"Boy, 8, turned away by NHS because he is a private school pupil, amid claims by MPs that Labour's raid on fee-paying schools has triggered 'class war' and 'discrimination' in our public services"
Well, the Children and Families Act 2014 meant that educational services such as speech and languages therapy and occupational therapy provided by the local authority to state schools, aren’t available to non special independent schools
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
"Boy, 8, turned away by NHS because he is a private school pupil, amid claims by MPs that Labour's raid on fee-paying schools has triggered 'class war' and 'discrimination' in our public services"
Well, the Children and Families Act 2014 meant that educational services such as speech and languages therapy and occupational therapy provided by the local authority to state schools, aren’t available to non special independent schools
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
Indeed: hence the fact that China hasn't emptied as it has gotten richer
Can't help feeling the Trump sending the National Guard to LA is not going to lead to anything good. It feels not so much as a stunt as more like the beginning of a January 6th style confrontation with bloodshed a real possibility. The Dems need to tread very carefully- some kind of trap is being prepared.
"Boy, 8, turned away by NHS because he is a private school pupil, amid claims by MPs that Labour's raid on fee-paying schools has triggered 'class war' and 'discrimination' in our public services"
Well, the Children and Families Act 2014 meant that educational services such as speech and languages therapy and occupational therapy provided by the local authority to state schools, aren’t available to non special independent schools
That is a perfect description of almost every story in the Mail.
To a greater or lesser extent, it's true of most of the media these days- even the more wholesome bits. What is truly alarming is the extent to which the constraint of having some scrap of reality, however flimsy, is now an optional extra.
One of the bits of Young Adult fiction that has stuck with me as a Middle-Aged Adult is Noah's Castle; hyperinflation leads to a dystopian Britain. Southern Television made it into a series, which (for those who know) says all you need to know about the story's outlook. As the crisis worsened, government messaging went from standard political dissembling (which allowed one to extract the truth with effort, was elegant and therefore interesting) to flat-out brute lies (which don't, aren't and are therefore boring).
I doubt that we have ever had a public sphere where anyone told the whole truth, but there are levels of dishonesty down from there, and I fear that our culture is going the wrong way on that ladder.
"Boy, 8, turned away by NHS because he is a private school pupil, amid claims by MPs that Labour's raid on fee-paying schools has triggered 'class war' and 'discrimination' in our public services"
Well, the Children and Families Act 2014 meant that educational services such as speech and languages therapy and occupational therapy provided by the local authority to state schools, aren’t available to non special independent schools
That is a perfect description of almost every story in the Mail.
To a greater or lesser extent, it's true of most of the media these days- even the more wholesome bits. What is truly alarming is the extent to which the constraint of having some scrap of reality, however flimsy, is now an optional extra.
One of the bits of Young Adult fiction that has stuck with me as a Middle-Aged Adult is Noah's Castle; hyperinflation leads to a dystopian Britain. Southern Television made it into a series, which (for those who know) says all you need to know about the story's outlook. As the crisis worsened, government messaging went from standard political dissembling (which allowed one to extract the truth with effort, was elegant and therefore interesting) to flat-out brute lies (which don't, aren't and are therefore boring).
I doubt that we have ever had a public sphere where anyone told the whole truth, but there are levels of dishonesty down from there, and I fear that our culture is going the wrong way on that ladder.
It was released on DVD as well. Mike ‘runaround ‘ Reid was in it in one of his first ‘straight’ roles.
My abiding memory is the family hoarded food and ended up being unable to protect it and ended up having it nicked.
Can't help feeling the Trump sending the National Guard to LA is not going to lead to anything good. It feels not so much as a stunt as more like the beginning of a January 6th style confrontation with bloodshed a real possibility. The Dems need to tread very carefully- some kind of trap is being prepared.
Perhaps the early 70's revisted! We can but hope. The cause feels just
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
Indeed: hence the fact that China hasn't emptied as it has gotten richer
China had net emigration last year of 318,992 people.
Net emigration from China has significantly increased over the past seventy years, from negligible figures while they were impoverished and increasing significantly as they developed.
Indeed if you look at just emigration and not net emigration its an even more stark figure.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
Indeed: hence the fact that China hasn't emptied as it has gotten richer
China had net emigration last year of 318,992 people.
Net emigration from China has significantly increased over the past seventy years, from negligible figures while they were impoverished and increasing significantly as they developed.
Indeed if you look at just emigration and not net emigration its an even more stark figure.
Well that's also a function of greater freedom in general after the fall of the gang of four.
"Boy, 8, turned away by NHS because he is a private school pupil, amid claims by MPs that Labour's raid on fee-paying schools has triggered 'class war' and 'discrimination' in our public services"
Well, the Children and Families Act 2014 meant that educational services such as speech and languages therapy and occupational therapy provided by the local authority to state schools, aren’t available to non special independent schools
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
Indeed: hence the fact that China hasn't emptied as it has gotten richer
China had net emigration last year of 318,992 people.
Net emigration from China has significantly increased over the past seventy years, from negligible figures while they were impoverished and increasing significantly as they developed.
Indeed if you look at just emigration and not net emigration its an even more stark figure.
Well that's also a function of greater freedom in general after the fall of the gang of four.
Indeed. But the economic data shows globally that as countries develop, emigration increases.
Indeed the data further shows that within countries its the wealthier individuals, with the means to do so, who tend to emigrate, not the poorest.
"Boy, 8, turned away by NHS because he is a private school pupil, amid claims by MPs that Labour's raid on fee-paying schools has triggered 'class war' and 'discrimination' in our public services"
Well, the Children and Families Act 2014 meant that educational services such as speech and languages therapy and occupational therapy provided by the local authority to state schools, aren’t available to non special independent schools
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
Indeed: hence the fact that China hasn't emptied as it has gotten richer
China had net emigration last year of 318,992 people.
Net emigration from China has significantly increased over the past seventy years, from negligible figures while they were impoverished and increasing significantly as they developed.
Indeed if you look at just emigration and not net emigration its an even more stark figure.
Well that's also a function of greater freedom in general after the fall of the gang of four.
Indeed. But the economic data shows globally that as countries develop, emigration increases.
Indeed the data further shows that within countries its the wealthier individuals, with the means to do so, who tend to emigrate, not the poorest.
So, the most skilled people leave?
To avoid Britain losing their most skilled citizens, we should attempt to reverse economic growth, is that right?
According to Kemi Badenoch, Reform is a left-wing party. Whilst I get what she means, and I am glad there is at least one left-wing party in existence, it's not the approach I would have taken
According to Kemi Badenoch, Reform is a left-wing party. Whilst I get what she means, and I am glad there is at least one left-wing party in existence, it's not the approach I would have taken
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
Stats show as countries get richer in the third world we get more economic migrants from them as more can afford the fees
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
Indeed: hence the fact that China hasn't emptied as it has gotten richer
China had net emigration last year of 318,992 people.
Net emigration from China has significantly increased over the past seventy years, from negligible figures while they were impoverished and increasing significantly as they developed.
Indeed if you look at just emigration and not net emigration its an even more stark figure.
Well that's also a function of greater freedom in general after the fall of the gang of four.
Indeed. But the economic data shows globally that as countries develop, emigration increases.
Indeed the data further shows that within countries its the wealthier individuals, with the means to do so, who tend to emigrate, not the poorest.
So, the most skilled people leave?
To avoid Britain losing their most skilled citizens, we should attempt to reverse economic growth, is that right?
Well we have the starmer government currently doing that experiment so we will find out
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
According to Kemi Badenoch, Reform is a left-wing party. Whilst I get what she means, and I am glad there is at least one left-wing party in existence, it's not the approach I would have taken
For terms like left, right and their sub variations like hard, soft, extreme etc to be applicable there have to be three things in place. The terms have to describe some elements in party or person X which distinguish them from others, they have to be true and there has to be a real degree of clarity and agreement about what counts for what category.
