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[DaGaffer]

Um you sure? I always check when I book my flights, and generally ask before I board. Just a habit I have as I am intrigued about stuff like that.

Until last Friday my missus worked in development for one of the biggest flight booking engines in the world; from analytics date and cost are all that matters for consumers (most never even look at seat layouts until they check-in); everything else (luggage, loyalty, upsells etc.) are a tiny fraction of traffic. If you're booking on a third-party site you might not even see the aircraft type in the booking journey.

To be honest unless I'm flying long-haul I never look for the aircraft type and I worked in the aerospace industry for seven years.

 

[Deebs]

Until last Friday my missus worked in development for one of the biggest flight booking engines in the world; from analytics date and cost are all that matters for consumers (most never even look at seat layouts until they check-in); everything else (luggage, loyalty, upsells etc.) are a tiny fraction of traffic. If you're booking on a third-party site you might not even see the aircraft type in the booking journey.

To be honest unless I'm flying long-haul I never look for the aircraft type and I worked in the aerospace industry for seven years.

That maybe for the majority but I have always checked what plane I would be flying on. I nearly exploded my pants when I found out I was taking my daughter to Thailand on an Airbus 380.

 

[Moriath]

Seems im going to boston on an a380 in may. Cant wait always wanted to go one on of them. Hope the system isnt lying to me.

Mostly though unless its a 747 or the 380 couldnt tell you what they are till i have booked and go to choose my seat

 

[Moriath]

Middle classes losing out to ultra-rich

Uprising of the middle classes

Viva la revolution

 

[Moriath]

View: https://twitter.com/AwardsDarwin/status/1115942241481175040

 

[DaGaffer]

Middle classes losing out to ultra-rich

Uprising of the middle classes

Viva la revolution

How is this considered news? The destruction of the middle classes has been a known issue for decades.

 

[Embattle]

More of the wealth pulled upwards means more of the people pushed downwards.

 

[Gwadien]

Noone gives a shit because Brexit and Trump is going to fix everything.

 

[Scouse]

How is this considered news? The destruction of the middle classes has been a known issue for decades.

Even on here.

Effectively a flat society, ruled by undemocratic technocratic ultra-rich, with a facade of real democracy for us to entertain ourselves with.


@Wij - this is why I feel the trump argument is a total red herring. Not that no action is pointless - it's just that you'll achieve utterly nothing from engaging in what is effectively a manufactured bullshit problem.

 

[Wij]

Even on here.

Effectively a flat society, ruled by undemocratic technocratic ultra-rich, with a facade of real democracy for us to entertain ourselves with.


@Wij - this is why I feel the trump argument is a total red herring. Not that no action is pointless - it's just that you'll achieve utterly nothing from engaging in what is effectively a manufactured bullshit problem.

So electing politicians who promise to clamp down on tax evasion and tighten electoral law couldn’t possibly help? Electing politicians who actively annoy the mega corporations couldn’t help? Not even a little?

Or maybe even if it didn’t wouldn’t having a US president who wasn’t a massive criminal maybe be just a smidge better than having one who is?

Not even a little?

 

[Scouse]

Not even a little?

Splitting it into the UK and the US.

In the UK we've been trying that for years, no change. In fact the situation has steadily worsened despite our "democratic" interventions, hence the Brexit vote which is a rage against decades of worsening living standards and impotent politicians that has seen the possibility of UK embracing authoritarianism - in direct opposition to our "democracy" - become more and more likely (including amongst the middle classes that @Moriath has brought up the facts and figures for here.)

In the US, anything actually disruptive* is kyboshed by both sides being owned by the same corporations/rich. Trump is an expression of their frustrations in the same way as Brexit is our expression.

So, "not even a little". Yes, in the same way as fighting for breadcrumbs gives a tiny reprieve, if you look at items in isolation (like the affordable care act, that's being trashed right now, so tiny reprieve being taken away).

But in the end, putting your energies in the "only a little", temporary wins is counterproductive as long as the central problem isn't addressed.

You're literally fighting a losing battle.



Edit: *and I've more hope of that happening in the US than in the UK, unless we no-deal leave, as the EU is effectively a capitalism lock-in club.

