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?
I've been hunting back through the thread without success to find oit what this pertains to. But if it's relevant, I was once lucky enough to be fellated on the Ffestiniog Mountain Railway. https://www.festrail.co.uk/about/
I was once fellated on the M4 by a Japanese lady, whilst I was driving at over 120 mph.
Not sure that can be relevent to anything.
That would result in a custodial sentences in Starmer's Britain.
3 points and a modest careless driving fine for the fellatio and 18 months in Pentonville for the 120 mph offence
Yeah, but the street cred on C Block....
I did once drive much faster on the M4, when challenged to a race by a Ford Escort Cosworth. He had the acceleration, but I had the top speed, as I kept reeling him in over 8 junctions.
As I pulled over to turn off at junction 12, the Cosworth pulled level, the passenger window rolled down - and got a cheery wave of appreciation from the passenger, Nigel Mansell.
Back in the day it was always wise to set the cruise control to 99 on a motorway because a hundred was a ban. 85 on a Motorway I felt was more than enough, although not enough for Cavalier drivers of the day. I wasn't averse to keeping up with fast machines on curvier journeys. When I had the Capris including the 2.8 on anything but a straight road an MG Metro could lose me. The Alfa GTV6 was a much better prospect. However my finest hour was a tussle with a Porsche 944 in a new Mk 3 Escort Ghia. I was coming out of Banbury on my way to Evesham and was flashed by the Porsche so I indicated and let him pass, but I thought I wonder if I could keep up. I did so easily, and he was clearly trying to lose me because when he turned off towards Southam he was tooting his horn and was waving from the sunroof. He'd had some fun.
These days I drive like an old woman.
But still. You had that moment! Nearly but not outdoing a Porsche 944 on the road sraight out of Banbury - not even diverting to Bicester - and driving thereon to Evesham
it doesn't get better than that. Every life has it peaks, and that was yours. As you rightly say it was your "finest moment". And, honestly? - Chapeau
I preferred that moment to being mugged to death in Nairobi.
P.S. If I hadn't let him pass I'd have lost him. I think Bicester is in the opposite direction. He turned right after about 15 miles towards Leamington.
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?
I've been hunting back through the thread without success to find oit what this pertains to. But if it's relevant, I was once lucky enough to be fellated on the Ffestiniog Mountain Railway. https://www.festrail.co.uk/about/
I was once fellated on the M4 by a Japanese lady, whilst I was driving at over 120 mph.
Not sure that can be relevent to anything.
That would result in a custodial sentences in Starmer's Britain.
3 points and a modest careless driving fine for the fellatio and 18 months in Pentonville for the 120 mph offence
Yeah, but the street cred on C Block....
I did once drive much faster on the M4, when challenged to a race by a Ford Escort Cosworth. He had the acceleration, but I had the top speed, as I kept reeling him in over 8 junctions.
As I pulled over to turn off at junction 12, the Cosworth pulled level, the passenger window rolled down - and got a cheery wave of appreciation from the passenger, Nigel Mansell.
Back in the day it was always wise to set the cruise control to 99 on a motorway because a hundred was a ban. 85 on a Motorway I felt was more than enough, although not enough for Cavalier drivers of the day. I wasn't averse to keeping up with fast machines on curvier journeys. When I had the Capris including the 2.8 on anything but a straight road an MG Metro could lose me. The Alfa GTV6 was a much better prospect. However my finest hour was a tussle with a Porsche 944 in a new Mk 3 Escort Ghia. I was coming out of Banbury on my way to Evesham and was flashed by the Porsche so I indicated and let him pass, but I thought I wonder if I could keep up. I did so easily, and he was clearly trying to lose me because when he turned off towards Southam he was tooting his horn and was waving from the sunroof. He'd had some fun.
These days I drive like an old woman.
Same here. Not wanting to explain to the Good Lady Wife that I will be away for a good few months because I was having W-A-Y too much fun in the car.
Anyway, no point in driving anything decent down here in Devon. There aren't the roads, and driving the lanes trashes anything decent in weeks. That - and stopping a runaway tractor and trailer to write off the car...
As we are talking about this sort of thing an experience from vegas where I worked occasionally. 9am sitting in starbucks across from my hotel.....guy comes out with a coffee looking round for a table.....I have three spare seats at my table so I wave him over and point it out.....he was hey are you sure I am black and got friends coming...I am thinking what the fuck should it matter?
Back in my photographer days, I was driving to a location with a stylist. She explained that the model we'd be working with was a lesbian. And I was sat for a while thinking 'Do lesbians reflect light differently? Are they matte?'. Then realised it was assumed a photographer would try and hit on the model.
A Spanish winner and an Italian the closest ever runner-up in the longest match possibly ever in Paris and each gave their winner and loser speech in English. That's our contribution. we really must rejoin this gang. it's madness being out
Tough competition, but possibly your silliest post.
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?
I've been hunting back through the thread without success to find oit what this pertains to. But if it's relevant, I was once lucky enough to be fellated on the Ffestiniog Mountain Railway. https://www.festrail.co.uk/about/
I was once fellated on the M4 by a Japanese lady, whilst I was driving at over 120 mph.
Not sure that can be relevent to anything.
With upcoming regulations and technology, the car will ensure that no more than 70 is possible, if that helps.
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
New Orelans is the 7th most dangerous city in the USA (for 2023)
Given that the top 6 are total shitholes that no one foreign will ever visit (with the possible exception of Memphis for weirdos), that makes Nawlins the most dangerous American city that any European will likely encounter
I been to 5 of those including NOLA, but the sketchiest place I've ever been uswise is Jackson, MS
I had a rather nice greek gyro wrap in Jackson.
But, yeah, it was sketchy as hell. You knew you were in the poorest state in the US.
I remember stopping for some soul-food in a suburb of Vegas and getting some funny looks. Mrs Foxy and I were the only white people in the place. We had a lovely meal, and the servers were very hospitable and it wasn't dangerous, more that no white American would have gone in the place.
Generally my experience of places you shouldn't go is "No problem when they realise you arent on some "taking the piss mission""....when myself and my girlfriend ended up in a cafe in the slums of casablanca...she was the only woman in there...she had a scarf over her head as we planned to visit the mosque....yes they were a little shocked a woman was in there at first but we spent a couple of hours there and after the intial surprise they were really friendly we all ended up on one table chatting away
Remember going to a restaurant in Casablanca, that over the course of the evening changed into a drinking den then a dancefloor then a bordello...
Well, thank you PB. The level of knowledge this site imbues is legendary. For example, this evening I discovered that Windsor, the Berkshire town I've lived in since 1999, is more dangerous, gun-wise, than New Orleans. Best wishes. With that I depart. Good night.
This reminds me of Ali G's monologue on Parkinson years ago about the streets of Virginia Water.
" Langley Village is full of people shooting up, and high on crack. Egham is the front line, Parky."
"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.
One obvious alternative is to appoint people who already can speak Russian, which is taught at many private schools and some universities. Likewise Arabic, though this is perhaps rarer. @Dura_Ace is PB's Russian and Arabic expert. Does he fancy a job handing out Ferero Rocher?
The number of people graduating UK universities with Russian or Arabic degrees is tiny.
And our annual need for ambassadors to Russia is how big exactly?
As we are talking about this sort of thing an experience from vegas where I worked occasionally. 9am sitting in starbucks across from my hotel.....guy comes out with a coffee looking round for a table.....I have three spare seats at my table so I wave him over and point it out.....he was hey are you sure I am black and got friends coming...I am thinking what the fuck should it matter?
Back in my photographer days, I was driving to a location with a stylist. She explained that the model we'd be working with was a lesbian. And I was sat for a while thinking 'Do lesbians reflect light differently? Are they matte?'. Then realised it was assumed a photographer would try and hit on the model.
Sad times in many ways.
I am probably thought of as far right, however I don't care about your colour, your creed, your sexuality. I do care about how you think. You think women, gay people etc are lesser then yes fuck off
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?
@Pagan2 is an armed robber, and it was the police who were pointing the guns at him.
Nope just lived the life with the hands I was dealt
I've been to some interesting places - Algeria in their civil war, Somalia, Colombia, Yemen, Equatorial Guinea after the "Wonga" coup attempt, where the President who took power reputedly ate his deposed uncle's bollocks - but I have had ex SAS/ex French Foreign Legion Special Forces as close protection. So no real risk.
My most "interesting" journey was between the Nairobi Club and the Lilian Towers hotel. The taxi was called for us by this very odd old colonial gentleman with who we had a meeting (for a legitimate business arrangement). The car that picked us up (this is circa 1985) was late 1960s Toyota Corona with a driver who when we got back into Nairobi didn't know the way to the Hotel (there weren't many Western Hotels in Nairobi in 1985). So the driver wanted to stop to pick up a random guy on a random street corner to help him with directions. My boss was a lot more worldly wiser than me and grabbed the driver around the neck calmly explaining if he stopped and let the guy in he would snap his neck. Remarkably the driver remembered the directions to the hotel. My boss released him from the neck hold only on arrival.
I treated myself to a beer. My boss treated himself to a hooker.
In 1985, before antiretrovirals were invented, the hooker would have been far more dangerous than the passenger.
I went to Nairobi on my honeymoon and had quite a pleasant wander through the city centre. There's some striking modernist architecture and a fascinating railway museum. We did take a taxi after dark though.
