Widespread disgust on facebook this evening on the news that the State Pension will go up in line with the Triple Lock. People think it should be at least the value of the minimum wage (£25k per year).
A useful reminder that my decision to stop using Facebook over a decade ago was a good one.
Widespread disgust on facebook this evening on the news that the State Pension will go up in line with the Triple Lock. People think it should be at least the value of the minimum wage (£25k per year).
A useful reminder that my decision to stop using Facebook over a decade ago was a good one.
Paul Lumber, a prolific football hooligan with several prison sentences and a lifetime ban from Bristol City for violence, is apparently a victim of a "tragic accident" when he fell off a ladder and killed himself whilst festooning lamp posts with flags.
Detail from a 20 years' old obituary I was reading earlier.
Yes it is probably the most exclusive and elite club in London. Past members include the Duke of Wellington, Beau Brammell, Prince Philip and David Cameron. The King held his stag night there.
Membership is £85 000 a year (more than annual Eton fees) and the waiting list is currently closed. It is all male so Truss couldn’t get in even in the unlikely event she ever made the waiting list
Widespread disgust on facebook this evening on the news that the State Pension will go up in line with the Triple Lock. People think it should be at least the value of the minimum wage (£25k per year).
The minimum wage is an hourly rate, so there's no read across
I shall remind the commenters of that, I'm sure they'll take it well.
Maybe remind them that the government expects an adult to live on the UC standard allowance which is £93 a week.
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
I’m dealing an insurance company that’s a bit like that.
EdF are beyond awful. They'll never be the first against the wall in any Omnium administration - deeper dungeons await them. No doubt most of the utility companies are ok until they're very much not. So far Octopus seems pretty good (4-5 years).
But not worshiping The Process is “Right Wing”, so we’ve been told.
Presumably, using the word Ergonomic is grounds for calling Prevent.
Candidates are asked show their workings when jumping from one topic to another.
You are showing dissatisfaction with The Process. Literally.
There will be an elaborate chart of how they deal with your enquiry. Optimised for the companies convenience - rather than yourself or the people manning the Hell Desk(s).
Companies that have reputation for good customer service exist. They design The Process around the goal of customer satisfaction. They even modify the Process to improve on this.
They worship the goal, not the method.
Alternatively, they have a different goal.
Many firms have optimised to 'what is the cheapest way that we can offer a facility called customer service, which doesn't have to be much good at solving customer problems?' That's slightly but utterly different to 'what's the cheapest way to solve customer problems?'
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
Sounds like the trouble I had with Bullshit Gas.
Find the CEO's email and send a bill to them that way. It usually gets their attention and recent rulings have made them liable to pay. (Note - that is entirely separate from the ombudmsan, who does not rule on loss of earnings or payments, and do not let them fob you off saying otherwise.)
The run in I had with EdF was ridiculous. I did, like you, find some senior board twat to deal with it. Foolishly I said I'd agree to whatever the regulator concluded. I do honour my word, but having to pay five years later a bill that was adjusted over a year out of date was just plain wrong.
The regulator is bent.
The regulator claims that under GDPR they cannot notify complainants if a complaint has been upheld, or even if an investigation has been opened.
Which is actually a lie, because under GDPR they are *obliged* to share that information .
Even if it wasn't, that claim is bafflingly ridiculous in its logic.
Never had so much shit as with British Gas though. I've received hundreds of pounds compensation for their egregiously terrible service, and flat out lies to the Ombudsman on more than one occasion.
They don't even seek to defend their awful conduct when you go to the Ombudsman, so as long as you get past their lies to the latter to close a case, you will win. But then you have to go back to the Ombudsman multiple times since British Gas don't follow up as promised.
(even though IIRC the only requirement they have to meet is to claim they are trying to fix your problems, and no requirement to ever actually do so - a pinky promise is all the industry requires).
The best service I ever got was when the UK based customer support went home and it got put through to the India based support, who phoned me back over the weekend with correct information and a solution.
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
I’m dealing an insurance company that’s a bit like that.
EdF are beyond awful. They'll never be the first against the wall in any Omnium administration - deeper dungeons await them. No doubt most of the utility companies are ok until they're very much not. So far Octopus seems pretty good (4-5 years).
But not worshiping The Process is “Right Wing”, so we’ve been told.
Presumably, using the word Ergonomic is grounds for calling Prevent.
Candidates are asked show their workings when jumping from one topic to another.
You are showing dissatisfaction with The Process. Literally.
There will be an elaborate chart of how they deal with your enquiry. Optimised for the companies convenience - rather than yourself or the people manning the Hell Desk(s).
Companies that have reputation for good customer service exist. They design The Process around the goal of customer satisfaction. They even modify the Process to improve on this.
They worship the goal, not the method.
Alternatively, they have a different goal.
Many firms have optimised to 'what is the cheapest way that we can offer a facility called customer service, which doesn't have to be much good at solving customer problems?' That's slightly but utterly different to 'what's the cheapest way to solve customer problems?'
I expect customer service to be crap, since minimal necessary effort and time is put into it, but even with that expectation there are, or should be, limits. But a lot of the time we jave to just eat shit.
Widespread disgust on facebook this evening on the news that the State Pension will go up in line with the Triple Lock. People think it should be at least the value of the minimum wage (£25k per year).
The minimum wage is an hourly rate, so there's no read across
I shall remind the commenters of that, I'm sure they'll take it well.
Maybe remind them that the government expects an adult to live on the UC standard allowance which is £93 a week.
The first attempt has not gone well, I shall try that next.
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
I’m dealing an insurance company that’s a bit like that.
EdF are beyond awful. They'll never be the first against the wall in any Omnium administration - deeper dungeons await them. No doubt most of the utility companies are ok until they're very much not. So far Octopus seems pretty good (4-5 years).
But not worshiping The Process is “Right Wing”, so we’ve been told.
Presumably, using the word Ergonomic is grounds for calling Prevent.
Candidates are asked show their workings when jumping from one topic to another.
You are showing dissatisfaction with The Process. Literally.
There will be an elaborate chart of how they deal with your enquiry. Optimised for the companies convenience - rather than yourself or the people manning the Hell Desk(s).
Companies that have reputation for good customer service exist. They design The Process around the goal of customer satisfaction. They even modify the Process to improve on this.
They worship the goal, not the method.
Alternatively, they have a different goal.
Many firms have optimised to 'what is the cheapest way that we can offer a facility called customer service, which doesn't have to be much good at solving customer problems?' That's slightly but utterly different to 'what's the cheapest way to solve customer problems?'
We were talking EDF earlier. I have very good customer service from EDF: knowledgeable, responsive customer service agents on the phone or on email, who actually understand the subject matter.
In France.
My UK power is provided by the excellent Octopus Energy.
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
I’m dealing an insurance company that’s a bit like that.
EdF are beyond awful. They'll never be the first against the wall in any Omnium administration - deeper dungeons await them. No doubt most of the utility companies are ok until they're very much not. So far Octopus seems pretty good (4-5 years).
But not worshiping The Process is “Right Wing”, so we’ve been told.
Presumably, using the word Ergonomic is grounds for calling Prevent.
Candidates are asked show their workings when jumping from one topic to another.
You are showing dissatisfaction with The Process. Literally.
There will be an elaborate chart of how they deal with your enquiry. Optimised for the companies convenience - rather than yourself or the people manning the Hell Desk(s).
Companies that have reputation for good customer service exist. They design The Process around the goal of customer satisfaction. They even modify the Process to improve on this.
They worship the goal, not the method.
No, I just couldn't work out why you replied to my post as you did. Simple as that.
A poster the other day claimed that criticising the Process State was Right Wing. Bit funny, since the person in question claims to be a left anarchist.
The thing is, EdF and the like almost certainly do have a Process. But they rarely allow the people actually doing the work enough resources to follow it. Indeed if The Process were able to be followed properly, it would probably work.