Reform are nationalist anti inward migration social democrats. In their social democracy (welfare state, NHS, NATO, high tax, high spend, loads of free stuff for the people of Clacton) they are not really distinguishable from all others.
They are also useless, incompetent, good at populism and as rubbish at talking about tax, spend, debt, deficit as all the others.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
Stats show as countries get richer in the third world we get more economic migrants from them as more can afford the fees
There's an almost perfect correlation between country wealth and population mobilty though. Wealthy countries have large numbers of their own citizens emigrate every year (as I did) and also reimigrate (as I will).
Take the world's richest country: Switzerland.
There are 6.5m Swiss citizens there, and (proportionately) a pretty large number of Swiss emigrate to the UK each year (5-6,000 which is around 0.1% of the population.
I'm *fairly* sure they mostly aren't doing minimum wage jobs in the UK.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
Indeed: hence the fact that China hasn't emptied as it has gotten richer
China had net emigration last year of 318,992 people.
Net emigration from China has significantly increased over the past seventy years, from negligible figures while they were impoverished and increasing significantly as they developed.
Indeed if you look at just emigration and not net emigration its an even more stark figure.
Well that's also a function of greater freedom in general after the fall of the gang of four.
Indeed. But the economic data shows globally that as countries develop, emigration increases.
Indeed the data further shows that within countries its the wealthier individuals, with the means to do so, who tend to emigrate, not the poorest.
So, the most skilled people leave?
To avoid Britain losing their most skilled citizens, we should attempt to reverse economic growth, is that right?
Well we have the starmer government currently doing that experiment so we will find out
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Of course they are, the cost of living is less in spain their pension goes further....The definition surely of an economic migrant
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
That happens all the time: people from wealthy countries (the US or the UK, say) move to Thailand, Vietnam or Mexico because their savings/pensions go further there.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
Indeed: hence the fact that China hasn't emptied as it has gotten richer
China had net emigration last year of 318,992 people.
Net emigration from China has significantly increased over the past seventy years, from negligible figures while they were impoverished and increasing significantly as they developed.
Indeed if you look at just emigration and not net emigration its an even more stark figure.
Well that's also a function of greater freedom in general after the fall of the gang of four.
Indeed. But the economic data shows globally that as countries develop, emigration increases.
Indeed the data further shows that within countries its the wealthier individuals, with the means to do so, who tend to emigrate, not the poorest.
So, the most skilled people leave?
To avoid Britain losing their most skilled citizens, we should attempt to reverse economic growth, is that right?
Well we have the starmer government currently doing that experiment so we will find out
The Tories ran that experiment for 14 years.
And is emigration up or down? The answer is up and labour are accelerating it
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
There has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
The people who retired to eu countries by and large weren't the bottom 50% of people they were the well off the top two deciles. Fom for retirees only benefitted mostly the elites
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Yes and only c has changed
I’m in the Canary Islands right now and it doesn’t feel poor
This cancer study is very interesting. It might just be some statistical artefact (that's happened before with heart meds), but it a very large effect - double the rate of progression free survival.
Needs further investigation.
This is a major story from #ASCO25. Randomized phase 3 trial of time of day of immunotherapy infusion. Randomized to infusion before or after 3pm. Early infusion far superior: PFS 11.3 vs 5.7 HR 0.42, OS HR 0.45! Impactful, pragmatic, not costly. This should be a bigger story. https://x.com/StephenVLiu/status/1929537643794051350
I've had a few whiskies with my wife on the Caledonian Sleeper leaving Euston (yes, London does have a railway station) and then retired to our sleeping compartment to have sex there - pre kids - before waking up, very hungover, in Edinburgh Waverley the next morning.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Yes and only c has changed
I’m in the Canary Islands right now and it doesn’t feel poor
Nowhere feels poor when you stick to the tourist areas....I was in casablance morroco a few years back...didnt feel poor till I wandered of the tourist areas and got lost in the slums where the poverty was totally apparent
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Yes and only c has changed
I’m in the Canary Islands right now and it doesn’t feel poor
Nowhere feels poor when you stick to the tourist areas....I was in casablance morroco a few years back...didnt feel poor till I wandered of the tourist areas and got lost in the slums where the poverty was totally apparent
Same when I was in vegas, stick to the main strip its prosperous and thriving.....go for a wander and its slum land
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Yes and only c has changed
I’m in the Canary Islands right now and it doesn’t feel poor
Nowhere feels poor when you stick to the tourist areas....I was in casablance morroco a few years back...didnt feel poor till I wandered of the tourist areas and got lost in the slums where the poverty was totally apparent
When I was staying in Rabat, a number of years ago, the family put us up in the old house in the Old Town. They told all the neighbours about us - was a unique experience, since we were living, for a few days in the heart of a really ancient district. We were quite safe - but noticed family & friends keeping an eye on us.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
Stats show as countries get richer in the third world we get more economic migrants from them as more can afford the fees
There's an almost perfect correlation between country wealth and population mobilty though. Wealthy countries have large numbers of their own citizens emigrate every year (as I did) and also reimigrate (as I will).
Take the world's richest country: Switzerland.
There are 6.5m Swiss citizens there, and (proportionately) a pretty large number of Swiss emigrate to the UK each year (5-6,000 which is around 0.1% of the population.
I'm *fairly* sure they mostly aren't doing minimum wage jobs in the UK.
Some come to avoid national service, and those may do so.
"Today, a British diplomat being posted to the Middle East will spend almost two years on full pay learning Arabic. That includes close to a year of immersion training in Jordan, with flights and accommodation paid for by the taxpayer. Yet last time I asked the FCDO for data, a full 54% will either fail or not take their exams. To put it crudely, it costs around £300,000 to train one person not to speak Arabic. Around a third of Mandarin and Russian students fail too, wasting millions of pounds even as the department’s budget is slashed." (£)
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Yes and only c has changed
I’m in the Canary Islands right now and it doesn’t feel poor
Nowhere feels poor when you stick to the tourist areas....I was in casablance morroco a few years back...didnt feel poor till I wandered of the tourist areas and got lost in the slums where the poverty was totally apparent
When I was staying in Rabat, a number of years ago, the family put us up in the old house in the Old Town. They told all the neighbours about us - was a unique experience, since we were living, for a few days in the heart of a really ancient district. We were quite safe - but noticed family & friends keeping an eye on us.
I will say I never felt in danger in those slum lands of either casablanca or vegas,,,,when residents realised you werent on some sort of poverty tour they were quite welcoming. In casablanca for example ended up drinking hot mint tea in a cafe with a load of mad islamics, mad in the sense they were a hoot rather than mad in the sense they wanted to cut my head off. Vegas did get a gun pointed at me but when they realised I wasn't american got invited back for a few smokes and a party
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Yes and only c has changed
I’m in the Canary Islands right now and it doesn’t feel poor
Nowhere feels poor when you stick to the tourist areas....I was in casablance morroco a few years back...didnt feel poor till I wandered of the tourist areas and got lost in the slums where the poverty was totally apparent
When I was staying in Rabat, a number of years ago, the family put us up in the old house in the Old Town. They told all the neighbours about us - was a unique experience, since we were living, for a few days in the heart of a really ancient district. We were quite safe - but noticed family & friends keeping an eye on us.
I will say I never felt in danger in those slum lands of either casablanca or vegas,,,,when residents realised you werent on some sort of poverty tour they were quite welcoming. In casablanca for example ended up drinking hot mint tea in a cafe with a load of mad islamics, mad in the sense they were a hoot rather than mad in the sense they wanted to cut my head off. Vegas did get a gun pointed at me but when they realised I wasn't american got invited back for a few smokes and a party
Rabat was safe because we were protected as known friends of the family. I wouldn't have set foot in the area otherwise.
