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The next Liberal leader – politicalbetting.com

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  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,445
    kinabalu said:

    I can remember being ridiculed before the election for saying that Keir Starmer's election would represent a shift to the right in British politics, but it is now surely beyond any doubt that this is what has happened with objectively the most right-wing government for several decades at least.

    Starmer has graduated from ramping up deportations to slashing the aid budget and beefing up the military. As we know, the slide into right-wing dictatorship doesn't happen overnight, but we should beware of thinking that it can't happen here.

    Probably not. But it has been mentioned that Sir Keir needed a way to deal with the threat of Reform in his red-wall seats. Looks like he might have been handed a gold-plated opportunity to do just that by your man Trump.
    This vibe shift to foreign and defence policy to meet the threat of Trump is a gift to SKS. The previous "growth" shibboleth was a political meat hook.
    We do need some growth though. Foreign affairs will only get him through a couple of months at best.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 62,047
    The Pallid Pepperami.

    Lol.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,197
    This is a bit odd, as biosimilars are supposed to be closer to identical than similar.

    MS patients suffer side-effects after NHS England switches to cheaper drug
    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/feb/24/ms-patients-suffer-side-effects-after-nhs-england-switches-to-cheaper-drug
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,406
    edited February 25

    I can remember being ridiculed before the election for saying that Keir Starmer's election would represent a shift to the right in British politics, but it is now surely beyond any doubt that this is what has happened with objectively the most right-wing government for several decades at least.

    Starmer has graduated from ramping up deportations to slashing the aid budget and beefing up the military. As we know, the slide into right-wing dictatorship doesn't happen overnight, but we should beware of thinking that it can't happen here.

    Probably not. But it has been mentioned that Sir Keir needed a way to deal with the threat of Reform in his red-wall seats. Looks like he might have been handed a gold-plated opportunity to do just that by your man Trump.
    If so he is making a fatal error. There is no way that Starmer can out-Farage the original. It will never be enough, even when Farage is very exposed by his Russian links. Starmer would do much better in the Red Wall with some true red meat on levelling up rather than willy waving.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 37,080
    kinabalu said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Could be entertaining

    @kaitlancollins

    Elon Musk will be at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow, per the press secretary.

    Will he have his "special boy" on his shoulders?

    Such a creep.
    The one he left behind on stage the other day?
  • Now that Starmer is reversing the Cameron era policies can he also bring an end to triple lock pensions.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 62,047
    Andy_JS said:

    I can remember being ridiculed before the election for saying that Keir Starmer's election would represent a shift to the right in British politics, but it is now surely beyond any doubt that this is what has happened with objectively the most right-wing government for several decades at least.

    Starmer has graduated from ramping up deportations to slashing the aid budget and beefing up the military. As we know, the slide into right-wing dictatorship doesn't happen overnight, but we should beware of thinking that it can't happen here.

    It really does beggar belief that Labour are doing things the Conservatives couldn't bring themselves to do for 14 years.

    The only conclusion I can reach is that, fundamentally, the Conservatives were deeply embarrassed at being as such in their middle-class/establishment social circles, lacked the courage of their convictions, and constantly felt the need to qualify themselves.
    It could also be that the machinery of government somehow "refused" to carry out the government's policies when the Tories were in charge, but they do with Labour running things.
    Yes, I think there's something in that - even if its passive and not active.

    The opposition we've seen today to cutting aid is just tepidly going through the motions, whereas if the Conservatives had done it we'd have heard the hounds of hell.

    They just need to face this down, call it out and maybe make some sackings in future and placement of people more sympathetic to them in key positions - until they learn.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,295
    Leon said:

    What gets me is that PB, surely the most intense concentration of autism in human history - a kind of super black hole of neurodivergents wearing black jeans that don’t reach their ankles and yet are belted around the waist - have the spergy gall to diss Elon “going to Mars” Musk for being “socially awkward and unsuccessful”

    I've just sussed your definition of "boring" - it means not being convinced about LAB LEAK.

    Busted.
  • kinabalu said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Could be entertaining

    @kaitlancollins

    Elon Musk will be at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow, per the press secretary.

    Will he have his "special boy" on his shoulders?

    Such a creep.
    That's President "Special Boy" to you.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 64,665
    Scott_xP said:

    kinabalu said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Could be entertaining

    @kaitlancollins

    Elon Musk will be at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow, per the press secretary.

    Will he have his "special boy" on his shoulders?

    Such a creep.
    The one he left behind on stage the other day?
    Well, to be fair he's got a lot on his mind what with the destruction of the federal government to get done by Easter.
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 30,563

    I can remember being ridiculed before the election for saying that Keir Starmer's election would represent a shift to the right in British politics, but it is now surely beyond any doubt that this is what has happened with objectively the most right-wing government for several decades at least.

    Starmer has graduated from ramping up deportations to slashing the aid budget and beefing up the military. As we know, the slide into right-wing dictatorship doesn't happen overnight, but we should beware of thinking that it can't happen here.

    It really does beggar belief that Labour are doing things the Conservatives couldn't bring themselves to do for 14 years.

    The only conclusion I can reach is that, fundamentally, the Conservatives were deeply embarrassed at being as such in their middle-class/establishment social circles, lacked the courage of their convictions, and constantly felt the need to qualify themselves.
    To be fair, unlike Starmer the Tories hadn't taken the planet to the brink of the Third World War, so they never needed the Starmer drama of today.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 64,665
    kinabalu said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Could be entertaining

    @kaitlancollins

    Elon Musk will be at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow, per the press secretary.

    Will he have his "special boy" on his shoulders?

    Such a creep.
    Don't be silly, Trump's far too heavy to be carried on his shoulders.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,406
    IanB2 said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @petemuntean

    BREAKING: The FAA is investigating the *near collision* of a landing Southwest Airlines 737 and a Flexjet Challenger 350 that taxiied across the same runway "without authorization" at Chicago Midway Airport.

    https://x.com/petemuntean/status/1894452849729270039

    US ATC has gone to **** since mango Mussolini took over.
    Yes, and I am flying there in a couple of months for a conference 🙄
  • Has Jenrick had anything to say about Israel supporting Russia ?

    Does he still 'stand with Israel' and want to display the Star of David at UK airports ?
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 62,047

    I can remember being ridiculed before the election for saying that Keir Starmer's election would represent a shift to the right in British politics, but it is now surely beyond any doubt that this is what has happened with objectively the most right-wing government for several decades at least.

    Starmer has graduated from ramping up deportations to slashing the aid budget and beefing up the military. As we know, the slide into right-wing dictatorship doesn't happen overnight, but we should beware of thinking that it can't happen here.

    It really does beggar belief that Labour are doing things the Conservatives couldn't bring themselves to do for 14 years.

    The only conclusion I can reach is that, fundamentally, the Conservatives were deeply embarrassed at being as such in their middle-class/establishment social circles, lacked the courage of their convictions, and constantly felt the need to qualify themselves.
    To be fair, unlike Starmer the Tories hadn't taken the planet to the brink of the Third World War, so they never needed the Starmer drama of today.
    Nurse!
  • Alphabet_SoupAlphabet_Soup Posts: 3,537

    [delete]

    already posted

    Talking of which, has anyone seen Blanche lately?
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,295
    edited February 25

    kinabalu said:

    Scott_xP said:

    Could be entertaining

    @kaitlancollins

    Elon Musk will be at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow, per the press secretary.

    Will he have his "special boy" on his shoulders?

    Such a creep.
    That's President "Special Boy" to you.
    Lol, yes. Or the opposite, Elon perched on Donald's shoulders.

    Either way, it's weird and creepy.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 62,047
    Cicero said:

    Andy_JS said:

    I can remember being ridiculed before the election for saying that Keir Starmer's election would represent a shift to the right in British politics, but it is now surely beyond any doubt that this is what has happened with objectively the most right-wing government for several decades at least.

    Starmer has graduated from ramping up deportations to slashing the aid budget and beefing up the military. As we know, the slide into right-wing dictatorship doesn't happen overnight, but we should beware of thinking that it can't happen here.

    It really does beggar belief that Labour are doing things the Conservatives couldn't bring themselves to do for 14 years.

    The only conclusion I can reach is that, fundamentally, the Conservatives were deeply embarrassed at being as such in their middle-class/establishment social circles, lacked the courage of their convictions, and constantly felt the need to qualify themselves.
    It could also be that the machinery of government somehow "refused" to carry out the government's policies when the Tories were in charge, but they do with Labour running things.
    This is good example of the right wing paranoia that has already driven the Tories insane. The should reflect on their own failings before distributing the blame. The truth is that the Tories had a nervous breakdown after Brexit and it does not look like its going to recover. When Conservatives cease to believe in the value of institutions, they end up believing in any old rubbish. That judges, generals or doctors are left wing woke warriors, that civil servants are a blob committed to Tory destruction or that Nigel Farage is anything except a crooked and quite possibly treacherous charlatan.
    Nah, he's right.

    It's reflective of the general leftwards drift of the class of tertiary educated/ internationalist people who now staff such institutions.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,197
    Leon said:

    It’s brilliant how debate on PB ranges wildly from slightly-to-the-left of Keir Starmer to slightly-to-the-right of Rishi Sunak

    And if ever that heady diet somehow becomes stale (how???) we are always allowed to talk about REDACTED or THING or FORBIDDEN or NOT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT THAT

    And then there are those mad googlies bowled by @bondegezou when he manages, as always, to say something easily as boring and tedious as @Nigelb or even @kinabalu who are in turn as boring as @Eabhal, @turbotubbs and @Carnyx

    Honestly, if PB really was a pub it would be packed to the rafters with developers desperately trying to turn it into a car park, due to public demand

    Deliberate tactic, Mr P.

    Like the shopping centres that play classical music to discourage delinquents.

  • CiceroCicero Posts: 3,289

    Nigelb said:

    FT Exclusive: Peter Navarro, one of the US president’s closest advisers, is pushing for the US to remove Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network..
    https://x.com/FT/status/1894410479923077584

    ... with Russia to replace them ?

    If that's true then any attempt by Starmer to talk sense into Trump is likely to fail and very soon. Starmer will have to revise his defence plans immediately.
    Just cc Canada on everything we receive?

    We have a problem with our security intelligence cooperation with the US: it is so integrated that it will be exceptionally difficult to unpick.

    Probably easier for us to start again with a separate and whole new set up.

  • CleitophonCleitophon Posts: 561
    Foxy said:

    IanB2 said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @petemuntean

    BREAKING: The FAA is investigating the *near collision* of a landing Southwest Airlines 737 and a Flexjet Challenger 350 that taxiied across the same runway "without authorization" at Chicago Midway Airport.

    https://x.com/petemuntean/status/1894452849729270039

    US ATC has gone to **** since mango Mussolini took over.
    Yes, and I am flying there in a couple of months for a conference 🙄
    I am supposed to go for an academic conference in August. I am track chair... but I am going to cancel. I will probably cancel our annual Christmas trip too (my in-laws are American, but my wife got her british citizenship a couple of years ago thank god)
  • rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 8,566
    Andy_JS said:

    I can remember being ridiculed before the election for saying that Keir Starmer's election would represent a shift to the right in British politics, but it is now surely beyond any doubt that this is what has happened with objectively the most right-wing government for several decades at least.

