Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.

LAB YouGov lead down to 2% but Johnson trails Starmer by 7% as “best PM” – politicalbetting.com

12357

Comments

  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 65,085
    edited March 2022

    Biden. He's a curious mixture of feistiness and fragility. I don't think he's senile though. Just physically fragile and a bit tongue-tied.
    He's always had issues with his vocals. Stutterer who overcame the affliction to a certain extent.

    A younger guy might be sharper but there's damn few in Washington with more foreign policy chops than Biden.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 65,085
    Leon said:

    I hope so. And yes, I do sometimes lapse into pessimism. It's hard not to. This is the most dangerous time for the world in my entire life. Indeed maybe the most dangerous since World War 2. It is worse than the Cuban Missile Crisis, I reckon, as that was easily and quickly solved, despite being terribly frightening

    Ukraine is not easily solved. So many ways it can go BADLY wrong
    Khruschev wasn't mad, which helped obviously.
  • rpjsrpjs Posts: 3,787

    Quite an interesting in the Speccy on the position of Turkey in all of this.

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/could-turkey-rejoin-the-west-

    However I was struck by this:

    "For now, Turkey is proving one of Nato’s biggest assets. Ankara has sent multiple shipments of its sophisticated Bayraktar attack drone to Kiev, effectively handing over the capability to destroy Russian armour from the air. In the Armenian conflict, the unmanned aerial vehicle swung the fighting in favour of Turkey’s close ally, Azerbaijan, and was responsible for devastating Armenia’s armed forces."

    Is it really the case that Turkey has unique ownership of this tank-busting wonder weapon? No equivalents anywhere? Does the UK possess drones like these?

    My understanding is that the Bayraktar drones *aren't* super-sophisticated, rather they're relatively cheap to build and easy to operate. Whereas US, UK etc drones end up being as sophisticated and therefore as expensive as the defence industries can get away with: "the drones Harrods would sell you" as Sir Humphrey might have said.

    Which sadly shows we've forgotten the lesson of the Second World War where the Allies, including the Soviets, were able to churn out cheap, unsophisticated tanks like the Sherman and T-34 by the dozen in the same time as one or two of the Germans' undeniably superior Tigers etc.
  • RogerRoger Posts: 20,270
    edited March 2022
    Interesting that the committee that inquired into Bercow have said 'he's a liar and a bully'. Isn't that exactly the reasons Priti Patel was fired by Mrs May?

    ......and now I hear she's at it again. Can't Tory Cabinet Ministers learn to tell the truth?
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,520
    kle4 said:

    Boris is at his best when he is called upon for vaguely stirring pablum. Shame that's not a big part of the job and there's all the negatives.

    Yes, a man cannot live by pablum alone - whether it be "bland or insipid intellectual matter" or a "processed cereal for infants originally marketed and co-created by the Mead Johnson Company in 1931".
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,003

    Have you ever tuned in to RT news? One of the things about media generally, whether mass media or social media, is to legitimise the content. This is why people who think that Putin has not tried to influence our politics are so fecking stupid.

    Salmond, Corbyn et al must have known that at some time before or after his "chat show" there would be fake news being propagated. Even if his own content was wonderfully balanced (unlikely) and not propaganda he has managed to assist with the propaganda effort. Much as I despise the fat little toad, I don't think he is stupid. He knew. People who defend him are defending the indefensible.
    More dribbling from Gammon..........

  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 24,017

    Biden. He's a curious mixture of feistiness and fragility. I don't think he's senile though. Just physically fragile and a bit tongue-tied.
    He has a stammer and has always had one. It has nothing to do with his senility or not.
  • stodgestodge Posts: 14,384

    Biden. He's a curious mixture of feistiness and fragility. I don't think he's senile though. Just physically fragile and a bit tongue-tied.
    I rarely agree with @Leon who inhabits a universe so far removed from mine to render the words parallel or alternate wholly inadequate but he is right about Blinken. I saw some coverage of his visit to Moldova on Sunday and he was on the NBC "Meet the Press" and he comes over extraordinarily well. A real asset to the West at this time.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,520

    Was you saying

    "No face saving or partial victory for Biden."

    a Freudian slip?
    The dangers of being on gung ho autopilot.
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 9,601

    @BorisJohnson set to join Biden in banning Russian oil imports

    US & UK in synch again - but not EU 🥶


    https://twitter.com/Mij_Europe/status/1501234726568402946

    Get on message

    UK bad… EU good… Boris bad… EU good
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 98,284
    Last word on Bercow, as I think the key part of the report (other than saying had he been an MP they would have said he should be expelled, which is remarkable) is that it did address what is already his key defence about his reforming nature and that being why he was targeted.

