Oh FFS Restoration of parliament faces downgrade to "enhanced maintenance" + debate on next steps postponed until next year. How we got here (abbreviated version)...
This year has been spent working up two main options: a “full decant” of MPs into temporary accommodation while major works are carried out, versus some form of “continued presence” on the parliamentary estate. If these sound familiar, it's because they've always been the main options on the table.
But they had to be scoped and presented again after the independent body set up to oversee restoration in 2018 was scrapped and its functions brought in-house...
Of course with rising costs and a looming election, restoration was looking less and less likely. But the journey here was tortuous, and it's hardly a great advertisement for our record on major infrastructure projects https://nitter.net/estwebber/status/1725434647977275747#m
I get it, leaving it for a proper restoration is hated by MPs, and the billions it would cost will be very unpopular with the public, but a patch and mend doesn't fix the problems and it will only get more and more expensive.
It's fucking ridiculous. Risks the whole Palace burning down and being destroyed, like last time.
At least lastime we got an awesome and iconic (if rather shoddy) replacement out of it. This time? Not a chance.
Ok PBers: Which, if any, UK buildings or structures of the last 50 years could be called iconic?
The Millennium Bridge? The Gherkin?
The Shard.
It's the ridiculous Tory power pose made manifest in steel and glass to a height of more than 300m.
You have to admire the skill of a communications consultant grifter convincing serious people to do this though.
IIUC the paper that recommended the power pose has a problem and the results haven't been reproduced. People still do it even though it's plainly ridiculous.
It was clearly a practical joke from people trying to recreate the 'heroic stance and roar' bit from Blackadder the Third. Given the age of the people fooled into doing it they should have recognised it.
Oh FFS Restoration of parliament faces downgrade to "enhanced maintenance" + debate on next steps postponed until next year. How we got here (abbreviated version)...
This year has been spent working up two main options: a “full decant” of MPs into temporary accommodation while major works are carried out, versus some form of “continued presence” on the parliamentary estate. If these sound familiar, it's because they've always been the main options on the table.
But they had to be scoped and presented again after the independent body set up to oversee restoration in 2018 was scrapped and its functions brought in-house...
Of course with rising costs and a looming election, restoration was looking less and less likely. But the journey here was tortuous, and it's hardly a great advertisement for our record on major infrastructure projects https://nitter.net/estwebber/status/1725434647977275747#m
I get it, leaving it for a proper restoration is hated by MPs, and the billions it would cost will be very unpopular with the public, but a patch and mend doesn't fix the problems and it will only get more and more expensive.
It's fucking ridiculous. Risks the whole Palace burning down and being destroyed, like last time.
At least lastime we got an awesome and iconic (if rather shoddy) replacement out of it. This time? Not a chance.
Ok PBers: Which, if any, UK buildings or structures of the last 50 years could be called iconic?
The Millennium Bridge? The Gherkin?
The Shard.
It's the ridiculous Tory power pose made manifest in steel and glass to a height of more than 300m.
You have to admire the skill of a communications consultant grifter convincing serious people to do this though.
IIUC the paper that recommended the power pose has a problem and the results haven't been reproduced. People still do it even though it's plainly ridiculous.
It was clearly a practical joke from people trying to recreate the 'heroic stance and roar' bit from Blackadder the Third. Given the age of the people fooled into doing it they should have recognised it.
Jack Surfleet @jacksurfleet · 27m Saturday's DAILY TELEGRAPH: Hunt: The time has come for tax cuts #tomorrowspaperstoday
Narrator: Hunt ruled out tax cuts only three weeks ago.
My wife’s school was closed for RAAC last week, and likely won’t fully open again until at least the next school year. Currently only one building is an available.
People want public services and infrastructure that aren’t - literally - falling apart. Tax cuts are neither here nor there. It’ll only help rich people anyway.
Oh FFS Restoration of parliament faces downgrade to "enhanced maintenance" + debate on next steps postponed until next year. How we got here (abbreviated version)...
This year has been spent working up two main options: a “full decant” of MPs into temporary accommodation while major works are carried out, versus some form of “continued presence” on the parliamentary estate. If these sound familiar, it's because they've always been the main options on the table.
But they had to be scoped and presented again after the independent body set up to oversee restoration in 2018 was scrapped and its functions brought in-house...
Of course with rising costs and a looming election, restoration was looking less and less likely. But the journey here was tortuous, and it's hardly a great advertisement for our record on major infrastructure projects https://nitter.net/estwebber/status/1725434647977275747#m
I get it, leaving it for a proper restoration is hated by MPs, and the billions it would cost will be very unpopular with the public, but a patch and mend doesn't fix the problems and it will only get more and more expensive.
It's fucking ridiculous. Risks the whole Palace burning down and being destroyed, like last time.
At least lastime we got an awesome and iconic (if rather shoddy) replacement out of it. This time? Not a chance.
Ok PBers: Which, if any, UK buildings or structures of the last 50 years could be called iconic?
Oh FFS Restoration of parliament faces downgrade to "enhanced maintenance" + debate on next steps postponed until next year. How we got here (abbreviated version)...
This year has been spent working up two main options: a “full decant” of MPs into temporary accommodation while major works are carried out, versus some form of “continued presence” on the parliamentary estate. If these sound familiar, it's because they've always been the main options on the table.
But they had to be scoped and presented again after the independent body set up to oversee restoration in 2018 was scrapped and its functions brought in-house...
Of course with rising costs and a looming election, restoration was looking less and less likely. But the journey here was tortuous, and it's hardly a great advertisement for our record on major infrastructure projects https://nitter.net/estwebber/status/1725434647977275747#m
I get it, leaving it for a proper restoration is hated by MPs, and the billions it would cost will be very unpopular with the public, but a patch and mend doesn't fix the problems and it will only get more and more expensive.
It's fucking ridiculous. Risks the whole Palace burning down and being destroyed, like last time.
At least lastime we got an awesome and iconic (if rather shoddy) replacement out of it. This time? Not a chance.
Ok PBers: Which, if any, UK buildings or structures of the last 50 years could be called iconic?
The Millennium Bridge? The Gherkin?
It has to be The Dome.
Not a building, it's a tent. Or, as it's now known, a lifestyle choice.
Oh FFS Restoration of parliament faces downgrade to "enhanced maintenance" + debate on next steps postponed until next year. How we got here (abbreviated version)...
This year has been spent working up two main options: a “full decant” of MPs into temporary accommodation while major works are carried out, versus some form of “continued presence” on the parliamentary estate. If these sound familiar, it's because they've always been the main options on the table.
But they had to be scoped and presented again after the independent body set up to oversee restoration in 2018 was scrapped and its functions brought in-house...
Of course with rising costs and a looming election, restoration was looking less and less likely. But the journey here was tortuous, and it's hardly a great advertisement for our record on major infrastructure projects https://nitter.net/estwebber/status/1725434647977275747#m
I get it, leaving it for a proper restoration is hated by MPs, and the billions it would cost will be very unpopular with the public, but a patch and mend doesn't fix the problems and it will only get more and more expensive.
