gussler.bsky.social
Just a nobody, really, dipping my toe into these waters and trying to find chinks of light. Europhile, old fashioned Brit of the non racist variety but entering my 70s I kind of feel like Melvin Udall "What if this is as good as it gets?"
73 posts
35 followers
282 following
Active Commenter
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Er, why "almost?" Isn't that a little over 2 to 1?
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Right now it doesn't strike me as a serious party and I am sorry about that. LibDems are not a lot better under Davey and I am sorry about that too. SNAFU I'm afraid, for now anyway.
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Caroline Lucas had charisma, but was impeded by her overly socialist positioning (I happen to sympathise with them but they were economically dodgy). I felt Carla Denyer had potential but was still too green and inexperienced - I am sorry to see her go, whatever the real reason.
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and councils until very recently but he managed to leverage his "charisma" (is that what charisma smells like - excrement?) to achieve a profile Greens can only dream of. Zack alludes to populist environmentalism but I don't see him appealing to anyone other than the already converted.
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So what you're saying really, but not out loud, is that he's the best of a poor bunch. That may well be true and if so I wish him well, but let's compare the Greens to Reform, or whatver Nigel's band of merry men are called this week. They had the same or even less representation in parliament
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And when you say "All I've heard now for 4 years.." who have you been listening to? A small group of like-minded people. They may also be decent, but it is no way to win elections. I hate the celebrity culture that has emerged in the UK in recent years but sadly I think it is here to stay.
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It may explain things to you but to many of us this is just vacuous nonsense. I appreciate he is a decent guy with good principles and ideas, but that isn't enough in today's politics - just look at Ed Davey. I harboured the same hopes for Keir Starmer but that hasn't turned out well.
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Hmmmn. I'm sorry, but for me right now the phrase should be "Why Zack?" and I haven't seen a convincing answer yet. Split leadership isn't working and we need a convincing and charismatic person to lead, but are you really that person? Maybe that person doesn't exist in the Greens today.
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Sorry to be so much behind the curve - but who are they?
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Yet more demented posturing from Putin. Given that he is struggling to make headway against a much smaller Ukrainian force that is having to fight with one arm tied behind its back at the moment - does anybody seriously believe he would invade a NATO country? Psy-ops are another thing, mind.
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And not forgetting the disabled, or foreign aid, arms sales .....
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Whether I can top up credit as and when it expires remains to be seen. But TBH I haven't used it in ages
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I got this message a week ago - it still works BTW.
Starting today, Skype will begin rolling out the new Skype Dial Pad, available on the Skype web portal or Teams Free. Customers with an active calling subscription and/or Skype Credit can continue to: make outgoing calls .....
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Sorry to say that this might be the last straw in my increasingly strained attempts to give Starmer the benefit of the doubt. If this is who he really is, he is not my Prime Minister and not fit for office. Many would say there were other issues that should have led to this conclusion of course
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I have floated the idea of wikipedia-style subscription (pay what you can afford) but to silence. For someone like Ian Dunt the choice is between paying too much or paying nothing and neither is right for me. So I will pay for a monthly sub for a few months and then cancel, and do the same again
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Gosh, these Nazi's sound almost as bad as Trump with their lists!
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Unqualified in this field myself, I nevertheless think this is important scholarship for all responsible citizens, especially at a time when even those successes we thought we'd secured are now under threat. And a quick glance at this suggests even they might have been illusionary. Thank you!
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Absolutely, and those making this point really have missed the point. The real scandal was all the clickbait (even before the term was in common use) reporting of Reform and its predecessors when they really were insignificant electorally. Sadly, the horse has now well and truly bolted!
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How is Orban's health? Short answer (unfortunately but accurately) "Rude"
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MAaLSA.
Make America a laughing stock again
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Resignation to accept the status quo? Inertia? Lack of clear alternatives and an aversion to low-tech ones such as gold or even commodities, given the uncertain world outlook??
I mean, where do you put your money these days? The choices are difficult.
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Simple, succinct, and unarguable (except by the lunatic fringe).
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Outstanding journalism as always from Dunt and I totally applaud that he makes it available to all. Good journalism and ideas should not be the exclusive preserve of the wealthy elite, which is increasingly the case following the emasculation of the mainstream balanced press (forgive the manspeak)
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Lie after lie after lie. The NHS has slipped precipitously down the league tables for health outcomes in recent years (under Tory cuts) but remains widely recognised as one of the most efficient health systems in the world. Comparison with the US (Nige's inspiration) is frightening
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"I want it free at the point of delivery but it's how we get there." all whilst ruling out it being funded by taxation. The alternative (given that NI is tax under another name)? Oofle dust???
And this seemingly goes unchallenged (no I didn't see the whole interview).
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What took you so long????