    It is for historians to judge whether [Bercow] was a successful reforming Speaker of the House of Commons. However, there was no need to act as a bully in order to achieve that aim. A great office can be filled forcefully and effectively without descending to such behaviour.

    People need thick skin in life, but should not require armour plating. You can be a youngster just starting out, or a hard bitten tough veteran of a dozen wars, you should not have to put up with abuse of that nature as a part of your job. I despise that type of petty bully so much, since there is just no need other than a power trip or getting away with acting like a dick.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 53,393
    edited March 2022

    In addition to Transnistria, keep your eye on Trans- (or Sub- depending on perspective) Carpathia. Which has a significant ethnic Hungarian population, along with Ruthenes /Rusyns who do NOT identify as Ukrainian.

    Thus plenty of scope for arch-Putinist Viktor Orban.

    Note that Hungary seized this real estate following Hitler's full dismemberment of Czechoslovakia in 1939. And held it until the Red Army appeared over the horizon in 1944, after which it was soon annexed by USSR and included in . . . . wait for it . . . Ukrainian SSR.
    In 2001, Transcarpathia had a 12.1% Hungarian minority, followed by Romanians (2.6%), Russians (2.5%), Roma (1.1%), Slovaks (0.5%) and Germans (0.3%). Ukraine does not officially recognise the Rusyns, but they comprised 0.8%.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zakarpattia_Oblast
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,832
    malcolmg said:

    More dribbling from Gammon..........

    -2/10

    Trying, still trying, still very trying.....
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 37,521
    DETROIT (AP) — McDonald's says it is temporarily closing 850 restaurants in Russia in response to the Ukraine invasion.
    https://twitter.com/JonLemire/status/1501252376174346242
  • stodgestodge Posts: 14,384

    Overtaking lanes! Not fast, not for people who think they are doing the correct speed, or the speed limit or for people going fast to stay in. Lanes for overtaking, then returning to the next free lane.
    I wonder whether, once the fighting is over in the Ukraine, some of the drones which have proven so effective against Russian forces, could be re-purposed to head up and down motorways, locating and identifying speeding motorists.

    Blasting them with laser cannon may seem a shade draconian and it'll never get past a namby-pamby, cancel culture, woke supporter like Priti Patel - it's more a Lib Dem policy I would guess. :)
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 98,284
    Looks positive

    The Élysée Palace released images of French President Macron after his call with Putin today, regarding the invasion of Ukraine.

    https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/1501203496716152841?cxt=HHwWksC51YyorNUpAAAA
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,832

    In 2001, Transcarpathia had a 12.1% Hungarian minority, followed by Romanians (2.6%), Russians (2.5%), Roma (1.1%), Slovaks (0.5%) and Germans (0.3%). Ukraine does not officially recognise the Rusyns, but they comprised 0.8%.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zakarpattia_Oblast
    Greater Hungarian Nationalism is quite fun - though very much a minority sport - the amount of Europe they claim is.... interesting.

  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,520
    edited March 2022

    I'm pretty sure that seismic events in Russia will now develop. The pre-invasion Russian state and economy are going to be convulsed. I don't know whether to be optimistic, pessimistic or terrified about what will unfold. Might take a few weeks or months to get going.
    All 3 for me. Optimistic long term, pessimistic short term, terrified that the short term won't be very short.
  • NorthofStokeNorthofStoke Posts: 1,758
    stodge said:

    I wonder whether, once the fighting is over in the Ukraine, some of the drones which have proven so effective against Russian forces, could be re-purposed to head up and down motorways, locating and identifying speeding motorists.

    Blasting them with laser cannon may seem a shade draconian and it'll never get past a namby-pamby, cancel culture, woke supporter like Priti Patel - it's more a Lib Dem policy I would guess. :)
    Speeding offences and Lib Dems? Something is stirring in my memory.
  • noneoftheabovenoneoftheabove Posts: 24,017
    stodge said:

    I wonder whether, once the fighting is over in the Ukraine, some of the drones which have proven so effective against Russian forces, could be re-purposed to head up and down motorways, locating and identifying speeding motorists.

    Blasting them with laser cannon may seem a shade draconian and it'll never get past a namby-pamby, cancel culture, woke supporter like Priti Patel - it's more a Lib Dem policy I would guess. :)
    I used to say that all drivers break the speed limits at times and think I was correct (well 99%+ anyway). Not sure that holds any longer.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,003
    edited March 2022

    -2/10

    Trying, still trying, still very trying.....
    Malmsebury, you are jaded and have lost any sense of humour , 1/10 only because 0/10 not allowed.
    I shall continue till my dumbo stalker gets the message, he is rather slow on the uptake.
  • TresTres Posts: 2,782

    Greater Hungarian Nationalism is quite fun - though very much a minority sport - the amount of Europe they claim is.... interesting.

