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If this poll is correct then the value is with Labour – politicalbetting.com

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  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 63,562

    Sean_F said:

    The Metro reports a huge blow for the greatest Lawyer on earth.

    Even though Step Moms are played by actresses, Labour is going to ban such filthy movies.

    Or not. I thought it was (see last thread) but the Metro says not yet:-

    ‘Step-family’ content is not currently included in the legislation, but Alex [Alex Davies-Jones is Minister for Victims and Violence Against Women and Girls] says the Government will be conducting a ‘broader review [around extreme pornography] and looking at what more needs to be done’ in future.
    https://metro.co.uk/2026/02/24/three-horrific-types-porn-made-illegal-uk-27066635/
    It’s funny how Disney and Pornhub have such divergent views about step-mothers.

    I wonder if they’ll end up banning fanfiction sites, given the popularity of incest fics.
    Probably. Some fans could be 30; others 13.
    Nah. They'll just demand every reader/writer uploads their passport and gets their face scanned.

    Good morning, fellow workers in the glorious digital soviet of Starmerstan.
  • Brixian59Brixian59 Posts: 837

    Sandpit said:

    Trafalgar Square last night, thousands of people turned up to Ukraine vigil.

    https://x.com/allyc375/status/2026391292628910174

    Did Trump mention Ukraine in his State of the Union address?
    Did he mention Chagos Islands, apparently some Tories though it was going to be work 10 minutes of ranting?
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 60,112
    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977
  • Brixian59Brixian59 Posts: 837
    Roger said:


    Luke Tryl
    @LukeTryl
    Seriously tight esp given MoE.

    -> What might make me think Labour will outperform, if it’s this close one assumes they started with better postal vote data and pledges
    -> What might make me think Greens might outperform perform, sample quality of Muslim voters was very poor in GE2024 meaning extent of anti Lab backlash was missed
    - > What might make think Reform might outperform, this is a high Tory vote considering you’d expect they’d be squeezed and lose their deposit.

    https://x.com/LukeTryl/status/2026408463367287014

    There you have it from the pollster who gets more airtime than all the others put together.

    Memo to self 'Don't forget to put a line through the two that didn't come off'
    Ramping up 6% as a high Tory vote ffs!
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 60,112

    Sandpit said:

    Trafalgar Square last night, thousands of people turned up to Ukraine vigil.

    https://x.com/allyc375/status/2026391292628910174

    Did Trump mention Ukraine in his State of the Union address?
    Yes.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 34,148
    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    Trafalgar Square last night, thousands of people turned up to Ukraine vigil.

    https://x.com/allyc375/status/2026391292628910174

    Did Trump mention Ukraine in his State of the Union address?
    Yes.
    I am guessing his speech was OK given the lack of excitable coverage it's received on here
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 19,032
    edited 7:37AM
    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    Trafalgar Square last night, thousands of people turned up to Ukraine vigil.

    https://x.com/allyc375/status/2026391292628910174

    Did Trump mention Ukraine in his State of the Union address?
    Yes.
    And what did he say?

    EDIT: I looked it up. He said…

    “ And we're working very hard to end the ninth war, the killing and slaughter between Russia and Ukraine, where 25,000 soldiers are dying each and every month. Think of that, 25,000 soldiers are dying a month, a war which would have never happened if I were president, would have never happened.”

    And…

    “ And everything we send over to Ukraine is sent through NATO and they pay us in full. They pay us totally in full.”
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 23,273

    Pulpstar said:

    HYUFD said:

    Owen Jones
    @owenjonesjourno
    ·
    46m
    The Greens are ahead with likely voters in Gorton and Denton.

    But this shows that the result will come down to whoever gets their vote out on Thursday.

    In other words, the Greens need a huge army of canvassers to win this.

    https://x.com/owenjonesjourno/status/2026410235645088117

    Unfortunately for Owen most Green canvassers will probably get up at lunchtime. Then spend half the afternoon doped up out of their minds, then maybe do one hour's canvass before a stop for a vegan sausage roll and camomile tea before knocking off for an evening of tantric sex and meditation
    Nothing like a good stereotype :D
    He's only jealous, as am I.
    Wheras the average Reformer will be up and at it as soon as the 9.30 free bus pass window opens.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 63,562

    Cashed out on Gorton and Denton.

    Still think Greens will win but as can take large profit now have done so.

    Decided to hedge a tiny bit more. Still greenest if the Greens win, but shifted from flat to small profit if others get it.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 21,487

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    Trafalgar Square last night, thousands of people turned up to Ukraine vigil.

    https://x.com/allyc375/status/2026391292628910174

    Did Trump mention Ukraine in his State of the Union address?
    Yes.
    And what did he say?

    EDIT: I looked it up. He said…

    “ And we're working very hard to end the ninth war, the killing and slaughter between Russia and Ukraine, where 25,000 soldiers are dying each and every month. Think of that, 25,000 soldiers are dying a month, a war which would have never happened if I were president, would have never happened.”

    And…

    “ And everything we send over to Ukraine is sent through NATO and they pay us in full. They pay us totally in full.”
    Inspired
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 23,273
    Eabhal said:

    Some good news this morning for domestic electricity consumers. I've been quite critical of energy policy under this government but reducing the tax burden on electricity, and in particular relative to gas, is:

    1) surprisingly progressive, with poor households not burning much gas
    2) the right thing to do for the environment
    3) matches our energy generation mix better and will, in the long term, wean us off imported fossil fuels

    Hopefully this will now see a trend of electricity consumption becoming relatively more attractive after a long period of it going in the wrong direction. I also think it will make a marginal impact on Labour's prospects - it's very unusual for any government to actually bring down prices directly in this way.

    One of a small number of things Lab has got right
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 42,564

    Paging @Leon.

    I’m posting this comment from the Edinburgh tram, just north of South Gyle Business Park. The noom is off the charts.

    “I've seen things you people wouldn't believe.

    Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion.

    I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate.

    I learned to drive in South Gyle Industrial Estate

    All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.”
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 34,148
    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 21,487

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Removing the “ban” on ICE vehicles will do nothing to reduce prices
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 55,285

    Cashed out on Gorton and Denton.

    Still think Greens will win but as can take large profit now have done so.

    Decided to hedge a tiny bit more. Still greenest if the Greens win, but shifted from flat to small profit if others get it.
    Yes, I am all green as it is so hard to see through the noise.

    My hunch is Green win by a clear distance and Reform in third.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 34,148

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Removing the “ban” on ICE vehicles will do nothing to reduce prices
    Of course it will. Companies have to pay massive fines currently if they go over their quota of ice vehicles. Let them produce the cars the market requires.
  • AnneJGPAnneJGP Posts: 4,822
    Andy_JS said:

    "So the ‘Perp Walk’ has come to Britain – that’s not good
    In New York the police use publicity as a punishment. Such practices must not take hold here
    Theodore Dalrymple" (£)

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/02/23/so-the-perp-walk-has-come-to-britain-not-good/

    Is Theodore Dalrymple a column name rather than a person? I recall reading articles in a newspaper probably the Telegraph by someone of that name when I was in my teens, and that author was in his 60s then. Now I'm in my 70s!