It is a pity, because there is still stuff there I would like to read (and occasionally do but feel guilty doing it) but I will not pay them a sous - nor the Observer, which seems destined for the pan!
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Estaminets are the place to eat in Lille - this is one of the best IMHO but you will need to book:
estaminetlille.fr/chezlavieill...
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A little sad Goalhanger Gary didn't push back more, especially with such an open goal, what with the decision to block Evan Davies's heat pump blog at the same time as Justin Webb is spouting right wing bile across the media from a position of some BBC privilege. The BBC is losing those friends.
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Butter, duck/goose fat, lard, EV seed oils and olive oils and a small amount of EV coconut oil - they're all I have in my kitchen and I wouldn't touch margarine. I have a heart condition and am monitored regularly, all is fine. Highly processed fats are the cause not the cure for cardiac disease.
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Our gentle princess will be 17 in just under a month from now and, although slower and more limited in what she can do (and her affection is still rationed carefully) she is as noble and as sweet as ever. She made us lift our game - whippets will do that to you like no other breed.
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Could have stopped after the fourth word. Haven't seen it in a while since the first half dozen episodes. Roy Wood Jr is a real star, but otherwise it is a miss and the two foils are dire. HIGNFY has many faults, but it still reigns supreme in this genre.
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Or they don't. It takes two to tango, and much of the US underpinning has been moral and political with an underlying assumption it will be reinforced if needed. That assumption is gone and so has the moral and political side. That is the reality we have to deal with now, like it or not.
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under any likely scenario, deal or no deal. The reaility is that Europe can defend itself against Russia and must develop that independance. China is a different order of magnitude but is much less of a threat, other than via the same kind of hybrid warfare that the US has not been strong against
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Hmmmn. Just what is this immediate defense threat that we are apparently at risk of? The Russians are not going to invade or harm us militarily in any kind of direct confrontation and the "deniable" forms of warfare are already with us and it is not at all clear that the US can or will help
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Bought it mainly so I could read it if Zuckerberg succeeded to have it blocked, then read it anyway. Not the best thing I've read, TBH, but the fact the author does not come across well herself adds to the authenticity. It should shock, but it doesn't, and that in itself is shocking.
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A little late to recommend watching (or re-watching) "Lost in Translation" but that is one of the best tasters IMHO. Food in Japan is generally excellent and often the cheapest food options are among the best, especially where kids are concerned, although vegetarians are not so well catered for.
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The more curious aspect is why self confessed remain voting Hunt, despite that initial position being demonstrably correct, now seeks to downplay the damage of Brexit whilst still desperately (and hopelessly) trying to appeal to right wing nut-jobs. They will never accept you Hunty - get over it!
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Always thought that manufacturers were missing a trick by not developing an alarm clock that sounds like a mosquito. Guaranteed to wake me from the deepest sleep and not rest until I have found it (or I have fled the room)!
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None of us are perfect, not even you, Jolyon, and in a way I am glad that PE criticises you even if sometimes unfairly. But overall the work you do for the public good would justify your salary many times over. Sanctimonious sometimes, maybe, grifter - definitely not! Another donation coming.
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And in to a large extent they are donating older equipment that in many cases needed replacing anyway.
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If only Russia were sitting it out, things would be a lot better!
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To my shame at times, I am English through and through - boringly so. But I don't feel English, and I certainly don't identify with racists. I used to have a friend (still do but we lost touch) who came to the UK as an Iraqi Kurd. Cut glass accent and English gentleman to his core.
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According to Private Eye you will be leaving the Observer shortly - will you be remaining as a freelance with them (and, more importantly, will you still have that email address)? Keep up the good work!
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Another great post. Just a suggestion - have a voluntary payment mechanism like Wikipedia in addition to the subscription model. Some of us can't justify or afford a subscription but would like to pay something. Respect to you for making this accessible for all - we need truth to be shared.
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I was similarly puzzled and especially given the normal accuracy of the post author. All is explained (way too subtle for me).
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I think the problem is that the more countries are invited, the more pointed it becomes when considering those that are not invited. The Baltic states are committed, more so than anybody else. I don't think they are being ignored nor taken for granted, at least I hope not.
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I rather like Ian Dunt's model. His substack (Striking 13) is free but with a subscription model for those who can afford it, which is still higher than I can justify. I buy his books gladly and I would be happy to make one-off payments as I do for Wikipedia.
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The model is far from dead - just look at the explosion in growth of the podcast industry, mostly funded via advertising. My point is that important commentators should not be content to post their views to a tiny band of like-minded followers - do you subscribe to Freedman's blog?
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Sure, I get that. But there must be lots of people like me whose circumstances did not allow them to offer a home to refugees but might be able to offer some short term space for times like these. Plus, it is always much nicer visiting a new area with friends who are local.