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PaperclipPerfector  1d ago (text post)   1100 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for May 22, 2026

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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Edinburgh has to be my favorite city in the UK, with Manchester lagging behind in second place.

London? I've warmed to it considerably since my first visit in 2022, but I've also cooled on the prices. There's no way I'm going to spend that much money on rent and general expenses, particularly in a profession with little scope for geographical arbitrage.

Edinburgh strikes a nice balance. It's got good vibes, plenty of places to see or things to do. I mean, I'm not actually going to do any of those things, but it's the thought that counts. I suspect that I'm biased towards Manchester because I have family there, its not that remarkable. It's clearly not in the same league as London, it's just reasonably priced and not a complete snooze-fest.

Glasgow? Bruh. There's something in the air. A faint stink of rot (which might well be literal). The day I was in Glasgow probably increased the average mood when considering the population average, and I'm depressed. It just feels wrong, and I was in the nicer parts, staying in a fancy hotel. I didn't feel physically unsafe (I've been in some shady places for reasons I'd rather not get into, thanks), but it's gloomy and lacks the architectural charm of Edinburgh. I've only felt as utterly disappointed by a city when I visited Aberdeen, and that's so far north you run into polar bears.

In contrast, Edinburgh rents are reasonable, it's got a cultural scene that I could get into, in theory (it hosts ACX meetups!), and it's not super expensive. I could see myself living there, modulo futures where I do settle down in the UK.

You're triggering fond memories of my Scottish vacation.

I completely agree on Glasgow. I'm not sure what their problem is, but I'm glad we didn't spend the night there. It felt somehow post-apocalyptic, but with all the technology working fine. If that makes sense.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_effect

The Glasgow effect is a socially constructed theory that describes the unexplained lower life expectancy of residents of Glasgow, specifically when compared to other municipalities across the United Kingdom.[1] Although lower income levels are generally associated with poor health and a shorter lifespan, epidemiologists have argued that poverty alone does not appear to account for the disparity found in Glasgow.[1][2][3][4][5][6] Equally deprived areas of the UK such as Liverpool and Manchester have higher life expectancies, and the wealthiest ten per cent of the Glasgow population have a lower life expectancy than the same group in other cities.[7] One in four men in Glasgow will die before their sixty-fifth birthday.[8]

I blame aliens. We've ruled out everything else.

Why could it not be some kind of pollen, or breathable but slightly poisonous molecule in the air? Something in very low concentration, and only sporadically released into the air? Something not yet detectable by modern instruments because we are unaware of it?

I have no idea, my best bet was background radiation, but I think I looked it up and the levels were fine. Even talked to a nuclear engineer in the family.

The reason we don't know is because we don't know, and people have tried pretty hard to figure out what's going on.

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