Alex P Roe - OLD ACCOUNT

New account: [@alex_p_roe](https://mastodon.world/@alex_p_roe )

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Last Notes

2025-02-18 13:54:17 GMT

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Ha! So even anarchy needs regulation for it to work! How ironic though very logical. The trick is understanding how much regulation is needed and how much can hinder the functioning of society, or make certain services more expensive. I half understand why regulation annoys some - it’s time consuming and costly - AI might help. Whatever, regulation in some shape or form is a necessity.

2025-02-18 13:45:38 GMT

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Thatcherism went hand in hand with Reaganism, both of which were neoliberalism. At the time, some saw how toxic Thatcher and Reagan’s ideologies were but the actual effects have taken 2 to 3 decades to manifest themselves and have toxic effect on society as a whole while handsomely benefitting the top 1%. We’re now in a real mess, and it’s going to get messier.

2025-02-18 13:34:27 GMT

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I was thinking about the 2008 recession which was caused by deregulation and about private equity which makes lots of money for a few people while often having a deleterious effect on society at large and proceeds in part owing to a lack of regulation. With the possible exception of anarchy, all isms require some form of regulation to work. Authoritarianism is regulation on steroids! Freedom is a much abused word/concept, especially when followed by the words “of speech”.

2025-02-18 12:29:47 GMT

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Isn’t regulatory #capitalism a bit of an oxymoron? Perhaps it should be deregulatory capitalism? 😉

2025-02-18 09:29:20 GMT

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Just which way the USA is heading will be clear after upcoming #Scotus hearing. If, as most expect, it finds in Trump’s favour, democracy will be on it’s way out in the US and #Authoritarianism will be in. Didn’t really expect to live to see the day but Republicans have been working towards this for many years.

2025-02-16 19:06:33 GMT

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And when #Musk and his chums get the contracts, prices will go through the roof and costs (funded by taxpayers) will rise 10 times.

2025-02-09 09:40:02 GMT

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As someone else in another thread mentioned, now may be a good time to read all about the #economy of #Nazi #Germany, here you go: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Nazi_Germany #musk #Trump And, yes, there are some parallels.

2025-02-08 13:29:04 GMT

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Does #deregulation work? Read this and decide for yourself: https://www.industryweek.com/the-economy/regulations/article/22007281/did-deregulation-work

2025-02-05 07:18:18 GMT

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Indeed, British Council debt could be labelled as Rwanda expenses and quietly forgotton.

2025-02-04 07:45:33 GMT

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If it was the peetoon, can't see any MAGA rants. Could this be down to how #Mastodon works? If so, I ain't complaining!

2025-02-04 07:40:38 GMT

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Trump has stated that if you make stuff in the USA, you won't be hit by tariffs. It sounds as if he wants to bring manufacturing back to the US - reverse globalisation. While this may be possible, it can't happen overnight. But if it happens, then tax income should rise and this could help fund government once tariff income dries up. Trump and all those around him want to privatise everything and anything and to hell with the effects of this.

2025-02-03 10:13:48 GMT

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My fault - I didn't mean isolationism but that much of what was exported used to be made in the same country - at least the labour was local. Neoliberalism ended all that hence all the issues we're facing today.

2025-02-03 10:00:49 GMT

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The US, and many other nations, used to “survive on their own” then along came neoliberalism which outsourced and offshored everything. Didn’t work did it?! And now Republicans who offshored everything because “free market” want to undo their disaster! Oh, the irony (totally lost on many Americans).

2025-02-03 09:56:42 GMT

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The blame for pain felt by the MAGA mob will be placed at Biden’s feet. It’ll take forever for MAGA to work out they’ve been conned!

2025-02-03 09:51:26 GMT

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The medium to long term outcome of this decision will be interesting. Once upon a time, the aim of such aid was to protect US overseas interests. Seems the US doesn’t want overseas interests any more! Have to admit that some of the interests the US wanted to protect were a wee bit obscure. Doubt the cash saved will be used to aid Americans.

2025-02-01 08:54:20 GMT

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Heard a theory about the return to work orders - that it’s a way of whittling down staff numbers on the cheap so automation and AI tools can replace them. May only be a theory but it makes devious sense.

2025-02-01 08:51:35 GMT

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Beware! Prof bot the engaging #AI with a very human looking avatar is not far off! Academics will no longer be needed! Not sure who, or what, will churn out all those academic papers and studies though. Some students may be able to afford to pay premium fees for non AI lecturers and profs, as marketing will no doubt work out!

