken to him? is not a useful question though unless he's going to sit down with each individual voter.

The price of milk is perhaps the only thing which is bought regularly, near universally and has little variation in quantity and quality.

Bread can vary from 40p to over £2.

A tin of beans or a pack of teabags varies depending on type and brand and isn't bought by as many.

Housing costs are much larger for those who have them but many don't and also vary considerably for those who do.

Similarly for transport costs.

Milk varies dramatically based on bottle size though.


A 2 pint bottle costs most of the price of a 4 pint bottle. I wouldn't dream of paying for a 1 pint bottle, total waste of money that.

Surely it depends if you are going to use it.

Night before going on holiday you run out of milk.

Do you buy a 4pt or a 1pt bottle for you cereal and coffee in the morning?

.

Miklosvar said:

BartholomewRoberts said:

Malmesbury said:

Cookie said:

BartholomewRoberts said:

Cookie said:

viewcode said:

Malmesbury said:

viewcode said:

‘Rishi Sunak travelled to Southampton using a taxpayer-funded helicopter, Downing Street has admitted, despite the journey taking just over an hour on the train.’

Ahem. that assumes no waiting time. The shortest train time (direct from Waterloo to Soton Cent) is 1hr 25, but you will not arrive immediately the train departs. Assume 15-30 mins waiting time for train to be platformed and for you to get on. Then at Soton Cent you'd have to get a taxi to wherever you are going.

So door-to-door I'd assume at least 2hrs, assume 2.5 on the safe side.

Incidentally Waterloo has a bookstore (Foyles) altho it is being refurbished. There are not many places in Waterloo for a nice sit down and a read, as everything is overpriced and not set up for the single reader. It does have a (grrr) coffee shop full of overpriced drinks I don't really understand, but it did (and I think it's reopened) have a nice sushi place which has nice sushi and seats upstairs where it isn't too loud.

All coffee chains do "Black Coffee", if you simply ask for that.

I don't like black coffee. I want coffee with milk. There is a translation from posh coffee to normal human coffee but I've forgotten what it is. If you know how to get normal coffee with normal milk, in the
correct proportions, without the coffee looking like somebody spat in it, I would be grateful.

Lack of normal coffee is a bugbear of mine. Some coffee shops do indeed do filter coffee, though often they are strangely reluctant to admit to it. But many just don't. Pret, in Piccadilly Gardens, for example. "We haven't got room for it. Do you want an Americano?". No. I don't want a British version of an Italian version of an American version of coffee, which is going to take you two minutes to make from your massive machine and which you're going to charge me £3.50 for. I just want a normal coffee.

Then use a kettle at home and get a flask to put your coffee into.

They're making real coffee, from beans, why would they offer you instant or filter instead? Like going into Greggs and asking for a Fish and Chips, it's a different product that's not what they're selling.

Filter (or batch) is very different from instant though. It's made from beans. And then filtered.
I'm not asking for them to do anything out of the ordinary. Grind the beans and make the coffee. No need to tit about with milk or steam. The analogy would be like going into Greggs hoping for a sandwich, but finding there were no options for themnot to toast your sandwich.

Instant isn’t coffee. Any more than pissing in a church is praying.

There's a similarity between this discussion and Monty Python's spam sketch, but in reverse.

There's all sorts of ways to make coffee from espresso so lots of choices (including Americano if you just want a tall, black coffee, and a white Americano if you want that with a splash of milk).

But some people long for the simpler days of just spam being the option.

Most restaurants have moved away from spam as their meat now. And have moved on from instant/filter coffee typically too. Thank goodness!

What is the conflation of instant with filter for? Filter is just how you make coffee, unless you have a yuppie nerdy yen for expensive and unnecessary machines

Filter is a reasonable way to make coffee if you can't afford a good way to do it. Filtered coffee lacks the pressure to make the coffee well.

I have a coffee machine at home, pricy but well worth it's money. On a per cup of coffee machine it's a bargain despite costing hundreds, far better than those cheap machines you get that then put plastic pods into.

Buying the coffee beans themselves, not the machine to handle them, is over the long term the expensive at home part of getting a good coffee.

Malmesbury said:

StillWaters said:

For @NickPalmer

NickPalmer said:

Question for those more familiar with the stock markets: what is the English term for "Börsenmantelaktiengesellschaft" - apparemtly a company established for the sole purpose of obtaining a stock exchange listing?

I don’t know the German word but guessing you are meaning “cash shell” or “shell company”?

The suggestion, by others, which I agree with is that it sounds like a SPAC

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/spac.asp

I prefer SPIV.

Special Purpose Investment Vehicle.

StillWaters said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Malmesbury said:

StillWaters said:

For @NickPalmer

NickPalmer said:

Question for those more familiar with the stock markets: what is the English term for "Börsenmantelaktiengesellschaft" - apparemtly a company established for the sole purpose of obtaining a stock exchange listing?

I don’t know the German word but guessing you are meaning “cash shell” or “shell company”?

The suggestion, by others, which I agree with is that it sounds like a SPAC

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/spac.asp

I prefer SPIV.

Special Purpose Investment Vehicle.

They are horrific vehicles that were massively abused over the last 3 or 4 years

As I've said professionally, SPIV by name, spiv by nature.

StillWaters said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Malmesbury said:

StillWaters said:

For @NickPalmer

NickPalmer said:

Question for those more familiar with the stock markets: what is the English term for "Börsenmantelaktiengesellschaft" - apparemtly a company established for the sole purpose of obtaining a stock exchange listing?

I don’t know the German word but guessing you are meaning “cash shell” or “shell company”?

The suggestion, by others, which I agree with is that it sounds like a SPAC

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/spac.asp

I prefer SPIV.

Special Purpose Investment Vehicle.

They are horrific vehicles that were massively abused over the last 3 or 4 years

A little while ago, I came across an attempt to use a SPAC as part of a cryptocurrency/space launch* scam

HOUSE!

*apparently running your coin on servers in LEO is a better kind of scam.

I read Asterix when I was a kid, so all I can think of is SPQR

Thank you all for your suggestions. I will in future order a "filter coffee with milk" or "An Americano with milk". And not "Just a normal fucking coffee with milk you pretentious bastard", which I now understand upsets people. Lessons Have Been Learned.

