51

shootin' the shit / Re: UK General Election 2024

« Last post by Fultonius on Yesterday at 01:16:03 pm »

Call me cynical, but I'm deeply unconvinced by the idea that meaningful policy on climate, that would actually make a difference to the extent that scientists and activists demand, is possible in a democratic society. You're essentially asking people to vote for a huge decrease in their standard of living. Might get some traction after a massive natural disaster that CC caused and therefore focused politician and electorate minds but not before imo. That is a pretty depressing world view I accept but I struggle to get past it. In the unlikely event such policies were enacted by a party in government, it would be so unpopular the opposition would win a landslide on the promise of repealing them.

While there's probably truth in the idea that we will fall short of what science says needs done, the closer we can be to that ideal, and the more prepared we are for the fall out, the higher the chances are that we scrape through without total ecological and political collapse.

I mean, we could follow Europe and vote far right and accelerate that but I'd rather not...

I've voted SNP in the UK elections for years as labour were nowhere in Scotland and it was a safer bet to keep the Tories out, but now I'd almost be tempted to support the wider UK need (in my eyes) to give the Tories a major kicking, and vote Labour. Also, with the Indy agenda floundering it seems to me that its probably overall more beneficial for Scotland help England/rUK to change course as a whole and we'll benefit from that too.  I guess I'm saying the bigger agenda is more important the independence just now.

52

for sale / wanted / Re: Unparallel vim UK 8.5

« Last post by rjtrials on Yesterday at 01:03:02 pm »

I'm definitely interested if you don't mind shipping to the US

53

shootin' the shit / Re: House Buying Beta

« Last post by Paul B on Yesterday at 12:57:24 pm »

Walk away, especially if you're suspicious that subsidence might still be ongoing. A recent subsidence claim I worked on involved 3 years of monitoring by structural engineers followed by a ground investigation, all of which costs £ thousands, and that's just to find out the problem.

I came here to say this. If it's moving/moved there'll be signs of distress but the reality is you won't know which it is without monitoring it, for a period of time.

Walk away (or potentially run) IMO.

54

bouldering / Re: Bring out your dabs

« Last post by 36chambers on Yesterday at 12:20:03 pm »

Wasn't all spotting like this in the 90s? Swear there are vids of Moon being spotted similarly. Was it the growth of pads that created the "dabbing/touching the climber is cheating and invalidates the ascent" zeitgeist?

instantly made me think of this old clip, which I have lodged in my memory purely because of the spotting (well, and maybe Katzy's hair). The wonderwall spotting later on is much the same.

https://youtu.be/anlpM-8Ggbw?si=Y57JK93h_Kyq097Y&t=58

55

shootin' the shit / Re: UK General Election 2024

« Last post by mrjonathanr on Yesterday at 12:12:37 pm »

Genuine question. What is the most likely result for a green voter in your constituency Brutus?
A Green MP?
Labour?
LibDem?
Or a Conservative because the more left leaning votes are split?

56

shootin' the shit / Re: UK General Election 2024

« Last post by BrutusTheBear on Yesterday at 11:54:21 am »

It's a free vote folks, Labour are set to walk it without so much as a commitment to anything significant, Conservatives have destroyed themselves and everything else for that matter (creating an open goal), Lib Dems say vote for us it's the only way you'll stop the Conservatives with no commitments either. You can vote with your conscious it will not affect the outcome.

I will be voting Green as none of the 'main' parties appear to be offering anything remotely progressive or likely to create the change we desperately need. 

57

music, art and culture / Re: Books...

« Last post by jwi on Yesterday at 11:43:51 am »

It was quite a disappointment to learn that Natalia Grossman is likely not related to Vassily.

58

bouldering / Re: Bring out your dabs

« Last post by Will Hunt on Yesterday at 10:50:42 am »

I'm with Teaboy. Anything other than already having your hands on or within a t-shirt's-sag is going to be useless for spotting that.