    Good morning, everyone.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 65,580
    Eabhal said:

    Some good news this morning for domestic electricity consumers. I've been quite critical of energy policy under this government but reducing the tax burden on electricity, and in particular relative to gas, is:

    1) surprisingly progressive, with poor households not burning much gas
    2) the right thing to do for the environment
    3) matches our energy generation mix better and will, in the long term, wean us off imported fossil fuels

    Hopefully this will now see a trend of electricity consumption becoming relatively more attractive after a long period of it going in the wrong direction. I also think it will make a marginal impact on Labour's prospects - it's very unusual for any government to actually bring down prices directly in this way.

    Until it starts to affect the tax take, and then they'll whack them right back up again.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 21,487

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Removing the “ban” on ICE vehicles will do nothing to reduce prices
    Of course it will. Companies have to pay massive fines currently if they go over their quota of ice vehicles. Let them produce the cars the market requires.
    No it won’t. Maybe if the EU removed the ban as well.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 21,487

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Removing the “ban” on ICE vehicles will do nothing to reduce prices
    Of course it will. Companies have to pay massive fines currently if they go over their quota of ice vehicles. Let them produce the cars the market requires.
    No it won’t. Maybe if the EU removed the ban as well.
    It’s for the birds that car companies will develop whole new ICE platforms just for the UK market. Delusional
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 17,855
    HYUFD said:

    Owen Jones
    @owenjonesjourno
    ·
    46m
    The Greens are ahead with likely voters in Gorton and Denton.

    But this shows that the result will come down to whoever gets their vote out on Thursday.

    In other words, the Greens need a huge army of canvassers to win this.

    https://x.com/owenjonesjourno/status/2026410235645088117

    Unfortunately for Owen most Green canvassers will probably get up at lunchtime. Then spend half the afternoon doped up out of their minds, then maybe do one hour's canvass before a stop for a vegan sausage roll and camomile tea before knocking off for an evening of tantric sex and meditation
    ...this was a party political broadcast on behalf of the Green Party.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 55,285
    AnneJGP said:

    Andy_JS said:

    "So the ‘Perp Walk’ has come to Britain – that’s not good
    In New York the police use publicity as a punishment. Such practices must not take hold here
    Theodore Dalrymple" (£)

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/02/23/so-the-perp-walk-has-come-to-britain-not-good/

    Is Theodore Dalrymple a column name rather than a person? I recall reading articles in a newspaper probably the Telegraph by someone of that name when I was in my teens, and that author was in his 60s then. Now I'm in my 70s!

    Good morning, everyone.
    It is a pen name. He is a psychiatrist in Birmingham.

    I don't always agree with his politics but he doesn't fit any pigeonhole. His writings on the underclass long precede most others.

    One of the best medical writers in terms of style, alongside Raymond Tallis.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 65,580

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    More widely, it means everyone is going to get a ticket each time they step inside a car.

    It's impossible to perfectly follow every aspect of the highway code religiously at all times.
  • AnneJGPAnneJGP Posts: 4,822

    Andy_JS said:

    Listening to white voters in Denton and Gorton on Newsnight is a depressing experience.

    Pol prof says later that it is massively deprived.

    And yet Labour are struggling to win. This is pure Lab territory.

    Why has the party lost its roots so completely?
    It didn't lose them. It abandoned them.
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 23,273

    Cashed out on Gorton and Denton.

    Still think Greens will win but as can take large profit now have done so.

    Decided to hedge a tiny bit more. Still greenest if the Greens win, but shifted from flat to small profit if others get it.
    Sounds sensible.

    Good luck mate
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 46,728
    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    Trafalgar Square last night, thousands of people turned up to Ukraine vigil.

    https://x.com/allyc375/status/2026391292628910174

    Did Trump mention Ukraine in his State of the Union address?
    Yes.
    Did he harken back to those happy times when he would end the war in one day?
  • OnlyLivingBoyOnlyLivingBoy Posts: 17,855
    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    Probably reflects EV (ie tech/data) conpanies' hunger for data to develop self driving tech/AI more than the pernicious reach of the CCP.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 60,112

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 13,504
    edited 7:56AM

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    More widely, it means everyone is going to get a ticket each time they step inside a car.

    It's impossible to perfectly follow every aspect of the highway code religiously at all times.
    That's not an EV issue though. Your modern ICE car is collecting that kind of data too.

    And check out where your phone was made if you're worried about China spying on you.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 60,112
    edited 7:57AM

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Removing the “ban” on ICE vehicles will do nothing to reduce prices
    Of course it will. Companies have to pay massive fines currently if they go over their quota of ice vehicles. Let them produce the cars the market requires.
    What companies are doing is restricting the number of ICE cars they sell, to avoid the fines, which has the effect of collapsing the new car market. By next year, almost any new ICE is going to suffer no depreciation in the first year. If you can get your hands on one.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 63,562

    Cashed out on Gorton and Denton.

    Still think Greens will win but as can take large profit now have done so.

    Decided to hedge a tiny bit more. Still greenest if the Greens win, but shifted from flat to small profit if others get it.
    Sounds sensible.

    Good luck mate
    Cheers. I have a pretty fantastic habit of hedging when I shouldn't (in F1 as well, sometimes). Still, playing with dinky sums and being all-green isn't exactly the worst situation.

    My pre-testing bet on Alonso is not looking very good this year...
  • RattersRatters Posts: 1,804
    Eabhal said:

    Some good news this morning for domestic electricity consumers. I've been quite critical of energy policy under this government but reducing the tax burden on electricity, and in particular relative to gas, is:

    1) surprisingly progressive, with poor households not burning much gas
    2) the right thing to do for the environment
    3) matches our energy generation mix better and will, in the long term, wean us off imported fossil fuels

    Hopefully this will now see a trend of electricity consumption becoming relatively more attractive after a long period of it going in the wrong direction. I also think it will make a marginal impact on Labour's prospects - it's very unusual for any government to actually bring down prices directly in this way.

    If electricity costs can be gradually reduced relative to household gas consumption (incrementally tax the latter more, drive down costs on the former) then things like electric boilers start to become viable as an alternative to gas boilers or heat pumps.

    I'm not convinced we'll ever see widespread retrofitting of heat pumps into old, modest sized houses, so something needs to give if we're going to reduce fossil fuel reliance in the long-term.
  • TazTaz Posts: 25,380

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Removing the “ban” on ICE vehicles will do nothing to reduce prices
    Of course it will. Companies have to pay massive fines currently if they go over their quota of ice vehicles. Let them produce the cars the market requires.
    You’d also get lower pricing for parts if volumes increased and as were RHD so many parts made are just for RHD markets what the EU does is not irrelevant, but less important.

    However that nutcase Miliband will never do anything like that.
  • nico67nico67 Posts: 7,028
    Foxy said:

    Cashed out on Gorton and Denton.

    Still think Greens will win but as can take large profit now have done so.

    Decided to hedge a tiny bit more. Still greenest if the Greens win, but shifted from flat to small profit if others get it.
    Yes, I am all green as it is so hard to see through the noise.

    My hunch is Green win by a clear distance and Reform in third.
    It’s hard to see that almost equal split on the left remaining right through to the end . Bound to be some last minute changes and either side only need a few extra percentage points to stop a Reform win .

    The issue for the Greens is getting out their vote and relying on younger people to win the seat .
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 55,285
    Eabhal said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    More widely, it means everyone is going to get a ticket each time they step inside a car.

    It's impossible to perfectly follow every aspect of the highway code religiously at all times.
    That's not an EV issue though. Your modern ICE car is collecting that kind of data too.