Back in my gliding days there was a Process to be followed when rigging a glider and another one to check the controls before launching. The only fatality I witnessed was when The Processes hadn't been followed.
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
I’m dealing an insurance company that’s a bit like that.
EdF are beyond awful. They'll never be the first against the wall in any Omnium administration - deeper dungeons await them. No doubt most of the utility companies are ok until they're very much not. So far Octopus seems pretty good (4-5 years).
But not worshiping The Process is “Right Wing”, so we’ve been told.
Presumably, using the word Ergonomic is grounds for calling Prevent.
Candidates are asked show their workings when jumping from one topic to another.
You are showing dissatisfaction with The Process. Literally.
There will be an elaborate chart of how they deal with your enquiry. Optimised for the companies convenience - rather than yourself or the people manning the Hell Desk(s).
Companies that have reputation for good customer service exist. They design The Process around the goal of customer satisfaction. They even modify the Process to improve on this.
They worship the goal, not the method.
Alternatively, they have a different goal.
Many firms have optimised to 'what is the cheapest way that we can offer a facility called customer service, which doesn't have to be much good at solving customer problems?' That's slightly but utterly different to 'what's the cheapest way to solve customer problems?'
We were talking EDF earlier. I have very good customer service from EDF: knowledgeable, responsive customer service agents on the phone or on email, who actually understand the subject matter.
In France.
My UK power is provided by the excellent Octopus Energy.
I know its an unpopular view but I rather rate Starmer and Reeves in their relative PM/Chancellor rankings. I say this having made substantial allowance for their unfortunate handicaps to the Labour cause.
I think Reeves is a better Chancellor than Osborne for example.
Starmer a better PM than Sunak.
I'm a lifelong Tory, although I left the party with Truss/Braverman, its still my political home.
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
Evening, P..B.
Please stay on the line. Your call is important to us. Please note that abuse of staff will not be tolerated. If you are ringing about our Luckyday Bimgo Free Power offer, or have had any problems using your Luckyday Bingo Free Power offer coupons, please press 4.
I called up the gas emergency line last night and spoke to a nice, ruthlessly competant lady, and an engineer - communicative and sensible - was on the scene in 30 minutes. So when it's urgent, or in their interests, they can actually do things well.
I had dealings with United Utilities this week. My heart sank, expecting to lose hours of my life to bots and onkine menus and heavily accented call centre staff. But none of that. They were excellent, answering the phone promptly and friendlily, and escalating the issue until an engineer competent enough to resolve the issue could be found. Well done UU.
It's happening. A decade of National Renewal isn't big bang, it's the slow steady accumulation of incremental improvements in people's everyday experience of life in Britain. We had some potholes fixed last week. Tory potholes that had been there since 2011.
We've been having increasing dropouts on our landline phone/broadband lately - phoned in a few days ago. The Openreach engineer came, as it happened, just after the line went completely this morning, and found the fault , promptly replacing the broken connection in the shaft in the pavement outside. Very relieved as it's a key backup for comms.
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
I’m dealing an insurance company that’s a bit like that.
EdF are beyond awful. They'll never be the first against the wall in any Omnium administration - deeper dungeons await them. No doubt most of the utility companies are ok until they're very much not. So far Octopus seems pretty good (4-5 years).
But not worshiping The Process is “Right Wing”, so we’ve been told.
Presumably, using the word Ergonomic is grounds for calling Prevent.
Candidates are asked show their workings when jumping from one topic to another.
You are showing dissatisfaction with The Process. Literally.
There will be an elaborate chart of how they deal with your enquiry. Optimised for the companies convenience - rather than yourself or the people manning the Hell Desk(s).
Companies that have reputation for good customer service exist. They design The Process around the goal of customer satisfaction. They even modify the Process to improve on this.
They worship the goal, not the method.
No, I just couldn't work out why you replied to my post as you did. Simple as that.
A poster the other day claimed that criticising the Process State was Right Wing. Bit funny, since the person in question claims to be a left anarchist.
The thing is, EdF and the like almost certainly do have a Process. But they rarely allow the people actually doing the work enough resources to follow it. Indeed if The Process were able to be followed properly, it would probably work.
Back in my gliding days there was a Process to be followed when rigging a glider and another one to check the controls before launching. The only fatality I witnessed was when The Processes hadn't been followed.
The latter is an instance of a process built around the end result - not dying in aviation accident.
The Process State is where the process is worshipped, while the outcome is ignore.
"We missed a child being slowly beaten to death over months, but my paperwork was prefect."
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
I’m dealing an insurance company that’s a bit like that.
EdF are beyond awful. They'll never be the first against the wall in any Omnium administration - deeper dungeons await them. No doubt most of the utility companies are ok until they're very much not. So far Octopus seems pretty good (4-5 years).
But not worshiping The Process is “Right Wing”, so we’ve been told.
Presumably, using the word Ergonomic is grounds for calling Prevent.
Candidates are asked show their workings when jumping from one topic to another.
You are showing dissatisfaction with The Process. Literally.
There will be an elaborate chart of how they deal with your enquiry. Optimised for the companies convenience - rather than yourself or the people manning the Hell Desk(s).
Companies that have reputation for good customer service exist. They design The Process around the goal of customer satisfaction. They even modify the Process to improve on this.
They worship the goal, not the method.
Alternatively, they have a different goal.
Many firms have optimised to 'what is the cheapest way that we can offer a facility called customer service, which doesn't have to be much good at solving customer problems?' That's slightly but utterly different to 'what's the cheapest way to solve customer problems?'
We were talking EDF earlier. I have very good customer service from EDF: knowledgeable, responsive customer service agents on the phone or on email, who actually understand the subject matter.
In France.
My UK power is provided by the excellent Octopus Energy.
+1 for Octopus
One flaw with Octopus is in their installation setup. It's subcontracted out. When setting up the meter for exporting energy, the installer can't directly see connections to the servers etc. So he has to wing it and return later if it isn't working.
A better system would have a tablet that installer could connect to the meter, look at all the data, and do the connection setup live and on the spot.
I can imagine Truss provides gold card benefits for oligarchs who pay most, a bit like the Beano fan club would provide a Dennis the Menace and Lord Snooty gift set.
For what she's asking as the base price, you'd expect more than merely access to a member's bar and the opportunity to mingle with lots of other loons
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
I’m dealing an insurance company that’s a bit like that.
EdF are beyond awful. They'll never be the first against the wall in any Omnium administration - deeper dungeons await them. No doubt most of the utility companies are ok until they're very much not. So far Octopus seems pretty good (4-5 years).
But not worshiping The Process is “Right Wing”, so we’ve been told.
Presumably, using the word Ergonomic is grounds for calling Prevent.
Candidates are asked show their workings when jumping from one topic to another.
You are showing dissatisfaction with The Process. Literally.
There will be an elaborate chart of how they deal with your enquiry. Optimised for the companies convenience - rather than yourself or the people manning the Hell Desk(s).
Companies that have reputation for good customer service exist. They design The Process around the goal of customer satisfaction. They even modify the Process to improve on this.
They worship the goal, not the method.
Alternatively, they have a different goal.
Many firms have optimised to 'what is the cheapest way that we can offer a facility called customer service, which doesn't have to be much good at solving customer problems?' That's slightly but utterly different to 'what's the cheapest way to solve customer problems?'
I expect customer service to be crap, since minimal necessary effort and time is put into it, but even with that expectation there are, or should be, limits. But a lot of the time we jave to just eat shit.
Part of John Lewis's reputation is customer service. Which they have earned, in my experience.
I've been told by people working there, that coming up with a clever way to fix a problem for a customer is rewarded.
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
Evening, P..B.
Please stay on the line. Your call is important to us. Please note that abuse of staff will not be tolerated. If you are ringing about our Luckyday Bimgo Free Power offer, or have had any problems using your Luckyday Bingo Free Power offer coupons, please press 4.
