*_ash_*

4 electric buses? In China, all the buses are electric. What's the point in being free? How is that good business? All the buses here, and trains, are all cheap. No need for free.

I haven't read all 11 pages, but is this being paid for by the CAZ? If so, then that's maybe a good thing.

*Some typos and lack of clarity in my last post, and I couldn't edit it* (jesting aside) The protesters should be complaining to the top (Waitrose bosses)!! Why should I have to go and protest about the protesters? How could I? not to mention would be a waste of time, because the Chief Constanble isn't responsible for Britain's problems.

As simple as that! haha. This is why the Police don't do anything. They know someone will pull one of these reasons out of the bag, and it's not worth pursuing. A protester has a lot more power thanks to successive crap governments, pampering to things that make policing impossible in this country. Someone early on said I haven't seen anything about this. So, in a way, I have given them coverage. I'm now as guilty for giving them publicity. Hopefully not good though. Really? I would wager that most Waitrose customers are alreasy in favour of Isreal. Furthermore, it was apparently over some grapes or dates, that were produced in Isreal. If they don't like Waitrose, then go and protest outside the rich people you hate who make all the money. Not hassle people just trying to go about their day.

People have the right to protest in the UK. Does this include intimidating, waving flags, whistling and shouting (INSIDE the shop) in the face of vulnerable elderly people? My parents are both deaf and struggle with walking and don't need this when they just went to buy a loaf of bread. My Mum is shook up beyond belief and already in poor health. She said one of the flag wavers nearly knocked her over. The police? Stood watching. I'm surprised there were any police actually. I haven't seen a police officer in years.

I'm currently studying (last 9 months) in Asia, and meeting more Europeans than I ever have. This often comes up in conversation about the decision. From what I hear, all this arguing over 3.9% and 3.4% growth/loss this and that, is nothing. Germans, French, and northern Europeans that I chat to, in general are of the same feeling... their country is going downhill, and they realise why English voted for it. It's mainly the same reason too, immigration issues. The thing is, no one is allowed to discuss this in England, and from what they tell me, is the same in their countries. Fear of racism. They all say the same thing, far right groups are growing due to being told to shut up. Sounds like UK to me. I know this is on 594 pages now, and I no doubt commented when I used to post, but I'm sure my opinion hasn't changed. If not for immigration (particularly into poor areas) it wouldn't have gone the way it did.

It's a bit of a sorry state for both Sheffield clubs at the moment. Wednesday look doomed. United's only chance is if 3 teams get relegated due to 3 teams being relegated due to financial cheating. It's nice being in the premiership and getting there on merit, but whatever league you are in, it's incredibly depressing being humiliated every week. Luckily, I'm not there to see it in person at the Lane, but even on the other side of the world, I watch the highlights if I can get my vpn to work, and it's a sorry sight. I still feel it even here. New manager? old manager? I'm not sure anyone can do it. The quality just isn't there. Good players, but not prem quality. It's not considered the best league in the world for nothing. Something definitely needs to change and very quickly if we are to survive. I think what's worse is that this is probably one of the easiest seasons to stay up in many years. So many bad sides.

I'm currently living in China, and almost everyone lives in flats. And people are civilised... Flats seems to be a dirty word in English now. I don't particularly like living in a small space, but I eat out every meal. My flat is simply somewhere to sleep. If England had cheap food and places to go that are cheap then maybe English people wouldn't complain. haha at 'room for a pony' reminds me of Hyacith Bucket

I think people do use 'leftie' a lot, probably me included. I don't think you are deeply left wing. However, maybe I would just use it because it's an easier way of typing something like: ideologist with no reasonable answers or logical thought to how to fix genuine problems that either have been proven not to work, or simply won't work because they are simply ideologies. To give an extreme example: All people should live together in peace and harmony. This kind of ideology is drummed into Brits, AND Europeans for a few decades (and USA too, we follow them!). I actually think this kind of attempted indocrination is actually bad for society, because it's trying to brush over issues that affect people every day... like the issues you mention, but on a much bigger scale. I don't think society is much different to other times, or other countries. There have ALWAYS been 'super' rich people, and always been the rest of us. I think the problem is that both Labour and Tory are both crap. They don't care about the future. They care about the next 4 years and keeping their wages and pension, and to be honest, if I was a politician without savings, I would probably follow the pack too. I'd be happy to hear from anyone that doesn't think about their own welfare and their families welfare before the people who will be alive in 50, 100 years.

The last two pages of your posts look like ranting, so I think you've lost your temper. Can I ask you a question... what do you think of working class (your definition of, meaning people who work hard and paying their taxes) buying stuff from Amazon?

What phone and computer do you use? 2. Who didn't invest? The Tories or Labour? Or you mean private companies? They did invest, in other countries where labour costs were cheaper. The same happens now, no different at all. 3. The only reason people ignore green industries is because it's more expensive. People don't want nuclear power, when clearly we could solve all our power problems with it. People don't want electric cars because you can't charge them, and it's becoming more expensice when you do.

But why? Labour's fault or Tory's fault? I want to know the difference between the possible governments.

It's not worth arguing with you as you are too set in your ways, but in reality there is little difference between the governments. People wanted more things and got them in these 'golden days of Labour' more money, less hours, more tea breaks, but ultimately there is always someone poorer wanting to do a job somewhere in the world. Where all the day to day stuff we buy in the shops is made, just moves from one place to another place depending who will make it for the cheapest price. It's a simple as that. There is as much blame on us for wanting cheap things, as there is to blame this or that, or any government here.