    And check out where your phone was made if you're worried about China spying on you.
    Everybody is spying on us all the time in the modern panopticon. American Tech Broligarchs, the Chinese, the Koreans, our own government via Palantir.

    We sold our privacy many years ago in favour of convenience.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 34,148
    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    No they are not - how on earth could Russia invade us?
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 55,285
    nico67 said:

    Foxy said:

    Cashed out on Gorton and Denton.

    Still think Greens will win but as can take large profit now have done so.

    Decided to hedge a tiny bit more. Still greenest if the Greens win, but shifted from flat to small profit if others get it.
    Yes, I am all green as it is so hard to see through the noise.

    My hunch is Green win by a clear distance and Reform in third.
    It’s hard to see that almost equal split on the left remaining right through to the end . Bound to be some last minute changes and either side only need a few extra percentage points to stop a Reform win .

    The issue for the Greens is getting out their vote and relying on younger people to win the seat .
    Not just younger people. They have a lot of the Muslim vote as well (that's where the Workers Party vote from the GE will go). I think they will get their turnout, as they did in Stoneygate last Thursday.
  • AnneJGPAnneJGP Posts: 4,822
    Foxy said:

    AnneJGP said:

    Andy_JS said:

    "So the ‘Perp Walk’ has come to Britain – that’s not good
    In New York the police use publicity as a punishment. Such practices must not take hold here
    Theodore Dalrymple" (£)

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/02/23/so-the-perp-walk-has-come-to-britain-not-good/

    Is Theodore Dalrymple a column name rather than a person? I recall reading articles in a newspaper probably the Telegraph by someone of that name when I was in my teens, and that author was in his 60s then. Now I'm in my 70s!

    Good morning, everyone.
    It is a pen name. He is a psychiatrist in Birmingham.

    I don't always agree with his politics but he doesn't fit any pigeonhole. His writings on the underclass long precede most others.

    One of the best medical writers in terms of style, alongside Raymond Tallis.
    Thank you, that sounds like the same author so my memory must be at fault over the timing, age etc.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 45,918

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    HYUFD said:

    Owen Jones
    @owenjonesjourno
    ·
    46m
    The Greens are ahead with likely voters in Gorton and Denton.

    But this shows that the result will come down to whoever gets their vote out on Thursday.

    In other words, the Greens need a huge army of canvassers to win this.

    https://x.com/owenjonesjourno/status/2026410235645088117

    Unfortunately for Owen most Green canvassers will probably get up at lunchtime. Then spend half the afternoon doped up out of their minds, then maybe do one hour's canvass before a stop for a vegan sausage roll and camomile tea before knocking off for an evening of tantric sex and meditation
    On the other hand, the offer here may mean that 4 million Green canvassers turn up on Thursday.
    They may turn up, whether they bother to go out and canvass though is another matter
    You said yourself, an evening of tantric sex with a fellow canvasser - ideal way of meeting new people - they owe the candidate one out of canvass?

    Without googling can you explain to bewildered PB what TANTRIC SEX is?

    PS I’ll give you a clue 🧘‍♀️ 🌷 🐍
    Ask Sting and Trudie Styler
    I had to look them up. Septuagenarian actress and a song writer.
    You've never heard of Sting???
    When I looked them up I realised he is a singer I heard of. He had hits way before my time!

    Nor did he invent tantric sex. Where’s PB getting that rubbish from? Tantric is five thousand years old. That’s even older than Sting and his wife. Nor Tantric sex all about yab yum, imo, it’s about merging hearts and achieving the highest levels of trantra. To me, focusing into each others eyes whilst fingering each other is tantric. I expect you can tell us all about the dakini. Go for it Sunil!

    Better mark this as off topic.

    load of bollox more like
  • AnneJGPAnneJGP Posts: 4,822
    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    My new washer dryer is Chinese and can be WiFi enabled. It's probably sending data back to China too.
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 23,273

    Cashed out on Gorton and Denton.

    Still think Greens will win but as can take large profit now have done so.

    Decided to hedge a tiny bit more. Still greenest if the Greens win, but shifted from flat to small profit if others get it.
    Sounds sensible.

    Good luck mate


    My pre-testing bet on Alonso is not looking very good this year...
    Oh my word. Nothing has gone right for them they look a good bet for last atm
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 45,918
    Eabhal said:

    Some good news this morning for domestic electricity consumers. I've been quite critical of energy policy under this government but reducing the tax burden on electricity, and in particular relative to gas, is:

    1) surprisingly progressive, with poor households not burning much gas
    2) the right thing to do for the environment
    3) matches our energy generation mix better and will, in the long term, wean us off imported fossil fuels

    Hopefully this will now see a trend of electricity consumption becoming relatively more attractive after a long period of it going in the wrong direction. I also think it will make a marginal impact on Labour's prospects - it's very unusual for any government to actually bring down prices directly in this way.

    people just freezing instead , progress indeed.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 22,242
    malcolmg said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    HYUFD said:

    Owen Jones
    @owenjonesjourno
    ·
    46m
    The Greens are ahead with likely voters in Gorton and Denton.

    But this shows that the result will come down to whoever gets their vote out on Thursday.

    In other words, the Greens need a huge army of canvassers to win this.

    https://x.com/owenjonesjourno/status/2026410235645088117

    Unfortunately for Owen most Green canvassers will probably get up at lunchtime. Then spend half the afternoon doped up out of their minds, then maybe do one hour's canvass before a stop for a vegan sausage roll and camomile tea before knocking off for an evening of tantric sex and meditation
    On the other hand, the offer here may mean that 4 million Green canvassers turn up on Thursday.
    They may turn up, whether they bother to go out and canvass though is another matter
    You said yourself, an evening of tantric sex with a fellow canvasser - ideal way of meeting new people - they owe the candidate one out of canvass?

    Without googling can you explain to bewildered PB what TANTRIC SEX is?

    PS I’ll give you a clue 🧘‍♀️ 🌷 🐍
    Ask Sting and Trudie Styler
    I had to look them up. Septuagenarian actress and a song writer.
    You've never heard of Sting???
    When I looked them up I realised he is a singer I heard of. He had hits way before my time!

    Nor did he invent tantric sex. Where’s PB getting that rubbish from? Tantric is five thousand years old. That’s even older than Sting and his wife. Nor Tantric sex all about yab yum, imo, it’s about merging hearts and achieving the highest levels of trantra. To me, focusing into each others eyes whilst fingering each other is tantric. I expect you can tell us all about the dakini. Go for it Sunil!