Malmesbury said:

Sandpit said:

FPT: left-wing civil war over ULEZ

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/08/13/extinction-rebellion-founder-ulez-tyres-slashed/

“The founder of Extinction Rebellion has hit out at Sadiq Khan’s ultra-low emissions zone (Ulez) as “intrusive” and “regressive” for the lowest-paid Londoners.

“Roger Hallam made the comments in a thread on social media site X, in which he also attacked “urban middle-class neo-liberal Left” thinkers behind the Mayor’s road charge.

“He was responding to a Guardian column by Prof Devi Sridhar that argued in favour of Ulez and low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs). Hallam criticised supporters of the schemes for a “total lack of sensitivity and self-awareness”, claiming it showed a “myopic privilege”.”

Stopped Clock Alert.

A flat price and a hard edged zone for solution is a poor taxation method. It doesn't encourage all the behaviours we want and targets the wrong groups.

Why is it that an EV Hummer is nearly free of taxation?

Because people who can afford to spend £150k on a truly terrible car have already spent a small fortune in tax?

Malmesbury said:

StillWaters said:

Malmesbury said:

StillWaters said:

For @NickPalmer

NickPalmer said:

Question for those more familiar with the stock markets: what is the English term for "Börsenmantelaktiengesellschaft" - apparemtly a company established for the sole purpose of obtaining a stock exchange listing?

I don’t know the German word but guessing you are meaning “cash shell” or “shell company”?

The suggestion, by others, which I agree with is that it sounds like a SPAC

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/spac.asp

SPAC is the American version of a cash shell. I’m just showing my age.

Doesn’t a cash shell not necessarily involve stock market listing? I thought they were generally private companies?

Technically most cash shells are listed companies who have sold their operating business leaving just cash plus the listing

You can under the Yellow Book* list a cash shell de novo

There’s not much point in a private cash shell. That’s just an investment company.

* brownie points available

Miklosvar said:

BartholomewRoberts said:

.

Miklosvar said:

BartholomewRoberts said:

Malmesbury said:

Cookie said:

BartholomewRoberts said:

Cookie said:

viewcode said:

Malmesbury said:

viewcode said:

‘Rishi Sunak travelled to Southampton using a taxpayer-funded helicopter, Downing Street has admitted, despite the journey taking just over an hour on the train.’

Ahem. that assumes no waiting time. The shortest train time (direct from Waterloo to Soton Cent) is 1hr 25, but you will not arrive immediately the train departs. Assume 15-30 mins waiting time for train to be platformed and for you to get on. Then at Soton Cent you'd have to get a taxi to wherever you are going.

So door-to-door I'd assume at least 2hrs, assume 2.5 on the safe side.

Incidentally Waterloo has a bookstore (Foyles) altho it is being refurbished. There are not many places in Waterloo for a nice sit down and a read, as everything is overpriced and not set up for the single reader. It does have a (grrr) coffee shop full of overpriced drinks I don't really understand, but it did (and I think it's reopened) have a nice sushi place which has nice sushi and seats upstairs where it isn't too loud.

All coffee chains do "Black Coffee", if you simply ask for that.

I don't like black coffee. I want coffee with milk. There is a translation from posh coffee to normal human coffee but I've forgotten what it is. If you know how to get normal coffee with normal milk, in the
correct proportions, without the coffee looking like somebody spat in it, I would be grateful.

Lack of normal coffee is a bugbear of mine. Some coffee shops do indeed do filter coffee, though often they are strangely reluctant to admit to it. But many just don't. Pret, in Piccadilly Gardens, for example. "We haven't got room for it. Do you want an Americano?". No. I don't want a British version of an Italian version of an American version of coffee, which is going to take you two minutes to make from your massive machine and which you're going to charge me £3.50 for. I just want a normal coffee.

Then use a kettle at home and get a flask to put your coffee into.

They're making real coffee, from beans, why would they offer you instant or filter instead? Like going into Greggs and asking for a Fish and Chips, it's a different product that's not what they're selling.

Filter (or batch) is very different from instant though. It's made from beans. And then filtered.
I'm not asking for them to do anything out of the ordinary. Grind the beans and make the coffee. No need to tit about with milk or steam. The analogy would be like going into Greggs hoping for a sandwich, but finding there were no options for themnot to toast your sandwich.

Instant isn’t coffee. Any more than pissing in a church is praying.

There's a similarity between this discussion and Monty Python's spam sketch, but in reverse.

There's all sorts of ways to make coffee from espresso so lots of choices (including Americano if you just want a tall, black coffee, and a white Americano if you want that with a splash of milk).

But some people long for the simpler days of just spam being the option.

Most restaurants have moved away from spam as their meat now. And have moved on from instant/filter coffee typically too. Thank goodness!

What is the conflation of instant with filter for? Filter is just how you make coffee, unless you have a yuppie nerdy yen for expensive and unnecessary machines

Filter is a reasonable way to make coffee if you can't afford a good way to do it. Filtered coffee lacks the pressure to make the coffee well.

I have a coffee machine at home, pricy but well worth it's money. On a per cup of coffee machine it's a bargain despite costing hundreds, far better than those cheap machines you get that then put plastic pods into.

Buying the coffee beans themselves, not the machine to handle them, is over the long term the expensive at home part of getting a good coffee.

Just spent £4000 on a bicycle, so I don't think affordability is the issue.

You are the victim of a long line of marketing scams. The espresso method was invented for speed and cost savings rather than improvement of taste, it has degenerated into the slowest method of preparing coffee for sale in history and produces an end result which has to be watered or milked down by 9 out of 10 consumers to disguise its nature.

Totally agree with this.

rcs1000 said:

Malmesbury said:

Sandpit said:

FPT: left-wing civil war over ULEZ

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/08/13/extinction-rebellion-founder-ulez-tyres-slashed/

“The founder of Extinction Rebellion has hit out at Sadiq Khan’s ultra-low emissions zone (Ulez) as “intrusive” and “regressive” for the lowest-paid Londoners.

“Roger Hallam made the comments in a thread on social media site X, in which he also attacked “urban middle-class neo-liberal Left” thinkers behind the Mayor’s road charge.

“He was responding to a Guardian column by Prof Devi Sridhar that argued in favour of Ulez and low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs). Hallam criticised supporters of the schemes for a “total lack of sensitivity and self-awareness”, claiming it showed a “myopic privilege”.”

Stopped Clock Alert.

A flat price and a hard edged zone for solution is a poor taxation method. It doesn't encourage all the behaviours we want and targets the wrong groups.

