Boris wins

*waves*

 

Although funny that he bit.

When did socialism and spitefulness become mutually exclusive?

Indeed. It becomes a part of one's personality, a bit like supporting a
football club. "I am Labour whatever happens," is something heard on
radio phone-ins with monotonous regularity.

 

As TFL has gotten more and more from the taxpayer. Have you any idea
what the average usage is of a London bus? During most of the day, I
reckon most of them aren't even 50% full.

Ooh, London Overground. That must account for a whopping 5% of
passengers, if that.

And obviously he said it so it must be true.

 

Several people have posted their objections in this thread, and your
statement above is nothing like any of those objections.

Bollocks. It is a matter of wastage of public money.

 

Something about the Midlands.

 

It's a complete fucking gip if you visit. I couldn't believe how expensive
travel cards were last time I went. Or how you could get the same journey
for several quid less just by buying your travel card at a station rather
than a tube station...

 

So, what is the average fullness percentage?

I picked on it because you mentioned it with the other two on the same
level, as if it was a third of journeys each.

You're right that I have no understanding of the need for such large
masses of red tape, and prefer simple common sense to a weight of
policy.

Why would he want to freeze the price of Travelcards and yet be happy to
get more money year on year from council tax?

Going back to my original point, there is only one person who knows what
the hypocritical, self-publicising, squalid, insincere ex-Mayor wanted
to do. Personally, I do not believe that because a politician says
something, that he means it. You may choose to.

 

I think you may well be right here.

However:

A) Boris is nobody's fool, no matter what the buffoon exterior may say.
I would not be surprised if he doesn't make a good fist of the job. I do
think that Ken's spite was/is his most unattractive aspect, as Boris is
devoid of that.

B) While Ken can claim a lot of credit for the Olympics, the way the
money is aloready being pissed up against the wall is reminiscent of his
older policies to a nasty degree. I would hope Boris has a bit more
financial management.

 

Ah. Health and Safety strikes again?

 

But you support a New Labour mayor, even though they are nothing like
1980s Labour. So basically it's the brand that you like.

What, you think that people who get out and work should subsidise those
who can't be arsed? You think that the government should talk about one
thing whilst doing another? They are the most hypocritical cunts I've
ever seen, however the population is getting thicker, and they do say
you get the government you deserve. Basic values are being eroded year
on year, yet they go on about human rights.

You mean you're worried they'll find out how inefficient and
unaccountable they are?

It doesn't. It means all the lazy spongers have to get off their arses
and stop sponging.

I'm sure if you write to him he'll listen.

Don't assume that because you are blinkered, that he is.

I think you should write to him and outline your concerns. But you
won't. Because he might send you a sensible answer.

A bit like when I once wrote to Ken asking him why every fucking poster
to do with transport, says Mayor of London on it. His reply was so
arrogant and unhelpful, that he actually numbed me into not writing
back.

BTW, thanks for answering some of my posts in this thread, you ignored a
few of them ^^. I did notice.

 

They're nicer than the standard double-deckers for sure, as long as you don't
sit right at the back. And they're free ;-)

They're not very cyclist-friendly though - I cringe every morning on the 521
when the drivers half-overtake cyclists on Waterloo bridge then pull in to
the bus stop by the South Bank centre

 

On Tue, 6 May 2008 20:40:20 +0000 (UTC), TD

<snip nonsense>

You've chosen to pick an argument on public transport with one of the
*world* experts. Where he's laid out facts and data in a reasonable
manner, all you've done is froth at the mouth about how you hate Ken
Livingstone.

But, more importantly, I can't recall you saying a single amusing
thing since you arrived here.

In short, you're boring and a fucking idiot.

--
Champ

ZX10R | GPz750turbo | GSX-R 600 racer
My advice as your attorney is to buy a motorcycle
To email me, neal at my domain should work.

 

It's not an argument at all. As an expert, I'm sure he can look after
himself. He's been airing his political opinion nearly as much as he's
being laying out facts and data.

e.g.
"The big issue is that people have made it a matter of emotion..."
and yet
"I'm sorry but I cannot support the Tories because of their wanton
disregard in the 1980s for the North East, where I come from."

Sorry Paul for picking it to shreds, but he's really got my goat.

Funny that, as I personally think /you/ are one of the most humourless,
tedious cunts here[1], but I had enough class to keep it to myself. It's
just a shame you are one of the most prolific posters, although
unsurprising as you don't give the impression of Doing Much Else. I
personally don't I'm think boring or an idiot, and my girlfriend and
mates agree.

[1] Unless one thinks endless posts going "Yeah, but so what? Can't
people just chill out?" are funny.

 

'Whatever'

That reminds me: our H&S Looney.

Our Ubercompany is having some energy-saving day, some time soon, and
she sent round an evangelical email urging us all to show the company
that in our little backwater, we could still come up with good ideas.

I suggested that someone take a picture of a matt black surface, and
that it be uploaded to our server and used as a screensaver in all our
zillions of computers, because it would put out less light and thus save
energy.

She's enthusiastically passed it on to head office.

Our local IT bods noted the passing on, noted whose idea it originally
was, wondered: "Should we say anything to her?" and decided: "No, this
might be fun". We await further developments.

 

I think that's down to the fact that most bus drivers are myopic cunts.
That said, bendy buses are a fucking nuisance. Especially in the City
where they simply cannot get around.

 

Well, I thought you *were* one of the world experts in the specific
area of ticketing systems (which I allow is different from public
transport as a whole, by a longish chalk)

He disagrees with everyone tho

S'ok, I guess I might as well earn my keep doing *something*, as one
of the most humourless tedious cunts here.
--
Champ

ZX10R | GPz750turbo | GSX-R 600 racer
My advice as your attorney is to buy a motorcycle
To email me, neal at my domain should work.

 

Quite, and I thought it was fairer to point that out.

The basic problem is that I find that increasingly policy is being used
as a facade for all kinds of unsavoury things to happen behind the
scenes. As in, if challenged, those in power point to the policy and
claim that nothing can be wrong because the policy is there in black and
white. I've been watching it on Question Time for many years.

I don't remember calling you simplistic. If my views are stereotypical,
I do apologise but I can't change them just because they are. Of
course, one man's "stereotypical" is another man's "common".

 

What was his reply? That he was saving you money by not having his
statue on every street corner?

 

Actually, you have already posted how because of things that happened in
the past, you will never support the Conservatives in the future.
That's a fair clue.

I don't understand. This is like Godwin's Law with a twist. I don't
even read the thing, I'm just expressing my opinion which you appear to
be insulting, even though you make a point of your right to express
yours. If I called your opinions a rant from the Guardian or whatever,
wouldn't you think I was copping out?

I'm well up for a small public sector. Let supply and demand take hold,
I say. Then most people have more money to buy the services they want,
and wastage is minimised.

Strawman this time. When did I talk about the poor or disadvantaged?
You are reading between my lines, twisting my comments, which I find
intensely annoying.

Why? He's a clever guy.

So you won't even give him the chance. Not fair.

<fx: bites tongue>

 

I kept it for posterity. I don't know if I should post it to Usenet
though.