@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar

Paulos_the_fog

@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org

Retired software engineer & woodworker.
Anglo-francophone.
Detest tories. Subscribe to green, leftish radical politics but not to any particular political party!.
Love the EU and all it stands for, moreover, I spent the last 10 years of my career working at an EU agency.
Enthusiastic photographer, especially wildlife and most especially butterflies.
Slightly knowledgeable gardener.
Atheist; loathe almost all religions and pity the people deluded enough to follow them. I make exceptions for Buddhism as it isn't really a religion in the strictest sense of the word as it doesn't postulate the existence of any god, and Jainism which is the epitome of peace.

For anyone who is interested, my header photo is of the most stupendous sunset I have ever seen. On the right is the waterfront of Vientiane, the capital of Laos, on the left is Thailand and in the middle, acting as the border between the two countries is the mighty Mekong river.

#FBPE

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nyquildotorg, (edited ) to random
@nyquildotorg@fedia.social avatar

I've heard the story about how the A&W 1/3 lb burger at the same price as McDonald's Quarter Pounder failed because America is bad at fractions, but I do not believe that's the whole story.

Incredibly important factors:

  1. A&W burgers sucked.

  2. McDonalds was already an advertising juggernaut by that point. No kids have ever begged their parents to go to A&W to get a burger, which means the parents don't need to buy a bigger burger.

Paulos_the_fog,
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar

@nyquildotorg

Jesus god! You make it sound as if the toxic, vaguely beef flavoured cardboard sold by McDs is edible!

If A&W burgers were worst than that utter crap, I'm surprised that anyone went there!

Paulos_the_fog,
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar

@nyquildotorg

It seems to me that it is a real shame the kids are being raised to actually crave food that is appallingly bad for them. McDonald's along with most 'fast food', may please kids palates but it is a major factor in the obesity epidemic that afflicts the USA and to a lesser extent, the UK. Notice that in countries like France where sane, healthy eating is still a thing, the rate of obesity is orders of magnitude lower than in the USA where people habitually stuff their faces with shite!

Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar
Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar
Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar

Christ - you have to wonder about the mentality of US politicians. Are they mostly complete fuckin imbeciles!

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/oh-dear-god-tennessee-just-passed-a-bill-banning-chemtrails-which-are-not-real/ar-AA1ngcSJ?cvid=55ca01041ac8478cb8c8a87178ae6be2&ei=28

freemo, to random
@freemo@qoto.org avatar

At this point im pretty sure we are one election away regardless of who wins.

Paulos_the_fog,
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar

@freemo

Back in 2015 I was notified of a vacancy by Jobserve. The vacancy fitted me to an absolute T, but after reading the job spec a couple of times, I realised that it was the job spec that I had written myself to recruit my replacement as I was retiring!

osma, to random
@osma@mas.to avatar

Does this need to be said? Never rent a printer. It barely makes sense for businesses (where it pays for maintenance of very complex machines), it definitely makes no sense for a home device.

My Samsung laser is fine. Practically any Brother printer is more than fine.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/02/hp-wants-you-to-pay-up-to-36-month-to-rent-a-printer-that-it-monitors/

Paulos_the_fog,
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar

@osma

I have two Brother printers an A4 colour laser and an A3 colour inkjet (mainly for printing photos). Both have delivered stunning results, even with non-original toner cartridges/ink cartridges and, unlike an HP inkjet I used to have, it doesn't refuse to function just because the cartridges are not theirs!

I have owned more than a few colour printers and have found Brother to be, by far the best, so far!

I would recommend avoiding Epson inkjets as the jets on their printers seem to block so often! HP likewise plus the problem mentioned above.

Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar

was just about to buy some avocados yesterday when I noticed that they were marked as grown in Israel - no thanks - I will not support the Israeli economy whilst they are committing mass murder against Palestinian civilians.

RickiTarr, to random
@RickiTarr@beige.party avatar

How do you feel about physical touch? I mean this is the broad sense, not necessarily in a sexual way, but you can answer however you wish.

Personally, I enjoy it a lot, and find it comforting, but only from really specific people. If strangers or people I don't know well want to hug me, it's okay, but I won't seek it out. I think handshakes are weird. Hey, you want to hold hands with a stranger for a short amount of time for some reason?

Paulos_the_fog,
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar

@RickiTarr

The level of touch that is acceptable and/or usual varies an awful lot from country to country and also from generation to generation.