    Starmer has graduated from ramping up deportations to slashing the aid budget and beefing up the military. As we know, the slide into right-wing dictatorship doesn't happen overnight, but we should beware of thinking that it can't happen here.

    It really does beggar belief that Labour are doing things the Conservatives couldn't bring themselves to do for 14 years.

    The only conclusion I can reach is that, fundamentally, the Conservatives were deeply embarrassed at being as such in their middle-class/establishment social circles, lacked the courage of their convictions, and constantly felt the need to qualify themselves.
    It could also be that the machinery of government somehow "refused" to carry out the government's policies when the Tories were in charge, but they do with Labour running things.
    Its evidence that competent government with politicians who make decisions rather than blaming the EU/blob/judges whoever can drive policy change.

    By contrast, the Tories steadily promoted Liz Truss to be various roles before PM. All she could do was make announcements and get her photo in the paper
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 33,904
    Meet Gavin Kliger.

    "One of Elon Musk's nerd army is trolling his new fans by charging $1,000 to read a manifesto about why he joined DOGE - only to find the post is blank.

    Gavin Kliger, 25, is one of six baby-faced boys with little-to-no government experience handpicked by the 'First Buddy' to sow havoc in the civil service.

    He was the one who sent a company-wide email sent to employees at USAID telling them not to come into the agency's Washington DC headquarters on Monday."

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14363699/Elon-Musk-doge-nerd-Gavin-Kliger-substack-troll-usaid.html
  • BattlebusBattlebus Posts: 550

    Off topic: (But a subject you often discuss.) I doubt if I have persuaded anyone here that factory-built homes should be part of the solution to the UK housing shortage. So here are some examples showing what is available now from Amazon:
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/you-can-buy-a-2-story-tiny-home-with-floor-to-ceiling-windows-a-spacious-kitchen-and-a-balcony-at-amazon/ar-AA1zJWfH?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=5fcd347a023b4dedbee7a07915ce14d1&ei=35

    "Amazon has made securing a tiny home as easy as clicking “add to cart,” and then expanding your new home upon delivery day. Whether you’re looking to purchase your first home, downsize, or tack on square footage to your existing home with an office or mother-in-law suite, a tiny house can be a great option, and Amazon has no shortage to choose from.

    Our latest tiny home discovery is a spacious two-story model, which includes all the practical accessories, like plumbing and electrical, to make it move-in ready. The customizable pick starts at less than $35,000 — a fraction of the price of a traditional home. "

    There are two models shown in the article, which cost even less. And here's a question for those of you who know something about housing costs in the UK: What would a house of a similar size and quality, built on site, cost in the UK. Roughly.

    Some Amazon deliveries in Brighton?


  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,406
    edited February 25
    Cicero said:

    Nigelb said:

    FT Exclusive: Peter Navarro, one of the US president’s closest advisers, is pushing for the US to remove Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network..
    https://x.com/FT/status/1894410479923077584

    ... with Russia to replace them ?

    If that's true then any attempt by Starmer to talk sense into Trump is likely to fail and very soon. Starmer will have to revise his defence plans immediately.
    Just cc Canada on everything we receive?
    We have a problem with our security intelligence cooperation with the US: it is so integrated that it will be exceptionally difficult to unpick.

    Probably easier for us to start again with a separate and whole new set up.



    We need to instruct James Bond to terminate Felix Leiter with extreme prejudice.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 64,665

    [delete]

    already posted

    Talking of which, has anyone seen Blanche lately?
    Wasn't he banned?
  • CleitophonCleitophon Posts: 561
    America is going to have it's own Liz Truss moment before spring is over..... and Liz Truss has been so wise as to go over there and kiss the ring of the goosesteppers and associate herself with the second coming of the libertarian market crash. Sigh
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,197
    Andy_JS said:

    Meet Gavin Kliger.

    "One of Elon Musk's nerd army is trolling his new fans by charging $1,000 to read a manifesto about why he joined DOGE - only to find the post is blank.

    Gavin Kliger, 25, is one of six baby-faced boys with little-to-no government experience handpicked by the 'First Buddy' to sow havoc in the civil service.

    He was the one who sent a company-wide email sent to employees at USAID telling them not to come into the agency's Washington DC headquarters on Monday."

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14363699/Elon-Musk-doge-nerd-Gavin-Kliger-substack-troll-usaid.html

    Is the Mail admitting it paid $1000 for a non story ?
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,197
    edited February 25
    Foxy said:



    We need to instruct James Bond to terminate Felix Leiter with extreme prejudice.

    Keep the existing arrangement and just feed them disinfo, if necessary.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,295
    edited February 25
    TimS said:

    kinabalu said:

    I can remember being ridiculed before the election for saying that Keir Starmer's election would represent a shift to the right in British politics, but it is now surely beyond any doubt that this is what has happened with objectively the most right-wing government for several decades at least.

    Starmer has graduated from ramping up deportations to slashing the aid budget and beefing up the military. As we know, the slide into right-wing dictatorship doesn't happen overnight, but we should beware of thinking that it can't happen here.

    Probably not. But it has been mentioned that Sir Keir needed a way to deal with the threat of Reform in his red-wall seats. Looks like he might have been handed a gold-plated opportunity to do just that by your man Trump.
    This vibe shift to foreign and defence policy to meet the threat of Trump is a gift to SKS. The previous "growth" shibboleth was a political meat hook.
    We do need some growth though. Foreign affairs will only get him through a couple of months at best.
    We do. But it's not a good political "defining mission". The macro climate is difficult and most of what government can do has a long timeframe. This stuff is better for Starmer, I think, esp with the RUK angle.
  • CleitophonCleitophon Posts: 561
    edited February 25
    Foxy said:

    Cicero said:

    Nigelb said:

    FT Exclusive: Peter Navarro, one of the US president’s closest advisers, is pushing for the US to remove Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network..
    https://x.com/FT/status/1894410479923077584

    ... with Russia to replace them ?

    If that's true then any attempt by Starmer to talk sense into Trump is likely to fail and very soon. Starmer will have to revise his defence plans immediately.
    Just cc Canada on everything we receive?
    We have a problem with our security intelligence cooperation with the US: it is so integrated that it will be exceptionally difficult to unpick.

    Probably easier for us to start again with a separate and whole new set up.


    The untangling has already happened ages ago... I guarantee you.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,406

    Foxy said:

    IanB2 said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @petemuntean

    BREAKING: The FAA is investigating the *near collision* of a landing Southwest Airlines 737 and a Flexjet Challenger 350 that taxiied across the same runway "without authorization" at Chicago Midway Airport.

    https://x.com/petemuntean/status/1894452849729270039

    US ATC has gone to **** since mango Mussolini took over.
    Yes, and I am flying there in a couple of months for a conference 🙄
    I am supposed to go for an academic conference in August. I am track chair... but I am going to cancel. I will probably cancel our annual Christmas trip too (my in-laws are American, but my wife got her british citizenship a couple of years ago thank god)
    It's a bit tricky, as I have said yes to the invitation, and I don't like to let them down.

    Perhaps I shall look and see if I can fly Air Canada at least!
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 33,904
    Nigelb said:

    FT Exclusive: Peter Navarro, one of the US president’s closest advisers, is pushing for the US to remove Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network..
    https://x.com/FT/status/1894410479923077584

    ... with Russia to replace them ?

    I still don't understand why the Trump regime dislikes Canada so much.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,197
    Betfair should run a book on how many House Dems end up voting for the GOP budget bill.

    Jeffries: "Let me be clear -- House Democrats will not provide a single vote to this reckless Republican budget. Not one. Not one."
    https://x.com/atrupar/status/1894436679500402925

  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 23,769

    Off topic: (But a subject you often discuss.) I doubt if I have persuaded anyone here that factory-built homes should be part of the solution to the UK housing shortage. So here are some examples showing what is available now from Amazon:
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/you-can-buy-a-2-story-tiny-home-with-floor-to-ceiling-windows-a-spacious-kitchen-and-a-balcony-at-amazon/ar-AA1zJWfH?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=5fcd347a023b4dedbee7a07915ce14d1&ei=35

    "Amazon has made securing a tiny home as easy as clicking “add to cart,” and then expanding your new home upon delivery day. Whether you’re looking to purchase your first home, downsize, or tack on square footage to your existing home with an office or mother-in-law suite, a tiny house can be a great option, and Amazon has no shortage to choose from.

    Our latest tiny home discovery is a spacious two-story model, which includes all the practical accessories, like plumbing and electrical, to make it move-in ready. The customizable pick starts at less than $35,000 — a fraction of the price of a traditional home. "

    There are two models shown in the article, which cost even less. And here's a question for those of you who know something about housing costs in the UK: What would a house of a similar size and quality, built on site, cost in the UK. Roughly.

    It doesn't work in the UK sir, for the following reasons

    * Land on which you are allowed to build is inordinately expensive
    * Money to build a house is usually gotten by loans, and lenders are far less likely to lend on homes if they are nontraditional[1] construction. Specialist lenders exist, but they are more expensive

    In short self-build in the UK is the province of the very well-off, or people who are able to take months/years off to do it themselves, or crazies who will build homes out of tyres and bottles. You may have seen the British TV program called "Grand Designs", who invariably involved a wealthy person with large credit card limits taking on a job, fucking it up totally, being rescued by their wealthy parents, going £100K over budget and saying they "worked hard", whilst I stick pins in dolls of Kevin McCloud and scream into the void.

    One of the PBers (@MattW?) is a mod on BuildHub.org.uk and may be able to give you up-to-date numbers on build.

    Notes
    [1] In this context, "traditional" construction uses vernacular materials or more generally brick/stone for the walls (interior core with breezeblocks is fine) and tile/slate for the roof. The roof must be 30% or more to prevent frost/snow lifting the tiles off.
  • FairlieredFairliered Posts: 5,405
    Carnyx said:

    eek said:

    AnneJGP said:

    Off topic: (But a subject you often discuss.) I doubt if I have persuaded anyone here that factory-built homes should be part of the solution to the UK housing shortage. So here are some examples showing what is available now from Amazon:
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/you-can-buy-a-2-story-tiny-home-with-floor-to-ceiling-windows-a-spacious-kitchen-and-a-balcony-at-amazon/ar-AA1zJWfH?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=5fcd347a023b4dedbee7a07915ce14d1&ei=35

    "Amazon has made securing a tiny home as easy as clicking “add to cart,” and then expanding your new home upon delivery day. Whether you’re looking to purchase your first home, downsize, or tack on square footage to your existing home with an office or mother-in-law suite, a tiny house can be a great option, and Amazon has no shortage to choose from.

    Our latest tiny home discovery is a spacious two-story model, which includes all the practical accessories, like plumbing and electrical, to make it move-in ready. The customizable pick starts at less than $35,000 — a fraction of the price of a traditional home. "

    There are two models shown in the article, which cost even less. And here's a question for those of you who know something about housing costs in the UK: What would a house of a similar size and quality, built on site, cost in the UK. Roughly.

