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[leicsmac]

1 hour ago, Line-X said:

The fact that a candidate with such a questionable character, history and mental health as Walker was backed by Trump shows how desperate he is becoming. These ill judged populist nominations ratchets up pressure on Republican lawmakers to disavow him. Each turns off more moderate Republicans and independent voters. Georgia is a state in transformation. Since 2000, its population has burgeoned, particularly among young people and people of colour. Atlanta has become a hub of youthful innovation and knowledge exchange, including upwardly mobile black professionals. If Georgia is a barometer for American politics, I think it has been pointing in a direction opposite to Trump and may well be a microcosm for the future of the nation. Across America the urban and educated districts have become wealthier – and Democratic – while their blue collar white rural hinterlands remain economically stagnant, and rusting Trump Republican. A complete democratic and geographical sea change from the old divisions through which the Democrats were traditionally the champion of the manual labourer. The Trump base is no longer large enough to swing elections in Georgia or other key states but it does still signify the rising tide of populism and have sufficient momentum to continue to destabilise America because of its continued appeal to conspiracy theories and the supposed “big lie”

 

Georgia has never had two black nominees compete for the Senate but Walker’s entire candidacy was a Trump creation and a staggering miscalculation. In the same week he can now add tax fraud to his 'accomplishments' after his company was convicted of a 15-year criminal scheme.

 

 

While I hope this analysis is overall correct, I would underestimate the wing that Trump controls and the reach they have at ones extreme peril.

 

1 hour ago, Zear0 said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-63885028

 

Like 1933 again. 

Oh, so neofascists have been quietly building power for years and are now making ready to claim more by both legit and non legit channels in many places?

 

Sounds like what a few folks have been warning about for years but weren't listened to, because "legitimate concerns" and all that.

[Manley Farrington-Brown]

20 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Oh, so neofascists have been quietly building power for years and are now making ready to claim more by both legit and non legit channels in many places?

 

 

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck.

 

Not a neoduck.

[leicsmac]

5 minutes ago, Manley Farrington-Brown said:

 

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck.

 

Not a neoduck.

I think there's a certain difference - though a lot of similarities - between the brownshirts of the 30s and those like the folks arrested yesterday, though.

[Manley Farrington-Brown]

1 minute ago, leicsmac said:

I think there's a certain difference - though a lot of similarities - between the brownshirts of the 30s and those like the folks arrested yesterday, though.

True enough, but there are differences between different varieties of duck. They're still all ducks!

[Fazzer 7]

Here they come, the climate lockdowns. Entirely predictable.

 

[StanSP]

 

[StanSP]

4 minutes ago, Fazzer 7 said:

Here they come, the climate lockdowns. Entirely predictable.

 

He seems like a really arrogant, patronising and obnoxious inidivudal. 

[Manley Farrington-Brown]

8 minutes ago, StanSP said:

He seems like a really arrogant, patronising and obnoxious inidivudal. 

Not to mention as thick as two short planks. Or maybe he just thinks (knows?) his audience is as thick as two short planks. It would take a special kind of idiot to actually think traffic limiting measures are lockdowns.

Sadly, and worryingly, there seems to be no shortage of special kinds of idiots.

[Manley Farrington-Brown]

14 minutes ago, StanSP said:

 

That's a shame, we need all the decent, honest and clever people we can get in politics these days.

[Captain...]

51 minutes ago, Fazzer 7 said:

Here they come, the climate lockdowns. Entirely predictable.

 

It does sound ridiculous, however I cannot take seriously anything he says. Woke, leftist tyranny etc. So I fully expect it to be not quite as true he is portraying.

[WigstonWanderer]

52 minutes ago, Fazzer 7 said:

Here they come, the climate lockdowns. Entirely predictable.

 

Why do you listen to this right wing claptrap? Just Murdoch coining a load by getting people angry. Part of Australian Foxtel’s “all right at night” bullshit. 

[leicsmac]

37 minutes ago, Manley Farrington-Brown said:

Not to mention as thick as two short planks. Or maybe he just thinks (knows?) his audience is as thick as two short planks. It would take a special kind of idiot to actually think traffic limiting measures are lockdowns.