Jake and Amy are pretty handy and know the rules. They made two of the most entertaining bouldering films on YouTube. Each still somehow at <1k views.

https://youtu.be/ZIqopZfbF1A?si=AkhywBmDjjGXR8fh

https://youtu.be/9gl9uyzr0Hg?si=dl_od-PGsG9ihuSH

59

shootin' the shit / Re: UK General Election 2024

« Last post by Oldmanmatt on Yesterday at 10:30:48 am »

I'm glad it's not just me that was starting to think toxicbilberries seemed to be steadily smelling more and more dan-esque...

OMM, as someone (me) who, in the past may have had sight tendencies to believe the media/elite were a bit too all powerful, some of yourast posts have been quite thought provoking. It's funny, as it's all quite simple stuff but I hadn't really considered it much from that angle before.


I wonder what political analysts will consider was the true starting point of the recent descent of the Tories to a total laughing stock. I'd maybe go with Theresa May thinking she had such a strong following that the could push through some insanely right wing policies and still have a big majority. But you could argue it stared sooner and just took a while for the public to catch up? Austerity+?

That one is still affecting the public psyche (people still believe it's effective), so much so Labour don't even want to consider changing.

I've said this before, but given the utterly dismal potential future we have with climate change, we need someone who can just be the adult in the room and say "we're going to have to spend big on the right things, and sod the future burden". My inkling is this would actually lead to big job growth.

Either way, when we're in a doom spiral of war, famine, crop failure etc. Whose gonna give two fucks about national debt?

Personally, that's my biggest gripe with the manifesto but it's the best we've got so, as others have said, let's get them in based on this and spend the next 4 years convincing everyone that we can go even further....

(see Barcelona green council elections on this, will try to link the story later)

I think, the change is in progress and will accelerate.

If, hypothetically, you set aside the idea that the “Elite” are an inhuman cabal intent on, whatever and substitute them with a bunch of poorly aligned, competing, very human, individuals, whose life goals align far more closely with you or I and even Toxic’s “Daz and his pals”, for moment.
After all, they also have to drop their trousers to take a shit.
Then you can view the obstacles to change in a much more mundane light.

Illustration: If you go to switch on your computer on Monday morning and it’s dead, nada, but the lights are on and the coffee machine is hot; there exists the possibility that the CIA, broke into your office, nabbed you hard drive and fried the rest. But, really, it’s probably not plugged in.

So, taking my hypothetical human elite with my silly illustration (it’s just Occam’s razor, innit).

The obstacle to change, it seems logical, is probably one many academics (and those in industry) will recognise.

Change in consensus and accepted doctrine depends far more on who dies and who retires than any other single factor.
Those reaching positions of power, in both industry and politics, now, grew up in a very different world to those that they succeed.

Andy mentioned the rats leaving the sinking Tory ship.
Good, this might just herald a different crop of younger Tory politicians, dismayed by their precedent’s woeful performance and bursting with new ideas.
They may, turn out to be Hitler youth on ‘roids and more swivel eyed than Marty Feldman on Acid.
But they will most likely be different and direction will likely change.

60

shootin' the shit / Re: Cars, Cars, Fucking CARS !!

« Last post by spidermonkey09 on Yesterday at 10:24:30 am »

Wheel. Prop shaft remains intact so I still have 4wd for when I want to spin up to widdop in the ice and snow. 

Good. Beware the removing the prop shaft trick though. It’s a get you home fix - but causes problems down the line. I bought a 2a Landrover where the rear prop shaft came as an accessory in the boot.. 😀 rear diff needed changing (fairly easy as if fits into the axle) but all that load on the front diff over time (who knows how long in the past) led to the front diff clicking when engaged. 2a’s not perma 4wd - rwd unless you engage the front wheels via the transfer box.

Think scoobys are a bit different from what I gather? Permanent AWD and the option to shift from H to L via a separate stick shift in mine. It was definitely a last resort option and I think it may have been more complicated than anticipated anyway as peewee told me the front diff would have to be welded. So probably good to have swerved that one.