    After WWII the government resorted to prefab homes. No doubt, sooner or later, they will come round to that sort of thing.
    The builder most interested in prefab homes (was Bovis but can’t remember it’s new name) was issued 3 profit warnings over the past few months
    Mm. Though part of the whole point re prefab homes was that they were made by other firms, and didn't need much in the way of a specifically building industry workforce.For instance, the Sunderland flying boat factory at Dumbarton was still making them into the late 1940s.
    There are still some in Paisley. Are there any surviving anywhere else?
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,197
    Andy_JS said:

    Nigelb said:

    FT Exclusive: Peter Navarro, one of the US president’s closest advisers, is pushing for the US to remove Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network..
    https://x.com/FT/status/1894410479923077584

    ... with Russia to replace them ?

    I still don't understand why the Trump regime dislikes Canada so much.
    You’re still hunting for logic with Trump ?
    I gave up a while back.
  • Alphabet_SoupAlphabet_Soup Posts: 3,537

    [delete]

    already posted

    Talking of which, has anyone seen Blanche lately?
    Wasn't he banned?
    Ten days ago. I was hoping for a resurrection by now.
  • CleitophonCleitophon Posts: 561
    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    IanB2 said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @petemuntean

    BREAKING: The FAA is investigating the *near collision* of a landing Southwest Airlines 737 and a Flexjet Challenger 350 that taxiied across the same runway "without authorization" at Chicago Midway Airport.

    https://x.com/petemuntean/status/1894452849729270039

    US ATC has gone to **** since mango Mussolini took over.
    Yes, and I am flying there in a couple of months for a conference 🙄
    I am supposed to go for an academic conference in August. I am track chair... but I am going to cancel. I will probably cancel our annual Christmas trip too (my in-laws are American, but my wife got her british citizenship a couple of years ago thank god)
    It's a bit tricky, as I have said yes to the invitation, and I don't like to let them down.

    Perhaps I shall look and see if I can fly Air Canada at least!
    I hear you. My conference is in Chicago and I could fly via Toronto for example. But I am.just not comfortable being in the states... I want to diversify
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 33,904
    viewcode said:

    Off topic: (But a subject you often discuss.) I doubt if I have persuaded anyone here that factory-built homes should be part of the solution to the UK housing shortage. So here are some examples showing what is available now from Amazon:
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/you-can-buy-a-2-story-tiny-home-with-floor-to-ceiling-windows-a-spacious-kitchen-and-a-balcony-at-amazon/ar-AA1zJWfH?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=5fcd347a023b4dedbee7a07915ce14d1&ei=35

    "Amazon has made securing a tiny home as easy as clicking “add to cart,” and then expanding your new home upon delivery day. Whether you’re looking to purchase your first home, downsize, or tack on square footage to your existing home with an office or mother-in-law suite, a tiny house can be a great option, and Amazon has no shortage to choose from.

    Our latest tiny home discovery is a spacious two-story model, which includes all the practical accessories, like plumbing and electrical, to make it move-in ready. The customizable pick starts at less than $35,000 — a fraction of the price of a traditional home. "

    There are two models shown in the article, which cost even less. And here's a question for those of you who know something about housing costs in the UK: What would a house of a similar size and quality, built on site, cost in the UK. Roughly.

    It doesn't work in the UK sir, for the following reasons

    * Land on which you are allowed to build is inordinately expensive
    * Money to build a house is usually gotten by loans, and lenders are far less likely to lend on homes if they are nontraditional[1] construction. Specialist lenders exist, but they are more expensive

    In short self-build in the UK is the province of the very well-off, or people who are able to take months/years off to do it themselves, or crazies who will build homes out of tyres and bottles. You may have seen the British TV program called "Grand Designs", who invariably involved a wealthy person with large credit card limits taking on a job, fucking it up totally, being rescued by their wealthy parents, going £100K over budget and saying they "worked hard", whilst I stick pins in dolls of Kevin McCloud and scream into the void.

    One of the PBers (@MattW?) is a mod on BuildHub.org.uk and may be able to give you up-to-date numbers on build.

    Notes
    [1] In this context, "traditional" construction uses vernacular materials or more generally brick/stone for the walls (interior core with breezeblocks is fine) and tile/slate for the roof. The roof must be 30% or more to prevent frost/snow lifting the tiles off.
    I didn't know you were North American, viewcode, using words like "gotten". 😊
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,197
    For those interested, this is probably the sort of thing used in military lasers.

    Diamond mirrors for high-power continuous-wave lasers
    https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-30335-2

    Plenty of civilian uses, too.
  • carnforthcarnforth Posts: 5,374
    Foxy said:

    Foxy said:

    IanB2 said:

    Scott_xP said:

    @petemuntean

    BREAKING: The FAA is investigating the *near collision* of a landing Southwest Airlines 737 and a Flexjet Challenger 350 that taxiied across the same runway "without authorization" at Chicago Midway Airport.

    https://x.com/petemuntean/status/1894452849729270039

    US ATC has gone to **** since mango Mussolini took over.
    Yes, and I am flying there in a couple of months for a conference 🙄
    I am supposed to go for an academic conference in August. I am track chair... but I am going to cancel. I will probably cancel our annual Christmas trip too (my in-laws are American, but my wife got her british citizenship a couple of years ago thank god)
    It's a bit tricky, as I have said yes to the invitation, and I don't like to let them down.

    Perhaps I shall look and see if I can fly Air Canada at least!
    From the recording, the private jet was told not to cross the runway, acknowledged that, then did it anyway. Not sure how ATC is at fault.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,406
    Andy_JS said:

    viewcode said:

    Off topic: (But a subject you often discuss.) I doubt if I have persuaded anyone here that factory-built homes should be part of the solution to the UK housing shortage. So here are some examples showing what is available now from Amazon:
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/you-can-buy-a-2-story-tiny-home-with-floor-to-ceiling-windows-a-spacious-kitchen-and-a-balcony-at-amazon/ar-AA1zJWfH?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=5fcd347a023b4dedbee7a07915ce14d1&ei=35

    "Amazon has made securing a tiny home as easy as clicking “add to cart,” and then expanding your new home upon delivery day. Whether you’re looking to purchase your first home, downsize, or tack on square footage to your existing home with an office or mother-in-law suite, a tiny house can be a great option, and Amazon has no shortage to choose from.

    Our latest tiny home discovery is a spacious two-story model, which includes all the practical accessories, like plumbing and electrical, to make it move-in ready. The customizable pick starts at less than $35,000 — a fraction of the price of a traditional home. "

    There are two models shown in the article, which cost even less. And here's a question for those of you who know something about housing costs in the UK: What would a house of a similar size and quality, built on site, cost in the UK. Roughly.

    It doesn't work in the UK sir, for the following reasons

    * Land on which you are allowed to build is inordinately expensive
    * Money to build a house is usually gotten by loans, and lenders are far less likely to lend on homes if they are nontraditional[1] construction. Specialist lenders exist, but they are more expensive

    In short self-build in the UK is the province of the very well-off, or people who are able to take months/years off to do it themselves, or crazies who will build homes out of tyres and bottles. You may have seen the British TV program called "Grand Designs", who invariably involved a wealthy person with large credit card limits taking on a job, fucking it up totally, being rescued by their wealthy parents, going £100K over budget and saying they "worked hard", whilst I stick pins in dolls of Kevin McCloud and scream into the void.

    One of the PBers (@MattW?) is a mod on BuildHub.org.uk and may be able to give you up-to-date numbers on build.

    Notes
    [1] In this context, "traditional" construction uses vernacular materials or more generally brick/stone for the walls (interior core with breezeblocks is fine) and tile/slate for the roof. The roof must be 30% or more to prevent frost/snow lifting the tiles off.
    I didn't know you were North American, viewcode, using words like "gotten". 😊
    Gotten is archaic English.

    https://www.proseworks.co.uk/americanismshave-they-got-or-gotten-out-of-hand/#:~:text=History of the word gotten&text=Well things aren't actually,hath gotten London Bridge').

  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,816

    Carnyx said:

    eek said:

    AnneJGP said:

    Off topic: (But a subject you often discuss.) I doubt if I have persuaded anyone here that factory-built homes should be part of the solution to the UK housing shortage. So here are some examples showing what is available now from Amazon:
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/you-can-buy-a-2-story-tiny-home-with-floor-to-ceiling-windows-a-spacious-kitchen-and-a-balcony-at-amazon/ar-AA1zJWfH?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=5fcd347a023b4dedbee7a07915ce14d1&ei=35

    "Amazon has made securing a tiny home as easy as clicking “add to cart,” and then expanding your new home upon delivery day. Whether you’re looking to purchase your first home, downsize, or tack on square footage to your existing home with an office or mother-in-law suite, a tiny house can be a great option, and Amazon has no shortage to choose from.

    Our latest tiny home discovery is a spacious two-story model, which includes all the practical accessories, like plumbing and electrical, to make it move-in ready. The customizable pick starts at less than $35,000 — a fraction of the price of a traditional home. "

    There are two models shown in the article, which cost even less. And here's a question for those of you who know something about housing costs in the UK: What would a house of a similar size and quality, built on site, cost in the UK. Roughly.

    After WWII the government resorted to prefab homes. No doubt, sooner or later, they will come round to that sort of thing.
    The builder most interested in prefab homes (was Bovis but can’t remember it’s new name) was issued 3 profit warnings over the past few months
    Mm. Though part of the whole point re prefab homes was that they were made by other firms, and didn't need much in the way of a specifically building industry workforce.For instance, the Sunderland flying boat factory at Dumbarton was still making them into the late 1940s.
    There are still some in Paisley. Are there any surviving anywhere else?
    Ashington.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,606

    Carnyx said:

    eek said:

    AnneJGP said:

    Off topic: (But a subject you often discuss.) I doubt if I have persuaded anyone here that factory-built homes should be part of the solution to the UK housing shortage. So here are some examples showing what is available now from Amazon:
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/you-can-buy-a-2-story-tiny-home-with-floor-to-ceiling-windows-a-spacious-kitchen-and-a-balcony-at-amazon/ar-AA1zJWfH?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=5fcd347a023b4dedbee7a07915ce14d1&ei=35

    "Amazon has made securing a tiny home as easy as clicking “add to cart,” and then expanding your new home upon delivery day. Whether you’re looking to purchase your first home, downsize, or tack on square footage to your existing home with an office or mother-in-law suite, a tiny house can be a great option, and Amazon has no shortage to choose from.

    Our latest tiny home discovery is a spacious two-story model, which includes all the practical accessories, like plumbing and electrical, to make it move-in ready. The customizable pick starts at less than $35,000 — a fraction of the price of a traditional home. "

    There are two models shown in the article, which cost even less. And here's a question for those of you who know something about housing costs in the UK: What would a house of a similar size and quality, built on site, cost in the UK. Roughly.