2025-01-31 09:54:12 GMT

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Have heard Been Thinking About You before - from Girault's Revival album. Funky groovy mind calming stuff. #killerCuts #music

2025-01-31 09:17:09 GMT

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The way #Mastodon is organised makes this very hard - probably not impossible, though.

2025-01-31 08:45:38 GMT

I do like #Mastodon. It’s everything I hoped #Twitter would be. Let’s hope it stays that way. Unlike Twitter, the probability of Mastodon remaining civilised is relatively high 🙂 #socialmedia

2025-01-30 07:44:54 GMT

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Yes, you are right. Scandinavian nations appear to have levelled many people up so that even basic living standards are OK but there are super rich individuals, the Spotify guy, for example, who want to be able to keep more of their cash. He doesn’t need more cash - after all, how many Ferraris can you drive at the same time?! Still, I suspect reducing inequality is good for society and for the economy both of which are related, if not interdependent.

2025-01-29 23:53:53 GMT

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True but even today I suspect there are more people with money than in the past but there are still super rich people. If everyone has a minimum of a 3 bedroom house, the super rich could always buy themselves 30 bedroom houses to make themselves feel superior. And the poor in their 3 bed homes would not feel so poor and would not be a threat to the rich. Win win 🙂

2025-01-29 18:42:35 GMT

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Not only do weapons cost a bomb (!) but many can only be used once! Very hard to recycle nuclear bombs post detonation! It is a pity we don’t think about raising everyone’s living standards to a similar level - then the rich can become richer and nobody will really care - which would be good for the super rich! Don’t know why they can’t see this.

2025-01-29 15:02:46 GMT

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Eternal growth is impossible or else trees would reach the moon! Also, try eating constantly - you’ll grow all right, but not upwards and eventually, the “growth” will kill you. Stability is far more logical.

2025-01-26 14:49:00 GMT

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Found it! Quite a famous guitar it is! https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/788966 And not an SG but a Les Paul Special. Has normal pickups apparently but there's something odd about the area beneath the front pickup - might just be the artwork. Need a higher quality image...more hunting!

2025-01-26 14:03:03 GMT

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Pretty psychedelic! Heavy effects and the guitar he uses in a video appears to be a Gibson SG but with something going on with front pickup. Curiosity piqued now. 🙂

2025-01-24 07:48:28 GMT

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Is the saxophone the bastard wild child that resulted from the love duet between a bassoon and a clarinet - perhaps after a threesome with an oboe?! Very moody track 🙂

2025-01-24 07:42:53 GMT

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Maybe the time has come for trades unions to go global? How about GUG - global union of gigworkers?!

2025-01-24 07:36:54 GMT

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Hmm, it’s almost as if we need a workers’ rights movement, something like old Labour 😉 Probably the only way change may happen. Bit of a surprise nothing is appearing on the horizon. Or maybe it is?

2025-01-18 09:10:52 GMT

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Many moons past, I supervised the shooting of an episode of Inspector Morse and chatted with one of the crew. He told me how he lived from one job to the next which sounded challenging to fully employed me. Today, of course, many already do contract work, so jobs in the arts may prove more appealing in today’s somewhat unstable employment environment, for better or for worse.

2025-01-18 08:15:06 GMT

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Very good. And interesting to see mention of the Russian revolution and the US civil war. Could have been longer. Do Americans have any idea what’s coming? Aside from a wise few, I don’t think so.

2025-01-12 13:30:17 GMT

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Ok, article now read. Zuckerberg’s approach - using the Trump presidency to attempt to crush the EU and other unfriendly regulators is one approach but Musk’s attempt to “buy” Farange, is not. Musk seems to know that the only way to gain full control of regulation is to become part of the government - something he appears to have achieved in the US. @npub12pw…zvxn @npub1uqn…lhdy

2025-01-12 11:30:43 GMT

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Only bits of it, if I can access it all, I will @npub12pw…zvxn @npub1uqn…lhdy

2025-01-12 11:12:40 GMT

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Hmm, at the moment it seems the corporations are doing their level best to buy (and thus become) the state. What does @npub1uqn…lhdy have to say about this?

2025-01-10 10:04:06 GMT

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That austerity is required so frequently appears to suggest that austerity doesn’t work! Well, it does seem to keep the rich rich and even make many even richer!

2025-01-10 08:55:15 GMT

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What few seem to appreciate is just how incredibly rapidly the change is happening! And it’s still accelerating. Stopping this is probably impossible now, we need to learn to live with it and, maybe, stop it from worsening (but I suspect it’s far too late for that).