    Always good fun spotting the Treaty of Trianon car bumper stickers when wandering around Hungary.
  • eekeek Posts: 29,531
    malcolmg said:

    Malmsebury, you are jaded and hav elost any sense of humour , 1/10 only because 0/10 not allowed.
    I shall continue till my dumbo stalker gets the message, he is rather slow on the uptake.
    May I suggest you take your own advice Father Jack and

    Fuck Off you Xenophobic Scot
  • ApplicantApplicant Posts: 3,379
    malcolmg said:

    Malmsebury, you are jaded and have lost any sense of humour , 1/10 only because 0/10 not allowed.
    I shall continue till my dumbo stalker gets the message, he is rather slow on the uptake.
    Nobody else cares about either of you.
  • OmniumOmnium Posts: 11,400
    edited March 2022
    malcolmg said:
    I don't have better links. I guess you can escape from yourself though.

    Edit: I wonder how much of life is escaping from yourself.
  • mwadams said:

    I'm all for grass roots efforts to highlight the global social and technological challenges of climate change (especially in the face of head-in-the-sand westerns politicians and their villas on high ground), and to put pressure on business and policymakers.

    However, nothing makes me want to burn more fossil fuel and pump pesticides into rivers than the total idiots who seem to dominate ER and similar groups. To the extent that I think they must have been penetrated to all heck by hostile agencies.
    If ER start letting down people’s tyres that will be noted by the juries at their trials
  • AslanAslan Posts: 1,673
    Leon said:

    Biden barely gets through this speech without lapsing into total incoherence


    https://twitter.com/SarahRosemary3/status/1501237580402249732?s=20&t=Xfjy5j18coREz1PHnfGE9g


    I feel for the guy. He's old and teetering on the edge of senility. He's still a trillion times better than Trump, but oh for a younger, sharper president in the White House. Zelenskyy should maybe get the job, after he's finished saving Kyiv

    At least some of Biden's appointees are up to snuff. Blinken has been impressive

    If only there was a young, highly eloquent, Rhodes scholar, Afghanistan veteran about. Perhaps one that had business and government executive experience.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 35,155
    Scott_xP said:

    DETROIT (AP) — McDonald's says it is temporarily closing 850 restaurants in Russia in response to the Ukraine invasion.
    https://twitter.com/JonLemire/status/1501252376174346242

    Consumer power in action
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 50,959
    edited March 2022
    rpjs said:

    My understanding is that the Bayraktar drones *aren't* super-sophisticated, rather they're relatively cheap to build and easy to operate. Whereas US, UK etc drones end up being as sophisticated and therefore as expensive as the defence industries can get away with: "the drones Harrods would sell you" as Sir Humphrey might have said.

    Which sadly shows we've forgotten the lesson of the Second World War where the Allies, including the Soviets, were able to churn out cheap, unsophisticated tanks like the Sherman and T-34 by the dozen in the same time as one or two of the Germans' undeniably superior Tigers etc.
    The death rate of Americans inside Sherman tanks was, as a consequence, one of the highest in the war. I think I am right that only bomber crews had a higher fatality rate.

    The scene in Fury when three Shermans take on a Tiger illustrates the point. Without Brad Pitt they’d have lost all three.
  • OmniumOmnium Posts: 11,400
    Applicant said:

    Nobody else cares about either of you.
    And yet, I do. So you're all at sea!
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,520

    Biden. He's a curious mixture of feistiness and fragility. I don't think he's senile though. Just physically fragile and a bit tongue-tied.
    I agree. He seems his age rather than younger but there's no evidence of senility at all. That's just a Trump-friendly smeary talking point.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,534
    Aslan said:

    If only there was a young, highly eloquent, Rhodes scholar, Afghanistan veteran about. Perhaps one that had business and government executive experience.
    Buttigieg closest to that
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,832
    IanB2 said:

    The death rate of Americans inside Sherman tanks was, as a consequence, one of the highest in the war. I think I am right that only bomber crews had a higher fatality rate.
    Caused almost entirely by piling ammunition in the interior. Which was a side effect of using the Shermans as close support artillery.

    When ammo stowage rules were enforced, Shermans burnt less frequently than Panthers. And had better crew survival rates.

    It turned out, in the end that wet stowage (introduced by the British) wasn't required.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 53,393

    I wouldn't have bothered commenting if he'd said "unided". That's unremarkable.