It's fucking ridiculous. Risks the whole Palace burning down and being destroyed, like last time.
At least lastime we got an awesome and iconic (if rather shoddy) replacement out of it. This time? Not a chance.
Ok PBers: Which, if any, UK buildings or structures of the last 50 years could be called iconic?
The Millennium Bridge? The Gherkin?
The Shard.
It's the ridiculous Tory power pose made manifest in steel and glass to a height of more than 300m.
You have to admire the skill of a communications consultant grifter convincing serious people to do this though.
Nick Macpherson @nickmacpherson2 · 5h A short thread about Inheritance Tax, a tax which few estates pay and raises little revenue (c£7 billion). But many mistakenly think they will pay it. Hence the political return from cutting it is higher than the cost. 1/
Nick Macpherson @nickmacpherson2 And so the coast is clear for Mr Hunt to cut a relic from a more egalitarian age, though even this hard bitten former HMT official would feel a little queasy if he combines a cut which unambiguously helps the wealthy while cutting (in real terms) the benefits of the poor. /Ends
Oh FFS Restoration of parliament faces downgrade to "enhanced maintenance" + debate on next steps postponed until next year. How we got here (abbreviated version)...
This year has been spent working up two main options: a “full decant” of MPs into temporary accommodation while major works are carried out, versus some form of “continued presence” on the parliamentary estate. If these sound familiar, it's because they've always been the main options on the table.
But they had to be scoped and presented again after the independent body set up to oversee restoration in 2018 was scrapped and its functions brought in-house...
Of course with rising costs and a looming election, restoration was looking less and less likely. But the journey here was tortuous, and it's hardly a great advertisement for our record on major infrastructure projects https://nitter.net/estwebber/status/1725434647977275747#m
I get it, leaving it for a proper restoration is hated by MPs, and the billions it would cost will be very unpopular with the public, but a patch and mend doesn't fix the problems and it will only get more and more expensive.
It's fucking ridiculous. Risks the whole Palace burning down and being destroyed, like last time.
At least lastime we got an awesome and iconic (if rather shoddy) replacement out of it. This time? Not a chance.
Ok PBers: Which, if any, UK buildings or structures of the last 50 years could be called iconic?
Oh FFS Restoration of parliament faces downgrade to "enhanced maintenance" + debate on next steps postponed until next year. How we got here (abbreviated version)...
This year has been spent working up two main options: a “full decant” of MPs into temporary accommodation while major works are carried out, versus some form of “continued presence” on the parliamentary estate. If these sound familiar, it's because they've always been the main options on the table.
But they had to be scoped and presented again after the independent body set up to oversee restoration in 2018 was scrapped and its functions brought in-house...
Of course with rising costs and a looming election, restoration was looking less and less likely. But the journey here was tortuous, and it's hardly a great advertisement for our record on major infrastructure projects https://nitter.net/estwebber/status/1725434647977275747#m
I get it, leaving it for a proper restoration is hated by MPs, and the billions it would cost will be very unpopular with the public, but a patch and mend doesn't fix the problems and it will only get more and more expensive.
It's fucking ridiculous. Risks the whole Palace burning down and being destroyed, like last time.
At least lastime we got an awesome and iconic (if rather shoddy) replacement out of it. This time? Not a chance.
Ok PBers: Which, if any, UK buildings or structures of the last 50 years could be called iconic?
The Millennium Bridge? The Gherkin?
The Shard.
It's the ridiculous Tory power pose made manifest in steel and glass to a height of more than 300m.
You have to admire the skill of a communications consultant grifter convincing serious people to do this though.
What on earth was that all about? The Emperors New Clothes Agency at work
Oh FFS Restoration of parliament faces downgrade to "enhanced maintenance" + debate on next steps postponed until next year. How we got here (abbreviated version)...
This year has been spent working up two main options: a “full decant” of MPs into temporary accommodation while major works are carried out, versus some form of “continued presence” on the parliamentary estate. If these sound familiar, it's because they've always been the main options on the table.
But they had to be scoped and presented again after the independent body set up to oversee restoration in 2018 was scrapped and its functions brought in-house...
Of course with rising costs and a looming election, restoration was looking less and less likely. But the journey here was tortuous, and it's hardly a great advertisement for our record on major infrastructure projects https://nitter.net/estwebber/status/1725434647977275747#m
I get it, leaving it for a proper restoration is hated by MPs, and the billions it would cost will be very unpopular with the public, but a patch and mend doesn't fix the problems and it will only get more and more expensive.
It's fucking ridiculous. Risks the whole Palace burning down and being destroyed, like last time.
At least lastime we got an awesome and iconic (if rather shoddy) replacement out of it. This time? Not a chance.
Ok PBers: Which, if any, UK buildings or structures of the last 50 years could be called iconic?
The Millennium Bridge? The Gherkin?
It has to be The Dome.
Not a building, it's a tent. Or, as it's now known, a lifestyle choice.
It's a building, I saw Depeche Mode twice there (2009/2013) and the ATP Tennis Finals (2014).
Oh FFS Restoration of parliament faces downgrade to "enhanced maintenance" + debate on next steps postponed until next year. How we got here (abbreviated version)...
This year has been spent working up two main options: a “full decant” of MPs into temporary accommodation while major works are carried out, versus some form of “continued presence” on the parliamentary estate. If these sound familiar, it's because they've always been the main options on the table.
But they had to be scoped and presented again after the independent body set up to oversee restoration in 2018 was scrapped and its functions brought in-house...
Of course with rising costs and a looming election, restoration was looking less and less likely. But the journey here was tortuous, and it's hardly a great advertisement for our record on major infrastructure projects https://nitter.net/estwebber/status/1725434647977275747#m
I get it, leaving it for a proper restoration is hated by MPs, and the billions it would cost will be very unpopular with the public, but a patch and mend doesn't fix the problems and it will only get more and more expensive.
It's fucking ridiculous. Risks the whole Palace burning down and being destroyed, like last time.
At least lastime we got an awesome and iconic (if rather shoddy) replacement out of it. This time? Not a chance.
Ok PBers: Which, if any, UK buildings or structures of the last 50 years could be called iconic?
The Millennium Bridge? The Gherkin?
The Shard.
It's the ridiculous Tory power pose made manifest in steel and glass to a height of more than 300m.
You have to admire the skill of a communications consultant grifter convincing serious people to do this though.
Oh FFS Restoration of parliament faces downgrade to "enhanced maintenance" + debate on next steps postponed until next year. How we got here (abbreviated version)...
This year has been spent working up two main options: a “full decant” of MPs into temporary accommodation while major works are carried out, versus some form of “continued presence” on the parliamentary estate. If these sound familiar, it's because they've always been the main options on the table.
But they had to be scoped and presented again after the independent body set up to oversee restoration in 2018 was scrapped and its functions brought in-house...