I think the most unsafe I've felt was in New Orleans (pre-flood). Some idiot said to go a few blocks out of the tourist area in the Quarter. We ended up in a bar that was seriously edgy and had the vibe of a clubhouse that we weren't invited to.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
Stats show as countries get richer in the third world we get more economic migrants from them as more can afford the fees
There's an almost perfect correlation between country wealth and population mobilty though. Wealthy countries have large numbers of their own citizens emigrate every year (as I did) and also reimigrate (as I will).
Take the world's richest country: Switzerland.
There are 6.5m Swiss citizens there, and (proportionately) a pretty large number of Swiss emigrate to the UK each year (5-6,000 which is around 0.1% of the population.
I'm *fairly* sure they mostly aren't doing minimum wage jobs in the UK.
Some come to avoid national service, and those may do so.
Some married Brits. Some go to UK universities. Some work for Nestle or Credit Suisse and got seconded.
The wealthier a country is, the more mobile its population. But at the same time, the higher skilled its emigrants.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Yes and only c has changed
I’m in the Canary Islands right now and it doesn’t feel poor
Nowhere feels poor when you stick to the tourist areas....I was in casablance morroco a few years back...didnt feel poor till I wandered of the tourist areas and got lost in the slums where the poverty was totally apparent
When I was staying in Rabat, a number of years ago, the family put us up in the old house in the Old Town. They told all the neighbours about us - was a unique experience, since we were living, for a few days in the heart of a really ancient district. We were quite safe - but noticed family & friends keeping an eye on us.
I will say I never felt in danger in those slum lands of either casablanca or vegas,,,,when residents realised you werent on some sort of poverty tour they were quite welcoming. In casablanca for example ended up drinking hot mint tea in a cafe with a load of mad islamics, mad in the sense they were a hoot rather than mad in the sense they wanted to cut my head off. Vegas did get a gun pointed at me but when they realised I wasn't american got invited back for a few smokes and a party
Rabat was safe because we were protected as known friends of the family. I wouldn't have set foot in the area otherwise.
I think the most unsafe I've felt was in New Orleans (pre-flood). Some idiot said to go a few blocks out of the tourist area in the Quarter. We ended up in a bar that was seriously edgy and had the vibe of a clubhouse that we weren't invited to.
Precisely what I mean by going off the tourist area, new orleans the french quarter you are pretty safe, wander off and you need to know how to handle yourself
I've had a few whiskies with my wife on the Caledonian Sleeper leaving Euston (yes, London does have a railway station) and then retired to our sleeping compartment to have sex there - pre kids - before waking up, very hungover, in Edinburgh Waverley the next morning.
Does that count?
The rules only apply to public carriages.
I am fortunate enough to have been availed of those Agatha Christie style carriages still used on local trains into the 1980s.
Can you post the video of your arrest when you give it a go in a 60 seat modern carriage?
Family day with our daughter on her 54th Birthday, and now they have gone home I turn on Sky news and watch as what seems like civil war breaking out in California
Then they feature Trump's anger at Labour's involvement in negotiations for the Chinese Embassy in London and his threat to cancel the so-called trade deal with Starmer
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Yes and only c has changed
I’m in the Canary Islands right now and it doesn’t feel poor
Nowhere feels poor when you stick to the tourist areas....I was in casablance morroco a few years back...didnt feel poor till I wandered of the tourist areas and got lost in the slums where the poverty was totally apparent
When I was staying in Rabat, a number of years ago, the family put us up in the old house in the Old Town. They told all the neighbours about us - was a unique experience, since we were living, for a few days in the heart of a really ancient district. We were quite safe - but noticed family & friends keeping an eye on us.
I will say I never felt in danger in those slum lands of either casablanca or vegas,,,,when residents realised you werent on some sort of poverty tour they were quite welcoming. In casablanca for example ended up drinking hot mint tea in a cafe with a load of mad islamics, mad in the sense they were a hoot rather than mad in the sense they wanted to cut my head off. Vegas did get a gun pointed at me but when they realised I wasn't american got invited back for a few smokes and a party
Rabat was safe because we were protected as known friends of the family. I wouldn't have set foot in the area otherwise.
I think the most unsafe I've felt was in New Orleans (pre-flood). Some idiot said to go a few blocks out of the tourist area in the Quarter. We ended up in a bar that was seriously edgy and had the vibe of a clubhouse that we weren't invited to.
Precisely what I mean by going off the tourist area, new orleans the french quarter you are pretty safe, wander off and you need to know how to handle yourself
When I went off piste in vegas and ended up at the party....when I left they gave me an escort back to the strip which was nice I guess
Just worrying they thought I needed one, never felt that here
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Family day with our daughter on her 54th Birthday, and now they have gone home I turn on Sky news and watch as what seems like civil war breaking out in California
Then they feature Trump's anger at Labour's involvement in negotiations for the Chinese Embassy in London and his threat to cancel the so-called trade deal with Starmer
Where is all this going to end?
I live in LA, and you wouldn't know anything was going on. There are no helicopters or sirens or anything else.
There is trouble, sure, but it's in a tiny part of downtown. 99.9% of people here aren't seeing anything.
I've got many friends who are Conservatives but the culture of the party is toxic and it's addicted to intrigue, gossip, rumour and character assassination, which absorbs all its interests and energies.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Yes and only c has changed
Spain is a *lot* richer than it was back in 1985.
Yes it is, its still not rich which is why they are encouraging people to move their if their income is high enough
"Today, a British diplomat being posted to the Middle East will spend almost two years on full pay learning Arabic. That includes close to a year of immersion training in Jordan, with flights and accommodation paid for by the taxpayer. Yet last time I asked the FCDO for data, a full 54% will either fail or not take their exams. To put it crudely, it costs around £300,000 to train one person not to speak Arabic. Around a third of Mandarin and Russian students fail too, wasting millions of pounds even as the department’s budget is slashed." (£)
I've had a few whiskies with my wife on the Caledonian Sleeper leaving Euston (yes, London does have a railway station) and then retired to our sleeping compartment to have sex there - pre kids - before waking up, very hungover, in Edinburgh Waverley the next morning.
Does that count?
The rules only apply to public carriages.
I am fortunate enough to have been availed of those Agatha Christie style carriages still used on local trains into the 1980s.
Can you post the video of your arrest when you give it a go in a 60 seat modern carriage?
Well, we're in our forties now with young kids. It's different now.
If we did somehow manage to shake them off and grab a chance, we'd be arrested for gross indecency - and I'd probably agree with them.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Yes and only c has changed
Spain is a *lot* richer than it was back in 1985.
Yes it is, its still not rich which is why they are encouraging people to move their if their income is high enough
You could make the same case about Florida in the US.
Why are they encouraging people - retirees! - to move there if they're already rich?
It's because there are many different forms of economic activity. If they can make good money servicing retirees at a lower cost than in -say- the UK, then why shouldn't they?
Family day with our daughter on her 54th Birthday, and now they have gone home I turn on Sky news and watch as what seems like civil war breaking out in California
Then they feature Trump's anger at Labour's involvement in negotiations for the Chinese Embassy in London and his threat to cancel the so-called trade deal with Starmer
Where is all this going to end?
I live in LA, and you wouldn't know anything was going on. There are no helicopters or sirens or anything else.
There is trouble, sure, but it's in a tiny part of downtown. 99.9% of people here aren't seeing anything.
Sky make it look as if a very real civil war is taking place, and suggesting there are 1 million undocumented citizens in LA !!!!!!!!!
I've got many friends who are Conservatives but the culture of the party is toxic and it's addicted to intrigue, gossip, rumour and character assassination, which absorbs all its interests and energies.
I've had a few whiskies with my wife on the Caledonian Sleeper leaving Euston (yes, London does have a railway station) and then retired to our sleeping compartment to have sex there - pre kids - before waking up, very hungover, in Edinburgh Waverley the next morning.
Does that count?
The rules only apply to public carriages.