I suspect a dose of "the big disease with the little name" would have taken a few years to work to it's outcome. I think these two had plans that evening. I had sfa of value but my companion had a Patel Phillipe watch on his wrist.
Patel Philippe is a genius Freudian slip.
For context, more than 90% of Rolexes are fake, so probably the same for Patek.
One of my Uni mates got himself a fake Rolex. It was so crap that the clasp wouldn't stay shut and it kept falling off his wrist onto the floor.
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?
I've been hunting back through the thread without success to find oit what this pertains to. But if it's relevant, I was once lucky enough to be fellated on the Ffestiniog Mountain Railway. https://www.festrail.co.uk/about/
I was once fellated on the M4 by a Japanese lady, whilst I was driving at over 120 mph.
Not sure that can be relevent to anything.
That would result in a custodial sentences in Starmer's Britain.
3 points and a modest careless driving fine for the fellatio and 18 months in Pentonville for the 120 mph offence
Yeah, but the street cred on C Block....
I did once drive much faster on the M4, when challenged to a race by a Ford Escort Cosworth. He had the acceleration, but I had the top speed, as I kept reeling him in over 8 junctions.
As I pulled over to turn off at junction 12, the Cosworth pulled level, the passenger window rolled down - and got a cheery wave of appreciation from the passenger, Nigel Mansell.
Back in the day it was always wise to set the cruise control to 99 on a motorway because a hundred was a ban. 85 on a Motorway I felt was more than enough, although not enough for Cavalier drivers of the day. I wasn't averse to keeping up with fast machines on curvier journeys. When I had the Capris including the 2.8 on anything but a straight road an MG Metro could lose me. The Alfa GTV6 was a much better prospect. However my finest hour was a tussle with a Porsche 944 in a new Mk 3 Escort Ghia. I was coming out of Banbury on my way to Evesham and was flashed by the Porsche so I indicated and let him pass, but I thought I wonder if I could keep up. I did so easily, and he was clearly trying to lose me because when he turned off towards Southam he was tooting his horn and was waving from the sunroof. He'd had some fun.
These days I drive like an old woman.
But still. You had that moment! Nearly but not outdoing a Porsche 944 on the road sraight out of Banbury - not even diverting to Bicester - and driving thereon to Evesham
it doesn't get better than that. Every life has it peaks, and that was yours. As you rightly say it was your "finest moment". And, honestly? - Chapeau
I preferred that moment to being mugged to death in Nairobi.
It's frankly amazing you're alive
What gets me is that you didn't even think of, say, turning off to Chipping Norton, or perhaps visiting the garden centre at Rousham, you just arrowed on, heedless, all the way to Evesham, like a man possessed, in your new Mark 3 Escort Ghia
I mean. Jesus Christ and a dyke, you were shadowing Death, there
If you like I can introduce you to some publishers? This is a new thing, the Male Memoir - Men that Go To The Edge
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
New Orelans is the 7th most dangerous city in the USA (for 2023)
Given that the top 6 are total shitholes that no one foreign will ever visit (with the possible exception of Memphis for weirdos), that makes Nawlins the most dangerous American city that any European will likely encounter
Birmingham is on a big upswing right now. I think it was in the top three cities in the US for economic growth last year.
Any particular reason? A new MAGA hat factory?
Good university, decent food scene and very low cost of living. We're probably opening an office there, because we can get good data science staff at a fraction of the cost of the West Coast.
Labour arbitrage, only now within the same country. I gather we are starting to see it here as well, since employers are catching on that WFH means they don't need to pay London rates.
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?
I've been hunting back through the thread without success to find oit what this pertains to. But if it's relevant, I was once lucky enough to be fellated on the Ffestiniog Mountain Railway. https://www.festrail.co.uk/about/
Was it extra fun when you went over the shoogly points?
A few years ago I wrote a control system for a electron-beam nanotech system. The central function call to adjust the beam was shoogle(). Possibly my proudest moment.
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?
I've been hunting back through the thread without success to find oit what this pertains to. But if it's relevant, I was once lucky enough to be fellated on the Ffestiniog Mountain Railway. https://www.festrail.co.uk/about/
I was once fellated on the M4 by a Japanese lady, whilst I was driving at over 120 mph.
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?
I've been hunting back through the thread without success to find oit what this pertains to. But if it's relevant, I was once lucky enough to be fellated on the Ffestiniog Mountain Railway. https://www.festrail.co.uk/about/
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?
I've been hunting back through the thread without success to find oit what this pertains to. But if it's relevant, I was once lucky enough to be fellated on the Ffestiniog Mountain Railway. https://www.festrail.co.uk/about/
I was once fellated on the M4 by a Japanese lady, whilst I was driving at over 120 mph.
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?
@Pagan2 is an armed robber, and it was the police who were pointing the guns at him.
Nope just lived the life with the hands I was dealt
I've been to some interesting places - Algeria in their civil war, Somalia, Colombia, Yemen, Equatorial Guinea after the "Wonga" coup attempt, where the President who took power reputedly ate his deposed uncle's bollocks - but I have had ex SAS/ex French Foreign Legion Special Forces as close protection. So no real risk.
My most "interesting" journey was between the Nairobi Club and the Lilian Towers hotel. The taxi was called for us by this very odd old colonial gentleman with who we had a meeting (for a legitimate business arrangement). The car that picked us up (this is circa 1985) was late 1960s Toyota Corona with a driver who when we got back into Nairobi didn't know the way to the Hotel (there weren't many Western Hotels in Nairobi in 1985). So the driver wanted to stop to pick up a random guy on a random street corner to help him with directions. My boss was a lot more worldly wiser than me and grabbed the driver around the neck calmly explaining if he stopped and let the guy in he would snap his neck. Remarkably the driver remembered the directions to the hotel. My boss released him from the neck hold only on arrival.
I treated myself to a beer. My boss treated himself to a hooker.
In 1985, before antiretrovirals were invented, the hooker would have been far more dangerous than the passenger.
I went to Nairobi on my honeymoon and had quite a pleasant wander through the city centre. There's some striking modernist architecture and a fascinating railway museum. We did take a taxi after dark though.
I suspect a dose of "the big disease with the little name" would have taken a few years to work to it's outcome. I think these two had plans that evening. I had sfa of value but my companion had a Patel Phillipe watch on his wrist.
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?
I've been hunting back through the thread without success to find oit what this pertains to. But if it's relevant, I was once lucky enough to be fellated on the Ffestiniog Mountain Railway. https://www.festrail.co.uk/about/
I was once fellated on the M4 by a Japanese lady, whilst I was driving at over 120 mph.
Not sure that can be relevent to anything.
Did you come at high speed?
I think my mind was warped...
Sorry I had to stop officer, the speed blew my big 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
How on earth have you managed to have guns pointed at you 6 times in the UK?
Laserquest?
@Pagan2 is an armed robber, and it was the police who were pointing the guns at him.
Nope just lived the life with the hands I was dealt
I've been to some interesting places - Algeria in their civil war, Somalia, Colombia, Yemen, Equatorial Guinea after the "Wonga" coup attempt, where the President who took power reputedly ate his deposed uncle's bollocks - but I have had ex SAS/ex French Foreign Legion Special Forces as close protection. So no real risk.
My most "interesting" journey was between the Nairobi Club and the Lilian Towers hotel. The taxi was called for us by this very odd old colonial gentleman with who we had a meeting (for a legitimate business arrangement). The car that picked us up (this is circa 1985) was late 1960s Toyota Corona with a driver who when we got back into Nairobi didn't know the way to the Hotel (there weren't many Western Hotels in Nairobi in 1985). So the driver wanted to stop to pick up a random guy on a random street corner to help him with directions. My boss was a lot more worldly wiser than me and grabbed the driver around the neck calmly explaining if he stopped and let the guy in he would snap his neck. Remarkably the driver remembered the directions to the hotel. My boss released him from the neck hold only on arrival.
I treated myself to a beer. My boss treated himself to a hooker.
In 1985, before antiretrovirals were invented, the hooker would have been far more dangerous than the passenger.
I went to Nairobi on my honeymoon and had quite a pleasant wander through the city centre. There's some striking modernist architecture and a fascinating railway museum. We did take a taxi after dark though.
I suspect a dose of "the big disease with the little name" would have taken a few years to work to it's outcome. I think these two had plans that evening. I had sfa of value but my companion had a Patel Phillipe watch on his wrist.
Patel Philippe is a genius Freudian slip.
For context, more than 90% of Rolexes are fake, so probably the same for Patek.
One of my Uni mates got himself a fake Rolex. It was so crap that the clasp wouldn't stay shut and it kept falling off his wrist onto the floor.
I had one for years that I won in a game of 21 (I think it was) in a dive in Hong Kong.
It was an utter piece of crap, but told the time well.
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?
I've been hunting back through the thread without success to find oit what this pertains to. But if it's relevant, I was once lucky enough to be fellated on the Ffestiniog Mountain Railway. https://www.festrail.co.uk/about/
I was once fellated on the M4 by a Japanese lady, whilst I was driving at over 120 mph.
Not sure that can be relevent to anything.
Were you doing 120 when it started or did you just accelerate as it progressed? If so could use it in defense especially if the fellation was involuntary
She has a thing about speed, officer...
I remember being in a car with a Dom/sub couple many years ago. The sub (a middle-aged woman) 'lowered herself' onto the glass-handled gear stick while the guy sped up to over 100mph on the little B-road we were on.
I think it's the most frightened I've ever been for myself or another person.
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?
