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TheGreenAnger wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 10, 2022 7:12 pm

llondel wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 10, 2022 7:02 pm

I'm a bit lower on the scale than that. I'm a White Van Man, Ford Transit with a high roof (so I can stand up inside) and extended wheelbase (22ft long van). I can also reverse it down the side driveway, something that size I'd have trouble parking. Even with the Transit I'm careful where I park because the visibility is poor when reversing and it needs a reasonable amount of space for manoeuvring.

Sensible stuff indeed. How many miles do you rack up on the US highways a year with the dogs? (I make no apology for asking this on this thread as Leonbergers all have German passports)...

The van did about 15,000 miles in its first year, although we did take it to Florida and back last December. Add to that a trip up to the NW corner of Oregon in the minivan for breeding purposes, so 16,000-17,000 miles.

When automation runs things:

BBC link -

KFC has apologised after sending a promotional message to customers in Germany, urging them to commemorate Kristallnacht with cheesy chicken.

The fast food chain sent an app alert on Wednesday, saying: "It's memorial day for Kristallnacht! Treat yourself with more tender cheese on your crispy chicken. Now at KFCheese!"

Around an hour later another message was sent with an apology, according to the Bild newspaper. ...

... The fast food chain said the "automated push notification" was "linked to calendars that include national observances".

llondel wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 10, 2022 7:34 pm

TheGreenAnger wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 10, 2022 7:12 pm

llondel wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 10, 2022 7:02 pm

I'm a bit lower on the scale than that. I'm a White Van Man, Ford Transit with a high roof (so I can stand up inside) and extended wheelbase (22ft long van). I can also reverse it down the side driveway, something that size I'd have trouble parking. Even with the Transit I'm careful where I park because the visibility is poor when reversing and it needs a reasonable amount of space for manoeuvring.

Sensible stuff indeed. How many miles do you rack up on the US highways a year with the dogs? (I make no apology for asking this on this thread as Leonbergers all have German passports)...

The van did about 15,000 miles in its first year, although we did take it to Florida and back last December. Add to that a trip up to the NW corner of Oregon in the minivan for breeding purposes, so 16,000-17,000 miles.

Long may your trips abide... "lange Reisen mit Hunden und Freunden"

Headline in today's FT: "Germany set to pull EU into recession this winter."
"A steep drop in German output will drag the EU into recession, the European Commission has predicted."

A group of around 50 people lead by 71 year old Prince Heinrich VIII planned to storm the Reichstag, overthrow the German government, and replace it with the 1870's firm of German Constitution, Federal prosecutors claim. Arrests have been made.

Some more information on the above, although it’s from the DM so accuracy is in doubt

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... nment.html

I think they would have found some degree of support among the German population, much as the right wing Vox party has in Spain. The Germans I know regard their present government as useless.

It's fairly easy to overthrow a government: if you try to install a Democratic system, it's what comes next that's the problem. With military rule it's easier since most are already organised. Germans of course always do what they are told so no problems there.

As an anarchist, I'm personally sorry the coup has been foiled.

OFSO - 'anarchy' has always puzzled me - as an 'anarchist', what do you wish to see replace 'government? How do you envisage things like the tax system being administered, and if scrapped, where does the money come from to provide things like defence and health spending?

Health - I pay my own costs, claim 90% back from my insurers who charge me over £200 a month premiums.
Defence - don't need it. None of the trillions spent during my adult life has ever benefited me*.
Schools - no children, but family members are paying for private schools. Expensive but excellent.
Transport - don't have a car in UK but pay for public transport.
TANSTAAFL. There ain't no such thing as a free lunch. People should pay for what they use and not pay for things they don't.
I should have said "rational anarchist". My hero is Professor de la Paz, " The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" by Robert Heinlein.

*not quite true. I worked on USAF Bruntingthorpe and RAF Cottesmore bases, installing telecomms. Current spouse is ex-MOD.

I hate to disillusion you, OFSO, but in your luna (tic) fictional world things would be even more chaotic than they currently are (if that is possible...).

EG How would you get your household rubbish to wherever you are going to dispose of it (assuming that is not over your neighbour's fence)? Do you never envisage needing an ambulance? Does your philosophy make you a pacifist?

PS What did you 'druv home' in this morning?

Some Germans are strange

https://www.windsorobserver.co.uk/news/ ... aidenhead/

I have to take (I walk every night) my rubbish to a collection point.
If I needed hospitalisation, my wife (or someone) would drive me to the hospital where on arrival I'd sign an agreement to pay. (In Germany they take a deposit on arrival).
I drove home in my car, bought with cash, not borrowed money, and road tax paid to my local town hall who repair my road 'cos I'm not capable of doing it, so I "buy" the Town Hall's services.
Pacificism is a nice thought, but if attacked I'd defend me and mine.

Boac wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 07, 2022 2:13 pm

I hate to disillusion you, OFSO, but in your luna (tic) fictional world things would be even more chaotic than they currently are (if that is possible...).

EG How would you get your household rubbish to wherever you are going to dispose of it (assuming that is not over your neighbour's fence)? Do you never envisage needing an ambulance? Does your philosophy make you a pacifist?

PS What did you 'druv home' in this morning?

The US solves that - rubbish is removed by a private company, for which I pay every couple of months. Ambulances are also privately-owned, and cost a fortune if you happen to need one. Not necessarily good solutions, although the rubbish collection is weekly and generally reliable, unlike some tales I've heard from the UK.

llondel - this is about the UK.

If I needed hospitalisation, my wife (or someone) would drive me to the hospital

It's getting confusing, this anarchic thing. Your wife has a car in the UK but you don't and you don't use wheely bins in the UK?

No, neither of us has a car in the UK and we dont use wheely bins.

In which case

my wife (or someone) would drive me to the hospital

doesn't make a lot of sense? Would she steal a car? Islington, I think, is it? Where do you walk your rubbish too? Who provides the facility?

I'm all for getting rid of this government here, but I find the idea of 'anarchy' too fanciful. In Germany's case, having a bunch of nazi 'sympathisers' running the country doesn't bear thinking about (for me).

Spain: two cars as we live up a mountain.
England: no cars as we don't live up a mountain.
Spain and England: walk rubbish to collecting point.
Spain: it's usual to drive broken people to hospital.
England: surrounded by family with cars who know where hospital is.

So, still dependent on cars, then, and other peoples' help. All very anarchic. You deserve a rebate on your Council Tax.

You didn't say who provides the rubbish collection point. Not the local Council, I hope?

I'm not sure. In Spain a giant truck festooned with white, red, yellow and green lights appears, blows its horns at mis-parked French cars, and disapears. Along with the garbage, or not. Anything of a combustible nature goes into the wood stove. In England (not, these days, Islington) it just goes. In Germany..... Well, another story.

Coup attempt was mentioned briefly on the SBS TV News here in South Australia this evening. A word partially containing the word 'Reich' was briefly shown on the screen. The words 'Far right' were mentioned several times.

An attempt at installing the Fourth Reich perhaps?