    He said "unined" several times. Once when he repeated himself, seemingly trying to correct the first "We are unined" .... "unined". It sounded very weird.
    They can't say "Antarctica" either :lol:
  • AslanAslan Posts: 1,673
    HYUFD said:

    Buttigieg closest to that
    "Closest."
  • MexicanpeteMexicanpete Posts: 30,934
    edited March 2022
    Leon said:

    Biden barely gets through this speech without lapsing into total incoherence


    https://twitter.com/SarahRosemary3/status/1501237580402249732?s=20&t=Xfjy5j18coREz1PHnfGE9g


    I feel for the guy. He's old and teetering on the edge of senility. He's still a trillion times better than Trump, but oh for a younger, sharper president in the White House. Zelenskyy should maybe get the job, after he's finished saving Kyiv

    At least some of Biden's appointees are up to snuff. Blinken has been impressive

    Maybe a job for Johnson, if he hadn't relinquished his US citizenship? Um, err, crikey.
  • rpjsrpjs Posts: 3,787
    Chameleon said:

    https://twitter.com/iVisitLondon/status/1500802950909894656

    "Today is the day murderous females get the recognition they so rightfully deserve, @LondonDungeon for one day only Jack the Ripper has been dubbed Jackie the Ripper.

    Read More: https://ivisitlondon.co.uk/london-articles/the-london-dungeons-the-story-of-jackie-the-ripper/"

    Spat out my tea when I saw this. Just incredibly bad judgement from all involved.

    I think that even beats the PSNI a couple of years back when they marked International Women’s Day by asking female officers to nominate for an award male officers that had helped them.
  • Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 30,475
    Yesterday the Russians had a (very hopeful it must be said) set of conditions for peace. Has Ukraine responded?
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    YouGov breaks:

    London
    Lab 49%
    Con 28%
    Grn 10%
    LD 8%
    Ref 2%

    Rest of South
    Con 41%
    Lab 31%
    LD 11%
    Grn 9%
    Ref 5%

    Midlands/Wales
    Con 38%
    Lab 33%
    Grn 8%
    LD 8%
    Ref 6%
    PC 4%

    North
    Lab 50%
    Con 33%
    Grn 8%
    Ref 5%
    LD 3%

    Scotland
    SNP 47%
    Lab 24%
    Con 19%
    Grn 3%
    LD 2%
    Ref 2%

    (Sample Size: 1658 GB adults Fieldwork: 3rd - 4th March 2022)
  • FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 10,022
    It's a puzzle to me as to why the Ukrainians are not doing more air strikes on Russian advances.
  • Big_G_NorthWalesBig_G_NorthWales Posts: 64,913
    edited March 2022
    malcolmg said:

    Malmsebury, you are jaded and have lost any sense of humour , 1/10 only because 0/10 not allowed.
    I shall continue till my dumbo stalker gets the message, he is rather slow on the uptake.
    Hi Malc

    I know you like being annoying and winding posters up which is part of the fabric of PB, but can I just ask you to tone it down as both yourself and this forum deserve better especially in these horrible times
  • MattWMattW Posts: 26,195
    Carnyx said:

    How could the British Army shoot down a Turkish drone? Trying to work out how it could do that without expending a more expensive missile.
    The Turkish Bayraktar B2 drones in use are £5m each, so most of our missiles (this side of Trident) are probably less expensive.

    Stinger?

    Spec of drone:

    Performance
    Maximum speed: 120 knots (220 km/h)
    Cruise speed: 70 knots (130 km/h)
    Range: 150 km (81 nmi)[41]
    Communication range: line-of-sight propagation
    Service ceiling: 27,000 feet (8,200 m)
    Operational altitude: 18,000 feet (5,500 m)
    Endurance: 27 hours


    I've checked and it says production cost is $1-2m .
  • FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 10,022
    Russia faces financial crisis but what about an unemployment crisis? McDonalds closing 850 restaurants. Presumably that means thousands straight on the dole.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 26,195

    It wouldn't take much to retrain their employees to work for the Russian government: "Would you like lies with that?"
    It seems that Shell has (soon - had) 500 filling stations in Russia.
  • rpjsrpjs Posts: 3,787

    I think, if I'm right, that there can't be a war. There hasn't been a declaration of war since (I think) 1945. No nation DOWs another anymore. That's so early 20th century.

