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  • Hi... is it possible my old profile can be taken off the ‘naughty step’?
  • Those concerned about their environmental impact might start by having fewer children.

    Fertility rates are already below replacement level throughout the developed world and in the majority of other countries; the problem of runaway population growth is confined principally to Africa and parts of the Middle East, i.e. where levels of education, healthcare, income and female emancipation are lowest, and where the grip of religion is most vice-like. Good luck solving that in a hurry.

    The UK TFR, by contrast, is at around 1.8 which already implies long-term population decline, unless the losses are made good by ongoing net immigration. People here having even fewer babies than they do already is not going to make a meaningful difference.
    England’s population was under 8 million in 1801. It is over 55 million now. It just had its population explosion earlier.
    So that's a nearly 7x increase in 2.2 centuries with a below replacement ratio now.

    Africa's population was about 90 million in 1800. It is over 1.2 billion now. That's over a 13.5x increase in the same timescale with an above replacement ratio now.
  • Black_RookBlack_Rook Posts: 8,905
    edited February 2020

    Those concerned about their environmental impact might start by having fewer children.

    Fertility rates are already below replacement level throughout the developed world and in the majority of other countries; the problem of runaway population growth is confined principally to Africa and parts of the Middle East, i.e. where levels of education, healthcare, income and female emancipation are lowest, and where the grip of religion is most vice-like. Good luck solving that in a hurry.

    The UK TFR, by contrast, is at around 1.8 which already implies long-term population decline, unless the losses are made good by ongoing net immigration. People here having even fewer babies than they do already is not going to make a meaningful difference.
    England’s population was under 8 million in 1801. It is over 55 million now. It just had its population explosion earlier.
    Since the Government does not possess a fleet of Tardises and, therefore, the means to go back several centuries and provide education, medical care, condoms and the pill to early modern Europeans, this isn't relevant.

    The only effective method to deal with ongoing global population growth is to reduce the numbers of babies being born in the relevant parts of the developing world (which, as @Malmesbury correctly points out, nobody wants to talk about for fear of being tarred with the racist/colonialist brush,) and the only way that's going to happen is through socio-economic progress, which is going to take a long time.

    The best contribution that people in our part of the world can make to hurrying that progress along is to assist the economic development of poorer countries - e.g. through ditching protectionist agricultural tariffs that both jack up our food prices and make their exports less competitive in our markets.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,230

    Those concerned about their environmental impact might start by having fewer children.

    Poor axioms. People are not a problem per se. People are the source of solutions. More humans good, less humans bad. Every time we try to involuntarily restrain or reduce the number of humans, the results are horrific.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,673
    kinabalu said:

    malcolmg said:

    I could have told them for a fiver it will be too difficult and they will never do it anyway. We don't even have a motorway between or two biggest cities, WTF use is a bridge to NI when only a handful of people want to go there. Only benefits Ireland as they will be able to flood our inadequate road system with juggernauts.
    Spend the money on real infrastructure that Scotland needs rather than vanity shit.

    In the unlikely event that it were built would you be prepared to call it the "Boris Bridge"?
    You have to ask that, I would rather have several holes in the head.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,957
    edited February 2020
    Interesting that the number of reported cases of Coronavirus cases has stopped its vertical climb - we can only hope that quarantine is having some effect (although it may just be the administrators don't work Sundays :/ ). Check out bottom right.

    https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6
  • nunu2nunu2 Posts: 1,453
    rcs1000 said:

    So... there's the big 538 poll on how people reacted to the Democratic debate.

    And it's broadly good news for Pete Buttigieg. He had the biggest increase in favourability; the biggest increase in "likely to beat Trump"; and the biggest increase in "would consider voting for this candidate".

    Klobuchar also showed progress. If she'd had her surge just a few weeks earlier, it might all be different.

    Who did badly?

    Well, um, that would be Joe Biden.

    See: https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/democratic-debate-first-february-poll/

    Wow
    The moderate lane is really divided
  • Irish election: Early tallies are coming through now:

    https://www.rte.ie/news/election-2020/2020/0209/1114127-election-count/

    (See also RTE's individual live updates for each constituency).

    As I had suggested a couple of days ago, Sinn Féin seem to be outperforming previous expectations, to the extent that Paddy Power have now moved their line up to 37.5 - that is more than anyone expected (on Friday I posted that I thought the max was around 35).
  • geoffwgeoffw Posts: 8,092

    Interesting that the number of reported cases of Coronavirus cases has stopped its vertical climb - we can only hope that quarantine is having some effect (although it may just be the administrators don't work Sundays :/ ). Check out bottom right.

    https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

    Pangolin suspected to be the animal source. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00364-2
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733

    Nigelb said:

    MattW said:

    Balrog said:

    MattW said:

    Cyclefree said:

    Dura_Ace said:



    If the Jaguar iPace was £40k (rather than £65k) and there were charging stations at every petrol station in the country I could tank up in 15 mins or less, then it'd be my next family car.

    .
    A garage. Lucky old you.

    ** Looks out at street of terraced houses where you’re lucky to to park anywhere near your house let alone in front to enable charging when you need it. **

    This is why having reliable public charging infrastructure is so necessary. Norway is doing it. Why aren’t we?
    Similar problem in a local community. Large proportion of homes in the town centre were built at a time when there were neither cars nor indeed the need to leave the town.

    I think we will do it, but at the needed rate, which is fine.

    Perhaps what we need is a setup that allow all those petrol stations with Costa Coffees to invest and know they will get a return.
    My experience is that I charge at home 90% of the time or more, I have probably had to charge away from home about 10 times in the last 6 months.