Of course with rising costs and a looming election, restoration was looking less and less likely. But the journey here was tortuous, and it's hardly a great advertisement for our record on major infrastructure projects https://nitter.net/estwebber/status/1725434647977275747#m
I get it, leaving it for a proper restoration is hated by MPs, and the billions it would cost will be very unpopular with the public, but a patch and mend doesn't fix the problems and it will only get more and more expensive.
It's fucking ridiculous. Risks the whole Palace burning down and being destroyed, like last time.
At least lastime we got an awesome and iconic (if rather shoddy) replacement out of it. This time? Not a chance.
Ok PBers: Which, if any, UK buildings or structures of the last 50 years could be called iconic?
The Millennium Bridge? The Gherkin?
The Shard.
It's the ridiculous Tory power pose made manifest in steel and glass to a height of more than 300m.
You have to admire the skill of a communications consultant grifter convincing serious people to do this though.
Oh FFS Restoration of parliament faces downgrade to "enhanced maintenance" + debate on next steps postponed until next year. How we got here (abbreviated version)...
This year has been spent working up two main options: a “full decant” of MPs into temporary accommodation while major works are carried out, versus some form of “continued presence” on the parliamentary estate. If these sound familiar, it's because they've always been the main options on the table.
But they had to be scoped and presented again after the independent body set up to oversee restoration in 2018 was scrapped and its functions brought in-house...
Of course with rising costs and a looming election, restoration was looking less and less likely. But the journey here was tortuous, and it's hardly a great advertisement for our record on major infrastructure projects https://nitter.net/estwebber/status/1725434647977275747#m
I get it, leaving it for a proper restoration is hated by MPs, and the billions it would cost will be very unpopular with the public, but a patch and mend doesn't fix the problems and it will only get more and more expensive.
It's fucking ridiculous. Risks the whole Palace burning down and being destroyed, like last time.
At least lastime we got an awesome and iconic (if rather shoddy) replacement out of it. This time? Not a chance.
Ok PBers: Which, if any, UK buildings or structures of the last 50 years could be called iconic?
The Millennium Bridge? The Gherkin?
The Shard.
It's the ridiculous Tory power pose made manifest in steel and glass to a height of more than 300m.
You have to admire the skill of a communications consultant grifter convincing serious people to do this though.
"BORIS JOHNSON: Baby boomers like me have had it so good. That's why it's right to cut inheritance tax to give a helping hand to Gen Z and Millennials"
Have we done this on the lawsuits about whether Trump should be on the ballot?
NEW: Colorado state judge finds that Trump ENGAGED IN INSURRECTION but was NOT an “officer of the United States” within meaning of § 3 of 14th Amendment. Thus, DENIES effort to keep him off ballot. — via Roger Parloff / Lawfare
Johnson weighs in on IHT cut and says he is favour. It is the right time because Gen Z need all the help they can get from baby boomers who have had it cushy.
Interestingly, it reads like this is a done deal on IHT next week.
When the Chancellor of the Exchequer rises next week to announce a long-awaited cut in inheritance tax, I can confidently predict that the Left will go more or less bananas.
F1: wondering what woe will occur in qualifying. Red flag seems eminently possible. I also have manhole explosion, the grandstands collapsing, and the drivers all getting arrested by local police for exceeding the speed limit on my list. Now that I come to think of it, I may have my book ready (re-reading James Romm's Ghost on the Throne) in case there is said red flag.
2024 wish Can an extremely wealthy Ukrainian buy around 10 of these. 7 for sonar & 3 modified to carry a certain ATGM missile(firing station would run remotely) Just want to see the chaos to the Black Sea fleet and RU oil economy once ships start getting slapped. I'd assume a few other modifications, and they could move right on out the bosphorous without being seen as well. https://liquid-robotics.com/wave-glider/overview/ https://twitter.com/IhateTrenches/status/1725582429392400407
That’s awesome. I’m sure Boeing could be persuaded to sell a few at a good discount, to anyone wanting to blow up the Black Sea Fleet.
F1: wondering what woe will occur in qualifying. Red flag seems eminently possible. I also have manhole explosion, the grandstands collapsing, and the drivers all getting arrested by local police for exceeding the speed limit on my list. Now that I come to think of it, I may have my book ready (re-reading James Romm's Ghost on the Throne) in case there is said red flag.
This race appears to be a complete lottery decided by random factors.
“Sexual assault center at Canadian university signs onto open letter that DISPUTES women were raped and sexually assaulted during Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel”
It really is the new Holocaust denial - as others have said - and here it is being birthed right in front of us
None of this exonerates Israel from what it is doing on Gaza. But this attempt to minimise the Hamas horrors of October 7 is unspeakable. And ironically it probably makes the Gaza bombardment worse as it convinces Israel that the world is rank with violent anti-Semitism
“Sexual assault center at Canadian university signs onto open letter that DISPUTES women were raped and sexually assaulted during Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel”
It really is the new Holocaust denial - as others have said - and here it is being birthed right in front of us
None of this exonerates Israel from what it is doing on Gaza. But this attempt to minimise the Hamas horrors of October 7 is unspeakable. And ironically it probably makes the Gaza bombardment worse as it convinces Israel that the world is rank with violent anti-Semitism
Unfortunately we are seeing that it is.
It's perfectly easy to criticise the Israeli actions without minimising, excusing, or even celebrating what happened on October 7th.
Lots of people nonetheless do just that. We have a lot more open and proud anti-semites than I could have believed.
"BORIS JOHNSON: Baby boomers like me have had it so good. That's why it's right to cut inheritance tax to give a helping hand to Gen Z and Millennials"
First is that inheritance is currently mostly about people born in the 40s/50s dying and passing wealth on to people born in the 60s/70s. It's Generation Jammy, late boomers and early Xers, who would benefit from this. People like Boris and Rishi. And me (small uni loans, able to start buying houses before the prices went utterly stratospheric). Not Millennials and GenZ.
Second, what does Boris think tax is for, if not paying for stuff that helps others? Question the effectiveness of you like (but then you do need an alternative way of funding good society), but giving a helping hand to those who need it is the basic point.
“Sexual assault center at Canadian university signs onto open letter that DISPUTES women were raped and sexually assaulted during Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel”
It really is the new Holocaust denial - as others have said - and here it is being birthed right in front of us
None of this exonerates Israel from what it is doing on Gaza. But this attempt to minimise the Hamas horrors of October 7 is unspeakable. And ironically it probably makes the Gaza bombardment worse as it convinces Israel that the world is rank with violent anti-Semitism
Unfortunately we are seeing that it is.
It's perfectly easy to criticise the Israeli actions without minimising, excusing, or even celebrating what happened on October 7th.
Lots of people nonetheless do just that. We have a lot more open and proud anti-semites than I could have believed.
I think half of the problem is that most of them genuinely don't realise they are anti-semites.
Who could forget Chris Williamson saying he wasn't a racist and claims to the contrary were an international Israeli conspiracy to discredit him?