Why is it that an EV Hummer is nearly free of taxation?

Because people who can afford to spend £150k on a truly terrible car have already spent a small fortune in tax?

The beatings should continue until their behaviour improves.

theakes said:

The question I have is for goodness sake why do Prime Ministers think and believe they have to go travelling hither and thither to highlight an issue or topic. What are they running away from?
It means the media are travelling around as well following them, it is all a circus and an exp[ensive one.
There is no need, he should stay at number 10 and get on with the job there.

I bow to no-one in thinking Rishi is an electoral dud, but this sort of hair-shirtism is mad.

Anyone who has ever had a job where the big boss (either the floor, or the store, or the branch office) visits knows that its important for morale, and incentivising, and hitting targets, and back-patting, and general well-being.

Miklosvar said:

Mortimer said:

BartholomewRoberts said:

.

Miklosvar said:

BartholomewRoberts said:

Malmesbury said:

Cookie said:

BartholomewRoberts said:

Cookie said:

viewcode said:

Malmesbury said:

viewcode said:

‘Rishi Sunak travelled to Southampton using a taxpayer-funded helicopter, Downing Street has admitted, despite the journey taking just over an hour on the train.’

Ahem. that assumes no waiting time. The shortest train time (direct from Waterloo to Soton Cent) is 1hr 25, but you will not arrive immediately the train departs. Assume 15-30 mins waiting time for train to be platformed and for you to get on. Then at Soton Cent you'd have to get a taxi to wherever you are going.

So door-to-door I'd assume at least 2hrs, assume 2.5 on the safe side.

Incidentally Waterloo has a bookstore (Foyles) altho it is being refurbished. There are not many places in Waterloo for a nice sit down and a read, as everything is overpriced and not set up for the single reader. It does have a (grrr) coffee shop full of overpriced drinks I don't really understand, but it did (and I think it's reopened) have a nice sushi place which has nice sushi and seats upstairs where it isn't too loud.

All coffee chains do "Black Coffee", if you simply ask for that.

I don't like black coffee. I want coffee with milk. There is a translation from posh coffee to normal human coffee but I've forgotten what it is. If you know how to get normal coffee with normal milk, in the
correct proportions, without the coffee looking like somebody spat in it, I would be grateful.

Lack of normal coffee is a bugbear of mine. Some coffee shops do indeed do filter coffee, though often they are strangely reluctant to admit to it. But many just don't. Pret, in Piccadilly Gardens, for example. "We haven't got room for it. Do you want an Americano?". No. I don't want a British version of an Italian version of an American version of coffee, which is going to take you two minutes to make from your massive machine and which you're going to charge me £3.50 for. I just want a normal coffee.

Then use a kettle at home and get a flask to put your coffee into.

They're making real coffee, from beans, why would they offer you instant or filter instead? Like going into Greggs and asking for a Fish and Chips, it's a different product that's not what they're selling.

Filter (or batch) is very different from instant though. It's made from beans. And then filtered.
I'm not asking for them to do anything out of the ordinary. Grind the beans and make the coffee. No need to tit about with milk or steam. The analogy would be like going into Greggs hoping for a sandwich, but finding there were no options for themnot to toast your sandwich.

Instant isn’t coffee. Any more than pissing in a church is praying.

There's a similarity between this discussion and Monty Python's spam sketch, but in reverse.

There's all sorts of ways to make coffee from espresso so lots of choices (including Americano if you just want a tall, black coffee, and a white Americano if you want that with a splash of milk).

But some people long for the simpler days of just spam being the option.

Most restaurants have moved away from spam as their meat now. And have moved on from instant/filter coffee typically too. Thank goodness!

What is the conflation of instant with filter for? Filter is just how you make coffee, unless you have a yuppie nerdy yen for expensive and unnecessary machines

Filter is a reasonable way to make coffee if you can't afford a good way to do it. Filtered coffee lacks the pressure to make the coffee well.

I have a coffee machine at home, pricy but well worth it's money. On a per cup of coffee machine it's a bargain despite costing hundreds, far better than those cheap machines you get that then put plastic pods into.

Buying the coffee beans themselves, not the machine to handle them, is over the long term the expensive at home part of getting a good coffee.

Filter coffee is better than 95% of cafe made coffee in my experience.

Mokka pot espresso on a gas stove then Filter is my preference.

Good point, bialetti is acceptable

Though watch out for the safety “valve” system on Bialetti. I made my own safety valves and had them tested by certified steam boiler tester (see SMEE)

Drilling a hole through a 1.6mm bronze ball bearing is good fun.

Macchu Picchu instant coffee is really good. I’d rather have it than a “proper” Starbucks. I realise this makes me some sort of heretic that will now be cast out of PB society etc. etc.

El_Capitano said:

Macchu Picchu instant coffee is really good. I’d rather have it than a “proper” Starbucks. I realise this makes me some sort of heretic that will now be cast out of PB society etc. etc.

You have been found guilty.

The sentence of the Court is that you be taken hence to a place of confinement. There to be placed in a cell with Piers Morgan and Piers Corbyn. The only entertainment is the worst Radiohead song on constant loop, and a laptop that enables you to read the comments, only, on Con Home.

His response is good; his manner is petulant.

Ways of dealing with this sort of issue:

1 "Wartime Royals": Make a convincing gesture towards frugality.

2 "Boris": Treat everything as a bit of a joke, so it's hard to be genuinely cross about anything specific.

3 "Tony": Manufacture enough self-depricating charm (however synthetic) to divert the question.

3 "Maggie": Be so authoritative that nobody dare question what you do.

Rishi doesn't want to do 1, and doesn't have the moves for 2, 3 or 4. Maybe it would have helped if he had got into trouble more at school. So he gets stuck with this peevishness, even though it's a really bad look.

If he doesn't fix that personality flaw (for it is), the General Election campaign will be a helicopter crash.

Mortimer said:

Miklosvar said:

BartholomewRoberts said:

.

Miklosvar said:

BartholomewRoberts said:

Malmesbury said:

Cookie said:

BartholomewRoberts said:

Cookie said:

viewcode said:

Malmesbury said:

viewcode said:

‘Rishi Sunak travelled to Southampton using a taxpayer-funded helicopter, Downing Street has admitted, despite the journey taking just over an hour on the train.’

Ahem. that assumes no waiting time. The shortest train time (direct from Waterloo to Soton Cent) is 1hr 25, but you will not arrive immediately the train departs. Assume 15-30 mins waiting time for train to be platformed and for you to get on. Then at Soton Cent you'd have to get a taxi to wherever you are going.