    Home chargers are very simple and cheap. I dont see why low power chargers wouldn't be fitted as standard in work car parks, at supermarkets, railway stations, etc to the point where you just charge where you park. The tricky bit would be the payment infrastructure, but it's not that difficult a problem.

    I dont think petrol station equivalents will be the solution except for very high power chargers on the motorway network and there wont need to be that many of them.
    I think that for supermarkets it needs to be a substantially complete charge in the time it takes to shop ... say 1 hr.
    Supermarket shopping. In and out in 5-10 minutes me. Know what I want, get it. The Park and Ride in N Chelmsford has three (I think) charging points. Don't know how that works; leave your car there, get the bus to Chelmsford (or the hospital), but how do you move the car when it's charged, you are still an hour away and someone else wants to use the charging point?
    50kW equates to somewhere around 200miles of range.
    Most of those topping up at the supermarket would require a fraction of that - and I don’t think you do the weekly shop in five minutes.
    I don't do the weekly shop. I'm not allowed to come. I spend too much time in Wines and Spirits and not enough in vegetables.
    Why? Wine is a fruit. Sort of.
  • FishingFishing Posts: 4,555


    We had Swiss friends who wanted to go to Stratford (the Shakespeare one) and ended up in Stafford. :neutral:

    They are lucky they didn't end up in the dump in the East End called Stratford.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,673

    Hi... is it possible my old profile can be taken off the ‘naughty step’?

    I would try e-mail rather than begging in public.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,392
    kinabalu said:

    isam said:

    My bugbear! Why, when Fenchurch St became 'London Fenchurch St', and Liverpool St became 'London Liverpool St' did London Bridge not become 'London London Bridge'?

    Someone might think that it was previously called "Bridge" and the 'London' prefix was added at the same time as to the other main London stations

    It's a good point. "London Bridge London" would IMO work better, but I realize that does not resolve the exact flaw you raise.
    My favourite is 'County of County Durham County Council'. Alas that suggestion was not taken up.
  • OllyTOllyT Posts: 4,911

    Those concerned about their environmental impact might start by having fewer children.

    Fertility rates are already below replacement level throughout the developed world and in the majority of other countries; the problem of runaway population growth is confined principally to Africa and parts of the Middle East, i.e. where levels of education, healthcare, income and female emancipation are lowest, and where the grip of religion is most vice-like. Good luck solving that in a hurry.

    The UK TFR, by contrast, is at around 1.8 which already implies long-term population decline, unless the losses are made good by ongoing net immigration. People here having even fewer babies than they do already is not going to make a meaningful difference.
    England’s population was under 8 million in 1801. It is over 55 million now. It just had its population explosion earlier.
    Practically every problem the world faces would be eased if the supposedly most intelligent species on the planet had the smarts to stop breeding as it does.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,957
    "Lower than expected turnout" - were those expectations factoring in it was one of the warmest days ever for an Iowa causcus? Maybe they got ahead of themselves.
  • Petrol stations and charging points are two completely different things and there's no reason why the former should steadily morph into the latter. Why would nice people go to a "petrol station" to charge their e-car if more convenient options are available? In the fulness of time (maybe 10-15 years) petrol stations will be where poor people hang out, replenishing their old bangers 10 litres at a time, with forecourt convenience stores replaced by vape shops, tattoo parlours and fried chicken counters.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733
    Fishing said:


    We had Swiss friends who wanted to go to Stratford (the Shakespeare one) and ended up in Stafford. :neutral:

    They are lucky they didn't end up in the dump in the East End called Stratford.
    Stafford is quite pleasant, although it’s no Lichfield.
  • On topic: We have a fairly recent practical example of what happens when lots of funds disinvest from a sector. That is what happened in the late 1990s in respect of tobacco companies.

    The result? No effect on the tobacco companies, but extremely good returns for those investors (such as, famously, Neil Woodford), who invested in them at the lower prices caused by the disinvestment.

    Blaming oil companies for oil being used is like blaming the messenger when you don't like the message.

    That's not to say that funds shouldn't take account of the long-term threat to the oil industry and the risk of being stuck with stranded asset - but that's an investment issue, not a political one.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733
    OllyT said:

    Those concerned about their environmental impact might start by having fewer children.

    Fertility rates are already below replacement level throughout the developed world and in the majority of other countries; the problem of runaway population growth is confined principally to Africa and parts of the Middle East, i.e. where levels of education, healthcare, income and female emancipation are lowest, and where the grip of religion is most vice-like. Good luck solving that in a hurry.

    The UK TFR, by contrast, is at around 1.8 which already implies long-term population decline, unless the losses are made good by ongoing net immigration. People here having even fewer babies than they do already is not going to make a meaningful difference.
    England’s population was under 8 million in 1801. It is over 55 million now. It just had its population explosion earlier.
    Practically every problem the world faces would be eased if the supposedly most intelligent species on the planet had the smarts to stop breeding as it does.
    I don’t think dolphins are currently suffering from overbreeding.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733
    Ridiculous tweet.

    The Telegraph lost its mind many, many years ago.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,608
    OllyT said:

    Those concerned about their environmental impact might start by having fewer children.

    Fertility rates are already below replacement level throughout the developed world and in the majority of other countries; the problem of runaway population growth is confined principally to Africa and parts of the Middle East, i.e. where levels of education, healthcare, income and female emancipation are lowest, and where the grip of religion is most vice-like. Good luck solving that in a hurry.