    Better mark this as off topic.

    load of bollox more like
    Not the first time yoou've used that line but this time it made me laugh!
  • bondegezoubondegezou Posts: 19,032

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    No they are not - how on earth could Russia invade us?
    Who do you think is our #1 military threat then, if not Russia?
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 24,538
    malcolmg said:

    Eabhal said:

    Some good news this morning for domestic electricity consumers. I've been quite critical of energy policy under this government but reducing the tax burden on electricity, and in particular relative to gas, is:

    1) surprisingly progressive, with poor households not burning much gas
    2) the right thing to do for the environment
    3) matches our energy generation mix better and will, in the long term, wean us off imported fossil fuels

    Hopefully this will now see a trend of electricity consumption becoming relatively more attractive after a long period of it going in the wrong direction. I also think it will make a marginal impact on Labour's prospects - it's very unusual for any government to actually bring down prices directly in this way.

    people just freezing instead , progress indeed.
    People freezing = Air source heat pump
  • OmniumOmnium Posts: 12,576
    AnneJGP said:

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    My new washer dryer is Chinese and can be WiFi enabled. It's probably sending data back to China too.
    Surely only a smalls concern.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 24,538
    AnneJGP said:

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    My new washer dryer is Chinese and can be WiFi enabled. It's probably sending data back to China too.
    There's a guy in Beijing who knows how often you change your smalls.
  • AnneJGPAnneJGP Posts: 4,822

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    No they are not - how on earth could Russia invade us?
    They wouldn't need to - if they see us as a threat a few bombing runs would destroy us. Infrastructure is much more vulnerable than it used to be.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 22,242
    AnneJGP said:

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    My new washer dryer is Chinese and can be WiFi enabled. It's probably sending data back to China too.
    Stain on collar....repeat ......stain on collar .....repeat
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 63,562

    Cashed out on Gorton and Denton.

    Still think Greens will win but as can take large profit now have done so.

    Decided to hedge a tiny bit more. Still greenest if the Greens win, but shifted from flat to small profit if others get it.
    Sounds sensible.

    Good luck mate


    My pre-testing bet on Alonso is not looking very good this year...
    Oh my word. Nothing has gone right for them they look a good bet for last atm
    You're not wrong. I'm genuinely waiting for the Not Classified market as I would be surprised if either finished in Australia. They never got close to completing a race sim in testing.
  • Daveyboy1961Daveyboy1961 Posts: 5,286

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    No they are not - how on earth could Russia invade us?
    Who do you think is our #1 military threat then, if not Russia?
    The French...

    Cf Sir Humphrey Appleby
  • NickPalmerNickPalmer Posts: 21,942
    Sandpit said:

    Did we cover the Green by-election video entirely in Urdu, and from the visuals looking more than somewhat negative in nature?

    https://x.com/guidofawkes/status/2025936091652501524

    They do appear to have gone from the environmentalist party to appealing to a rather sectarian audience.

    It's commonplace in close elections from several parties, and has been for the last 20 years. The argument is that people with British passports may not be comfortable with lengthy PPBs in English. I don't see any harm in it.
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 13,504
    edited 8:18AM
    Ratters said:

    Eabhal said:

    Some good news this morning for domestic electricity consumers. I've been quite critical of energy policy under this government but reducing the tax burden on electricity, and in particular relative to gas, is:

    1) surprisingly progressive, with poor households not burning much gas
    2) the right thing to do for the environment
    3) matches our energy generation mix better and will, in the long term, wean us off imported fossil fuels

    Hopefully this will now see a trend of electricity consumption becoming relatively more attractive after a long period of it going in the wrong direction. I also think it will make a marginal impact on Labour's prospects - it's very unusual for any government to actually bring down prices directly in this way.

    If electricity costs can be gradually reduced relative to household gas consumption (incrementally tax the latter more, drive down costs on the former) then things like electric boilers start to become viable as an alternative to gas boilers or heat pumps.

    I'm not convinced we'll ever see widespread retrofitting of heat pumps into old, modest sized houses, so something needs to give if we're going to reduce fossil fuel reliance in the long-term.
    I suspect you'd accelerate process this if domestic tariffs reflected marginal energy costs. E.g. if we put everyone on 30-minute variable rates, that would incentivise batteries, heat pumps and so on, in addition to your gas boiler.

    Introduce it over 10 years so you don't cause a demand shock - year 1, at least 10% of the tariff is time-variable, year 5, 50%.
  • AnneJGPAnneJGP Posts: 4,822
    Roger said:

    AnneJGP said:

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    My new washer dryer is Chinese and can be WiFi enabled. It's probably sending data back to China too.
    Stain on collar....repeat ......stain on collar .....repeat
    If that really is the level of 'espionage' they're going for, it's no wonder they're keen on AI. Even China wouldn't have enough workers to process all the data.
  • eekeek Posts: 32,676

    AnneJGP said:

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    My new washer dryer is Chinese and can be WiFi enabled. It's probably sending data back to China too.
    There's a guy in Beijing who knows how often you change your smalls.
    We are back to the Chinese Laundries of old.

    Got to say it’s easy to see where data is being sent to from home ( and Samsung are beyond annoying sending data back from a tv every 15 seconds) but far harder in a car unless and until Apple / Google release an app that tracks every http request made through your phone
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 55,285

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    No they are not - how on earth could Russia invade us?
    It is more the continual cyber attacks, trolling and interference in our politics that is the Russian threat. There's the nukes too (assuming that they still work) but conventional forces that cannot take more than a few Donbas collieries in 4 years and a million casualties are clearly not a threat.

    Personally, I don't see a threat from China to us militarily. To Taiwan, and to a few South China Sea islands which they see as unfinished business, but they are not an expansionist power militarily otherwise.

    Economically they are hugely advanced and developing new technologies at a ferocious pace while we and the Americans look to regress to the 1950's. The future looks very Chinese.
  • Daveyboy1961Daveyboy1961 Posts: 5,286

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    Probably reflects EV (ie tech/data) conpanies' hunger for data to develop self driving tech/AI more than the pernicious reach of the CCP.
    My Ford EV sends data back to Ford ( in America I assume). What's the difference?
  • AnneJGPAnneJGP Posts: 4,822

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    Probably reflects EV (ie tech/data) conpanies' hunger for data to develop self driving tech/AI more than the pernicious reach of the CCP.
    My Ford EV sends data back to Ford ( in America I assume). What's the difference?
    A lot less now than a few years ago.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 55,285
    edited 8:21AM
    eek said:

    AnneJGP said:

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    My new washer dryer is Chinese and can be WiFi enabled. It's probably sending data back to China too.
    There's a guy in Beijing who knows how often you change your smalls.
    We are back to the Chinese Laundries of old.

    Got to say it’s easy to see where data is being sent to from home ( and Samsung are beyond annoying sending data back from a tv every 15 seconds) but far harder in a car unless and until Apple / Google release an app that tracks every http request made through your phone
    Yes, that is what AI is for. Plagarised AI slop is just froth. What AI excels at is processing vast quantities of data to look for patterns. Historically Big Brother could only view a fraction of Telescreens, but shortly will be able to watch them all, all the time.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 22,242

    Sandpit said:

    Did we cover the Green by-election video entirely in Urdu, and from the visuals looking more than somewhat negative in nature?

    https://x.com/guidofawkes/status/2025936091652501524

    They do appear to have gone from the environmentalist party to appealing to a rather sectarian audience.

    It's commonplace in close elections from several parties, and has been for the last 20 years. The argument is that people with British passports may not be comfortable with lengthy PPBs in English. I don't see any harm in it.
    2.5m views! You have to watch it a couple of times to become familiar with the goodies and baddies. IT didn't make G&D look great but it had a bit of Mornington Crescent about it
  • AnneJGPAnneJGP Posts: 4,822
    Foxy said:

    eek said:

    AnneJGP said:

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    My new washer dryer is Chinese and can be WiFi enabled. It's probably sending data back to China too.
    There's a guy in Beijing who knows how often you change your smalls.
    We are back to the Chinese Laundries of old.

