The collapse of Sunak as seen through the eyes of punters – politicalbetting.com

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The collapse of Sunak as seen through the eyes of punters – politicalbetting.com

It comes as something as a shock to look back to January when Chancellor Sunak’s “Number 10” chances were riding high and he was approaching evens in the Next PM betting.

Read the full story here

SandyRentool

Gosh

Turn up, get the 'first', wander off again..

malcolmg

2nd, but as previous poster left I think it counts as 1st

FrancisUrquhart

Am I about to be banished to GB News for telling Leon about DALLE-2 ?

Sandpit

Given that the top six add up to 58%, is it fair to say that this is a wide open market?

Scott_xP

And finally here’s @HugoGye on the PM’s attempts to cut back on leaks - at least leaks against him - by shrinking the inner circle meetings.

“It’s not a happy ship at the moment,” a source told i.

https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnson-shrinks-inner-circle-as-no-10-and-treasury-seek-to-crack-down-on-leaks-1565743

FrancisUrquhart

Neil Warnock announces his retirement from football management.

Nigelb

In St.Petersburg, a man was fined for holding during anti-war rally a poster which says:"The war has brought so much grief that it is impossible to forget it, there is no forgiveness for those who again build aggressive plans."

The funny thing is that quote is from #Putin's speech.
https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1512735319103258626

DavidL

The current assumption has to be that Boris will lead the Tories into another election, SKS will be the Labour leader and it is entirely possible that the Tories might lose their majority giving a premiership, however precarious, to SKS.

The alternative is that Boris does not recover or cocks up something else and someone else leads the Tories into the next election and is accordingly next PM. Quite hard to call on those 2 options but the lack of a clear successor now on the Tory side makes that side of the bet a lot less attractive.

ydoethur

Nigelb said:

In St.Petersburg, a man was fined for holding during anti-war rally a poster which says:"The war has brought so much grief that it is impossible to forget it, there is no forgiveness for those who again build aggressive plans."

The funny thing is that quote is from #Putin's speech.
https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1512735319103258626

The officer who made that arrest is to be commended, and should uphold the law without fear or favour.

dixiedean

Everton 1 Man U 0.

FrancisUrquhart

dixiedean said:

Everton 1 Man U 0.

LOL...Man Utd are utter crap.

rcs1000

FrancisUrquhart said:

Neil Warnock announces his retirement from football management.

Presumably he also wants to concentrate on his Senate race.

Dura_Ace

DavidL said:

The alternative is that Boris does not recover or cocks up something else and someone else leads the Tories into the next election and is accordingly next PM. Quite hard to call on those 2 options but the lack of a clear successor now on the Tory side makes that side of the bet a lot less attractive.

If they had to make a quick unscheduled replacement in the event of (another) catastrophic Johnson fuck up the tories would just go for a safe pair of centrist hands in a 'save the furniture' strategy when defeat is inevitable. Maybe Rat Eyes?

DavidL

dixiedean said:

Everton 1 Man U 0.

The end of the season and the end of Ralf, really cannot come soon enough for United. They would almost certainly have done better leaving OGS in place and he was going nowhere fast.

DavidL

Dura_Ace said:

DavidL said:

The alternative is that Boris does not recover or cocks up something else and someone else leads the Tories into the next election and is accordingly next PM. Quite hard to call on those 2 options but the lack of a clear successor now on the Tory side makes that side of the bet a lot less attractive.

If they had to make a quick unscheduled replacement in the event of (another) catastrophic Johnson fuck up the tories would just go for a safe pair of centrist hands in a 'save the furniture' strategy when defeat is inevitable. Maybe Rat Eyes?

Rat eyes? I would have a wild stab at Gove but only that. Right now Ben Wallace looks the most likely but it is very hard to maintain that level of profile as Defence Secretary for long.

BigRich

Nigelb said:

In St.Petersburg, a man was fined for holding during anti-war rally a poster which says:"The war has brought so much grief that it is impossible to forget it, there is no forgiveness for those who again build aggressive plans."

The funny thing is that quote is from #Putin's speech.
https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1512735319103258626

As I understand it people have been arrested for holding up entirely blank placards and in one case a piece of paper with 'two words' written on it.

Dura_Ace

DavidL said:

Dura_Ace said:

DavidL said:

The alternative is that Boris does not recover or cocks up something else and someone else leads the Tories into the next election and is accordingly next PM. Quite hard to call on those 2 options but the lack of a clear successor now on the Tory side makes that side of the bet a lot less attractive.

If they had to make a quick unscheduled replacement in the event of (another) catastrophic Johnson fuck up the tories would just go for a safe pair of centrist hands in a 'save the furniture' strategy when defeat is inevitable. Maybe Rat Eyes?

Rat eyes? I would have a wild stab at Gove but only that. Right now Ben Wallace looks the most likely but it is very hard to maintain that level of profile as Defence Secretary for long.

Hunt. That's what my late mother used to call him. She had a wide range of offensive nicknames for just about everybody.

DavidL

Dura_Ace said:

DavidL said:

Dura_Ace said:

DavidL said:

The alternative is that Boris does not recover or cocks up something else and someone else leads the Tories into the next election and is accordingly next PM. Quite hard to call on those 2 options but the lack of a clear successor now on the Tory side makes that side of the bet a lot less attractive.

If they had to make a quick unscheduled replacement in the event of (another) catastrophic Johnson fuck up the tories would just go for a safe pair of centrist hands in a 'save the furniture' strategy when defeat is inevitable. Maybe Rat Eyes?

Rat eyes? I would have a wild stab at Gove but only that. Right now Ben Wallace looks the most likely but it is very hard to maintain that level of profile as Defence Secretary for long.

Hunt. That's what my late mother used to call him. She had a wide range of offensive nicknames for just about everybody.

And people question genetics? Ha.

Stark_Dawning

Am I the only one seeing the site rendering as completely buggered up?

ping

Stark_Dawning said:

Am I the only one seeing the site rendering as completely buggered up?

Fine for me on iPhone

rottenborough

ydoethur said:

Nigelb said:

In St.Petersburg, a man was fined for holding during anti-war rally a poster which says:"The war has brought so much grief that it is impossible to forget it, there is no forgiveness for those who again build aggressive plans."

The funny thing is that quote is from #Putin's speech.
https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1512735319103258626

The officer who made that arrest is to be commended, and should uphold the law without fear or favour.

A man who runs a computer shop in Moscow has been fined 100k roubles apparently for an anti-war poster in his shop.

He now plans to put a poster that says “There was a sign here for which a 100,000 ruble fine was imposed.”

Well wishers have paid his fine.

(Source: NY Times)

RochdalePioneers

Dura_Ace said:

DavidL said:

The alternative is that Boris does not recover or cocks up something else and someone else leads the Tories into the next election and is accordingly next PM. Quite hard to call on those 2 options but the lack of a clear successor now on the Tory side makes that side of the bet a lot less attractive.