    The UK TFR, by contrast, is at around 1.8 which already implies long-term population decline, unless the losses are made good by ongoing net immigration. People here having even fewer babies than they do already is not going to make a meaningful difference.
    England’s population was under 8 million in 1801. It is over 55 million now. It just had its population explosion earlier.
    Practically every problem the world faces would be eased if the supposedly most intelligent species on the planet had the smarts to stop breeding as it does.
    You do know which groups you are criticising when you call for people to "to stop breeding"?
  • nunu2nunu2 Posts: 1,453
    They dont need to lose their minds, it won't happen.
  • OllyTOllyT Posts: 4,911
    ydoethur said:

    OllyT said:

    Those concerned about their environmental impact might start by having fewer children.

    Fertility rates are already below replacement level throughout the developed world and in the majority of other countries; the problem of runaway population growth is confined principally to Africa and parts of the Middle East, i.e. where levels of education, healthcare, income and female emancipation are lowest, and where the grip of religion is most vice-like. Good luck solving that in a hurry.

    The UK TFR, by contrast, is at around 1.8 which already implies long-term population decline, unless the losses are made good by ongoing net immigration. People here having even fewer babies than they do already is not going to make a meaningful difference.
    England’s population was under 8 million in 1801. It is over 55 million now. It just had its population explosion earlier.
    Practically every problem the world faces would be eased if the supposedly most intelligent species on the planet had the smarts to stop breeding as it does.
    I don’t think dolphins are currently suffering from overbreeding.
    Good point
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    kinabalu said:

    isam said:

    My bugbear! Why, when Fenchurch St became 'London Fenchurch St', and Liverpool St became 'London Liverpool St' did London Bridge not become 'London London Bridge'?

    Someone might think that it was previously called "Bridge" and the 'London' prefix was added at the same time as to the other main London stations

    It's a good point. "London Bridge London" would IMO work better, but I realize that does not resolve the exact flaw you raise.
    My favourite is 'County of County Durham County Council'. Alas that suggestion was not taken up.
    City of Townsville is good, as is Torpenhow (which means hillhillhill as well as having pronunciation issues.)
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 43,608

    Petrol stations and charging points are two completely different things and there's no reason why the former should steadily morph into the latter. Why would nice people go to a "petrol station" to charge their e-car if more convenient options are available? In the fulness of time (maybe 10-15 years) petrol stations will be where poor people hang out, replenishing their old bangers 10 litres at a time, with forecourt convenience stores replaced by vape shops, tattoo parlours and fried chicken counters.

    All your prejudices in one location - you could go to the "Deplorables Zoo"?
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797
    edited February 2020
    IshmaelZ said:

    kinabalu said:

    isam said:

    My bugbear! Why, when Fenchurch St became 'London Fenchurch St', and Liverpool St became 'London Liverpool St' did London Bridge not become 'London London Bridge'?

    Someone might think that it was previously called "Bridge" and the 'London' prefix was added at the same time as to the other main London stations

    It's a good point. "London Bridge London" would IMO work better, but I realize that does not resolve the exact flaw you raise.
    My favourite is 'County of County Durham County Council'. Alas that suggestion was not taken up.
    City of Townsville is good, as is Torpenhow (which means hillhillhill as well as having pronunciation issues.)
    I will refer back to Northumbria University who went as far as getting logos designed as the City University of Newcastle upon Tyne
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 38,847

    The best contribution that people in our part of the world can make to hurrying that progress along is to assist the economic development of poorer countries - e.g. through ditching protectionist agricultural tariffs that both jack up our food prices and make their exports less competitive in our markets.

    The emancipation of women. Most would not choose to have lots of kids if they were in the box seat. So perhaps an African #metoo or #timesup. Combined with money solutions of course.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733
    A friend in Tamworth tells me there have been ten power cuts already this morning.
  • Sir Keir Starmer's mother-in-law has died two weeks after suffering an accident, it was revealed today.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733
    edited February 2020
    eek said:

    IshmaelZ said:

    kinabalu said:

    isam said:

    My bugbear! Why, when Fenchurch St became 'London Fenchurch St', and Liverpool St became 'London Liverpool St' did London Bridge not become 'London London Bridge'?

    Someone might think that it was previously called "Bridge" and the 'London' prefix was added at the same time as to the other main London stations

    It's a good point. "London Bridge London" would IMO work better, but I realize that does not resolve the exact flaw you raise.
    My favourite is 'County of County Durham County Council'. Alas that suggestion was not taken up.
    City of Townsville is good, as is Torpenhow (which means hillhillhill as well as having pronunciation issues.)
    I will refer back to Northumbria University who went as far as getting logos designed as the City University of Newcastle upon Tyne
    Good grief. How on earth did nobody spot that?!

    Or did somebody spot it and thought it aptly described their colleagues? :lol:
  • Those concerned about their environmental impact might start by having fewer children.

    Fertility rates are already below replacement level throughout the developed world and in the majority of other countries; the problem of runaway population growth is confined principally to Africa and parts of the Middle East, i.e. where levels of education, healthcare, income and female emancipation are lowest, and where the grip of religion is most vice-like. Good luck solving that in a hurry.

    The UK TFR, by contrast, is at around 1.8 which already implies long-term population decline, unless the losses are made good by ongoing net immigration. People here having even fewer babies than they do already is not going to make a meaningful difference.
    England’s population was under 8 million in 1801. It is over 55 million now. It just had its population explosion earlier.
    Since the Government does not possess a fleet of Tardises and, therefore, the means to go back several centuries and provide education, medical care, condoms and the pill to early modern Europeans, this isn't relevant.

    The only effective method to deal with ongoing global population growth is to reduce the numbers of babies being born in the relevant parts of the developing world (which, as @Malmesbury correctly points out, nobody wants to talk about for fear of being tarred with the racist/colonialist brush,) and the only way that's going to happen is through socio-economic progress, which is going to take a long time.