    Got to say it’s easy to see where data is being sent to from home ( and Samsung are beyond annoying sending data back from a tv every 15 seconds) but far harder in a car unless and until Apple / Google release an app that tracks every http request made through your phone
    Yes, that is what AI is for. Plagarised AI slop is just froth. What AI excels at is processing vast quantities of data to look for patterns. Historically Big Brother could only view a fraction of Telescreens, but shortly will be able to watch them all, all the time.
    I must make certain I don't do my washing on the same day each week.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 42,564
    @robinwigglesworth.ft.com‬

    “Blade Runner depicted a world in which some people’s entire job is simply to clean up after bad robots, thereby accurately predicting the vibecoding trend.”

    Also features one of the best chart subheadings of all time?

    https://bsky.app/profile/robinwigglesworth.ft.com/post/3mfo7wml3uc2c
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 55,285

    Sandpit said:

    Did we cover the Green by-election video entirely in Urdu, and from the visuals looking more than somewhat negative in nature?

    https://x.com/guidofawkes/status/2025936091652501524

    They do appear to have gone from the environmentalist party to appealing to a rather sectarian audience.

    It's commonplace in close elections from several parties, and has been for the last 20 years. The argument is that people with British passports may not be comfortable with lengthy PPBs in English. I don't see any harm in it.
    Yes completely unremarkeable. Micro targetting of groups of voters has been going on for years.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 42,564
    How badly are the GOP going to get hammered in the midterms?

    @taniel.bsky.social‬

    Eye-popping margins in the Pennsylvania special elections today:

    —Democrats won HD94 by 63 points.
    (Harris won it by 30 in 2024.)

    —Democrats won HD42 by 35 points.
    (Harris won it by 17 in 2024.)

    https://bsky.app/profile/taniel.bsky.social/post/3mfnohzddss2m
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 45,918
    Eabhal said:

    Some good news this morning for domestic electricity consumers. I've been quite critical of energy policy under this government but reducing the tax burden on electricity, and in particular relative to gas, is:

    1) surprisingly progressive, with poor households not burning much gas
    2) the right thing to do for the environment
    3) matches our energy generation mix better and will, in the long term, wean us off imported fossil fuels

    Hopefully this will now see a trend of electricity consumption becoming relatively more attractive after a long period of it going in the wrong direction. I also think it will make a marginal impact on Labour's prospects - it's very unusual for any government to actually bring down prices directly in this way.

    now only 2 or 3 times what they were and still highest in Europe by a mile, they are really on the ball right enough.
  • StuartinromfordStuartinromford Posts: 21,709
    Scott_xP said:

    How badly are the GOP going to get hammered in the midterms?

    @taniel.bsky.social‬

    Eye-popping margins in the Pennsylvania special elections today:

    —Democrats won HD94 by 63 points.
    (Harris won it by 30 in 2024.)

    —Democrats won HD42 by 35 points.
    (Harris won it by 17 in 2024.)

    https://bsky.app/profile/taniel.bsky.social/post/3mfnohzddss2m

    Depends how much they can fiddle it.

    Though with results this bad, it's going to be difficult to fiddle things enough, in enough places.
  • Brixian59Brixian59 Posts: 837
    Foxy said:

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    No they are not - how on earth could Russia invade us?
    It is more the continual cyber attacks, trolling and interference in our politics that is the Russian threat. There's the nukes too (assuming that they still work) but conventional forces that cannot take more than a few Donbas collieries in 4 years and a million casualties are clearly not a threat.

    Personally, I don't see a threat from China to us militarily. To Taiwan, and to a few South China Sea islands which they see as unfinished business, but they are not an expansionist power militarily otherwise.

    Economically they are hugely advanced and developing new technologies at a ferocious pace while we and the Americans look to regress to the 1950's. The future looks very Chinese.
    In the traditional sense, troops, naval , air neither Russia nor china are any threat to us at all - blindingly obvious.

    The Russian nuclear arsenal would probably blow up on the launch pad or on the plane/ship if they ever tried to use it.

    Cyber / Sabotage is the only option they have and whilst they may see "Europe" in the whole or segments as an option, the little englanders really do need to wake up, give their head a wobble and realise that the UK since Brexit and the end of the cold War before it, is frankly no more relevant to them than Belgium or Holland and less so than some East European Countries like Poland and the Baltic and Scandinavia states.

    As others on the left and right have pointed out, military spending needs to be "for the future world) cyber and drone and not for the past - especially tanks , ships and massive air wings that will be obsolete by the time the bloody things are built.

    A greater far greater threat may well be from the West and an increasingly undemocratic uber right wing USA!
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 55,285
    AnneJGP said:

    Foxy said:

    eek said:

    AnneJGP said:

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    My new washer dryer is Chinese and can be WiFi enabled. It's probably sending data back to China too.
    There's a guy in Beijing who knows how often you change your smalls.
    We are back to the Chinese Laundries of old.

    Got to say it’s easy to see where data is being sent to from home ( and Samsung are beyond annoying sending data back from a tv every 15 seconds) but far harder in a car unless and until Apple / Google release an app that tracks every http request made through your phone
    Yes, that is what AI is for. Plagarised AI slop is just froth. What AI excels at is processing vast quantities of data to look for patterns. Historically Big Brother could only view a fraction of Telescreens, but shortly will be able to watch them all, all the time.
    I must make certain I don't do my washing on the same day each week.
    The benefits of "smart" appliances are dwarfed by the cybersecurity risks. I am quite happy to turn on and off my own washing!.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smart-devices-using-them-safely-in-your-home/smart-devices-using-them-safely-in-your-home
  • rkrkrkrkrkrk Posts: 9,128
    I'm on labour to finish first and finish second.
    Both at roughly 6/1.
  • Brixian59Brixian59 Posts: 837
    malcolmg said:

    Eabhal said:

    Some good news this morning for domestic electricity consumers. I've been quite critical of energy policy under this government but reducing the tax burden on electricity, and in particular relative to gas, is:

    1) surprisingly progressive, with poor households not burning much gas
    2) the right thing to do for the environment
    3) matches our energy generation mix better and will, in the long term, wean us off imported fossil fuels

    Hopefully this will now see a trend of electricity consumption becoming relatively more attractive after a long period of it going in the wrong direction. I also think it will make a marginal impact on Labour's prospects - it's very unusual for any government to actually bring down prices directly in this way.

    people just freezing instead , progress indeed.
    Whilst opposition parties have been playing silly games and telling lies, Labour has actually spent the best part of a year launching and implementing a lot of small policies thatat some point towards the middle / end of this year will have a significant impact in the round and certainly make the cost of living ease for many.

    The light at the end of the Truss induced and Sunak perpetuated tunner is getting slowly but sure brighter and at some point in early 2027 the nation will bust out and into the sunlit daylight of progressive democratic progress.
  • TazTaz Posts: 25,380
    AnneJGP said:

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    My new washer dryer is Chinese and can be WiFi enabled. It's probably sending data back to China too.
    If you washed them in a hotel,kettle, like that influencer, no issue !!,
  • TazTaz Posts: 25,380
    AnneJGP said:

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    No they are not - how on earth could Russia invade us?
    They wouldn't need to - if they see us as a threat a few bombing runs would destroy us. Infrastructure is much more vulnerable than it used to be.
    Cyberwarfare would spank us too.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 86,647
    edited 8:37AM
    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    Presumably they got the idea from Tesla, which sends a lot if such data back to servers in the US.