I am fortunate enough to have been availed of those Agatha Christie style carriages still used on local trains into the 1980s.
Can you post the video of your arrest when you give it a go in a 60 seat modern carriage?
The cycle storage might work - I can provide a detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
"Today, a British diplomat being posted to the Middle East will spend almost two years on full pay learning Arabic. That includes close to a year of immersion training in Jordan, with flights and accommodation paid for by the taxpayer. Yet last time I asked the FCDO for data, a full 54% will either fail or not take their exams. To put it crudely, it costs around £300,000 to train one person not to speak Arabic. Around a third of Mandarin and Russian students fail too, wasting millions of pounds even as the department’s budget is slashed." (£)
I would also note that (a) the exams are famously extremely difficult, and that someone might speak -say- Russian pretty well by the end of it, just not well enough to conduct international diplomacy in it. And (b) many people retake the tests, and a lot of the data in that article is based on raw pass ratesm, which are therefore pretty misleading.
Family day with our daughter on her 54th Birthday, and now they have gone home I turn on Sky news and watch as what seems like civil war breaking out in California
Then they feature Trump's anger at Labour's involvement in negotiations for the Chinese Embassy in London and his threat to cancel the so-called trade deal with Starmer
Where is all this going to end?
I live in LA, and you wouldn't know anything was going on. There are no helicopters or sirens or anything else.
There is trouble, sure, but it's in a tiny part of downtown. 99.9% of people here aren't seeing anything.
Sky make it look as if a very real civil war is taking place, and suggesting there are 1 million undocumented citizens in LA !!!!!!!!!
That's because news organizations are chasing viewing figures. There's more money to be made - from either side of the political aisle - by pretending civil war is happening, than reporting that there's a small amount of trouble, but nothing that most people will notice.
I've had a few whiskies with my wife on the Caledonian Sleeper leaving Euston (yes, London does have a railway station) and then retired to our sleeping compartment to have sex there - pre kids - before waking up, very hungover, in Edinburgh Waverley the next morning.
Does that count?
The rules only apply to public carriages.
I am fortunate enough to have been availed of those Agatha Christie style carriages still used on local trains into the 1980s.
Can you post the video of your arrest when you give it a go in a 60 seat modern carriage?
The cycle storage might work - I can provide a detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
That's just the thing to get my wife excited in the heat of the moment.
A detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
I've had a few whiskies with my wife on the Caledonian Sleeper leaving Euston (yes, London does have a railway station) and then retired to our sleeping compartment to have sex there - pre kids - before waking up, very hungover, in Edinburgh Waverley the next morning.
Does that count?
The rules only apply to public carriages.
I am fortunate enough to have been availed of those Agatha Christie style carriages still used on local trains into the 1980s.
Can you post the video of your arrest when you give it a go in a 60 seat modern carriage?
The cycle storage might work - I can provide a detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
That's just the thing to get my wife excited in the heat of the moment.
A detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
In which case, it is the gentlemanly thing for you to think of.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Yes and only c has changed
I’m in the Canary Islands right now and it doesn’t feel poor
Nowhere feels poor when you stick to the tourist areas....I was in casablance morroco a few years back...didnt feel poor till I wandered of the tourist areas and got lost in the slums where the poverty was totally apparent
When I was staying in Rabat, a number of years ago, the family put us up in the old house in the Old Town. They told all the neighbours about us - was a unique experience, since we were living, for a few days in the heart of a really ancient district. We were quite safe - but noticed family & friends keeping an eye on us.
I will say I never felt in danger in those slum lands of either casablanca or vegas,,,,when residents realised you werent on some sort of poverty tour they were quite welcoming. In casablanca for example ended up drinking hot mint tea in a cafe with a load of mad islamics, mad in the sense they were a hoot rather than mad in the sense they wanted to cut my head off. Vegas did get a gun pointed at me but when they realised I wasn't american got invited back for a few smokes and a party
Rabat was safe because we were protected as known friends of the family. I wouldn't have set foot in the area otherwise.
I think the most unsafe I've felt was in New Orleans (pre-flood). Some idiot said to go a few blocks out of the tourist area in the Quarter. We ended up in a bar that was seriously edgy and had the vibe of a clubhouse that we weren't invited to.
Precisely what I mean by going off the tourist area, new orleans the french quarter you are pretty safe, wander off and you need to know how to handle yourself
Sadly even the French Quarter is no longer safe. In truth it was never “that” safe - but now the danger is overt almost everywhere
A good friend of mine has lived in Nawlins for 15 years - and has now moved away for that reason
The closest I’ve come to being shot - outside actual warzones - was NOLA. It is an extremely hostile place if you are unlucky
I've had a few whiskies with my wife on the Caledonian Sleeper leaving Euston (yes, London does have a railway station) and then retired to our sleeping compartment to have sex there - pre kids - before waking up, very hungover, in Edinburgh Waverley the next morning.
Does that count?
The rules only apply to public carriages.
I am fortunate enough to have been availed of those Agatha Christie style carriages still used on local trains into the 1980s.
Can you post the video of your arrest when you give it a go in a 60 seat modern carriage?
The cycle storage might work - I can provide a detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
That's just the thing to get my wife excited in the heat of the moment.
A detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
When I last lived with a woman I found the way to get her excited was to chop raw chillis then touch her clit without washing my hands it certainly gave her the heat of the moment and got her excited in the hopping mad sense of excited....nods
Family day with our daughter on her 54th Birthday, and now they have gone home I turn on Sky news and watch as what seems like civil war breaking out in California
Then they feature Trump's anger at Labour's involvement in negotiations for the Chinese Embassy in London and his threat to cancel the so-called trade deal with Starmer
Where is all this going to end?
I live in LA, and you wouldn't know anything was going on. There are no helicopters or sirens or anything else.
There is trouble, sure, but it's in a tiny part of downtown. 99.9% of people here aren't seeing anything.
Sky make it look as if a very real civil war is taking place, and suggesting there are 1 million undocumented citizens in LA !!!!!!!!!
That's because news organizations are chasing viewing figures. There's more money to be made - from either side of the political aisle - by pretending civil war is happening, than reporting that there's a small amount of trouble, but nothing that most people will notice.
I have stopped chasing 24 hour news channels as they are depressingly over the top. It's all whose to blame.
I've had a few whiskies with my wife on the Caledonian Sleeper leaving Euston (yes, London does have a railway station) and then retired to our sleeping compartment to have sex there - pre kids - before waking up, very hungover, in Edinburgh Waverley the next morning.
Does that count?
The rules only apply to public carriages.
I am fortunate enough to have been availed of those Agatha Christie style carriages still used on local trains into the 1980s.
Can you post the video of your arrest when you give it a go in a 60 seat modern carriage?
The cycle storage might work - I can provide a detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
That's just the thing to get my wife excited in the heat of the moment.
A detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
When I last lived with a woman I found the way to get her excited was to chop raw chillis then touch her clit without washing my hands it certainly gave her the heat of the moment and got her excited in the hopping mad sense of excited....nods
This may also explain why you don't currently live with a woman.
"Today, a British diplomat being posted to the Middle East will spend almost two years on full pay learning Arabic. That includes close to a year of immersion training in Jordan, with flights and accommodation paid for by the taxpayer. Yet last time I asked the FCDO for data, a full 54% will either fail or not take their exams. To put it crudely, it costs around £300,000 to train one person not to speak Arabic. Around a third of Mandarin and Russian students fail too, wasting millions of pounds even as the department’s budget is slashed." (£)
I would also note that (a) the exams are famously extremely difficult, and that someone might speak -say- Russian pretty well by the end of it, just not well enough to conduct international diplomacy in it. And (b) many people retake the tests, and a lot of the data in that article is based on raw pass ratesm, which are therefore pretty misleading.