    They're miliary actions, peacekeeping efforts, special military operations. Call them whatever you want, but they aren't wars.
    If they were, then the UN might have to actually try to do something more, which it clearly can't do.
    So they're NOT wars. Never have been, never will be.
    There hasn't been a war since Korea. Nothing to see here.
    IIRC formal declarations of war are incompatible with the UN Charter. And even Korea wasn’t declared as a war, rather a “collective action” of the United Nations (Stalin having made the stupid mistake of boycotting the UN so was unable to veto it in the UNSC).
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 50,959
    MattW said:

    The Turkish Bayraktar B2 drones in use are £5m each, so most of our missiles (this side of Trident) are probably less expensive.

    Stinger?

    Spec of drone:

    Performance
    Maximum speed: 120 knots (220 km/h)
    Cruise speed: 70 knots (130 km/h)
    Range: 150 km (81 nmi)[41]
    Communication range: line-of-sight propagation
    Service ceiling: 27,000 feet (8,200 m)
    Operational altitude: 18,000 feet (5,500 m)
    Endurance: 27 hours


    I've checked and it says production cost is $1-2m .
    The inflation rate in the cost of killing people is something shocking.
  • ApplicantApplicant Posts: 3,379

    Yesterday the Russians had a (very hopeful it must be said) set of conditions for peace. Has Ukraine responded?

    No, Ukraine hasn't caved to Putin.
  • BigRichBigRich Posts: 3,492

    Russia faces financial crisis but what about an unemployment crisis? McDonalds closing 850 restaurants. Presumably that means thousands straight on the dole.

    or the local franchise/local manager just opens up with a new sign on the door?
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,690

    YouGov breaks:

    London
    Lab 49%
    Con 28%
    Grn 10%
    LD 8%
    Ref 2%

    Rest of South
    Con 41%
    Lab 31%
    LD 11%
    Grn 9%
    Ref 5%

    Midlands/Wales
    Con 38%
    Lab 33%
    Grn 8%
    LD 8%
    Ref 6%
    PC 4%

    North
    Lab 50%
    Con 33%
    Grn 8%
    Ref 5%
    LD 3%

    Scotland
    SNP 47%
    Lab 24%
    Con 19%
    Grn 3%
    LD 2%
    Ref 2%

    (Sample Size: 1658 GB adults Fieldwork: 3rd - 4th March 2022)

    LD vote looks quite efficiently concentrated where it needs to be, especially as their overall score is on the lower side of recent polls.
  • IanB2IanB2 Posts: 50,959
    Applicant said:

    No, Ukraine hasn't caved to Putin.
    Congrats on your 1000th post! :)
  • TimSTimS Posts: 14,690

    It's a puzzle to me as to why the Ukrainians are not doing more air strikes on Russian advances.

    We see a lot of pictures of destroyed Russian weaponry and armour, but I expect the losses of Ukrainian artillery and aircraft have been mounting up too.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 26,195
    biggles said:

    A special operation to seize control of France, in order to prevent any chance of war.
    It's an idea.

    Oh - you mean by Russia :smile: .
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,832
    IanB2 said:

    The inflation rate in the cost of killing people is something shocking.
    I think it was Robert Graves who, when he saw machine gunners firing entire belts of ammunition to boil water for tea during WWI, observed that would be on his income tax after the war......
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 43,127

    It's a puzzle to me as to why the Ukrainians are not doing more air strikes on Russian advances.

    Whatever they have left I assume it has to be eked out very carefully, high risk strikes against well defended columns with air support may not be best use. Depressingly I imagine the Ukrainians have already written off a lot of Russian objectives.
  • rpjsrpjs Posts: 3,787
    BigRich said:

    or the local franchise/local manager just opens up with a new sign on the door?
    “Donaldovitch’s”?
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 53,393
    Leon said:

    I hope so. And yes, I do sometimes lapse into pessimism. It's hard not to. This is the most dangerous time for the world in my entire life. Indeed maybe the most dangerous since World War 2. It is worse than the Cuban Missile Crisis, I reckon, as that was easily and quickly solved, despite being terribly frightening

    Ukraine is not easily solved. So many ways it can go BADLY wrong
    Peace will come to me
  • StuartDicksonStuartDickson Posts: 12,146
    TimS said:

    LD vote looks quite efficiently concentrated where it needs to be, especially as their overall score is on the lower side of recent polls.
    They are rapidly becoming a South of England party. That has advantages and disadvantages.
  • ApplicantApplicant Posts: 3,379
    IanB2 said:

    Congrats on your 1000th post! :)
    Thank you! I noticed it was coming up but didn't have anything particularly creative to say in it 😂
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,832
    MattW said:

    It's an idea.

    Oh - you mean by Russia :smile: .
    A special operation to seize control of France, in order to prevent any chance of..... a special operation
  • Peter_the_PunterPeter_the_Punter Posts: 14,580
    edited March 2022

    It's a puzzle to me as to why the Ukrainians are not doing more air strikes on Russian advances.

