Fuel panic!

[NemesisUK]

7 minutes ago, Las Palmas said:

I read that Churchill said the problem with democracy was intelligence of the voters.

Sorry I forgot where I read it, but it is something I do not disagree with.

I think the correct quote is - 

“The best argument against Democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”

One is left to make one's own interpretation, is it ignorance, intelligence, bigotry ...

[Malc]

8 minutes ago, Las Palmas said:

read that Churchill said the problem with democracy was intelligence of the voters.

Sorry I forgot where I read it, but it is something I do not disagree with.

possibly in

THE SECOND WORLD WAR

volume         V1

TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY 

by, yes you have it 

WINSTON S. CHURCHILL

or maybe not 

Malc

[First_Lexus]

1 hour ago, Mr Vlad said:

All tories are evil? Bo**ox. All political party members, except the raving looney party, are EVIL self centred a holes. 

Harsh. I’m not a party member, but know and have known a few. Most have strongly held beliefs and are genuine in their aspirations for a better society. How that is achieved is where they differ and where the arguments start…

I also think the same about politicians. I can’t imagine wanting to be one, as the hours are long, everybody thinks they know better than you do (but usually aren’t in possession of all the relevant information) and - unpopular opinion here - the salaries are too low for what is expected. Have some of them made bad decisions? Yes. Of course they have. Are some just in it for their own egos? Again, almost certainly they are. But what of the Parish Councillor who is trying to do the right thing for the community village hall, or the backbench MP who supports his or her constituents with all sorts of issues. Too often forgotten or ignored imho.

The point @LenT made about regular elections is well made. Long term planning is replaced by fears of being defeated at an election. Populism is on the rise, and no surprise as it’s what most voters want - simply put, nearly everybody (if they’re honest) wants things to be better for them and their families.

In one of my first lectures at University - on political philosophy - I remember well the words of the very senior Professor. They were along the lines of;

”Politicians are much like referees at a football match. Nobody much likes them, but the game can’t go ahead without one. Throughout your lives I’d ask you to be empathetic with the choices they make. Most of their policies will be driven by people just like you, your prejudices, your aspirations and your selfish desires.” Quite.

[Phil xxkr]

1 minute ago, First_Lexus said:

Harsh. I’m not a party member, but know and have known a few. Most have strongly held beliefs and are genuine in their aspirations for a better society. How that is achieved is where they differ and where the arguments start…

I also think the same about politicians. I can’t imagine wanting to be one, as the hours are long, everybody thinks they know better than you do (but usually aren’t in possession of all the relevant information) and - unpopular opinion here - the salaries are too low for what is expected. Have some of them made bad decisions? Yes. Of course they have. Are some just in it for their own egos? Again, almost certainly they are. But what of the Parish Councillor who is trying to do the right thing for the community village hall, or the backbench MP who supports his or her constituents with all sorts of issues. Too often forgotten or ignored imho.

The point @LenTabout regular elections is well made. Long term planning is replaced by fears of being defeated at an election. Populism is on the rise, and no surprise as it’s what most voters want - simply put, nearly everybody (if they’re honest) wants things to be better for them and their families.

In one of my first lectures at University - on political philosophy - I remember well the words of the very senior Professor. They were along the lines of;

”Politicians are much like referees at a football match. Nobody much likes them, but the game can’t go ahead without one. Throughout your lives I’d ask you to be empathetic with the choices they make. Most of those policies will be driven by people just like you, your prejudices, your aspirations and your selfish desires.” Quite.

I much prefer, 

Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance. No one in this world, so far as I know—and I have researched the records for years, and employed agents to help me—has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.”
― H.L. Mencken, Notes on Democracy

[First_Lexus]

9 minutes ago, Phil xxkr said:

I much prefer, 

Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance. No one in this world, so far as I know—and I have researched the records for years, and employed agents to help me—has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.”
― H.L. Mencken, Notes on Democracy

The average voter doesn’t actually much care about the political system they live under or the party in power - assuming there is a choice. As long as they have peace, a decent home, a job and a reasonable standard of living for themselves and their family and, crucially, a future for their children, almost everything else is irrelevant.