I've been hunting back through the thread without success to find oit what this pertains to. But if it's relevant, I was once lucky enough to be fellated on the Ffestiniog Mountain Railway. https://www.festrail.co.uk/about/
I was once fellated on the M4 by a Japanese lady, whilst I was driving at over 120 mph.
Not sure that can be relevent to anything.
That would result in a custodial sentences in Starmer's Britain.
3 points and a modest careless driving fine for the fellatio and 18 months in Pentonville for the 120 mph offence
Yeah, but the street cred on C Block....
I did once drive much faster on the M4, when challenged to a race by a Ford Escort Cosworth. He had the acceleration, but I had the top speed, as I kept reeling him in over 8 junctions.
As I pulled over to turn off at junction 12, the Cosworth pulled level, the passenger window rolled down - and got a cheery wave of appreciation from the passenger, Nigel Mansell.
Back in the day it was always wise to set the cruise control to 99 on a motorway because a hundred was a ban. 85 on a Motorway I felt was more than enough, although not enough for Cavalier drivers of the day. I wasn't averse to keeping up with fast machines on curvier journeys. When I had the Capris including the 2.8 on anything but a straight road an MG Metro could lose me. The Alfa GTV6 was a much better prospect. However my finest hour was a tussle with a Porsche 944 in a new Mk 3 Escort Ghia. I was coming out of Banbury on my way to Evesham and was flashed by the Porsche so I indicated and let him pass, but I thought I wonder if I could keep up. I did so easily, and he was clearly trying to lose me because when he turned off towards Southam he was tooting his horn and was waving from the sunroof. He'd had some fun.
These days I drive like an old woman.
But still. You had that moment! Nearly but not outdoing a Porsche 944 on the road sraight out of Banbury - not even diverting to Bicester - and driving thereon to Evesham
it doesn't get better than that. Every life has it peaks, and that was yours. As you rightly say it was your "finest moment". And, honestly? - Chapeau
I preferred that moment to being mugged to death in Nairobi.
It's frankly amazing you're alive
What gets me is that you didn't even think of, say, turning off to Chipping Norton, or perhaps visiting the garden centre at Rousham, you just arrowed on, heedless, all the way to Evesham, like a man possessed, in your new Mark 3 Escort Ghia
I mean. Jesus Christ and a dyke, you were shadowing Death, there
If you like I can introduce you to some publishers? This is a new thing, the Male Memoir - Men that Go To The Edge
No I was merely having a youthful adrenaline rush. I could have been mainlining heroin instead to get a buzz, but that would be fuckin' mental.
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
New Orelans is the 7th most dangerous city in the USA (for 2023)
Given that the top 6 are total shitholes that no one foreign will ever visit (with the possible exception of Memphis for weirdos), that makes Nawlins the most dangerous American city that any European will likely encounter
Birmingham is on a big upswing right now. I think it was in the top three cities in the US for economic growth last year.
Any particular reason? A new MAGA hat factory?
Good university, decent food scene and very low cost of living. We're probably opening an office there, because we can get good data science staff at a fraction of the cost of the West Coast.
Birmingham also has the National Carbon Capture Center (note the awful spelling).
If that isn't a recommendation for visiting, I don't know what is!
That was my reason for visiting the city, unsurprisingly.
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?
@Pagan2 is an armed robber, and it was the police who were pointing the guns at him.
Nope just lived the life with the hands I was dealt
I've been to some interesting places - Algeria in their civil war, Somalia, Colombia, Yemen, Equatorial Guinea after the "Wonga" coup attempt, where the President who took power reputedly ate his deposed uncle's bollocks - but I have had ex SAS/ex French Foreign Legion Special Forces as close protection. So no real risk.
My most "interesting" journey was between the Nairobi Club and the Lilian Towers hotel. The taxi was called for us by this very odd old colonial gentleman with who we had a meeting (for a legitimate business arrangement). The car that picked us up (this is circa 1985) was late 1960s Toyota Corona with a driver who when we got back into Nairobi didn't know the way to the Hotel (there weren't many Western Hotels in Nairobi in 1985). So the driver wanted to stop to pick up a random guy on a random street corner to help him with directions. My boss was a lot more worldly wiser than me and grabbed the driver around the neck calmly explaining if he stopped and let the guy in he would snap his neck. Remarkably the driver remembered the directions to the hotel. My boss released him from the neck hold only on arrival.
I treated myself to a beer. My boss treated himself to a hooker.
In 1985, before antiretrovirals were invented, the hooker would have been far more dangerous than the passenger.
I went to Nairobi on my honeymoon and had quite a pleasant wander through the city centre. There's some striking modernist architecture and a fascinating railway museum. We did take a taxi after dark though.
I suspect a dose of "the big disease with the little name" would have taken a few years to work to it's outcome. I think these two had plans that evening. I had sfa of value but my companion had a Patel Phillipe watch on his wrist.
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?
I've been hunting back through the thread without success to find oit what this pertains to. But if it's relevant, I was once lucky enough to be fellated on the Ffestiniog Mountain Railway. https://www.festrail.co.uk/about/
I was once fellated on the M4 by a Japanese lady, whilst I was driving at over 120 mph.
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?
@Pagan2 is an armed robber, and it was the police who were pointing the guns at him.
Nope just lived the life with the hands I was dealt
I've been to some interesting places - Algeria in their civil war, Somalia, Colombia, Yemen, Equatorial Guinea after the "Wonga" coup attempt, where the President who took power reputedly ate his deposed uncle's bollocks - but I have had ex SAS/ex French Foreign Legion Special Forces as close protection. So no real risk.
My most "interesting" journey was between the Nairobi Club and the Lilian Towers hotel. The taxi was called for us by this very odd old colonial gentleman with who we had a meeting (for a legitimate business arrangement). The car that picked us up (this is circa 1985) was late 1960s Toyota Corona with a driver who when we got back into Nairobi didn't know the way to the Hotel (there weren't many Western Hotels in Nairobi in 1985). So the driver wanted to stop to pick up a random guy on a random street corner to help him with directions. My boss was a lot more worldly wiser than me and grabbed the driver around the neck calmly explaining if he stopped and let the guy in he would snap his neck. Remarkably the driver remembered the directions to the hotel. My boss released him from the neck hold only on arrival.
I treated myself to a beer. My boss treated himself to a hooker.
In 1985, before antiretrovirals were invented, the hooker would have been far more dangerous than the passenger.
I went to Nairobi on my honeymoon and had quite a pleasant wander through the city centre. There's some striking modernist architecture and a fascinating railway museum. We did take a taxi after dark though.
I suspect a dose of "the big disease with the little name" would have taken a few years to work to it's outcome. I think these two had plans that evening. I had sfa of value but my companion had a Patel Phillipe watch on his wrist.
Indian knock-off?
Very good. I didn't notice the autocorrect hence my earnest response.
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?
I've been hunting back through the thread without success to find oit what this pertains to. But if it's relevant, I was once lucky enough to be fellated on the Ffestiniog Mountain Railway. https://www.festrail.co.uk/about/
I was once fellated on the M4 by a Japanese lady, whilst I was driving at over 120 mph.
Not sure that can be relevent to anything.
Were you doing 120 when it started or did you just accelerate as it progressed? If so could use it in defense especially if the fellation was involuntary
She has a thing about speed, officer...
I remember being in a car with a Dom/sub couple many years ago. The sub (a middle-aged woman) 'lowered herself' onto the glass-handled gear stick while the guy sped up to over 100mph on the little B-road we were on.
I think it's the most frightened I've ever been for myself or another person.
I think the former Member of Parliament for Broxtowe is going to have to up his game...
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
New Orelans is the 7th most dangerous city in the USA (for 2023)
Given that the top 6 are total shitholes that no one foreign will ever visit (with the possible exception of Memphis for weirdos), that makes Nawlins the most dangerous American city that any European will likely encounter
Birmingham is on a big upswing right now. I think it was in the top three cities in the US for economic growth last year.
Any particular reason? A new MAGA hat factory?
Good university, decent food scene and very low cost of living. We're probably opening an office there, because we can get good data science staff at a fraction of the cost of the West Coast.
Birmingham also has the National Carbon Capture Center (note the awful spelling).
If that isn't a recommendation for visiting, I don't know what is!
That was my reason for visiting the city, unsurprisingly.
Somewhat related - I remember someone I worked with visiting the University of Wolverhampton a few years ago. They had ultra-fancy water coolers with touch-screens on them. When you pressed the 'Water' button on the screen it just lit up a message saying 'Press below' - which pointed to just a regular old water cooler nozzle.
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?
@Pagan2 is an armed robber, and it was the police who were pointing the guns at him.
Remind me again, @rcs1000, who’s the moderator who was complaining about posters saying not nice things about other posters?
I said he was an armed robber! That's like the royalty of lockup.
I was actually offended by being called an armed robber...there are far better ways of making illegal money and not that stupid nods
A Spanish winner and an Italian the closest ever runner-up in the longest match possibly ever in Paris and each gave their winner and loser speech in English. That's our contribution. we really must rejoin this gang. it's madness being out
Tough competition, but possibly your silliest post.
I understand things look different from the bright lights of Carnforth
A Spanish winner and an Italian the closest ever runner-up in the longest match possibly ever in Paris and each gave their winner and loser speech in English. That's our contribution. we really must rejoin this gang. it's madness being out
Tough competition, but possibly your silliest post.
I understand things look different from the bright lights of Carnforth
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?