At USAID before recent cuts, if you got a year or more to learn a language you lost your job if you failed the language exam at the end.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Yes and only c has changed
I’m in the Canary Islands right now and it doesn’t feel poor
Nowhere feels poor when you stick to the tourist areas....I was in casablance morroco a few years back...didnt feel poor till I wandered of the tourist areas and got lost in the slums where the poverty was totally apparent
When I was staying in Rabat, a number of years ago, the family put us up in the old house in the Old Town. They told all the neighbours about us - was a unique experience, since we were living, for a few days in the heart of a really ancient district. We were quite safe - but noticed family & friends keeping an eye on us.
I will say I never felt in danger in those slum lands of either casablanca or vegas,,,,when residents realised you werent on some sort of poverty tour they were quite welcoming. In casablanca for example ended up drinking hot mint tea in a cafe with a load of mad islamics, mad in the sense they were a hoot rather than mad in the sense they wanted to cut my head off. Vegas did get a gun pointed at me but when they realised I wasn't american got invited back for a few smokes and a party
Rabat was safe because we were protected as known friends of the family. I wouldn't have set foot in the area otherwise.
I think the most unsafe I've felt was in New Orleans (pre-flood). Some idiot said to go a few blocks out of the tourist area in the Quarter. We ended up in a bar that was seriously edgy and had the vibe of a clubhouse that we weren't invited to.
Precisely what I mean by going off the tourist area, new orleans the french quarter you are pretty safe, wander off and you need to know how to handle yourself
Sadly even the French Quarter is no longer safe. In truth it was never “that” safe - but now the danger is overt almost everywhere
A good friend of mine has lived in Nawlins for 15 years - and has now moved away for that reason
The closest I’ve come to being shot - outside actual warzones - was NOLA. It is an extremely hostile place if you are unlucky
Such a shame. It should be marvellous
I have friends from new orleans that came over last year they would disagree with you, had more guns pointed at me in the uk by far than abroad....6 times in the uk once in vegas
I've had a few whiskies with my wife on the Caledonian Sleeper leaving Euston (yes, London does have a railway station) and then retired to our sleeping compartment to have sex there - pre kids - before waking up, very hungover, in Edinburgh Waverley the next morning.
Does that count?
The rules only apply to public carriages.
I am fortunate enough to have been availed of those Agatha Christie style carriages still used on local trains into the 1980s.
Can you post the video of your arrest when you give it a go in a 60 seat modern carriage?
The cycle storage might work - I can provide a detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
That's just the thing to get my wife excited in the heat of the moment.
A detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
When I last lived with a woman I found the way to get her excited was to chop raw chillis then touch her clit without washing my hands it certainly gave her the heat of the moment and got her excited in the hopping mad sense of excited....nods
This may also explain why you don't currently live with a woman.
Hey it was her fault she started it, just didn't occur to me I had raw chilli juice coating my fingers
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Yes and only c has changed
I’m in the Canary Islands right now and it doesn’t feel poor
Nowhere feels poor when you stick to the tourist areas....I was in casablance morroco a few years back...didnt feel poor till I wandered of the tourist areas and got lost in the slums where the poverty was totally apparent
When I was staying in Rabat, a number of years ago, the family put us up in the old house in the Old Town. They told all the neighbours about us - was a unique experience, since we were living, for a few days in the heart of a really ancient district. We were quite safe - but noticed family & friends keeping an eye on us.
I will say I never felt in danger in those slum lands of either casablanca or vegas,,,,when residents realised you werent on some sort of poverty tour they were quite welcoming. In casablanca for example ended up drinking hot mint tea in a cafe with a load of mad islamics, mad in the sense they were a hoot rather than mad in the sense they wanted to cut my head off. Vegas did get a gun pointed at me but when they realised I wasn't american got invited back for a few smokes and a party
Rabat was safe because we were protected as known friends of the family. I wouldn't have set foot in the area otherwise.
I think the most unsafe I've felt was in New Orleans (pre-flood). Some idiot said to go a few blocks out of the tourist area in the Quarter. We ended up in a bar that was seriously edgy and had the vibe of a clubhouse that we weren't invited to.
Precisely what I mean by going off the tourist area, new orleans the french quarter you are pretty safe, wander off and you need to know how to handle yourself
Sadly even the French Quarter is no longer safe. In truth it was never “that” safe - but now the danger is overt almost everywhere
A good friend of mine has lived in Nawlins for 15 years - and has now moved away for that reason
The closest I’ve come to being shot - outside actual warzones - was NOLA. It is an extremely hostile place if you are unlucky
Such a shame. It should be marvellous
I have friends from new orleans that came over last year they would disagree with you, had more guns pointed at me in the uk by far than abroad....6 times in the uk once in vegas
Hmmmm: I would class New Orleans as pretty unsafe, certainly it's among the least safe cities in America.
It's worse than San Francisco these days, albeit SF has had an extremely surprising renaissance of late.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Yes and only c has changed
I’m in the Canary Islands right now and it doesn’t feel poor
Nowhere feels poor when you stick to the tourist areas....I was in casablance morroco a few years back...didnt feel poor till I wandered of the tourist areas and got lost in the slums where the poverty was totally apparent
When I was staying in Rabat, a number of years ago, the family put us up in the old house in the Old Town. They told all the neighbours about us - was a unique experience, since we were living, for a few days in the heart of a really ancient district. We were quite safe - but noticed family & friends keeping an eye on us.
I will say I never felt in danger in those slum lands of either casablanca or vegas,,,,when residents realised you werent on some sort of poverty tour they were quite welcoming. In casablanca for example ended up drinking hot mint tea in a cafe with a load of mad islamics, mad in the sense they were a hoot rather than mad in the sense they wanted to cut my head off. Vegas did get a gun pointed at me but when they realised I wasn't american got invited back for a few smokes and a party
Rabat was safe because we were protected as known friends of the family. I wouldn't have set foot in the area otherwise.
I think the most unsafe I've felt was in New Orleans (pre-flood). Some idiot said to go a few blocks out of the tourist area in the Quarter. We ended up in a bar that was seriously edgy and had the vibe of a clubhouse that we weren't invited to.
Precisely what I mean by going off the tourist area, new orleans the french quarter you are pretty safe, wander off and you need to know how to handle yourself
Sadly even the French Quarter is no longer safe. In truth it was never “that” safe - but now the danger is overt almost everywhere
A good friend of mine has lived in Nawlins for 15 years - and has now moved away for that reason
The closest I’ve come to being shot - outside actual warzones - was NOLA. It is an extremely hostile place if you are unlucky
Such a shame. It should be marvellous
I have friends from new orleans that came over last year they would disagree with you, had more guns pointed at me in the uk by far than abroad....6 times in the uk once in vegas
Hmmmm: I would class New Orleans as pretty unsafe, certainly it's among the least safe cities in America.
It's worse than San Francisco these days, albeit SF has had an extremely surprising renaissance of late.
They did think where I live is really safe and admittedly here is
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Yes and only c has changed
I’m in the Canary Islands right now and it doesn’t feel poor
Nowhere feels poor when you stick to the tourist areas....I was in casablance morroco a few years back...didnt feel poor till I wandered of the tourist areas and got lost in the slums where the poverty was totally apparent
When I was staying in Rabat, a number of years ago, the family put us up in the old house in the Old Town. They told all the neighbours about us - was a unique experience, since we were living, for a few days in the heart of a really ancient district. We were quite safe - but noticed family & friends keeping an eye on us.
I will say I never felt in danger in those slum lands of either casablanca or vegas,,,,when residents realised you werent on some sort of poverty tour they were quite welcoming. In casablanca for example ended up drinking hot mint tea in a cafe with a load of mad islamics, mad in the sense they were a hoot rather than mad in the sense they wanted to cut my head off. Vegas did get a gun pointed at me but when they realised I wasn't american got invited back for a few smokes and a party
Rabat was safe because we were protected as known friends of the family. I wouldn't have set foot in the area otherwise.