When I was working in French speaking Belgium, I worked in an open plan office with perhaps 30 people in it. On arriving in the morning, it was obligatory for politeness sake to go round the room and give the women a kiss on each cheek and shake hands with all the men. The same applied when I worked in France. however, the number of kisses varies in France - in Orléans and that region generally, the tradition is four kisses whereas in eastern France and in Belgium, it is two.

That was not the case at all when I worked in Flemish speaking Belgium nor when I worked in the Netherlands. There it's no kisses and no handshakes!

When I returned to the UK after living in France for several years, people were slightly repulsed by the my touchy-feely ways and I had to revert to full British physical coldness to make myself socially acceptable again!

Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar

Someone asked "Why do some British people not like Donald Trump?"
Nate White, an articulate and witty writer from England, wrote this magnificent response:
"A few things spring to mind.
Trump lacks certain qualities which the British traditionally esteem.
For instance, he has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace - all qualities, funnily enough, with which his predecessor Mr. Obama was generously blessed.
So for us, the stark contrast does rather throw Trump’s limitations into embarrassingly sharp relief.
Plus, we like a laugh. And while Trump may be laughable, he has never once said anything wry, witty or even faintly amusing - not once, ever.
I don’t say that rhetorically, I mean it quite literally: not once, not ever. And that fact is particularly disturbing to the British sensibility - for us, to lack humour is almost inhuman.
But with Trump, it’s a fact. He doesn’t even seem to understand what a joke is - his idea of a joke is a crass comment, an illiterate insult, a casual act of cruelty.
Trump is a troll. And like all trolls, he is never funny and he never laughs; he only crows or jeers.
And scarily, he doesn’t just talk in crude, witless insults - he actually thinks in them. His mind is a simple bot-like algorithm of petty prejudices and knee-jerk nastiness.
There is never any under-layer of irony, complexity, nuance or depth. It’s all surface.
Some Americans might see this as refreshingly upfront.
Well, we don’t. We see it as having no inner world, no soul.
And in Britain we traditionally side with David, not Goliath. All our heroes are plucky underdogs: Robin Hood, Dick Whittington, Oliver Twist.
Trump is neither plucky, nor an underdog. He is the exact opposite of that.
He’s not even a spoiled rich-boy, or a greedy fat-cat.
He’s more a fat white slug. A Jabba the Hutt of privilege.
And worse, he is that most unforgivable of all things to the British: a bully.
That is, except when he is among bullies; then he suddenly transforms into a snivelling sidekick instead.
There are unspoken rules to this stuff - the Queensberry rules of basic decency - and he breaks them all. He punches downwards - which a gentleman should, would, could never do - and every blow he aims is below the belt. He particularly likes to kick the vulnerable or voiceless - and he kicks them when they are down.
So the fact that a significant minority - perhaps a third - of Americans look at what he does, listen to what he says, and then think 'Yeah, he seems like my kind of guy’ is a matter of some confusion and no little distress to British people, given that:

  • Americans are supposed to be nicer than us, and mostly are.
  • You don't need a particularly keen eye for detail to spot a few flaws in the man.
    This last point is what especially confuses and dismays British people, and many other people too; his faults seem pretty bloody hard to miss.
    After all, it’s impossible to read a single tweet, or hear him speak a sentence or two, without staring deep into the abyss. He turns being artless into an art form; he is a Picasso of pettiness; a Shakespeare of shit. His faults are fractal: even his flaws have flaws, and so on ad infinitum.
    God knows there have always been stupid people in the world, and plenty of nasty people too. But rarely has stupidity been so nasty, or nastiness so stupid.
    He makes Nixon look trustworthy and George W look smart.
    In fact, if Frankenstein decided to make a monster assembled entirely from human flaws - he would make a Trump.
    And a remorseful Doctor Frankenstein would clutch out big clump-fuls of hair and scream in anguish:
    'My God… what… have… I… created?
    If being a twat was a TV show, Trump would be the boxed set."
Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar

I would absolutely echo the views of the expert commentator! There is no way you will get me into a Boeing 737 Max series of aircraft unless it's at gunpoint!

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-01-30/boeing-max-9-flying-again-after-door-panel-blowout

Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar
Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar
Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar

Of course they are - the Russians bought the GOP lock-stock and barrel back in the Trump days and now the Republicans are doing everything they can to help the Russians whilst tut-tutting loudly about how awful the Russians are!
https://www.euronews.com/2023/12/05/us-running-out-of-cash-to-help-ukraine?utm_source=vuukle&utm_medium=talk_of_town

Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar
Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar
Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar
Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar

A British writer penned the best description of Donald Trump I’ve ever read:

“Why do some British people not like Donald Trump?”