I called up the gas emergency line last night and spoke to a nice, ruthlessly competant lady, and an engineer - communicative and sensible - was on the scene in 30 minutes. So when it's urgent, or in their interests, they can actually do things well.
I had dealings with United Utilities this week. My heart sank, expecting to lose hours of my life to bots and onkine menus and heavily accented call centre staff. But none of that. They were excellent, answering the phone promptly and friendlily, and escalating the issue until an engineer competent enough to resolve the issue could be found. Well done UU.
It's happening. A decade of National Renewal isn't big bang, it's the slow steady accumulation of incremental improvements in people's everyday experience of life in Britain. We had some potholes fixed last week. Tory potholes that had been there since 2011.
We've been having increasing dropouts on our landline phone/broadband lately - phoned in a few days ago. The Openreach engineer came, as it happened, just after the line went completely this morning, and found the fault , promptly replacing the broken connection in the shaft in the pavement outside. Very relieved as it's a key backup for comms.
There have been several inappropriate uses of the word engineer in this thread. Sort yourselves out and refer to technicians as technicians, gas fitters as gas fitters, and people who sit in front of a laptop drinking coffee as engineers.
Not even Whites or Soho House charge £500k for membership, so whatever Truss is offering better be good
I don't really think White's and Soho House are comparable.
I would be interested to find if anybody has ever been a member of both? Maybe Prince Harry?
The former elite old money, the latter exclusive new money mainly
Exclusively... mainly.
Oxymoron surely?
I was roaming around clubland yesterday thinking it needed perking up a bit. As far as I know only the RAC has opened its doors since biblical times. £350M would buy a decent building in St James and I see they have the decorators in at Clarence House. I wonder if it's for sale?
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
Evening, P..B.
Please stay on the line. Your call is important to us. Please note that abuse of staff will not be tolerated. If you are ringing about our Luckyday Bimgo Free Power offer, or have had any problems using your Luckyday Bingo Free Power offer coupons, please press 4.
I called up the gas emergency line last night and spoke to a nice, ruthlessly competant lady, and an engineer - communicative and sensible - was on the scene in 30 minutes. So when it's urgent, or in their interests, they can actually do things well.
I had dealings with United Utilities this week. My heart sank, expecting to lose hours of my life to bots and onkine menus and heavily accented call centre staff. But none of that. They were excellent, answering the phone promptly and friendlily, and escalating the issue until an engineer competent enough to resolve the issue could be found. Well done UU.
It's happening. A decade of National Renewal isn't big bang, it's the slow steady accumulation of incremental improvements in people's everyday experience of life in Britain. We had some potholes fixed last week. Tory potholes that had been there since 2011.
We've been having increasing dropouts on our landline phone/broadband lately - phoned in a few days ago. The Openreach engineer came, as it happened, just after the line went completely this morning, and found the fault , promptly replacing the broken connection in the shaft in the pavement outside. Very relieved as it's a key backup for comms.
There have been several inappropriate uses of the word engineer in this thread. Sort yourselves out and refer to technicians as technicians, gas fitters as gas fitters, and people who sit in front of a laptop drinking coffee as engineers.
Thank you.
Sorry: been a long afternoon catching up with some urgent stuff. Quite right. Technician.
I know it's the 'law' - but I find it unsupportable that anyone should be saying 'oh no, you can't touch this, it's Russian money'. We should have no dealings at all with them. The embassy they have in Notting Hill should have been bulldozed over. All Russians excluded from the UK.
Putin is their creation, and until they get rid of him we should have nothing at all to do with them.
Whilst you're avoiding Love Actually (I have never seen it and can't say I'm tempted), perhaps you'd have time to answer William Glenn's question on Putin?
Namely that if Putin was in favour of Britain giving up strategic British colonial assets, would you switch your positive view on giving them up - as you seem to expect those in favour of Brexit to do?
Foxy will no doubt answer if and as he wishes, but what is the 'if' doing in your second sentence? Does anyone doubt that Putin is in favour of Britain giving up strategic British colonial assets?
Given that that must be clear to everyone, including @Foxy, haven't you already got your answer?
This is of the same order of saying that building motorways is bad, because Hitler did it.
Yes, but Brexit was bad for Britain, as all the polling shows.
I think Robert Shrimsley is spot on here:
"In his endorsement of Brexit trade freedoms, Starmer resembles Alec Guinness’s half-mad colonel in The Bridge on the River Kwai, defending an edifice he has forgotten was built for the benefit of the other side."
The original purpose of the EU was an economic community which was the attraction for the UK. When it started to become a political union, there was always going to be an issue of the differing legal codes as they are not compatible (TLDR Top down v Bottom up) So to get back to UK's preferred position (economic union and not political), Brexit plus economic cooperation appears to be the route chosen. Short term disruption for longer term gain.
It's never been explained to me why the UK could accept political union, and I say that as someone who has been to the EU on political trips a few times as well as sitting with MEP's listening to why EU membership was good for their respective countries.
There was one exception though which was Ireland who were pretty negative at the thought of having to take back Ulster and it economic issues through Brexit.
You are quite wrong. From the very beginning the EU was a political project, and Ted Heath was quite open about it, as this speech, celebrating the UK entry makes quite clear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRtmuEZg0p8
The debate was not about the economics. It was then, and has been ever since about the politics. The people who have been dishonest are those who claim they were fooled into a political project, when they wished to limit integration - if that were even possible- solely to economics. The only way to develop economic cooperation was to establish a clear political dimension. The idea that the Common Law and Roman law systems were somehow fundamentally incompatible is also horseshit. Within the UK itself, the Scottish, Roman law system functions perfectly well, with appropriate adjustments with the wider Common Law system.
Those opposed to the European project have hidden behind the delusion that "nobody told us". Yes they did, and now, whether through the Macron suggestion of a new European Political Community, or some enhanced Council of Europe, or by re-entry into some or all of the EU structure themselves, the UK now has little choice but to accept reality.
The Atlantic Alliance is fatally wounded. Trump is not a partner that we can trust, and the whole basis of trust with the USA has been fatally undermined. The choices are increasingly clear to the British people and we must act accordingly and quickly.
The reality is that the neither the EU nor the Council of Europe is in a position to take over the functions of NATO. Nor would we want them to as they are entirely unsuited and designed for a very different purpose.
Nor is it necessary as you desperately try to claim. The JEF has shown it is perfectly possible to have an organised coherent defensive structure without any of the other garbage that is associated with the EU.
I just think it is pretty sad that EU fanatics like yourself are using the current issues with the US and Russia to push their own fantasies of dragging the UK back into the EU.
You fail to address the point, and go off piste into a silly ad hominem attack, because it is simply a matter of fact that the EU, even as the EEC ,was explicitly a political project, whether you accept it or not indeed your ad hominem attack rather proves the point.
Just to note that the JEF is a military resources program and only includes the Nordic/Baltic 8, the Netherlands and the UK. Even expanding that to Poland is not particularly easy. You can try anything else, but in the end the political community will be dominated by the EU, so best option for our national interest is to rejoin.
The fanatics here are not those that understand the political and strategic realities, but those who trusted Johnson and a still prepared to trust Putin's puppet, Farage
More dishonesty from you.
I didn't address the point about the EEC being a political project because I have never claimed otherwise. Indeed I spent much of the referendum campaign pointing out that - contrary to what many of the Reamain side were claiming in a desperate attempt to pretend the EU is nothing more than a great big trading group - 'Ever Closer Union' is on page 1 of the original Treaty of Rome which founded the EEC.
Also as you should remember since you have been on here long enough., I refused to vote for Johnson even if it meant a reversal of Brexit as some claimed, and I hae been solid in my condemnation of Farage and latterly of Reform for the last decade.
So you can take your ad hominems and stick them up your lying arse.
That's actually quite an interesting piece - especially the self-pi - er, self-justifying tone of the creators.