“Sexual assault center at Canadian university signs onto open letter that DISPUTES women were raped and sexually assaulted during Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel”
It really is the new Holocaust denial - as others have said - and here it is being birthed right in front of us
None of this exonerates Israel from what it is doing on Gaza. But this attempt to minimise the Hamas horrors of October 7 is unspeakable. And ironically it probably makes the Gaza bombardment worse as it convinces Israel that the world is rank with violent anti-Semitism
Unfortunately we are seeing that it is.
It's perfectly easy to criticise the Israeli actions without minimising, excusing, or even celebrating what happened on October 7th.
Lots of people nonetheless do just that. We have a lot more open and proud anti-semites than I could have believed.
Yes. The only possible explanation for this is anti-Semitism. JEWS LIE
So even if you have ample evidence of torture, murder, shooting, stabbing, burning alive, and all other atrocities of October 7 - many of them filmed by the exultant terrorists themselves - we all “know” that JEWS LIE so we’ve decided they’re lying about this, those evil Jews
What purpose does it serve anyway if you admit the rest of the horrors? Unless it is some attempt to eventually dismiss October 7 altogether - as the more extreme anti semitic nutters are already doing
“Sexual assault center at Canadian university signs onto open letter that DISPUTES women were raped and sexually assaulted during Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel”
It really is the new Holocaust denial - as others have said - and here it is being birthed right in front of us
None of this exonerates Israel from what it is doing on Gaza. But this attempt to minimise the Hamas horrors of October 7 is unspeakable. And ironically it probably makes the Gaza bombardment worse as it convinces Israel that the world is rank with violent anti-Semitism
Unfortunately we are seeing that it is.
It's perfectly easy to criticise the Israeli actions without minimising, excusing, or even celebrating what happened on October 7th.
Lots of people nonetheless do just that. We have a lot more open and proud anti-semites than I could have believed.
I think half of the problem is that most of them genuinely don't realise they are anti-semites.
Who could forget Chris Williamson saying he wasn't a racist and claims to the contrary were an international Israeli conspiracy to discredit him?
Ah, Chris Williamson, too awful even for Corbyn's shadow Cabinet, who could have seen his future path coming?
Anyway. Here’s a cheerful lunchtime photo from Koh Rong island. Cambodia. Which really is like a Thai island about 35 years ago. Idyllic
Good morning
Koh Rong Samloen is the nearest I've ever been to paradise. An amazing place. It was the first time I ever understood why the guy in The Beach was so obsessed by finding a perfect length of sand.
The Chinese have ruined the mainland there by putting up casinos. I hope it doesn't spread to the islands.
“Sexual assault center at Canadian university signs onto open letter that DISPUTES women were raped and sexually assaulted during Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel”
It really is the new Holocaust denial - as others have said - and here it is being birthed right in front of us
None of this exonerates Israel from what it is doing on Gaza. But this attempt to minimise the Hamas horrors of October 7 is unspeakable. And ironically it probably makes the Gaza bombardment worse as it convinces Israel that the world is rank with violent anti-Semitism
Unfortunately we are seeing that it is.
It's perfectly easy to criticise the Israeli actions without minimising, excusing, or even celebrating what happened on October 7th.
Lots of people nonetheless do just that. We have a lot more open and proud anti-semites than I could have believed.
I think half of the problem is that most of them genuinely don't realise they are anti-semites.
Who could forget Chris Williamson saying he wasn't a racist and claims to the contrary were an international Israeli conspiracy to discredit him?
Part of the problem is that the modern version of post-truth is an old, old thing, really.
1) I have found moral perfection 2) So, I am perfectly justified 3) there need to be no limits on my actions - laws and rules are oppressive garbage which limit my perfection. 4) all allegations of Bad Things, by me and mine, are Bad Facts.
The fun bit is the clowns don’t realise they haven’t done anything new.
Sums up so many people, so many sides, through history.
“Sexual assault center at Canadian university signs onto open letter that DISPUTES women were raped and sexually assaulted during Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel”
It really is the new Holocaust denial - as others have said - and here it is being birthed right in front of us
None of this exonerates Israel from what it is doing on Gaza. But this attempt to minimise the Hamas horrors of October 7 is unspeakable. And ironically it probably makes the Gaza bombardment worse as it convinces Israel that the world is rank with violent anti-Semitism
Unfortunately we are seeing that it is.
It's perfectly easy to criticise the Israeli actions without minimising, excusing, or even celebrating what happened on October 7th.
Lots of people nonetheless do just that. We have a lot more open and proud anti-semites than I could have believed.
Yes. The only possible explanation for this is anti-Semitism. JEWS LIE
So even if you have ample evidence of torture, murder, shooting, stabbing, burning alive, and all other atrocities of October 7 - many of them filmed by the exultant terrorists themselves - we all “know” that JEWS LIE so we’ve decided they’re lying about this, those evil Jews
What purpose does it serve anyway if you admit the rest of the horrors? Unless it is some attempt to eventually dismiss October 7 altogether - as the more extreme anti semitic nutters are already doing
One of the things that annoys me is the fact that Israel *downgraded* the number of people who died - from around 1,400 to 1,200 - as a sign of somehow Israel lied about the whole thing. When in reality, there is always uncertainty and figures get revised over the hours and days that followed. And there will be greater uncertainty with an event that occurred over a widely-distributed area, including bodies in burnt buildings and people who went missing (i.e. ran).
Whereas Hamas's figures are always believed, 100%.
Another weird parallel between “Holocaust denial” and “October 7 denial” is that the denialists are sometimes weirdly conflicted
Why? Because they are so anti semitic they actually get pleasure from the idea these atrocities happened - but because they think Jews lie or they worry Jews will gain sympathy they simultaneously deny the atrocities happened
So you get people marching with gloating symbols of paragliders on their tee shirts even as they claim that everyone on October 7 was actually shot by the IDF
Its like Holocaust deniers who say “no way 6 million died” then say “Hitler had the right idea”
Does all this talk about punctuation ever get as far as Westward Ho! ?
Our son's name contains a character that is not in the Latin alphabet, dotted I or İ
We didn't expect the registrar to allow it, but she just got character map up on her PC and got the letter.
That's really interesting.
Our daughter's name can be spelt either with or without an accent, when we registered her the registrar asked if we wanted to put the accent in or not. We chose not to, as our thought was she'd spend then always either be getting her name spelt wrong (for her) or needing to explain to people how to put the accent on.
“Sexual assault center at Canadian university signs onto open letter that DISPUTES women were raped and sexually assaulted during Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel”
It really is the new Holocaust denial - as others have said - and here it is being birthed right in front of us
None of this exonerates Israel from what it is doing on Gaza. But this attempt to minimise the Hamas horrors of October 7 is unspeakable. And ironically it probably makes the Gaza bombardment worse as it convinces Israel that the world is rank with violent anti-Semitism
Unfortunately we are seeing that it is.
It's perfectly easy to criticise the Israeli actions without minimising, excusing, or even celebrating what happened on October 7th.
Lots of people nonetheless do just that. We have a lot more open and proud anti-semites than I could have believed.
