villakram

6 hours ago, MakemineVanilla said:

Doing a tour on Google Street View, a lot of the formerly magnificent, abandoned schools, seem to have been demolished, but there are still huge areas of abandoned and broken-down houses.

There are abandoned houses in the north of England, such as Burnley, but not on the scale of Detroit.

I think it was the abandoned stadium which hit me the hardest.

I get the impression that there is such an abundance of land, that it's cheaper to build on a fresh plot than pay for demolition.

That is why I think American capitalism is so profligate.

It is all a sad reminder of Naomi Klein's book, The Shock Doctrine.

Cross the bridge into Hamilton, Ontario and there is a total transformation.

Ya, it's truly mad how big America is. The Detroit metro are is huge and the plot sizes accessible to average people is so far removed from what anyone in England/Ireland and probably most of the continent experience.

Modern development is going to lead to interesting things though as the build quality these days is so so poor. I imagine many of these properties will be in awful condition in 30-50yrs time and will make things like the rustbelt decay appear quaint.

6 hours ago, TheAuthority said:

Well Eu homelessness agency wouldn't be a national agency it would be international surely?

I understand what you mean about localized solutions, but 

1. The OP was talking about Federal funding.

2. As I stated, broadly speaking homeless people fall into 4 categories and that is a national trend

3. State level organization is a good idea but those buggers are even more partisan/prone to ridiculous political grand standing than anyone.

Yes, in its explicit construction. I would argue that the geographic scale makes the problems very similar. While in Europe you do have the more distinct language/culture changes that denote clearer boundaries between regions, it is nonetheless clear that the circumstances in southern Italy are far removed from the homelessness crisis in Ireland and I find it hard to see how an EU body could help. Distribute money to the states to deal with this issue, perhaps. The EU does provide a fantastic example of how central funds can be used to build infrastructure that raises the economic status of regions and that does massively help with a significant portion of the homelessness issue.. Unfortunately, that other portion is far trickier problem with no real solution as genetics and life circumstances chew us up all too readily.

Hold tight folks, you never know!

and you lot think I don't care... a little helping hand during these tough times, stay safe!

https://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Popcorn-Fresh

"Fortunately, you can make a few little changes to end up with popcorn that stays fluffy and crisp, even days after you popped it. "

21 hours ago, TheAuthority said:

Detroit suffered hugely after the '08 crash but is actually a success story now of how a city can bounce back, so no idea what you're on about there.

Sort of... downtown has bounced back, but the fundamental population (tax base) and blight issue (you don't have to wander too far from the sports district to start seeing it either) remains (with its accompanying social problems) and there is no quick fix for any of that on the horizon. 

21 hours ago, TheAuthority said:

There isn't a magic bullet to solve homelessness, but from my experience working a little in the area there are broadly 4 types of homeless people on US streets. (Generalizations are far from ideal, but this is a sort of accepted, broad breakdown of things.)

Drug addiction and/or mental health issues - This is the hardest constituent to rehabilitate and get back to functioning member of society.

Runaways, usually from physical or sexual abuse - The group that needs the 2nd most support in order to reenter society as the abuse is usually directed at them from childhood.

Economic hardship - Made unemployed, no family to support them or savings to fall back on. However these folks can be back on their feet relatively quickly given the correct support.

Fourth group is folks who have decided that they don't want to be part of "normal" society. Living on the streets, however hard, is infinitely preferable for them as opposed to getting a job, mortgage, life insurance, yadadadadada.

Usually, "funding" from Federal sources basically means making grants available to existing organizations that are tackling the problem. The issue with this is normally under staffing, under training and ultimately one group is working completely uncoordinated fro m other groups. Essentially the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. So, for example, if you can get someone with mental health issues counseling and back on the correct medication, but there may be no resources for getting that person into a halfway house that is safe and where they can still be monitored.

There should be a national agency on homelessness IMO, but again, voters will vote for lower taxes, better roads, better schools, trans people not being allowed to go to a bathroom or not allow gay people to get married before they think about homelessness.

I really don't think another national agency would be the way to go. I shudder at the thought of an EU homelessness agency for example.

Local level works much better, so this is something the states should take on, e.g., MI/IL/OH etc could then partner for their local geographical area specific problems.

Local high locked down today due to being swatted (hoax). Word is that this was a multi-county thing in Ohio today. Fooked up.

31 minutes ago, Mandy Lifeboats said:

Very well put @Anthony

USA attacked the Serbian power grid and caused suffering for innocent civilians.  This was wrong.  