' "For seven weeks, we hardly slept, with up to 10 of our in-house AI and post specialists at The Gardening Club [our in-house AI engine] working in lockstep with the directors," said Sweetshop CEO Melanie Bridge, according to Futurism. "We generated what felt like dailies — thousands of takes — then shaped them in the edit just as we would on any high-craft production. This wasn't an AI trick. It was a film."
Bridge continued, "I don't see this spot as a novelty or a cute seasonal experiment. To me, it's evidence of something much bigger: that when craft and technology meet with intention, they can create work that feels genuinely cinematic. So no — AI didn't make this film. We did."'
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
Evening, P..B.
Please stay on the line. Your call is important to us. Please note that abuse of staff will not be tolerated. If you are ringing about our Luckyday Bimgo Free Power offer, or have had any problems using your Luckyday Bingo Free Power offer coupons, please press 4.
I called up the gas emergency line last night and spoke to a nice, ruthlessly competant lady, and an engineer - communicative and sensible - was on the scene in 30 minutes. So when it's urgent, or in their interests, they can actually do things well.
I had dealings with United Utilities this week. My heart sank, expecting to lose hours of my life to bots and onkine menus and heavily accented call centre staff. But none of that. They were excellent, answering the phone promptly and friendlily, and escalating the issue until an engineer competent enough to resolve the issue could be found. Well done UU.
It's happening. A decade of National Renewal isn't big bang, it's the slow steady accumulation of incremental improvements in people's everyday experience of life in Britain. We had some potholes fixed last week. Tory potholes that had been there since 2011.
We've been having increasing dropouts on our landline phone/broadband lately - phoned in a few days ago. The Openreach engineer came, as it happened, just after the line went completely this morning, and found the fault , promptly replacing the broken connection in the shaft in the pavement outside. Very relieved as it's a key backup for comms.
In recent years my experiences with Openreach have been very positive, on the whole. They do seem to have got themselves sorted out compared to the past when they were often a bit crap.
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
Evening, P..B.
Please stay on the line. Your call is important to us. Please note that abuse of staff will not be tolerated. If you are ringing about our Luckyday Bimgo Free Power offer, or have had any problems using your Luckyday Bingo Free Power offer coupons, please press 4.
I called up the gas emergency line last night and spoke to a nice, ruthlessly competant lady, and an engineer - communicative and sensible - was on the scene in 30 minutes. So when it's urgent, or in their interests, they can actually do things well.
I had dealings with United Utilities this week. My heart sank, expecting to lose hours of my life to bots and onkine menus and heavily accented call centre staff. But none of that. They were excellent, answering the phone promptly and friendlily, and escalating the issue until an engineer competent enough to resolve the issue could be found. Well done UU.
It's happening. A decade of National Renewal isn't big bang, it's the slow steady accumulation of incremental improvements in people's everyday experience of life in Britain. We had some potholes fixed last week. Tory potholes that had been there since 2011.
We've been having increasing dropouts on our landline phone/broadband lately - phoned in a few days ago. The Openreach engineer came, as it happened, just after the line went completely this morning, and found the fault , promptly replacing the broken connection in the shaft in the pavement outside. Very relieved as it's a key backup for comms.
Result! We don't hear enough of this sort of thing. Why? Because good news is 'dog bites man' - not strictly speaking good news but you know what I mean.
I know its an unpopular view but I rather rate Starmer and Reeves in their relative PM/Chancellor rankings. I say this having made substantial allowance for their unfortunate handicaps to the Labour cause.
I think Reeves is a better Chancellor than Osborne for example.
Starmer a better PM than Sunak.
I'm a lifelong Tory, although I left the party with Truss/Braverman, its still my political home.
Astute post. Not your first either. There have been others.
Not even Whites or Soho House charge £500k for membership, so whatever Truss is offering better be good
I don't really think White's and Soho House are comparable.
I would be interested to find if anybody has ever been a member of both? Maybe Prince Harry?
The former elite old money, the latter exclusive new money mainly
Exclusively... mainly.
Oxymoron surely?
I was roaming around clubland yesterday thinking it needed perking up a bit. As far as I know only the RAC has opened its doors since biblical times. £350M would buy a decent building in St James and I see they have the decorators in at Clarence House. I wonder if it's for sale?
PB needs a proper home. I've chipped in well over a fiver in the dark years - surely a clubhouse, sauna, and free restaurant are to be expected now. I know @tse won't like it, but if only he could reach out to the grand Trumpy-wonder-man..
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
Evening, P..B.
Please stay on the line. Your call is important to us. Please note that abuse of staff will not be tolerated. If you are ringing about our Luckyday Bimgo Free Power offer, or have had any problems using your Luckyday Bingo Free Power offer coupons, please press 4.
I called up the gas emergency line last night and spoke to a nice, ruthlessly competant lady, and an engineer - communicative and sensible - was on the scene in 30 minutes. So when it's urgent, or in their interests, they can actually do things well.
I had dealings with United Utilities this week. My heart sank, expecting to lose hours of my life to bots and onkine menus and heavily accented call centre staff. But none of that. They were excellent, answering the phone promptly and friendlily, and escalating the issue until an engineer competent enough to resolve the issue could be found. Well done UU.
It's happening. A decade of National Renewal isn't big bang, it's the slow steady accumulation of incremental improvements in people's everyday experience of life in Britain. We had some potholes fixed last week. Tory potholes that had been there since 2011.
We've been having increasing dropouts on our landline phone/broadband lately - phoned in a few days ago. The Openreach engineer came, as it happened, just after the line went completely this morning, and found the fault , promptly replacing the broken connection in the shaft in the pavement outside. Very relieved as it's a key backup for comms.
In recent years my experiences with Openreach have been very positive, on the whole. They do seem to have got themselves sorted out compared to the past when they were often a bit crap.
All sub-contracted of course but we were having intermittent outages at Stodge Towers and the bloke came and after checking everything in the house went to the cabinet in the street and said simply “it’s sorted”. I suspect the spaghetti needed simplifying.
He also made some changes to our phone socket and other connections and life returned to what passes for normal chez Stodge.
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
I’m dealing an insurance company that’s a bit like that.
EdF are beyond awful. They'll never be the first against the wall in any Omnium administration - deeper dungeons await them. No doubt most of the utility companies are ok until they're very much not. So far Octopus seems pretty good (4-5 years).
But not worshiping The Process is “Right Wing”, so we’ve been told.
Presumably, using the word Ergonomic is grounds for calling Prevent.
Candidates are asked show their workings when jumping from one topic to another.
You are showing dissatisfaction with The Process. Literally.
There will be an elaborate chart of how they deal with your enquiry. Optimised for the companies convenience - rather than yourself or the people manning the Hell Desk(s).
Companies that have reputation for good customer service exist. They design The Process around the goal of customer satisfaction. They even modify the Process to improve on this.
They worship the goal, not the method.
Alternatively, they have a different goal.
Many firms have optimised to 'what is the cheapest way that we can offer a facility called customer service, which doesn't have to be much good at solving customer problems?' That's slightly but utterly different to 'what's the cheapest way to solve customer problems?'
I expect customer service to be crap, since minimal necessary effort and time is put into it, but even with that expectation there are, or should be, limits. But a lot of the time we jave to just eat shit.
Part of John Lewis's reputation is customer service. Which they have earned, in my experience.
I've been told by people working there, that coming up with a clever way to fix a problem for a customer is rewarded.
Having experienced an attempted installation of a washing machine by a competitor despite the fact that the rubber hoses had been slashed (either vandalism or carelessness when removing the plastic wrap), which initially persisted despite my pointing this out very loudly and threatening to call my credit card company and trading standards), I'm all for good service and JL.
I know its an unpopular view but I rather rate Starmer and Reeves in their relative PM/Chancellor rankings. I say this having made substantial allowance for their unfortunate handicaps to the Labour cause.