Yes. The only possible explanation for this is anti-Semitism. JEWS LIE
So even if you have ample evidence of torture, murder, shooting, stabbing, burning alive, and all other atrocities of October 7 - many of them filmed by the exultant terrorists themselves - we all “know” that JEWS LIE so we’ve decided they’re lying about this, those evil Jews
What purpose does it serve anyway if you admit the rest of the horrors? Unless it is some attempt to eventually dismiss October 7 altogether - as the more extreme anti semitic nutters are already doing
One of the things that annoys me is the fact that Israel *downgraded* the number of people who died - from around 1,400 to 1,200 - as a sign of somehow Israel lied about the whole thing. When in reality, there is always uncertainty and figures get revised over the hours and days that followed. And there will be greater uncertainty with an event that occurred over a widely-distributed area, including bodies in burnt buildings and people who went missing (i.e. ran).
Whereas Hamas's figures are always believed, 100%.
Never changing your story, on the face of facts, is the sign of The Strong Horse…
“Sexual assault center at Canadian university signs onto open letter that DISPUTES women were raped and sexually assaulted during Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel”
It really is the new Holocaust denial - as others have said - and here it is being birthed right in front of us
None of this exonerates Israel from what it is doing on Gaza. But this attempt to minimise the Hamas horrors of October 7 is unspeakable. And ironically it probably makes the Gaza bombardment worse as it convinces Israel that the world is rank with violent anti-Semitism
Unfortunately we are seeing that it is.
It's perfectly easy to criticise the Israeli actions without minimising, excusing, or even celebrating what happened on October 7th.
Lots of people nonetheless do just that. We have a lot more open and proud anti-semites than I could have believed.
I think half of the problem is that most of them genuinely don't realise they are anti-semites.
Who could forget Chris Williamson saying he wasn't a racist and claims to the contrary were an international Israeli conspiracy to discredit him?
Part of the problem is that the modern version of post-truth is an old, old thing, really.
1) I have found moral perfection 2) So, I am perfectly justified 3) there need to be no limits on my actions - laws and rules are oppressive garbage which limit my perfection. 4) all allegations of Bad Things, by me and mine, are Bad Facts.
The fun bit is the clowns don’t realise they haven’t done anything new.
Sums up so many people, so many sides, through history.
See also the number of "moral purpose" organisations, whether they're charities, police forces, churches or educational institutions, that behave as if they have a duty to treat individuals badly.
It's why the replacement of bumbling pragmatism with moral certainty in political parties should be resisted at all costs. And yes, I do realise the irony embedded in saying that.
Does all this talk about punctuation ever get as far as Westward Ho! ?
Our son's name contains a character that is not in the Latin alphabet, dotted I or İ
We didn't expect the registrar to allow it, but she just got character map up on her PC and got the letter.
That's really interesting.
Our daughter's name can be spelt either with or without an accent, when we registered her the registrar asked if we wanted to put the accent in or not. We chose not to, as our thought was she'd spend then always either be getting her name spelt wrong (for her) or needing to explain to people how to put the accent on.
We thought about that as well. As we're techies, we decided it was a good idea to 'educate' people on other character sets. We decided not to go the full unicode though ...
Although the dotted İ is so near the usual capital I, no-one ever notices. Some accented characters are much more noticeable. (In case people are wondering why, it's a common Turkish name that contains that character).
“Sexual assault center at Canadian university signs onto open letter that DISPUTES women were raped and sexually assaulted during Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel”
It really is the new Holocaust denial - as others have said - and here it is being birthed right in front of us
None of this exonerates Israel from what it is doing on Gaza. But this attempt to minimise the Hamas horrors of October 7 is unspeakable. And ironically it probably makes the Gaza bombardment worse as it convinces Israel that the world is rank with violent anti-Semitism
Unfortunately we are seeing that it is.
It's perfectly easy to criticise the Israeli actions without minimising, excusing, or even celebrating what happened on October 7th.
Lots of people nonetheless do just that. We have a lot more open and proud anti-semites than I could have believed.
I think half of the problem is that most of them genuinely don't realise they are anti-semites.
Who could forget Chris Williamson saying he wasn't a racist and claims to the contrary were an international Israeli conspiracy to discredit him?
Part of the problem is that the modern version of post-truth is an old, old thing, really.
1) I have found moral perfection 2) So, I am perfectly justified 3) there need to be no limits on my actions - laws and rules are oppressive garbage which limit my perfection. 4) all allegations of Bad Things, by me and mine, are Bad Facts.
The fun bit is the clowns don’t realise they haven’t done anything new.
Sums up so many people, so many sides, through history.
See also the number of "moral purpose" organisations, whether they're charities, police forces, churches or educational institutions, that behave as if they have a duty to treat individuals badly.
It's why the replacement of bumbling pragmatism with moral certainty in political parties should be resisted at all costs. And yes, I do realise the irony embedded in saying that.
I am unequivocal and unyielding in my opposition to absolutism. There are no shades of grey in my support of nuance. I will fight to the death for moderation.
“Sexual assault center at Canadian university signs onto open letter that DISPUTES women were raped and sexually assaulted during Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel”
It really is the new Holocaust denial - as others have said - and here it is being birthed right in front of us
None of this exonerates Israel from what it is doing on Gaza. But this attempt to minimise the Hamas horrors of October 7 is unspeakable. And ironically it probably makes the Gaza bombardment worse as it convinces Israel that the world is rank with violent anti-Semitism
Unfortunately we are seeing that it is.
It's perfectly easy to criticise the Israeli actions without minimising, excusing, or even celebrating what happened on October 7th.
Lots of people nonetheless do just that. We have a lot more open and proud anti-semites than I could have believed.
I think half of the problem is that most of them genuinely don't realise they are anti-semites.
Who could forget Chris Williamson saying he wasn't a racist and claims to the contrary were an international Israeli conspiracy to discredit him?
Part of the problem is that the modern version of post-truth is an old, old thing, really.
1) I have found moral perfection 2) So, I am perfectly justified 3) there need to be no limits on my actions - laws and rules are oppressive garbage which limit my perfection. 4) all allegations of Bad Things, by me and mine, are Bad Facts.
The fun bit is the clowns don’t realise they haven’t done anything new.
Sums up so many people, so many sides, through history.
See also the number of "moral purpose" organisations, whether they're charities, police forces, churches or educational institutions, that behave as if they have a duty to treat individuals badly.
It's why the replacement of bumbling pragmatism with moral certainty in political parties should be resisted at all costs. And yes, I do realise the irony embedded in saying that.
“Sexual assault center at Canadian university signs onto open letter that DISPUTES women were raped and sexually assaulted during Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel”
It really is the new Holocaust denial - as others have said - and here it is being birthed right in front of us
None of this exonerates Israel from what it is doing on Gaza. But this attempt to minimise the Hamas horrors of October 7 is unspeakable. And ironically it probably makes the Gaza bombardment worse as it convinces Israel that the world is rank with violent anti-Semitism
Unfortunately we are seeing that it is.
It's perfectly easy to criticise the Israeli actions without minimising, excusing, or even celebrating what happened on October 7th.
