Renton

No, exactly. I was and still am a massive fan of the so called founders of Brit Pop, Suede, and they have fuck all to do with this movement in reality. Why weren't bands like Radiohead and the Manics classed as Brit Pop? It's not a musical movement, there is no coherence here. But for me the time did have a zeitgeist feel to it which I miss. Whether it was genuinely better or just because I was young I don't know. Also coincided with the best NUFC team ever. If I had to distil the whole feeling into a single song it would be Arab Strap's "First Big Weekend of Summer" which is identifiably set 14th to 16th June 1996. Never liked Blur or Oasis. Loved Pulp, though I I'd be amazed if there are not some dodgy skeletons in Cocker's wardrobe that will one day fall out. Talking of zeitgeist's though, Albarn perfectly captured the feeling of Brexit in the Good, the Bad, and the Queen in "Merrieland". A feeling of insularity, decay, nostalgia, undertones of racism. He's one artist that has become more relevant with increasing age.

And to top it all off, he is a mackem cunt.

Cheers lads. This is a joke, cos I am very happy and relieved, but this kind of sums up my emotions at the moment, the amount of time I've pursued this particular position with the immediate financial implications it brings (and no AI used Meenz!).

Well I got the job! So am about to take a 20% pay cut, lose out on my bonus due next month (£10k, fucking timing) and begin my career again in the public sector. And I couldn't be happier. Would not recommend working for a US company.

The whiff of quiff.

**** Euphemism Klaxon ****

I find Rayvin an absolutely vital connection with today's yoofs.

Why don't American's care? I just can't get my head around it.

Yeah, but the last time it took it 70 million lives and that was before nuclear weapons. Germany 1930s was nowhere near the hegemonic power the US is today either. Uncharted times.

Redistribution of wealth is the crux of the problem, I agree. How the fuck that is actioned is anyone's guess. What I would say, before dismissing centrism entirely, is it was centrism that gave people the longest run of increasing living standards and greatest wealth equity in the history of human civilisation. I'm beginning to see with some hindsight in my case that perhaps the end of that era was the birth of the neocons in the US under Reagan and Thatcher here. We had some periods of respite, but maybe this has snowballed into something worse than I imagined. Oh well, I can't always be right.

Okay, so the hope is Labour will turn the economy round and people will feel better off then? But in a World where we are still suffering from Brexit, including increased immigration, and with the threat of a global trade war and fuck knows what the impact of AI will be in 4 years, are we going to feel better off? And if not, then what?

What Spongey says. Funny thing is I live in a bubble, everyone I know is a lefty wokelist. Yet you Gems, you have the evidence of this madness in your Mam and somehow ignore it. I can't explain people's stupidity but that doesn't stop me seeing it in action or where we are heading. Where the US go, we usually follow.

This wasn't some great victory for democracy here though, the distribution of votes is scary and it might not take much to flip it. I mean obviously I hope you're right. I'm not trying to doom monger, I'm just reading the signs as I see them. The World has changed by an unbelievable degree since Bowie died, Trump is literally destroying the post WW2 order in front of our eyes. It's not normal, and I personally am increasingly finding it hard to see the off ramp. Us getting poorer isn't solving anything unfortunately, it just makes the extremes more extreme.

We still have taxis too, but I try to avoid them*. *Way to complementary this.

You're wrong about Trump. When you have total control of the media, you can use it to blame and demonise sections of the population. I think you're being quite naïve if you don't think the fascist playbook doesn't play especially well in the digital age. Your kids are hungry? It's their fault. Meanwhile you subvert all elements of the state including the military and judiciary, steal people's data etc. We are well on the way there. I am constantly amazed how people can't see what is happening in plain sight. I'd hope we have more protections in the UK. All depends on keeping Farage and his ilk out though. If they get in, its game over for us too.

It required social media and the broligarchs. A synergy made in hell.

Why the fuck are the middle classes letting this happen? It's insane.

Yeah, it's a worry. Anyway, done the test, after all that ChatGPT wasn't any use due to the structured format of the paper. You either knew it, or you didn't. I aced the written test using my brain only but got shit vibes from the interview afterwards so looks like I am back to square one working for the yanky dollar.

Say I know something, but I want a good example to back it up or be reminded of how I know it. I can use AI to find the answer very quickly. Previously I would have spent longer on Google, same process, just less efficient. Before Google I would spend days in the library, so arguably Google/internet was a much more significant upgrade. It's also surprisingly good for ideation which can help you get started on projects. Ultimately the point, for me, is improved productivity. But the problem is it can't replace skills and knowledge you have acquired with years of education and work. That is my biggest concern, how it will impact the education sector. Thing is, the cat is out the bag, Pandora's box is open. Got to adapt with the times whether you like it or not.

It's canny essential to contextualise stuff. You can switch off the memory but it's less useful. Makes sense to build on previous dialogue. You get the best results treating it like a person. Really it is Google on steroids though.

Fair enough. Otoh, I'm fucking glad of my seat at my age and you could argue getting to know your seat neighbours is a benefit. I doubt there's any correct answers, always drawbacks whatever the system. From the club pov they can get more money selling tickets on a game by game basis I thought. To tourists. What fucks me off is the lack of transferability more than anything else. The club completely controls you.

Why?

On the other hand if you miss just one cup game for reasons out of your control you're fucked, meaning potentially buying tickets and not attending matches. And leaving an empty seat.

Different draw, same old shit so far. Given up trying to understand it.

I don't believe that's original CCTV footage at all. It's a deep fake, isn't it?