A few things spring to mind. Trump lacks certain qualities which the British traditionally esteem. For instance, he has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace – all qualities, funnily enough, with which his predecessor Mr. Obama was generously blessed. So for us, the stark contrast does rather throw Trump’s limitations into embarrassingly sharp relief.

Plus, we like a laugh. And while Trump may be laughable, he has never once said anything wry, witty or even faintly amusing – not once, ever. I don’t say that rhetorically, I mean it quite literally: not once, not ever. And that fact is particularly disturbing to the British sensibility – for us, to lack humour is almost inhuman. But with Trump, it’s a fact. He doesn’t even seem to understand what a joke is – his idea of a joke is a crass comment, an illiterate insult, a casual act of cruelty.

Trump is a troll. And like all trolls, he is never funny and he never laughs; he only crows or jeers. And scarily, he doesn’t just talk in crude, witless insults – he actually thinks in them. His mind is a simple bot-like algorithm of petty prejudices and knee-jerk nastiness.

There is never any under-layer of irony, complexity, nuance or depth. It’s all surface. Some Americans might see this as refreshingly upfront. Well, we don’t. We see it as having no inner world, no soul. And in Britain we traditionally side with David, not Goliath. All our heroes are plucky underdogs: Robin Hood, Dick Whittington, Oliver Twist. Trump is neither plucky, nor an underdog. He is the exact opposite of that. He’s not even a spoiled rich-boy, or a greedy fat-cat. He’s more a fat white slug. A Jabba the Hutt of privilege.

And worse, he is that most unforgivable of all things to the British: a bully. That is, except when he is among bullies; then he suddenly transforms into a snivelling sidekick instead. There are unspoken rules to this stuff – the Queensberry rules of basic decency – and he breaks them all. He punches downwards – which a gentleman should, would, could never do – and every blow he aims is below the belt. He particularly likes to kick the vulnerable or voiceless – and he kicks them when they are down.

So the fact that a significant minority – perhaps a third – of Americans look at what he does, listen to what he says, and then think ‘Yeah, he seems like my kind of guy’ is a matter of some confusion and no little distress to British people, given that:

• Americans are supposed to be nicer than us, and mostly are.

• You don’t need a particularly keen eye for detail to spot a few flaws in the man.

This last point is what especially confuses and dismays British people, and many other people too; his faults seem pretty bloody hard to miss. After all, it’s impossible to read a single tweet, or hear him speak a sentence or two, without staring deep into the abyss. He turns being artless into an art form; he is a Picasso of pettiness; a Shakespeare of shit. His faults are fractal: even his flaws have flaws, and so on ad infinitum. God knows there have always been stupid people in the world, and plenty of nasty people too. But rarely has stupidity been so nasty, or nastiness so stupid. He makes Nixon look trustworthy and George W look smart. In fact, if Frankenstein decided to make a monster assembled entirely from human flaws – he would make a Trump.

And a remorseful Doctor Frankenstein would clutch out big clumpfuls of hair and scream in anguish: ‘My God… what… have… I… created?' If being a twat was a TV show, Trump would be the boxed set.”

-Nate White

Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar
Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar

The Conservatives say they can’t afford the Pension Triple lock because it is too expensive.

The UK has the lowest State pension in Europe, the oldest retirement age in the world and is the 6th richest nation in the world.

You would have to be damn stupid to believe that lie.

(with thanks to 'Blade of the Sun' for that one)

Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar

What is it about Americans that they seem completely unable to comprehend this?

Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar

There sure are some REALLY smashing people out there, aren't there

Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar

This research could bring about a revolution in the treatment of this awful disease!

I suspect that this will not be the last time mankind discovers the causative connection between a pathogen and a serious disease.

Remember the discovery of the connection between infection with Helicobacter pylori and stomach cancer. That was revolutionary at the time as doctors did not believe bacteria could survive in the extremely acid conditions in the human stomach.

The discovery that the tumorigenic HPV16 & HPV18 viruses were responsible for a substantial proportion of cervical cancer was just as revolutionary and led to the development of extremely effective vaccines targeting these viruses.

https://www.livescience.com/health/fertility-pregnancy-birth/endometriosis-may-be-caused-by-a-common-gut-bacteria-small-study-suggests

Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar
Paulos_the_fog, to random
@Paulos_the_fog@qoto.org avatar

This will the photo the world sees of Britain today - a peaceful protestor being arrested for exercising what used to be an inalienable right in the UK!!!

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