Lots of people nonetheless do just that. We have a lot more open and proud anti-semites than I could have believed.
I think half of the problem is that most of them genuinely don't realise they are anti-semites.
Who could forget Chris Williamson saying he wasn't a racist and claims to the contrary were an international Israeli conspiracy to discredit him?
Part of the problem is that the modern version of post-truth is an old, old thing, really.
1) I have found moral perfection 2) So, I am perfectly justified 3) there need to be no limits on my actions - laws and rules are oppressive garbage which limit my perfection. 4) all allegations of Bad Things, by me and mine, are Bad Facts.
The fun bit is the clowns don’t realise they haven’t done anything new.
Sums up so many people, so many sides, through history.
See also the number of "moral purpose" organisations, whether they're charities, police forces, churches or educational institutions, that behave as if they have a duty to treat individuals badly.
It's why the replacement of bumbling pragmatism with moral certainty in political parties should be resisted at all costs. And yes, I do realise the irony embedded in saying that.
I am unequivocal and unyielding in my opposition to absolutism. There are no shades of grey in my support of nuance. I will fight to the death for moderation.
I am founding an extreme Fundamentalist version of Unitarianism.
We will, while armed to the teeth, savagely agree with everyone, with aggressive politeness. And lots of free cups of weak tea.
Anyway. Here’s a cheerful lunchtime photo from Koh Rong island. Cambodia. Which really is like a Thai island about 35 years ago. Idyllic
Good morning
Koh Rong Samloen is the nearest I've ever been to paradise. An amazing place. It was the first time I ever understood why the guy in The Beach was so obsessed by finding a perfect length of sand.
The Chinese have ruined the mainland there by putting up casinos. I hope it doesn't spread to the islands.
I’m off to Koh Rong Samloen on Monday!
Yes the Chinese have trashed Sihanoukville
And they did have plans to build resorts all over these islands. Destroying them just as Phuket and ko samui and ko phi phi etc were destroyed in Thailand
However Covid has put all these plans on hold indefinitely. Thank god. One of the upsides of the pandemic?
Right now koh rong is at that perfect stage. Developed enough to have one or two great resort hotels and a scattering of nice bars and a few restaurants. But basically still undeveloped with dirt roads and stilted fishing villages and backpacker hamlets and untouched jungle and empty beaches
"BORIS JOHNSON: Baby boomers like me have had it so good. That's why it's right to cut inheritance tax to give a helping hand to Gen Z and Millennials"
"BORIS JOHNSON: Baby boomers like me have had it so good. That's why it's right to cut inheritance tax to give a helping hand to Gen Z and Millennials"
“I would like the international community to commit to a deadline and funding to electrify all healthcare facilities,” said Salvatore Vinci, an adviser on sustainable energy at the World Health Organization and a member of its Cop28 delegation. “We have solutions now that were not available 10 years ago – there is no reason why babies should be dying today because there is not electricity to power their incubators.
“It’s a low-hanging fruit. There is nothing stopping us,” he said.
About 1 billion people around the world do not have access to a healthcare facility with a stable electricity connection, including 433 million in low-income countries who rely on facilities with no electricity at all…
US approves major long-range missile deal for Japan https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/world/2023/11/501_363447.html The United States approved Japan's request to buy 400 Tomahawk missiles, Fruday, part of Tokyo's bid to bolster its defenses despite fresh dialogue with China.
The State Department said it was approving the $2.35 billion sale that includes two types of the Tomahawk missile, which have a 1,600-kilometer (995-mile) range...
“Sexual assault center at Canadian university signs onto open letter that DISPUTES women were raped and sexually assaulted during Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel”
It really is the new Holocaust denial - as others have said - and here it is being birthed right in front of us
None of this exonerates Israel from what it is doing on Gaza. But this attempt to minimise the Hamas horrors of October 7 is unspeakable. And ironically it probably makes the Gaza bombardment worse as it convinces Israel that the world is rank with violent anti-Semitism
Unfortunately we are seeing that it is.
It's perfectly easy to criticise the Israeli actions without minimising, excusing, or even celebrating what happened on October 7th.
Lots of people nonetheless do just that. We have a lot more open and proud anti-semites than I could have believed.
I think half of the problem is that most of them genuinely don't realise they are anti-semites.
Who could forget Chris Williamson saying he wasn't a racist and claims to the contrary were an international Israeli conspiracy to discredit him?
If one can persuade oneself one is “punching up”, one can be out and proud about one’s own bigotry.
"BORIS JOHNSON: Baby boomers like me have had it so good. That's why it's right to cut inheritance tax to give a helping hand to Gen Z and Millennials"
First is that inheritance is currently mostly about people born in the 40s/50s dying and passing wealth on to people born in the 60s/70s. It's Generation Jammy, late boomers and early Xers, who would benefit from this. People like Boris and Rishi. And me (small uni loans, able to start buying houses before the prices went utterly stratospheric). Not Millennials and GenZ.
Second, what does Boris think tax is for, if not paying for stuff that helps others? Question the effectiveness of you like (but then you do need an alternative way of funding good society), but giving a helping hand to those who need it is the basic point.
“Sexual assault center at Canadian university signs onto open letter that DISPUTES women were raped and sexually assaulted during Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel”
It really is the new Holocaust denial - as others have said - and here it is being birthed right in front of us
None of this exonerates Israel from what it is doing on Gaza. But this attempt to minimise the Hamas horrors of October 7 is unspeakable. And ironically it probably makes the Gaza bombardment worse as it convinces Israel that the world is rank with violent anti-Semitism
Unfortunately we are seeing that it is.
It's perfectly easy to criticise the Israeli actions without minimising, excusing, or even celebrating what happened on October 7th.
Lots of people nonetheless do just that. We have a lot more open and proud anti-semites than I could have believed.
I think half of the problem is that most of them genuinely don't realise they are anti-semites.
Who could forget Chris Williamson saying he wasn't a racist and claims to the contrary were an international Israeli conspiracy to discredit him?
Part of the problem is that the modern version of post-truth is an old, old thing, really.
1) I have found moral perfection 2) So, I am perfectly justified 3) there need to be no limits on my actions - laws and rules are oppressive garbage which limit my perfection. 4) all allegations of Bad Things, by me and mine, are Bad Facts.
The fun bit is the clowns don’t realise they haven’t done anything new.
Sums up so many people, so many sides, through history.
Possibly the most important company in the world. In total turmoil
Weirrrrrrd
Sh!t, Altman got fired. Wow.
And his ally Greg Brockman resigned
2 out of 6 boardroom members. Major ructions
He was fired as chairman of the board.
He then resigned from the company
Getting fired like that is hard.
He must have done something quite…. rule challenging.
Then concealed it from the board.
Then again, it was almost certainly the Trans Illegal Immigrant Alien AIs.
Is this like when the pygmies on the board fired Steve Jobs?
I'm not a fan of Jobs, and I'd argue the Apple board were correct to fire him in 1985. The Jobs who came back in 1997 was a rather more experienced character. The NeXT and Pizar experiences moulded him a fair bit.