    Both nations play fast and loose with other people's data. Though for the time being, only one is a dictatorship.
  • TazTaz Posts: 25,380

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    No they are not - how on earth could Russia invade us?
    I’d say more of a threat via cybersecurity.

    They cannot ,invade Ukraine succesfully, they’re hardly likely to invade us.
  • TazTaz Posts: 25,380
    Brixian59 said:

    Foxy said:

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    No they are not - how on earth could Russia invade us?
    It is more the continual cyber attacks, trolling and interference in our politics that is the Russian threat. There's the nukes too (assuming that they still work) but conventional forces that cannot take more than a few Donbas collieries in 4 years and a million casualties are clearly not a threat.

    Personally, I don't see a threat from China to us militarily. To Taiwan, and to a few South China Sea islands which they see as unfinished business, but they are not an expansionist power militarily otherwise.

    Economically they are hugely advanced and developing new technologies at a ferocious pace while we and the Americans look to regress to the 1950's. The future looks very Chinese.
    In the traditional sense, troops, naval , air neither Russia nor china are any threat to us at all - blindingly obvious.

    The Russian nuclear arsenal would probably blow up on the launch pad or on the plane/ship if they ever tried to use it.

    Cyber / Sabotage is the only option they have and whilst they may see "Europe" in the whole or segments as an option, the little englanders really do need to wake up, give their head a wobble and realise that the UK since Brexit and the end of the cold War before it, is frankly no more relevant to them than Belgium or Holland and less so than some East European Countries like Poland and the Baltic and Scandinavia states.

    As others on the left and right have pointed out, military spending needs to be "for the future world) cyber and drone and not for the past - especially tanks , ships and massive air wings that will be obsolete by the time the bloody things are built.

    A greater far greater threat may well be from the West and an increasingly undemocratic uber right wing USA!
    My old company was hacked by Russians based in St Petersburg.

    No talk as to whether or not they paid.

    However we were back up in 2 days.
  • Peter_the_PunterPeter_the_Punter Posts: 15,429
    Nigelb said:



    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    Presumably they got the idea from Tesla, which sends a lot if such data back to servers in the US.

    Both nations play fast and loose with other people's data. Though for the time being, only one is a dictatorship.
    Just one? I'd have thought China was something of a dictatorship too.
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 12,705
    dixiedean said:

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    HYUFD said:

    Owen Jones
    @owenjonesjourno
    ·
    46m
    The Greens are ahead with likely voters in Gorton and Denton.

    But this shows that the result will come down to whoever gets their vote out on Thursday.

    In other words, the Greens need a huge army of canvassers to win this.

    https://x.com/owenjonesjourno/status/2026410235645088117

    Unfortunately for Owen most Green canvassers will probably get up at lunchtime. Then spend half the afternoon doped up out of their minds, then maybe do one hour's canvass before a stop for a vegan sausage roll and camomile tea before knocking off for an evening of tantric sex and meditation
    On the other hand, the offer here may mean that 4 million Green canvassers turn up on Thursday.
    They may turn up, whether they bother to go out and canvass though is another matter
    You said yourself, an evening of tantric sex with a fellow canvasser - ideal way of meeting new people - they owe the candidate one out of canvass?

    Without googling can you explain to bewildered PB what TANTRIC SEX is?

    PS I’ll give you a clue 🧘‍♀️ 🌷 🐍
    Ask Sting and Trudie Styler
    I had to look them up. Septuagenarian actress and a song writer.
    You've never heard of Sting???
    When I looked them up I realised he is a singer I heard of. He had hits way before my time!

    Nor did he invent tantric sex. Where’s PB getting that rubbish from? Tantric is five thousand years old. That’s even older than Sting and his wife. Nor Tantric sex all about yab yum, imo, it’s about merging hearts and achieving the highest levels of trantra. To me, focusing into each others eyes whilst fingering each other is tantric. I expect you can tell us all about the dakini. Go for it Sunil!

    Better mark this as off topic.

    HYUFD said:

    HYUFD said:

    Pro_Rata said:

    HYUFD said:

    Owen Jones
    @owenjonesjourno
    ·
    46m
    The Greens are ahead with likely voters in Gorton and Denton.

    But this shows that the result will come down to whoever gets their vote out on Thursday.

    In other words, the Greens need a huge army of canvassers to win this.

    https://x.com/owenjonesjourno/status/2026410235645088117

    Unfortunately for Owen most Green canvassers will probably get up at lunchtime. Then spend half the afternoon doped up out of their minds, then maybe do one hour's canvass before a stop for a vegan sausage roll and camomile tea before knocking off for an evening of tantric sex and meditation
    On the other hand, the offer here may mean that 4 million Green canvassers turn up on Thursday.
    They may turn up, whether they bother to go out and canvass though is another matter
    You said yourself, an evening of tantric sex with a fellow canvasser - ideal way of meeting new people - they owe the candidate one out of canvass?

    Without googling can you explain to bewildered PB what TANTRIC SEX is?

    PS I’ll give you a clue 🧘‍♀️ 🌷 🐍
    Ask Sting and Trudie Styler
    I had to look them up. Septuagenarian actress and a song writer.
    You've never heard of Sting???
    When I looked them up I realised he is a singer I heard of. He had hits way before my time!

    Nor did he invent tantric sex. Where’s PB getting that rubbish from? Tantric is five thousand years old. That’s even older than Sting and his wife. Nor Tantric sex all about yab yum, imo, it’s about merging hearts and achieving the highest levels of trantra. To me, focusing into each others eyes whilst fingering each other is tantric. I expect you can tell us all about the dakini. Go for it Sunil!

    Better mark this as off topic.

    I practice and teach tantra.
    It's never once got me laid.
    May be you are doing it wrong,,,?
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 86,647
    Fishing said:


    I attended the pro-Ukraine rally in Trafalgar Square yesterday evening. I'd say the mood was a bit more subdued than in previous years, though the turnout held up better than I thought it would as we go into the fifth year of this cruel and pointless war, probably partly because of the extremely warm weather for the time of year. The huge square was bathed in blue and yellow, and as always the floodlit Portland stone buildings made a good backdrop.

    I was standing with a good view down Whitehall to Parliament, with Nelson's column in the foreground and I couldn't help wondering what our greatest naval hero would have made of the war. Just as he repeatedly triumphed over larger forces using brilliant tactics and motivated and well-trained sailors, I'm sure he'd be particularly impressed by Ukraine's routing of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, without much of a navy of its own.

    I'm very much afraid I'll be there next year, unless sanity unexpectedly prevails in Moscow.

    Good for you.
    Work commitments and distance make it impractical for me, I'm afraid.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 45,918
    Eabhal said:

    Ratters said:

    Eabhal said:

    Some good news this morning for domestic electricity consumers. I've been quite critical of energy policy under this government but reducing the tax burden on electricity, and in particular relative to gas, is:

    1) surprisingly progressive, with poor households not burning much gas
    2) the right thing to do for the environment
    3) matches our energy generation mix better and will, in the long term, wean us off imported fossil fuels

    Hopefully this will now see a trend of electricity consumption becoming relatively more attractive after a long period of it going in the wrong direction. I also think it will make a marginal impact on Labour's prospects - it's very unusual for any government to actually bring down prices directly in this way.

    If electricity costs can be gradually reduced relative to household gas consumption (incrementally tax the latter more, drive down costs on the former) then things like electric boilers start to become viable as an alternative to gas boilers or heat pumps.