@Pagan2 is an armed robber, and it was the police who were pointing the guns at him.
Nope just lived the life with the hands I was dealt
I've been to some interesting places - Algeria in their civil war, Somalia, Colombia, Yemen, Equatorial Guinea after the "Wonga" coup attempt, where the President who took power reputedly ate his deposed uncle's bollocks - but I have had ex SAS/ex French Foreign Legion Special Forces as close protection. So no real risk.
My most "interesting" journey was between the Nairobi Club and the Lilian Towers hotel. The taxi was called for us by this very odd old colonial gentleman with who we had a meeting (for a legitimate business arrangement). The car that picked us up (this is circa 1985) was late 1960s Toyota Corona with a driver who when we got back into Nairobi didn't know the way to the Hotel (there weren't many Western Hotels in Nairobi in 1985). So the driver wanted to stop to pick up a random guy on a random street corner to help him with directions. My boss was a lot more worldly wiser than me and grabbed the driver around the neck calmly explaining if he stopped and let the guy in he would snap his neck. Remarkably the driver remembered the directions to the hotel. My boss released him from the neck hold only on arrival.
I treated myself to a beer. My boss treated himself to a hooker.
In 1985, before antiretrovirals were invented, the hooker would have been far more dangerous than the passenger.
I went to Nairobi on my honeymoon and had quite a pleasant wander through the city centre. There's some striking modernist architecture and a fascinating railway museum. We did take a taxi after dark though.
I suspect a dose of "the big disease with the little name" would have taken a few years to work to it's outcome. I think these two had plans that evening. I had sfa of value but my companion had a Patel Phillipe watch on his wrist.
Patel Philippe is a genius Freudian slip.
For context, more than 90% of Rolexes are fake, so probably the same for Patek.
One of my Uni mates got himself a fake Rolex. It was so crap that the clasp wouldn't stay shut and it kept falling off his wrist onto the floor.
Anyone watching Death Valley? They are on location in Llantwit Major. I'll give you a wave.
Halfway through episode one.
This is episode 3. It does get better. Well a bit better.
My early impression of Death Valley is Ludwig with a Welsh accent.
Ludwig is much better. But this is OK. Spall is good, as is Dave Coaches and Stacey's mum (the one from Gavin and Stacey not Rachel Hunter). The lead female is a bit grating, although I am sure that is part of the story.
A Spanish winner and an Italian the closest ever runner-up in the longest match possibly ever in Paris and each gave their winner and loser speech in English. That's our contribution. we really must rejoin this gang. it's madness being out
Tough competition, but possibly your silliest post.
I understand things look different from the bright lights of Carnforth
No, your comment made no sense. Some Italian people / Spanish people can speak good English, therefore we ought to be in a political union with them? By that logic we should also be in a political union with the USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, India, South Africa ... half the world, really. There might be valid reasons for wanting to be in a political union with the EU. But what you've just highlighted isn't logically one of them.
According to the chap on your link (who really ought to mute the microphone when blowing his nose) it was someone being deported who escaped and ran, but was stopped by a nearby delivery driver rather than the police. Coming to the news soon, one imagines.
A Spanish winner and an Italian the closest ever runner-up in the longest match possibly ever in Paris and each gave their winner and loser speech in English. That's our contribution. we really must rejoin this gang. it's madness being out
Tough competition, but possibly your silliest post.
I understand things look different from the bright lights of Carnforth
No, your comment made no sense. Some Italian people / Spanish people can speak good English, therefore we ought to be in a political union with them? By that logic we should also be in a political union with the USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, India, South Africa ... half the world, really. There might be valid reasons for wanting to be in a political union with the EU. But what you've just highlighted isn't logically one of them.
Ironically it was Alan Sked's suspicion of Italy that originally gave birth to UKIP, and by that route, eventually Farage, and Brexit.
As we are talking about this sort of thing an experience from vegas where I worked occasionally. 9am sitting in starbucks across from my hotel.....guy comes out with a coffee looking round for a table.....I have three spare seats at my table so I wave him over and point it out.....he was hey are you sure I am black and got friends coming...I am thinking what the fuck should it matter?
Back in my photographer days, I was driving to a location with a stylist. She explained that the model we'd be working with was a lesbian. And I was sat for a while thinking 'Do lesbians reflect light differently? Are they matte?'. Then realised it was assumed a photographer would try and hit on the model.
Sad times in many ways.
I am probably thought of as far right, however I don't care about your colour, your creed, your sexuality. I do care about how you think. You think women, gay people etc are lesser then yes fuck off
As we are talking about this sort of thing an experience from vegas where I worked occasionally. 9am sitting in starbucks across from my hotel.....guy comes out with a coffee looking round for a table.....I have three spare seats at my table so I wave him over and point it out.....he was hey are you sure I am black and got friends coming...I am thinking what the fuck should it matter?
Back in my photographer days, I was driving to a location with a stylist. She explained that the model we'd be working with was a lesbian. And I was sat for a while thinking 'Do lesbians reflect light differently? Are they matte?'. Then realised it was assumed a photographer would try and hit on the model.
Sad times in many ways.
I am probably thought of as far right, however I don't care about your colour, your creed, your sexuality. I do care about how you think. You think women, gay people etc are lesser then yes fuck off
Have you thought about visiting a psychiatrist?
Wow what did you take exception to there? Not enough tampons involved....It think you just showed yourself to be a total twat as I doubt even kinablu the accountant from hell could find a fault
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?
I've been hunting back through the thread without success to find oit what this pertains to. But if it's relevant, I was once lucky enough to be fellated on the Ffestiniog Mountain Railway. https://www.festrail.co.uk/about/
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?
@Pagan2 is an armed robber, and it was the police who were pointing the guns at him.
Nope just lived the life with the hands I was dealt
I've been to some interesting places - Algeria in their civil war, Somalia, Colombia, Yemen, Equatorial Guinea after the "Wonga" coup attempt, where the President who took power reputedly ate his deposed uncle's bollocks - but I have had ex SAS/ex French Foreign Legion Special Forces as close protection. So no real risk.
My most "interesting" journey was between the Nairobi Club and the Lilian Towers hotel. The taxi was called for us by this very odd old colonial gentleman with who we had a meeting (for a legitimate business arrangement). The car that picked us up (this is circa 1985) was late 1960s Toyota Corona with a driver who when we got back into Nairobi didn't know the way to the Hotel (there weren't many Western Hotels in Nairobi in 1985). So the driver wanted to stop to pick up a random guy on a random street corner to help him with directions. My boss was a lot more worldly wiser than me and grabbed the driver around the neck calmly explaining if he stopped and let the guy in he would snap his neck. Remarkably the driver remembered the directions to the hotel. My boss released him from the neck hold only on arrival.
I treated myself to a beer. My boss treated himself to a hooker.
I woke up in Huntingdon once at 2am after falling asleep on the train. I tell you it was vicious: it was drizzling. Luckily I phoned an enquiry number and got a taxi. Whew, that was close. The taxi driver and I laughed about it on the way, but it could have gone horribly wrong.
Excl: New research says businesses could save up to £11k in tax by hiring Indian workers under Labour's trade agreement.
Comes as the Treasury admits it DOES have an estimate of how much the tax agreement will cost us - but is covering it up
The Indian trade deal double contributions agreement furore is possibly the most concocted, ridiculous, 2020s furore that the furore mongers of the 2020s have yet cooked up.
Actual far right types, who usually object to single taxation let alone the double sort, suddenly deciding double taxation on the same income is AOK because of where the double taxpayers come from.
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?
Until you wrote 'pre-kids' I was under the assumption you were narrating your current evening events.
I'm not sure what it says about my view of you that I wasn't particularly surprised that you'd be doing so.
Excl: New research says businesses could save up to £11k in tax by hiring Indian workers under Labour's trade agreement.
Comes as the Treasury admits it DOES have an estimate of how much the tax agreement will cost us - but is covering it up
The Indian trade deal double contributions agreement furore is possibly the most concocted, ridiculous, 2020s furore that the furore mongers of the 2020s have yet cooked up.
Actual far right types, who usually object to single taxation let alone the double sort, suddenly deciding double taxation on the same income is AOK because of where the double taxpayers come from.
When there is a significant disparity in wage levels between the two countries then it becomes a means to facilitate wage arbitrage.
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?
@Pagan2 is an armed robber, and it was the police who were pointing the guns at him.
Nope just lived the life with the hands I was dealt
I've been to some interesting places - Algeria in their civil war, Somalia, Colombia, Yemen, Equatorial Guinea after the "Wonga" coup attempt, where the President who took power reputedly ate his deposed uncle's bollocks - but I have had ex SAS/ex French Foreign Legion Special Forces as close protection. So no real risk.
My most "interesting" journey was between the Nairobi Club and the Lilian Towers hotel. The taxi was called for us by this very odd old colonial gentleman with who we had a meeting (for a legitimate business arrangement). The car that picked us up (this is circa 1985) was late 1960s Toyota Corona with a driver who when we got back into Nairobi didn't know the way to the Hotel (there weren't many Western Hotels in Nairobi in 1985). So the driver wanted to stop to pick up a random guy on a random street corner to help him with directions. My boss was a lot more worldly wiser than me and grabbed the driver around the neck calmly explaining if he stopped and let the guy in he would snap his neck. Remarkably the driver remembered the directions to the hotel. My boss released him from the neck hold only on arrival.