If they had to make a quick unscheduled replacement in the event of (another) catastrophic Johnson fuck up the tories would just go for a safe pair of centrist hands in a 'save the furniture' strategy when defeat is inevitable. Maybe Rat Eyes?

Naah, they are all the way down the rabbit hole now. The Johnsonite wing of the party were pretty aggrieved by California Scheming pushing and briefing and not being a Boosterite knobber. So once the Big Dog inevitably craps on a lawn even he can't just ignore, surely they will anoint someone proper.

Remember that everything important is at stake. Important being the ability to trouser public money for their friends and patrons. The ability to degrade the public trust so that scrutiny can be dodged or even removed. The ability to reverse some of the worst excesses in the permissive society like Channel 4 and the Rule of Law.

So no, not Mad-Eye Hunt. They'll go for Javid. Or Williamson. Or Dorries.

Nigelb

Dura_Ace said:

DavidL said:

Dura_Ace said:

DavidL said:

The alternative is that Boris does not recover or cocks up something else and someone else leads the Tories into the next election and is accordingly next PM. Quite hard to call on those 2 options but the lack of a clear successor now on the Tory side makes that side of the bet a lot less attractive.

If they had to make a quick unscheduled replacement in the event of (another) catastrophic Johnson fuck up the tories would just go for a safe pair of centrist hands in a 'save the furniture' strategy when defeat is inevitable. Maybe Rat Eyes?

Rat eyes? I would have a wild stab at Gove but only that. Right now Ben Wallace looks the most likely but it is very hard to maintain that level of profile as Defence Secretary for long.

Hunt. That's what my late mother used to call him. She had a wide range of offensive nicknames for just about everybody.

I had him as ferret eyed, but recognised the description.
Just about everybody ... how did she address you ?

DavidL

RochdalePioneers said:

Dura_Ace said:

DavidL said:

The alternative is that Boris does not recover or cocks up something else and someone else leads the Tories into the next election and is accordingly next PM. Quite hard to call on those 2 options but the lack of a clear successor now on the Tory side makes that side of the bet a lot less attractive.

If they had to make a quick unscheduled replacement in the event of (another) catastrophic Johnson fuck up the tories would just go for a safe pair of centrist hands in a 'save the furniture' strategy when defeat is inevitable. Maybe Rat Eyes?

Naah, they are all the way down the rabbit hole now. The Johnsonite wing of the party were pretty aggrieved by California Scheming pushing and briefing and not being a Boosterite knobber. So once the Big Dog inevitably craps on a lawn even he can't just ignore, surely they will anoint someone proper.

Remember that everything important is at stake. Important being the ability to trouser public money for their friends and patrons. The ability to degrade the public trust so that scrutiny can be dodged or even removed. The ability to reverse some of the worst excesses in the permissive society like Channel 4 and the Rule of Law.

So no, not Mad-Eye Hunt. They'll go for Javid. Or Williamson. Or Dorries.

What odds are you wanting?

bondegezou

On energy policy: https://twitter.com/michaelujacobs/status/1512073474990170121

Stark_Dawning

ping said:

Stark_Dawning said:

Am I the only one seeing the site rendering as completely buggered up?

Fine for me on iPhone

Okay now - a Chrome cache thing.

Nigelb

rottenborough said:

ydoethur said:

Nigelb said:

In St.Petersburg, a man was fined for holding during anti-war rally a poster which says:"The war has brought so much grief that it is impossible to forget it, there is no forgiveness for those who again build aggressive plans."

The funny thing is that quote is from #Putin's speech.
https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1512735319103258626

The officer who made that arrest is to be commended, and should uphold the law without fear or favour.

A man who runs a computer shop in Moscow has been fined 100k roubles apparently for an anti-war poster in his shop.

He now plans to put a poster that says “There was a sign here for which a 100,000 ruble fine was imposed.”

Well wishers have paid his fine.

(Source: NY Times)

It's basically just a worse run version of Soviet Russia now, isn't it ?

RochdalePioneers

DavidL said:

RochdalePioneers said:

Dura_Ace said:

DavidL said:

The alternative is that Boris does not recover or cocks up something else and someone else leads the Tories into the next election and is accordingly next PM. Quite hard to call on those 2 options but the lack of a clear successor now on the Tory side makes that side of the bet a lot less attractive.

If they had to make a quick unscheduled replacement in the event of (another) catastrophic Johnson fuck up the tories would just go for a safe pair of centrist hands in a 'save the furniture' strategy when defeat is inevitable. Maybe Rat Eyes?

Naah, they are all the way down the rabbit hole now. The Johnsonite wing of the party were pretty aggrieved by California Scheming pushing and briefing and not being a Boosterite knobber. So once the Big Dog inevitably craps on a lawn even he can't just ignore, surely they will anoint someone proper.

Remember that everything important is at stake. Important being the ability to trouser public money for their friends and patrons. The ability to degrade the public trust so that scrutiny can be dodged or even removed. The ability to reverse some of the worst excesses in the permissive society like Channel 4 and the Rule of Law.

So no, not Mad-Eye Hunt. They'll go for Javid. Or Williamson. Or Dorries.

What odds are you wanting?

Its a hypothetical. What would Big Dog need to do to get removed?

DavidL

RochdalePioneers said:

DavidL said:

RochdalePioneers said:

Dura_Ace said:

DavidL said:

The alternative is that Boris does not recover or cocks up something else and someone else leads the Tories into the next election and is accordingly next PM. Quite hard to call on those 2 options but the lack of a clear successor now on the Tory side makes that side of the bet a lot less attractive.

If they had to make a quick unscheduled replacement in the event of (another) catastrophic Johnson fuck up the tories would just go for a safe pair of centrist hands in a 'save the furniture' strategy when defeat is inevitable. Maybe Rat Eyes?

Naah, they are all the way down the rabbit hole now. The Johnsonite wing of the party were pretty aggrieved by California Scheming pushing and briefing and not being a Boosterite knobber. So once the Big Dog inevitably craps on a lawn even he can't just ignore, surely they will anoint someone proper.

Remember that everything important is at stake. Important being the ability to trouser public money for their friends and patrons. The ability to degrade the public trust so that scrutiny can be dodged or even removed. The ability to reverse some of the worst excesses in the permissive society like Channel 4 and the Rule of Law.

So no, not Mad-Eye Hunt. They'll go for Javid. Or Williamson. Or Dorries.

What odds are you wanting?

Its a hypothetical. What would Big Dog need to do to get removed?

Lying to Parliament? Nope.
Breaking laws that he was responsible for? Nope.
Underminng and rubbishing his own Chancellor? Nope.
At the moment I am not sure that one murder would cover it.

Alphabet_Soup

DavidL said:

Dura_Ace said:

DavidL said:

Dura_Ace said:

DavidL said:

The alternative is that Boris does not recover or cocks up something else and someone else leads the Tories into the next election and is accordingly next PM. Quite hard to call on those 2 options but the lack of a clear successor now on the Tory side makes that side of the bet a lot less attractive.