Another weird parallel between “Holocaust denial” and “October 7 denial” is that the denialists are sometimes weirdly conflicted
Why? Because they are so anti semitic they actually get pleasure from the idea these atrocities happened - but because they think Jews lie or they worry Jews will gain sympathy they simultaneously deny the atrocities happened
So you get people marching with gloating symbols of paragliders on their tee shirts even as they claim that everyone on October 7 was actually shot by the IDF
Its like Holocaust deniers who say “no way 6 million died” then say “Hitler had the right idea”
“The Holocaust is a Myth, but 6MWNE.”
I’ve said before, but the Nazis weren’t even the worst anti-semites. They empowered people who were even more loathsome than they were.
Does all this talk about punctuation ever get as far as Westward Ho! ?
Our son's name contains a character that is not in the Latin alphabet, dotted I or İ
We didn't expect the registrar to allow it, but she just got character map up on her PC and got the letter.
The life of Pi ?
Having a very unusual first name can lead to problems, and not just peer bullying at school. I’ve got such a name, and as I say now, in the evening of my days, if I had a pound for every time someone has got my name wrong….. It’s usually OK now because people humour an old man, but I’ve had quite awkward ‘discussions’ with people in minor authoritarian positions.
Possibly the most important company in the world. In total turmoil
Weirrrrrrd
Sh!t, Altman got fired. Wow.
And his ally Greg Brockman resigned
2 out of 6 boardroom members. Major ructions
He was fired as chairman of the board.
He then resigned from the company
Getting fired like that is hard.
He must have done something quite…. rule challenging.
Then concealed it from the board.
The AI shopped him.
Or AI fired him, maybe?
I wonder how many tech companies would be happy to put executive pay and retention in the hands of AI? As opposed to less important matters like killer robots for example.
Another weird parallel between “Holocaust denial” and “October 7 denial” is that the denialists are sometimes weirdly conflicted
Why? Because they are so anti semitic they actually get pleasure from the idea these atrocities happened - but because they think Jews lie or they worry Jews will gain sympathy they simultaneously deny the atrocities happened
So you get people marching with gloating symbols of paragliders on their tee shirts even as they claim that everyone on October 7 was actually shot by the IDF
Its like Holocaust deniers who say “no way 6 million died” then say “Hitler had the right idea”
“The Holocaust is a Myth, but 6MWNE.”
I’ve said before, but the Nazis weren’t even the worst anti-semites. They empowered people who were even more loathsome than they were.
There’s a video doing the TwiX rounds of a fiery student debate at UC Dublin about Palestine. It gets heated and at one point a Muslim student “seems” to shout at a Jewish student “we will do October 7 again and again! Allahu Akbar!” And so on
Tho to me the audio is indistinct and I can’t quite hear those words. Too much shouting
What is not ambiguous is the speech by the Sinn Fein type Irish guy leading his side of the debate. He is heard with respectful quiet and at one point he says “as for October 7, who knows what really happened then, who knows what to believe” and this goes entirely unchallenged
He just says it. October 7 is a disputed moment - might have been terror; might have been a false flag, might all be made up” - and no one even thinks this is worthy of a retort
Disgraceful. The new lie is being constructed in plain sight
On the subject of names, we have an acquaintance whose parents were his mother Ms. Cooper her her lover, a Mr. Finlay.
Because there was never any prospect of Mr. Finlay divorcing his wife, Ms. Cooper christened her son Finlay Cooper, in recognition of his father, her lover.
When Finlay Cooper was quite young Mr. Finlay's wife died, he was free to marry Ms. Cooper, which he did, and he then adopted Finlay, who became Finlay Finlay.
(True story, although it was another similar another surname, not Finlay.)
Comments
@jacksurfleet
·
27m
Saturday's DAILY TELEGRAPH: Hunt: The time has come for tax cuts
#tomorrowspaperstoday
Narrator: Hunt ruled out tax cuts only three weeks ago.
People want public services and infrastructure that aren’t - literally - falling apart. Tax cuts are neither here nor there. It’ll only help rich people anyway.
https://twitter.com/Jamin2g/status/1127608175149105152/photo/1
Nick Macpherson
@nickmacpherson2
·
5h
A short thread about Inheritance Tax, a tax which few estates pay and raises little revenue (c£7 billion). But many mistakenly think they will pay it. Hence the political return from cutting it is higher than the cost. 1/
Nick Macpherson
@nickmacpherson2
And so the coast is clear for Mr Hunt to cut a relic from a more egalitarian age, though even this hard bitten former HMT official would feel a little queasy if he combines a cut which unambiguously helps the wealthy while cutting (in real terms) the benefits of the poor. /Ends
The name Sage Gateshead will henceforth be attached to the new x,000 seat arena that is being built between the glasshouse and the Baltic.
"BORIS JOHNSON: Baby boomers like me have had it so good. That's why it's right to cut inheritance tax to give a helping hand to Gen Z and Millennials"
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12762305/BORIS-JOHNSON-right-cut-inheritance-tax.html
https://bsky.app/profile/joshuajfriedman.com/post/3kegbzgdljk2t
Also some good discussion in the replies.
https://twitter.com/cturnbull1968/status/1725640066079322352
Possibly the most important company in the world. In total turmoil
Weirrrrrrd
“if i start going off, the openai board should go after me for the full value of my shares”
https://x.com/sama/status/1725748751367852439?s=46&t=bulOICNH15U6kB0MwE6Lfw
NARRATOR: He doesn’t have any shares, this means he’s angry and about to reveal major secrets and doesn’t care
2 out of 6 boardroom members. Major ructions
https://grid.iamkate.com/
We didn't expect the registrar to allow it, but she just got character map up on her PC and got the letter.
F1: wondering what woe will occur in qualifying. Red flag seems eminently possible. I also have manhole explosion, the grandstands collapsing, and the drivers all getting arrested by local police for exceeding the speed limit on my list. Now that I come to think of it, I may have my book ready (re-reading James Romm's Ghost on the Throne) in case there is said red flag.
;-)
https://twitter.com/Dylan_Difford/status/1725625492378624146?t=tSLeOyHr-EUz0gySstPw_w&s=19
"The average Conservative lead over Labour over the last six months, by demographic, by (regular) pollster."
Even amongst over 65s and Leavers there is a big swing to Labour.
He then resigned from the company
It is bloody hot
Perhaps it's deliberate?
“Sexual assault center at Canadian university signs onto open letter that DISPUTES women were raped and sexually assaulted during Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel”
It really is the new Holocaust denial - as others have said - and here it is being birthed right in front of us
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12763853/sarah-jama-susan-kim-university-alberta-hamas-rape.html
None of this exonerates Israel from what it is doing on Gaza. But this attempt to minimise the Hamas horrors of October 7 is unspeakable. And ironically it probably makes the Gaza bombardment worse as it convinces Israel that the world is rank with violent anti-Semitism
If you’ve never been to F1 before, try and look at where they brake. The braking performance is the most astonishing thing about an F1 car.