I treated myself to a beer. My boss treated himself to a hooker.
I woke up in Huntingdon once at 2am after falling asleep on the train. I tell you it was vicious: it was drizzling. Luckily I phoned an enquiry number and got a taxi. Whew, that was close. The taxi driver and I laughed about it on the way, but it could have gone horribly wrong.
I've heard market town Cambridgeshire can be a bit lairy these days.
Anyway, we have both broken the cardinal rule of PB. No posts about taxi drivers! I'll apologise now.
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?
@Pagan2 is an armed robber, and it was the police who were pointing the guns at him.
Nope just lived the life with the hands I was dealt
I've been to some interesting places - Algeria in their civil war, Somalia, Colombia, Yemen, Equatorial Guinea after the "Wonga" coup attempt, where the President who took power reputedly ate his deposed uncle's bollocks - but I have had ex SAS/ex French Foreign Legion Special Forces as close protection. So no real risk.
My most "interesting" journey was between the Nairobi Club and the Lilian Towers hotel. The taxi was called for us by this very odd old colonial gentleman with who we had a meeting (for a legitimate business arrangement). The car that picked us up (this is circa 1985) was late 1960s Toyota Corona with a driver who when we got back into Nairobi didn't know the way to the Hotel (there weren't many Western Hotels in Nairobi in 1985). So the driver wanted to stop to pick up a random guy on a random street corner to help him with directions. My boss was a lot more worldly wiser than me and grabbed the driver around the neck calmly explaining if he stopped and let the guy in he would snap his neck. Remarkably the driver remembered the directions to the hotel. My boss released him from the neck hold only on arrival.
I treated myself to a beer. My boss treated himself to a hooker.
I woke up in Huntingdon once at 2am after falling asleep on the train. I tell you it was vicious: it was drizzling. Luckily I phoned an enquiry number and got a taxi. Whew, that was close. The taxi driver and I laughed about it on the way, but it could have gone horribly wrong.
I've heard market town Cambridgeshire can be a bit lairy these days.
Anyway, we have both broken the cardinal rule of PB. No posts about taxi drivers! I'll apologise now.
Do you know the best way to tell whether or not you're in a posh area? Joggers. Chelsea Bridge is where you're most likely to see them in London. You don't see many joggers in Dagenham.
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?
@Pagan2 is an armed robber, and it was the police who were pointing the guns at him.
Nope just lived the life with the hands I was dealt
I've been to some interesting places - Algeria in their civil war, Somalia, Colombia, Yemen, Equatorial Guinea after the "Wonga" coup attempt, where the President who took power reputedly ate his deposed uncle's bollocks - but I have had ex SAS/ex French Foreign Legion Special Forces as close protection. So no real risk.
My most "interesting" journey was between the Nairobi Club and the Lilian Towers hotel. The taxi was called for us by this very odd old colonial gentleman with who we had a meeting (for a legitimate business arrangement). The car that picked us up (this is circa 1985) was late 1960s Toyota Corona with a driver who when we got back into Nairobi didn't know the way to the Hotel (there weren't many Western Hotels in Nairobi in 1985). So the driver wanted to stop to pick up a random guy on a random street corner to help him with directions. My boss was a lot more worldly wiser than me and grabbed the driver around the neck calmly explaining if he stopped and let the guy in he would snap his neck. Remarkably the driver remembered the directions to the hotel. My boss released him from the neck hold only on arrival.
I treated myself to a beer. My boss treated himself to a hooker.
I woke up in Huntingdon once at 2am after falling asleep on the train. I tell you it was vicious: it was drizzling. Luckily I phoned an enquiry number and got a taxi. Whew, that was close. The taxi driver and I laughed about it on the way, but it could have gone horribly wrong.
I've heard market town Cambridgeshire can be a bit lairy these days.
Anyway, we have both broken the cardinal rule of PB. No posts about taxi drivers! I'll apologise now.
Unless you play the Albanian Gambit.
"Oy 'ad this dildo knapper in the back of the cab once"
A Spanish winner and an Italian the closest ever runner-up in the longest match possibly ever in Paris and each gave their winner and loser speech in English. That's our contribution. we really must rejoin this gang. it's madness being out
Tough competition, but possibly your silliest post.
I understand things look different from the bright lights of Carnforth
No, your comment made no sense. Some Italian people / Spanish people can speak good English, therefore we ought to be in a political union with them? By that logic we should also be in a political union with the USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, India, South Africa ... half the world, really. There might be valid reasons for wanting to be in a political union with the EU. But what you've just highlighted isn't logically one of them.
Wouldn't you like Sale to be able to be fully integrated with Paris Madrid and Florence with your kids able to live and work in any of those places with the ease they could the Stretford Arndale Centre?
Well watching Roland Garros reminded what things were like just a few years ago and what they could be now. We each have our own advantages. We have the most popular language Paris and Florence are the most beautiful but we could freely share in them all.
Being in France reminds me of that daily . It's a big beautiful melting pot of shared cultures.
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?
I realise this is missing the point even by my standards, but the RSS Conference is in Edinburgh this year and I was thinking of taking the Caledonian Sleeper to get there. What is it like? Is it difficult to sleep?
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?
I realise this is missing the point even by my standards, but the RSS Conference is in Edinburgh this year and I was thinking of taking the Caledonian Sleeper to get there. What is it like? Is it difficult to sleep?
I suspect that depends on whether you are sharing a compartment with @Casino_Royale.
A Spanish winner and an Italian the closest ever runner-up in the longest match possibly ever in Paris and each gave their winner and loser speech in English. That's our contribution. we really must rejoin this gang. it's madness being out
Tough competition, but possibly your silliest post.
I understand things look different from the bright lights of Carnforth
No, your comment made no sense. Some Italian people / Spanish people can speak good English, therefore we ought to be in a political union with them? By that logic we should also be in a political union with the USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, India, South Africa ... half the world, really. There might be valid reasons for wanting to be in a political union with the EU. But what you've just highlighted isn't logically one of them.
Wouldn't you like Sale to be able to be fully integrated with Paris Madrid and Florence with your kids able to live and work in any of those places with the ease they could the Stretford Arndale Centre?
Well watching Roland Garros reminded what things were like just a few years ago and what they could be now. We each have our own advantages. We have the most popular language Paris and Florence are the most beautiful but we could freely share in them all.
Being in France reminds me of that daily . It's a big beautiful melting pot of shared cultures.
And again I remind you of your erroneous vote in 2016.
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?
I realise this is missing the point even by my standards, but the RSS Conference is in Edinburgh this year and I was thinking of taking the Caledonian Sleeper to get there. What is it like? Is it difficult to sleep?
I suspect that depends on whether you are sharing a compartment with @Casino_Royale.
And if any of @Pagan2 acquaintances are in neighbouring compartments, presumably.
It is interesting, how we travel and just find ourselves over and over.
I go to countries and find people who like cocktails and a rant about politics - even in the oddest places. @Woger finds cosmopolitan rich people everywhere. @Pagan2 finds armed people.
A Spanish winner and an Italian the closest ever runner-up in the longest match possibly ever in Paris and each gave their winner and loser speech in English. That's our contribution. we really must rejoin this gang. it's madness being out
Tough competition, but possibly your silliest post.
I understand things look different from the bright lights of Carnforth
No, your comment made no sense. Some Italian people / Spanish people can speak good English, therefore we ought to be in a political union with them? By that logic we should also be in a political union with the USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, India, South Africa ... half the world, really. There might be valid reasons for wanting to be in a political union with the EU. But what you've just highlighted isn't logically one of them.
Wouldn't you like Sale to be able to be fully integrated with Paris Madrid and Florence with your kids able to live and work in any of those places with the ease they could the Stretford Arndale Centre?
Well watching Roland Garros reminded what things were like just a few years ago and what they could be now. We each have our own advantages. We have the most popular language Paris and Florence are the most beautiful but we could freely share in them all.
Being in France reminds me of that daily . It's a big beautiful melting pot of shared cultures.
If things are so great on mainland Europe why is almost every EU country veering to the hard or far Right, forcing the mainstream parties to try and outlaw them in desperation (and, I suspect, failing, in the end)?
You literally live in a corner of France that voted Le Pen so hard, she won in the First Round
A hard right Europe could appeal to people like me, I am not sure why it should appeal to many of the leftier types on here, or indeed you
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?
I realise this is missing the point even by my standards, but the RSS Conference is in Edinburgh this year and I was thinking of taking the Caledonian Sleeper to get there. What is it like? Is it difficult to sleep?
I suspect Mrs Casino would have been offended if he'd nodded off in flagrante.
Do you know the best way to tell whether or not you're in a posh area? Joggers. Chelsea Bridge is where you're most likely to see them in London. You don't see many joggers in Dagenham.
I'm sure plenty of people wear joggers in Dagenham.
Do you know the best way to tell whether or not you're in a posh area? Joggers. Chelsea Bridge is where you're most likely to see them in London. You don't see many joggers in Dagenham.
Do you know the best way to tell whether or not you're in a posh area? Joggers. Chelsea Bridge is where you're most likely to see them in London. You don't see many joggers in Dagenham.
I'm sure plenty of people wear joggers in Dagenham.
As a traveller, I have long realised the test of a truly civilised nation is: do people - especially young women - feel safe to go jogging at night around a city?
In America this is rarely the case. In Japan, Singapore, Korea, Hong Kong, etc, they can feel 100% safe
The rest of the developed world lies between these two; unfortunately much of Europe has got closer to America than Japan, in recent years. And as the father of two daughters, it hacks me off. Why should we tolerate this, any more?