 

[DaGaffer]

So electing politicians who promise to clamp down on tax evasion and tighten electoral law couldn’t possibly help? Electing politicians who actively annoy the mega corporations couldn’t help? Not even a little?

Or maybe even if it didn’t wouldn’t having a US president who wasn’t a massive criminal maybe be just a smidge better than having one who is?

Not even a little?

I've rather depressingly come to the conclusion that the last 300 years of liberalism and improved economic distribution are just an historic blip, and all the wealth and power is going to end up back where it started; in the hands of a few Asian autocrats. Sure, our impending serfdom might involve being covered in a bit less shit than before, but huge swathes of humanity don't have much to look forward to unless we can figure out how to break out of our finite resource bottleneck. Looking back it may turn out to be the single best year in human history was around 1995-6.

 

[Scouse]

Looking back it may turn out to be the single best year in human history was around 1995-6.

The year after the hopeful-message-for-the-future-of-humanity Star Trek: The Next Generation finished and the year before Tony Blair got elected and stated Star Trek's vision of humanity would never be realised?

 

[Hawkwind]

Im reading on aircraft forums that the 737 was fitted with different engines from the original spec and they just adjusted the software to allow for the different weight distribution.
I dont know if this is true or some conspiracy theory.

Conspiracy likely. I'll wait for the report as the press and most blog/forums in aviation are just full of pilots/mechanics not people that actually write or test the aircraft/software. Those people are not stupid enough to write that shit.
There are engine choices on most narrowbody/widebody aircraft and software in FAC (Flight Augmentation Computer), Autothrottle and Flight Management is adjusted as necessary. Every single permutation is tested together before it is allowed to be certified (EASA/FAA TC) and flown.

 

[Wij]

Splitting it into the UK and the US.

In the UK we've been trying that for years, no change. In fact the situation has steadily worsened despite our "democratic" interventions, hence the Brexit vote which is a rage against decades of worsening living standards and impotent politicians that has seen the possibility of UK embracing authoritarianism - in direct opposition to our "democracy" - become more and more likely (including amongst the middle classes that @Moriath has brought up the facts and figures for here.)

In the US, anything actually disruptive* is kyboshed by both sides being owned by the same corporations/rich. Trump is an expression of their frustrations in the same way as Brexit is our expression.

So, "not even a little". Yes, in the same way as fighting for breadcrumbs gives a tiny reprieve, if you look at items in isolation (like the affordable care act, that's being trashed right now, so tiny reprieve being taken away).

But in the end, putting your energies in the "only a little", temporary wins is counterproductive as long as the central problem isn't addressed.

You're literally fighting a losing battle.



Edit: *and I've more hope of that happening in the US than in the UK, unless we no-deal leave, as the EU is effectively a capitalism lock-in club.

The things you mention are things you could fight against. Our would-be Hitlers in this country can be ridiculed and have their lies exposed. Trump could be jailed and we could go back to the at least less-bad presidents of yesteryear. I don't buy your defeatist bollocks. It's the same reasoning that gave us 'Living Marxism' who thought that since unless there was a revolution everything would be awful they might as well add more awful into the mix. Don't be like those cunts.

 

[Wij]

Looking back it may turn out to be the single best year in human history was around 1995-6.

You've just rewatched The Matrix haven't you.

 

[DaGaffer]

You've just rewatched The Matrix haven't you.

Nah. It was just half way between the end of the Cold War and the start of The War On Terror; the Internet was interesting and a source of optimism for the future not the catalyst for the end of democracy and Amazon owning everything, there were wars but by historical standards it was the most peaceful time in human history, and it was that sweetspot where there were just enough people graduating from Uni to make those of us who grew up working class feel like we could genuinely "get on" in life, before the realisation set in that degrees were rapidly losing value at the exact same time the cost of getting one was becoming a financial millstone. All the signs that everything was about to go to shit were already there if you knew where to look (or cared to), but most people were still glass is half full about the world.

 

[Wij]

Nah. It was just half way between the end of the Cold War and the start of The War On Terror; the Internet was interesting and a source of optimism for the future not the catalyst for the end of democracy and Amazon owning everything, there were wars but by historical standards it was the most peaceful time in human history, and it was that sweetspot where there were just enough people graduating from Uni to make those of us who grew up working class feel like we could genuinely "get on" in life, before the realisation set in that degrees were rapidly losing value at the exact same time the cost of getting one was becoming a financial millstone. All the signs that everything was about to go to shit were already there if you knew where to look (or cared to), but most people were still glass is half full about the world.