    The best contribution that people in our part of the world can make to hurrying that progress along is to assist the economic development of poorer countries - e.g. through ditching protectionist agricultural tariffs that both jack up our food prices and make their exports less competitive in our markets.
    Given the relationship between earnings and birth rates, we get pretty close to the replacement rate by taking the last 1bn people above $2/day income. This could obviously be achieved by a levy of <$2/day on the richest 1bn. (There are obviously better ways to achieve it, but it really doesnt need to take a long time).
  • CatManCatMan Posts: 2,721
    nunu2 said:

    They dont need to lose their minds, it won't happen.
    Do you mean they won't raise taxes to pay for Brexit or Brexit won't need tax rises to pay for it?
  • oxfordsimonoxfordsimon Posts: 5,831
    ydoethur said:

    A friend in Tamworth tells me there have been ten power cuts already this morning.

    My father (in Northampton) has lost one of the coping stones on the top of the house, his aerial and the tree outside the front (thankfully it fell onto the road not towards the house or car)

    Here in Oxford, one of my cast members can't get out of his drive because it is blocked by a fallen tree and another can't get a train that will get her to rehearsal on time.

    It is affecting a lot of people in a range of ways
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 60,001
    edited February 2020
    As we are battered here by storm Ciara with Llanrwst, Betws y Coed, Colwyn Bay and large parts of the Conwy Valley suffering extensive flooding and storm damage, wind speeds of 93mph at Aberdaron and 86mph at Capel Curig recorded, and the sea is foaming with both the Llandudno and Moelfre lifeboats launched to save lives for those in 'peril on the sea', idiotic Sky have a reporter standing yards from the foaming sea in Milford, while stones and debris are thrown up behind her and she struggles to stand.

    Irresponsible and dangerous reporting on the storm and entirely inappropriate.
  • Those concerned about their environmental impact might start by having fewer children.

    I don't think that's necessarily true. Fossil fuel dependency is basically just a (solvable) technology and organizational problem. Any intelligent human can help solve it. If the average human can do more to help solve it than they consume, more humans will be a net positive.
    Exactly.

    Today is one of the most nihilistic and misanthropic threads I've read.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,957

    Petrol stations and charging points are two completely different things and there's no reason why the former should steadily morph into the latter. Why would nice people go to a "petrol station" to charge their e-car if more convenient options are available? In the fulness of time (maybe 10-15 years) petrol stations will be where poor people hang out, replenishing their old bangers 10 litres at a time, with forecourt convenience stores replaced by vape shops, tattoo parlours and fried chicken counters.

    All your prejudices in one location - you could go to the "Deplorables Zoo"?
    They'll be known as Gammon Bars......
  • Mr. Meeks, sounds draconian. You'll be advocating flight limits and second home bans next.

    What's so funny is that Mr. Meeks is the same poster in the past who's argued for lifting of restrictions on immigration in the past for economic and demographic reasons and argued that there's no natural limit to the size of the population in the UK.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,038
    edited February 2020
    Alan Simpson, former Notts MP (and Corbynist), on the mess that Milne and co created in the GE:

    “But Labour’s deeper problems lie more in the cadre of senior advisers surrounding Corbyn. None should be allowed within a million miles of Labour’s rebuilding.

    “People who’d never negotiated anything more than an extended tea-break were left in charge of the policy sifting process.”

    https://t.co/8W2OpKzVZy?amp=1

  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,080
    ydoethur said:

    A friend in Tamworth tells me there have been ten power cuts already this morning.

    Great that they are so quick in reconnecting it each time it goes off.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,230

    Those concerned about their environmental impact might start by having fewer children.

    I don't think that's necessarily true. Fossil fuel dependency is basically just a (solvable) technology and organizational problem. Any intelligent human can help solve it. If the average human can do more to help solve it than they consume, more humans will be a net positive.
    Exactly.

    Today is one of the most nihilistic and misanthropic threads I've read.
    There is a tendency amongst people, and occasionally prevalent on this board, to believe that if only other people would cease to exist or stop doing things the world would be so much better. It's kinda annoying.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,957
    geoffw said:

    Interesting that the number of reported cases of Coronavirus cases has stopped its vertical climb - we can only hope that quarantine is having some effect (although it may just be the administrators don't work Sundays :/ ). Check out bottom right.

    https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

    Pangolin suspected to be the animal source. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00364-2
    Fucking "traditional Chinese medicine"...... I

    If some good does come out of this outbreak, it will be that

    ground up bones of exotic and rare animals = death
  • IshmaelZ said:

    kinabalu said:

    isam said:

    My bugbear! Why, when Fenchurch St became 'London Fenchurch St', and Liverpool St became 'London Liverpool St' did London Bridge not become 'London London Bridge'?

    Someone might think that it was previously called "Bridge" and the 'London' prefix was added at the same time as to the other main London stations

    It's a good point. "London Bridge London" would IMO work better, but I realize that does not resolve the exact flaw you raise.
    My favourite is 'County of County Durham County Council'. Alas that suggestion was not taken up.
    City of Townsville is good, as is Torpenhow (which means hillhillhill as well as having pronunciation issues.)
    Tre-pen-a is the correct pronunciation I understand..
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733
    IanB2 said:

    ydoethur said:

    A friend in Tamworth tells me there have been ten power cuts already this morning.