Excl: New research says businesses could save up to £11k in tax by hiring Indian workers under Labour's trade agreement.
Comes as the Treasury admits it DOES have an estimate of how much the tax agreement will cost us - but is covering it up
The Indian trade deal double contributions agreement furore is possibly the most concocted, ridiculous, 2020s furore that the furore mongers of the 2020s have yet cooked up.
Actual far right types, who usually object to single taxation let alone the double sort, suddenly deciding double taxation on the same income is AOK because of where the double taxpayers come from.
When there is a significant disparity in wage levels between the two countries then it becomes a means to facilitate wage arbitrage.
1. The agreement covers a small number of highly skilled high-paid employees moving in both directions 2. It only applies to short term assignments within a multinational 3. My business will benefit more from the relief from double taxation on UK staff spending time in India than vice versa 4. It’s relieving double taxation. Double taxation! Are you seriously arguing people should be taxed twice on the same income?
A Spanish winner and an Italian the closest ever runner-up in the longest match possibly ever in Paris and each gave their winner and loser speech in English. That's our contribution. we really must rejoin this gang. it's madness being out
Tough competition, but possibly your silliest post.
I understand things look different from the bright lights of Carnforth
No, your comment made no sense. Some Italian people / Spanish people can speak good English, therefore we ought to be in a political union with them? By that logic we should also be in a political union with the USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, India, South Africa ... half the world, really. There might be valid reasons for wanting to be in a political union with the EU. But what you've just highlighted isn't logically one of them.
Wouldn't you like Sale to be able to be fully integrated with Paris Madrid and Florence with your kids able to live and work in any of those places with the ease they could the Stretford Arndale Centre?
Well watching Roland Garros reminded what things were like just a few years ago and what they could be now. We each have our own advantages. We have the most popular language Paris and Florence are the most beautiful but we could freely share in them all.
Being in France reminds me of that daily . It's a big beautiful melting pot of shared cultures.
Why? I remember around the time of Brexit you making the argument which amounted to "Venice is nicer than Grimsby" - which, while true, was a) comparing the best of Europe to the worst of here (you could just as easily and truly say York is nicer than Marseille) but more importantly b) just because something is nice doesn't mean you should be in a political union with it. Venice is just as nice whether we are in a political union with it or not. It doesn't make getting there an easier (yes, we talked a few weeks back about how quickly you can get through airports, and if you have no hold baggage then arguably on average you can get through 5 minutes quicker - doesn't really seem material). As to freedom to live and work there - nice in principle, but really, how many people want to a) want to work in Europe, and b) can't do so? A fairly tiny proportion, surely. I can't imagine my kids wanting to live or work in Europe. We've been several times in recent years, and they've enjoyed themselves, but ask them which holiday destination they'd most like to live in when they grown up and its Scotland or Cornwall or the Lake District or Yorkshire. I take your initial point that English is widespread in Europe, but not to the extent that it is easy or practical to live and work there without the relevant native language.
There is much about Europe I like. But we haven't sailed off into the Atlantic. It's still as close/far away as it was. I don't need a political union in order to have what I like about it.
Top marks for mentioning Stretford Arndale, btw. I enjoyed that. (Always on the brink, we are told, of not being terrible - next year, maybe...)
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?
I realise this is missing the point even by my standards, but the RSS Conference is in Edinburgh this year and I was thinking of taking the Caledonian Sleeper to get there. What is it like? Is it difficult to sleep?
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?
I realise this is missing the point even by my standards, but the RSS Conference is in Edinburgh this year and I was thinking of taking the Caledonian Sleeper to get there. What is it like? Is it difficult to sleep?
Depends if you are having sex with @Casino_Royale’s wife or not, I suspect
A Spanish winner and an Italian the closest ever runner-up in the longest match possibly ever in Paris and each gave their winner and loser speech in English. That's our contribution. we really must rejoin this gang. it's madness being out
Tough competition, but possibly your silliest post.
I understand things look different from the bright lights of Carnforth
No, your comment made no sense. Some Italian people / Spanish people can speak good English, therefore we ought to be in a political union with them? By that logic we should also be in a political union with the USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, India, South Africa ... half the world, really. There might be valid reasons for wanting to be in a political union with the EU. But what you've just highlighted isn't logically one of them.
Wouldn't you like Sale to be able to be fully integrated with Paris Madrid and Florence with your kids able to live and work in any of those places with the ease they could the Stretford Arndale Centre?
Well watching Roland Garros reminded what things were like just a few years ago and what they could be now. We each have our own advantages. We have the most popular language Paris and Florence are the most beautiful but we could freely share in them all.
Being in France reminds me of that daily . It's a big beautiful melting pot of shared cultures.
And again I remind you of your erroneous vote in 2016.
I think I was replying to Leon's piece you were responding to. Sorry.
A Spanish winner and an Italian the closest ever runner-up in the longest match possibly ever in Paris and each gave their winner and loser speech in English. That's our contribution. we really must rejoin this gang. it's madness being out
Tough competition, but possibly your silliest post.
I understand things look different from the bright lights of Carnforth
No, your comment made no sense. Some Italian people / Spanish people can speak good English, therefore we ought to be in a political union with them? By that logic we should also be in a political union with the USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, India, South Africa ... half the world, really. There might be valid reasons for wanting to be in a political union with the EU. But what you've just highlighted isn't logically one of them.
Wouldn't you like Sale to be able to be fully integrated with Paris Madrid and Florence with your kids able to live and work in any of those places with the ease they could the Stretford Arndale Centre?
Well watching Roland Garros reminded what things were like just a few years ago and what they could be now. We each have our own advantages. We have the most popular language Paris and Florence are the most beautiful but we could freely share in them all.
Being in France reminds me of that daily . It's a big beautiful melting pot of shared cultures.
And again I remind you of your erroneous vote in 2016.
Excl: New research says businesses could save up to £11k in tax by hiring Indian workers under Labour's trade agreement.
Comes as the Treasury admits it DOES have an estimate of how much the tax agreement will cost us - but is covering it up
The Indian trade deal double contributions agreement furore is possibly the most concocted, ridiculous, 2020s furore that the furore mongers of the 2020s have yet cooked up.
Actual far right types, who usually object to single taxation let alone the double sort, suddenly deciding double taxation on the same income is AOK because of where the double taxpayers come from.
When there is a significant disparity in wage levels between the two countries then it becomes a means to facilitate wage arbitrage.
1. The agreement covers a small number of highly skilled high-paid employees moving in both directions 2. It only applies to short term assignments within a multinational 3. My business will benefit more from the relief from double taxation on UK staff spending time in India than vice versa 4. It’s relieving double taxation. Double taxation! Are you seriously arguing people should be taxed twice on the same income?
I believe you think inheritances should taxed twice - when earned and when transferred.
A Spanish winner and an Italian the closest ever runner-up in the longest match possibly ever in Paris and each gave their winner and loser speech in English. That's our contribution. we really must rejoin this gang. it's madness being out
Tough competition, but possibly your silliest post.
I understand things look different from the bright lights of Carnforth
No, your comment made no sense. Some Italian people / Spanish people can speak good English, therefore we ought to be in a political union with them? By that logic we should also be in a political union with the USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, India, South Africa ... half the world, really. There might be valid reasons for wanting to be in a political union with the EU. But what you've just highlighted isn't logically one of them.
Wouldn't you like Sale to be able to be fully integrated with Paris Madrid and Florence with your kids able to live and work in any of those places with the ease they could the Stretford Arndale Centre?
Well watching Roland Garros reminded what things were like just a few years ago and what they could be now. We each have our own advantages. We have the most popular language Paris and Florence are the most beautiful but we could freely share in them all.
Being in France reminds me of that daily . It's a big beautiful melting pot of shared cultures.
And again I remind you of your erroneous vote in 2016.
He didn’t did he? FFS
No my error. I was responding to Leon's embedded post not Roger it's been a long day.
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?
I realise this is missing the point even by my standards, but the RSS Conference is in Edinburgh this year and I was thinking of taking the Caledonian Sleeper to get there. What is it like? Is it difficult to sleep?
I suspect that depends on whether you are sharing a compartment with @Casino_Royale.
And if any of @Pagan2 acquaintances are in neighbouring compartments, presumably.
It is interesting, how we travel and just find ourselves over and over.
I go to countries and find people who like cocktails and a rant about politics - even in the oddest places. @Woger finds cosmopolitan rich people everywhere. @Pagan2 finds armed people.
At least I admit its because in the uk I hang out with dodgy people and abroad I tend to wander to places off the tourist map....Roger however thinks france is a model of non racism
Excl: New research says businesses could save up to £11k in tax by hiring Indian workers under Labour's trade agreement.
Comes as the Treasury admits it DOES have an estimate of how much the tax agreement will cost us - but is covering it up
The Indian trade deal double contributions agreement furore is possibly the most concocted, ridiculous, 2020s furore that the furore mongers of the 2020s have yet cooked up.
Actual far right types, who usually object to single taxation let alone the double sort, suddenly deciding double taxation on the same income is AOK because of where the double taxpayers come from.
When there is a significant disparity in wage levels between the two countries then it becomes a means to facilitate wage arbitrage.