So door-to-door I'd assume at least 2hrs, assume 2.5 on the safe side.

Incidentally Waterloo has a bookstore (Foyles) altho it is being refurbished. There are not many places in Waterloo for a nice sit down and a read, as everything is overpriced and not set up for the single reader. It does have a (grrr) coffee shop full of overpriced drinks I don't really understand, but it did (and I think it's reopened) have a nice sushi place which has nice sushi and seats upstairs where it isn't too loud.

All coffee chains do "Black Coffee", if you simply ask for that.

I don't like black coffee. I want coffee with milk. There is a translation from posh coffee to normal human coffee but I've forgotten what it is. If you know how to get normal coffee with normal milk, in the
correct proportions, without the coffee looking like somebody spat in it, I would be grateful.

Lack of normal coffee is a bugbear of mine. Some coffee shops do indeed do filter coffee, though often they are strangely reluctant to admit to it. But many just don't. Pret, in Piccadilly Gardens, for example. "We haven't got room for it. Do you want an Americano?". No. I don't want a British version of an Italian version of an American version of coffee, which is going to take you two minutes to make from your massive machine and which you're going to charge me £3.50 for. I just want a normal coffee.

Then use a kettle at home and get a flask to put your coffee into.

They're making real coffee, from beans, why would they offer you instant or filter instead? Like going into Greggs and asking for a Fish and Chips, it's a different product that's not what they're selling.

Filter (or batch) is very different from instant though. It's made from beans. And then filtered.
I'm not asking for them to do anything out of the ordinary. Grind the beans and make the coffee. No need to tit about with milk or steam. The analogy would be like going into Greggs hoping for a sandwich, but finding there were no options for themnot to toast your sandwich.

Instant isn’t coffee. Any more than pissing in a church is praying.

There's a similarity between this discussion and Monty Python's spam sketch, but in reverse.

There's all sorts of ways to make coffee from espresso so lots of choices (including Americano if you just want a tall, black coffee, and a white Americano if you want that with a splash of milk).

But some people long for the simpler days of just spam being the option.

Most restaurants have moved away from spam as their meat now. And have moved on from instant/filter coffee typically too. Thank goodness!

What is the conflation of instant with filter for? Filter is just how you make coffee, unless you have a yuppie nerdy yen for expensive and unnecessary machines

Filter is a reasonable way to make coffee if you can't afford a good way to do it. Filtered coffee lacks the pressure to make the coffee well.

I have a coffee machine at home, pricy but well worth it's money. On a per cup of coffee machine it's a bargain despite costing hundreds, far better than those cheap machines you get that then put plastic pods into.

Buying the coffee beans themselves, not the machine to handle them, is over the long term the expensive at home part of getting a good coffee.

Just spent £4000 on a bicycle, so I don't think affordability is the issue.

You are the victim of a long line of marketing scams. The espresso method was invented for speed and cost savings rather than improvement of taste, it has degenerated into the slowest method of preparing coffee for sale in history and produces an end result which has to be watered or milked down by 9 out of 10 consumers to disguise its nature.

Totally agree with this.

Ask for ristretto. The Bercow of coffees - short and bitter.

Carnyx said:

DougSeal said:

Malmesbury said:

El_Capitano said:

Macchu Picchu instant coffee is really good. I’d rather have it than a “proper” Starbucks. I realise this makes me some sort of heretic that will now be cast out of PB society etc. etc.

You have been found guilty.

The sentence of the Court is that you be taken hence to a place of confinement. There to be placed in a cell with Piers Morgan and Piers Corbyn. The only entertainment is the worst Radiohead song on constant loop, and a laptop that enables you to read the comments, only, on Con Home.

Interesting dilemma. Which is the worst Piers?

Not a dilemma, surely. There is no choice at all.

Edit: sorry, thought you were talking about El Capitano's sentence.

Corbyn? Morgan? Gaviston? Herne Bay?

Afternoon all

Coffee...another subject able to generate significant emotion and more taste than flavour (don't know what that means either).

I have a cheap old Nespresso machine at home which does the job at home - it's part of the family and like its owner seen better days. I don't use Nespresso pods.

When I'm out - Black Sheep is my choice (also where I get my pods) along with The Press Room in Surbiton (if there are trains involved). I also don't mind admitting I love the Lavazza coffee in Spoons - a place where I worked had Lavazza and I got the taste there.

viewcode said:

kinabalu said:

Sometimes political figures get on the wrong side of things and nothing they do can change it. Looks like it might have happened with Rishi Sunak. I don't know what to suggest really.

"...There are times, perhaps once every thirty years, when there is a sea-change in politics. It then does not matter what you say or what you do. There is a shift in what the public wants and what it approves of. I suspect there is now such a sea-change and it is for Mrs. Thatcher..."

Former Prime Minister James Callaghan on the general election of 1979, quoted in Kenneth Morgan, Callaghan: A Life (1997), p. 697, see https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/James_Callaghan

That's the one. And Major said something similar on 2nd May 1997. Rishi will need his version soon. Shouldn't take long to draft.

Casino_Royale said:

I know the price of a pint of beer to the penny.

Absolutely no idea for milk, even though I buy a lot of it. Milkman charges a bit more I think.

Which is fair enough because he's driving a float and delivering to your door.

Carnyx said:

boulay said:

Carnyx said:

Did we do this in Wintonian* news?

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/aug/13/fred-thomas-former-marine-chosen-by-labour-to-stand-against-johnny-mercer-in-plymouth

*Wincastrian? Wykehamian? WHatever they are called ...

Old Woks.

Redolent of sesame. But it might be a lively election campaign.

It does remove Mercer’s USP there and being a Navy seat rather than Army then advantage Labour.

Absolutely desolating report on the millions of Russian landmines laid in Ukraine and the brave Ukrainians trying to tackle them

Sample paragraphs:


“The ones the Ukrainian soldiers say they fear the most are the POM-2s and POM-3s.

They are remotely distributed via rocket and float to ground on a parachute. The mine sits on its six spring-loaded feet waiting for its seismic sensors to be triggered.

Once detonated, it leaps into into the air to chest height and fires out 1,850 razors directly at its target. The mine has a lethal range of 16 metres.

“You can’t demine those and you don’t survive that,” said Slyusar, who was a landscape gardener before the invasion last year. “All you can do is destroy them by shooting with a Kalashnikov.””