    I'm not convinced we'll ever see widespread retrofitting of heat pumps into old, modest sized houses, so something needs to give if we're going to reduce fossil fuel reliance in the long-term.
    I suspect you'd accelerate process this if domestic tariffs reflected marginal energy costs. E.g. if we put everyone on 30-minute variable rates, that would incentivise batteries, heat pumps and so on, in addition to your gas boiler.

    Introduce it over 10 years so you don't cause a demand shock - year 1, at least 10% of the tariff is time-variable, year 5, 50%.
    Yes and get a break even of 55 years instead of 60 years, they will be queueing up with £20K wads for sure begging for heat pumps
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 45,918
    Brixian59 said:

    malcolmg said:

    Eabhal said:

    Some good news this morning for domestic electricity consumers. I've been quite critical of energy policy under this government but reducing the tax burden on electricity, and in particular relative to gas, is:

    1) surprisingly progressive, with poor households not burning much gas
    2) the right thing to do for the environment
    3) matches our energy generation mix better and will, in the long term, wean us off imported fossil fuels

    Hopefully this will now see a trend of electricity consumption becoming relatively more attractive after a long period of it going in the wrong direction. I also think it will make a marginal impact on Labour's prospects - it's very unusual for any government to actually bring down prices directly in this way.

    people just freezing instead , progress indeed.
    Whilst opposition parties have been playing silly games and telling lies, Labour has actually spent the best part of a year launching and implementing a lot of small policies thatat some point towards the middle / end of this year will have a significant impact in the round and certainly make the cost of living ease for many.

    The light at the end of the Truss induced and Sunak perpetuated tunner is getting slowly but sure brighter and at some point in early 2027 the nation will bust out and into the sunlit daylight of progressive democratic progress.
    :D:D:D Cuckoo
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 46,728
    Scott_xP said:

    How badly are the GOP going to get hammered in the midterms?

    @taniel.bsky.social‬

    Eye-popping margins in the Pennsylvania special elections today:

    —Democrats won HD94 by 63 points.
    (Harris won it by 30 in 2024.)

    —Democrats won HD42 by 35 points.
    (Harris won it by 17 in 2024.)

    https://bsky.app/profile/taniel.bsky.social/post/3mfnohzddss2m

    R4 doing its standard Trump sanewashing on the SOTU this am had a member of Trump’s first transition team on (whose name I forget).

    ‘Trump was always going to lose the mid terms, everyone knew that.’

    So much winning.
  • AnneJGPAnneJGP Posts: 4,822
    Foxy said:

    AnneJGP said:

    Foxy said:

    eek said:

    AnneJGP said:

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    My new washer dryer is Chinese and can be WiFi enabled. It's probably sending data back to China too.
    There's a guy in Beijing who knows how often you change your smalls.
    We are back to the Chinese Laundries of old.

    Got to say it’s easy to see where data is being sent to from home ( and Samsung are beyond annoying sending data back from a tv every 15 seconds) but far harder in a car unless and until Apple / Google release an app that tracks every http request made through your phone
    Yes, that is what AI is for. Plagarised AI slop is just froth. What AI excels at is processing vast quantities of data to look for patterns. Historically Big Brother could only view a fraction of Telescreens, but shortly will be able to watch them all, all the time.
    I must make certain I don't do my washing on the same day each week.
    The benefits of "smart" appliances are dwarfed by the cybersecurity risks. I am quite happy to turn on and off my own washing!.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smart-devices-using-them-safely-in-your-home/smart-devices-using-them-safely-in-your-home
    Me too. The equivalent non-wifi enabled washer dryers were more expensive or I'd have had one of those.
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 12,705

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    Trafalgar Square last night, thousands of people turned up to Ukraine vigil.

    https://x.com/allyc375/status/2026391292628910174

    Did Trump mention Ukraine in his State of the Union address?
    Yes.
    I am guessing his speech was OK given the lack of excitable coverage it's received on here
    It was a bit ranty and full of false challenges (“worship the ground I stand on or admit you hate America”)

    The Mail’s coverage was a bit off - the Congressman who held up a sign saying “African Americans are no apes” was described as being “ejected from the Chamber for holding up a racially charged sign”… nah, I’m going with ‘statement of the f***ing obvious”
  • wooliedyedwooliedyed Posts: 15,873
    edited 8:48AM
    Morning all
    More in Common sees minimal changes this week but the LDs have bounced back from theor dip last weel back above the greens
    ➡️ REF UK 28% (nc)
    🌹 LAB 22% (nc)
    🌳 CON 20% (-1)
    🌍 GREEN 11% (-1)
    🔶 LIB DEM 14% (+3)
    🟡 SNP 2% (-1)

    N = 2,015 | 20/2 - 23/2| Change w 17/02

    There is also an 'MRP' out from Stonehaven in the Times for Holyrood showing the SNP winning a majority outright on comstituencies - winning everything execpt LDs Shetland, Orkney, Caithness, Ed West and Fife NE and Labour randomly winning Na h'eilean an iar.
    They then have Reform dominating the list - South Scotland for example 4 Ref, 2 Lab, 1 Tory. Seat totals SNP 67 Ref 24 Lab 16 LD 8 Con 7 Green 7. Colour me sceptical on the lists.
  • CiceroCicero Posts: 4,205
    Every time I see Trump these days, I am reminded of the thin and spindly cows on Cold Comfort Farm: Feckless, Aimless, Pointless and Graceless.

    He has utterly lost the plot, humourless, belligerent and essentially very stupid, he is a gift to his enemies and an enemy to his friends.

    One friend, Farage, might sneak a win tomorrow, but he is going to have to disentangle himself from the slimy embrace of his supposed "best pal". Of course he can't do that- too much of his own schtick is bound up in the Bannon agenda- so regardless of the outcome on Friday morning, I do not see Farage ever being able to much influence, still less lead a government in London.

    There's something nasty in the woodshed...
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 13,504
    malcolmg said:

    Eabhal said:

    Some good news this morning for domestic electricity consumers. I've been quite critical of energy policy under this government but reducing the tax burden on electricity, and in particular relative to gas, is:

    1) surprisingly progressive, with poor households not burning much gas
    2) the right thing to do for the environment
    3) matches our energy generation mix better and will, in the long term, wean us off imported fossil fuels

    Hopefully this will now see a trend of electricity consumption becoming relatively more attractive after a long period of it going in the wrong direction. I also think it will make a marginal impact on Labour's prospects - it's very unusual for any government to actually bring down prices directly in this way.

    now only 2 or 3 times what they were and still highest in Europe by a mile, they are really on the ball right enough.
    I don't think that's true Malcolm. Our industrial electricity prices are ridiculously high, but our domestic electricity is not far from European figures, and our domestic and industrial gas, and fuel, is actually quite cheap.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 42,564

    Scott_xP said:

    How badly are the GOP going to get hammered in the midterms?

    @taniel.bsky.social‬

    Eye-popping margins in the Pennsylvania special elections today:

    —Democrats won HD94 by 63 points.
    (Harris won it by 30 in 2024.)

    —Democrats won HD42 by 35 points.
    (Harris won it by 17 in 2024.)

    https://bsky.app/profile/taniel.bsky.social/post/3mfnohzddss2m

    R4 doing its standard Trump sanewashing on the SOTU this am had a member of Trump’s first transition team on (whose name I forget).