Sadly, and worryingly, there seems to be no shortage of special kinds of idiots.

It's as if the Murdoch press don't understand the laws of thermodynamics.

 

Or perhaps they do and simply don't care because they think the consequences won't affect them. What does it matter if a billion people in faraway countries find themselves without the means to grow food or source potable water, right? Some people are "lucky" and some people aren't, that's life, huh?

[Fazzer 7]

27 minutes ago, Manley Farrington-Brown said:

Not to mention as thick as two short planks. Or maybe he just thinks (knows?) his audience is as thick as two short planks. It would take a special kind of idiot to actually think traffic limiting measures are lockdowns.

Sadly, and worryingly, there seems to be no shortage of special kinds of idiots.

Indeed, those that dismiss out of hand that these sort of restrictions won't become normal practice in this countries quest for net zero. Yes there's a lot of hyperbole, labelling it as a 'lockdown' etc, but this sort of restriction is also going to be trialled in Canterbury. So maybe it isn''t just wild speculation.

[Captain...]

There is one key point that he missed in his rant:

 

"The alternative is to drive out on to the ring road and then back in to the destination."

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/23073992.traffic-filters-will-divide-city-15-minute-neighbourhoods/

 

By the sounds of it Oxford's transport infrastructure is struggling so the proposal is to ensure that everyone has the basic amenities easily accessible (which is a good thing) but they are forcing them to use their own local amenities and not other nearby stuff, which is questionable and also sounds like a logistics and administrative pain. All the need to do is create a convoluted one way system 20 mile per hour speed restrictions everywhere except the main roads to the ring road then people will use the ring road more.

 

 

[Manley Farrington-Brown]

9 minutes ago, Fazzer 7 said:

Indeed, those that dismiss out of hand that these sort of restrictions won't become normal practice in this countries quest for net zero. Yes there's a lot of hyperbole, labelling it as a 'lockdown' etc, but this sort of restriction is also going to be trialled in Canterbury. So maybe it isn''t just wild speculation.

It's an attempt to reduce the number of cars using some routes. Good. I hope it succeeds. I welcome 'this sort of restriction' and hope to see more places trying it and others. I just wish there would be more designing of cities and towns for pedestrians rather than for cars.

[Dahnsouff]

1 minute ago, Manley Farrington-Brown said:

It's an attempt to reduce the number of cars using some routes. Good. I hope it succeeds. I welcome 'this sort of restriction' and hope to see more places trying it and others. I just wish there would be more designing of cities and towns for pedestrians rather than for cars.

Indeed, and it is hardly an isolated thing. https://tomorrow.city/a/paris-the-15-minute-city
 

Folks near me will not entertain changing road systems to ease traffic and pollution, so such system have to be installed despite people rather than them getting on board and help implement them.

[leicsmac]

37 minutes ago, Fazzer 7 said:

Indeed, those that dismiss out of hand that these sort of restrictions won't become normal practice in this countries quest for net zero. Yes there's a lot of hyperbole, labelling it as a 'lockdown' etc, but this sort of restriction is also going to be trialled in Canterbury. So maybe it isn''t just wild speculation.

The countries quest for net zero.

The world's quest for net zero.

The means by which we avoid an unimaginable amount of death and suffering.

 

The only reason I can fathom that someone would be against that idea would be if they thought that unimaginable death and suffering was an acceptable consequence for their own personal reasons.

[StanSP]

38 minutes ago, Fazzer 7 said:

Indeed, those that dismiss out of hand that these sort of restrictions won't become normal practice in this countries quest for net zero. Yes there's a lot of hyperbole, labelling it as a 'lockdown' etc,  this sort of restriction is also going to be trialled in Canterbury. So maybe it isn''t just wild speculation.

It's a beneficial restriction to reduce car traffic into the area. It doesn't physically restrict anyone from going to where they want to be. They can still find other means of doing it. 

Have you ever visited Oxford, or it's city centre? 

 

There's a reason why they want to restrict car traffic in the city. The current layout can't withhold the congestion currently occurring. 