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/13/ukraine-sappers-mine-clearers-russia-war

I know I will be accused of doom mongering again, but this is desperate. How do you possibly attack through miles and miles of that? You can’t.

There are millions of these mines of all types, laid along the front line. Ukraine could sacrifice every man in its army as a sapper and they wouldn’t break through. Putin has made Ukraine impassable

This is heading to a terrible truce, with Ukraine mutilated forever

stodge said:

Afternoon all

Coffee...another subject able to generate significant emotion and more taste than flavour (don't know what that means either).

I have a cheap old Nespresso machine at home which does the job at home - it's part of the family and like its owner seen better days. I don't use Nespresso pods.

When I'm out - Black Sheep is my choice (also where I get my pods) along with The Press Room in Surbiton (if there are trains involved). I also don't mind admitting I love the Lavazza coffee in Spoons - a place where I worked had Lavazza and I got the taste there.

The latest idea I’ve seen, that I rather like the idea of, is refillable pods. I’ve seen some in stainless steel that look fairly solid. Haven’t tried the coffee from them, but an interesting idea balancing avoid mess with the recycling issue

Carnyx said:

Malmesbury said:

A

Stuartinromford said:

Ways of dealing with this sort of issue:

1 "Wartime Royals": Make a convincing gesture towards frugality.

2 "Boris": Treat everything as a bit of a joke, so it's hard to be genuinely cross about anything specific.

3 "Tony": Manufacture enough self-depricating charm (however synthetic) to divert the question.

3 "Maggie": Be so authoritative that nobody dare question what you do.

Rishi doesn't want to do 1, and doesn't have the moves for 2, 3 or 4. Maybe it would have helped if he had got into trouble more at school. So he gets stuck with this peevishness, even though it's a really bad look.

If he doesn't fix that personality flaw (for it is), the General Election campaign will be a helicopter crash.

6. Own it. I have a helicopter. And I like it.

7. Madman. Fly your own helicopter, insist on doing interviews with journalists while you fly under bridges.

What's No. 5?

Explain it’s not actually a helicopter, just a fairly large drone.

Leon said:

Absolutely desolating report on the millions of Russian landmines laid in Ukraine and the brave Ukrainians trying to tackle them

Sample paragraphs:


“The ones the Ukrainian soldiers say they fear the most are the POM-2s and POM-3s.

They are remotely distributed via rocket and float to ground on a parachute. The mine sits on its six spring-loaded feet waiting for its seismic sensors to be triggered.

Once detonated, it leaps into into the air to chest height and fires out 1,850 razors directly at its target. The mine has a lethal range of 16 metres.

“You can’t demine those and you don’t survive that,” said Slyusar, who was a landscape gardener before the invasion last year. “All you can do is destroy them by shooting with a Kalashnikov.””

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/13/ukraine-sappers-mine-clearers-russia-war

I know I will be accused of doom mongering again, but this is desperate. How do you possibly attack through miles and miles of that? You can’t.

There are millions of these mines of all types, laid along the front line. Ukraine could sacrifice every man in its army as a sapper and they wouldn’t break through. Putin has made Ukraine impassable

This is heading to a terrible truce, with Ukraine mutilated forever

They’ve already got through several lines of these in various places on the front.

TimS said:

Leon said:

Absolutely desolating report on the millions of Russian landmines laid in Ukraine and the brave Ukrainians trying to tackle them

Sample paragraphs:


“The ones the Ukrainian soldiers say they fear the most are the POM-2s and POM-3s.

They are remotely distributed via rocket and float to ground on a parachute. The mine sits on its six spring-loaded feet waiting for its seismic sensors to be triggered.

Once detonated, it leaps into into the air to chest height and fires out 1,850 razors directly at its target. The mine has a lethal range of 16 metres.

“You can’t demine those and you don’t survive that,” said Slyusar, who was a landscape gardener before the invasion last year. “All you can do is destroy them by shooting with a Kalashnikov.””

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/13/ukraine-sappers-mine-clearers-russia-war

I know I will be accused of doom mongering again, but this is desperate. How do you possibly attack through miles and miles of that? You can’t.

There are millions of these mines of all types, laid along the front line. Ukraine could sacrifice every man in its army as a sapper and they wouldn’t break through. Putin has made Ukraine impassable

This is heading to a terrible truce, with Ukraine mutilated forever

They’ve already got through several lines of these in various places on the front.

At a cost which is so high they are not happy to discuss it. This article is a glimpse, however


“The Russian supply of mines appears inexhaustible. “They are everywhere, Slyusar said. “I cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel.””

Serhiy Ryzhenko, the chief medical officer of Mechnikov hospital in Dnipro, said his surgeons had treated 21,000 soldiers since the start of the war. Mines were the main culprit after artillery fire.

“Every day Mechnikov hospital receives 50 to 100 very, very seriously wounded people,” he said. “Among these 21,000 soldiers, 2,000 were missing limbs. The first surgery for these wounded is performed quickly near the battlefield. Unfortunately, 90% of them result in amputation in the hospital.””

TimS said:

Carnyx said:

Malmesbury said:

A

Stuartinromford said:

Ways of dealing with this sort of issue:

1 "Wartime Royals": Make a convincing gesture towards frugality.

2 "Boris": Treat everything as a bit of a joke, so it's hard to be genuinely cross about anything specific.

3 "Tony": Manufacture enough self-depricating charm (however synthetic) to divert the question.

3 "Maggie": Be so authoritative that nobody dare question what you do.

Rishi doesn't want to do 1, and doesn't have the moves for 2, 3 or 4. Maybe it would have helped if he had got into trouble more at school. So he gets stuck with this peevishness, even though it's a really bad look.

If he doesn't fix that personality flaw (for it is), the General Election campaign will be a helicopter crash.

6. Own it. I have a helicopter. And I like it.

7. Madman. Fly your own helicopter, insist on doing interviews with journalists while you fly under bridges.

What's No. 5?

Explain it’s not actually a helicopter, just a fairly large drone.

I do wonder if some interviewer asks him when he's going to be patriotic/economise on staff and buy a Vertical Aerospace robo-heli-taxi.

DougSeal said:

Malmesbury said:

El_Capitano said:

Macchu Picchu instant coffee is really good. I’d rather have it than a “proper” Starbucks. I realise this makes me some sort of heretic that will now be cast out of PB society etc. etc.