If they had to make a quick unscheduled replacement in the event of (another) catastrophic Johnson fuck up the tories would just go for a safe pair of centrist hands in a 'save the furniture' strategy when defeat is inevitable. Maybe Rat Eyes?

Rat eyes? I would have a wild stab at Gove but only that. Right now Ben Wallace looks the most likely but it is very hard to maintain that level of profile as Defence Secretary for long.

Hunt. That's what my late mother used to call him. She had a wide range of offensive nicknames for just about everybody.

And people question genetics? Ha.

Actually it's the old nature vs nurture dilemma. We'd have to find @Dura_Ace's long-lost identical twin brother to reach a tentative conclusion about genetics.

MikeSmithson

RochdalePioneers said:

DavidL said:

RochdalePioneers said:

Dura_Ace said:

DavidL said:

The alternative is that Boris does not recover or cocks up something else and someone else leads the Tories into the next election and is accordingly next PM. Quite hard to call on those 2 options but the lack of a clear successor now on the Tory side makes that side of the bet a lot less attractive.

If they had to make a quick unscheduled replacement in the event of (another) catastrophic Johnson fuck up the tories would just go for a safe pair of centrist hands in a 'save the furniture' strategy when defeat is inevitable. Maybe Rat Eyes?

Naah, they are all the way down the rabbit hole now. The Johnsonite wing of the party were pretty aggrieved by California Scheming pushing and briefing and not being a Boosterite knobber. So once the Big Dog inevitably craps on a lawn even he can't just ignore, surely they will anoint someone proper.

Remember that everything important is at stake. Important being the ability to trouser public money for their friends and patrons. The ability to degrade the public trust so that scrutiny can be dodged or even removed. The ability to reverse some of the worst excesses in the permissive society like Channel 4 and the Rule of Law.

So no, not Mad-Eye Hunt. They'll go for Javid. Or Williamson. Or Dorries.

What odds are you wanting?

Its a hypothetical. What would Big Dog need to do to get removed?

Not get a CON majority at the next election.

another_richard

Nigelb said:

rottenborough said:

ydoethur said:

Nigelb said:

In St.Petersburg, a man was fined for holding during anti-war rally a poster which says:"The war has brought so much grief that it is impossible to forget it, there is no forgiveness for those who again build aggressive plans."

The funny thing is that quote is from #Putin's speech.
https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1512735319103258626

The officer who made that arrest is to be commended, and should uphold the law without fear or favour.

A man who runs a computer shop in Moscow has been fined 100k roubles apparently for an anti-war poster in his shop.

He now plans to put a poster that says “There was a sign here for which a 100,000 ruble fine was imposed.”

Well wishers have paid his fine.

(Source: NY Times)

It's basically just a worse run version of Soviet Russia now, isn't it ?

Russia had a chance to create a free, modern country after 1991 and they fucked it up.

Accepting and admitting they fucked it up isn't going to be easy for many Russians.

So instead they wallow in self-pity and self-entitlement and blaming the rest of the world.

Dura_Ace

Nigelb said:

Dura_Ace said:

DavidL said:

Dura_Ace said:

DavidL said:

The alternative is that Boris does not recover or cocks up something else and someone else leads the Tories into the next election and is accordingly next PM. Quite hard to call on those 2 options but the lack of a clear successor now on the Tory side makes that side of the bet a lot less attractive.

If they had to make a quick unscheduled replacement in the event of (another) catastrophic Johnson fuck up the tories would just go for a safe pair of centrist hands in a 'save the furniture' strategy when defeat is inevitable. Maybe Rat Eyes?

Rat eyes? I would have a wild stab at Gove but only that. Right now Ben Wallace looks the most likely but it is very hard to maintain that level of profile as Defence Secretary for long.

Hunt. That's what my late mother used to call him. She had a wide range of offensive nicknames for just about everybody.

I had him as ferret eyed, but recognised the description.
Just about everybody ... how did she address you ?

Young Fella. Even when I got into my 50s.

She used to refer to the vicar as the "Chernobyl Fireman" because he had a particularly ugly and florid face.

The guy in the Post Office was "Mucky Trumpet" because he had a mustache.

etc, etc

MightyAlex

another_richard said:

Nigelb said:

rottenborough said:

ydoethur said:

Nigelb said:

In St.Petersburg, a man was fined for holding during anti-war rally a poster which says:"The war has brought so much grief that it is impossible to forget it, there is no forgiveness for those who again build aggressive plans."

The funny thing is that quote is from #Putin's speech.
https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1512735319103258626

The officer who made that arrest is to be commended, and should uphold the law without fear or favour.

A man who runs a computer shop in Moscow has been fined 100k roubles apparently for an anti-war poster in his shop.

He now plans to put a poster that says “There was a sign here for which a 100,000 ruble fine was imposed.”

Well wishers have paid his fine.

(Source: NY Times)

It's basically just a worse run version of Soviet Russia now, isn't it ?

Russia had a chance to create a free, modern country after 1991 and they fucked it up.

Accepting and admitting they fucked it up isn't going to be easy for many Russians.

So instead they wallow in self-pity and self-entitlement and blaming the rest of the world.

They did have help in fucking it up. Much of the economic theory inflicted on Russia was advocated for by western free marketeers.

Nigelb

On this green card business, did anyone note that it means while he was campaigning for Brexit, he was committed to becoming a permanent resident of the US ?
https://www.rishisunak.com/news/why-i-will-vote-britain-leave-eu-0

I like this bit.
…. For me, this is a once in a generation opportunity for our country to take back control of its destiny. Of course, leaving will bring some uncertainty, but on balance I believe that our nation will be freer, fairer and more prosperous outside the EU. Outside the EU, we can decide our own immigration policy, ensure our own laws and courts are sovereign, and enhance our position as a dynamic, outward-looking trading economy….

ydoethur

MikeSmithson said:

RochdalePioneers said:

DavidL said:

RochdalePioneers said:

Dura_Ace said:

DavidL said:

The alternative is that Boris does not recover or cocks up something else and someone else leads the Tories into the next election and is accordingly next PM. Quite hard to call on those 2 options but the lack of a clear successor now on the Tory side makes that side of the bet a lot less attractive.

If they had to make a quick unscheduled replacement in the event of (another) catastrophic Johnson fuck up the tories would just go for a safe pair of centrist hands in a 'save the furniture' strategy when defeat is inevitable. Maybe Rat Eyes?

Naah, they are all the way down the rabbit hole now. The Johnsonite wing of the party were pretty aggrieved by California Scheming pushing and briefing and not being a Boosterite knobber. So once the Big Dog inevitably craps on a lawn even he can't just ignore, surely they will anoint someone proper.

Remember that everything important is at stake. Important being the ability to trouser public money for their friends and patrons. The ability to degrade the public trust so that scrutiny can be dodged or even removed. The ability to reverse some of the worst excesses in the permissive society like Channel 4 and the Rule of Law.

So no, not Mad-Eye Hunt. They'll go for Javid. Or Williamson. Or Dorries.

What odds are you wanting?

Its a hypothetical. What would Big Dog need to do to get removed?