I think Reeves is a better Chancellor than Osborne for example.
Starmer a better PM than Sunak.
I'm a lifelong Tory, although I left the party with Truss/Braverman, its still my political home.
Astute post. Not your first either. There have been others.
A police chief constable on a £170,000-a-year salary has asked to retire for a single day - before being reappointed to her role - to protect her pension.
North Wales Police Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman will "retire" on 15 January and be "re-hired" on 17 January if the process is approved.
The move is legitimate under the national Retire and Rehire Scheme and will prevent her pension pot reducing. It matures after 30 years' service but reduces for each consecutive year of additional service. By enforcing a break, it will be frozen at its maximum amount. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9977mlvl7mo
And why should we do that?
I suppose the argument is that she would have it and we’d have to go through a process to hire someone else.
But also why should her pension reduce for extra service? That just seems weird
Surely the club would be even more ultra-exclusive if you only had 350 people each paying a million quid.
So far the Truss club has just her paying the £2.50 bus fair. It's also certainly responsible for Zadawi booking a fast jet to New Zealand, and he's bought a lot of false moustaches too - but made in China.
A police chief constable on a £170,000-a-year salary has asked to retire for a single day - before being reappointed to her role - to protect her pension.
North Wales Police Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman will "retire" on 15 January and be "re-hired" on 17 January if the process is approved.
The move is legitimate under the national Retire and Rehire Scheme and will prevent her pension pot reducing. It matures after 30 years' service but reduces for each consecutive year of additional service. By enforcing a break, it will be frozen at its maximum amount. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9977mlvl7mo
And why should we do that?
I suppose the argument is that she would have it and we’d have to go through a process to hire someone else.
But also why should her pension reduce for extra service? That just seems weird
It was discussed earlier, but could be to do with the way in which added time is credited and its relation with inflation in the older pensions where it was usual to depart after 30 years willynilly. The effect of an added year is to increase one's pension by 1/30, 1/31, 1/32 ... ie the increase gets smaller as one stays longer. And if annual pay increases have not been keeping up with inflation it's very easy for the annual real value of the ensuing pension to start dropping. This is an obvious issue when going on final salary rather than best 3 years.
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
Evening, P..B.
Please stay on the line. Your call is important to us. Please note that abuse of staff will not be tolerated. If you are ringing about our Luckyday Bimgo Free Power offer, or have had any problems using your Luckyday Bingo Free Power offer coupons, please press 4.
I called up the gas emergency line last night and spoke to a nice, ruthlessly competant lady, and an engineer - communicative and sensible - was on the scene in 30 minutes. So when it's urgent, or in their interests, they can actually do things well.
IIRC the gas emergency folks are not the same organisation
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
I’m dealing an insurance company that’s a bit like that.
EdF are beyond awful. They'll never be the first against the wall in any Omnium administration - deeper dungeons await them. No doubt most of the utility companies are ok until they're very much not. So far Octopus seems pretty good (4-5 years).
But not worshiping The Process is “Right Wing”, so we’ve been told.
Presumably, using the word Ergonomic is grounds for calling Prevent.
Candidates are asked show their workings when jumping from one topic to another.
You are showing dissatisfaction with The Process. Literally.
There will be an elaborate chart of how they deal with your enquiry. Optimised for the companies convenience - rather than yourself or the people manning the Hell Desk(s).
Companies that have reputation for good customer service exist. They design The Process around the goal of customer satisfaction. They even modify the Process to improve on this.
They worship the goal, not the method.
Alternatively, they have a different goal.
Many firms have optimised to 'what is the cheapest way that we can offer a facility called customer service, which doesn't have to be much good at solving customer problems?' That's slightly but utterly different to 'what's the cheapest way to solve customer problems?'
I expect customer service to be crap, since minimal necessary effort and time is put into it, but even with that expectation there are, or should be, limits. But a lot of the time we jave to just eat shit.
Part of John Lewis's reputation is customer service. Which they have earned, in my experience.
I've been told by people working there, that coming up with a clever way to fix a problem for a customer is rewarded.
And yet, whilst JL do well in their niche, most of us aren't prepared to shop at JL all the time.
A world where we patronised John Lewis and Marks & Spencer more would probably be a better world. Not only that, but we might save money, on the Sam Vimes Boots theory.
Instead, we tend to go for the cheapest thing upfront, even if it comes bundled with shoddy customer service and premature replacement. It's human nature and British character, and I don't know what the answer is.
That's actually quite an interesting piece - especially the self-pi - er, self-justifying tone of the creators.
' "For seven weeks, we hardly slept, with up to 10 of our in-house AI and post specialists at The Gardening Club [our in-house AI engine] working in lockstep with the directors," said Sweetshop CEO Melanie Bridge, according to Futurism. "We generated what felt like dailies — thousands of takes — then shaped them in the edit just as we would on any high-craft production. This wasn't an AI trick. It was a film."
Bridge continued, "I don't see this spot as a novelty or a cute seasonal experiment. To me, it's evidence of something much bigger: that when craft and technology meet with intention, they can create work that feels genuinely cinematic. So no — AI didn't make this film. We did."'
So, when you join this club, do you state whether you’re a dom, a sub, or a switch?
I'd have thought the more significant part of the small print would be in relation to the possibility of a refund. But I don't pretend to understand how such people think.
That's actually quite an interesting piece - especially the self-pi - er, self-justifying tone of the creators.
' "For seven weeks, we hardly slept, with up to 10 of our in-house AI and post specialists at The Gardening Club [our in-house AI engine] working in lockstep with the directors," said Sweetshop CEO Melanie Bridge, according to Futurism. "We generated what felt like dailies — thousands of takes — then shaped them in the edit just as we would on any high-craft production. This wasn't an AI trick. It was a film."
Bridge continued, "I don't see this spot as a novelty or a cute seasonal experiment. To me, it's evidence of something much bigger: that when craft and technology meet with intention, they can create work that feels genuinely cinematic. So no — AI didn't make this film. We did."'
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
Evening, P..B.
Please stay on the line. Your call is important to us. Please note that abuse of staff will not be tolerated. If you are ringing about our Luckyday Bimgo Free Power offer, or have had any problems using your Luckyday Bingo Free Power offer coupons, please press 4.
I called up the gas emergency line last night and spoke to a nice, ruthlessly competant lady, and an engineer - communicative and sensible - was on the scene in 30 minutes. So when it's urgent, or in their interests, they can actually do things well.
IIRC the gas emergency folks are not the same organisation
You are right. It was these people who were sent out, checking the paperwork:
Detail from a 20 years' old obituary I was reading earlier.
Yes it is probably the most exclusive and elite club in London. Past members include the Duke of Wellington, Beau Brammell, Prince Philip and David Cameron. The King held his stag night there.
Membership is £85 000 a year (more than annual Eton fees) and the waiting list is currently closed. It is all male so Truss couldn’t get in even in the unlikely event she ever made the waiting list
Season of good cheer? Not fffing likely.. you ring EDF. No human to speak to but lots of bullshit about the bot helping to make it easier. These ffing morons just don't care. They know they are lying when they say it will make things easier.
If it wasn't my late father in.law"s account I would tell them to put their account where the sun doesn't shine. .
Evening, P..B.
Please stay on the line. Your call is important to us. Please note that abuse of staff will not be tolerated. If you are ringing about our Luckyday Bimgo Free Power offer, or have had any problems using your Luckyday Bingo Free Power offer coupons, please press 4.
I called up the gas emergency line last night and spoke to a nice, ruthlessly competant lady, and an engineer - communicative and sensible - was on the scene in 30 minutes. So when it's urgent, or in their interests, they can actually do things well.
IIRC the gas emergency folks are not the same organisation
You are right. It was these people who were sent out, checking the paperwork:
My water company sent me a letter two years ago saying they were coming to dig up the street just before my house to install telemetry equipment to detect leaks (laudable!).