Good morning
It's perfectly easy to criticise the Israeli actions without minimising, excusing, or even celebrating what happened on October 7th.
Lots of people nonetheless do just that. We have a lot more open and proud anti-semites than I could have believed.
First is that inheritance is currently mostly about people born in the 40s/50s dying and passing wealth on to people born in the 60s/70s. It's Generation Jammy, late boomers and early Xers, who would benefit from this. People like Boris and Rishi. And me (small uni loans, able to start buying houses before the prices went utterly stratospheric). Not Millennials and GenZ.
Second, what does Boris think tax is for, if not paying for stuff that helps others? Question the effectiveness of you like (but then you do need an alternative way of funding good society), but giving a helping hand to those who need it is the basic point.
Ghastly, selfish, charlatan.
Who could forget Chris Williamson saying he wasn't a racist and claims to the contrary were an international Israeli conspiracy to discredit him?
So even if you have ample evidence of torture, murder, shooting, stabbing, burning alive, and all other atrocities of October 7 - many of them filmed by the exultant terrorists themselves - we all “know” that JEWS LIE so we’ve decided they’re lying about this, those evil Jews
What purpose does it serve anyway if you admit the rest of the horrors? Unless it is some attempt to eventually dismiss October 7 altogether - as the more extreme anti semitic nutters are already doing
Koh Rong Samloen is the nearest I've ever been to paradise. An amazing place. It was the first time I ever understood why the guy in The Beach was so obsessed by finding a perfect length of sand.
The Chinese have ruined the mainland there by putting up casinos. I hope it doesn't spread to the islands.
1) I have found moral perfection
2) So, I am perfectly justified
3) there need to be no limits on my actions - laws and rules are oppressive garbage which limit my perfection.
4) all allegations of Bad Things, by me and mine, are Bad Facts.
The fun bit is the clowns don’t realise they haven’t done anything new.
Sums up so many people, so many sides, through history.
Whereas Hamas's figures are always believed, 100%.
He must have done something quite…. rule challenging.
Then concealed it from the board.
Why? Because they are so anti semitic they actually get pleasure from the idea these atrocities happened - but because they think Jews lie or they worry Jews will gain sympathy they simultaneously deny the atrocities happened
So you get people marching with gloating symbols of paragliders on their tee shirts even as they claim that everyone on October 7 was actually shot by the IDF
Its like Holocaust deniers who say “no way 6 million died” then say “Hitler had the right idea”
Our daughter's name can be spelt either with or without an accent, when we registered her the registrar asked if we wanted to put the accent in or not. We chose not to, as our thought was she'd spend then always either be getting her name spelt wrong (for her) or needing to explain to people how to put the accent on.
It's why the replacement of bumbling pragmatism with moral certainty in political parties should be resisted at all costs. And yes, I do realise the irony embedded in saying that.
Went kayaking in the mangrove swamps this morning. Just idyllic
Although the dotted İ is so near the usual capital I, no-one ever notices. Some accented characters are much more noticeable. (In case people are wondering why, it's a common Turkish name that contains that character).
We will, while armed to the teeth, savagely agree with everyone, with aggressive politeness. And lots of free cups of weak tea.
The Chinese have ruined the mainland there by putting up casinos. I hope it doesn't spread to the islands.
I’m off to Koh Rong Samloen on Monday!
Yes the Chinese have trashed Sihanoukville
And they did have plans to build resorts all over these islands. Destroying them just as Phuket and ko samui and ko phi phi etc were destroyed in Thailand
However Covid has put all these plans on hold indefinitely. Thank god. One of the upsides of the pandemic?
Right now koh rong is at that perfect stage. Developed enough to have one or two great resort hotels and a scattering of nice bars and a few restaurants. But basically still undeveloped with dirt roads and stilted fishing villages and backpacker hamlets and untouched jungle and empty beaches
Blissful
David Cameron ‘wants to unlock billions of dollars for foreign aid’
Exclusive: New foreign secretary to say UK has ‘moral mission’ to help world’s poor in white paper
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/nov/18/david-cameron-wants-to-unlock-billions-of-dollars-for-foreign-aid
Solar energy could power all health facilities in poorer countries and save lives, experts say
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/nov/17/solar-energy-could-power-all-health-facilities-in-poorer-countries-and-save-lives-experts-say
All healthcare facilities in poorer countries could be electrified using solar energy within five years for less than $5bn, putting an end to the risk of life from power outages, experts will argue at Cop28 this month.
“I would like the international community to commit to a deadline and funding to electrify all healthcare facilities,” said Salvatore Vinci, an adviser on sustainable energy at the World Health Organization and a member of its Cop28 delegation. “We have solutions now that were not available 10 years ago – there is no reason why babies should be dying today because there is not electricity to power their incubators.
“It’s a low-hanging fruit. There is nothing stopping us,” he said.
About 1 billion people around the world do not have access to a healthcare facility with a stable electricity connection, including 433 million in low-income countries who rely on facilities with no electricity at all…
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/world/2023/11/501_363447.html
The United States approved Japan's request to buy 400 Tomahawk missiles, Fruday, part of Tokyo's bid to bolster its defenses despite fresh dialogue with China.
The State Department said it was approving the $2.35 billion sale that includes two types of the Tomahawk missile, which have a 1,600-kilometer (995-mile) range...
Should complicate China’s naval planning.
I’ve said before, but the Nazis weren’t even the worst anti-semites. They empowered people who were even more loathsome than they were.
“X ad boycott gathers pace amid antisemitism
Firms including Apple, Disney and IBM have paused advertising on X amid an antisemitism storm on the site.
It comes after X owner Elon Musk amplified an antisemitic trope on the platform formerly known as Twitter.
The boycott has also been picking up steam in the wake of an investigation by a US group which flagged ads appearing next to pro-Nazi posts on X.”
It’s usually OK now because people humour an old man, but I’ve had quite awkward ‘discussions’ with people in minor authoritarian positions.
And Good Morning everybody.
That GPT5 has achieved sentience, taken over the company, and is now firing all the humans
If that had been Corbyn....
Tho to me the audio is indistinct and I can’t quite hear those words. Too much shouting
What is not ambiguous is the speech by the Sinn Fein type Irish guy leading his side of the debate. He is heard with respectful quiet and at one point he says “as for October 7, who knows what really happened then, who knows what to believe” and this goes entirely unchallenged
He just says it. October 7 is a disputed moment - might have been terror; might have been a false flag, might all be made up” - and no one even thinks this is worthy of a retort
Disgraceful. The new lie is being constructed in plain sight
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/nov/18/soaring-special-needs-school-transport-costs-unsustainable-say-councils
Because there was never any prospect of Mr. Finlay divorcing his wife, Ms. Cooper christened her son Finlay Cooper, in recognition of his father, her lover.
When Finlay Cooper was quite young Mr. Finlay's wife died, he was free to marry Ms. Cooper, which he did, and he then adopted Finlay, who became Finlay Finlay.
(True story, although it was another similar another surname, not Finlay.)