    ‘Trump was always going to lose the mid terms, everyone knew that.’

    So much winning.
    @atrupar.com‬

    Mike Johnson: "If we lost the midterms -- heaven forbid, if we lost the majority in the House -- it would be the end of the Trump presidency in a real effect."

    https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mfnvhclte42v
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 13,504
    edited 8:52AM
    malcolmg said:

    Eabhal said:

    Ratters said:

    Eabhal said:

    Some good news this morning for domestic electricity consumers. I've been quite critical of energy policy under this government but reducing the tax burden on electricity, and in particular relative to gas, is:

    1) surprisingly progressive, with poor households not burning much gas
    2) the right thing to do for the environment
    3) matches our energy generation mix better and will, in the long term, wean us off imported fossil fuels

    Hopefully this will now see a trend of electricity consumption becoming relatively more attractive after a long period of it going in the wrong direction. I also think it will make a marginal impact on Labour's prospects - it's very unusual for any government to actually bring down prices directly in this way.

    If electricity costs can be gradually reduced relative to household gas consumption (incrementally tax the latter more, drive down costs on the former) then things like electric boilers start to become viable as an alternative to gas boilers or heat pumps.

    I'm not convinced we'll ever see widespread retrofitting of heat pumps into old, modest sized houses, so something needs to give if we're going to reduce fossil fuel reliance in the long-term.
    I suspect you'd accelerate process this if domestic tariffs reflected marginal energy costs. E.g. if we put everyone on 30-minute variable rates, that would incentivise batteries, heat pumps and so on, in addition to your gas boiler.

    Introduce it over 10 years so you don't cause a demand shock - year 1, at least 10% of the tariff is time-variable, year 5, 50%.
    Yes and get a break even of 55 years instead of 60 years, they will be queueing up with £20K wads for sure begging for heat pumps
    Already widespread across the Highlands. People respond to incentives and matching variable supply with demand through a price signal seems a pretty obvious solution to me. Particularly in Scotland, where we have massive surplus electricity overnight.

    Unless you'd like to continue subsiding people in the south of England?
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 86,647
    Cicero said:

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    No they are not - how on earth could Russia invade us?
    They can cut all communication cables, isolate critical elements of our military and we would be essentially defenceless. Russia does not need to land troops- a limited nuclear strike would kill so many that we would essentially cease to exit. Before you say that is a very far fetched scenario, I suggest you watch Russian TV, where a large number of official pundits suggest that they should actually do this in the very near future.

    They utterly botched attack on Ukraine has not made Russia any less dangerous- in fact it is more dangerous, because they are increasingly desperate. Britain is absolutely in Putin's cross hairs.
    Even the botched attack almost succeeded.
    The battle for Hostomel airport could easily have gone the other way, and if Russia had landed a few plane loads of troops, then Putin's 3 day op might just have been a more than an utter fantasy.

    Huge credit for the few soldiers who held it until the Ukrainian mechanised forces arrived.
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 12,705
    AnneJGP said:

    Foxy said:

    AnneJGP said:

    Andy_JS said:

    "So the ‘Perp Walk’ has come to Britain – that’s not good
    In New York the police use publicity as a punishment. Such practices must not take hold here
    Theodore Dalrymple" (£)

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/02/23/so-the-perp-walk-has-come-to-britain-not-good/

    Is Theodore Dalrymple a column name rather than a person? I recall reading articles in a newspaper probably the Telegraph by someone of that name when I was in my teens, and that author was in his 60s then. Now I'm in my 70s!

    Good morning, everyone.
    It is a pen name. He is a psychiatrist in Birmingham.

    I don't always agree with his politics but he doesn't fit any pigeonhole. His writings on the underclass long precede most others.

    One of the best medical writers in terms of style, alongside Raymond Tallis.
    Thank you, that sounds like the same author so my memory must be at fault over the timing, age etc.
    To be fair I remember reading him in the 80s and thinking he was in his 60s then!
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 45,918
    Eabhal said:

    malcolmg said:

    Eabhal said:

    Some good news this morning for domestic electricity consumers. I've been quite critical of energy policy under this government but reducing the tax burden on electricity, and in particular relative to gas, is:

    1) surprisingly progressive, with poor households not burning much gas
    2) the right thing to do for the environment
    3) matches our energy generation mix better and will, in the long term, wean us off imported fossil fuels

    Hopefully this will now see a trend of electricity consumption becoming relatively more attractive after a long period of it going in the wrong direction. I also think it will make a marginal impact on Labour's prospects - it's very unusual for any government to actually bring down prices directly in this way.

    now only 2 or 3 times what they were and still highest in Europe by a mile, they are really on the ball right enough.
    I don't think that's true Malcolm. Our industrial electricity prices are ridiculously high, but our domestic electricity is not far from European figures, and our domestic and industrial gas, and fuel, is actually quite cheap.
    Certainly does not feel cheap and is several times what it was less than 4-5 years ago.
  • SandpitSandpit Posts: 60,112
    AnneJGP said:

    Foxy said:

    AnneJGP said:

    Foxy said:

    eek said:

    AnneJGP said:

    Sandpit said:

    Sandpit said:

    In news that should surprise no-one, security researchers found that a Chinese EV was sending a lot of camera data back to servers in China. Report in FT today.

    https://x.com/crmiller1/status/2026321878952898977

    It is highly disturbing, and we are nowhere in addressing aggressive Chinese spying, and the fact that all Chinese companies are agents of the Chinese Communist Party.

    We have this extremely foolish policy of Russia as public enemy number 1, but craven submission to China, which is the power behind Russia. Russia can't even produce EVs, let alone use them to gather geographical data. It is tokenism and cowardice.

    We should get rid of the ban on ICE vehicles to reduce prices and protect consumers, before taking whatever action is necessary against Chinese EV producers.
    Russia is the #1 military threat, but China is definitely the #1 economic threat.

    Electric cars can be very good, and they definitely have a place, but governments trying to force them to a very tight timescale is what’s causing the problems. All modern cars, whether EV or ICE, are ‘connected’ in some way. Chinese cars definitely shouldn’t be allowed to connect to Chinese servers, that’s for sure.
    My new washer dryer is Chinese and can be WiFi enabled. It's probably sending data back to China too.
    There's a guy in Beijing who knows how often you change your smalls.
    We are back to the Chinese Laundries of old.

    Got to say it’s easy to see where data is being sent to from home ( and Samsung are beyond annoying sending data back from a tv every 15 seconds) but far harder in a car unless and until Apple / Google release an app that tracks every http request made through your phone
    Yes, that is what AI is for. Plagarised AI slop is just froth. What AI excels at is processing vast quantities of data to look for patterns. Historically Big Brother could only view a fraction of Telescreens, but shortly will be able to watch them all, all the time.
    I must make certain I don't do my washing on the same day each week.
    The benefits of "smart" appliances are dwarfed by the cybersecurity risks. I am quite happy to turn on and off my own washing!.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smart-devices-using-them-safely-in-your-home/smart-devices-using-them-safely-in-your-home
    Me too. The equivalent non-wifi enabled washer dryers were more expensive or I'd have had one of those.
    You can switch the wifi bit off, if you’re worried about data sharing.

    IMHO data sharing from a car is orders of magnitude more insidious, because it’s taking photos of everywhere you go, including the location data, and could be used for actual military spying.
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