Easy travelling distance? All 3 are a pain in the A A high speed train would solve it. In recent months I've done Taipei (Taoyuan airport), Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen. All of them have a fast train directly to the city from the airport. The longest trip being 30 mins. A reliable high speed train to Manchester would probably be cheaper than building a new airport (to answer the previous posts not by you).

Definitely, this season has the worst sides in years, and I doubt they'll struggle to pull out of the bottom 4

In one recent film, whilst running around on my electric bike in rural areas (basically a moped, but electric) I found an area in the middle of nowhere, and a little girl was pumping water out of the ground. Me and my friend went to talk to them, and asked I asked (in Chinese) if I could record them, and they said, yeah! A lovely family, all smiling, and curious why a foreigner would want to see them. In England, people would say, wow!! such povery, but they had land, food, all smiling, and seemed happy. I was quite moved. I thought to myself, when I was selling my house, I had loads of foreigners saying 'can I come into your house to take things', and these two experiences were completely different. In England they wanted to steal my things. In China, they welcomed me into their house even though they didn't know me. It's a completely different mindset and place that has blown my mind really.

I think it peaked a few years ago in terms of growth, however, even during these bad times, and poorer growth following the pandemic, in general things are still much better than UK/USA. The growth rate is still higher than most countries, but they seem to sort things better. Far fewer private companies (though the current house thing is an issue) - but in day to day life, people tell me it's just harder than pre-pandemic - perhaps because of fewer tourists (both domestic and international). - I noticed that big companies were talked about in the last couple of pages... here, my experience is that city centres have lots of big companies, but where I live just outside town, there are absolutely 0% big companies. All single companies (one man bands).

Haha! No where is perfect, I'm not saying everything is perfect here, but it's so much better.

I don't think so. Obviously in the big cities, you're gonna pay a lot more but still nothing like UK prices. Doesn't really look they need to cap it, there's enough places so expensive prices wouldn't attract customers. The place I am in is temporary but locals tell me I'm paying way over the odds at £6 a night (£180 a month). I could get much cheaper if was here more long term. I can't get quotes to work but the other thing I mentioned is the transport system @Longcol In UK we've argued over this HSS thing for goodness how many years and at so much cost... here, they just built it all in 20 years or so and still going. I'm in a rural area, and still I got the HSS to here (Guilin) in 3 and half hours from Shenzhen airport which is about 630 km, and it was £35. Even Shanghai to Beijing I did which is 1,200 kms and that was only £60, no standing up, guaranteed seat, comfy, on time to the second. It's like being in some futuristic place here, in the big cities you can see a policeman all the time, no druggies outside every shop, no litter, empty shops. UK could learn a lot, but won't, like USA. Both just spend their time arguing and doing nothing.

Now, I'm not sure now that it is behind. I think the whole country is behind. I just watched a youtuber wendall or windall (was recommended) showing Grimbsy and Cleethorpes and some other places. Basically, Britain is a dump. It's totally behind the times, just like USA. So many reasons, so many problems, not sure the current system will fix it, just 2 opposing parties neither of which do anything. I'm currently in one of the poorest provinces (this is my place) in China, and it's leagues ahead of Britain. The main thing I think is right here, is rental prices are so low. I mean practically nothing, including shops. I chat to people here who run shops and ask them questions (because I can't see how they make any money) and basically rent is so cheap, that they only have to have a few customers and they can get by. Electricity is incredibly cheap, rent is cheap, transport is cheap (my electric scooter is £1 per day, and even then, someone said why not buy one they're only 900rmb (about £96)), and you charge it by plugging into the wall, not some over-complex crap that britain is trying to do. And there's a high speed train to bring tourists into the area. Honestly, UK media makes this place out to be bad, but I couldn't be happier. Everything is fair, no crime at all. No druggies. And my local pub (which to be honest is mainly westerners because it's too expense for many locals (and they aren't really beer drinkers, is £1 a pint) Britain needs to get this rent business sorted. Build nice tower blocks, and cheap rents. Get these uncompetitive wages down so we can start making things again, and still have money to spare to go and buy stuff.

The usual bragging rights banter is dead this season really, I would guess. It's probably the worst combinded season in history! There's very little hope for either side. All the excitement from the end of last season has been hoovered up, by reality, and very quickly. I'm more surprised by Weds though. I kind of expected that we would be in the crap, it's just a shame that this is probably the easiest premiership to survive in years, as there are some terrible teams in the mix. Only got to be better than 3 of them.

sadly me neither

I'm going here. Wonder if I'll find a Blades fan!

Endcliffe Park! It's comparing apples and oranges really. I like that they stayed at their location. It looks amazing, still got a Kop. Obviously older grounds have more character, and small grounds, some are in beautiful places. As a modern stadium though, it's the best I've seen. Talking of this game, I changed all of my travel plans at the last minute, and now in a hotel in the middle of nowhere, but it's only about 20 minutes in a cab to the place I went last week to watch the rugby. I just rang them, and as far as I understood, they're showing the game, so I'm going to get a taxi now. It's just nearly 9pm, so I think the kick off should be in 1 hour.

but, and major but! How many people trust this or any government with pensions schemes? How many people trust this or any government to allow private companies doing pension schemes? The old people now say they have been conned by past governments, and this is due to the world changing... well I would argue that the world is changing faster now than ever before... so who's to say where that money will go from your wages every month? I think it would be a brave government to propose such a thing, as it is likely to be a vote loser. What do you think? Let's not forget, the tories and the labour dont care about us, they care about winning votes, not the greater good.