Life is looking a lot rosier now than in the 90s if you lived in Bosnia.

The internet was a lot better when it was used for QW 4v4 DM rather than controlling the thoughts of the masses by allowing billionaires to buy dark facebook ads though admittedly.

On the other hand poverty and disease are still on the decline overall worldwide. Bill Gates might help wipe out a couple of more diseases and start off a molten salt reactors revolution.

But climate change and anti-biotic resistance.

Maybe it's too early to say.

 

[Job]

Is it good that racist Muslims are exposed..well yes, but firstly was it racist or just offensive, secondly a tweet from 5 years ago and its insta sack.
Not exactly the way forward for constructive dialogue.

Emmerdale star Shila Iqbal sacked from Aiesha Richards role over old racist tweets

 

[Scouse]

Blimey @Wij.

Julian Assange dragged from embassy in London and arrested.

Whims of governments indeed. Ecuadorian government change hasn't been kind to him.

Unsurprisingly - extradition request to the US has hit. Apparently he said "told you so".

The court also heard that during his arrest at the embassy he had to be restrained and shouted: "This is unlawful, I am not leaving."

So, that's kind of washed over in the reporting from the beeb. He was actually dragged from the embassy.

Apparently, the Ecuadorian president had said that the British government had confirmed in writing that Assange "would not be extradited to a country where he could face torture or the death penalty".

So, technically, that rules out an extradition to the United States.

But he'll get punted over the pond, and face charges that don't include the death penalty. Against the spirit of the assurances...

Reporters without Borders say this:

Targeting Assange after nearly nine years because of Wikileaks’ provision of information to journalists that was in the public interest (such as the leaked US diplomatic cables) would be a purely punitive measure and would set a dangerous precedent for journalists, whistleblowers, and other journalistic sources that the US may wish to pursue in the future. The UK must stick to a principled stance with any related requests from the US to extradite Assange, and ensure his protection under UK and European law relevant to his contributions to journalism

 

[Scouse]

What's the disagree for @Embattle?

You disagree that that happened? I did link to a video... Or that the Chelsea Manning leaks were true? Or you don't think he'll be punted to the US?

 

[Wij]

Dragged from the embassy at the request of the Ecuadorians. To face arrest for skipping bail. Personally I’d extradite him to Sweden but it’s up to our courts.

 

[Wij]

And this:


View: https://twitter.com/renato_mariotti/status/1116353174540050433

 

[Scouse]

Indicted *today*, not ages ago.

Reporters Without Borders disagree with your assessment.

And were the Chelsea Manning leaks untrue?

Frankly, that last point is all I give a shit about.

 

[Wij]

And this:

Julian Assange was arrested after smearing POO all over the walls of Ecuadorian Embassy, minister reveals

Sorry to link to The Sun but it appears that’s genuinely what the ecuadorians said.

 

[Wij]

Indicted *today*, not ages ago.

Reporters Without Borders disagree with your assessment.

And were the Chelsea Manning leaks untrue?

Frankly, that last point is all I give a shit about.

The Chelsea manning leaks got out. Doesn’t mean Assange can’t face charges for criminal acts does it.

 

[Wij]

Assange is not a wise hill to die on.

 

[Embattle]

What's the disagree for @Embattle?

You disagree that that happened? I did link to a video... Or that the Chelsea Manning leaks were true? Or you don't think he'll be punted to the US?

It hasn't ruled out extradition to the US in any way, the rest of the reasons for those trying to take his side are bullshit but then it isn't as if you've changed sides regarding him and obviously neither have I.

 

[Wij]

Indicted *today*, not ages ago.

Yes. You can read the indictment here:

WikiLeaks Founder Charged in Computer Hacking Conspiracy

 

[Gwadien]

And this:

Julian Assange was arrested after smearing POO all over the walls of Ecuadorian Embassy, minister reveals

Sorry to link to The Sun but it appears that’s genuinely what the ecuadorians said.

I'm fairly sure I recall Assange was being evicted some time in the future quite a while ago.

Might have been on Have I got news for you or something.