1. The agreement covers a small number of highly skilled high-paid employees moving in both directions 2. It only applies to short term assignments within a multinational 3. My business will benefit more from the relief from double taxation on UK staff spending time in India than vice versa 4. It’s relieving double taxation. Double taxation! Are you seriously arguing people should be taxed twice on the same income?
I believe you think inheritances should taxed twice - when earned and when transferred.
IHT should be abolished and replaced by CGT on all assets transferred whether on death or at any other time. IHT is an ineffective tax.
But IHT is not the same income taxed twice. How much of an inheritance is leftover earnings that were previously taxed? Any? In most cases none. How much is unearned property equity and untaxed gains on shares? Almost all of it.
And how many estates actually pay IHT? Hardly anyone.
Excl: New research says businesses could save up to £11k in tax by hiring Indian workers under Labour's trade agreement.
Comes as the Treasury admits it DOES have an estimate of how much the tax agreement will cost us - but is covering it up
The Indian trade deal double contributions agreement furore is possibly the most concocted, ridiculous, 2020s furore that the furore mongers of the 2020s have yet cooked up.
Actual far right types, who usually object to single taxation let alone the double sort, suddenly deciding double taxation on the same income is AOK because of where the double taxpayers come from.
When there is a significant disparity in wage levels between the two countries then it becomes a means to facilitate wage arbitrage.
1. The agreement covers a small number of highly skilled high-paid employees moving in both directions 2. It only applies to short term assignments within a multinational 3. My business will benefit more from the relief from double taxation on UK staff spending time in India than vice versa 4. It’s relieving double taxation. Double taxation! Are you seriously arguing people should be taxed twice on the same income?
I believe you think inheritances should taxed twice - when earned and when transferred.
IHT should be abolished and replaced by CGT on all assets transferred whether on death or at any other time. IHT is an ineffective tax.
But IHT is not the same income taxed twice. How much of an inheritance is leftover earnings that were previously taxed? Any? In most cases none. How much is unearned property equity and untaxed gains on shares? Almost all of it.
And how many estates actually pay IHT? Hardly anyone.
We would probably raise more by just sequestering the assets of all lib dem voters, I don't see a down side as they aren't an electoral force so...
A Spanish winner and an Italian the closest ever runner-up in the longest match possibly ever in Paris and each gave their winner and loser speech in English. That's our contribution. we really must rejoin this gang. it's madness being out
Tough competition, but possibly your silliest post.
I understand things look different from the bright lights of Carnforth
No, your comment made no sense. Some Italian people / Spanish people can speak good English, therefore we ought to be in a political union with them? By that logic we should also be in a political union with the USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, India, South Africa ... half the world, really. There might be valid reasons for wanting to be in a political union with the EU. But what you've just highlighted isn't logically one of them.
Wouldn't you like Sale to be able to be fully integrated with Paris Madrid and Florence with your kids able to live and work in any of those places with the ease they could the Stretford Arndale Centre?
Well watching Roland Garros reminded what things were like just a few years ago and what they could be now. We each have our own advantages. We have the most popular language Paris and Florence are the most beautiful but we could freely share in them all.
Being in France reminds me of that daily . It's a big beautiful melting pot of shared cultures.
If things are so great on mainland Europe why is almost every EU country veering to the hard or far Right, forcing the mainstream parties to try and outlaw them in desperation (and, I suspect, failing, in the end)?
You literally live in a corner of France that voted Le Pen so hard, she won in the First Round
A hard right Europe could appeal to people like me, I am not sure why it should appeal to many of the leftier types on here, or indeed you
At this time of the year I'm reminded what an amazing and beatiful place France is. . The film festival is in Cannes. The Grand Prix is in Monaco. I get on my scooter and I'm in Italy in 40 minutes. People are coming from all over the world. Nowhere outside of Venice is more photographed. The place is heaving. The harbour is full of boats. The galleries are full of school kids.
We were part of it .We're not now. I never see the right-wingery. I see young Irish waiters and waitresses and a lot of non French Europeans working there. Just not English. We are missing out and it's sad.
A Spanish winner and an Italian the closest ever runner-up in the longest match possibly ever in Paris and each gave their winner and loser speech in English. That's our contribution. we really must rejoin this gang. it's madness being out
Tough competition, but possibly your silliest post.
I understand things look different from the bright lights of Carnforth
No, your comment made no sense. Some Italian people / Spanish people can speak good English, therefore we ought to be in a political union with them? By that logic we should also be in a political union with the USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, India, South Africa ... half the world, really. There might be valid reasons for wanting to be in a political union with the EU. But what you've just highlighted isn't logically one of them.
Wouldn't you like Sale to be able to be fully integrated with Paris Madrid and Florence with your kids able to live and work in any of those places with the ease they could the Stretford Arndale Centre?
Well watching Roland Garros reminded what things were like just a few years ago and what they could be now. We each have our own advantages. We have the most popular language Paris and Florence are the most beautiful but we could freely share in them all.
Being in France reminds me of that daily . It's a big beautiful melting pot of shared cultures.
If things are so great on mainland Europe why is almost every EU country veering to the hard or far Right, forcing the mainstream parties to try and outlaw them in desperation (and, I suspect, failing, in the end)?
You literally live in a corner of France that voted Le Pen so hard, she won in the First Round
A hard right Europe could appeal to people like me, I am not sure why it should appeal to many of the leftier types on here, or indeed you
At this time of the year I'm reminded what an amazing and beatiful place France is. . The film festival is in Cannes. The Grand Prix is in Monaco. I get on my scooter and I'm in Italy in 40 minutes. People are coming from all over the world. Nowhere outside of Venice is more photographed. The place is heaving. The harbour is full of boats. The galleries are full of school kids.
We were part of it .We're not now. I never see the right-wingery. I see young Irish waiters and waitresses and a lot of non French Europeans working there. Just not English. We are missing out and it's sad.
Awww diddums you are missing english peasants to serve you what a shame never mind
Excl: New research says businesses could save up to £11k in tax by hiring Indian workers under Labour's trade agreement.
Comes as the Treasury admits it DOES have an estimate of how much the tax agreement will cost us - but is covering it up
The Indian trade deal double contributions agreement furore is possibly the most concocted, ridiculous, 2020s furore that the furore mongers of the 2020s have yet cooked up.
Actual far right types, who usually object to single taxation let alone the double sort, suddenly deciding double taxation on the same income is AOK because of where the double taxpayers come from.
We have this type of agreement with many countries. Of course as you said the pearl clutching is because of where the workers are coming from .
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?
I realise this is missing the point even by my standards, but the RSS Conference is in Edinburgh this year and I was thinking of taking the Caledonian Sleeper to get there. What is it like? Is it difficult to sleep?
I suspect that depends on whether you are sharing a compartment with @Casino_Royale.
And if any of @Pagan2 acquaintances are in neighbouring compartments, presumably.
It is interesting, how we travel and just find ourselves over and over.
I go to countries and find people who like cocktails and a rant about politics - even in the oddest places. @Woger finds cosmopolitan rich people everywhere. @Pagan2 finds armed people.
At least I admit its because in the uk I hang out with dodgy people and abroad I tend to wander to places off the tourist map....Roger however thinks france is a model of non racism
The France he sees, is.
The country of rich cosmopolitans admires one colour - green.
A Spanish winner and an Italian the closest ever runner-up in the longest match possibly ever in Paris and each gave their winner and loser speech in English. That's our contribution. we really must rejoin this gang. it's madness being out
Tough competition, but possibly your silliest post.
I understand things look different from the bright lights of Carnforth
No, your comment made no sense. Some Italian people / Spanish people can speak good English, therefore we ought to be in a political union with them? By that logic we should also be in a political union with the USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, India, South Africa ... half the world, really. There might be valid reasons for wanting to be in a political union with the EU. But what you've just highlighted isn't logically one of them.
Wouldn't you like Sale to be able to be fully integrated with Paris Madrid and Florence with your kids able to live and work in any of those places with the ease they could the Stretford Arndale Centre?
Well watching Roland Garros reminded what things were like just a few years ago and what they could be now. We each have our own advantages. We have the most popular language Paris and Florence are the most beautiful but we could freely share in them all.
Being in France reminds me of that daily . It's a big beautiful melting pot of shared cultures.
And again I remind you of your erroneous vote in 2016.
Not only was my vote not erroneous my profession voted 97% Remain. Pretty remarkable. About the only pleasing thing that happened that day
Excl: New research says businesses could save up to £11k in tax by hiring Indian workers under Labour's trade agreement.
Comes as the Treasury admits it DOES have an estimate of how much the tax agreement will cost us - but is covering it up
The Indian trade deal double contributions agreement furore is possibly the most concocted, ridiculous, 2020s furore that the furore mongers of the 2020s have yet cooked up.
Actual far right types, who usually object to single taxation let alone the double sort, suddenly deciding double taxation on the same income is AOK because of where the double taxpayers come from.
When there is a significant disparity in wage levels between the two countries then it becomes a means to facilitate wage arbitrage.
1. The agreement covers a small number of highly skilled high-paid employees moving in both directions 2. It only applies to short term assignments within a multinational 3. My business will benefit more from the relief from double taxation on UK staff spending time in India than vice versa 4. It’s relieving double taxation. Double taxation! Are you seriously arguing people should be taxed twice on the same income?
I believe you think inheritances should taxed twice - when earned and when transferred.
IHT should be abolished and replaced by CGT on all assets transferred whether on death or at any other time. IHT is an ineffective tax.