[Boxbrownie]

31 minutes ago, Las Palmas said:

I read that Churchill said the problem with democracy was intelligence of the voters.

Sorry I forgot where I read it, but it is something I do not disagree with.

My Son who is a doctor and was in A&E/Covid ward duties throughout 2020 told me the biggest problem with the disease spreading was the density of the population, but not the population per square mile. 🤔

[Phil xxkr]

3 minutes ago, Boxbrownie said:

My Son who is a doctor and was in A&E/Covid ward duties throughout 2020 told me the biggest problem with the disease spreading was the density of the population, but not the population per square mile. 🤔

I agree David, a dense population is and always will be a problem 😂

[Las Palmas]

29 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

I think the correct quote is - 

“The best argument against Democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”

One is left to make one's own interpretation, is it ignorance, intelligence, bigotry ...

Pretty sure I read about the power of the brain, because I remember also having read him saying that:

Yes, I am drunk, but tomorrow I will be sober and you will still be (something not intelligent).

 

No, I do not believe all that I read, like this (read it first time 2004 and saw it quoted again not many years ago somewhere):

As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5- year phase-in plan that would become known as "Euro-English".

In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c".. Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy. The hard "c" will be dropped in favour of "k". This should klear up konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less letter.

There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome "ph" will be replaced with "f".. This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.

In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible.

Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.

Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent "e" in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.

By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" with "z" and "w" with "v".

During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords kontaining "ou" and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensibl riten styl.

Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi tu understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.

Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas.

 

And back to what this is about: Shell got a price rise again today. 3 cent more afternoon from morning.

[Phil xxkr]

14 minutes ago, First_Lexus said:

The average voter doesn’t actually much care about the political system they live under or the party in power - assuming there is a choice. As long as they have peace, a decent home, a job and a reasonable standard of living for themselves and their family and, crucially, a future for their children, almost everything else is irrelevant.

But hang on Ed, how do they get to be in and maintain such a a state of nirvana? 

[Boxbrownie]

13 minutes ago, Las Palmas said:

Pretty sure I read about the power of the brain, because I remember also having read him saying that:

 

Yes, I am drunk, but tomorrow I will be sober and you will still be (something not intelligent).

 

Groucho Marx used it in a film, but I thought it was long before Churchill……maybe they fought over the woman? 😄

[NemesisUK]

9 minutes ago, Las Palmas said:

Yes, I am drunk, but tomorrow I will be sober and you will still be (something not intelligent).

"I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly."

Apparently uttered after nearly falling out of a black cab in Downing Str and a lady admonished him for being intoxicated

[First_Lexus]

6 minutes ago, Phil xxkr said:

But hang on Ed, how do they get to be in and maintain such a a state of nirvana? 

Simple. They vote for me. Viva la revolution!

[Phil xxkr]

7 minutes ago, Las Palmas said:

Pretty sure I read about the power of the brain, because I remember also having read him saying that:

 

Yes, I am drunk, but tomorrow I will be sober and you will still be (something not intelligent).

 

 

No, I do not believe all that I read, like this (read it first time 2004 and saw it quoted again not many years ago somewhere):

 

 

As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5- year phase-in plan that would become known as "Euro-English".

 

In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c".. Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy. The hard "c" will be dropped in favour of "k". This should klear up konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less letter.

 

There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome "ph" will be replaced with "f".. This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.

 

In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible.

 

Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.

 

Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent "e" in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.

 

By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" with "z" and "w" with "v".

 

During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords kontaining "ou" and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensibl riten styl.

 

Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi tu understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.

 

Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas.

 

 

 

And back to what this is about: Shell got a price rise again today. 3 cent more afternoon from morning.

 

When accused of being drunk Mr Churchill replied, and Madam you are ugly, what's more is, I shall be sober in the morning 😎

[Phil xxkr]

1 minute ago, First_Lexus said:

Simple. They vote for me. Viva la revolution!