Not get a CON majority at the next election.

Come out as a Remainer?

MattW

bondegezou said:

On energy policy: https://twitter.com/michaelujacobs/status/1512073474990170121

Forgive me, but that's a thread mainly about political analysis, not Energy Policy. Istm that it is actually about framing. Michael Jacobs is a professor of political economy, not energy policy.

I don't think the Political Economists of Sheffield University have much authority on the latter, given their history.

One of their greatest hits some years ago was to declare that reduced VAT on energy was actually a massive subsidy to Energy Companies. Now every 'lobbyist for the poor' (eg Rachel Reeves) is demanding that VAT on energy be cut further 'to save people money'.

another_richard

MightyAlex said:

another_richard said:

Nigelb said:

rottenborough said:

ydoethur said:

Nigelb said:

In St.Petersburg, a man was fined for holding during anti-war rally a poster which says:"The war has brought so much grief that it is impossible to forget it, there is no forgiveness for those who again build aggressive plans."

The funny thing is that quote is from #Putin's speech.
https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1512735319103258626

The officer who made that arrest is to be commended, and should uphold the law without fear or favour.

A man who runs a computer shop in Moscow has been fined 100k roubles apparently for an anti-war poster in his shop.

He now plans to put a poster that says “There was a sign here for which a 100,000 ruble fine was imposed.”

Well wishers have paid his fine.

(Source: NY Times)

It's basically just a worse run version of Soviet Russia now, isn't it ?

Russia had a chance to create a free, modern country after 1991 and they fucked it up.

Accepting and admitting they fucked it up isn't going to be easy for many Russians.

So instead they wallow in self-pity and self-entitlement and blaming the rest of the world.

They did have help in fucking it up. Much of the economic theory inflicted on Russia was advocated for by western free marketeers.

Every country has to deal with chancers and conmen.

Most countries tell them to do one whereas the Russian establishment loved what they were offering.

Nigelb

Doubling down.
Western officials say Russian general Alexander Dvornikov, who played a significant role in the Russian bombardment of Syria, has been put in charge of Moscow's operations in Ukraine

DavidL

Nigelb said:

Doubling down.
Western officials say Russian general Alexander Dvornikov, who played a significant role in the Russian bombardment of Syria, has been put in charge of Moscow's operations in Ukraine

At least the snipers will know what he looks like.

Carnyx

FPT

RochdalePioneers said:

Carnyx said:

RochdalePioneers said:

Good morning all. Unless you live in Kent where its Day 10 of Brexit hell. Photos now on Twitter of half-empty lorry decks on ferries which rather puts the final "its the ferries not Brexit" argument to the sword.

Have been entertained by some of the local news coverage. Creatively and imaginatively finding ways to describe the issues without mentioning the B word. They did so once earlier in the week and generated a lot of ANGRY comments from trade experts INDIGNANT that anyone could possibly blame Brexit.

Ah well.

"Trade experts." I wonder if we know any?

If that was aimed at me I'm a trader, not a trade expert. But the commentators on the likes of Kent Live are in denial.

It isn't the P&O issue - half-empty ferries not a shortage of space
It isn't because its Easter - because family cars don't go on truck decks or freight shuttles
It isn't maintenance downtime - as with the other two issues they would impact both sides of the channel equally and there is zero disruption in France
It IS the collapse of the customs computer system. The one that HMRC told the Tories wouldn't be able to cope with the number of transactions. That is being expected to anyway.

The real long term damage is on Britain's ability to trade. Truckers describing this as "Manston 2". As in being corralled in their trucks with no facilities for days on end. We saw a drop off in EU companies willing to come across to the UK after that debacle, and we can expect the same after this. Paying astronomical money to bring in anything slowly.

Ironically meant - so not aimed at you at all! Sorry fi it seemed to be.

Sandpit

Nigelb said:

Doubling down.
Western officials say Russian general Alexander Dvornikov, who played a significant role in the Russian bombardment of Syria, has been put in charge of Moscow's operations in Ukraine

Let’s hope they send him to the front lines in Mariopol, to take a look around.

malcolmg

DavidL said:

Dura_Ace said:

DavidL said:

The alternative is that Boris does not recover or cocks up something else and someone else leads the Tories into the next election and is accordingly next PM. Quite hard to call on those 2 options but the lack of a clear successor now on the Tory side makes that side of the bet a lot less attractive.

If they had to make a quick unscheduled replacement in the event of (another) catastrophic Johnson fuck up the tories would just go for a safe pair of centrist hands in a 'save the furniture' strategy when defeat is inevitable. Maybe Rat Eyes?

Rat eyes? I would have a wild stab at Gove but only that. Right now Ben Wallace looks the most likely but it is very hard to maintain that level of profile as Defence Secretary for long.

Gove would be frog eyes

Aslan

another_richard said:

MightyAlex said:

another_richard said:

Nigelb said:

rottenborough said:

ydoethur said:

Nigelb said:

In St.Petersburg, a man was fined for holding during anti-war rally a poster which says:"The war has brought so much grief that it is impossible to forget it, there is no forgiveness for those who again build aggressive plans."

The funny thing is that quote is from #Putin's speech.
https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1512735319103258626

The officer who made that arrest is to be commended, and should uphold the law without fear or favour.

A man who runs a computer shop in Moscow has been fined 100k roubles apparently for an anti-war poster in his shop.

He now plans to put a poster that says “There was a sign here for which a 100,000 ruble fine was imposed.”

Well wishers have paid his fine.

(Source: NY Times)

It's basically just a worse run version of Soviet Russia now, isn't it ?

Russia had a chance to create a free, modern country after 1991 and they fucked it up.

Accepting and admitting they fucked it up isn't going to be easy for many Russians.

So instead they wallow in self-pity and self-entitlement and blaming the rest of the world.

They did have help in fucking it up. Much of the economic theory inflicted on Russia was advocated for by western free marketeers.

Every country has to deal with chancers and conmen.

Most countries tell them to do one whereas the Russian establishment loved what they were offering.

There was nothing in Western free market theory that advocated for selling state assets at fractions of the market price for the bribe paying politically connected. That was the choice of Russians.

williamglenn

The Chinese government seems to be losing control of the situation in Shanghai.

https://twitter.com/cam_l/status/1512646118575812612

https://twitter.com/MikeSmithAFR/status/1512557720544903169

DecrepiterJohnL

Aslan said:

another_richard said:

MightyAlex said:

another_richard said:

Nigelb said:

rottenborough said:

ydoethur said:

Nigelb said:

In St.Petersburg, a man was fined for holding during anti-war rally a poster which says:"The war has brought so much grief that it is impossible to forget it, there is no forgiveness for those who again build aggressive plans."

The funny thing is that quote is from #Putin's speech.
https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1512735319103258626

The officer who made that arrest is to be commended, and should uphold the law without fear or favour.

A man who runs a computer shop in Moscow has been fined 100k roubles apparently for an anti-war poster in his shop.