Russia attacked the Ukrainian power grid and caused suffering for innocent civilians.  This is wrong.  

USA invaded Iraq based upon fictitious WMD in Iraq being a threat to the USA.  This was wrong. 

Russia invaded Ukraine based upon fictitious Nazis in Ukraine being a threat to Russia.  This was wrong.  

 

You are half projecting and half arguing with yourself. Paint anything I say as Russian, so it can be easily dismissed as they are an "other" and by implication different from us and evil. 

Going back to where all this started. The not an inch, and keep fighting until every inch is returned position, is a naive and comfortable thing to say when one lies very far away.  Hence the bizarre world we live in where the possibility for a cease fire during a horrible war is objectionable for those on the "good" side.

Further positive developments in the middle east, with fresh diplomatic ties between Syria and Saudi Arabia on the cards.

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230320-report-saudi-to-reopen-consulate-in-syria/

"Saudi Arabia plans to reopen its consulate in the Syrian capital, Damascus, nearly 12 years after it was closed due to the outbreak of the civil war, Russia's Sputnik news agency reported.

The agency quoted sources as saying that the kingdom may reopen the consulate in Damascus after the Eid Al-Fitr holiday, which follows the holy month of Ramadan.

According to the agency, mediation efforts led by Russia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have culminated in overcoming obstacles facing the two Arab countries, pointing out that the step comes after the deal reached between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore diplomatic relations."

18 hours ago, Mandy Lifeboats said:

Russia is right today because the USA did things wrong in the past.  

Russia have never done anything wrong.  But if they did,   the USA has done much worse. 

 

I'm happy that projecting like that makes you feel better about your opinions.

Meanwhile.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/03/17/iraq-invasion-ukraine-history-shadow/

“No one in the Biden administration today cares that [the Iraq War] ruined what credibility America had as a pillar of international order in the global south and gave Putin cover for his own atrocity,” wrote Juan Cole, a historian of the Middle East at the University of Michigan. “Who remembers anymore that, in 2003, we were Vladimir Putin?”""

or perhaps some of this might help.

https://consortiumnews.com/2023/03/20/iraq-20-years-chris-hedges-the-lords-of-chaos/

"The cheerleaders in the media for war — Thomas Friedman, David Remnick, Richard Cohen, George Packer, William Kristol, Peter Beinart, Bill Keller, Robert Kaplan, Anne Applebaum, Nicholas Kristof, Jonathan Chait, Fareed Zakaria, David Frum, Jeffrey Goldberg, David Brooks and Michael Ignatieff — were used to amplify the lies and discredit the handful of us, including Michael Moore, Robert Scheer and Phil Donahue, who opposed the war.

These courtiers were often motivated more by careerism than idealism. They did not lose their megaphones or lucrative speaking fees and book contracts once the lies were exposed, as if their crazed diatribes did not matter. They served the centers of power and were rewarded for it.

Many of these same pundits are pushing further escalation of the war in Ukraine, although most know as little about Ukraine or NATO’s provocative and unnecessary expansion to the borders of Russia as they did about Iraq."

The world is much more complicated than the good vs evil narrative.

3 hours ago, Rolta said:

The problem is mainly that you don't really seem to have ever realised that writing is a form of actual communication with other human beings! 

The joys of the internet.

Meanwhile Washington continues to find money to bail out the financial system and the Ukraine war with a DoD budget approaching $1T while inflation runs rampant and real wages continue to fall. 

Trump, Trump, Trump... bwah bwah, answer our questions. Look, a frog!

1 hour ago, bickster said:

source?

an unimportant randomer called John Kirby.

1 hour ago, StefanAVFC said:

what about lack of communication between people with no discernable political viewpoints or clear responses to direct questions?

Expecting clarity in an instant is a sad indictment of our times. Headlines, headlines, headlines... long live the sub!

Meanwhile the US comes out hard against any possible idea of a ceasefire, if Xi dares to come up with the idea while talking with Putin and Zelenskyy over the coming days.

Strange times.

On 18/03/2023 at 21:03, maqroll said:

Just use the mute function, it makes Off Topic so much more enjoyable.  

A lack of communication between people of differing political viewpoints is one of the contributing factors to our current political times.

7 hours ago, sidcow said:

Rather like batteries heat pumps are only going to get more efficient and cheaper. 

Really the only thing hiding them back is the need to revert back to hot water tanks and the ludicrous state of the energy market making electricity artificially high. 

