Paul Jameson

Built and operated IT and Engineering rec business. Sold 2021 after 30 years. Taking a breather before backing people or businesses.

[Paul Jameson @pjameson]

@GPS_Bath Thanks for the update. Is there somewhere we can read more details of planned works and an update on expected dates?

[George Mack @george__mack]

Spent the last 30 days in America

Some thoughts on the USA vs the UK:

1. Flags - In America, if you fly the national flag -- it's normal. In Britain, if you fly the national flag -- you're labeled a neo-nazi.

2. Accents - In America, if you drive for 2 hours -- people's accents don't change much. In Britain, if you drive for 2 hours -- people's accents change a lot.

3. Work - In American culture, people sell themselves well when meeting strangers. In British culture, you're taught to downplay everything you do.

4. Fashion - In America, the biggest companies are tech. In Europe, the biggest companies are fashion.

If you're European -- you immediately become the top 10% of fashion sense in America.

This rule even applies to Brits -- who are notoriously the worst dressed in Europe.

5. Nice cars - In America, if you have a nice car -- most people will ask: "Wow. What do you do for work?"

In Britain, if you have a nice car -- some people will wait for you to leave it, and scratch their key down the side of it.

6. The British accent - Most Brits don't realize this but Americans love the British accent.

You immediately appear smarter and more attractive than you are. The British accent is a commodity in the rest of the world -- except Britain.

If you have a British accent, the worst ROI you get for it is ironically in Britain.

Unfortunately, the reverse isn't true for American accents.

7. History - In the 1700s, Americans were the ones that decided to get on a random boat for 50 days and travel across the whole world in search of a better life.

The Brits were the ones that said: "What a silly idea. Why would I do that?!"

This historical A/B test can explain 99% of their differences generations later.

8. Decentralisation - In America, if you want to get into politics - Washington.

If you want to get into tech - San Francisco.

If you want to get into finance - New York.

If you want to get into entertainment - LA.

In Britain, if you want to get into elite politics, tech, finance, or entertainment: You move to London.

(Remote work and Manchester's boom is changing this slightly)

9. Anti-Fragile - American kids are told they can do anything. This is great -- but can result in fragile self-esteem when reality meets their imagination.

British kids take the piss out of one another. This looks bad on the surface -- but it results in anti-fragile self-esteem. You learn to publicly laugh at your own insecurities.

10. Comedy - Chris Rock once broke down the difference between him (American) and Ricky Gervais (British).

American comedy is often so loud. They shout to get their joke across to everyone in the room.

British comedy is usually subtle. The best joke is the one that only the smart people in the room understood.

11. Road rage - There appears to be less road rage in America relative to Britain.

In Britain, there are 10x more car horns and fights.

I suspect this might be because of bigger roads -- or that you're unsure if the person you're starting a fight with has a gun.

12. Naming conventions - America often calls things what they are.

E.g. Joshua Tree in LA -- because it has a lot of Joshua Trees.

In British culture, it's more obscure.

E.g. Big Ben's own Wikipedia page has a debate about why a clock is called Big Ben. All we know is it involved some bloke called Ben.

13. War scar tissue - During WW1 and WW2, Britain saw millions of people die near their own soil. Major British cities got bombed into rubble.

Americans have barely seen any losses near their land. And the wars where they did take damage (E.g. Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam) - they were all so far away from America.

As a result, the British culture is more stoic. Brits mentally prepare for the worst outcome. It's the spirit that got us through watching our country get blown up twice.

Bonus thought:

14. Meta point - I poked more fun at Britain than America.

Why? Because I'm British. And mocking yourself rather than someone else is a very British thing to do.

And I love that part of British culture.

------

Nuance: This is largely satire from my own personal observations. The sample size is 1 and none of the above is a scientific fact.

[Ben Goldsmith @BenGoldsmith]

After decades of deforestation, suffering ever more flash flooding, drought, erosion and landslides, democratic Costa Rica took the decision in the 1980s to turn the tide. Since then, in one generation, forest cover has more than doubled, from a quarter of the country to half. How did Costa Rica do this? The government offered a subsidy to any landowner willing to establish new tree cover on their land. In the agriculturally productive areas, nothing much changed. It was simply more lucrative to grow food than to allow the forest to reclaim the land. But in agriculturally marginal areas, farmers swapped their cattle for trees, and made a new way of life revolving around wood and other forest products, small-scale market gardening, nature tourism and so on. Parched cattle ranch after cattle ranch has been transformed into lush, vibrant forest teeming with wildlife. In some areas the forest now stretches from horizon to horizon. In these areas flooding and water shortages are no more. There’s a powerful lesson here for all countries. Restoring nature is easy if bad incentives are replaced with good ones. England’s pioneering new Environment Land Management Scheme is another good example. Let’s hope others follow.

[Nirmal Purja MBE @nimsdai]

A Wise Chinese Man Said....
It is only when a mosquito lands on your testicles that you realize there is always a way to solve problems without using violence.

[Curiosity @MAstronomers]

Margaret Hamilton, NASA's lead developer for Apollo program, stands next to all the code she wrote by hand that took humanity to the moon in 1969.

[Team Forces @TeamForcesUK]

BREAKING NEWS – We’ve just heard that @PreetChandi10 has officially broken the record for the longest solo, unsupported, and unassisted polar expedition by any woman in history! The previous female record was 1,368 km skied by Anja Blacha from Germany in 2019. @KensingtonRoyal

[Paul Jameson @pjameson]

Without doubt the best thing about @piersmorgan on TalkTv is @Larissa_Ken

[Paul Jameson @pjameson]

@APaulDunn Ha. Good to hear from you. Not sure about a new project but a coffee would be good!

[David Faller @DavidRFaller]

Well done @daveryding @GBSnowsport 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

@fisalpine #fisalpine @discoveryplusUK @Eurosport_UK

[Paul Jameson @pjameson]

@daveryding congratulations. What an inspirational man. 🙌

[Paul Jameson @pjameson]

Incredible. Amazing. Inspiring. And seems such a nice bloke. Inspiring the next generation.

[Chemmy Alcott OLY @ChemmySki]

MINDBLOWING He did it! 🏆 the first 🇬🇧 to ever win a race in World Cup. And it Kitzbühel! The commentator called him Sir Dave Ryding - so apt considering his historic win today.@daveryding

[Paul Jameson @pjameson]

@GaryLineker Nice hotel.

[Simon Sinek @simonsinek]

The joy of leadership comes from seeing others achieve more than they thought they were capable of.

[Paul Jameson @pjameson]

Oh I like this.

[Simon Sinek @simonsinek]

Leadership is not about being in charge. Leadership is about taking care of those in your charge.

[James Timpson @JamesTCobbler]

Good news. Now our shops are all open we are recruiting again, so if you know of anyone with a criminal conviction, who has an amazing personality and is looking for work, please contact @darrenburns60 so we can sort an interview out.

[Paul Jameson @pjameson]

@MarcusRashford Nice one Marcus. Take a moment to pat yourself on your back and take note of how it feels to use your profile for good. Thank you for all those that you have helped and for making a positive difference.

[Paul Jameson @pjameson]

Yes please, least we can do. Coronavirus: More visa extensions urged for foreign key workers https://t.co/54ojozc3OG

[Paul Jameson @pjameson]

@aidananglin @david_mulville @LorcanAnglin @richproth Yes please. Hope you are well?

[Paul Jameson @pjameson]

@HRJaebenn Welcome to the 1980s!

[Paul Jameson @pjameson]

@HRJaebenn If you can’t beat them.....x