But IHT is not the same income taxed twice. How much of an inheritance is leftover earnings that were previously taxed? Any? In most cases none. How much is unearned property equity and untaxed gains on shares? Almost all of it.
And how many estates actually pay IHT? Hardly anyone.
A Spanish winner and an Italian the closest ever runner-up in the longest match possibly ever in Paris and each gave their winner and loser speech in English. That's our contribution. we really must rejoin this gang. it's madness being out
Tough competition, but possibly your silliest post.
I understand things look different from the bright lights of Carnforth
No, your comment made no sense. Some Italian people / Spanish people can speak good English, therefore we ought to be in a political union with them? By that logic we should also be in a political union with the USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, India, South Africa ... half the world, really. There might be valid reasons for wanting to be in a political union with the EU. But what you've just highlighted isn't logically one of them.
Wouldn't you like Sale to be able to be fully integrated with Paris Madrid and Florence with your kids able to live and work in any of those places with the ease they could the Stretford Arndale Centre?
Well watching Roland Garros reminded what things were like just a few years ago and what they could be now. We each have our own advantages. We have the most popular language Paris and Florence are the most beautiful but we could freely share in them all.
Being in France reminds me of that daily . It's a big beautiful melting pot of shared cultures.
If things are so great on mainland Europe why is almost every EU country veering to the hard or far Right, forcing the mainstream parties to try and outlaw them in desperation (and, I suspect, failing, in the end)?
You literally live in a corner of France that voted Le Pen so hard, she won in the First Round
A hard right Europe could appeal to people like me, I am not sure why it should appeal to many of the leftier types on here, or indeed you
At this time of the year I'm reminded what an amazing and beatiful place France is. . The film festival is in Cannes. The Grand Prix is in Monaco. I get on my scooter and I'm in Italy in 40 minutes. People are coming from all over the world. Nowhere outside of Venice is more photographed. The place is heaving. The harbour is full of boats. The galleries are full of school kids.
We were part of it .We're not now. I never see the right-wingery. I see young Irish waiters and waitresses and a lot of non French Europeans working there. Just not English. We are missing out and it's sad.
I tried to engage you intellectually. I forgot how stupid you are. Again
A Spanish winner and an Italian the closest ever runner-up in the longest match possibly ever in Paris and each gave their winner and loser speech in English. That's our contribution. we really must rejoin this gang. it's madness being out
Tough competition, but possibly your silliest post.
I understand things look different from the bright lights of Carnforth
No, your comment made no sense. Some Italian people / Spanish people can speak good English, therefore we ought to be in a political union with them? By that logic we should also be in a political union with the USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, India, South Africa ... half the world, really. There might be valid reasons for wanting to be in a political union with the EU. But what you've just highlighted isn't logically one of them.
Wouldn't you like Sale to be able to be fully integrated with Paris Madrid and Florence with your kids able to live and work in any of those places with the ease they could the Stretford Arndale Centre?
Well watching Roland Garros reminded what things were like just a few years ago and what they could be now. We each have our own advantages. We have the most popular language Paris and Florence are the most beautiful but we could freely share in them all.
Being in France reminds me of that daily . It's a big beautiful melting pot of shared cultures.
If things are so great on mainland Europe why is almost every EU country veering to the hard or far Right, forcing the mainstream parties to try and outlaw them in desperation (and, I suspect, failing, in the end)?
You literally live in a corner of France that voted Le Pen so hard, she won in the First Round
A hard right Europe could appeal to people like me, I am not sure why it should appeal to many of the leftier types on here, or indeed you
So your point is that the Faragists and other fash lite paries are a symptom of failure?
Comments
P.S. If I hadn't let him pass I'd have lost him. I think Bicester is in the opposite direction. He turned right after about 15 miles towards Leamington.
Anyway, no point in driving anything decent down here in Devon. There aren't the roads, and driving the lanes trashes anything decent in weeks. That - and stopping a runaway tractor and trailer to write off the car...
Sad times in many ways.
" Langley Village is full of people shooting up, and high on crack. Egham is the front line, Parky."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dulznSDfn1A
Mouth-watering!
What gets me is that you didn't even think of, say, turning off to Chipping Norton, or perhaps visiting the garden centre at Rousham, you just arrowed on, heedless, all the way to Evesham, like a man possessed, in your new Mark 3 Escort Ghia
I mean. Jesus Christ and a dyke, you were shadowing Death, there
If you like I can introduce you to some publishers? This is a new thing, the Male Memoir - Men that Go To The Edge
shoogle(). Possibly my proudest moment.It was an utter piece of crap, but told the time well.
I think it's the most frightened I've ever been for myself or another person.
If that isn't a recommendation for visiting, I don't know what is!
That was my reason for visiting the city, unsurprisingly.
Would have made Douglas Adams proud.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3-RE9ECAM7g
And some advice on the ethics of haggling!
Excl: New research says businesses could save up to £11k in tax by hiring Indian workers under Labour's trade agreement.
Comes as the Treasury admits it DOES have an estimate of how much the tax agreement will cost us - but is covering it up
There might be valid reasons for wanting to be in a political union with the EU. But what you've just highlighted isn't logically one of them.
https://open.substack.com/pub/robertsmithson1/p/the-most-powerful-force-in-the-universe?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=post viewer
Actual far right types, who usually object to single taxation let alone the double sort, suddenly deciding double taxation on the same income is AOK because of where the double taxpayers come from.
I'm not sure what it says about my view of you that I wasn't particularly surprised that you'd be doing so.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj8ClKzgJWE
Haven't watched it for years. But now I think I need to revisit.
Anyway, we have both broken the cardinal rule of PB. No posts about taxi drivers! I'll apologise now.
Nico Williams playing much better for Spain than he ever did for Wales😂
Well watching Roland Garros reminded what things were like just a few years ago and what they could be now. We each have our own advantages. We have the most popular language Paris and Florence are the most beautiful but we could freely share in them all.
Being in France reminds me of that daily . It's a big beautiful melting pot of shared cultures.
It is interesting, how we travel and just find ourselves over and over.
I go to countries and find people who like cocktails and a rant about politics - even in the oddest places. @Woger finds cosmopolitan rich people everywhere. @Pagan2 finds armed people.
You literally live in a corner of France that voted Le Pen so hard, she won in the First Round
A hard right Europe could appeal to people like me, I am not sure why it should appeal to many of the leftier types on here, or indeed you
As a traveller, I have long realised the test of a truly civilised nation is: do people - especially young women - feel safe to go jogging at night around a city?
In America this is rarely the case. In Japan, Singapore, Korea, Hong Kong, etc, they can feel 100% safe
The rest of the developed world lies between these two; unfortunately much of Europe has got closer to America than Japan, in recent years. And as the father of two daughters, it hacks me off. Why should we tolerate this, any more?
2. It only applies to short term assignments within a multinational
3. My business will benefit more from the relief from double taxation on UK staff spending time in India than vice versa
4. It’s relieving double taxation. Double taxation! Are you seriously arguing people should be taxed twice on the same income?
I remember around the time of Brexit you making the argument which amounted to "Venice is nicer than Grimsby" - which, while true, was a) comparing the best of Europe to the worst of here (you could just as easily and truly say York is nicer than Marseille) but more importantly b) just because something is nice doesn't mean you should be in a political union with it. Venice is just as nice whether we are in a political union with it or not. It doesn't make getting there an easier (yes, we talked a few weeks back about how quickly you can get through airports, and if you have no hold baggage then arguably on average you can get through 5 minutes quicker - doesn't really seem material).
As to freedom to live and work there - nice in principle, but really, how many people want to a) want to work in Europe, and b) can't do so? A fairly tiny proportion, surely. I can't imagine my kids wanting to live or work in Europe. We've been several times in recent years, and they've enjoyed themselves, but ask them which holiday destination they'd most like to live in when they grown up and its Scotland or Cornwall or the Lake District or Yorkshire. I take your initial point that English is widespread in Europe, but not to the extent that it is easy or practical to live and work there without the relevant native language.
There is much about Europe I like. But we haven't sailed off into the Atlantic. It's still as close/far away as it was. I don't need a political union in order to have what I like about it.
Top marks for mentioning Stretford Arndale, btw. I enjoyed that. (Always on the brink, we are told, of not being terrible - next year, maybe...)
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/caledonian-sleeper.176365/
Over 17,000 posts!
TLDR: Avoid the berths at the end of the carriage over the bogies.
But IHT is not the same income taxed twice. How much of an inheritance is leftover earnings that were previously taxed? Any? In most cases none. How much is unearned property equity and untaxed gains on shares? Almost all of it.
And how many estates actually pay IHT? Hardly anyone.
If you want to pick an issue to die in a ditch for, perhaps people who are in the country illegally isn't the optimum choice.
We were part of it .We're not now. I never see the right-wingery. I see young Irish waiters and waitresses and a lot of non French Europeans working there. Just not English. We are missing out and it's sad.
The country of rich cosmopolitans admires one colour - green.
Not quite The Districts…
https://x.com/DemocraticWins/status/1931816366329200754
https://x.com/dieworkwear/status/1931808967363289500
We will see, in due course.
So. A fair bit more.
Never mind. That was the last time
I speak as a Neon Fascist Imperialist Enslaver Of The Oppressed.
Maybe at some subliminal level they sense that Alan Sked's suspicion of Italian law is at the root of it, ,as indeed it did start with.
@RpsAgainstTrump
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BREAKING: Donald Trump stumbles climbing Air Force One steps.