There are issues with properly trained installers but that's obviously going to take time with retraining.  Everything I've seen suggests the installer is the most important thing.  They need to actually design the system properly unlike boilers where they'd just chuck in an oversized boiler. 

A second pump for the water tank is an option, but some elec backup will aways be necessary, e.g., there's a this old house episode where they add a portable heat pump to a big old US style water tank. 2nd vid is an all in one unit.

20 hours ago, Mandy Lifeboats said:

You have just repeated the exact thing you claim you didn't say!!!!!!!

Diego Garcia was not "found" by the UK. 

It was found by a Portugese captain working for Spain.  The island was settled by the French.  

Good Sir, might I kindly suggest that you read my posts rather than "read" them. 

2 hours ago, Mandy Lifeboats said:

That's the one.  The UK behaved appalling.

But @villakramseems to think it was an island discovered by the Royal Navy (It wasn't) and conquered by the Royal Navy (it wasn't).  

There are enough instances of the UK acting badly throughout history.  There is no need to make up history.  

I never stated that. I simply provided it as an example of the places that the UK "found" that also just happen to be incredibly important geo-strategic places. Coincidence of course.

I am fully aware of the appalling behavior related to Diego Garcia. Pilger has done trojan work about this.

8 hours ago, Mandy Lifeboats said:

Having Charles as head of state does not make you part of the British Empire.

I love your idea that Argentina should own the Falklands because it’s closest. 

When will the US be giving Alaska to Canada?  They are much closer. There are hundreds of examples like that.  Just from memory  - UK, Spain, Denmark, Russia, Portugal, Turkey and France all own land that’s closer to another country. 

  
 

 

 

I hope you take a day off to take in the coronation pageantry.

Empires acting empire like all through history, you don't say. 

8 hours ago, Mandy Lifeboats said:

Discovered uninhabited by a Portuguese Captain in the employment of Spain.  
First settled by the French.  Handed to the UK partially by treaty and partially by purchase. 

Not sure of the Royal Navy’s role in this one.  
 

They gave (leaseed or fully, unsure) it to the US when the Brit empire was running out of steam.

Missing out on Europe, but with a good finish to the season would set us up for a real run at things next year. Imho, we are miles away from having the strength to play a European schedule and domestic comps.

7 hours ago, Mandy Lifeboats said:

Oh.......I see now........

That's a very clear answer to: 

- Why do you think Canada/ Australia isn't independent from the UK?  

- Why do you think that Argentina are the rightful owners of the Falklands. 

King Charles is the head of state for Canada and Australia.

They make more sense than an Island thousands of miles away.

But, you know democracy and freedom. What do the Falklands, Gibraltar, Cyprus, Hong Kong and Diego Garcia have in common. Yay, the royal navy, freedom for all.

10 hours ago, Mandy Lifeboats said:

Yes and no. 

You hold your views and you express them. That’s great. This is a football forum and the debate on football matters can get very emotive.  But off topic is full of people with differing views putting them forward in an informative and often humorous way.   

What does frustrate me is that you make statements and then fail to follow up polite requests to explain and expand upon your viewpoint.  

I’d still love to hear your answers to the questions I asked you at the very start of this thread.  

 

... regarding Kings and Queens trading this and that for honor, riches, sons or daughters and other thoroughly egalitarian principles.

Yup, all above board Guv!

8 hours ago, nick76 said:

Plenty of good stats though that will get him reelected from the continuing new jobs monthly reports and the many accomplishments he's achieved.  Republicans could attack Biden on many things but they are getting in their own way too much at the moment to entice enough swing voters their way even if the economy has some issues over the next 18 months.

Hmmm...

His Alaska approval has really pissed in the left/green lobby punchbowl.

3 hours ago, The Fun Factory said:

The system is broken, the 2 runners will be guys into their 70s and 80s who can raise the most amount of money compared to their rivals. 

 

and 81yr old GOP senate leader Mitch has just been released from hospital due to a concussion and rib fracture from falling over.

The point I was making was related to various "not an inch" talk and directly to @bickster comment about how only the Ukrainian people had the say on the land (fullstop). I could have similarly replied anywhere else, but that was the most recent comment at the time. 

I was simply responding quite sharply, that while this is indeed a wonderful principle, the world does not work on principles. I could have used the US occupation of Syria too or blockade on Cuba or the legal status of Puerto Rico, but given the Brit audience, I thought a more local example would be appropriate. Apparently, I hit a sore spot.