You have been found guilty.

The sentence of the Court is that you be taken hence to a place of confinement. There to be placed in a cell with Piers Morgan and Piers Corbyn. The only entertainment is the worst Radiohead song on constant loop, and a laptop that enables you to read the comments, only, on Con Home.

Interesting dilemma. Which is the worst Piers?

The choice is so much narrower nowadays, with so many of them having crumbled and fallen into the sea.

Mortimer said:

BartholomewRoberts said:

.

Miklosvar said:

BartholomewRoberts said:

Malmesbury said:

Cookie said:

BartholomewRoberts said:

Cookie said:

viewcode said:

Malmesbury said:

viewcode said:

‘Rishi Sunak travelled to Southampton using a taxpayer-funded helicopter, Downing Street has admitted, despite the journey taking just over an hour on the train.’

Ahem. that assumes no waiting time. The shortest train time (direct from Waterloo to Soton Cent) is 1hr 25, but you will not arrive immediately the train departs. Assume 15-30 mins waiting time for train to be platformed and for you to get on. Then at Soton Cent you'd have to get a taxi to wherever you are going.

So door-to-door I'd assume at least 2hrs, assume 2.5 on the safe side.

Incidentally Waterloo has a bookstore (Foyles) altho it is being refurbished. There are not many places in Waterloo for a nice sit down and a read, as everything is overpriced and not set up for the single reader. It does have a (grrr) coffee shop full of overpriced drinks I don't really understand, but it did (and I think it's reopened) have a nice sushi place which has nice sushi and seats upstairs where it isn't too loud.

All coffee chains do "Black Coffee", if you simply ask for that.

I don't like black coffee. I want coffee with milk. There is a translation from posh coffee to normal human coffee but I've forgotten what it is. If you know how to get normal coffee with normal milk, in the
correct proportions, without the coffee looking like somebody spat in it, I would be grateful.

Lack of normal coffee is a bugbear of mine. Some coffee shops do indeed do filter coffee, though often they are strangely reluctant to admit to it. But many just don't. Pret, in Piccadilly Gardens, for example. "We haven't got room for it. Do you want an Americano?". No. I don't want a British version of an Italian version of an American version of coffee, which is going to take you two minutes to make from your massive machine and which you're going to charge me £3.50 for. I just want a normal coffee.

Then use a kettle at home and get a flask to put your coffee into.

They're making real coffee, from beans, why would they offer you instant or filter instead? Like going into Greggs and asking for a Fish and Chips, it's a different product that's not what they're selling.

Filter (or batch) is very different from instant though. It's made from beans. And then filtered.
I'm not asking for them to do anything out of the ordinary. Grind the beans and make the coffee. No need to tit about with milk or steam. The analogy would be like going into Greggs hoping for a sandwich, but finding there were no options for themnot to toast your sandwich.

Instant isn’t coffee. Any more than pissing in a church is praying.

There's a similarity between this discussion and Monty Python's spam sketch, but in reverse.

There's all sorts of ways to make coffee from espresso so lots of choices (including Americano if you just want a tall, black coffee, and a white Americano if you want that with a splash of milk).

But some people long for the simpler days of just spam being the option.

Most restaurants have moved away from spam as their meat now. And have moved on from instant/filter coffee typically too. Thank goodness!

What is the conflation of instant with filter for? Filter is just how you make coffee, unless you have a yuppie nerdy yen for expensive and unnecessary machines

Filter is a reasonable way to make coffee if you can't afford a good way to do it. Filtered coffee lacks the pressure to make the coffee well.

I have a coffee machine at home, pricy but well worth it's money. On a per cup of coffee machine it's a bargain despite costing hundreds, far better than those cheap machines you get that then put plastic pods into.

Buying the coffee beans themselves, not the machine to handle them, is over the long term the expensive at home part of getting a good coffee.

Filter coffee is better than 95% of cafe made coffee in my experience.

Mokka pot espresso on a gas stove then Filter is my preference.

Ah, la vita amara….

Miklosvar said:

boulay said:

Carnyx said:

boulay said:

Carnyx said:

Did we do this in Wintonian* news?

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/aug/13/fred-thomas-former-marine-chosen-by-labour-to-stand-against-johnny-mercer-in-plymouth

*Wincastrian? Wykehamian? WHatever they are called ...

Old Woks.

Redolent of sesame. But it might be a lively election campaign.

It does remove Mercer’s USP there and being a Navy seat rather than Army then advantage Labour.

Never mind just naval, Plymouth is Royal Marines hq - Stonehouse Barracks in Durnford Street

Lefty Wykehamists are a thing, what with Crossman and Milne

Does Gaitskell count as a lefty?

DougSeal said:

stodge said:

Afternoon all

Coffee...another subject able to generate significant emotion and more taste than flavour (don't know what that means either).

I have a cheap old Nespresso machine at home which does the job at home - it's part of the family and like its owner seen better days. I don't use Nespresso pods.

When I'm out - Black Sheep is my choice (also where I get my pods) along with The Press Room in Surbiton (if there are trains involved). I also don't mind admitting I love the Lavazza coffee in Spoons - a place where I worked had Lavazza and I got the taste there.

There’s a coffee shop on Middlesex Street/Petticoat Lane that does a flat white so good I won’t bother going anywhere else

Flat white is my coffee tipple. Instant at home, flat white if I'm out. No sugar.

Leon said:

Absolutely desolating report on the millions of Russian landmines laid in Ukraine and the brave Ukrainians trying to tackle them.

Sample paragraphs:

“The ones the Ukrainian soldiers say they fear the most are the POM-2s and POM-3s.

They are remotely distributed via rocket and float to ground on a parachute. The mine sits on its six spring-loaded feet waiting for its seismic sensors to be triggered.

Once detonated, it leaps into into the air to chest height and fires out 1,850 razors directly at its target. The mine has a lethal range of 16 metres.

“You can’t demine those and you don’t survive that,” said Slyusar, who was a landscape gardener before the invasion last year. “All you can do is destroy them by shooting with a Kalashnikov.””

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/13/ukraine-sappers-mine-clearers-russia-war

I know I will be accused of doom mongering again, but this is desperate. How do you possibly attack through miles and miles of that? You can’t.

There are millions of these mines of all types, laid along the front line. Ukraine could sacrifice every man in its army as a sapper and they wouldn’t break through. Putin has made Ukraine impassable.