2025-01-10 08:36:41 GMT

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I don’t think kids are weaker it’s just that they’ve been brought up in the shadow of instability. Nervous parents perpetually worried about the future probably don’t generate the happiest family atmosphere (I have some experience of this from both sides, as a child and a parent). It’s the fault of #neoliberalism I suspect. Not much time to be a child these days either.

2025-01-07 11:28:15 GMT

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Not only arts! But still, leaves one feeling a wee bit conflicted.

2025-01-07 11:01:13 GMT

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Great music but not a great person is the impression one might get from Green’s Wikipedia entry: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Green

2025-01-05 10:37:34 GMT

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Welcome to the #mastoverse What interests you? Letting us know might help us suggest a few people\accounts to follow. In the meantime, check out @npub12pw…zvxn - he’s very active and very interesting too. But you make up your own mind 🙂

2025-01-05 10:28:30 GMT

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She’s done a few versions of that song! I think this is my fave though: https://youtu.be/nHmojShiD2Y?si=R472qHZXxBql6Onj - more jazzy, seems to fit the song and her fabulous voice very well IMHO 🙂

2025-01-04 16:11:11 GMT

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And I can follow the hashtag #killercuts too. Cool! Obviously I have already done so. In the first year of the Tangerine Tyrant, we’re all going to need as much musical diversion as possible!

2025-01-02 14:00:15 GMT

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A link to the museum would be nice, Chris 🙂

2024-12-30 08:30:54 GMT

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Ownership by institutional investors would be more acceptable if rent controls were brought back but then institutional investors would probably no longer want residential properties.

2024-12-29 08:02:11 GMT

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Very hard to see it being benign, I agree and I’ve no idea whether an AI could be benign. Sci-fi stories tend to push many of us to believe AI is inherently malevolent…like 50% or so of humanity?

2024-12-28 18:40:08 GMT

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We all seem to think AI will decide humanity shouldn’t exist but what if a super AI turns out to be benevolent? Admittedly basing artificial intelligence on human intelligence does not promise much but hope springs eternal!

2024-12-24 09:13:22 GMT

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How ever did we manage to build houses before migrants?!

2024-12-18 18:43:15 GMT

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Old Genesis track springs to mind: Selling England by the Pound.

2024-12-13 07:05:29 GMT

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In some respects, this is a very good idea. YouTube ends up with better quality content and Channel 4 can fund future content via ad revenue. With a few viral series, it could become self financing. Problem, as always, is going to be shareholders wanting perpetual growth.

2024-12-12 18:16:00 GMT

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Soon billionaires will be pushing for gun control in the USA!

2024-12-12 07:16:15 GMT

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Musk will lend either Farage or the Tories a generous financial helping hand. Like the left virtually everywhere, Starmer won’t rock the boat. This means 2029 may be the end of democracy in the UK. One could be wrong.

2024-12-08 10:51:53 GMT

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Well, we know Trump’s base are not the brightest bulbs in the room! Trump is profiteer on steroids! @npub12pw…zvxn

2024-12-07 22:56:06 GMT

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I very much doubt Trump of all people will bother to act. He’s as heartless as they come!

2024-12-07 20:23:14 GMT

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Chinese company Nio does cars and battery swap stations for them. The swap process is a bit longer than filling up your ICE but could potentially make electric delivery vehicles viable. Eventually, EV range will be long enough to make overnight changing less of an issue. Indeed, future EVs may only require charging every few days. Then there’s solar paint!

2024-12-07 18:12:03 GMT

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Kind of suspect certain people won’t want him to go to trial and will be hoping he dies in a shootout with police or has already committed suicide. His story - if it comes out - may make others turn on avaricious US health insurance companies. @npub1a2z…l7vs

2024-12-05 15:13:13 GMT

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I disagree with you. We can save everyone if we want to. We have the technology and the money. The problem is that certain societies and cultures don’t have the will. Profiting from misery to the point of allowing people to die if they cannot afford treatment is barbaric. There is no other word for it.

2024-12-05 15:10:35 GMT

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Public health systems mean lack of cash does not mean death so people can be saved if society wants it to happen. US society is extremely cruel in this respect.