He now plans to put a poster that says “There was a sign here for which a 100,000 ruble fine was imposed.”

Well wishers have paid his fine.

(Source: NY Times)

It's basically just a worse run version of Soviet Russia now, isn't it ?

Russia had a chance to create a free, modern country after 1991 and they fucked it up.

Accepting and admitting they fucked it up isn't going to be easy for many Russians.

So instead they wallow in self-pity and self-entitlement and blaming the rest of the world.

They did have help in fucking it up. Much of the economic theory inflicted on Russia was advocated for by western free marketeers.

Every country has to deal with chancers and conmen.

Most countries tell them to do one whereas the Russian establishment loved what they were offering.

There was nothing in Western free market theory that advocated for selling state assets at fractions of the market price for the bribe paying politically connected. That was the choice of Russians.

You say that but it happened in Iraq as well after the free marketeer Americans invaded.

DavidL

malcolmg said:

DavidL said:

Dura_Ace said:

DavidL said:

The alternative is that Boris does not recover or cocks up something else and someone else leads the Tories into the next election and is accordingly next PM. Quite hard to call on those 2 options but the lack of a clear successor now on the Tory side makes that side of the bet a lot less attractive.

If they had to make a quick unscheduled replacement in the event of (another) catastrophic Johnson fuck up the tories would just go for a safe pair of centrist hands in a 'save the furniture' strategy when defeat is inevitable. Maybe Rat Eyes?

Rat eyes? I would have a wild stab at Gove but only that. Right now Ben Wallace looks the most likely but it is very hard to maintain that level of profile as Defence Secretary for long.

Gove would be frog eyes

Sorry, I must work harder on my childish abuse.

Theuniondivvie

I'm mildly fascinated by how deranged many of those sensible, centrist paladins of Blairism become in old age.



https://twitter.com/jamiedmaxwell/status/1512748122178572288?s=20&t=uH7Z9pgg07teKcFG5civSg

ydoethur

Sandpit said:

Nigelb said:

Doubling down.
Western officials say Russian general Alexander Dvornikov, who played a significant role in the Russian bombardment of Syria, has been put in charge of Moscow's operations in Ukraine

Let’s hope they send him to the front lines in Mariopol, to take a look around.

With a mobile phone. Don't forget that.

malcolmg

Anybody help me 're turning off autocorrect on a tablet

MightyAlex

another_richard said:

MightyAlex said:

another_richard said:

Nigelb said:

rottenborough said:

ydoethur said:

Nigelb said:

In St.Petersburg, a man was fined for holding during anti-war rally a poster which says:"The war has brought so much grief that it is impossible to forget it, there is no forgiveness for those who again build aggressive plans."

The funny thing is that quote is from #Putin's speech.
https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1512735319103258626

The officer who made that arrest is to be commended, and should uphold the law without fear or favour.

A man who runs a computer shop in Moscow has been fined 100k roubles apparently for an anti-war poster in his shop.

He now plans to put a poster that says “There was a sign here for which a 100,000 ruble fine was imposed.”

Well wishers have paid his fine.

(Source: NY Times)

It's basically just a worse run version of Soviet Russia now, isn't it ?

Russia had a chance to create a free, modern country after 1991 and they fucked it up.

Accepting and admitting they fucked it up isn't going to be easy for many Russians.

So instead they wallow in self-pity and self-entitlement and blaming the rest of the world.

They did have help in fucking it up. Much of the economic theory inflicted on Russia was advocated for by western free marketeers.

Every country has to deal with chancers and conmen.

Most countries tell them to do one whereas the Russian establishment loved what they were offering.

Those conmen held and still hold high status positions in academe and industry. Our establishment told theirs what was happening was acceptable regardless of the society it was producing. .

ydoethur

malcolmg said:

Anybody help me 're turning off autocorrect on a tablet

Why? Does it not recognise 'bollox' as a word?

Leon

FrancisUrquhart said:

Am I about to be banished to GB News for telling Leon about DALLE-2 ?

You could have anticipated the reaction…

And to be fair I’m not the only one freaking out. There are artists on Twitter saying “that’s it, my life is over” etc etc

I don’t think it’s any more revelatory than GPT3 (and it is the same basic model?) but because it is visual it has waaaay more impact. The feeling of astonishment is instant. The Shock of the New

Carnyx

Theuniondivvie said:

I'm mildly fascinated by how deranged many of those sensible, centrist paladins of Blairism become in old age.



https://twitter.com/jamiedmaxwell/status/1512748122178572288?s=20&t=uH7Z9pgg07teKcFG5civSg

Mm, bit unfair not to give the credit to Mr Murphy. Mr Maxwell has a nice pic of Mull and Ardnamurchan from the air a few tweets earlier, too, btw, as far as Eigg and Mallaig.

MightyAlex

Theuniondivvie said:

I'm mildly fascinated by how deranged many of those sensible, centrist paladins of Blairism become in old age.



https://twitter.com/jamiedmaxwell/status/1512748122178572288?s=20&t=uH7Z9pgg07teKcFG5civSg

Seems to happen to most of us as we age. Changing our opinions is hard and must be harder when you've have such success.

another_richard

MightyAlex said:

another_richard said:

MightyAlex said:

another_richard said:

Nigelb said:

rottenborough said:

ydoethur said:

Nigelb said:

In St.Petersburg, a man was fined for holding during anti-war rally a poster which says:"The war has brought so much grief that it is impossible to forget it, there is no forgiveness for those who again build aggressive plans."

The funny thing is that quote is from #Putin's speech.
https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1512735319103258626

The officer who made that arrest is to be commended, and should uphold the law without fear or favour.

A man who runs a computer shop in Moscow has been fined 100k roubles apparently for an anti-war poster in his shop.

He now plans to put a poster that says “There was a sign here for which a 100,000 ruble fine was imposed.”

Well wishers have paid his fine.

(Source: NY Times)

It's basically just a worse run version of Soviet Russia now, isn't it ?

Russia had a chance to create a free, modern country after 1991 and they fucked it up.

Accepting and admitting they fucked it up isn't going to be easy for many Russians.

So instead they wallow in self-pity and self-entitlement and blaming the rest of the world.

They did have help in fucking it up. Much of the economic theory inflicted on Russia was advocated for by western free marketeers.

Every country has to deal with chancers and conmen.

Most countries tell them to do one whereas the Russian establishment loved what they were offering.

Those conmen held and still hold high status positions in academe and industry. Our establishment told theirs what was happening was acceptable regardless of the society it was producing. .

That the Russian establishment was massively enriching itself had nothing to do with it of course.

DecrepiterJohnL

malcolmg said:

Anybody help me 're turning off autocorrect on a tablet

ipad? Settings > General > Keyboard > Auto-Correction.

Theuniondivvie

malcolmg said:

Anybody help me 're turning off autocorrect on a tablet

On an iPad it’s Settings>General and then it’s part of the list of keyboard settings.