I had a Viva once, it certainly wasn't revolutionary 😅

[Boxbrownie]

10 minutes ago, Boxbrownie said:

Groucho Marx used it in a film, but I thought it was long before Churchill……maybe they fought over the woman? 😄

Got it, it was W C Fields in a film…..

https://winstonchurchill.org/publications/churchill-bulletin/bulletin-031-jan-2011/drunk-and-ugly-the-rumor-mill/

You cannot trust any politician 😄

[dutchie01]

Oh how i love this forum, every thread is guaranteed to spin out of control.

[Las Palmas]

18 minutes ago, dutchie01 said:

Oh how i love this forum, every thread is guaranteed to spin out of control.

Would it not be boring if we only were writing how much more fuel cost?

That is not really something to laugh about. And do we not want to have fun and smile now and then? Laugh at each other and ourselves?

[dutchie01]

1 hour ago, Las Palmas said:

Would it not be boring if we only were writing how much more fuel cost?

That is not really something to laugh about. And do we not want to have fun and smile now and then? Laugh at each other and ourselves?

Fully agree !   If we fill up here at an unmanned petrolstation you slide in your card and your bank then blocks an amount of 130 Euro. Regardless of what you tank and not enough in your account the card will not work. Anyhow new problem with todays prices. 130 is not enough to fill your tank!!  So the pump stops and if you still have to fill a quart you have to repeat the procedure. Many many complaints..

[toffee_pie]

10 hours ago, Mr Vlad said:

Wow what a read Eric. I agree with quite a lot of what you say. Greenhouse gasses. Jeez has everyone forgotten the industrial revolution when coal was first used and steam engines were invented and all those cotton mills spewing out mega tons of c**p in to the sky? Governments have fallen victim to very very clever scams where greenhouse gasses is concerned. Its those scammers who need to be traced and shot on sight. What's getting me is this rip off clean air charge that's cropping up everywhere. Companies who use trucks and vans to deliver are going to go bankrupt coz they'll be crippled by them (unless there's a clause excluding commercial vehicles).

Oh yesterday diesel price was same as day before 170.9p But the days before price in the early morning was 158.90 according to a workmate. 

Too many people are swayed and brainwashed by mainstream media now - if you turn the clock back to 2016 the world would be no different would it? had you not read all the scaremongering, heck you wouldnt even know we have escaped two years of the deadliest virus wiping out humanity in history of mankind.

Moving back to petrol prices - I was travelling from Bristol to Southampton in my trusty 3.0 ice melting Subaru this evening and reluctant to spend £130 on shell for a full tank of VPower, I am pretty sure it would be close to that. Had 80 miles remaining according to the on board monitor, so add about 40 miles to that with fuel reserve so roughly 100 ish miles or just enough to get to Costco Southampton where I filled up on 97RON for £98.29, 58.89L so had around 6L left i think but playing a very fine game - which I wouldnt normally do but I have had the car so long I know what the full range is, even driving fairly lively.

 

[toffee_pie]

[toffee_pie]

Hopefully Britons are not this dumb..

https://www.motorbiscuit.com/fuel-hoarder-spills-1800-worth-gas-onto-street/

[Malc]

15 hours ago, Phil xxkr said:

I had a Viva once, it certainly wasn't revolutionary

it could have been ..  remembering being at Brands Hatch a loooooong while back watching the motor racing and there was a superb and amazing Brabham Viva  taking the course by storm 

Malc

[NemesisUK]

1 hour ago, Malc said:

it could have been ..  remembering being at Brands Hatch a loooooong while back watching the motor racing and there was a superb and amazing Brabham Viva  taking the course by storm 

Malc

[Boxbrownie]

1 hour ago, Malc said:

it could have been ..  remembering being at Brands Hatch a loooooong while back watching the motor racing and there was a superb and amazing Brabham Viva  taking the course by storm 

Malc

Gerry Marshall in his Firenza……great bloke and very entertaining.

[NemesisUK]

3 minutes ago, Boxbrownie said:

Gerry Marshall in his Firenza……great bloke and very entertaining.

I had the HP Firenza road car  😎