    Great that they are so quick in reconnecting it each time it goes off.
    I imagine what is happening is the system is temporarily shutting down when it detects surges to prevent damage, and then restarting.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733

    geoffw said:

    Interesting that the number of reported cases of Coronavirus cases has stopped its vertical climb - we can only hope that quarantine is having some effect (although it may just be the administrators don't work Sundays :/ ). Check out bottom right.

    https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

    Pangolin suspected to be the animal source. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00364-2
    Fucking "traditional Chinese medicine"...... I

    If some good does come out of this outbreak, it will be that

    ground up bones of exotic and rare animals = death
    I thought the fucking traditional Chinese medicine was rhinoceros horn.
  • FF43FF43 Posts: 15,543
    ..
    nunu2 said:

    They dont need to lose their minds, it won't happen.
    I suspect those "leaking" the mansion tax and pension raids know what they are doing. Probably both a softening up and a dead cat distraction.
  • Mr. Meeks, sounds draconian. You'll be advocating flight limits and second home bans next.

    What's so funny is that Mr. Meeks is the same poster in the past who's argued for lifting of restrictions on immigration in the past for economic and demographic reasons and argued that there's no natural limit to the size of the population in the UK.
    It’s almost as though if the bigger problem were addressed, the smaller problem would be solved almost automatically.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,080
    edited February 2020

    Petrol stations and charging points are two completely different things and there's no reason why the former should steadily morph into the latter. Why would nice people go to a "petrol station" to charge their e-car if more convenient options are available? In the fulness of time (maybe 10-15 years) petrol stations will be where poor people hang out, replenishing their old bangers 10 litres at a time, with forecourt convenience stores replaced by vape shops, tattoo parlours and fried chicken counters.

    Doing you the favour of taking your point seriously, the biggest change will be that fuel stations change from being somewhere you rush into, maybe grabbing a choc bar or packet of crisps as you go, to places you spend half an hour or an hour while your car recharges. It will be interesting to see the competition that will emerge between food/drink/leisure/entertainment offerings at such locations to encourage drivers to stop by.

    One business currently on the edge of the law where having a pool of customers with half an hour to spare would offer great synergy springs immediately to mind.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,230
    CatMan said:

    nunu2 said:

    They dont need to lose their minds, it won't happen.
    Do you mean they won't raise taxes to pay for Brexit or Brexit won't need tax rises to pay for it?
    You don't understand. Brexit means that lots of money comes in and no money goes out and we can all become rich. It was on the side of a bus and everything. It's perfectly obvious to The Great Minds Of The Telegraph and everybody who thinks otherwise is a dirty Remoaner. Obviously.

    (grits teeth)
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603
    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733
    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Except with those tenants who lose their homes as a result.
  • viewcode said:

    Those concerned about their environmental impact might start by having fewer children.

    I don't think that's necessarily true. Fossil fuel dependency is basically just a (solvable) technology and organizational problem. Any intelligent human can help solve it. If the average human can do more to help solve it than they consume, more humans will be a net positive.
    Exactly.

    Today is one of the most nihilistic and misanthropic threads I've read.
    There is a tendency amongst people, and occasionally prevalent on this board, to believe that if only other people would cease to exist or stop doing things the world would be so much better. It's kinda annoying.
    We can forget any solution to climate change based on people volunteering to eat vegetables for the rest of their days, never fly anywhere and never to have children, the most natural human instinct of all.

    The solution has to be technological, and a more sophisticated and advanced economy that allows sustainability, and to maintain existing living standards, or it won't stick or be accepted.

    That means sustainable meat raising (there's a good argument we need to eat more grass fed ruminant meat, not less) and diversified and balanced fishing, it means developing poor countries so their economies don't require large families (with the human population naturally levelling out) and it means electric/renewable based aviation.

    Then we can have a happy future we can all look forward to. Not one that makes me want to slit my wrists just thinking about it.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733

    ydoethur said:

    A friend in Tamworth tells me there have been ten power cuts already this morning.

    Best of luck to drivers of electric cars.
    They run on batteries!
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797
    ydoethur said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Except with those tenants who lose their homes as a result.
    Does a house magically disappear when it's sold?

  • Jonathan said:

    It’s funny how certain right wing types look to government to act first. They’ll be demanding an EU subsidy next.

    Thank you for your contribution to the debate.

    Most welcome and insightful.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733
    eek said:

    ydoethur said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Except with those tenants who lose their homes as a result.
    Does a house magically disappear when it's sold?
    No, but a tenancy can. If you can’t afford to buy and no properties are being let out, where do you live?
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603
    ydoethur said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Except with those tenants who lose their homes as a result.
    They'll find somewhere else. This argument has been used time and again, but we lived for years without landlords owning 4.5m residential properties. Private landlords need to be absolutely rinsed for as much money as possible.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,080
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    A friend in Tamworth tells me there have been ten power cuts already this morning.

    Best of luck to drivers of electric cars.
    They run on batteries!
    And are no better at jumping trees than other vehicles.
  • Mr. Meeks, sounds draconian. You'll be advocating flight limits and second home bans next.

    What's so funny is that Mr. Meeks is the same poster in the past who's argued for lifting of restrictions on immigration in the past for economic and demographic reasons and argued that there's no natural limit to the size of the population in the UK.
    It’s almost as though if the bigger problem were addressed, the smaller problem would be solved almost automatically.
    Who do you think is having too many children who you'd like to see have less?
  • eekeek Posts: 24,797
    ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    ydoethur said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Except with those tenants who lose their homes as a result.
    Does a house magically disappear when it's sold?
    No, but a tenancy can. If you can’t afford to buy and no properties are being let out, where do you live?
    Unless the house is being bought as a second home the chances are the market equilibrium remains - some where in the chain someone is purchasing a house for the first time and is so moving from and freeing up a rented property.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,080
    ydoethur said:

    Ridiculous tweet.

    The Telegraph lost its mind many, many years ago.

    Empathy with its readers.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,230

    viewcode said:

    Those concerned about their environmental impact might start by having fewer children.