    The air situation puzzles me too, Frank. We need our special security correspondent, Yokes, to help us with this one. He hasn't been around much lately (I do hope he hasn't been taken prisoner) but maybe we can piece something together from his early posts.

    He said it was desperately important that the Ukranian Air Force remained intact during the first few days of the invasion. Presuably this was because it was essential that the Russians didn't have air cover for their ground forces. In fact it seems the UAF is still intact which is one reason why the Russian ground forces have made so little progress.

    I suspect if the UAF did attempt to attack Russian positions however they would expose themselves to pretty rapid destruction. The Russians would then have the skies and much greater freedom for manouevre.

    Bit of a stalemate is what I am suggesting, in which case it is operating to the defenders' long-term advantage.

    The position could of course change if the US & Poland agree to supply aircraft for the Ukranians but I suspect that's a very tricky decision for many reasons.
  • CatManCatMan Posts: 3,170
    edited March 2022
    BigRich said:

    or the local franchise/local manager just opens up with a new sign on the door?
    Unlike most McDonalds the ones in Russia are apparently directly owned by McDonalds. But I guess they could just keep them open and ignore what Mackey Ds tells them.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 54,478
    @disclosetv
    JUST IN - Putin signs a decree restricting imports and exports of products and raw materials to "ensure the security of the Russian Federation," RIA reports.

    The list will be determined by the government.


    https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1501260323562659843
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 75,892
    biggles said:

    Those talking about drone capability need to bear in mind that what Turkey is offering is a completely different proposition to the Protectors (as we call them) we have bought. Our US provided solution is higher altitude, a lot more persistent (over a day I think), packed with surveillance kit, and carries a lot more payload (which is also much more advanced - e.g. U.K. made brimstone missiles). The Turkish solution fills a wonderful niche, but it doesn’t compare. A peer enemy for us would easily deal with it - it just turns out Russia isn’t a peer…

    No, they’re probably quite hard for us to shoot down, too.
    Especially at night.
  • Sunil_PrasannanSunil_Prasannan Posts: 53,393
    rpjs said:

    “Donaldovitch’s”?
    Burger Tsar's?
  • rpjsrpjs Posts: 3,787

    It's a puzzle to me as to why the Ukrainians are not doing more air strikes on Russian advances.

    The Ukrainians have been losing aircraft too, hence Zelensky’s appeals for the Polish/NATO MiGs. I should imagine the Ukrainians are having to maintain a precarious balance: they need enough aircraft to continue to prevent the Russians from establishing air superiority but that means they can’t take the risk of trying to attain it themselves.
  • MattWMattW Posts: 26,195
    edited March 2022
    On expensive ways to shoot down drones, Israel uses F-35s:

    https://twitter.com/manniefabian/status/1500848714419687430

    The particular drones were thought to be Iran trying to fly weapons to Gaza / WB.
  • ApplicantApplicant Posts: 3,379

    Burger Tsar's?
    Well, Putin does like to tell a Whopper.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,534
    rpjs said:

    IIRC formal declarations of war are incompatible with the UN Charter. And even Korea wasn’t declared as a war, rather a “collective action” of the United Nations (Stalin having made the stupid mistake of boycotting the UN so was unable to veto it in the UNSC).
    The 1990 Gulf War effectively implemented a UN resolution.
  • stodgestodge Posts: 14,384
    kinabalu said:

    All 3 for me. Optimistic long term, pessimistic short term, terrified that the short term won't be very short.
    It won't do us any of us any good were Russia to devolve into anarchy and instability. We can all agree Putin has to go but it's up to the Russians themselves who follows him.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 126,534

    They are rapidly becoming a South of England party. That has advantages and disadvantages.
    It does mean the LDs have replaced the Tories as the new party of the posh post Brexit
  • StillWatersStillWaters Posts: 9,601
    HYUFD said:

    Buttigieg closest to that
    Rory
  • FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 10,022
    BigRich said:

    or the local franchise/local manager just opens up with a new sign on the door?
    With what money?
  • MattWMattW Posts: 26,195

    Whatever they have left I assume it has to be eked out very carefully, high risk strikes against well defended columns with air support may not be best use. Depressingly I imagine the Ukrainians have already written off a lot of Russian objectives.
    Also objectives.

    Their top priority is to survive, and that means focus on eg cities.

    Also eg that 60km column is not doing much damage for now if it is just sitting there out of fuel. So they can go for other things instead.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,281
    edited March 2022
    Just off the phone with an officer from Ukraine's military intelligence service (GUR). Someone I've known now for four years who's often rolled his eyes at official Ukrainian government pronouncements.

