General News Thread

[kenny]

1 minute ago, bovril said:

I live a couple of stops from St Pancras so for anywhere west of the Rhine it's probably as quick for me to take the train. 

But yes it'd be great if they extended the network and we got trains direct from Edinburgh to Milan or something like that. 

They are extending it in Europe.

 

More importantly though, the rest of the UK doesn't want to pay to go to London to get on it. Most would rather drive there like you do with the airport.

[RowlattsFox]

36 minutes ago, ealingfox said:

Some weird comments on here - going the airport is one of the best bits of the holiday. My only tip is turning up 2 hours early is a bit of a nonsense, security procedures are much slicker nowadays. Causes no end of grief with mrs ealing but we never turn up more than an hour in advance, can't be doing with sitting around longer than that.

Must never travel through Manchester Airport  Would take that long to walk to the gate in terminal 2..

 

Maybe it's just because I'm the adult now but I don't feel like I have anywhere near as much time in airports now. 3 hours is the norm for me, 2 if not checking in anything, and it was pretty straight forward queues yet still only really had time for 1 drink. 

[RowlattsFox]

6 minutes ago, kenny said:

They are extending it in Europe.

 

More importantly though, the rest of the UK doesn't want to pay to go to London to get on it. Most would rather drive there like you do with the airport.

Would love to use Eurostar but its not feasible for anyone in the North. 

[kenny]

2 minutes ago, RowlattsFox said:

Would love to use Eurostar but its not feasible for anyone in the North. 

It might be feasible with a direct train to Europe missing London, or maybe a swap at Ebbsfleet International.

 

If you haven't done it, its a dream compared to flying.

[ealingfox]

4 minutes ago, RowlattsFox said:

Must never travel through Manchester Airport  Would take that long to walk to the gate in terminal 2..

 

Maybe it's just because I'm the adult now but I don't feel like I have anywhere near as much time in airports now. 3 hours is the norm for me, 2 if not checking in anything, and it was pretty straight forward queues yet still only really had time for 1 drink. 

 

Yes admittedly have had to trade in the 7am pint to justify the later arrival, but I can't say I miss it. They'll have banned them before too long anyway, can tell its heading in that direction.

[Tommy G]

21 minutes ago, bovril said:

I find airports hellish places. Stuffy, stressful, unkind places. I dislike flying, although the final hour or so when you're coming into land is quite exhilarating especially when you don't like being up in the air.

 

Train travel to Europe is much more civilized and not even that expensive now when you consider how much the cost of flights have gone up. 

I'd disagree, plenty of cheap flights knocking about with low cost airlines still.

 

If you are up for some serious punishment board a flight to Ibiza from any UK airport late afternoon or early evening, if I ever went again I would avoid any form of low cost airline as you get all the riff raff on it, not pleasant. 

[Raj]

17 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

I'd disagree, plenty of cheap flights knocking about with low cost airlines still.

 

If you are up for some serious punishment board a flight to Ibiza from any UK airport late afternoon or early evening, if I ever went again I would avoid any form of low cost airline as you get all the riff raff on it, not pleasant. 

Off to Budapest with Ryanair in August so your right on this!!!

[Tommy G]

17 minutes ago, Raj said:

Off to Budapest with Ryanair in August so your right on this!!!

 Buda is fine, Ibiza is punishing though. Closely followed by Palma.

[Md9]

Good luck to every one of the maga crew that will buy the new trump phone when it comes out . It will probably have his face as a Lock Screen you can’t change , his voice on the maps shouting directions and set an alarm every hour for a prayer of how amazing he is at everything 

[Jon the Hat]

Trump leaving the G7 early to talk to his national security team.  Doesn't bode well for anyone currently spending their time in those deep nuclear storage facilities in Iran.

[Lionator]

Maybe I’m way off here but I think it’s time European states hedged their bets on China. There is basically only one superpower making sensible, stable long term decisions and they will emerge from whatever the hell is happening at the minute in a very strong place. 

[Trav Le Bleu]

Not sure there's any point appointing a new manager if this carries on much longer.

[Jon the Hat]

37 minutes ago, Lionator said:

Maybe I’m way off here but I think it’s time European states hedged their bets on China. There is basically only one superpower making sensible, stable long term decisions and they will emerge from whatever the hell is happening at the minute in a very strong place. 

They are already in a very strong place.  