    I don't think that's necessarily true. Fossil fuel dependency is basically just a (solvable) technology and organizational problem. Any intelligent human can help solve it. If the average human can do more to help solve it than they consume, more humans will be a net positive.
    Exactly.

    Today is one of the most nihilistic and misanthropic threads I've read.
    There is a tendency amongst people, and occasionally prevalent on this board, to believe that if only other people would cease to exist or stop doing things the world would be so much better. It's kinda annoying.
    We can forget any solution to climate change based on people volunteering to eat vegetables for the rest of their days, never fly anywhere and never to have children, the most natural human instinct of all.

    The solution has to be technological, and a more sophisticated and advanced economy that allows sustainability, and to maintain existing living standards, or it won't stick or be accepted.

    That means sustainable meat raising (there's a good argument we need to eat more grass fed ruminant meat, not less) and diversified and balanced fishing, it means developing poor countries so their economies don't require large families (with the human population naturally levelling out) and it means electric/renewable based aviation.

    Then we can have a happy future we can all look forward to. Not one that makes me want to slit my wrists just thinking about it.
    Indeed.
  • Cummings war with the media.

    "Johnson has taken part in a regular “People’s PMQs” session on Facebook, where he reads out mostly softball questions from punters. The format has not received universal acclaim. “It is fucking shit,” one Conservative MP told BuzzFeed News."

    https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexwickham/boris-johnson-government-war-on-media
  • England going all Spursy in the cricket...
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603
    eek said:

    ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    ydoethur said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Except with those tenants who lose their homes as a result.
    Does a house magically disappear when it's sold?
    No, but a tenancy can. If you can’t afford to buy and no properties are being let out, where do you live?
    Unless the house is being bought as a second home the chances are the market equilibrium remains - some where in the chain someone is purchasing a house for the first time and is so moving from and freeing up a rented property.
    Indeed, it's a transfer of property from landlords to owner occupiers. It has already started because of the rate relief withdrawal.
  • maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,391

    Interesting that the number of reported cases of Coronavirus cases has stopped its vertical climb - we can only hope that quarantine is having some effect (although it may just be the administrators don't work Sundays :/ ). Check out bottom right.

    https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

    But does the 8-9 Feb jump take account of a 24 hour period? If so then it's good news, because the gradient didn't decline much on the last two Sundays, but I suspect it doesn't and that it will be updated.
    The trend has been on the way down for a few days now -

    https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-cases/
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,230
    I've worked out what's happening to Joe Biden. He's been asked to choose the Holy Grail and he has chosen... poorly.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIitjokEJwg
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,957

    Mr. Meeks, sounds draconian. You'll be advocating flight limits and second home bans next.

    What's so funny is that Mr. Meeks is the same poster in the past who's argued for lifting of restrictions on immigration in the past for economic and demographic reasons and argued that there's no natural limit to the size of the population in the UK.
    It’s almost as though if the bigger problem were addressed, the smaller problem would be solved almost automatically.
    Who do you think is having too many children who you'd like to see have less?
    Environmentalists with a tribe of snot-goblins in tow.

    At least until we identify the smug hypocritical bastard trait in the human genome....
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 47,080

    Those concerned about their environmental impact might start by having fewer children.

    Fertility rates are already below replacement level throughout the developed world and in the majority of other countries; the problem of runaway population growth is confined principally to Africa and parts of the Middle East, i.e. where levels of education, healthcare, income and female emancipation are lowest, and where the grip of religion is most vice-like. Good luck solving that in a hurry.

    The UK TFR, by contrast, is at around 1.8 which already implies long-term population decline, unless the losses are made good by ongoing net immigration. People here having even fewer babies than they do already is not going to make a meaningful difference.
    England’s population was under 8 million in 1801. It is over 55 million now. It just had its population explosion earlier.
    The problem with the facts is that they are racist.

    1) Fertility rates in developed countries are all below replacement. Sometimes massively.
    2) Fertility rates in undeveloped countries are generally massively about replacement.
    3) Any policy which impacts non-white people more than white people is racist
    4) Any meaningful attempt to reduce future population is racist, since it would have to be concentrated in places such as Africa.

    This is why environmentalists wibble about reducing the number of children but get very upset when you ask where.
    I’d link to the classic Hans Rosling video if I had it to hand.

    Most the the extra people in the world over the remainder of our lifetimes will be African, but the African population will level off by the time we are done, at a considerably higher level than now. Helping Africa use all these extra people gainfully is a key challenge for the coming decades.
  • Mr. Meeks, sounds draconian. You'll be advocating flight limits and second home bans next.

    What's so funny is that Mr. Meeks is the same poster in the past who's argued for lifting of restrictions on immigration in the past for economic and demographic reasons and argued that there's no natural limit to the size of the population in the UK.
    It’s almost as though if the bigger problem were addressed, the smaller problem would be solved almost automatically.
    Who do you think is having too many children who you'd like to see have less?
    Environmentalists with a tribe of snot-goblins in tow.

    At least until we identify the smug hypocritical bastard trait in the human genome....
    Much of the current debate is basically snobbery, not about solutions.

    People want to feel superior to others who fly and eat more meat than they do so they can judge them and reinforce their own tenuous emotional security.
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,230
    In my constant quest to provide you with easily comprehemsible and incisive analysis, may I present SNL's verbatim dramatisation of the latest Democratic debate.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLz6ydbq3D8
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,673
    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Not for those with second properties
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603
    malcolmg said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Not for those with second properties
    Fuck 'em, Malc. If they can afford a second home they can afford to pay more tax.
  • Petrol stations and charging points are two completely different things and there's no reason why the former should steadily morph into the latter. Why would nice people go to a "petrol station" to charge their e-car if more convenient options are available? In the fulness of time (maybe 10-15 years) petrol stations will be where poor people hang out, replenishing their old bangers 10 litres at a time, with forecourt convenience stores replaced by vape shops, tattoo parlours and fried chicken counters.