I think the most unsafe I've felt was in New Orleans (pre-flood). Some idiot said to go a few blocks out of the tourist area in the Quarter. We ended up in a bar that was seriously edgy and had the vibe of a clubhouse that we weren't invited to.
Precisely what I mean by going off the tourist area, new orleans the french quarter you are pretty safe, wander off and you need to know how to handle yourself
Sadly even the French Quarter is no longer safe. In truth it was never “that” safe - but now the danger is overt almost everywhere
A good friend of mine has lived in Nawlins for 15 years - and has now moved away for that reason
The closest I’ve come to being shot - outside actual warzones - was NOLA. It is an extremely hostile place if you are unlucky
Such a shame. It should be marvellous
I have friends from new orleans that came over last year they would disagree with you, had more guns pointed at me in the uk by far than abroad....6 times in the uk once in vegas
Ok I’ll tell my friend he’s simply wrong. Even though
1 he lives in New Orleans (or did)
and also
2. I’ve been to the city many times. It’s my favourite city in all the Americas - no joke - but on my last visit (2023) it felt obviously more dangerous than any other time
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Yes and only c has changed
I’m in the Canary Islands right now and it doesn’t feel poor
Nowhere feels poor when you stick to the tourist areas....I was in casablance morroco a few years back...didnt feel poor till I wandered of the tourist areas and got lost in the slums where the poverty was totally apparent
When I was staying in Rabat, a number of years ago, the family put us up in the old house in the Old Town. They told all the neighbours about us - was a unique experience, since we were living, for a few days in the heart of a really ancient district. We were quite safe - but noticed family & friends keeping an eye on us.
I will say I never felt in danger in those slum lands of either casablanca or vegas,,,,when residents realised you werent on some sort of poverty tour they were quite welcoming. In casablanca for example ended up drinking hot mint tea in a cafe with a load of mad islamics, mad in the sense they were a hoot rather than mad in the sense they wanted to cut my head off. Vegas did get a gun pointed at me but when they realised I wasn't american got invited back for a few smokes and a party
Rabat was safe because we were protected as known friends of the family. I wouldn't have set foot in the area otherwise.
I think the most unsafe I've felt was in New Orleans (pre-flood). Some idiot said to go a few blocks out of the tourist area in the Quarter. We ended up in a bar that was seriously edgy and had the vibe of a clubhouse that we weren't invited to.
Precisely what I mean by going off the tourist area, new orleans the french quarter you are pretty safe, wander off and you need to know how to handle yourself
Sadly even the French Quarter is no longer safe. In truth it was never “that” safe - but now the danger is overt almost everywhere
A good friend of mine has lived in Nawlins for 15 years - and has now moved away for that reason
The closest I’ve come to being shot - outside actual warzones - was NOLA. It is an extremely hostile place if you are unlucky
Such a shame. It should be marvellous
I have friends from new orleans that came over last year they would disagree with you, had more guns pointed at me in the uk by far than abroad....6 times in the uk once in vegas
Ok I’ll tell my friend he’s simply wrong. Even though
1 he lives in New Orleans (or did)
and also
2. I’ve been to the city many times. It’s my favourite city in all the Americas - no joke - but on my last visit (2023) it felt obviously more dangerous than any other time
I am currently chatting on discord with my friend from new orleans, she is laughing at you by chatting I mean voice chat we are watching a movie
I've had a few whiskies with my wife on the Caledonian Sleeper leaving Euston (yes, London does have a railway station) and then retired to our sleeping compartment to have sex there - pre kids - before waking up, very hungover, in Edinburgh Waverley the next morning.
Does that count?
The rules only apply to public carriages.
I am fortunate enough to have been availed of those Agatha Christie style carriages still used on local trains into the 1980s.
Can you post the video of your arrest when you give it a go in a 60 seat modern carriage?
The cycle storage might work - I can provide a detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
That's just the thing to get my wife excited in the heat of the moment.
A detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
When I last lived with a woman I found the way to get her excited was to chop raw chillis then touch her clit without washing my hands it certainly gave her the heat of the moment and got her excited in the hopping mad sense of excited....nods
Christ. At this rate the Mods are going to introduce another new rule!
Family day with our daughter on her 54th Birthday, and now they have gone home I turn on Sky news and watch as what seems like civil war breaking out in California
Then they feature Trump's anger at Labour's involvement in negotiations for the Chinese Embassy in London and his threat to cancel the so-called trade deal with Starmer
Where is all this going to end?
What are we paying the SAS and 007 for, if Trump, Netanyahu and Putin are still at large?
I've had a few whiskies with my wife on the Caledonian Sleeper leaving Euston (yes, London does have a railway station) and then retired to our sleeping compartment to have sex there - pre kids - before waking up, very hungover, in Edinburgh Waverley the next morning.
Does that count?
The rules only apply to public carriages.
I am fortunate enough to have been availed of those Agatha Christie style carriages still used on local trains into the 1980s.
Can you post the video of your arrest when you give it a go in a 60 seat modern carriage?
The cycle storage might work - I can provide a detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
That's just the thing to get my wife excited in the heat of the moment.
A detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
When I last lived with a woman I found the way to get her excited was to chop raw chillis then touch her clit without washing my hands it certainly gave her the heat of the moment and got her excited in the hopping mad sense of excited....nods
Christ. At this rate the Mods are going to introduce another new rule!
They will insist we wash our hands before posting?
"Today, a British diplomat being posted to the Middle East will spend almost two years on full pay learning Arabic. That includes close to a year of immersion training in Jordan, with flights and accommodation paid for by the taxpayer. Yet last time I asked the FCDO for data, a full 54% will either fail or not take their exams. To put it crudely, it costs around £300,000 to train one person not to speak Arabic. Around a third of Mandarin and Russian students fail too, wasting millions of pounds even as the department’s budget is slashed." (£)
That wasn't true of my old flatmate in the Diplomatic Service, who served at a high level in 2 Arabic speaking countries. He had a few months of classes to learn spoken Arabic, including a one month immersion living with a family when only Arabic could be used. His Arabic was good enough for social Diplomacy, but when negotiating treaties etc a professional translator was used by both sides to ensure that there were no misunderstandings.
So it's certainly not true for all Diplomats, possibly for professional translators in the FCO.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Yes and only c has changed
I’m in the Canary Islands right now and it doesn’t feel poor
Nowhere feels poor when you stick to the tourist areas....I was in casablance morroco a few years back...didnt feel poor till I wandered of the tourist areas and got lost in the slums where the poverty was totally apparent
When I was staying in Rabat, a number of years ago, the family put us up in the old house in the Old Town. They told all the neighbours about us - was a unique experience, since we were living, for a few days in the heart of a really ancient district. We were quite safe - but noticed family & friends keeping an eye on us.
I will say I never felt in danger in those slum lands of either casablanca or vegas,,,,when residents realised you werent on some sort of poverty tour they were quite welcoming. In casablanca for example ended up drinking hot mint tea in a cafe with a load of mad islamics, mad in the sense they were a hoot rather than mad in the sense they wanted to cut my head off. Vegas did get a gun pointed at me but when they realised I wasn't american got invited back for a few smokes and a party
Rabat was safe because we were protected as known friends of the family. I wouldn't have set foot in the area otherwise.
I think the most unsafe I've felt was in New Orleans (pre-flood). Some idiot said to go a few blocks out of the tourist area in the Quarter. We ended up in a bar that was seriously edgy and had the vibe of a clubhouse that we weren't invited to.
Precisely what I mean by going off the tourist area, new orleans the french quarter you are pretty safe, wander off and you need to know how to handle yourself
Sadly even the French Quarter is no longer safe. In truth it was never “that” safe - but now the danger is overt almost everywhere
A good friend of mine has lived in Nawlins for 15 years - and has now moved away for that reason
The closest I’ve come to being shot - outside actual warzones - was NOLA. It is an extremely hostile place if you are unlucky
Such a shame. It should be marvellous
I have friends from new orleans that came over last year they would disagree with you, had more guns pointed at me in the uk by far than abroad....6 times in the uk once in vegas
How on earth have you managed to have guns pointed at you 6 times in the UK?