DavidL

Perhaps if this game was extended for another 24 hours or so United might score.

another_richard

williamglenn said:

The Chinese government seems to be losing control of the situation in Shanghai.

https://twitter.com/cam_l/status/1512646118575812612

https://twitter.com/MikeSmithAFR/status/1512557720544903169

Chinese government being a bunch of Knuts trying to hold back the Omicron tide.

BlancheLivermore

Couldn’t get a picture from quite at the top - too many damn trees there,. Got this one about 50m from the summit. Am I a mountaineer now?

MrEd

another_richard said:

williamglenn said:

The Chinese government seems to be losing control of the situation in Shanghai.

https://twitter.com/cam_l/status/1512646118575812612

https://twitter.com/MikeSmithAFR/status/1512557720544903169

Chinese government being a bunch of Knuts trying to hold back the Omicron tide.

I’m not sure Shanghai is necessarily representative of China as a whole - given it’s history, it’s a bit unique. However, it’s clear in an age of social media that the authorities don’t really know how to react - gunning down masses of looters would cause a firestorm when posted on social platforms even if the censors took them down quickly.

MrEd

LOL:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/i-tried-to-put-russia-on-another-path/ar-AAVYglE

Can be summarised as “it’s not my fault”

The fact that Clinton was President from 92 to 2000, and could have encouraged another path is of no relevance whatsoever.

kle4

another_richard said:

williamglenn said:

The Chinese government seems to be losing control of the situation in Shanghai.

https://twitter.com/cam_l/status/1512646118575812612

https://twitter.com/MikeSmithAFR/status/1512557720544903169

Chinese government being a bunch of Knuts trying to hold back the Omicron tide.

Have they even admitted anyone has died of Covid in China in the last year?

MightyAlex

another_richard said:

MightyAlex said:

another_richard said:

MightyAlex said:

another_richard said:

Nigelb said:

rottenborough said:

ydoethur said:

Nigelb said:

In St.Petersburg, a man was fined for holding during anti-war rally a poster which says:"The war has brought so much grief that it is impossible to forget it, there is no forgiveness for those who again build aggressive plans."

The funny thing is that quote is from #Putin's speech.
https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1512735319103258626

The officer who made that arrest is to be commended, and should uphold the law without fear or favour.

A man who runs a computer shop in Moscow has been fined 100k roubles apparently for an anti-war poster in his shop.

He now plans to put a poster that says “There was a sign here for which a 100,000 ruble fine was imposed.”

Well wishers have paid his fine.

(Source: NY Times)

It's basically just a worse run version of Soviet Russia now, isn't it ?

Russia had a chance to create a free, modern country after 1991 and they fucked it up.

Accepting and admitting they fucked it up isn't going to be easy for many Russians.

So instead they wallow in self-pity and self-entitlement and blaming the rest of the world.

They did have help in fucking it up. Much of the economic theory inflicted on Russia was advocated for by western free marketeers.

Every country has to deal with chancers and conmen.

Most countries tell them to do one whereas the Russian establishment loved what they were offering.

Those conmen held and still hold high status positions in academe and industry. Our establishment told theirs what was happening was acceptable regardless of the society it was producing. .

That the Russian establishment was massively enriching itself had nothing to do with it of course.

I'm not blaming anyone outright. We provided the economic framework through advisers and they the greed and undemocratic norms.

What I struggle with was Russia being pushed down the path of oligarchism by our political and economic hubris. Yes we won the cold war but we've helped create a hotter one 30 years later.

NorthofStoke

MightyAlex said:

another_richard said:

MightyAlex said:

another_richard said:

MightyAlex said:

another_richard said:

Nigelb said:

rottenborough said:

ydoethur said:

Nigelb said:

In St.Petersburg, a man was fined for holding during anti-war rally a poster which says:"The war has brought so much grief that it is impossible to forget it, there is no forgiveness for those who again build aggressive plans."

The funny thing is that quote is from #Putin's speech.
https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1512735319103258626

The officer who made that arrest is to be commended, and should uphold the law without fear or favour.

A man who runs a computer shop in Moscow has been fined 100k roubles apparently for an anti-war poster in his shop.

He now plans to put a poster that says “There was a sign here for which a 100,000 ruble fine was imposed.”

Well wishers have paid his fine.

(Source: NY Times)

It's basically just a worse run version of Soviet Russia now, isn't it ?

Russia had a chance to create a free, modern country after 1991 and they fucked it up.

Accepting and admitting they fucked it up isn't going to be easy for many Russians.

So instead they wallow in self-pity and self-entitlement and blaming the rest of the world.

They did have help in fucking it up. Much of the economic theory inflicted on Russia was advocated for by western free marketeers.

Every country has to deal with chancers and conmen.

Most countries tell them to do one whereas the Russian establishment loved what they were offering.

Those conmen held and still hold high status positions in academe and industry. Our establishment told theirs what was happening was acceptable regardless of the society it was producing. .

That the Russian establishment was massively enriching itself had nothing to do with it of course.

I'm not blaming anyone outright. We provided the economic framework through advisers and they the greed and undemocratic norms.

What I struggle with was Russia being pushed down the path of oligarchism by economists and politicians blinkered by hubris. Yes we won the cold war but we've helped create a hotter one 30 years later.

Yes of course! I'd forgotten that we occupied Russia and appointed an interim government that implemented policies chosen by western governments.

It was a great pity that a pragmatic transitional regime that wasn't too corrupt didn't emerge and I dare say the international financial institutions didn't help matter.

MoonRabbit

malcolmg said:

Anybody help me 're turning off autocorrect on a tablet

You haven’t just bet a wallet of money on a eclass surfdome?

The sad news is the inventor of autocorrect died this week. The funfair is on Wendy.

Theuniondivvie

Great Expectations on BBC2 at the moment if anyone wants to see a real masterpiece. The chances of AI creating this or similar are precisely fuck all.

ydoethur

NorthofStoke said:

MightyAlex said:

another_richard said:

MightyAlex said:

another_richard said:

MightyAlex said:

another_richard said:

Nigelb said:

rottenborough said:

ydoethur said:

Nigelb said:

In St.Petersburg, a man was fined for holding during anti-war rally a poster which says:"The war has brought so much grief that it is impossible to forget it, there is no forgiveness for those who again build aggressive plans."

The funny thing is that quote is from #Putin's speech.
https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1512735319103258626

The officer who made that arrest is to be commended, and should uphold the law without fear or favour.

A man who runs a computer shop in Moscow has been fined 100k roubles apparently for an anti-war poster in his shop.

He now plans to put a poster that says “There was a sign here for which a 100,000 ruble fine was imposed.”

Well wishers have paid his fine.

(Source: NY Times)

It's basically just a worse run version of Soviet Russia now, isn't it ?

Russia had a chance to create a free, modern country after 1991 and they fucked it up.

Accepting and admitting they fucked it up isn't going to be easy for many Russians.

So instead they wallow in self-pity and self-entitlement and blaming the rest of the world.

They did have help in fucking it up. Much of the economic theory inflicted on Russia was advocated for by western free marketeers.

Every country has to deal with chancers and conmen.