    A few observations/comments:


    https://twitter.com/michaeldweiss/status/1501252691133149188

  • SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 17,559
    kinabalu said:

    Well you'd be far more expert than me on this. Biden does mangle words a bit but some of it sounds to me just like what many Americans do, eg that soft d for a hard t. I do love his "Poo'an" for Putin.
    Hardly expert, for example clueless on what degree, if any, Biden's speech patterns are influenced by Scranton on one hand, and Wilmington on the other. Suspect the latter may explain some of his "t" dropping?

    As for tongue tied, Biden's always been articulate but also what you might call "gaffy". Plus not as young as he used to be. Like everyone else, but more so in his case than most!
  • LeonLeon Posts: 59,294

    He has a stammer and has always had one. It has nothing to do with his senility or not.
    No, it's more than just a stammer. He loses the thread of speeches even when they are right in front of him. I take no pleasure in this. This is not a "smeary Trumpist talking point" - I detest Trump and the idea of him winning in 2024 fills me with dread, Trump is arguably one of the reasons Putin has started this terrible war

    Biden IS mentally frail. Hopefully they can keep him together with sellotape and string and find a better candidate than Harris in 2024. And, as I have said, Biden has some impressive aides, which is a consolation
  • kyf_100kyf_100 Posts: 4,953

    The air situation puzzles me too, Frank. We need our special security correspondent, Yokes, to help us with this one. He hasn't been around much lately (I do hope he hasn't been taken prisoner) but maybe we can piece something together from his early posts.

    He said it was desperately important that the Ukranian Air Force remained intact during the first few days of the invasion. Presuably this was because it was essential that the Russians didn't have air cover for their ground forces. In fact it seems the UAF is still intact which is one reason why the Russian ground forces have made so little progress.

    I suspect if the UAF did attempt to attack Russian positions however they would expose themselves to pretty rapid destruction. The Russians would then have the skies and much greater freedom for manouevre.

    Bit of a stalemate is what I am suggesting, in which case it is operating to the defenders' long-term advantage.

    The position could of course change if the US & Poland agree to supply aircraft for the Ukranians but I suspect that's a very tricky decision for many reasons.
    I think the old Yes Prime Minister "salami tactics" sketch works the other way round when it comes to supplying the Ukrainian forces.

    We supplied them with NLAWS and much more besides that before the war. Button? Obviously not.
    We continue to supply them across the border once the war began. Button? Again, no.
    Ditto with sanctions designed to cripple the Russian economy, which Putin has said amount to a declaration of war, but still no button.
    Now we're talking about supplying them with Polish Migs. Does Putin push the button if we do? Probably not.
    But then what if we allow them to use Romanian airfields, does he push the button then? I doubt it.

    In fact I suspect that short of Nato forces actually shooting Russian soldiers, setting foot in Russian territory or starting to shoot Russian aircraft out of the sky, Putin won't actually do anything. His forces are already overstretched and his generals probably won't accept the nuclear order from him for anything less than a Nato invasion of Russia.

    It would be a dangerous theory to test, but my gut is telling me Putin is all bark and no bite so long as we don't engage his forces directly.
  • CiceroCicero Posts: 3,331
    HYUFD said:

    It does mean the LDs have replaced the Tories as the new party of the posh post Brexit
    Orkney and Shetland and Caithness are hardly Surrey.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 98,284
    Leon said:

    No, it's more than just a stammer. He loses the thread of speeches even when they are right in front of him. I take no pleasure in this. This is not a "smeary Trumpist talking point" - I detest Trump and the idea of him winning in 2024 fills me with dread, Trump is arguably one of the reasons Putin has started this terrible war

    Biden IS mentally frail. Hopefully they can keep him together with sellotape and string and find a better candidate than Harris in 2024. And, as I have said, Biden has some impressive aides, which is a consolation
    I'm picturing a very strong lobby to prevent challenge to Harris assuming Biden is not running. Show unity behind serving VP, first WoC nominee etc.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 98,284

    They are rapidly becoming a South of England party. That has advantages and disadvantages.
    It is the best bit of England, if I may say so myself.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 59,294
    Talking of Trump, this is awks for Germany

    Trump was sometimes bang on, despite being mad and dangerous. This is one such occasion. Check the vid in this tweet. Trump is in the UN condemning Germany for its energy policy, which, he says, will leave them "totally dependant on Russia."