2024-12-05 12:29:40 GMT

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Letting people die because they can’t afford treatment is barbaric too, yet this does not bother healthcare companies l@npub12pw…zvxn

2024-12-01 21:25:41 GMT

#AI is getting better at diagnosing health issues than human #physicians. Spooky but true: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/nov/30/if-ai-can-provide-a-better-diagnosis-than-a-doctor-whats-the-prognosis-for-medics Add medical doctors to the list of jobs AI is going to take over! #future

2024-11-30 18:03:02 GMT

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Thank heavens for that but I believe you are at the tail end of a generation which hasn’t had to worry too much about life after work. For future generations - gig economy workers who haven’t earned much, and their kids if they’ve had any, the situation may be different. [@_L1vY_](https://mstdn.social/@_L1vY_ )

2024-11-30 16:20:13 GMT

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We do seem to be heading, or rather, seem to be being pushed in this direction @npub12pw…zvxn

2024-11-30 10:23:41 GMT

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Yes, I hope it’s just my cynicism and nothing else. Maybe I’ve watched too many dystopian films! Have to admit I found the Blade Runner city to be particularly scary!

2024-11-30 10:17:34 GMT

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I have dystopic visions of a #future where #governments insist on the “assisted dying” option for the good of society for those who haven’t managed to set enough side for their pensions. The situation in the UK and elsewhere may be the first step. #dystopia #assisteddying #society

2024-11-30 08:24:45 GMT

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Creating stuff does give one a more sophisticated perspective, that is true. You end up knowing why something is the way it is not just what. It also gives you a much great appreciation of how time consuming music production can be! And it can be extremely time consuming hence the shortcuts like autotune.

2024-11-30 08:13:05 GMT

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I quite like reverb, auto tune less so. The DAW I mess around with from time to time when creating something akin to ambient music has very good reverb effects and that’s before you delve into the wonderful world of plug-ins!

2024-11-30 08:04:56 GMT

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Training budgets pared to the bone? Sounds a bit like it. Still, it’s pretty basic stuff.

2024-11-30 07:20:55 GMT

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Yup, auto tune has been around for quite a while - a surprisingly long time IMO. I’d noticed weird sounding voices for years but only recently discovered the cause. It was used to cure out of tune singers but has become an effect in its own right - almost as common as reverb.

2024-11-29 18:37:18 GMT

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It’s a little bit like the car industry: everyone is using the same software so all the cars look rather similar! One you know what autotune is, you can hear it a mile off and you are right, it’s everywhere! Hopefully just a fad.

2024-11-27 10:23:00 GMT

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if only. The way things are at the moment, some in Europe regard Putin as the enemy while others worship him.

2024-11-27 07:38:00 GMT

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Pity that by the time Europe actually agrees on anything, Putin will have transformed the Palace of Versailles into his latest new luxury residence!

2024-11-27 07:26:21 GMT

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Well, provided the defence spending isn’t outsourced to India, it could generate quite a few relatively stable jobs. Might even spur Europe into developing technology independently of the US, China and India. It’s that or…vodka for brekkie!

2024-11-22 06:55:12 GMT

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Also, am wondering whether technological progress creates the right conditions for authoritarianism to emerge. Societal instability does appear to play a major part as it in did the emergence of #authoritarianism in Italy and in Germany

2024-11-22 06:49:15 GMT

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Not a morning person, then?! PS The intro to the document you linked to mentions, highly appropriately IMO, authoritarianism - which is what fascism is at the end of the day. Perhaps we should drop fascism and just use authoritarianism. Doing so would annoy the fascists so it’d be worth it just for that!

2024-11-22 06:38:23 GMT

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Thanks. PS It’s a wee bit early for this kind of heavyweight stuff! You must have very interesting dreams! 😀

2024-11-22 06:27:35 GMT

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It’s missing the effect of incompetent short sighted political leadership IMHO. Also fall in voter turnout can play a part. And where is neoliberalism? Fascism is an almost inevitable consequence of neoliberalism in that neoliberal policies create the perfect breeding grounds for fascism.

2024-11-11 22:26:35 GMT

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Well, they do come with loads of sensors nowadays so your nine year olds should be safe 🙂@npub13hx…7a03 @npub1akj…7u7q

2024-11-11 21:48:45 GMT

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Won’t hindering the adoption of EVs annoy Trump boy Musk? Suspect Musky will slip the Donald a few billion and Donnie will suddenly love EVs! /s

2024-11-08 07:26:58 GMT

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I suspect it is (far) too late to do anything to stop climate change. We just have to live with it. Have mentioned tipping points before. They have tipped IMHO.

2024-11-08 07:24:44 GMT

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The time has come for Germany’s economy to diversify. It has to move away from low to mid end automotive and focus on something else. China’s EV appear to be getting very good indeed so the Chinese a much less likely to go for German cars as Audi’s 91% fall in profits shows. Europe is in a tough spot.