Most countries tell them to do one whereas the Russian establishment loved what they were offering.

Those conmen held and still hold high status positions in academe and industry. Our establishment told theirs what was happening was acceptable regardless of the society it was producing. .

That the Russian establishment was massively enriching itself had nothing to do with it of course.

I'm not blaming anyone outright. We provided the economic framework through advisers and they the greed and undemocratic norms.

What I struggle with was Russia being pushed down the path of oligarchism by economists and politicians blinkered by hubris. Yes we won the cold war but we've helped create a hotter one 30 years later.

Yes of course! I'd forgotten that we occupied Russia and appointed an interim government that implemented policies chosen by western governments.

It was a great pity that a pragmatic transitional regime that wasn't too corrupt didn't emerge and I dare say the international financial institutions didn't help matter.

TBF, there aren't too many dazzling successes among the post soviet states. Estonia, perhaps, but it went through some hard times to get there. The problems of the Soviet Union weren't cured merely by political changes, and in many cases haven't actually gone away or even been improved by them.

dixiedean

Everton 1 United 0.
Absolute scenes at Goodison!

murali_s

O/T Sri Lanka. Why are people surprised about the situation in Sri Lanka? 20% of the population have known what these people are like for 20 or so years? Where were the protests when geonocide and crimes against humanity were happening in Sri Lanka? Let the corrupt war criminals and their saffron clad allies burn in hell!

kinabalu

MightyAlex said:

another_richard said:

MightyAlex said:

another_richard said:

MightyAlex said:

another_richard said:

Nigelb said:

rottenborough said:

ydoethur said:

Nigelb said:

In St.Petersburg, a man was fined for holding during anti-war rally a poster which says:"The war has brought so much grief that it is impossible to forget it, there is no forgiveness for those who again build aggressive plans."

The funny thing is that quote is from #Putin's speech.
https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1512735319103258626

The officer who made that arrest is to be commended, and should uphold the law without fear or favour.

A man who runs a computer shop in Moscow has been fined 100k roubles apparently for an anti-war poster in his shop.

He now plans to put a poster that says “There was a sign here for which a 100,000 ruble fine was imposed.”

Well wishers have paid his fine.

(Source: NY Times)

It's basically just a worse run version of Soviet Russia now, isn't it ?

Russia had a chance to create a free, modern country after 1991 and they fucked it up.

Accepting and admitting they fucked it up isn't going to be easy for many Russians.

So instead they wallow in self-pity and self-entitlement and blaming the rest of the world.

They did have help in fucking it up. Much of the economic theory inflicted on Russia was advocated for by western free marketeers.

Every country has to deal with chancers and conmen.

Most countries tell them to do one whereas the Russian establishment loved what they were offering.

Those conmen held and still hold high status positions in academe and industry. Our establishment told theirs what was happening was acceptable regardless of the society it was producing. .

That the Russian establishment was massively enriching itself had nothing to do with it of course.

I'm not blaming anyone outright. We provided the economic framework through advisers and they the greed and undemocratic norms.

What I struggle with was Russia being pushed down the path of oligarchism by our political and economic hubris. Yes we won the cold war but we've helped create a hotter one 30 years later.

Yes that's analysis not self-flagellation.

SeaShantyIrish2

malcolmg said:

2nd, but as previous poster left I think it counts as 1st

Which has suddenly raised a burning question in my smoldering mind:

Is there a definitive list of PB "firsts"? If not, why not? (Slack management?)

Move that OGH issue decree to RCS and TSE to immediate begin process of identifying & verifying the first comment on every PB post! Prospectively AND retrospective!!

williamglenn

Quite a young crowd for Marine Le Pen in the south of France:

https://twitter.com/MLP_officiel/status/1512380938277249025

Sunil_Prasannan

FPT

Luckyguy1983 said:

Sunil_Prasannan said:

By coincidence Die Hard 4.0 was on "Great Movies" just now

By mistake one assumes.

It's called "Live Free or Die Hard" in the USA, as an "homage" to the Granite State.

darkage

If one is to look at the situation in Russia after the fall of communism.... a small group of people got insanely rich and a small middle class emerged... but for a lot of people, life is clearly a lot more tough than those in post soviet states that have joined the EU, or even in a place halfway, like Ukraine.

Ultimately, the Russian government has failed Russians - a government who keep saying 'well it could be worse and we need order instead of chaos, look what happened in the 1990's', for which they in turn try and blame 'the west' which is actually just a way of deflecting attention away from its own greed and incompetence.

The saddest manifestation of this is Russian soldiers looting washing machines in Ukraine, it is just tragic and sad; looks like a failing, backward country.

SeaShantyIrish2

Scott_xP said:

And finally here’s @HugoGye on the PM’s attempts to cut back on leaks - at least leaks against him - by shrinking the inner circle meetings.

“It’s not a happy ship at the moment,” a source told i.

https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnson-shrinks-inner-circle-as-no-10-and-treasury-seek-to-crack-down-on-leaks-1565743

Shirley Temple - On the Good Ship Lollipop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLLSqpYyPD8

rcs1000

williamglenn said:

Quite a young crowd for Marine Le Pen in the south of France:

https://twitter.com/MLP_officiel/status/1512380938277249025

The South of France, Orange, etc., Is very much the FN heartland. Pretty much all their elected officials are there. (Which always surprised me: I would have thought they would have been stronger in the Past de Calais region.)

rcs1000

dixiedean said:

Everton 1 United 0.
Absolute scenes at Goodison!

Disaster for Burnley.

TimT

Best Ukraine cartoon to date for cat lovers:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FP5YdQMXoAQIWHi?format=jpg&name=large

londonpubman

rcs1000 said:

dixiedean said:

Everton 1 United 0.
Absolute scenes at Goodison!

Disaster for Burnley.

Not helpful for Watford either!

Still, in the end, each team needs to get their own points not worry about other results.

On that basis Watford = 😡😡😡

SeaShantyIrish2

1950 Republican campaign theme - "Who lost China?" Answer - "The Democrats!"

2022 Republican campaign theme - "Who lost Russia?" Answer - "Ditto!"

It worked then so they reckon it can work again.

Nigelb

Apparently also a Russian Navy veteran.

https://twitter.com/avalaina/status/1512566959279325186
78-year-old writer Yevhen Bal died near Mariupol after being tortured by Russians.
They found the photo with Ukrainian soldiers in his house and were beating him for three days.
Source: Pavlo Kushch, a representative of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine

Sandpit

Unconfirmed reports that the PM is or was in Kiev meeting Zelensky.

Nigelb

Johnson reported in Kyiv.
https://twitter.com/UkrEmbLondon/status/1512791528607031303

Leon

rcs1000 said:

williamglenn said:

Quite a young crowd for Marine Le Pen in the south of France:

https://twitter.com/MLP_officiel/status/1512380938277249025

The South of France, Orange, etc., Is very much the FN heartland. Pretty much all their elected officials are there. (Which always surprised me: I would have thought they would have been stronger in the Past de Calais region.)