No one came.
Two years later they sent the same letter and came the next day.
Detail from a 20 years' old obituary I was reading earlier.
Yes it is probably the most exclusive and elite club in London. Past members include the Duke of Wellington, Beau Brammell, Prince Philip and David Cameron. The King held his stag night there.
Membership is £85 000 a year (more than annual Eton fees) and the waiting list is currently closed. It is all male so Truss couldn’t get in even in the unlikely event she ever made the waiting list
That's actually quite an interesting piece - especially the self-pi - er, self-justifying tone of the creators.
' "For seven weeks, we hardly slept, with up to 10 of our in-house AI and post specialists at The Gardening Club [our in-house AI engine] working in lockstep with the directors," said Sweetshop CEO Melanie Bridge, according to Futurism. "We generated what felt like dailies — thousands of takes — then shaped them in the edit just as we would on any high-craft production. This wasn't an AI trick. It was a film."
Bridge continued, "I don't see this spot as a novelty or a cute seasonal experiment. To me, it's evidence of something much bigger: that when craft and technology meet with intention, they can create work that feels genuinely cinematic. So no — AI didn't make this film. We did."'
In a surprise move, Italy has tonight joined Belgium in its opposition to sending Russia's frozen assets to Ukraine - asking for alternative options at next week's 🇪🇺summit.
Meanwhile, Brussels was informed that the new 🇺🇸peace deal draft says Ukraine will joint the EU in a year
I can imagine Truss provides gold card benefits for oligarchs who pay most, a bit like the Beano fan club would provide a Dennis the Menace and Lord Snooty gift set.
For what she's asking as the base price, you'd expect more than merely access to a member's bar and the opportunity to mingle with lots of other loons
That's actually quite an interesting piece - especially the self-pi - er, self-justifying tone of the creators.
' "For seven weeks, we hardly slept, with up to 10 of our in-house AI and post specialists at The Gardening Club [our in-house AI engine] working in lockstep with the directors," said Sweetshop CEO Melanie Bridge, according to Futurism. "We generated what felt like dailies — thousands of takes — then shaped them in the edit just as we would on any high-craft production. This wasn't an AI trick. It was a film."
Bridge continued, "I don't see this spot as a novelty or a cute seasonal experiment. To me, it's evidence of something much bigger: that when craft and technology meet with intention, they can create work that feels genuinely cinematic. So no — AI didn't make this film. We did."'
It’s now official . The EU has indefinitely immobilised Russian assets of approx 250 billion dollars .
This means they can’t be used in any peace negotiations without EU approval .
Traitor Trump can now go fxck himself and Putin can go crying to his sham Moscow court !
"Moscow court" lol.
It’s comedy gold . They’re suing Euroclear in a Moscow Court . Putin moaning about the legality of what the EU have done after starting a war !
He claims to believe (and may actually believe), that when his troops cross into another country and get killed the defender is behaving outrageously, so there's no telling what else he thinks. And therefore what Trumo will buy.
I can imagine Truss provides gold card benefits for oligarchs who pay most, a bit like the Beano fan club would provide a Dennis the Menace and Lord Snooty gift set.
For what she's asking as the base price, you'd expect more than merely access to a member's bar and the opportunity to mingle with lots of other loons
Detail from a 20 years' old obituary I was reading earlier.
Yes it is probably the most exclusive and elite club in London. Past members include the Duke of Wellington, Beau Brammell, Prince Philip and David Cameron. The King held his stag night there.
Membership is £85 000 a year (more than annual Eton fees) and the waiting list is currently closed. It is all male so Truss couldn’t get in even in the unlikely event she ever made the waiting list
That's actually quite an interesting piece - especially the self-pi - er, self-justifying tone of the creators.
' "For seven weeks, we hardly slept, with up to 10 of our in-house AI and post specialists at The Gardening Club [our in-house AI engine] working in lockstep with the directors," said Sweetshop CEO Melanie Bridge, according to Futurism. "We generated what felt like dailies — thousands of takes — then shaped them in the edit just as we would on any high-craft production. This wasn't an AI trick. It was a film."
Bridge continued, "I don't see this spot as a novelty or a cute seasonal experiment. To me, it's evidence of something much bigger: that when craft and technology meet with intention, they can create work that feels genuinely cinematic. So no — AI didn't make this film. We did."'
I can imagine Truss provides gold card benefits for oligarchs who pay most, a bit like the Beano fan club would provide a Dennis the Menace and Lord Snooty gift set.
For what she's asking as the base price, you'd expect more than merely access to a member's bar and the opportunity to mingle with lots of other loons
That's actually quite an interesting piece - especially the self-pi - er, self-justifying tone of the creators.
' "For seven weeks, we hardly slept, with up to 10 of our in-house AI and post specialists at The Gardening Club [our in-house AI engine] working in lockstep with the directors," said Sweetshop CEO Melanie Bridge, according to Futurism. "We generated what felt like dailies — thousands of takes — then shaped them in the edit just as we would on any high-craft production. This wasn't an AI trick. It was a film."
Bridge continued, "I don't see this spot as a novelty or a cute seasonal experiment. To me, it's evidence of something much bigger: that when craft and technology meet with intention, they can create work that feels genuinely cinematic. So no — AI didn't make this film. We did."'
That's actually quite an interesting piece - especially the self-pi - er, self-justifying tone of the creators.
' "For seven weeks, we hardly slept, with up to 10 of our in-house AI and post specialists at The Gardening Club [our in-house AI engine] working in lockstep with the directors," said Sweetshop CEO Melanie Bridge, according to Futurism. "We generated what felt like dailies — thousands of takes — then shaped them in the edit just as we would on any high-craft production. This wasn't an AI trick. It was a film."
Bridge continued, "I don't see this spot as a novelty or a cute seasonal experiment. To me, it's evidence of something much bigger: that when craft and technology meet with intention, they can create work that feels genuinely cinematic. So no — AI didn't make this film. We did."'
That's actually quite an interesting piece - especially the self-pi - er, self-justifying tone of the creators.
' "For seven weeks, we hardly slept, with up to 10 of our in-house AI and post specialists at The Gardening Club [our in-house AI engine] working in lockstep with the directors," said Sweetshop CEO Melanie Bridge, according to Futurism. "We generated what felt like dailies — thousands of takes — then shaped them in the edit just as we would on any high-craft production. This wasn't an AI trick. It was a film."
Bridge continued, "I don't see this spot as a novelty or a cute seasonal experiment. To me, it's evidence of something much bigger: that when craft and technology meet with intention, they can create work that feels genuinely cinematic. So no — AI didn't make this film. We did."'
That's actually quite an interesting piece - especially the self-pi - er, self-justifying tone of the creators.
' "For seven weeks, we hardly slept, with up to 10 of our in-house AI and post specialists at The Gardening Club [our in-house AI engine] working in lockstep with the directors," said Sweetshop CEO Melanie Bridge, according to Futurism. "We generated what felt like dailies — thousands of takes — then shaped them in the edit just as we would on any high-craft production. This wasn't an AI trick. It was a film."
Bridge continued, "I don't see this spot as a novelty or a cute seasonal experiment. To me, it's evidence of something much bigger: that when craft and technology meet with intention, they can create work that feels genuinely cinematic. So no — AI didn't make this film. We did."'
Mmm, didn't seem all that bad to me. Not sure what all the fuss was about.
It’s just very obviously all AI, and therefore lacking any human meaning or charm.
I know the dutch are excellent at English, but it surprised me it was in English too.
Frisian, the language spoken un N Holland, is very similar to English, isn’t it?
I remember when in the Flemish part of Belgium lots of words just sounded English but with a German accent (handy when reading a menu). A bit like watching a war film where all the Germans speak English with a German accent (maybe they really did).
That's actually quite an interesting piece - especially the self-pi - er, self-justifying tone of the creators.