    All your prejudices in one location - you could go to the "Deplorables Zoo"?
    The propensity of nail bars, hair shops and fried chicken outlets is often a far more accurate assessment of the local demographics than a census that’s eight years out of date.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 41,673
    MaxPB said:

    ydoethur said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Except with those tenants who lose their homes as a result.
    They'll find somewhere else. This argument has been used time and again, but we lived for years without landlords owning 4.5m residential properties. Private landlords need to be absolutely rinsed for as much money as possible.
    Who will buy the houses, are the people renting because they are masochists or due to them being unable to buy a house. You think they will live in tents or that tax goes up to let councils buy lots of houses.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603
    malcolmg said:

    MaxPB said:

    ydoethur said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Except with those tenants who lose their homes as a result.
    They'll find somewhere else. This argument has been used time and again, but we lived for years without landlords owning 4.5m residential properties. Private landlords need to be absolutely rinsed for as much money as possible.
    Who will buy the houses, are the people renting because they are masochists or due to them being unable to buy a house. You think they will live in tents or that tax goes up to let councils buy lots of houses.
    First time buyers, it's already happening. The downwards pressure on house prices from the existing taxes has already started to have an effect. Additional punitive taxes on second properties will allow more people to own their own homes, rather than rent them from parasite landlords.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,072
    ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    ydoethur said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Except with those tenants who lose their homes as a result.
    Does a house magically disappear when it's sold?
    No, but a tenancy can. If you can’t afford to buy and no properties are being let out, where do you live?
    Not really. The tenancy transfers. Is the government still committed to removing section 21 evictions?
  • MaxPB said:

    malcolmg said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Not for those with second properties
    Fuck 'em, Malc. If they can afford a second home they can afford to pay more tax.
    I've sold mine now. Phew.

    I was desperate to avoid the MaxPB wrath!
  • ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    ydoethur said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Except with those tenants who lose their homes as a result.
    Does a house magically disappear when it's sold?
    No, but a tenancy can. If you can’t afford to buy and no properties are being let out, where do you live?
    Not really. The tenancy transfers. Is the government still committed to removing section 21 evictions?
    Haven't BTL landlords been hit enough? Surely it is someone else's turn for a good kicking?
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,072
    Having owned a home now for nearly 2 years now, I appreciate some of the benefits of renting.

    There simply needs to be more security of tenure and rents below or equal to mortgage payments.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 49,957
    ydoethur said:

    geoffw said:

    Interesting that the number of reported cases of Coronavirus cases has stopped its vertical climb - we can only hope that quarantine is having some effect (although it may just be the administrators don't work Sundays :/ ). Check out bottom right.

    https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

    Pangolin suspected to be the animal source. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00364-2
    Fucking "traditional Chinese medicine"...... I

    If some good does come out of this outbreak, it will be that

    ground up bones of exotic and rare animals = death
    I thought the fucking traditional Chinese medicine was rhinoceros horn.
    Tiger dick too.

    Plus other things that make us in the west go "huh?"
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603

    MaxPB said:

    malcolmg said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Not for those with second properties
    Fuck 'em, Malc. If they can afford a second home they can afford to pay more tax.
    I've sold mine now. Phew.

    I was desperate to avoid the MaxPB wrath!
    :D

    It's the only way to ensure the party survives in the long term. We need to bring the age of home ownership down to the early 30s or late 20s again.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603

    Having owned a home now for nearly 2 years now, I appreciate some of the benefits of renting.

    There simply needs to be more security of tenure and rents below or equal to mortgage payments.

    What benefits?
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603

    ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    ydoethur said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Except with those tenants who lose their homes as a result.
    Does a house magically disappear when it's sold?
    No, but a tenancy can. If you can’t afford to buy and no properties are being let out, where do you live?
    Not really. The tenancy transfers. Is the government still committed to removing section 21 evictions?
    Haven't BTL landlords been hit enough? Surely it is someone else's turn for a good kicking?
    No, we need to tax the parasites out of existence.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,072
    MaxPB said:

    Having owned a home now for nearly 2 years now, I appreciate some of the benefits of renting.

    There simply needs to be more security of tenure and rents below or equal to mortgage payments.

    What benefits?
    The ability to move at relatively short notice, not having to worry about house prices, remortgaging, structural issues, boiler maintenance, and redecorating. That sort of thing.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,715

    As we are battered here by storm Ciara with Llanrwst, Betws y Coed, Colwyn Bay and large parts of the Conwy Valley suffering extensive flooding and storm damage, wind speeds of 93mph at Aberdaron and 86mph at Capel Curig recorded, and the sea is foaming with both the Llandudno and Moelfre lifeboats launched to save lives for those in 'peril on the sea', idiotic Sky have a reporter standing yards from the foaming sea in Milford, while stones and debris are thrown up behind her and she struggles to stand.

    Irresponsible and dangerous reporting on the storm and entirely inappropriate.

    Billy sitch
  • MaxPB said:

    MaxPB said:

    malcolmg said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Not for those with second properties
    Fuck 'em, Malc. If they can afford a second home they can afford to pay more tax.
    I've sold mine now. Phew.

    I was desperate to avoid the MaxPB wrath!
    :D

    It's the only way to ensure the party survives in the long term. We need to bring the age of home ownership down to the early 30s or late 20s again.
    I agree.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,072
    I would be perfectly happy to sell my house and rent high quality accommodation from a professional landlord company indefinitely to be honest.