    After WWII the government resorted to prefab homes. No doubt, sooner or later, they will come round to that sort of thing.
    The builder most interested in prefab homes (was Bovis but can’t remember it’s new name) was issued 3 profit warnings over the past few months
    Mm. Though part of the whole point re prefab homes was that they were made by other firms, and didn't need much in the way of a specifically building industry workforce.For instance, the Sunderland flying boat factory at Dumbarton was still making them into the late 1940s.
    There are still some in Paisley. Are there any surviving anywhere else?
    https://www.prefabmuseum.uk/content/history/prefabs-in-the-outer-hebrides

    Butd of course the islanders are used to the notion of prefabs - one of the peak areas for prefabs for decades.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 23,769
    Andy_JS said:

    viewcode said:

    Off topic: (But a subject you often discuss.) I doubt if I have persuaded anyone here that factory-built homes should be part of the solution to the UK housing shortage. So here are some examples showing what is available now from Amazon:
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/you-can-buy-a-2-story-tiny-home-with-floor-to-ceiling-windows-a-spacious-kitchen-and-a-balcony-at-amazon/ar-AA1zJWfH?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=5fcd347a023b4dedbee7a07915ce14d1&ei=35

    "Amazon has made securing a tiny home as easy as clicking “add to cart,” and then expanding your new home upon delivery day. Whether you’re looking to purchase your first home, downsize, or tack on square footage to your existing home with an office or mother-in-law suite, a tiny house can be a great option, and Amazon has no shortage to choose from.

    Our latest tiny home discovery is a spacious two-story model, which includes all the practical accessories, like plumbing and electrical, to make it move-in ready. The customizable pick starts at less than $35,000 — a fraction of the price of a traditional home. "

    There are two models shown in the article, which cost even less. And here's a question for those of you who know something about housing costs in the UK: What would a house of a similar size and quality, built on site, cost in the UK. Roughly.

    It doesn't work in the UK sir, for the following reasons

    * Land on which you are allowed to build is inordinately expensive
    * Money to build a house is usually gotten by loans, and lenders are far less likely to lend on homes if they are nontraditional[1] construction. Specialist lenders exist, but they are more expensive

    In short self-build in the UK is the province of the very well-off, or people who are able to take months/years off to do it themselves, or crazies who will build homes out of tyres and bottles. You may have seen the British TV program called "Grand Designs", who invariably involved a wealthy person with large credit card limits taking on a job, fucking it up totally, being rescued by their wealthy parents, going £100K over budget and saying they "worked hard", whilst I stick pins in dolls of Kevin McCloud and scream into the void.

    One of the PBers (@MattW?) is a mod on BuildHub.org.uk and may be able to give you up-to-date numbers on build.

    Notes
    [1] In this context, "traditional" construction uses vernacular materials or more generally brick/stone for the walls (interior core with breezeblocks is fine) and tile/slate for the roof. The roof must be 30% or more to prevent frost/snow lifting the tiles off.
    I didn't know you were North American, viewcode, using words like "gotten". 😊
    I adapted my tone to my interlocutor :)
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,234

    I can remember being ridiculed before the election for saying that Keir Starmer's election would represent a shift to the right in British politics, but it is now surely beyond any doubt that this is what has happened with objectively the most right-wing government for several decades at least.

    Starmer has graduated from ramping up deportations to slashing the aid budget and beefing up the military. As we know, the slide into right-wing dictatorship doesn't happen overnight, but we should beware of thinking that it can't happen here.

    Rightwing governments don't increase taxes on farmers and business owners, even if his spending more on defence today is a more rightwing move
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 13,658

    TimS said:

    A friend of mine today described the Pope, with his complexion and his silly little hat, as looking like a pallid pepperami.

    Which I thought was quite brilliant.

    I was in a briefing call with a journalist today who said she couldn’t confirm an upcoming diary appointment because “I’m on standby for papal duties and may need to go out to Rome for a couple of weeks of it happens”.
    It's remarkable it's still considered such a big story.

    Firstly, we're not a Catholic country and, secondly, Popes pop off every 10-12 years anyway, due to their age, so it's hardly like the death of a long beloved monarch or global leader.
    Numbers and meanings are very flexible, but there's over a billion catholics in the world, and 5 million or so in the UK (but not me). The pope heads up the largest branch of what is easily the largest identifiable organisational grouping within humanity - Christians. I am a non RC Christian. All the non RC Christians I know highly respect both the pope and the Catholic community.
  • glwglw Posts: 10,254
    Andy_JS said:

    Nigelb said:

    FT Exclusive: Peter Navarro, one of the US president’s closest advisers, is pushing for the US to remove Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network..
    https://x.com/FT/status/1894410479923077584

    ... with Russia to replace them ?

    I still don't understand why the Trump regime dislikes Canada so much.
    It's not dislike. He covets Canada. As to why, look at a map of the North Pole and then imagine the US and Russia are going to divide the area inside the Arctic Circle up between them for the fossil fuels and minerals found within. The US claims would be a hell of a lot stronger if they added Canada and Greenland to Alaska. Greed driven conquest is what is going on.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 53,989
    Foxy said:

    Cicero said:

    Nigelb said:

    FT Exclusive: Peter Navarro, one of the US president’s closest advisers, is pushing for the US to remove Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network..
    https://x.com/FT/status/1894410479923077584

    ... with Russia to replace them ?

    If that's true then any attempt by Starmer to talk sense into Trump is likely to fail and very soon. Starmer will have to revise his defence plans immediately.
    Just cc Canada on everything we receive?
    We have a problem with our security intelligence cooperation with the US: it is so integrated that it will be exceptionally difficult to unpick.

    Probably easier for us to start again with a separate and whole new set up.

    We need to instruct James Bond to terminate Felix Leiter with extreme prejudice.

    I'm waiting for Blofeld to drop Musk into the shark tank...

    "He was disrupting all our best laid plans..."
  • carnforthcarnforth Posts: 5,374
    algarkirk said:

    TimS said:

    A friend of mine today described the Pope, with his complexion and his silly little hat, as looking like a pallid pepperami.

    Which I thought was quite brilliant.

    I was in a briefing call with a journalist today who said she couldn’t confirm an upcoming diary appointment because “I’m on standby for papal duties and may need to go out to Rome for a couple of weeks of it happens”.
    It's remarkable it's still considered such a big story.

    Firstly, we're not a Catholic country and, secondly, Popes pop off every 10-12 years anyway, due to their age, so it's hardly like the death of a long beloved monarch or global leader.
    Numbers and meanings are very flexible, but there's over a billion catholics in the world, and 5 million or so in the UK (but not me). The pope heads up the largest branch of what is easily the largest identifiable organisational grouping within humanity - Christians. I am a non RC Christian. All the non RC Christians I know highly respect both the pope and the Catholic community.
    The BBC is pope-obsessed. I don't think it's anything religious; the pope's box-office, and the BBC loves that.
  • Leon said:

    What gets me is that PB, surely the most intense concentration of autism in human history - a kind of super black hole of neurodivergents wearing black jeans that don’t reach their ankles and yet are belted around the waist - have the spergy gall to diss Elon “going to Mars” Musk for being “socially awkward and unsuccessful”

    Hey if you don't like it here why don't you just fuck off. You have become by far the most tiresome thing on here with your constant whining and self promotion and the number of people willing to stick up for you - myself included in the past - is rapidly diminishing.

    Go take a long holiday and send us photos of yourself being fellated by a Thai roomboy. It would certanly be more interesting than anything else you have contributed recently.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,606
    Foxy said:

    Andy_JS said:

    viewcode said:

    Off topic: (But a subject you often discuss.) I doubt if I have persuaded anyone here that factory-built homes should be part of the solution to the UK housing shortage. So here are some examples showing what is available now from Amazon:
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/you-can-buy-a-2-story-tiny-home-with-floor-to-ceiling-windows-a-spacious-kitchen-and-a-balcony-at-amazon/ar-AA1zJWfH?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=5fcd347a023b4dedbee7a07915ce14d1&ei=35

    "Amazon has made securing a tiny home as easy as clicking “add to cart,” and then expanding your new home upon delivery day. Whether you’re looking to purchase your first home, downsize, or tack on square footage to your existing home with an office or mother-in-law suite, a tiny house can be a great option, and Amazon has no shortage to choose from.

    Our latest tiny home discovery is a spacious two-story model, which includes all the practical accessories, like plumbing and electrical, to make it move-in ready. The customizable pick starts at less than $35,000 — a fraction of the price of a traditional home. "

    There are two models shown in the article, which cost even less. And here's a question for those of you who know something about housing costs in the UK: What would a house of a similar size and quality, built on site, cost in the UK. Roughly.

    It doesn't work in the UK sir, for the following reasons

    * Land on which you are allowed to build is inordinately expensive
    * Money to build a house is usually gotten by loans, and lenders are far less likely to lend on homes if they are nontraditional[1] construction. Specialist lenders exist, but they are more expensive

    In short self-build in the UK is the province of the very well-off, or people who are able to take months/years off to do it themselves, or crazies who will build homes out of tyres and bottles. You may have seen the British TV program called "Grand Designs", who invariably involved a wealthy person with large credit card limits taking on a job, fucking it up totally, being rescued by their wealthy parents, going £100K over budget and saying they "worked hard", whilst I stick pins in dolls of Kevin McCloud and scream into the void.

    One of the PBers (@MattW?) is a mod on BuildHub.org.uk and may be able to give you up-to-date numbers on build.

    Notes
    [1] In this context, "traditional" construction uses vernacular materials or more generally brick/stone for the walls (interior core with breezeblocks is fine) and tile/slate for the roof. The roof must be 30% or more to prevent frost/snow lifting the tiles off.
    I didn't know you were North American, viewcode, using words like "gotten". 😊
    Gotten is archaic English.

    https://www.proseworks.co.uk/americanismshave-they-got-or-gotten-out-of-hand/#:~:text=History of the word gotten&text=Well things aren't actually,hath gotten London Bridge').

    Not entirely. Ill-gotten is still SE.
  • OmniumOmnium Posts: 11,313

    I can remember being ridiculed before the election for saying that Keir Starmer's election would represent a shift to the right in British politics, but it is now surely beyond any doubt that this is what has happened with objectively the most right-wing government for several decades at least.

    Starmer has graduated from ramping up deportations to slashing the aid budget and beefing up the military. As we know, the slide into right-wing dictatorship doesn't happen overnight, but we should beware of thinking that it can't happen here.

    These are interesting thoughts.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 53,989
    glw said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Nigelb said:

    FT Exclusive: Peter Navarro, one of the US president’s closest advisers, is pushing for the US to remove Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network..
    https://x.com/FT/status/1894410479923077584

    ... with Russia to replace them ?

    I still don't understand why the Trump regime dislikes Canada so much.
    It's not dislike. He covets Canada. As to why, look at a map of the North Pole and then imagine the US and Russia are going to divide the area inside the Arctic Circle up between them for the fossil fuels and minerals found within. The US claims would be a hell of a lot stronger if they added Canada and Greenland to Alaska. Greed driven conquest is what is going on.
    Alternatively, he could just completely fuck over Russia - and buy all their shares for pennies on the pound.