This is heading to a terrible truce, with Ukraine mutilated forever.

Topic is coffee, Leon.

JosiasJessop said:

Leon said:

Another telling paragraph from that awful Russian mine story. This is a Ukrainian source speaking:


“Yuri Sak, an adviser to the ministry of defence, is less convinced. “They have been preparing for a war in which they mine from Poland to Lisbon,” he said. “I fear they have enough.””

The war is possibly over. In terms of Ukraine “winning”. I hope I am wrong and I am happy to be persuaded otherwise. But it seems to me that Putin has successfully defended his gains

As the Ukrainians say in the article, even if they had the right kit it wouldn’t do the job. They are running out of men

The war is not 'possibly' over, and will not be as long as Ukraine and Ukrainians wants to fight. Having seen what Russia does to 'conquered' territories post-2014 and post-2022, my guess is that the fighting spirit will remain strong.

But it also requires the west to back them for as long as they want to fight. Beware of doing Putin's job for him.

This is so fucking tiresome. Merely pointing out that the Ukraine attack is now bogged down in Russian minefields - and losing terrible numbers of men - does not make me a Putinist. It is the case. Read the articles. Ukrainians themselves are saying it

Leon said:

TimS said:

Leon said:

If one Ukrainian hospital is doing 100 amputations A DAY that one hospital alone is doing 3000 amputations a month. Ignore the deaths - tens of thousands of Ukrainian men are losing limbs.

And they’ve gained a few small pockets of land, a few villages? Then Putin will relay more mines

I’m sorry to be Brigadier Gloomypants but this isn’t good

You were there recently though so you’ve seen the grim determination in the eyes of the Ukrainians. They’re not going to decide the minefields are too difficult so let’s just give Russia the Donbas.

Russia managed months of suicidal human wave attacks in Bakhmut and Vulhedar despite everyone constantly predicting them running out of men. It’s not a nice thought that Ukraine may have to sacrifice to the same degree but I’m sceptical when the same people who insisted Russia has bottomless reserves of manpower and ammunition are equally confident the Ukrainian military is about to run out itself.

It’s Ukrainians themselves saying they are running out of men. And you can see why when mines are laid at a rate of “five for every square metre”

Imagine that

And now this:

“WSJ:

It was hoped that a successful counter-offensive Ukrainian forces would help force Russia into negotiations by winter. Chances of that happening now appear slim.

But now Western politicians are starting to think about preparing Kyiv for a possible offensive next spring.”

https://x.com/clashreport/status/1690755772714479616?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

The Ukrainians are incredibly brave. And, yes, determined. But this war may not be winnable. Like Korea

If China steps in to support Russia indefinitely then it becomes analogous to Korea. That’s the only reason the South didn’t win the Korean War in the long term. The Soviets lost interest pretty quickly.

Whereas Russia is a crooked state in an advanced state of decline that cannot maintain an empire financially. So long as the West doesn’t go back to indulging it again.

Malmesbury said:

StillWaters said:

Malmesbury said:

StillWaters said:

Malmesbury said:

StillWaters said:

For @NickPalmer

NickPalmer said:

Question for those more familiar with the stock markets: what is the English term for "Börsenmantelaktiengesellschaft" - apparemtly a company established for the sole purpose of obtaining a stock exchange listing?

I don’t know the German word but guessing you are meaning “cash shell” or “shell company”?

The suggestion, by others, which I agree with is that it sounds like a SPAC

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/spac.asp

SPAC is the American version of a cash shell. I’m just showing my age.

Doesn’t a cash shell not necessarily involve stock market listing? I thought they were generally private companies?

Technically most cash shells are listed companies who have sold their operating business leaving just cash plus the listing

You can under the Yellow Book* list a cash shell de novo

There’s not much point in a private cash shell. That’s just an investment company.

* brownie points available

Ah. Obviously need to read up on scams and dodges.

Neither cash shells nor SPACs are scams and dodges. They both have their uses.

But they were abused by spivs to take money from the unwary

Luckyguy1983 said:

Why won't the silly tit lengthen his trousers? I think his tailor is economising by using arms instead of legs.

Well, using up the spare stock comes in handy.

Miklosvar said:

boulay said:

Carnyx said:

boulay said:

Carnyx said:

Did we do this in Wintonian* news?

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/aug/13/fred-thomas-former-marine-chosen-by-labour-to-stand-against-johnny-mercer-in-plymouth

*Wincastrian? Wykehamian? WHatever they are called ...

Old Woks.

Redolent of sesame. But it might be a lively election campaign.

It does remove Mercer’s USP there and being a Navy seat rather than Army then advantage Labour.

Never mind just naval, Plymouth is Royal Marines hq - Stonehouse Barracks in Durnford Street

Lefty Wykehamists are a thing, what with Crossman and Milne

And Gaitskell, Stafford Cripps, Giles Radice (who?) and that standard bearer for Labour, Oswald Mosely.

Luckyguy1983 said:

Why won't the silly tit lengthen his trousers? I think his tailor is economising by using arms instead of legs.

When a chap knows he is going to be wading through shit every day he has two choices, roll his trousers up or have your tailor make them short in the first place.

Leon said:

TimS said:

Leon said:

TimS said:

Leon said:

If one Ukrainian hospital is doing 100 amputations A DAY that one hospital alone is doing 3000 amputations a month. Ignore the deaths - tens of thousands of Ukrainian men are losing limbs.

And they’ve gained a few small pockets of land, a few villages? Then Putin will relay more mines

I’m sorry to be Brigadier Gloomypants but this isn’t good

You were there recently though so you’ve seen the grim determination in the eyes of the Ukrainians. They’re not going to decide the minefields are too difficult so let’s just give Russia the Donbas.

Russia managed months of suicidal human wave attacks in Bakhmut and Vulhedar despite everyone constantly predicting them running out of men. It’s not a nice thought that Ukraine may have to sacrifice to the same degree but I’m sceptical when the same people who insisted Russia has bottomless reserves of manpower and ammunition are equally confident the Ukrainian military is about to run out itself.

It’s Ukrainians themselves saying they are running out of men. And you can see why when mines are laid at a rate of “five for every square metre”

Imagine that

And now this:

“WSJ:

It was hoped that a successful counter-offensive Ukrainian forces would help force Russia into negotiations by winter. Chances of that happening now appear slim.