[Lionator]

57 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Not sure there's any point appointing a new manager if this carries on much longer.

It’s exceptionally unlikely it escalates to anything that has any material impact on you. Nobody is going to support Iran, Russia has a relationship with Israel it needs to keep, China will let the chaos happen around them, EU countries have no reason to get involved etc. Chances are it’ll all be over by this time next week.

[Lionator]

27 minutes ago, Jon the Hat said:

They are already in a very strong place.  

Autocracy is obviously very bad but it helps that Xi and co are happy to play the long game and seemingly aren’t maniacs. 

[st albans fox]

15 minutes ago, Lionator said:

Autocracy is obviously very bad but it helps that Xi and co are happy to play the long game and seemingly aren’t maniacs. 

It is easier to play a longer game when you don’t have to be elected by the people 

but you need to make sure that the back stabbers are neutered. 

 

is it really controversial for us to discuss and debate the military and strategic aspects of what’s going on Iran/israel ?   Surely anyone who feels very strongly can absent themselves ?   there is no need to debate the basis for the war (that avoids controversy ) - we are where we are now. 
 

be good to know if anyone on here has contacts in Iran who they’re in touch with. 

[st albans fox]

In light of yesterdays developments and commons announcements, are we likely to see some people deciding to emigrate rather than worry about a dawn knock on the door at some point in the future ???

[leicsmac]

2 hours ago, Lionator said:

Maybe I’m way off here but I think it’s time European states hedged their bets on China. There is basically only one superpower making sensible, stable long term decisions and they will emerge from whatever the hell is happening at the minute in a very strong place. 

On quite a few critical future matters, certainly. 

 

When death is on the table for a species, every single other option is better.

[Sol thewall Bamba]

21 hours ago, bovril said:

I find airports hellish places. Stuffy, stressful, unkind places. I dislike flying, although the final hour or so when you're coming into land is quite exhilarating especially when you don't like being up in the air.

 

Train travel to Europe is much more civilized and not even that expensive now when you consider how much the cost of flights have gone up. 

Imo they just reflect your mood. If you go into them expecting to have a good experience you usually do. Act a mardy bastard and you're more likely to have issues.

[Sol thewall Bamba]

3 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Not sure there's any point appointing a new manager if this carries on much longer.

A region that's been at war with itself for 3000 continues to be at war 

[Sampson]

4 hours ago, Lionator said:

Maybe I’m way off here but I think it’s time European states hedged their bets on China. There is basically only one superpower making sensible, stable long term decisions and they will emerge from whatever the hell is happening at the minute in a very strong place. 

I’m not really sure we’re there yet. I think many European leaders are probably hoping the US returns to normalcy again after the next election but the way the institutions and checks and balances are creeking I can’t see it. The midterms will be a big thing too.

 

But even so 3.5 years is a hell of a long time to wait these days with the breakneck speed the world jerks from one crisis to another right now. 
 

Personally I think the old world order is gone and the US no longer cares about the UK and EU as allies anymore and in fact is probably more likely to side with Russia behind the scenes, but I’m not 100% convinced on it yet. I’m also obviously a bit worried the UK wants to follow the same path after the next election.

Edited 17 June 2025 by Sampson

[ajthefox]

23 hours ago, RowlattsFox said:

Would love to use Eurostar but its not feasible for anyone in the North. 

I think that's an exaggeration.

 

Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds and York are all well connected to St Pancras/Euston in circa 2 hours.

 

I know if you're in rural locations or much further North it granted it gets more difficult and I appreciate you're probably on about these areas moreso but it's feasible for many.

[Torquay Gunner]

44 minutes ago, ajthefox said:

I think that's an exaggeration.

 

Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds and York are all well connected to St Pancras/Euston in circa 2 hours.

 

I know if you're in rural locations or much further North it granted it gets more difficult and I appreciate you're probably on about these areas moreso but it's feasible for many.

Hull to Kings X station in 2 and half hrs is not too bad either. 

[st albans fox]

Now the black boxes are being analysed, we should look out for any 787 aircraft flights being cancelled at short notice.  That may reflect some factors having been noted and needing to be checked. 
 

for now there doesn’t seem to be anything across airlines - air India seem to be making additional checks as you might expect 

[Lionator]

 

Despise Vance and most things he stands for but this is at least very good communication in an increasingly mad situation.