    The Germans smirk and giggle

    https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1500902888482222080?s=20&t=MNifGJO3l0PejKNASjeiFw
  • SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 17,559
    rpjs said:

    IIRC formal declarations of war are incompatible with the UN Charter. And even Korea wasn’t declared as a war, rather a “collective action” of the United Nations (Stalin having made the stupid mistake of boycotting the UN so was unable to veto it in the UNSC).
    Historical debate re: whether Soviet UN boycott in 1950 was "a stupid mistake" OR a rather savvy strategy.

    Korean War DID tie up (or was it down) both United States AND Peoples Republic big-time for years. Though personally would argue that long-term downsides for USSR were much less positive, and outweighed strategic benefits.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,832
    UK cases by specimen date

    image
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,832
    UK R

    image
  • glwglw Posts: 10,304
    Leon said:

    Talking of Trump, this is awks for Germany

    Trump was sometimes bang on, despite being mad and dangerous. This is one such occasion. Check the vid in this tweet. Trump is in the UN condemning Germany for its energy policy, which, he says, will leave them "totally dependant on Russia."

    The Germans smirk and giggle

    https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1500902888482222080?s=20&t=MNifGJO3l0PejKNASjeiFw

    The very thing warned about, going back years and years, has happened. It was a gigantic mistake by Germany and Europe as a whole to think becoming dependent on Russia would ever end well.
  • Hardly expert, for example clueless on what degree, if any, Biden's speech patterns are influenced by Scranton on one hand, and Wilmington on the other. Suspect the latter may explain some of his "t" dropping?

    As for tongue tied, Biden's always been articulate but also what you might call "gaffy". Plus not as young as he used to be. Like everyone else, but more so in his case than most!
    I quite like Biden and he does mix his words occasionally, and maybe loses a bit of concentration, but as someone of similar declining years I can empathise with him and maybe some of you have noticed my occasional struggle with words, but then we count how fortunate we are and even experience a feeling of guilt that we are shielded from the horrors of Ukraine and we say a prayer every night for that wonderful country and its people
  • LeonLeon Posts: 59,294
    kle4 said:

    I'm picturing a very strong lobby to prevent challenge to Harris assuming Biden is not running. Show unity behind serving VP, first WoC nominee etc.
    Probably, and that depresses me, because Harris is an extremely weak candidate. Trump would love a crack at her, and he could win
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,832
    Case summary

    image
    image
    image
    image
    image
    image
  • EabhalEabhal Posts: 9,973
    Cicero said:

    Orkney and Shetland and Caithness are hardly Surrey.
    Wick is pretty posh
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,832
    Hospitals

    image
    image
    image
    image
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,832
    Deaths

    image
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 83,131
    kle4 said:

    Looks positive

    The Élysée Palace released images of French President Macron after his call with Putin today, regarding the invasion of Ukraine.

    https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/1501203496716152841?cxt=HHwWksC51YyorNUpAAAA

    Imagine just having had to listen to ranty Vlad for 90 mins (AGAIN)....I nearly feel sorry for Macron.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 53,832
    Age related data

    image
    image
    image
  • TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 43,127
    edited March 2022
    Lol, Salvini shoots off like a rabbit with a firework up its arse.

    Mark Lowen
    @marklowen
    ·
    3h
    As Matteo Salvini visits the Poland-Ukraine border, the mayor of Przemysl shows him the Putin-admiring T-shirt he proudly wore in Moscow. Not so simple for a leopard to change its spots.

    https://twitter.com/marklowen/status/1501209218099163147?s=20&t=5vza2O5wqJwUY3lefE_e6g
  • SeaShantyIrish2SeaShantyIrish2 Posts: 17,559
    kle4 said:

    I'm picturing a very strong lobby to prevent challenge to Harris assuming Biden is not running. Show unity behind serving VP, first WoC nominee etc.
    Don't see it personally. Harris has come across over the past year as NOT ready for prime time, and no evidence that has changed.

    She has her backers, but hardly what you'd call a "strong lobby" right now.

    If Biden runs for re-election in 2024, then Harris will likely remain VP nominee. If he does not, then nobody is gonna be anointing her as his successor UNLESS and until she can improve her game CONSIDERABLY.

    Not impossible. But no signs yet she's really improving in practice, or in public esteem.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,313
    Leon said:

    Talking of Trump, this is awks for Germany

    Trump was sometimes bang on, despite being mad and dangerous. This is one such occasion. Check the vid in this tweet. Trump is in the UN condemning Germany for its energy policy, which, he says, will leave them "totally dependant on Russia."

    The Germans smirk and giggle

    https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1500902888482222080?s=20&t=MNifGJO3l0PejKNASjeiFw

    Also tittered at Romney for saying Russia was the biggest strategic threat facing the US.
This discussion has been closed.