 

The traffic, as opposed to the people, is being zoned. You can still move around Oxford freely as you wish. 

 

You miss out a lot of information. You're a victim of being misled and also misinforming. 

[Alf Bentley]

2 hours ago, StanSP said:

 

 

I see he intends to seek "new ways to communicate with people", "new ways to reach people" and to "engage with the public in new ways".

 

Could he not consider the alternative of seeking new ways NOT to communicate with, reach or engage with anybody ever again as long as he lives? 

[Dahnsouff]

2 minutes ago, Alf Bentley said:

 

I see he intends to seek "new ways to communicate with people", "new ways to reach people" and to "engage with the public in new ways".

 

Could he not consider the alternative of seeking new ways NOT to communicate with, reach or engage with anybody ever again as long as he lives? 

Sure he will find that is one enforced avenue of his search. 

[samlcfc]

2 hours ago, Fazzer 7 said:

Here they come, the climate lockdowns. Entirely predictable.

 

This really is pretty horrendous. 

 

I almost turned it off after hearing all the buzz-words and pandering he managed to cram into the first 5 minutes.

 

The reason it feels entirely predictable, is because these same people tell you what to expect before delivering on that promise with these sorts of reports. Ignoring points that are inconvenient to their message, and drawing the sorts of desperate connections you used to find on 3 hour conspiracy videos in the depths of YouTube.

 

These shameless reporters do their best to sell society down the river for money and I really hope they get some form of Karma.

 

There are a lot of people out there without the time/capacity, to wrangle the truth out of the endless stream of content they can deliver using modern methods. 

[davieG]

We live in  society where people's opinions are formed by just reading the headlines which are designed to frighten, excite or depress people.

[Parafox]

2 hours ago, StanSP said:

It's a beneficial restriction to reduce car traffic into the area. It doesn't physically restrict anyone from going to where they want to be. They can still find other means of doing it. 

Have you ever visited Oxford, or it's city centre? 

 

There's a reason why they want to restrict car traffic in the city. The current layout can't withhold the congestion currently occurring. 

 

The traffic, as opposed to the people, is being zoned. You can still move around Oxford freely as you wish. 

 

You miss out a lot of information. You're a victim of being misled and also misinforming. 

This is true. Have you ever used their park and ride? 

 

Very reasonable.

 

You can pay for parking and a day return bus ticket using the machines onsite. For car parking and one traveller £4.00. For car parking and two adults £5.00. Up to three children (under 16) can also travel using either of the Park + Bus ticket options.

 

 

[StanSP]

15 minutes ago, Parafox said:

This is true. Have you ever used their park and ride? 

 

Very reasonable.

 

You can pay for parking and a day return bus ticket using the machines onsite. For car parking and one traveller £4.00. For car parking and two adults £5.00. Up to three children (under 16) can also travel using either of the Park + Bus ticket options.

 

 

Yep, regularly! When my missus used to live in Bristol, Oxford used to be a regular spot to meet each other and we'd use the park and ride. During Covid, the park and ride was free. 

[ClaphamFox]

3 hours ago, StanSP said:

It's a beneficial restriction to reduce car traffic into the area. It doesn't physically restrict anyone from going to where they want to be. They can still find other means of doing it. 

Have you ever visited Oxford, or it's city centre? 

 

There's a reason why they want to restrict car traffic in the city. The current layout can't withhold the congestion currently occurring. 

 

The traffic, as opposed to the people, is being zoned. You can still move around Oxford freely as you wish. 

 

You miss out a lot of information. You're a victim of being misled and also misinforming. 

I live in Oxford and I can tell you that, whatever its environmental merits may be, the council's transport plan is deeply unpopular with local residents. I understand where the council is coming from - the traffic in the city centre is horrendous at times - but most people I've spoken to are furious about the planned restrictions. The council is aware that most people hate the idea, but they're going to go ahead with it anyway. In parts of the city where low traffic measures have been put in place, local residents have destroyed bollards by setting fire to them and ripping them out. I expect a lot more of the same when the citywide plan is introduced.

Edited 7 December 2022 by ClaphamFox