' "For seven weeks, we hardly slept, with up to 10 of our in-house AI and post specialists at The Gardening Club [our in-house AI engine] working in lockstep with the directors," said Sweetshop CEO Melanie Bridge, according to Futurism. "We generated what felt like dailies — thousands of takes — then shaped them in the edit just as we would on any high-craft production. This wasn't an AI trick. It was a film."
Bridge continued, "I don't see this spot as a novelty or a cute seasonal experiment. To me, it's evidence of something much bigger: that when craft and technology meet with intention, they can create work that feels genuinely cinematic. So no — AI didn't make this film. We did."'
That's actually quite an interesting piece - especially the self-pi - er, self-justifying tone of the creators.
' "For seven weeks, we hardly slept, with up to 10 of our in-house AI and post specialists at The Gardening Club [our in-house AI engine] working in lockstep with the directors," said Sweetshop CEO Melanie Bridge, according to Futurism. "We generated what felt like dailies — thousands of takes — then shaped them in the edit just as we would on any high-craft production. This wasn't an AI trick. It was a film."
Bridge continued, "I don't see this spot as a novelty or a cute seasonal experiment. To me, it's evidence of something much bigger: that when craft and technology meet with intention, they can create work that feels genuinely cinematic. So no — AI didn't make this film. We did."'
Mmm, didn't seem all that bad to me. Not sure what all the fuss was about.
It’s just very obviously all AI, and therefore lacking any human meaning or charm.
I know the dutch are excellent at English, but it surprised me it was in English too.
Frisian, the language spoken un N Holland, is very similar to English, isn’t it?
I remember when in the Flemish part of Belgium lots of words just sounded English but with a German accent (handy when reading a menu). A bit like watching a war film where all the Germans speak English with a German accent (maybe they really did).
Maybe more like Lowland Scots. Friend of mine from the Borders went out to RSA for some years - he could understand, subliminally, what the locals were saying in Afrikaans about this rooinek, he just had to relax and pretend he was back home.
Detail from a 20 years' old obituary I was reading earlier.
Yes it is probably the most exclusive and elite club in London. Past members include the Duke of Wellington, Beau Brammell, Prince Philip and David Cameron. The King held his stag night there.
Membership is £85 000 a year (more than annual Eton fees) and the waiting list is currently closed. It is all male so Truss couldn’t get in even in the unlikely event she ever made the waiting list
Detail from a 20 years' old obituary I was reading earlier.
Yes it is probably the most exclusive and elite club in London. Past members include the Duke of Wellington, Beau Brammell, Prince Philip and David Cameron. The King held his stag night there.
Membership is £85 000 a year (more than annual Eton fees) and the waiting list is currently closed. It is all male so Truss couldn’t get in even in the unlikely event she ever made the waiting list
That does bring out a well hidden socialist streak in me.
Not so much that for me as to wonder why people would be so desperate to leer at such Veblenian excess. Also poshness when they themselves wouldn't be allowed in (except through the service door to wash the dishes).
Unless of course they are researchers studying social pathologies.
Here you can follow the Birds of Magyar's worm-hunting exploits in real time (and the whole of the Unmanned Systems Forces, go up a level by clicking on the unit logo at the top) https://sbs-group.army/subdivision/magyars_birds
Detail from a 20 years' old obituary I was reading earlier.
Yes it is probably the most exclusive and elite club in London. Past members include the Duke of Wellington, Beau Brammell, Prince Philip and David Cameron. The King held his stag night there.
Membership is £85 000 a year (more than annual Eton fees) and the waiting list is currently closed. It is all male so Truss couldn’t get in even in the unlikely event she ever made the waiting list
Eng: My daughter milked a cow. Scots: Mine dochter milkit ane coo. [ch as in loch, obvs] Frisian (fide Google Translate): Myn dochter molk in ko. Danish (ditto): Min datter malkede en ko. Dutch: Mijn dochter heeft een koe gemolken. German: Meine Tochter hat eine Kuh gemolken.
Detail from a 20 years' old obituary I was reading earlier.
Yes it is probably the most exclusive and elite club in London. Past members include the Duke of Wellington, Beau Brammell, Prince Philip and David Cameron. The King held his stag night there.
Membership is £85 000 a year (more than annual Eton fees) and the waiting list is currently closed. It is all male so Truss couldn’t get in even in the unlikely event she ever made the waiting list
Detail from a 20 years' old obituary I was reading earlier.
Yes it is probably the most exclusive and elite club in London. Past members include the Duke of Wellington, Beau Brammell, Prince Philip and David Cameron. The King held his stag night there.
Membership is £85 000 a year (more than annual Eton fees) and the waiting list is currently closed. It is all male so Truss couldn’t get in even in the unlikely event she ever made the waiting list
That does bring out a well hidden socialist streak in me.
Not so much that for me as to wonder why people would be so desperate to leer at such Veblenian excess. Also poshness when they themselves wouldn't be allowed in (except through the service door to wash the dishes).
Unless of course they are researchers studying social pathologies.
The fact that they rank Annabels as more exclusive than White’s suggests that, how do I put this politely, they don’t have a fucking clue
Detail from a 20 years' old obituary I was reading earlier.
Yes it is probably the most exclusive and elite club in London. Past members include the Duke of Wellington, Beau Brammell, Prince Philip and David Cameron. The King held his stag night there.
Membership is £85 000 a year (more than annual Eton fees) and the waiting list is currently closed. It is all male so Truss couldn’t get in even in the unlikely event she ever made the waiting list
That does bring out a well hidden socialist streak in me.
Not so much that for me as to wonder why people would be so desperate to leer at such Veblenian excess. Also poshness when they themselves wouldn't be allowed in (except through the service door to wash the dishes).
Unless of course they are researchers studying social pathologies.
The fact that they rank Annabels as more exclusive than White’s suggests that, how do I put this politely, they don’t have a fucking clue
One of the best off the New Wave of members club used to deliberately keep a low profile. Managed to keep off all the lists, for years.
Detail from a 20 years' old obituary I was reading earlier.
Yes it is probably the most exclusive and elite club in London. Past members include the Duke of Wellington, Beau Brammell, Prince Philip and David Cameron. The King held his stag night there.
Membership is £85 000 a year (more than annual Eton fees) and the waiting list is currently closed. It is all male so Truss couldn’t get in even in the unlikely event she ever made the waiting list
That does bring out a well hidden socialist streak in me.
Not so much that for me as to wonder why people would be so desperate to leer at such Veblenian excess. Also poshness when they themselves wouldn't be allowed in (except through the service door to wash the dishes).
Unless of course they are researchers studying social pathologies.
As my mother used to say "There's always been folk with more money than sense"
Not enough to make Truss's dream come true, I suspect.
EXCLUSIVE interview with Zack Polanski by @daisyeastlake
* Britain should take in more asylum seekers
* Migration debate is driven by racism
* Starmer is 'pushing racist rhetoric'
* Asylum seekers should be able to work in UK from the moment they arrive
* Trans women are women, JK Rowling is 'punching down' & 'intensely hateful'
And the environment? He couldn't give a fuck.
True Greens must despair.
People talk about political parties becoming more left or right, or more extreme, but the Greens seem to have changed more than any other political party.
Detail from a 20 years' old obituary I was reading earlier.
Yes it is probably the most exclusive and elite club in London. Past members include the Duke of Wellington, Beau Brammell, Prince Philip and David Cameron. The King held his stag night there.
Membership is £85 000 a year (more than annual Eton fees) and the waiting list is currently closed. It is all male so Truss couldn’t get in even in the unlikely event she ever made the waiting list
That does bring out a well hidden socialist streak in me.
Not so much that for me as to wonder why people would be so desperate to leer at such Veblenian excess. Also poshness when they themselves wouldn't be allowed in (except through the service door to wash the dishes).
Unless of course they are researchers studying social pathologies.
