leicsmac

And thus we come back to the point that in this day and age of fast food politics, "effective" does not always or even often = "good" in terms of actual policy. Edit: if you're keen on elaboration rather than the typically cheap hit and run, @Muzzy_no7, I'm sure someone will be about.

Yeah, exactly - or any of the East Asian nations with high population and population density that centralise things like healthcare, postal service etc.

You do wonder how large bureaucracies in other places appear to mostly work with better end results than in the UK, at least on the surface. How do they deal with this kind of problem, I wonder?

Well, there is still three years for the trajectory to be adjusted somehow. But the clock is ticking.

Unfortunately, if the past decade is anything to go by, perception matters much more than facts. And that, when applied to the democratic policymaking process on matters like this, is a real issue.

There's a reason the Chinese use "interesting times" as a curse rather than a benediction.

It's tiring to live in constantly interesting times.

And that's when it is known that this is a global matter, not just a UK one.

Exactly! Just ignore the corpses.

Well, to use extreme examples, I'm reasonably sure an asteroid impact event or Yellowstone deciding it's time for another round of letting off steam would be a distraction. There might be other examples, too. But yes, barring that migration could well be the issue the next election is fought on, and if it is we may well all be looking forward to the outcome of an attempt to turn the UK into an ethnostate, with all the fun and games that entails (whether people actually wanted that when they voted Reform or not). And just at the time when international cooperation and togetherness is needed more than ever. How thrilling.

Also, what a paradox that one of the most loved and important British figures of the last century turns 100 today, while a lot of the public on the same day votes in favour of policy on the natural world that is the very antithesis of what he stands for.

Barring a world changing event like Covid, and considering how often those crop up these days... But if not, you could well be right, and that would be equally if not more grim. The problem arises when people believe that different always = better. Again, fast food thinking that doesn't end well.

Well, mate; here's the really depressing thing. While I would agree that perhaps a fall is necessary to actually show people what they really have voted for and to teach them (it's had to happen numerous times before after all), the truth is that given our advances in tech, such a fall will be global, and may well be both absolute and irrevocable. As such, if humans like the idea of any kind of civilisation, then I'm not sure it's an option this time round.

Yeah. But, and pardon me for repeating myself, the problem is reasonably readily apparent... but what is the solution? Because someone with a combination of smarts and power is going to have to come up with one soon.

Unfortunately for more than a few people, that issue is their single issue wonk. As unimportant by comparison to other issues it may or may not be.

All comes down to the next three years. One thing about the way things are now is that voting patterns can change on a dime. Who knows what will be going on in 2029?

Yeah, all of these I would agree with and tallies with my own thoughts. The question, I guess then becomes... what can be done about it? Because the consequences of such a situation are already bad and are only going to become worse.

One observation: The political decision-making process in the UK (and it seems a few places elsewhere) has become incredibly fast-food. Which explains some of the swings that have been seen in recent elections. Going from a Conservative 80 seat majority to A Labour 170-odd seat one and then all these council results in between with huge swings. I have my own theory to explain the change, but what does everyone else think about why this change has happened?

I was thinking more to the point that they're no longer China’s problem to help upkeep and they don't mind that - much better for them to keep on making sure practically all of Sub-Saharan Africa runs on renewable energy.

If there is one person who would be chosen to represent and advocate for this Earth and the life upon it, it would be him. Leicester legend. British legend. Human legend.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy2e3wwd55o The first road bridge connecting allies North Korea and Russia is nearing completion, satellite images analysed by BBC Verify show. It's the latest sign of the deepening relationship between Pyongyang and Moscow that has seen North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. "This bridge will offer a useful route to transfer military goods and munitions - both to North Korea and to Russia," said Dr Edward Howell, Korea Foundation Fellow at the Chatham House think tank. Looks like the NKs have fully switched from the Chinese to the Russian camp once again. Don't think the Chinese will mind that all that much - that alliance had been a hindrance rather than a help for them for a while now.

It's darkly hilarious that almost all of the recent findings on this matter indicate that not only is there a problem, the contribution of humans to it is actually worse than originally thought. That being said, looking at the numbers power generation is still the most pressing issue to address on this one.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1m253033m4o A massive 'megatsunami' wave created when part of an Alaskan mountain crumbled into the sea is the second tallest ever recorded – and a reminder of the risks posed by melting glaciers, say scientists. Last summer a giant wave swept through a remote fjord in southeast Alaska leaving destruction in its wake. The event went largely unreported at the time, but a new scientific analysis shows it was caused by a massive landslide. An incredible 64 million cubic metres of rock – the equivalent of 24 Great Pyramids - splashed into the water below. The sheer power of that amount of rock plunging into the fjord in under a minute created a gigantic wave almost 500 metres tall. A little glimpse of how devastating the natural world can be with just a (relatively) tiny shift - thankfully out enough in the middle of nowhere that no one was hurt.

If you've had a ringer in your office defrauding a living for the last two plus years... well, I'll be honest, that'll be as funny as all hell.

Agreed. And as it happens, the balance of power in terms of votes is now so nearly even that a vote on the matter might pass where it failed just over a decade ago.