    Which looked to be the Biden plan.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 33,904
    edited February 25
    glw said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Nigelb said:

    FT Exclusive: Peter Navarro, one of the US president’s closest advisers, is pushing for the US to remove Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network..
    https://x.com/FT/status/1894410479923077584

    ... with Russia to replace them ?

    I still don't understand why the Trump regime dislikes Canada so much.
    It's not dislike. He covets Canada. As to why, look at a map of the North Pole and then imagine the US and Russia are going to divide the area inside the Arctic Circle up between them for the fossil fuels and minerals found within. The US claims would be a hell of a lot stronger if they added Canada and Greenland to Alaska. Greed driven conquest is what is going on.
    He's not really thinking of invading Canada surely?
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,189
    ...
    kinabalu said:

    Leon said:

    What gets me is that PB, surely the most intense concentration of autism in human history - a kind of super black hole of neurodivergents wearing black jeans that don’t reach their ankles and yet are belted around the waist - have the spergy gall to diss Elon “going to Mars” Musk for being “socially awkward and unsuccessful”

    I've just sussed your definition of "boring" - it means not being convinced about LAB LEAK.

    Busted.
    It's not a bad marker of a certain type of person that is it? You need to be an ultra-conformist, instinctively pro-state, and have great difficulty acknowledging a situation where the state might wilfully deceive. And you must be willing to argue passionately that black is in fact white for your chosen tribe. See also the type of person who claims Donald Trump is clearly on the point of death but my, isn't Joe Biden looking spry and sharp (as he wanders into a plane he just got out of).
  • maxhmaxh Posts: 1,546

    ...

    kinabalu said:

    Leon said:

    What gets me is that PB, surely the most intense concentration of autism in human history - a kind of super black hole of neurodivergents wearing black jeans that don’t reach their ankles and yet are belted around the waist - have the spergy gall to diss Elon “going to Mars” Musk for being “socially awkward and unsuccessful”

    I've just sussed your definition of "boring" - it means not being convinced about LAB LEAK.

    Busted.
    It's not a bad marker of a certain type of person that is it? You need to be an ultra-conformist, instinctively pro-state, and have great difficulty acknowledging a situation where the state might wilfully deceive. And you must be willing to argue passionately that black is in fact white for your chosen tribe. See also the type of person who claims Donald Trump is clearly on the point of death but my, isn't Joe Biden looking spry and sharp (as he wanders into a plane he just got out of).
    Or see also the sort of person who imagines imaginary men composed mostly of straw.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,816
    Andy_JS said:

    Nigelb said:

    FT Exclusive: Peter Navarro, one of the US president’s closest advisers, is pushing for the US to remove Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network..
    https://x.com/FT/status/1894410479923077584

    ... with Russia to replace them ?

    I still don't understand why the Trump regime dislikes Canada so much.
    Canadian politicians are soaring in popularity by engaging in an ever escalating competitive game of telling Donnie to fuck himself. Harder, longer and with more inventive implements.
    Doug Ford kicked it off.
    Canadian TV is received across a fair amount of the States.
    Booing their anthem can't be hidden. It's almost as if they don't want to be American.
    Such insolence enrages champions of free speech.
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 13,054
    Andy_JS said:

    viewcode said:

    Off topic: (But a subject you often discuss.) I doubt if I have persuaded anyone here that factory-built homes should be part of the solution to the UK housing shortage. So here are some examples showing what is available now from Amazon:
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/you-can-buy-a-2-story-tiny-home-with-floor-to-ceiling-windows-a-spacious-kitchen-and-a-balcony-at-amazon/ar-AA1zJWfH?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=5fcd347a023b4dedbee7a07915ce14d1&ei=35

    "Amazon has made securing a tiny home as easy as clicking “add to cart,” and then expanding your new home upon delivery day. Whether you’re looking to purchase your first home, downsize, or tack on square footage to your existing home with an office or mother-in-law suite, a tiny house can be a great option, and Amazon has no shortage to choose from.

    Our latest tiny home discovery is a spacious two-story model, which includes all the practical accessories, like plumbing and electrical, to make it move-in ready. The customizable pick starts at less than $35,000 — a fraction of the price of a traditional home. "

    There are two models shown in the article, which cost even less. And here's a question for those of you who know something about housing costs in the UK: What would a house of a similar size and quality, built on site, cost in the UK. Roughly.

    It doesn't work in the UK sir, for the following reasons

    * Land on which you are allowed to build is inordinately expensive
    * Money to build a house is usually gotten by loans, and lenders are far less likely to lend on homes if they are nontraditional[1] construction. Specialist lenders exist, but they are more expensive

    In short self-build in the UK is the province of the very well-off, or people who are able to take months/years off to do it themselves, or crazies who will build homes out of tyres and bottles. You may have seen the British TV program called "Grand Designs", who invariably involved a wealthy person with large credit card limits taking on a job, fucking it up totally, being rescued by their wealthy parents, going £100K over budget and saying they "worked hard", whilst I stick pins in dolls of Kevin McCloud and scream into the void.

    One of the PBers (@MattW?) is a mod on BuildHub.org.uk and may be able to give you up-to-date numbers on build.

    Notes
    [1] In this context, "traditional" construction uses vernacular materials or more generally brick/stone for the walls (interior core with breezeblocks is fine) and tile/slate for the roof. The roof must be 30% or more to prevent frost/snow lifting the tiles off.
    I didn't know you were North American, viewcode, using words like "gotten". 😊
    “Both got and gotten existed as far back as Middle English. English speakers in North America preserved gotten as the past participle of get. Outside of North America, the shortened version became standard.”

    Maybe viewcode is just using Middle English.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,189
    maxh said:

    ...

    kinabalu said:

    Leon said:

    What gets me is that PB, surely the most intense concentration of autism in human history - a kind of super black hole of neurodivergents wearing black jeans that don’t reach their ankles and yet are belted around the waist - have the spergy gall to diss Elon “going to Mars” Musk for being “socially awkward and unsuccessful”

    I've just sussed your definition of "boring" - it means not being convinced about LAB LEAK.

    Busted.
    It's not a bad marker of a certain type of person that is it? You need to be an ultra-conformist, instinctively pro-state, and have great difficulty acknowledging a situation where the state might wilfully deceive. And you must be willing to argue passionately that black is in fact white for your chosen tribe. See also the type of person who claims Donald Trump is clearly on the point of death but my, isn't Joe Biden looking spry and sharp (as he wanders into a plane he just got out of).
    Or see also the sort of person who imagines imaginary men composed mostly of straw.
    I'm sorry but I just can't see how someone arguing against lab leak is doing so in good faith. That's frustrating to me because what's the point? I come here to enjoy a full and frank debate with people of a variety of views, not to be fed a party line. It's silly and a waste of time.
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 13,054
    dixiedean said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Nigelb said:

    FT Exclusive: Peter Navarro, one of the US president’s closest advisers, is pushing for the US to remove Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network..
    https://x.com/FT/status/1894410479923077584

    ... with Russia to replace them ?

    I still don't understand why the Trump regime dislikes Canada so much.
    Canadian politicians are soaring in popularity by engaging in an ever escalating competitive game of telling Donnie to fuck himself. Harder, longer and with more inventive implements.
    Doug Ford kicked it off.
    Canadian TV is received across a fair amount of the States.
    Booing their anthem can't be hidden. It's almost as if they don't want to be American.
    Such insolence enrages champions of free speech.
    Not being American is a defining part of Canadian national identity. It’s possibly the defining feature of Canadian identity.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,234
    '64% of Britons support government proposals to allow police to search homes without a warrant if electronic tracking suggests stolen property (like phones and bicycles) may be present there.'

    80% of Tory voters, 68% of LDs, 65% of Labour voters and 64% of Reform voters in favour

    https://x.com/YouGov/status/1894420141087014946
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,406
    Andy_JS said:

    glw said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Nigelb said:

    FT Exclusive: Peter Navarro, one of the US president’s closest advisers, is pushing for the US to remove Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network..
    https://x.com/FT/status/1894410479923077584

    ... with Russia to replace them ?

    I still don't understand why the Trump regime dislikes Canada so much.
    It's not dislike. He covets Canada. As to why, look at a map of the North Pole and then imagine the US and Russia are going to divide the area inside the Arctic Circle up between them for the fossil fuels and minerals found within. The US claims would be a hell of a lot stronger if they added Canada and Greenland to Alaska. Greed driven conquest is what is going on.
    He's not really thinking of invading Canada surely?
    Why do you not believe Trump when he says there things?
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 13,054

    maxh said:

    ...

    kinabalu said:

    Leon said:

    What gets me is that PB, surely the most intense concentration of autism in human history - a kind of super black hole of neurodivergents wearing black jeans that don’t reach their ankles and yet are belted around the waist - have the spergy gall to diss Elon “going to Mars” Musk for being “socially awkward and unsuccessful”

    I've just sussed your definition of "boring" - it means not being convinced about LAB LEAK.

    Busted.
    It's not a bad marker of a certain type of person that is it? You need to be an ultra-conformist, instinctively pro-state, and have great difficulty acknowledging a situation where the state might wilfully deceive. And you must be willing to argue passionately that black is in fact white for your chosen tribe. See also the type of person who claims Donald Trump is clearly on the point of death but my, isn't Joe Biden looking spry and sharp (as he wanders into a plane he just got out of).
    Or see also the sort of person who imagines imaginary men composed mostly of straw.
    I'm sorry but I just can't see how someone arguing against lab leak is doing so in good faith. That's frustrating to me because what's the point? I come here to enjoy a full and frank debate with people of a variety of views, not to be fed a party line. It's silly and a waste of time.
    You must live in a populist bubble if you think that way. Try engaging with the real world?
  • OmniumOmnium Posts: 11,313
    edited February 25
    A long time ago in a universe far away the LDs were a thing. You can currently back them at 70s on BF (69-1)

    I've got about 70 quid on them at around 80s, so I'm talking my book, but what does it take for the LDs to re-emerge?

    In the grand competition I have them capped at 17%. Still my 'most likely' view.

    Edit: The BF most seats market.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,606

    Andy_JS said:

    viewcode said:

    Off topic: (But a subject you often discuss.) I doubt if I have persuaded anyone here that factory-built homes should be part of the solution to the UK housing shortage. So here are some examples showing what is available now from Amazon:
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/you-can-buy-a-2-story-tiny-home-with-floor-to-ceiling-windows-a-spacious-kitchen-and-a-balcony-at-amazon/ar-AA1zJWfH?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=5fcd347a023b4dedbee7a07915ce14d1&ei=35

    "Amazon has made securing a tiny home as easy as clicking “add to cart,” and then expanding your new home upon delivery day. Whether you’re looking to purchase your first home, downsize, or tack on square footage to your existing home with an office or mother-in-law suite, a tiny house can be a great option, and Amazon has no shortage to choose from.