The fact that they rank Annabels as more exclusive than White’s suggests that, how do I put this politely, they don’t have a fucking clue
One of the best off the New Wave of members club used to deliberately keep a low profile. Managed to keep off all the lists, for years.
I just go to London’s best coffee shop. Really convenient place to have a pee
That's actually quite an interesting piece - especially the self-pi - er, self-justifying tone of the creators.
' "For seven weeks, we hardly slept, with up to 10 of our in-house AI and post specialists at The Gardening Club [our in-house AI engine] working in lockstep with the directors," said Sweetshop CEO Melanie Bridge, according to Futurism. "We generated what felt like dailies — thousands of takes — then shaped them in the edit just as we would on any high-craft production. This wasn't an AI trick. It was a film."
Bridge continued, "I don't see this spot as a novelty or a cute seasonal experiment. To me, it's evidence of something much bigger: that when craft and technology meet with intention, they can create work that feels genuinely cinematic. So no — AI didn't make this film. We did."'
Perhaps it was one of those ads designed to annoy and therefore get noticed. A sort of Ad Shitposting?
(Fox jr2 doing well in the advertising world btw)
Good news then. Tell him to keep at it. A great profession and in a poll before Brexit 97% were against it so those in it are made of the right stuff! Talking of which I've just been having an all our yesterdays with some friends about the old days with Martin Parr and Daniel Meadows. Advertising wasn't their their thing but Martin of all of them managed to make a living that didn't involve selling his soul to the devil. But a good guy and a good photographer and an example of how you also need to work at it
Comments
Paul Lumber, a prolific football hooligan with several prison sentences and a lifetime ban from Bristol City for violence, is apparently a victim of a "tragic accident" when he fell off a ladder and killed himself whilst festooning lamp posts with flags.
https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/well-known-bristol-football-fan-10699651
My call is Darwin Award, which is admittedly not very sympathetic.
@metoffice
If you've not been a fan of the shorter days, here is some good news - today marks the earliest sunset of the year for most of us!
So the sun will be setting a little later each day from now on 🌞
https://x.com/metoffice/status/1999494850551390277
EXCLUSIVE interview with Zack Polanski by @daisyeastlake
* Britain should take in more asylum seekers
* Migration debate is driven by racism
* Starmer is 'pushing racist rhetoric'
* Asylum seekers should be able to work in UK from the moment they arrive
* Trans women are women, JK Rowling is 'punching down' & 'intensely hateful'
Membership is £85 000 a year (more than annual Eton fees) and the waiting list is currently closed. It is all male so Truss couldn’t get in even in the unlikely event she ever made the waiting list
https://thewhitesclub.com/
Many firms have optimised to 'what is the cheapest way that we can offer a facility called customer service, which doesn't have to be much good at solving customer problems?' That's slightly but utterly different to 'what's the cheapest way to solve customer problems?'
Never had so much shit as with British Gas though. I've received hundreds of pounds compensation for their egregiously terrible service, and flat out lies to the Ombudsman on more than one occasion.
They don't even seek to defend their awful conduct when you go to the Ombudsman, so as long as you get past their lies to the latter to close a case, you will win. But then you have to go back to the Ombudsman multiple times since British Gas don't follow up as promised.
(even though IIRC the only requirement they have to meet is to claim they are trying to fix your problems, and no requirement to ever actually do so - a pinky promise is all the industry requires).
The best service I ever got was when the UK based customer support went home and it got put through to the India based support, who phoned me back over the weekend with correct information and a solution.
Not an issue unique to him, in fairness.
The former elite old money, the latter exclusive new money mainly
In France.
My UK power is provided by the excellent Octopus Energy.
Back in my gliding days there was a Process to be followed when rigging a glider and another one to check the controls before launching. The only fatality I witnessed was when The Processes hadn't been followed.
I think Reeves is a better Chancellor than Osborne for example.
Starmer a better PM than Sunak.
I'm a lifelong Tory, although I left the party with Truss/Braverman, its still my political home.
https://www.thebulwark.com/p/trumps-hand-picked-rnc-chair-predicts-doom-midterms-joe-gruters-affordability
Oxymoron surely?
The Process State is where the process is worshipped, while the outcome is ignore.
"We missed a child being slowly beaten to death over months, but my paperwork was prefect."
A better system would have a tablet that installer could connect to the meter, look at all the data, and do the connection setup live and on the spot.
Other than that, they are very good.
We can get the latter on here, for free!
https://people.com/mcdonald-s-netherlands-ai-ad-controversy-explained-11867981
I've been told by people working there, that coming up with a clever way to fix a problem for a customer is rewarded.
Thank you.
Putin is their creation, and until they get rid of him we should have nothing at all to do with them.
I didn't address the point about the EEC being a political project because I have never claimed otherwise. Indeed I spent much of the referendum campaign pointing out that - contrary to what many of the Reamain side were claiming in a desperate attempt to pretend the EU is nothing more than a great big trading group - 'Ever Closer Union' is on page 1 of the original Treaty of Rome which founded the EEC.
Also as you should remember since you have been on here long enough., I refused to vote for Johnson even if it meant a reversal of Brexit as some claimed, and I hae been solid in my condemnation of Farage and latterly of Reform for the last decade.
So you can take your ad hominems and stick them up your lying arse.
My usual response is I wouldn’t join a club which would have me as a member.
Not that I have half a million lying around - Mrs Stodge and the horses have seen to that.
True Greens must despair.
' "For seven weeks, we hardly slept, with up to 10 of our in-house AI and post specialists at The Gardening Club [our in-house AI engine] working in lockstep with the directors," said Sweetshop CEO Melanie Bridge, according to Futurism. "We generated what felt like dailies — thousands of takes — then shaped them in the edit just as we would on any high-craft production. This wasn't an AI trick. It was a film."
Bridge continued, "I don't see this spot as a novelty or a cute seasonal experiment. To me, it's evidence of something much bigger: that when craft and technology meet with intention, they can create work that feels genuinely cinematic. So no — AI didn't make this film. We did."'
Edit: the offending ad is here BTW.
https://www.adforum.com/creative-work/ad/player/34728882/its-the-most-terrible-time-of-the-year/mcdonalds
He also made some changes to our phone socket and other connections and life returned to what passes for normal chez Stodge.
This means they can’t be used in any peace negotiations without EU approval .
Traitor Trump can now go fxck himself and Putin can go crying to his sham Moscow court !
I suppose the argument is that she would have it and we’d have to go through a process to hire someone else.
But also why should her pension reduce for extra service? That just seems weird
If not, count me out.
A world where we patronised John Lewis and Marks & Spencer more would probably be a better world. Not only that, but we might save money, on the Sam Vimes Boots theory.
Instead, we tend to go for the cheapest thing upfront, even if it comes bundled with shoddy customer service and premature replacement. It's human nature and British character, and I don't know what the answer is.
https://www.wwutilities.co.uk/services/
No one came.
Two years later they sent the same letter and came the next day.
(Fox jr2 doing well in the advertising world btw)
In a surprise move, Italy has tonight joined Belgium in its opposition to sending Russia's frozen assets to Ukraine - asking for alternative options at next week's 🇪🇺summit.
Meanwhile, Brussels was informed that the new 🇺🇸peace deal draft says Ukraine will joint the EU in a year
Why did you all keep that from me ?
From the new batch of images from the Epstein estate.
Unless of course they are researchers studying social pathologies.
Eng: My daughter milked a cow.
Scots: Mine dochter milkit ane coo. [ch as in loch, obvs]
Frisian (fide Google Translate): Myn dochter molk in ko.
Danish (ditto): Min datter malkede en ko.
Dutch: Mijn dochter heeft een koe gemolken.
German: Meine Tochter hat eine Kuh gemolken.
You stated it as fact.
Most of the clubs range from £2.0-2.5k. Whites is not that much of an outlier
Not enough to make Truss's dream come true, I suspect.