Family day with our daughter on her 54th Birthday, and now they have gone home I turn on Sky news and watch as what seems like civil war breaking out in California
Then they feature Trump's anger at Labour's involvement in negotiations for the Chinese Embassy in London and his threat to cancel the so-called trade deal with Starmer
Where is all this going to end?
What are we paying the SAS and 007 for, if Trump, Netanyahu and Putin are still at large?
Last time I saw 007 we were paying him to wear a ridiculous pink velour jacket
I've had a few whiskies with my wife on the Caledonian Sleeper leaving Euston (yes, London does have a railway station) and then retired to our sleeping compartment to have sex there - pre kids - before waking up, very hungover, in Edinburgh Waverley the next morning.
Does that count?
The rules only apply to public carriages.
I am fortunate enough to have been availed of those Agatha Christie style carriages still used on local trains into the 1980s.
Can you post the video of your arrest when you give it a go in a 60 seat modern carriage?
The cycle storage might work - I can provide a detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
That's just the thing to get my wife excited in the heat of the moment.
A detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
The tragedy of DOGE style slashing goes beyond the damage it will do, in the short term.
For a political generation or two, all reasonable attempts to increase productivity in government will be tarred with this shite.
The main saving the US DOGE seems to have made is the shuttering of USAID.
That can't be done in the UK as between the asylum bills, Sunak’s cut, and Starmer’s cut, UK aid has already been shuttered.
Good.
The corrupt circlejerk of "charities" hiring the likes of David Miliband, who then lobby for taxpayers money to go to those charities, should never return.
Taxpayers money should go on public services.
Charity should be something people choose to donate to, not get taxed to go towards.
If you donate to Water Aid, or World Vision, or Comic Relief, or CAFOD or anything else then all power to your elbow. I regularly do too. But that's a choice, it shouldn't be compelled by the State, and those donations shouldn't be funding ex- politicians who exist to lobby for more taxpayers money.
International development is not charity
Correctly implemented it address our strategic objectives, increases international security (by downregulating radicalism), builds alliances and creates new markets for commercial activities.
As third world countries get richer the people in them are more able to afford people smugglers
But the incentive for economic migration decreases.
No, it doesn't.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
At some point it must. Why would I be an economic migrant to a poorer country?
Pensioners move to spain all the time
They are not 'economic migrants'.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
The has been no migration of retirees from the UK to Spain since Brexit?
Ben is talking absolute bollocks, people went to settle in spain before the eu, they still do because countries like spain and portugal have put in place schemes to encourage them to do so.
To be fair, a lot of them went to settle in Spain before the EU because Spain was (a) poor, (b) was desperate for people to come and bring their savings, and (c) didn't have an extradition treaty with the UK.
Yes and only c has changed
I’m in the Canary Islands right now and it doesn’t feel poor
Nowhere feels poor when you stick to the tourist areas....I was in casablance morroco a few years back...didnt feel poor till I wandered of the tourist areas and got lost in the slums where the poverty was totally apparent
When I was staying in Rabat, a number of years ago, the family put us up in the old house in the Old Town. They told all the neighbours about us - was a unique experience, since we were living, for a few days in the heart of a really ancient district. We were quite safe - but noticed family & friends keeping an eye on us.
I will say I never felt in danger in those slum lands of either casablanca or vegas,,,,when residents realised you werent on some sort of poverty tour they were quite welcoming. In casablanca for example ended up drinking hot mint tea in a cafe with a load of mad islamics, mad in the sense they were a hoot rather than mad in the sense they wanted to cut my head off. Vegas did get a gun pointed at me but when they realised I wasn't american got invited back for a few smokes and a party
Rabat was safe because we were protected as known friends of the family. I wouldn't have set foot in the area otherwise.
I think the most unsafe I've felt was in New Orleans (pre-flood). Some idiot said to go a few blocks out of the tourist area in the Quarter. We ended up in a bar that was seriously edgy and had the vibe of a clubhouse that we weren't invited to.
Precisely what I mean by going off the tourist area, new orleans the french quarter you are pretty safe, wander off and you need to know how to handle yourself
Sadly even the French Quarter is no longer safe. In truth it was never “that” safe - but now the danger is overt almost everywhere
A good friend of mine has lived in Nawlins for 15 years - and has now moved away for that reason
The closest I’ve come to being shot - outside actual warzones - was NOLA. It is an extremely hostile place if you are unlucky
Such a shame. It should be marvellous
I have friends from new orleans that came over last year they would disagree with you, had more guns pointed at me in the uk by far than abroad....6 times in the uk once in vegas
How on earth have you managed to have guns pointed at you 6 times in the UK?
Laserquest?
I used to hang out with a lot of very dodgy people (*dodgy being defined as people most here would think dodgy)
Family day with our daughter on her 54th Birthday, and now they have gone home I turn on Sky news and watch as what seems like civil war breaking out in California
Then they feature Trump's anger at Labour's involvement in negotiations for the Chinese Embassy in London and his threat to cancel the so-called trade deal with Starmer
Where is all this going to end?
I live in LA, and you wouldn't know anything was going on. There are no helicopters or sirens or anything else.
There is trouble, sure, but it's in a tiny part of downtown. 99.9% of people here aren't seeing anything.
Sky make it look as if a very real civil war is taking place, and suggesting there are 1 million undocumented citizens in LA !!!!!!!!!
That's because news organizations are chasing viewing figures. There's more money to be made - from either side of the political aisle - by pretending civil war is happening, than reporting that there's a small amount of trouble, but nothing that most people will notice.
Their news coverage is over-the-top garbage.
It's the same reason that had hysterical American friends messaging me and asking if I was OK during the Southport riots though I live hundreds of miles from any such dump. They were in far more danger living normally in Austin or LA or wherever than even residents of Southport were during the riots, though I was too polite to point that out.
I've had a few whiskies with my wife on the Caledonian Sleeper leaving Euston (yes, London does have a railway station) and then retired to our sleeping compartment to have sex there - pre kids - before waking up, very hungover, in Edinburgh Waverley the next morning.
Does that count?
The rules only apply to public carriages.
I am fortunate enough to have been availed of those Agatha Christie style carriages still used on local trains into the 1980s.
Can you post the video of your arrest when you give it a go in a 60 seat modern carriage?
The cycle storage might work - I can provide a detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
That's just the thing to get my wife excited in the heat of the moment.
A detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
When I last lived with a woman I found the way to get her excited was to chop raw chillis then touch her clit without washing my hands it certainly gave her the heat of the moment and got her excited in the hopping mad sense of excited....nods
One of those PB moments when you have to explain to your partner what you're reading on your phone.
Family day with our daughter on her 54th Birthday, and now they have gone home I turn on Sky news and watch as what seems like civil war breaking out in California
Then they feature Trump's anger at Labour's involvement in negotiations for the Chinese Embassy in London and his threat to cancel the so-called trade deal with Starmer
Where is all this going to end?
What are we paying the SAS and 007 for, if Trump, Netanyahu and Putin are still at large?
Last time I saw 007 we were paying him to wear a ridiculous pink velour jacket
I've had a few whiskies with my wife on the Caledonian Sleeper leaving Euston (yes, London does have a railway station) and then retired to our sleeping compartment to have sex there - pre kids - before waking up, very hungover, in Edinburgh Waverley the next morning.
Does that count?
The rules only apply to public carriages.
I am fortunate enough to have been availed of those Agatha Christie style carriages still used on local trains into the 1980s.
Can you post the video of your arrest when you give it a go in a 60 seat modern carriage?
The cycle storage might work - I can provide a detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
That's just the thing to get my wife excited in the heat of the moment.
A detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
When I last lived with a woman I found the way to get her excited was to chop raw chillis then touch her clit without washing my hands it certainly gave her the heat of the moment and got her excited in the hopping mad sense of excited....nods
One of those PB moments when you have to explain to your partner what you're reading on your phone.
We may or may not be sitting at the death bed of the world’s oldest and historically most successful party. We are definitely moving closer to the point where a critical mass of Tories conclude that Kemi Badenoch has been given enough time to prove that she hasn’t got what it takes.
Kemi will probably get until autumn next year to prove herself, if by then her policy review hasn't improved Tory poll ratings and there are further Tory losses in the local elections next year she will likely be gone.
She also has to remember she won the leadership with the backing of the party's moderate wing in the final round over Jenrick. If her review proposed withdrawing from the ECHR the likes of Osborne will be plotting her removal and replacement by Cleverly
The Tories suffered their worst ever defeat 12 months ago, people were livid with them. This ludicrous notion they have that they'd be anything other than hanging on for a couple of years is so daft. Their sense of entitlement to rule will destroy them. 150 seats at GE 2029 would be an astonishing result if Reform are still a thing, they aren't getting 200 whatever they do, they need to be 'firebreaking' 100 and staying relevant if they want to ever govern again
They do. Which requires them at least to be over 20% of the vote while we keep FPTP, if Kemi can't even do that and has lost even voters Rishi held last year then she will be gone by the end of next year
Ultimately, Robert Jenrick would have been better, as more sensible people said at the time.
But that didn't happen so make the best of it.
Jenrick is a rancid offering, encapsulating all that the people in the middle ground who have left the Tories cite as the reason they left the Tories.
He would perform no better than Kemi. At least she doesn't appall and repel.
There is no-one so 'ideological' as a Tory centrist is there? Anyone too awfully right wing must be resisted and stabbed and undermined and briefed against. God forbid give the actual little people the things they expect when they vote Tory. No wonder the party is on life support with such a bad case of centrist mange.
Comments
One of the bits of Young Adult fiction that has stuck with me as a Middle-Aged Adult is Noah's Castle; hyperinflation leads to a dystopian Britain. Southern Television made it into a series, which (for those who know) says all you need to know about the story's outlook. As the crisis worsened, government messaging went from standard political dissembling (which allowed one to extract the truth with effort, was elegant and therefore interesting) to flat-out brute lies (which don't, aren't and are therefore boring).
I doubt that we have ever had a public sphere where anyone told the whole truth, but there are levels of dishonesty down from there, and I fear that our culture is going the wrong way on that ladder.
My abiding memory is the family hoarded food and ended up being unable to protect it and ended up having it nicked.
All economic data shows emigration increases as countries develop, until past the point they're classed as a developed country.
Because migration is higher up the order of needs. It's a want to have, not a need to have. People who are too poor to afford food, shelter, travel or tourism aren't booking trips abroad.
Net emigration from China has significantly increased over the past seventy years, from negligible figures while they were impoverished and increasing significantly as they developed.
Indeed if you look at just emigration and not net emigration its an even more stark figure.
Indeed the data further shows that within countries its the wealthier individuals, with the means to do so, who tend to emigrate, not the poorest.
To avoid Britain losing their most skilled citizens, we should attempt to reverse economic growth, is that right?
https://x.com/Haggis_UK/status/1930939444141383859
All their non-racial, non-migratory comments lately criticising Labour seem to come from the Left of Labour. Eg 2 child benefit cap etc.
Edit: And they don't now, at least not from the UK since Brexit - it's not allowed for mere mortals.
Reform are nationalist anti inward migration social democrats. In their social democracy (welfare state, NHS, NATO, high tax, high spend, loads of free stuff for the people of Clacton) they are not really distinguishable from all others.
They are also useless, incompetent, good at populism and as rubbish at talking about tax, spend, debt, deficit as all the others.
They certainly are not especially left or right.
Take the world's richest country: Switzerland.
There are 6.5m Swiss citizens there, and (proportionately) a pretty large number of Swiss emigrate to the UK each year (5-6,000 which is around 0.1% of the population.
I'm *fairly* sure they mostly aren't doing minimum wage jobs in the UK.
It might just be some statistical artefact (that's happened before with heart meds), but it a very large effect - double the rate of progression free survival.
Needs further investigation.
This is a major story from #ASCO25. Randomized phase 3 trial of time of day of immunotherapy infusion. Randomized to infusion before or after 3pm. Early infusion far superior: PFS 11.3 vs 5.7 HR 0.42, OS HR 0.45! Impactful, pragmatic, not costly. This should be a bigger story.
https://x.com/StephenVLiu/status/1929537643794051350
Does that count?
"Today, a British diplomat being posted to the Middle East will spend almost two years on full pay learning Arabic. That includes close to a year of immersion training in Jordan, with flights and accommodation paid for by the taxpayer. Yet last time I asked the FCDO for data, a full 54% will either fail or not take their exams. To put it crudely, it costs around £300,000 to train one person not to speak Arabic. Around a third of Mandarin and Russian students fail too, wasting millions of pounds even as the department’s budget is slashed." (£)
https://unherd.com/2025/05/britains-diplomats-are-monolingual/
I think the most unsafe I've felt was in New Orleans (pre-flood). Some idiot said to go a few blocks out of the tourist area in the Quarter. We ended up in a bar that was seriously edgy and had the vibe of a clubhouse that we weren't invited to.
The wealthier a country is, the more mobile its population. But at the same time, the higher skilled its emigrants.
I am fortunate enough to have been availed of those Agatha Christie style carriages still used on local trains into the 1980s.
Can you post the video of your arrest when you give it a go in a 60 seat modern carriage?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWbMne8AWf0
Family day with our daughter on her 54th Birthday, and now they have gone home I turn on Sky news and watch as what seems like civil war breaking out in California
Then they feature Trump's anger at Labour's involvement in negotiations for the Chinese Embassy in London and his threat to cancel the so-called trade deal with Starmer
Where is all this going to end?
Just worrying they thought I needed one, never felt that here
There is trouble, sure, but it's in a tiny part of downtown. 99.9% of people here aren't seeing anything.
I've got many friends who are Conservatives but the culture of the party is toxic and it's addicted to intrigue, gossip, rumour and character assassination, which absorbs all its interests and energies.
If we did somehow manage to shake them off and grab a chance, we'd be arrested for gross indecency - and I'd probably agree with them.
Why are they encouraging people - retirees! - to move there if they're already rich?
It's because there are many different forms of economic activity. If they can make good money servicing retirees at a lower cost than in -say- the UK, then why shouldn't they?
I would also note that (a) the exams are famously extremely difficult, and that someone might speak -say- Russian pretty well by the end of it, just not well enough to conduct international diplomacy in it. And (b) many people retake the tests, and a lot of the data in that article is based on raw pass ratesm, which are therefore pretty misleading.
A detailed spreadsheet of the facilities available in the current rolling stock.
A good friend of mine has lived in Nawlins for 15 years - and has now moved away for that reason
The closest I’ve come to being shot - outside actual warzones - was NOLA. It is an extremely hostile place if you are unlucky
Such a shame. It should be marvellous
It's worse than San Francisco these days, albeit SF has had an extremely surprising renaissance of late.
1 he lives in New Orleans (or did)
and also
2. I’ve been to the city many times. It’s my favourite city in all the Americas - no joke - but on my last visit (2023) it felt obviously more dangerous than any other time
by chatting I mean voice chat we are watching a movie
So it's certainly not true for all Diplomats, possibly for professional translators in the FCO.
Laserquest?
Hell hath no fury like a multi billionaire scorned...
It's the same reason that had hysterical American friends messaging me and asking if I was OK during the Southport riots though I live hundreds of miles from any such dump. They were in far more danger living normally in Austin or LA or wherever than even residents of Southport were during the riots, though I was too polite to point that out.
Mostly.