    Our latest tiny home discovery is a spacious two-story model, which includes all the practical accessories, like plumbing and electrical, to make it move-in ready. The customizable pick starts at less than $35,000 — a fraction of the price of a traditional home. "

    There are two models shown in the article, which cost even less. And here's a question for those of you who know something about housing costs in the UK: What would a house of a similar size and quality, built on site, cost in the UK. Roughly.

    It doesn't work in the UK sir, for the following reasons

    * Land on which you are allowed to build is inordinately expensive
    * Money to build a house is usually gotten by loans, and lenders are far less likely to lend on homes if they are nontraditional[1] construction. Specialist lenders exist, but they are more expensive

    In short self-build in the UK is the province of the very well-off, or people who are able to take months/years off to do it themselves, or crazies who will build homes out of tyres and bottles. You may have seen the British TV program called "Grand Designs", who invariably involved a wealthy person with large credit card limits taking on a job, fucking it up totally, being rescued by their wealthy parents, going £100K over budget and saying they "worked hard", whilst I stick pins in dolls of Kevin McCloud and scream into the void.

    One of the PBers (@MattW?) is a mod on BuildHub.org.uk and may be able to give you up-to-date numbers on build.

    Notes
    [1] In this context, "traditional" construction uses vernacular materials or more generally brick/stone for the walls (interior core with breezeblocks is fine) and tile/slate for the roof. The roof must be 30% or more to prevent frost/snow lifting the tiles off.
    I didn't know you were North American, viewcode, using words like "gotten". 😊
    “Both got and gotten existed as far back as Middle English. English speakers in North America preserved gotten as the past participle of get. Outside of North America, the shortened version became standard.”

    Maybe viewcode is just using Middle English.
    Or he's a hobbit?
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,234
    Omnium said:

    A long time ago in a universe far away the LDs were a thing. You can currently back them at 70s on BF (69-1)

    I've got about 70 quid on them at around 80s, so I'm talking my book, but what does it take for the LDs to re-emerge?

    In the grand competition I have them capped at 17%. Still my 'most likely' view.

    On current polls it will either be a Labour minority government propped up by the LDs or a Tory and Reform government. So they could well be in government next time for the first time since 2010-15
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 64,665
    Tim Miller
    @Timodc
    ·
    3h
    What is the point of us doing intelligence sharing at all anymore since we are on the side of Russia? Maybe Tulsi can create a new 5 eyes with RUS/NK/Hungary/Saudi Arabia

    https://x.com/Timodc/status/1894429508175843382
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 33,904
    HYUFD said:

    '64% of Britons support government proposals to allow police to search homes without a warrant if electronic tracking suggests stolen property (like phones and bicycles) may be present there.'

    80% of Tory voters, 68% of LDs, 65% of Labour voters and 64% of Reform voters in favour

    https://x.com/YouGov/status/1894420141087014946

    This just shows how illiberal people have become today. Another "accomplishment" of the hyper-liberals.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,189

    maxh said:

    ...

    kinabalu said:

    Leon said:

    What gets me is that PB, surely the most intense concentration of autism in human history - a kind of super black hole of neurodivergents wearing black jeans that don’t reach their ankles and yet are belted around the waist - have the spergy gall to diss Elon “going to Mars” Musk for being “socially awkward and unsuccessful”

    I've just sussed your definition of "boring" - it means not being convinced about LAB LEAK.

    Busted.
    It's not a bad marker of a certain type of person that is it? You need to be an ultra-conformist, instinctively pro-state, and have great difficulty acknowledging a situation where the state might wilfully deceive. And you must be willing to argue passionately that black is in fact white for your chosen tribe. See also the type of person who claims Donald Trump is clearly on the point of death but my, isn't Joe Biden looking spry and sharp (as he wanders into a plane he just got out of).
    Or see also the sort of person who imagines imaginary men composed mostly of straw.
    I'm sorry but I just can't see how someone arguing against lab leak is doing so in good faith. That's frustrating to me because what's the point? I come here to enjoy a full and frank debate with people of a variety of views, not to be fed a party line. It's silly and a waste of time.
    You must live in a populist bubble if you think that way. Try engaging with the real world?
    Meh.
  • maxhmaxh Posts: 1,546

    maxh said:

    ...

    kinabalu said:

    Leon said:

    What gets me is that PB, surely the most intense concentration of autism in human history - a kind of super black hole of neurodivergents wearing black jeans that don’t reach their ankles and yet are belted around the waist - have the spergy gall to diss Elon “going to Mars” Musk for being “socially awkward and unsuccessful”

    I've just sussed your definition of "boring" - it means not being convinced about LAB LEAK.

    Busted.
    It's not a bad marker of a certain type of person that is it? You need to be an ultra-conformist, instinctively pro-state, and have great difficulty acknowledging a situation where the state might wilfully deceive. And you must be willing to argue passionately that black is in fact white for your chosen tribe. See also the type of person who claims Donald Trump is clearly on the point of death but my, isn't Joe Biden looking spry and sharp (as he wanders into a plane he just got out of).
    Or see also the sort of person who imagines imaginary men composed mostly of straw.
    I'm sorry but I just can't see how someone arguing against lab leak is doing so in good faith. That's frustrating to me because what's the point? I come here to enjoy a full and frank debate with people of a variety of views, not to be fed a party line. It's silly and a waste of time.
    To be honest I was referring to the person who claims Biden was in full health as Trump was at deaths door. I have never met this person and I doubt you have either.

    On the lab leak I haven't looked into it sufficiently to form a view though I have some sympathy with your claim that some will refuse to consider the idea because they are too emotionally invested in the dominant narrative during COVID. Expressing a high degree of confidence either way seems misplaced in my view.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,606
    edited February 25
    Andy_JS said:

    HYUFD said:

    '64% of Britons support government proposals to allow police to search homes without a warrant if electronic tracking suggests stolen property (like phones and bicycles) may be present there.'

    80% of Tory voters, 68% of LDs, 65% of Labour voters and 64% of Reform voters in favour

    https://x.com/YouGov/status/1894420141087014946

    This just shows how illiberal people have become today. Another "accomplishment" of the hyper-liberals.
    No, it's been a standard complaint of the right [edit: and of the centre and left] that the police don't do anything when this sort of thing is reported.

    I suppose that the lack of need for a warrant is justified cos it's so obvious - like a PC being told by a witness of stolen property being taken somewhere.

    Not entirely sure myself, partly cos they so often CBA at the moment.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 64,665
    Foxy said:

    Andy_JS said:

    glw said:

    Andy_JS said:

    Nigelb said:

    FT Exclusive: Peter Navarro, one of the US president’s closest advisers, is pushing for the US to remove Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network..
    https://x.com/FT/status/1894410479923077584

    ... with Russia to replace them ?

    I still don't understand why the Trump regime dislikes Canada so much.
    It's not dislike. He covets Canada. As to why, look at a map of the North Pole and then imagine the US and Russia are going to divide the area inside the Arctic Circle up between them for the fossil fuels and minerals found within. The US claims would be a hell of a lot stronger if they added Canada and Greenland to Alaska. Greed driven conquest is what is going on.
    He's not really thinking of invading Canada surely?
    Why do you not believe Trump when he says there things?
    Exactly.

    He has been telling the american people exactly what he will do all through this POTUS run and when elected.

  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 13,054
    Andy_JS said:

    HYUFD said:

    '64% of Britons support government proposals to allow police to search homes without a warrant if electronic tracking suggests stolen property (like phones and bicycles) may be present there.'

    80% of Tory voters, 68% of LDs, 65% of Labour voters and 64% of Reform voters in favour

    https://x.com/YouGov/status/1894420141087014946

    This just shows how illiberal people have become today. Another "accomplishment" of the hyper-liberals.
    Seems more likely to be an accomplishment of the right-wing press banging on about thefts all the time and complaining the police don’t do enough because they are held back by namby-pamby human rights.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,234
    edited February 25
    algarkirk said:

    TimS said:

    A friend of mine today described the Pope, with his complexion and his silly little hat, as looking like a pallid pepperami.

    Which I thought was quite brilliant.

    I was in a briefing call with a journalist today who said she couldn’t confirm an upcoming diary appointment because “I’m on standby for papal duties and may need to go out to Rome for a couple of weeks of it happens”.
    It's remarkable it's still considered such a big story.

    Firstly, we're not a Catholic country and, secondly, Popes pop off every 10-12 years anyway, due to their age, so it's hardly like the death of a long beloved monarch or global leader.
    Numbers and meanings are very flexible, but there's over a billion catholics in the world, and 5 million or so in the UK (but not me). The pope heads up the largest branch of what is easily the largest identifiable organisational grouping within humanity - Christians. I am a non RC Christian. All the non RC Christians I know highly respect both the pope and the Catholic community.
    Not all do, the late Reverend Paisley like Cramner literally thought the Pope was the antichrist

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlbmIMbKZa4
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,234
    Andy_JS said:

    HYUFD said:

    '64% of Britons support government proposals to allow police to search homes without a warrant if electronic tracking suggests stolen property (like phones and bicycles) may be present there.'

    80% of Tory voters, 68% of LDs, 65% of Labour voters and 64% of Reform voters in favour

    https://x.com/YouGov/status/1894420141087014946

    This just shows how illiberal people have become today. Another "accomplishment" of the hyper-liberals.
    If your phone had been stolen and there was evidence it might be at such a property you might feel different
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 54,141
    https://x.com/christopherjm/status/1894457410363773174

    SCOOP: Kyiv has agreed terms with Washington on a minerals deal that Ukrainian officials hope will improve relations with the Trump administration and pave the way for a long-term US security commitment. Ukrainian officials say Kyiv is now ready to sign.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,606
    HYUFD said:

    algarkirk said:

    TimS said:

    A friend of mine today described the Pope, with his complexion and his silly little hat, as looking like a pallid pepperami.

    Which I thought was quite brilliant.

    I was in a briefing call with a journalist today who said she couldn’t confirm an upcoming diary appointment because “I’m on standby for papal duties and may need to go out to Rome for a couple of weeks of it happens”.
    It's remarkable it's still considered such a big story.

    Firstly, we're not a Catholic country and, secondly, Popes pop off every 10-12 years anyway, due to their age, so it's hardly like the death of a long beloved monarch or global leader.
    Numbers and meanings are very flexible, but there's over a billion catholics in the world, and 5 million or so in the UK (but not me). The pope heads up the largest branch of what is easily the largest identifiable organisational grouping within humanity - Christians. I am a non RC Christian. All the non RC Christians I know highly respect both the pope and the Catholic community.
    Not all do, the late Reverend Paisley literally thought the Pope was the antichrist

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlbmIMbKZa4
    Amazing what you can do with an ouija board to demonstrate his current thinking.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 25,707
    edited February 25
    Carnyx said:

    Foxy said:

    Andy_JS said:

    viewcode said:

    Off topic: (But a subject you often discuss.) I doubt if I have persuaded anyone here that factory-built homes should be part of the solution to the UK housing shortage. So here are some examples showing what is available now from Amazon:
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/you-can-buy-a-2-story-tiny-home-with-floor-to-ceiling-windows-a-spacious-kitchen-and-a-balcony-at-amazon/ar-AA1zJWfH?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=5fcd347a023b4dedbee7a07915ce14d1&ei=35

    "Amazon has made securing a tiny home as easy as clicking “add to cart,” and then expanding your new home upon delivery day. Whether you’re looking to purchase your first home, downsize, or tack on square footage to your existing home with an office or mother-in-law suite, a tiny house can be a great option, and Amazon has no shortage to choose from.

