Twitter under Musk....

[multitool]

From the people who moan if menus aren't in English when they go abroad

 

[bobzmyunkle]

From the people who moan if menus aren't in English when they go abroad

At the very least - privilege, it's our birthright.

 

[icowden]

Whitechapel

This one is quite an interesting topic. Far more interesting than the knee jerk racism would suggest.

69% of all Bangladeshi immigrants live in East London, and 34% of those are in the Whitechapel area. TFL decided that due to the Bangladeshi contribution to the cultural development of Whitechapel they would add Bangladeshi signage.

Prior to the Bangladeshi migration of the 1970s, the area was mostly Jewish. It's now predominantly Bangladeshi and Muslim.
There are good arguments both for and against the signage. On the one hand you have the argument that it recognises the Bangladeshi contribution and culture of the area. On the other hand you can argue that it promotes division and insularity and doesn't help the Bangladeshi community integrate with the British Community.

On yet another hand, people quite happily go to Chinatown in Soho where you will see many restaurant signs in mandarin.

It tends to generate some strong feeling and sometimes what may have started as a helpful gesture can end up achieving the reverse. As an example, in my now home town of Walton on Thames, Sainsburys have a Polish section in the cold meats aisle. However they don't have German, Italian and Spanish sections, and arguably the writing on the packets really tells you what things are. Sainsbury will argue that it's to help the Polish residents of Walton, of which there are quite a few (although not notably enough to support the Polish supermarket which opened and then closed 6 months later). Others might argue that it just promotes division - why not just let the Polish meats play with the other European meats?

 

[Ian H]

This one is quite an interesting topic. Far more interesting than the knee jerk racism would suggest.

69% of all Bangladeshi immigrants live in East London, and 34% of those are in the Whitechapel area. TFL decided that due to the Bangladeshi contribution to the cultural development of Whitechapel they would add Bangladeshi signage.

Prior to the Bangladeshi migration of the 1970s, the area was mostly Jewish. It's now predominantly Bangladeshi and Muslim.
There are good arguments both for and against the signage. On the one hand you have the argument that it recognises the Bangladeshi contribution and culture of the area. On the other hand you can argue that it promotes division and insularity and doesn't help the Bangladeshi community integrate with the British Community.

On yet another hand, people quite happily go to Chinatown in Soho where you will see many restaurant signs in mandarin.

It tends to generate some strong feeling and sometimes what may have started as a helpful gesture can end up achieving the reverse. As an example, in my now home town of Walton on Thames, Sainsburys have a Polish section in the cold meats aisle. However they don't have German, Italian and Spanish sections, and arguably the writing on the packets really tells you what things are. Sainsbury will argue that it's to help the Polish residents of Walton, of which there are quite a few (although not notably enough to support the Polish supermarket which opened and then closed 6 months later). Others might argue that it just promotes division - why not just let the Polish meats play with the other European meats?

Sainsbury's will be acting on a strictly commercial basis. I know from my work that they are ruthless.

In West London, and probably elsewhere, there are now supermarkets selling both Polish and Asian produce. Devon is slowly catching up.

 

[icowden]

In West London, and probably elsewhere, there are now supermarkets selling both Polish and Asian produce. Devon is slowly catching up.

Oh of course. It isn't that that causes grumbles. It's when you segregate it into its own little labelled section within a labelled section that causes the grumbles. You'll find the Italian meats grouped together and the Spanish and the German, but they don't get their own fridge labelled "Italian meat" you see. They just share a fridge. Obviously I understand that the Polish meat may still be wary of the German Salami...

 

[Ian H]

Oh of course. It isn't that that causes grumbles. It's when you segregate it into its own little labelled section within a labelled section that causes the grumbles. You'll find the Italian meats grouped together and the Spanish and the German, but they don't get their own fridge labelled "Italian meat" you see. They just share a fridge. Obviously I understand that the Polish meat may still be wary of the German Salami...

I'll tell you how it happens. Sainsbury's says yes to a supplier, tells them they can have their own section, they just have to provide or pay for the shelving or whatever. 12 months later they congratulate their, now hooked, supplier and tell them they should reduce their margins if they want to continue the contract.

 

[CXRAndy]

After Big Balls

CNN now had to say Hairy Balls 😂


View: https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1889370026626441606?t=TUakZaAl0jW4e4QIfBDgQw&s=19

 

[AndyRM]

There are toddlers with more sophisticated senses of humour.

 

[AndyRM]

Huh, and it turns out the whole thing was basically done to engineer the value of some cryptocurrency. Brilliant.

 

[icowden]

I'll tell you how it happens. Sainsbury's says yes to a supplier, tells them they can have their own section, they just have to provide or pay for the shelving or whatever. 12 months later they congratulate their, now hooked, supplier and tell them they should reduce their margins if they want to continue the contract.

I'd never thought of it like that. Clever, if (as you say) ruthless.

 

[dutchguylivingintheuk]

I'll tell you how it happens. Sainsbury's says yes to a supplier, tells them they can have their own section, they just have to provide or pay for the shelving or whatever. 12 months later they congratulate their, now hooked, supplier and tell them they should reduce their margins if they want to continue the contract.

Yes, Dutch Supermarket Albert Heijn / AHold goes a bit further they completely remove a brand if they don't play their way, Coca Cola, Unilever they all tried their bluff and then had to give in to get back on the shelves. (Albert Heijn is the biggest Dutch supermarket)

 

[Psamathe]

Interesting podcast running through the events and Musk's takeover and subsequent handling of Twitter.

About 1 hr long and contains ads (unless you are a contributer in which case you'll already have seen the episode). I thought I was moderately aware of the farce but this highlights some stuff that beggars belief. Presenters are authors and columnists.

It's available through all mainstream podcast sources (Apple, Spotify, etc.) but a couple of web player places (without subscription, without registration):
https://www.bestpodcasts.co.uk/podcast/origin-story/#e1920-5K675btlqKU4tEMUDE5aha
or
https://www.podmasters.co.uk/origin-story (Elon Musk and the Death of Twitter episode)

Ian

 

[CXRAndy]

Elon Musk and the Death of Twitter episode)

Pretty much covers it.

Twitter was a heavily moderated left wing social platform

Now it's X right wing social platform with little moderation

 

[Psamathe]

Pretty much covers it.

Twitter was a heavily moderated left wing social platform

Now it's X right wing social platform with little moderation

Listen to the episode, there is a lot lot more to it than that and failing to recognise that means you'll fail to understand the issues and why it happened.

IAn

 

[matticus]

Interesting podcast running through the events and Musk's takeover and subsequent handling of Twitter.

About 1 hr long and contains ads (unless you are a contributer in which case you'll already have seen the episode). I thought I was moderately aware of the farce but this highlights some stuff that beggars belief. Presenters are authors and columnists.

It's available through all mainstream podcast sources (Apple, Spotify, etc.) but a couple of web player places (without subscription, without registration):
https://www.bestpodcasts.co.uk/podcast/origin-story/#e1920-5K675btlqKU4tEMUDE5aha
or
https://www.podmasters.co.uk/origin-story (Elon Musk and the Death of Twitter episode)

Ian

Thanks - but I fear that would just depress me too much (I find RestIsPolitics too depressing more than a few times a year!)