But now Western politicians are starting to think about preparing Kyiv for a possible offensive next spring.”

https://x.com/clashreport/status/1690755772714479616?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

The Ukrainians are incredibly brave. And, yes, determined. But this war may not be winnable. Like Korea

If China steps in to support Russia indefinitely then it becomes analogous to Korea. That’s the only reason the South didn’t win the Korean War in the long term. The Soviets lost interest pretty quickly.

Whereas Russia is a crooked state in an advanced state of decline that cannot maintain an empire financially. So long as the West doesn’t go back to indulging it again.

China WILL defend Putin - and do what it takes. That is now obvious. They surely won’t let Putin drop a nuke but they won’t let him lose either. He’s their man. And he’s chewing up western money and weapons

China would be perfectly happy to see Putin lose as long as somebody even more pliable to their interests replaced him. Not only would that give them more access to Siberia but it would leave Mongolia surrounded and North Korea without other allies.

Nightmare scenario for them is a Russian defeat, the return of the democracy and an attempted rapprochement with the West.

Fortunately for them (rather less so for Russia) it's also a very unlikely scenario.

Leon said:

JosiasJessop said:

Leon said:

Another telling paragraph from that awful Russian mine story. This is a Ukrainian source speaking:


“Yuri Sak, an adviser to the ministry of defence, is less convinced. “They have been preparing for a war in which they mine from Poland to Lisbon,” he said. “I fear they have enough.””

The war is possibly over. In terms of Ukraine “winning”. I hope I am wrong and I am happy to be persuaded otherwise. But it seems to me that Putin has successfully defended his gains

As the Ukrainians say in the article, even if they had the right kit it wouldn’t do the job. They are running out of men

The war is not 'possibly' over, and will not be as long as Ukraine and Ukrainians wants to fight. Having seen what Russia does to 'conquered' territories post-2014 and post-2022, my guess is that the fighting spirit will remain strong.

But it also requires the west to back them for as long as they want to fight. Beware of doing Putin's job for him.

This is so fucking tiresome. Merely pointing out that the Ukraine attack is now bogged down in Russian minefields - and losing terrible numbers of men - does not make me a Putinist. It is the case. Read the articles. Ukrainians themselves are saying it

I never said you're a Putinist. And I do read lots of articles, thanks. If I may respond in kind, I might suggest you watch Perun's latest (very balanced) video that was linked to earlier.

StillWaters said:

Malmesbury said:

StillWaters said:

Malmesbury said:

StillWaters said:

Malmesbury said:

StillWaters said:

For @NickPalmer

NickPalmer said:

Question for those more familiar with the stock markets: what is the English term for "Börsenmantelaktiengesellschaft" - apparemtly a company established for the sole purpose of obtaining a stock exchange listing?

I don’t know the German word but guessing you are meaning “cash shell” or “shell company”?

The suggestion, by others, which I agree with is that it sounds like a SPAC

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/spac.asp

SPAC is the American version of a cash shell. I’m just showing my age.

Doesn’t a cash shell not necessarily involve stock market listing? I thought they were generally private companies?

Technically most cash shells are listed companies who have sold their operating business leaving just cash plus the listing

You can under the Yellow Book* list a cash shell de novo

There’s not much point in a private cash shell. That’s just an investment company.

* brownie points available

Ah. Obviously need to read up on scams and dodges.

Neither cash shells nor SPACs are scams and dodges. They both have their uses.

But they were abused by spivs to take money from the unwary

Bit like crypto now. Nothing wrong with the idea. Just 99% of implementations are by crooks, scammers and the deluded.

Leon said:

TimS said:

Leon said:

TimS said:

Leon said:

If one Ukrainian hospital is doing 100 amputations A DAY that one hospital alone is doing 3000 amputations a month. Ignore the deaths - tens of thousands of Ukrainian men are losing limbs.

And they’ve gained a few small pockets of land, a few villages? Then Putin will relay more mines

I’m sorry to be Brigadier Gloomypants but this isn’t good

You were there recently though so you’ve seen the grim determination in the eyes of the Ukrainians. They’re not going to decide the minefields are too difficult so let’s just give Russia the Donbas.

Russia managed months of suicidal human wave attacks in Bakhmut and Vulhedar despite everyone constantly predicting them running out of men. It’s not a nice thought that Ukraine may have to sacrifice to the same degree but I’m sceptical when the same people who insisted Russia has bottomless reserves of manpower and ammunition are equally confident the Ukrainian military is about to run out itself.

It’s Ukrainians themselves saying they are running out of men. And you can see why when mines are laid at a rate of “five for every square metre”

Imagine that

And now this:

“WSJ:

It was hoped that a successful counter-offensive Ukrainian forces would help force Russia into negotiations by winter. Chances of that happening now appear slim.

But now Western politicians are starting to think about preparing Kyiv for a possible offensive next spring.”

https://x.com/clashreport/status/1690755772714479616?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw

The Ukrainians are incredibly brave. And, yes, determined. But this war may not be winnable. Like Korea

If China steps in to support Russia indefinitely then it becomes analogous to Korea. That’s the only reason the South didn’t win the Korean War in the long term. The Soviets lost interest pretty quickly.

Whereas Russia is a crooked state in an advanced state of decline that cannot maintain an empire financially. So long as the West doesn’t go back to indulging it again.

China WILL defend Putin - and do what it takes. That is now obvious. They surely won’t let Putin drop a nuke but they won’t let him lose either. He’s their man. And he’s chewing up western money and weapons

Have you really not got anything better to do?

Leon said:

Another telling paragraph from that awful Russian mine story. This is a Ukrainian source speaking:


“Yuri Sak, an adviser to the ministry of defence, is less convinced. “They have been preparing for a war in which they mine from Poland to Lisbon,” he said. “I fear they have enough.””

The war is possibly over. In terms of Ukraine “winning”. I hope I am wrong and I am happy to be persuaded otherwise. But it seems to me that Putin has successfully defended his gains

As the Ukrainians say in the article, even if they had the right kit it wouldn’t do the job. They are running out of men

As is Russia.

And seemingly faster.

You seem to have missed this paragraph in your quotes:

However, Lt Oleksandr Kurbatov, 50, of the Dnipro territorial defence, said he took hope from the fact that they were finding Soviet-era anti-tank mines such as TM-62s and OZM-72s. “If they are using this Soviet shit and going to North Korea for weapons, it tells me they are running out,” he said.

The situation is confused and uncertain but a doom and gloom slant always appeals to readers who love doomporn.