    Our latest tiny home discovery is a spacious two-story model, which includes all the practical accessories, like plumbing and electrical, to make it move-in ready. The customizable pick starts at less than $35,000 — a fraction of the price of a traditional home. "

    There are two models shown in the article, which cost even less. And here's a question for those of you who know something about housing costs in the UK: What would a house of a similar size and quality, built on site, cost in the UK. Roughly.

    It doesn't work in the UK sir, for the following reasons

    * Land on which you are allowed to build is inordinately expensive
    * Money to build a house is usually gotten by loans, and lenders are far less likely to lend on homes if they are nontraditional[1] construction. Specialist lenders exist, but they are more expensive

    In short self-build in the UK is the province of the very well-off, or people who are able to take months/years off to do it themselves, or crazies who will build homes out of tyres and bottles. You may have seen the British TV program called "Grand Designs", who invariably involved a wealthy person with large credit card limits taking on a job, fucking it up totally, being rescued by their wealthy parents, going £100K over budget and saying they "worked hard", whilst I stick pins in dolls of Kevin McCloud and scream into the void.

    One of the PBers (@MattW?) is a mod on BuildHub.org.uk and may be able to give you up-to-date numbers on build.

    Notes
    [1] In this context, "traditional" construction uses vernacular materials or more generally brick/stone for the walls (interior core with breezeblocks is fine) and tile/slate for the roof. The roof must be 30% or more to prevent frost/snow lifting the tiles off.
    I didn't know you were North American, viewcode, using words like "gotten". 😊
    Gotten is archaic English.

    https://www.proseworks.co.uk/americanismshave-they-got-or-gotten-out-of-hand/#:~:text=History of the word gotten&text=Well things aren't actually,hath gotten London Bridge').

    Not entirely. Ill-gotten is still SE.
    (Edited: quotes de-borked)

    (And @bondegezou )



    On factory build houses, they have always been a thing in modern times.

    It a balance between how big the pieces are built in the factory, and transporting them where they are going. At one end it is post-war prefabs (which you still in various places - typically bungalows *). The modern version of these is probably Park Homes.

    Then it is "cassettes", which are walls or floors.

    Then it is "room modules", which is how Travelodge and similar build their hotels. These and the previous may come with various levels of finish eg with cable runs inside the walls put in at the factory. Similar systems are used by social housing providers, build to let developers, student residence, or medium rise timber frame up to 6 stories companies, where it is uniform.

    Or "roof room" modules, which is how they rapidly add an extra Mansard storey. More of these are coming, as an extra storey is being made permitted development. The piccie below is an example.

    Back in the 1980s, my dad made an entire bungalow out of fibreglass - including a bathroom made literally with a single moulding.

    The famous HUF Haus that Kevin McLoud wet his pants about is a "predesign, premanufacture, assemble on site" system which is distinctive for its 'single supplier' ethos.

    All timber frame is factory made to some extent. The best known to me is a factory called "Space 4" built in the late 1990s with a capacity of 8000 or so houses per annum. It is somewhere near Hinckley. I believe that Legal & General built their own factory when they started BTL. There will be others.

    If you have watched Grand Designs throughout, you will have seen a great zoo of different methods.

    * Mark Felton video on 1940s prefabs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f5jR1S-0sg
    * A modular loft article I wrote a few years ago in 2018. Piccie is from there. I just saw them when driving past.

    https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/blogs/entry/496-what-about-a-modular-loft/
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,234
    HYUFD said:

    algarkirk said:

    TimS said:

    A friend of mine today described the Pope, with his complexion and his silly little hat, as looking like a pallid pepperami.

    Which I thought was quite brilliant.

    I was in a briefing call with a journalist today who said she couldn’t confirm an upcoming diary appointment because “I’m on standby for papal duties and may need to go out to Rome for a couple of weeks of it happens”.
    It's remarkable it's still considered such a big story.

    Firstly, we're not a Catholic country and, secondly, Popes pop off every 10-12 years anyway, due to their age, so it's hardly like the death of a long beloved monarch or global leader.
    Numbers and meanings are very flexible, but there's over a billion catholics in the world, and 5 million or so in the UK (but not me). The pope heads up the largest branch of what is easily the largest identifiable organisational grouping within humanity - Christians. I am a non RC Christian. All the non RC Christians I know highly respect both the pope and the Catholic community.
    Not all do, the late Reverend Paisley like Cramner literally thought the Pope was the antichrist

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlbmIMbKZa4
    Pope Francis is also relatively popular with progressives as he is a more liberal Pope, Pope Benedict, a more conservative Pope was less popular with them
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 44,606
    MattW said:

    Carnyx said:

    Foxy said:

    Andy_JS said:

    viewcode said:

    Off topic: (But a subject you often discuss.) I doubt if I have persuaded anyone here that factory-built homes should be part of the solution to the UK housing shortage. So here are some examples showing what is available now from Amazon:
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/you-can-buy-a-2-story-tiny-home-with-floor-to-ceiling-windows-a-spacious-kitchen-and-a-balcony-at-amazon/ar-AA1zJWfH?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=5fcd347a023b4dedbee7a07915ce14d1&ei=35

    "Amazon has made securing a tiny home as easy as clicking “add to cart,” and then expanding your new home upon delivery day. Whether you’re looking to purchase your first home, downsize, or tack on square footage to your existing home with an office or mother-in-law suite, a tiny house can be a great option, and Amazon has no shortage to choose from.

    Our latest tiny home discovery is a spacious two-story model, which includes all the practical accessories, like plumbing and electrical, to make it move-in ready. The customizable pick starts at less than $35,000 — a fraction of the price of a traditional home. "

    There are two models shown in the article, which cost even less. And here's a question for those of you who know something about housing costs in the UK: What would a house of a similar size and quality, built on site, cost in the UK. Roughly.

    It doesn't work in the UK sir, for the following reasons

    * Land on which you are allowed to build is inordinately expensive
    * Money to build a house is usually gotten by loans, and lenders are far less likely to lend on homes if they are nontraditional[1] construction. Specialist lenders exist, but they are more expensive

    In short self-build in the UK is the province of the very well-off, or people who are able to take months/years off to do it themselves, or crazies who will build homes out of tyres and bottles. You may have seen the British TV program called "Grand Designs", who invariably involved a wealthy person with large credit card limits taking on a job, fucking it up totally, being rescued by their wealthy parents, going £100K over budget and saying they "worked hard", whilst I stick pins in dolls of Kevin McCloud and scream into the void.

    One of the PBers (@MattW?) is a mod on BuildHub.org.uk and may be able to give you up-to-date numbers on build.

    Notes
    [1] In this context, "traditional" construction uses vernacular materials or more generally brick/stone for the walls (interior core with breezeblocks is fine) and tile/slate for the roof. The roof must be 30% or more to prevent frost/snow lifting the tiles off.
    I didn't know you were North American, viewcode, using words like "gotten". 😊
    Gotten is archaic English.

    https://www.proseworks.co.uk/americanismshave-they-got-or-gotten-out-of-hand/#:~:text=History of the word gotten&text=Well things aren't actually,hath gotten London Bridge').

    (And @bondegezou )



    Not entirely. Ill-gotten is still SE.
    On factory build houses, they have always been a thing in modern times.

    It a balance between how big the pieces are built in the factory, and transporting them where they are going. At one end it is post-war prefabs (which you still in various places - typically bungalows *). The modern version of these is probably Park Homes.

    Then it is "cassettes", which are walls or floors.

    Then it is "room modules", which is how Travelodge and similar build their hotels. These and the previous may come with various levels of finish eg with cable runs inside the walls put in at the factory. Similar systems are used by social housing providers, build to let developers, student residence, or medium rise timber frame up to 6 stories companies, where it is uniform.

    Or "roof room" modules, which is how they rapidly add an extra Mansard storey. More of these are coming, as an extra storey is being made permitted development. The piccie below is an example.

    Back in the 1980s, my dad made an entire bungalow out of fibreglass - including a bathroom made literally with a single moulding.

    The famous HUF Haus that Kevin McLoud wet his pants about is a "predesign, premanufacture, assemble on site" system which is distinctive it's 'single supplier' ethos.

    All timber frame is factory made to some extent. The best known to me is a factory called "Space 4" built in the late 1990s with a capacity of 8000 or so houses per annum. It is somewhere near Hinckley. I believe that Legal & General built their own factory when they started BTL. There will be others.

    If you have watched Grand Designs throughout, you will have seen a great zoo of different methods.

    * Mark Felton video on 1940s prefabs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f5jR1S-0sg
    * A modular loft article I wrote a few years ago in 2018. Piccie is from there. I just saw them when driving past.

    https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/blogs/entry/496-what-about-a-modular-loft/
    That's\ really interesting.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 33,904
    Starmer has already proven that he's a lot smarter than his equivalents in the Democrat party in the US. If you don't want to end up with people like Trump and Musk runnings things you have to make decisions like the ones he's made today.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,234
    edited February 25
    Andy_JS said:

    Starmer has already proven that he's a lot smarter than his equivalents in the Democrat party in the US. If you don't want to end up with people like Trump and Musk runnings things you have to make decisions like the ones he's made today.

    Biden and the Democrats spent over 3% of gdp on defence, Trump wants to cut spending on overseas military involvement and increase it on US border security. Though like Starmer Trump is also cutting overseas aid
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 35,098
    edited February 25

    maxh said:

    ...

    kinabalu said:

    Leon said:

    What gets me is that PB, surely the most intense concentration of autism in human history - a kind of super black hole of neurodivergents wearing black jeans that don’t reach their ankles and yet are belted around the waist - have the spergy gall to diss Elon “going to Mars” Musk for being “socially awkward and unsuccessful”

    I've just sussed your definition of "boring" - it means not being convinced about LAB LEAK.

    Busted.
    It's not a bad marker of a certain type of person that is it? You need to be an ultra-conformist, instinctively pro-state, and have great difficulty acknowledging a situation where the state might wilfully deceive. And you must be willing to argue passionately that black is in fact white for your chosen tribe. See also the type of person who claims Donald Trump is clearly on the point of death but my, isn't Joe Biden looking spry and sharp (as he wanders into a plane he just got out of).
    Or see also the sort of person who imagines imaginary men composed mostly of straw.
    I'm sorry but I just can't see how someone arguing against lab leak is doing so in good faith. That's frustrating to me because what's the point? I come here to enjoy a full and frank debate with people of a variety of views, not to be fed a party line. It's silly and a waste of time.
    Surely your first sentence defines you as somebody with a closed mind. You 'come here to enjoy a full and frank debate'... so long as it's not with people who disagree with you.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 33,904
    edited February 25
    Leon said:

    What gets me is that PB, surely the most intense concentration of autism in human history - a kind of super black hole of neurodivergents wearing black jeans that don’t reach their ankles and yet are belted around the waist - have the spergy gall to diss Elon “going to Mars” Musk for being “socially awkward and unsuccessful”

    Probably why we don't get many women on here. Plato was an exception.
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 16,261

    Cicero said:

    Andy_JS said:

    I can remember being ridiculed before the election for saying that Keir Starmer's election would represent a shift to the right in British politics, but it is now surely beyond any doubt that this is what has happened with objectively the most right-wing government for several decades at least.