    It is something I am seriously considering.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733

    ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    ydoethur said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Except with those tenants who lose their homes as a result.
    Does a house magically disappear when it's sold?
    No, but a tenancy can. If you can’t afford to buy and no properties are being let out, where do you live?
    Not really. The tenancy transfers. Is the government still committed to removing section 21 evictions?
    Don’t know. But if there is a tax on second properties I will have to sell, and to sell at anything like the market rate I will have to evict my tenant.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 31,715

    Cummings war with the media.

    "Johnson has taken part in a regular “People’s PMQs” session on Facebook, where he reads out mostly softball questions from punters. The format has not received universal acclaim. “It is fucking shit,” one Conservative MP told BuzzFeed News."

    https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexwickham/boris-johnson-government-war-on-media

    Private Eye has an excellent take on it.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733
    MaxPB said:

    ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    ydoethur said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Except with those tenants who lose their homes as a result.
    Does a house magically disappear when it's sold?
    No, but a tenancy can. If you can’t afford to buy and no properties are being let out, where do you live?
    Not really. The tenancy transfers. Is the government still committed to removing section 21 evictions?
    Haven't BTL landlords been hit enough? Surely it is someone else's turn for a good kicking?
    No, we need to tax the parasites out of existence.
    I think that’s harsh. You don’t need to be taxed out of existence.
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 37,603
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    ydoethur said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Except with those tenants who lose their homes as a result.
    Does a house magically disappear when it's sold?
    No, but a tenancy can. If you can’t afford to buy and no properties are being let out, where do you live?
    Not really. The tenancy transfers. Is the government still committed to removing section 21 evictions?
    Don’t know. But if there is a tax on second properties I will have to sell, and to sell at anything like the market rate I will have to evict my tenant.
    Lol, a landlord trying to avoid the truth of being a parasite.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 66,733

    Cummings war with the media.

    "Johnson has taken part in a regular “People’s PMQs” session on Facebook, where he reads out mostly softball questions from punters. The format has not received universal acclaim. “It is fucking shit,” one Conservative MP told BuzzFeed News."

    https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexwickham/boris-johnson-government-war-on-media

    Private Eye has an excellent take on it.
    Didn’t that nutcase Chavez used to do something similar?
  • viewcodeviewcode Posts: 18,230

    I would be perfectly happy to sell my house and rent high quality accommodation from a professional landlord company indefinitely to be honest.

    It is something I am seriously considering.

    Don't. It's a stunningly bad financial decision. If you have a lot of money and are in the latter stages of your life then it makes sense, but otherwise no: renting instead of buying is a money bonfire. If you need to be away from your house for a prolonged period of time then rent out your house or get one or two lodgers in.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,072
    MaxPB said:

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    ydoethur said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Except with those tenants who lose their homes as a result.
    Does a house magically disappear when it's sold?
    No, but a tenancy can. If you can’t afford to buy and no properties are being let out, where do you live?
    Not really. The tenancy transfers. Is the government still committed to removing section 21 evictions?
    Don’t know. But if there is a tax on second properties I will have to sell, and to sell at anything like the market rate I will have to evict my tenant.
    Lol, a landlord trying to avoid the truth of being a parasite.
    I’m no fan of private landlords (sorry @ydoethur ) purely because in my experience they tend to treat it as a god-given right to profit rather than as a business venture.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 61,563
    MaxPB said:

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    eek said:

    ydoethur said:

    MaxPB said:

    If the new property taxes are on second properties (BTL and holiday homes) it will be hugely popular.

    Except with those tenants who lose their homes as a result.
    Does a house magically disappear when it's sold?
    No, but a tenancy can. If you can’t afford to buy and no properties are being let out, where do you live?
    Not really. The tenancy transfers. Is the government still committed to removing section 21 evictions?
    Don’t know. But if there is a tax on second properties I will have to sell, and to sell at anything like the market rate I will have to evict my tenant.
    Lol, a landlord trying to avoid the truth of being a parasite.
    And what trade are you in ?
  • ydoethur said:

    A friend in Tamworth tells me there have been ten power cuts already this morning.

    Best of luck to drivers of electric cars.
    What a bizarre comment. Do petrol stations operate during power cuts?
  • brokenwheelbrokenwheel Posts: 3,352

    ydoethur said:

    geoffw said:

    Interesting that the number of reported cases of Coronavirus cases has stopped its vertical climb - we can only hope that quarantine is having some effect (although it may just be the administrators don't work Sundays :/ ). Check out bottom right.

    https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

    Pangolin suspected to be the animal source. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00364-2
    Fucking "traditional Chinese medicine"...... I

    If some good does come out of this outbreak, it will be that

    ground up bones of exotic and rare animals = death
    I thought the fucking traditional Chinese medicine was rhinoceros horn.
    Tiger dick too.

    Plus other things that make us in the west go "huh?"
    Funnily enough Tiger makes people in China go 'huh' too..

    (Hu3 is the phonetic for Tiger)
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,072
    viewcode said:

    I would be perfectly happy to sell my house and rent high quality accommodation from a professional landlord company indefinitely to be honest.

    It is something I am seriously considering.

    Don't. It's a stunningly bad financial decision. If you have a lot of money and are in the latter stages of your life then it makes sense, but otherwise no: renting instead of buying is a money bonfire. If you need to be away from your house for a prolonged period of time then rent out your house or get one or two lodgers in.
    That’s only true if you believe house prices will remain static or rise. There’s no guarantee of that.

    You see all those stories of people buying flats and houses they cannot sell due to cladding or leasehold issues. They would have been better off renting.
This discussion has been closed.