Not called the FN any more.

Now it’s RN. “National Rally”. Part of the rebranding

ohnotnow

Well, they kept Boris's visit to Kyiv quiet.. Not _everything_ leaks from No.10 it seems.

https://twitter.com/UkrEmbLondon/status/1512791528607031303

rcs1000

another_richard said:

Nigelb said:

rottenborough said:

ydoethur said:

Nigelb said:

In St.Petersburg, a man was fined for holding during anti-war rally a poster which says:"The war has brought so much grief that it is impossible to forget it, there is no forgiveness for those who again build aggressive plans."

The funny thing is that quote is from #Putin's speech.
https://mobile.twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1512735319103258626

The officer who made that arrest is to be commended, and should uphold the law without fear or favour.

A man who runs a computer shop in Moscow has been fined 100k roubles apparently for an anti-war poster in his shop.

He now plans to put a poster that says “There was a sign here for which a 100,000 ruble fine was imposed.”

Well wishers have paid his fine.

(Source: NY Times)

It's basically just a worse run version of Soviet Russia now, isn't it ?

Russia had a chance to create a free, modern country after 1991 and they fucked it up.

Accepting and admitting they fucked it up isn't going to be easy for many Russians.

So instead they wallow in self-pity and self-entitlement and blaming the rest of the world.

Many countries that were formerly part of the Soviet Union / Warsaw Pact have thrived. Look at Estonia, or Slovenia, or Poland, or Czechia.

Others, even when blessed with trillions in natural resources revenues, have not

Blaming the West for Putin seems a fairly ridiculous response.

Theuniondivvie

rcs1000 said:

williamglenn said:

Quite a young crowd for Marine Le Pen in the south of France:

https://twitter.com/MLP_officiel/status/1512380938277249025

The South of France, Orange, etc., Is very much the FN heartland. Pretty much all their elected officials are there. (Which always surprised me: I would have thought they would have been stronger in the Past de Calais region.)

I'll tell you who else was strong in the South of France..



I'd guess many Pieds-Noirs resettling in the south also helped.

rcs1000

Leon said:

rcs1000 said:

williamglenn said:

Quite a young crowd for Marine Le Pen in the south of France:

https://twitter.com/MLP_officiel/status/1512380938277249025

The South of France, Orange, etc., Is very much the FN heartland. Pretty much all their elected officials are there. (Which always surprised me: I would have thought they would have been stronger in the Past de Calais region.)

Not called the FN any more.

Now it’s RN. “National Rally”. Part of the rebranding

I actually knew that, but old habits die hard.

Leon

williamglenn said:

Quite a young crowd for Marine Le Pen in the south of France:

https://twitter.com/MLP_officiel/status/1512380938277249025

That’s an extraordinary video

I’m sure they selected lots of REALLY young people, but nonetheless the really young people look overwhelmingly delighted to see her. Thrilled, even. That’s not fake. She has star quality for them,

Of course her problem is 15 year olds can’t vote and 18 year olds don’t vote but… hmm….

Looking at that makes me think she might indeed win. Macron needs the crumblies to come out, big time

rcs1000

Leon said:

williamglenn said:

Quite a young crowd for Marine Le Pen in the south of France:

https://twitter.com/MLP_officiel/status/1512380938277249025

That’s an extraordinary video

I’m sure they selected lots of REALLY young people, but nonetheless the really young people look overwhelmingly delighted to see her. Thrilled, even. That’s not fake. She has star quality for them,

Of course her problem is 15 year olds can’t vote and 18 year olds don’t vote but… hmm….

Looking at that makes me think she might indeed win. Macron needs the crumblies to come out, big time

It is, of course, well worth remembering that both Melenchon and Le Pen draw predominantly from the young, while Pecresse gets the oldies. Macron gets the middle aged.

Pulpstar

williamglenn said:

Quite a young crowd for Marine Le Pen in the south of France:

https://twitter.com/MLP_officiel/status/1512380938277249025

It's a bit rough for Macron seeing as practically he's done more than any other leader in Europe for French consumer energy costs.
But I guess electorates don't do counterfactual gratitude.

Verulamius

Boris is finally in Kyiv..

https://mobile.twitter.com/IAPonomarenko

Morris_Dancer

F1: Albon disqualified from the race over a fuel irregularity.

Leon

rcs1000 said:

Leon said:

williamglenn said:

Quite a young crowd for Marine Le Pen in the south of France:

https://twitter.com/MLP_officiel/status/1512380938277249025

That’s an extraordinary video

I’m sure they selected lots of REALLY young people, but nonetheless the really young people look overwhelmingly delighted to see her. Thrilled, even. That’s not fake. She has star quality for them,

Of course her problem is 15 year olds can’t vote and 18 year olds don’t vote but… hmm….

Looking at that makes me think she might indeed win. Macron needs the crumblies to come out, big time

It is, of course, well worth remembering that both Melenchon and Le Pen draw predominantly from the young, while Pecresse gets the oldies. Macron gets the middle aged.

But in a two way race, Le Pen - according to the polls - wins all age groups up to 55 IIRC

Sandpit

Morris_Dancer said:

F1: Albon disqualified from the race over a fuel irregularity.

Nope, not disqualified from the race, kicked out of qualifying for not having any fuel left in the car when he stopped on track.
He’ll start at the back tomorrow.
https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/decision-document/2022 Australian Grand Prix - Offence - Car 23 - Fuel sample.pdf

ydoethur

Theuniondivvie said:

rcs1000 said:

williamglenn said:

Quite a young crowd for Marine Le Pen in the south of France:

https://twitter.com/MLP_officiel/status/1512380938277249025

The South of France, Orange, etc., Is very much the FN heartland. Pretty much all their elected officials are there. (Which always surprised me: I would have thought they would have been stronger in the Past de Calais region.)

I'll tell you who else was strong in the South of France..



I'd guess many Pieds-Noirs resettling in the south also helped.

From supporting Petain the puppet to supporting Putin's puppet has a certain logic to it.

Leon

Pulpstar said:

williamglenn said:

Quite a young crowd for Marine Le Pen in the south of France:

https://twitter.com/MLP_officiel/status/1512380938277249025

It's a bit rough for Macron seeing as practically he's done more than any other leader in Europe for French consumer energy costs.
But I guess electorates don't do counterfactual gratitude.

But this might be like Brexit.

British voters listened to all the sensible economic arguments against Brexit and said Yeah well fuck that, we want sovereignty. They may have been deluded, swindled, wrong and/or evil, but polls show sovereignty was THE most important argument (even more than migration)

Sometimes it’s not always “the economy, stupid”

France MAY be approaching one of these inflection points. I remain highly skeptical that Le Pen can win, but it’s gonna be close

kjh

When all this ends the West is going to owe Ukraine a lot. Their sacrifice has brought the west together and made it much stronger. They have also shown the weakness of Russia and with any luck there may be big changes in Russia and Belarus. Let's hope we don't do the usual after a war and forget about the Ukrainians. Let's hope we really help them rebuild their country.