    Starmer has graduated from ramping up deportations to slashing the aid budget and beefing up the military. As we know, the slide into right-wing dictatorship doesn't happen overnight, but we should beware of thinking that it can't happen here.

    It really does beggar belief that Labour are doing things the Conservatives couldn't bring themselves to do for 14 years.

    The only conclusion I can reach is that, fundamentally, the Conservatives were deeply embarrassed at being as such in their middle-class/establishment social circles, lacked the courage of their convictions, and constantly felt the need to qualify themselves.
    It could also be that the machinery of government somehow "refused" to carry out the government's policies when the Tories were in charge, but they do with Labour running things.
    This is good example of the right wing paranoia that has already driven the Tories insane. The should reflect on their own failings before distributing the blame. The truth is that the Tories had a nervous breakdown after Brexit and it does not look like its going to recover. When Conservatives cease to believe in the value of institutions, they end up believing in any old rubbish. That judges, generals or doctors are left wing woke warriors, that civil servants are a blob committed to Tory destruction or that Nigel Farage is anything except a crooked and quite possibly treacherous charlatan.
    Nah, he's right.

    It's reflective of the general leftwards drift of the class of tertiary educated/ internationalist people who now staff such institutions.
    Isn't this just the mirror image of Corbynistas who accuse everyone of being a Tory?
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 64,665
    Andy_JS said:

    Starmer has already proven that he's a lot smarter than his equivalents in the Democrat party in the US. If you don't want to end up with people like Trump and Musk runnings things you have to make decisions like the ones he's made today.

    It certainly has the whiff of Morgan and Blue Labour.

    If that's a small step to what it takes to stop Farage/Musk becoming PM in 2029 then it is sufficient unto the day.

  • Andy_JS said:

    Starmer has already proven that he's a lot smarter than his equivalents in the Democrat party in the US. If you don't want to end up with people like Trump and Musk runnings things you have to make decisions like the ones he's made today.

    How the Dems respond is going to be interesting.

    I wonder how many will prefer to head deeper into the echo chamber of trans rights and unrestricted abortion.

    For those who think they need to be moderate then perhaps they should ask Manchin and Sinema what went wrong.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,197
    Paradise is a lot better than I thought it would be after the first couple of episodes.
    Anyone else watching ?
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 16,261
    Totally off topic... on the train home today, a kid got on, sat diagonally opposite, put his feet on the seat next to me, then when I got up to get off at my stop barely moved out of the way to let me past. How delightful, I thought, noting the crest of one of the local private schools on his tracksuit. Whatever his parents are paying them to teach him, it certainly isn't good manners.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 58,835

    Andy_JS said:

    Starmer has already proven that he's a lot smarter than his equivalents in the Democrat party in the US. If you don't want to end up with people like Trump and Musk runnings things you have to make decisions like the ones he's made today.

    How the Dems respond is going to be interesting.

    I wonder how many will prefer to head deeper into the echo chamber of trans rights and unrestricted abortion.

    For those who think they need to be moderate then perhaps they should ask Manchin and Sinema what went wrong.
    The problem, of course, is oppositionalism... if Trump is for it, we're against it. (Not that Trump isn't guilty of that too, of course.)

  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,234

    Andy_JS said:

    Starmer has already proven that he's a lot smarter than his equivalents in the Democrat party in the US. If you don't want to end up with people like Trump and Musk runnings things you have to make decisions like the ones he's made today.

    How the Dems respond is going to be interesting.

    I wonder how many will prefer to head deeper into the echo chamber of trans rights and unrestricted abortion.

    For those who think they need to be moderate then perhaps they should ask Manchin and Sinema what went wrong.
    The 2026 and 2028 elections will be decided most on the impact of Trump's tariffs on cost of living, what the Dems do will make not much more than a few percent difference at most
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,234

    Totally off topic... on the train home today, a kid got on, sat diagonally opposite, put his feet on the seat next to me, then when I got up to get off at my stop barely moved out of the way to let me past. How delightful, I thought, noting the crest of one of the local private schools on his tracksuit. Whatever his parents are paying them to teach him, it certainly isn't good manners.

    So he still moved out of the way then
  • MattWMattW Posts: 25,707
    edited February 25
    Carnyx said:

    MattW said:

    Carnyx said:

    Foxy said:

    Andy_JS said:

    viewcode said:

    Off topic: (But a subject you often discuss.) I doubt if I have persuaded anyone here that factory-built homes should be part of the solution to the UK housing shortage. So here are some examples showing what is available now from Amazon:
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/you-can-buy-a-2-story-tiny-home-with-floor-to-ceiling-windows-a-spacious-kitchen-and-a-balcony-at-amazon/ar-AA1zJWfH?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=5fcd347a023b4dedbee7a07915ce14d1&ei=35

    "Amazon has made securing a tiny home as easy as clicking “add to cart,” and then expanding your new home upon delivery day. Whether you’re looking to purchase your first home, downsize, or tack on square footage to your existing home with an office or mother-in-law suite, a tiny house can be a great option, and Amazon has no shortage to choose from.

    Our latest tiny home discovery is a spacious two-story model, which includes all the practical accessories, like plumbing and electrical, to make it move-in ready. The customizable pick starts at less than $35,000 — a fraction of the price of a traditional home. "

    There are two models shown in the article, which cost even less. And here's a question for those of you who know something about housing costs in the UK: What would a house of a similar size and quality, built on site, cost in the UK. Roughly.

    It doesn't work in the UK sir, for the following reasons

    * Land on which you are allowed to build is inordinately expensive
    * Money to build a house is usually gotten by loans, and lenders are far less likely to lend on homes if they are nontraditional[1] construction. Specialist lenders exist, but they are more expensive

    In short self-build in the UK is the province of the very well-off, or people who are able to take months/years off to do it themselves, or crazies who will build homes out of tyres and bottles. You may have seen the British TV program called "Grand Designs", who invariably involved a wealthy person with large credit card limits taking on a job, fucking it up totally, being rescued by their wealthy parents, going £100K over budget and saying they "worked hard", whilst I stick pins in dolls of Kevin McCloud and scream into the void.

    One of the PBers (@MattW?) is a mod on BuildHub.org.uk and may be able to give you up-to-date numbers on build.

    Notes
    [1] In this context, "traditional" construction uses vernacular materials or more generally brick/stone for the walls (interior core with breezeblocks is fine) and tile/slate for the roof. The roof must be 30% or more to prevent frost/snow lifting the tiles off.
    I didn't know you were North American, viewcode, using words like "gotten". 😊
    Gotten is archaic English.

    https://www.proseworks.co.uk/americanismshave-they-got-or-gotten-out-of-hand/#:~:text=History of the word gotten&text=Well things aren't actually,hath gotten London Bridge').

    (And @bondegezou )



    Not entirely. Ill-gotten is still SE.
    On factory build houses, they have always been a thing in modern times.

    It a balance between how big the pieces are built in the factory, and transporting them where they are going. At one end it is post-war prefabs (which you still in various places - typically bungalows *). The modern version of these is probably Park Homes.

    Then it is "cassettes", which are walls or floors.

    Then it is "room modules", which is how Travelodge and similar build their hotels. These and the previous may come with various levels of finish eg with cable runs inside the walls put in at the factory. Similar systems are used by social housing providers, build to let developers, student residence, or medium rise timber frame up to 6 stories companies, where it is uniform.

    Or "roof room" modules, which is how they rapidly add an extra Mansard storey. More of these are coming, as an extra storey is being made permitted development. The piccie below is an example.

    Back in the 1980s, my dad made an entire bungalow out of fibreglass - including a bathroom made literally with a single moulding.

    The famous HUF Haus that Kevin McLoud wet his pants about is a "predesign, premanufacture, assemble on site" system which is distinctive it's 'single supplier' ethos.

    All timber frame is factory made to some extent. The best known to me is a factory called "Space 4" built in the late 1990s with a capacity of 8000 or so houses per annum. It is somewhere near Hinckley. I believe that Legal & General built their own factory when they started BTL. There will be others.

    If you have watched Grand Designs throughout, you will have seen a great zoo of different methods.

    * Mark Felton video on 1940s prefabs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f5jR1S-0sg
    * A modular loft article I wrote a few years ago in 2018. Piccie is from there. I just saw them when driving past.

    https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/blogs/entry/496-what-about-a-modular-loft/
    That's\ really interesting.
    If you are interested, there are scores of project build blogs over at Buildhub. Including one which is a hut at Carbeth built for around 10k. I linked to that before for the composting loo.

    Start page:
    https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/blogs/

    Or one of the best companies is called MBC timber frame, who do a thing called a "Passive Slab", and various performance level of shell, and will guarantee thermal performance - which has been their marketing distinctive for a decade. Their foundation beneath the concrete is basically ballast, pounded.

    https://mbctimberframe.co.uk/projects/

    Here is a full time lapse of one of their projects in Anglesey from site prep to structure - 5 minutes. It's not very pre-fab - more traditional timber frame in style, but interesting.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwwyKonO8c4
  • eekeek Posts: 29,397
    edited February 25

    Totally off topic... on the train home today, a kid got on, sat diagonally opposite, put his feet on the seat next to me, then when I got up to get off at my stop barely moved out of the way to let me past. How delightful, I thought, noting the crest of one of the local private schools on his tracksuit. Whatever his parents are paying them to teach him, it certainly isn't good manners.

    That's the sort of behaviour where I would be spending 5 minutes telling the school how badly behavoured their pupils are.

    Mind you I used to have to have an explicit exemption at my Grammar school when they banned pupils from entering various shops as they were my local shops. The funny thing was that I would always explicitly double check so they ended up just announcing the exemption to avoid my question.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 33,904
    "Allison Pearson
    Why I’ve decided to take legal action against the police

    Since I was confronted over a tweet, thousands more non-crime hate incidents have been recorded. Someone has to fight this nonsense" (£)

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/02/25/why-ive-decided-to-take-legal-action-against-police/
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 50,406

    Andy_JS said:

    Starmer has already proven that he's a lot smarter than his equivalents in the Democrat party in the US. If you don't want to end up with people like Trump and Musk runnings things you have to make decisions like the ones he's made today.

    It certainly has the whiff of Morgan and Blue Labour.

    If that's a small step to what it takes to stop Farage/Musk becoming PM in 2029 then it is sufficient unto the day.

    I don't think it will do that at all. Just piss off a lot of their own voters.
This discussion has been closed.