Best Of

Am I right in thinking in that there is no wicketkeeper in the England squad other than Smith?

If they ask me, I may be able to make it over there for the final test. I have the correct surname, and in every other respect can offer more than the current incumbent.

Pope is essentially acting as the wicket keeping understudy, though they also have the Lions squad in Australia.

Not sure that really works.

Jamie Smith's selection has tested to destruction the theory that you can do without a proper wicketkeeper and pick instead a batsman who knows how to put the gloves on.

Selectors still like to think they can get away without a specialist ’keeper. It’s the most difficult job on the field and should always be a specialist in the same way as a bowler.

The fact that the top of the order are rubbish with the bat, is not the fault of the ‘keeper or the bowlers.

Ukranian Christmas present to Russia. Orenburg gas plant is on fire.

https://x.com/visegrad24/status/2004172940745785687

Has Ukraine won yet as you were predicting as early as 2023?

Yep they’re winning.

50,000 dead Russians to not take Kupyansk, and 100,000 dead Russians to not take Pokrovsk.

Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

The only nations "winning" the SMO are the USA and China.
Ukraine is a bankrupt ruin in political crisis.
Russia and the EU are diminished.
The UK are irrelevant, just rowing in on whatever the EU position is without any voice in shaping it.

Barring Ukraine running out of other people's money or the Farage of Kiev being toppled, the SMO will probably continue on its current trajectory for a while yet. Incremental, bloody gains by Russia and occasional PIRA style spectaculars by Ukraine. It'll all be over by next Christmas.

You are seriously saying that Zelensky and Putin are moral equivalents? Seriously equating Zelensky and Farage? That is, um, an "interesting" view.

Not just a wrong view, a highly offensive view.

I never mentioned Putin.

Zelensky and Farage do have some similarities...

Peddler of simplistic solutions to complex issues for morons inclined to nationalism by deploying personal rizz.
Blatant liar, yet somehow shit doesn't stick. One of Zelensky's campaign slogans was Nyet Druzhy, Nyet Kumostva (No Friends, No Nepotism). On DAY ONE of his presidency, he appointed 15 people from his TV company to government positions.
Trusts almost nobody, micromanages everything.
Betrays and discards former confederates at the drop of an ushanka.
Loves flegs.

Make up your mind, is Zelensky dishing out jobs to his pals or 'betraying and discarding former confederates'?

The case against Zelensky seems a little patchy, tbh.
Appointed colleagues from his TV company to government?

Er, ok.

A possible precedent for Farage appointing GBNews executives to government?

Lots of UK examples of nepotism for Farage to follow.

Ukranian Christmas present to Russia. Orenburg gas plant is on fire.

https://x.com/visegrad24/status/2004172940745785687

Has Ukraine won yet as you were predicting as early as 2023?

Yep they’re winning.

50,000 dead Russians to not take Kupyansk, and 100,000 dead Russians to not take Pokrovsk.

Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

The only nations "winning" the SMO are the USA and China.
Ukraine is a bankrupt ruin in political crisis.
Russia and the EU are diminished.
The UK are irrelevant, just rowing in on whatever the EU position is without any voice in shaping it.

Barring Ukraine running out of other people's money or the Farage of Kiev being toppled, the SMO will probably continue on its current trajectory for a while yet. Incremental, bloody gains by Russia and occasional PIRA style spectaculars by Ukraine. It'll all be over by next Christmas.

You are seriously saying that Zelensky and Putin are moral equivalents? Seriously equating Zelensky and Farage? That is, um, an "interesting" view.

Not just a wrong view, a highly offensive view.

I never mentioned Putin.

Zelensky and Farage do have some similarities...

Peddler of simplistic solutions to complex issues for morons inclined to nationalism by deploying personal rizz.
Blatant liar, yet somehow shit doesn't stick. One of Zelensky's campaign slogans was Nyet Druzhy, Nyet Kumostva (No Friends, No Nepotism). On DAY ONE of his presidency, he appointed 15 people from his TV company to government positions.
Trusts almost nobody, micromanages everything.
Betrays and discards former confederates at the drop of an ushanka.
Loves flegs.

On just the narrow point of "On DAY ONE of his presidency, he appointed 15 people from his TV company to government positions" - so would you if you suddenly found yourself in the job. Just people you can trust.

.

Bother.
I got three bottles of malt for Xmas, so felt duty bound to drink half of one tonight.

That was probably a mistake on top of everything else.

Fortunately I've now watched sufficient Kdrama to have an approximate idea of how to make hangover soup for breakfast.

Wish me well.

Half a bottle is 15 units (or more if cask strength). See you tomorrow!

Or not, as the case may be.

It looks as though I had a better night than the nutjob in the White House.

Trump: Merry Christmas to all, including the many Sleazebags who loved Jeffrey Epstein…. attended his parties, and thought he was the greatest guy on earth, only to "drop him like a dog" when things got too HOT, falsely claimed they had nothing to do with him….
https://x.com/Acyn/status/2004340515102417210

Projection much?

I don't think I was..

Ukranian Christmas present to Russia. Orenburg gas plant is on fire.

https://x.com/visegrad24/status/2004172940745785687

Has Ukraine won yet as you were predicting as early as 2023?

Yep they’re winning.

50,000 dead Russians to not take Kupyansk, and 100,000 dead Russians to not take Pokrovsk.

Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

The only nations "winning" the SMO are the USA and China.
Ukraine is a bankrupt ruin in political crisis.
Russia and the EU are diminished.
The UK are irrelevant, just rowing in on whatever the EU position is without any voice in shaping it.

Barring Ukraine running out of other people's money or the Farage of Kiev being toppled, the SMO will probably continue on its current trajectory for a while yet. Incremental, bloody gains by Russia and occasional PIRA style spectaculars by Ukraine. It'll all be over by next Christmas.

You are seriously saying that Zelensky and Putin are moral equivalents? Seriously equating Zelensky and Farage? That is, um, an "interesting" view.

Not just a wrong view, a highly offensive view.

I never mentioned Putin.

Zelensky and Farage do have some similarities...

Peddler of simplistic solutions to complex issues for morons inclined to nationalism by deploying personal rizz.
Blatant liar, yet somehow shit doesn't stick. One of Zelensky's campaign slogans was Nyet Druzhy, Nyet Kumostva (No Friends, No Nepotism). On DAY ONE of his presidency, he appointed 15 people from his TV company to government positions.
Trusts almost nobody, micromanages everything.
Betrays and discards former confederates at the drop of an ushanka.
Loves flegs.

You’re flattering Farage, if you compare him to someone as inspirational as Zelensky.

The other way round I think. Zelensky is a global figurehead. He would always have been feted regardless of personal qualities - that is not me saying he doesn't have any qualities, just that his sainthood has been a given. Farage on the other hand is working against the grain of every organ of the modern state. There are no airbrushed Vogue covers of Farage and his main squeeze.

Zelensky could have easily got on that helicopter with a big bag of cash, when the Russians invaded. Indeed, many expected him to do so.

Biden even offered him the helicopter to evacuate, but instead he said that he fights for his country and to send weapons. “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride.”

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-united-nations-kyiv-6ccba0905f1871992b93712d3585f548

Which was what I was referencing. The US and much of Europe expected Zelensky to scoot into exile, and follow the path of the Dalai Lama. That is, turning up to the fringes of international meetings to plead the cause for his country. And be ignored, really.

It's why having Boris Johnson there at the outbreak of the war was such a crucial factor because he was the only Western voice who was strongly opposed to the fatalistic mood that a full occupation was inevitable once Putin decided to invade.

Ukranian Christmas present to Russia. Orenburg gas plant is on fire.

https://x.com/visegrad24/status/2004172940745785687

Has Ukraine won yet as you were predicting as early as 2023?

Yep they’re winning.

50,000 dead Russians to not take Kupyansk, and 100,000 dead Russians to not take Pokrovsk.

Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

The only nations "winning" the SMO are the USA and China.
Ukraine is a bankrupt ruin in political crisis.
Russia and the EU are diminished.
The UK are irrelevant, just rowing in on whatever the EU position is without any voice in shaping it.

Barring Ukraine running out of other people's money or the Farage of Kiev being toppled, the SMO will probably continue on its current trajectory for a while yet. Incremental, bloody gains by Russia and occasional PIRA style spectaculars by Ukraine. It'll all be over by next Christmas.

You are seriously saying that Zelensky and Putin are moral equivalents? Seriously equating Zelensky and Farage? That is, um, an "interesting" view.

Not just a wrong view, a highly offensive view.

I never mentioned Putin.

Zelensky and Farage do have some similarities...

Peddler of simplistic solutions to complex issues for morons inclined to nationalism by deploying personal rizz.
Blatant liar, yet somehow shit doesn't stick. One of Zelensky's campaign slogans was Nyet Druzhy, Nyet Kumostva (No Friends, No Nepotism). On DAY ONE of his presidency, he appointed 15 people from his TV company to government positions.
Trusts almost nobody, micromanages everything.
Betrays and discards former confederates at the drop of an ushanka.
Loves flegs.

You’re flattering Farage, if you compare him to someone as inspirational as Zelensky.

The other way round I think. Zelensky is a global figurehead. He would always have been feted regardless of personal qualities - that is not me saying he doesn't have any qualities, just that his sainthood has been a given. Farage on the other hand is working against the grain of every organ of the modern state. There are no airbrushed Vogue covers of Farage and his main squeeze.

Zelensky could have easily got on that helicopter with a big bag of cash, when the Russians invaded. Indeed, many expected him to do so.

Biden even offered him the helicopter to evacuate, but instead he said that he fights for his country and to send weapons. “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride.”

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-united-nations-kyiv-6ccba0905f1871992b93712d3585f548

Which was what I was referencing. The US and much of Europe expected Zelensky to scoot into exile, and follow the path of the Dalai Lama. That is, turning up to the fringes of international meetings to plead the cause for his country. And be ignored, really.

‘I was a Spad on £85k – with no HR and brutal hours, attempts to unionise should come as no shock’
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/527b554692bf7c11

Gift link to bypass paywall. An inside look at the life of a former SpAd for the blue team.

Hmmmm.

£85k and is complaining he's underpaid because he has 'a certain lifestyle' to keep up.

[snip]

It's not the salary structure, it's recruiting in the wrong pool.

I think you are misreading it.

I think he’s saying that the good people don’t apply because they don’t want to accept £85,000 (because their lifestyle and mortgages)… so you end up with useless dregs like him…

It’s almost self aware