2024-11-06 09:09:17 GMT

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Well, they’ll now find out the hard way. Will Trump now forge ahead with #project2025? One strongly suspects so. Bit of a wake up call for Europe too and not necessarily good for #Brexit Britain either. Welcome to the pre Blade Runner age! 🫣

2024-11-06 07:26:31 GMT

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If Trumpty gets Pennsylvania it’s all over apparently. Welcome to a dark new world in which Putin and other such people can do what they like. Pity more Americans didn’t watch the film Civil War.

2024-11-02 10:09:19 GMT

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Am surprised anyone might find this surprising. One employee today appears to be required to do the same work that was done by 1.5 to 2 people in the past. It's no wonder mental health problems are arising. False economy?

2024-10-28 08:16:01 GMT

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Am not fully convinced we all know where the evidence is. If that were true, then the rise of the fascists perhaps wouldn't be so evident.

2024-10-28 08:07:27 GMT

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It'd be nice if he offered some evidence for his claims - it is there. Don't know why he doesn't.

2024-10-27 10:29:48 GMT

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Yup, a point already made by someone else. Very sad. [@anarchic_teapot](https://lingo.lol/@anarchic_teapot ) @npub12pw…zvxn

2024-10-27 09:34:58 GMT

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I think you'll find flooding and other climate change related events are risking even more lives. Drawing attention to this via protests will save lives not cost them. @npub12pw…zvxn

2024-10-27 08:59:14 GMT

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Climate activism would appear to be inline with the Hippocratic Oath. Doctors are supposed to strive to save lives whereas climate change is likely to take lives via extreme weather and, potentially, new illnesses appearing thanks to tundra and antartic-arctic areas melting. The GMC really does need to rethink this, I'd say.

2024-10-26 08:05:01 GMT

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There's a tech solution to this issue. Might even be a business opportunity. Have seen some examples of what I have in mind but it's not (oddly) gone mainstream yet. Sounds as if it might save the online retailers time and money as well as keeping customers content too.

2024-10-12 21:02:28 GMT

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We know we are in big trouble when expressions like "labour's right" emerge! Contemporary #politics is in a serious mess.

2024-10-05 08:24:31 GMT

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PS Is this a Freudian typo? 😉

2024-10-05 08:23:46 GMT

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Actually, the far rights' call to decorate migrants should be normalised! @npub12pw…zvxn

2024-10-02 06:54:48 GMT

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Cool, if £90k middle class income, let's set the minimum wage at £50k 🙂

2024-09-30 07:07:11 GMT

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This all seems to indicate that democracy is ill and requires treatment to restore it to good health. First, of course, we need to identify the ailment before a treatment can be developed and, this is the biggie, administered. The #farright feeds on and nourishes discontent. Its emergence is a symptom of illness.

2024-09-24 08:20:22 GMT

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Presumably you have a pretty hot hifi system with a valve amp and decent speakers to get the most out of your vinyl! I haven't alas, so have to make do with half decent headphones and digital tunes. Such is life!

2024-09-24 07:31:22 GMT

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Have been digging up your LP a day listening tips on Spotify and I imagine other streaming services will have many of the artists you've been recommending too.

2024-09-23 07:06:36 GMT

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Grumble, grumble, grouch, grouch - effects of toxic, self-destructive combination of #neoliberalism and #capitalism. And it's not easy running a business - it's the market which has become so fast moving as to demand precarious workers. Short termism is the enemy of the future. Rant over - for now! Happy Monday!

2024-09-22 15:30:01 GMT

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So what's the point?

2024-09-21 10:07:28 GMT

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We think alike! Am not alone! Simple logic really. Once a society has developed and most people have more or less everything, we're in replacement territory so growth is very hard to achieve. We should be looking at this, not trying to grow forever. @npub12pw…zvxn

2024-09-21 09:35:38 GMT

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Only on the off chance. Anyway, your comment is right on the nail. Am not sure how everyone has reacted to the proposals yet and getting everyone in the EU to agree will not be easy. Personally, am not convinced growth is the answer - it's also resource intensive and thus not overly environmentally friendly either. Growth cannot be eternal!

2024-09-21 09:18:29 GMT

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Have you had a chance to read the Draghi proposals? Two papers, one is 69 pages and the other over 350. In the foreword of the first, mention is made of trying to bring growth back to Europe, only the investment required to achieve this is much, much higher than Marshall plan levels, so bringing growth back will not be easy.