This is definitely the strangest cost of living crisis ever.
We have full employment in the UK
Houses are selling instantly for often much more than the asking price.
Pubs, restaurants, theatres etc are packed with people discretionary spending.
Holiday bookings are surging "Heathrow airport has recorded its highest passenger numbers since the start of the pandemic, but warned that “resources are stretched” as the travel industry struggles to handle resurgent demand for flying"
A very odd cost of living crisis.
As yes "full employment". Which as we all know is always statistical spin whichever government claims it rather than lived reality. We know hundreds of thousands of older people simply left employment during the pandemic and others cannot find work despite the vacancies at Manchester Airport and elsewhere.
As for people spending money, that happens at the depth of every recession. Underneath the "its busy" perception the hospitality industry is still struggling to recover from Covid. The closure of a chunk of outlets has helped, but companies like Pret are still reporting only 65% of pre-Covid trade.
You may not be struggling - and I'm not either. But we're the exception rather than the rule.
I never get why this is made personal, I was just stating facts.
In terms of full employment we do have it, if you want a job you can get one.
I left school in the early 80's when there was no work, the situation is radically different now.
Certainly true round here in the Midlands. Adverts all over the place almost pleading for staff. In various sectors.
I saw one last week outside a Hyundai main dealer: "Mechanics wanted. £1,000 sign on bonus plus £1,000 retention bonus".
That's insane when you consider what a relatively low skill job being a "mechanic" at a main stealer is. Most of the time it's standing round pretending to do oil and filter changes but not doing them. All body and paint will be subbed out and nobody with a Hyundai old enough to have a serious engine issue is taking it to the dealer.
It is very easy to underestimate the lack of mechanical or electrical inclination in most people.
Change a defective wall socket - you will be regarded as scary professional sparky by most people out there.
This is definitely the strangest cost of living crisis ever.
We have full employment in the UK
Houses are selling instantly for often much more than the asking price.
Pubs, restaurants, theatres etc are packed with people discretionary spending.
Holiday bookings are surging "Heathrow airport has recorded its highest passenger numbers since the start of the pandemic, but warned that “resources are stretched” as the travel industry struggles to handle resurgent demand for flying"
A very odd cost of living crisis.
As yes "full employment". Which as we all know is always statistical spin whichever government claims it rather than lived reality. We know hundreds of thousands of older people simply left employment during the pandemic and others cannot find work despite the vacancies at Manchester Airport and elsewhere.
As for people spending money, that happens at the depth of every recession. Underneath the "its busy" perception the hospitality industry is still struggling to recover from Covid. The closure of a chunk of outlets has helped, but companies like Pret are still reporting only 65% of pre-Covid trade.
You may not be struggling - and I'm not either. But we're the exception rather than the rule.
I never get why this is made personal, I was just stating facts.
In terms of full employment we do have it, if you want a job you can get one.
I left school in the early 80's when there was no work, the situation is radically different now.
Certainly true round here in the Midlands. Adverts all over the place almost pleading for staff. In various sectors.
I saw one last week outside a Hyundai main dealer: "Mechanics wanted. £1,000 sign on bonus plus £1,000 retention bonus".
That's insane when you consider what a relatively low skill job being a "mechanic" at a main stealer is. Most of the time it's standing round pretending to do oil and filter changes but not doing them. All body and paint will be subbed out and nobody with a Hyundai old enough to have a serious engine issue is taking it to the dealer.
It is very easy to underestimate the lack of mechanical or electrical inclination in most people.
Change a defective wall socket - you will be regarded as scary professional sparky by most people out there.
Indeed. Strictly speaking, one is no longer supposed to change wall sockets and light fittings any more.
My colleagues are always impressed with my ability to DIY - it’s actually a very Western phenomenon, caused presumably by the relatively high cost of tradesmen. Kids don’t learn basic trade skills, when their parents will always get a man in to do simple jobs.
Includes new @LordAshcroft research: 39% of 2019 Tory voters said “I thought he was a rogue and a chancer but I voted for him anyway.” But now, among those who voted Tory for the first time, their view of the PM has “deteriorated sharply”.
Cue HY to insist that 39% of Tory voters are not Tory voters, are not wanted, and indeed never did vote Tory.
You have to remember the Tories won a landslide majority of 80 in 2019. Many Tory 2019 voters will therefore not have voted Tory before then or not voted Tory since 1987 when the Tories last won a landslide before then. They voted Tory for Boris to get Brexit done and to beat Corbyn. However both those aims have been achieved and many of them will go back to Labour now Corbyn has gone and Brexit been deliverered. Whatever the Tories do they were not natural Tories
So your'e saying you have no interest in their votes again and are happy with at best minority government or worst going back into opposition.
Proper political movements want to draw in as many voters as possible. Your puritanical approach is to drive them away.
No I am saying that in a democracy after 10 years of one party in power there is normally a change of government. Many voters who voted for Blair and Cameron, May and Boris are now often going back to Starmer Labour as are Labour voters who lent Boris their votes to get Brexit done.
They are not natural Tories however ie voters who supported the party even in opposition in the general elections it lost from 1997 to 2005. Those voters are still generally supporting the party and a few more pro Brexit ex Labour voters
This is definitely the strangest cost of living crisis ever.
We have full employment in the UK
Houses are selling instantly for often much more than the asking price.
Pubs, restaurants, theatres etc are packed with people discretionary spending.
Holiday bookings are surging "Heathrow airport has recorded its highest passenger numbers since the start of the pandemic, but warned that “resources are stretched” as the travel industry struggles to handle resurgent demand for flying"
A very odd cost of living crisis.
As yes "full employment". Which as we all know is always statistical spin whichever government claims it rather than lived reality. We know hundreds of thousands of older people simply left employment during the pandemic and others cannot find work despite the vacancies at Manchester Airport and elsewhere.
As for people spending money, that happens at the depth of every recession. Underneath the "its busy" perception the hospitality industry is still struggling to recover from Covid. The closure of a chunk of outlets has helped, but companies like Pret are still reporting only 65% of pre-Covid trade.
You may not be struggling - and I'm not either. But we're the exception rather than the rule.
I never get why this is made personal, I was just stating facts.
In terms of full employment we do have it, if you want a job you can get one.
I left school in the early 80's when there was no work, the situation is radically different now.
Certainly true round here in the Midlands. Adverts all over the place almost pleading for staff. In various sectors.
I saw one last week outside a Hyundai main dealer: "Mechanics wanted. £1,000 sign on bonus plus £1,000 retention bonus".
That's insane when you consider what a relatively low skill job being a "mechanic" at a main stealer is. Most of the time it's standing round pretending to do oil and filter changes but not doing them. All body and paint will be subbed out and nobody with a Hyundai old enough to have a serious engine issue is taking it to the dealer.
It is very easy to underestimate the lack of mechanical or electrical inclination in most people.
Change a defective wall socket - you will be regarded as scary professional sparky by most people out there.
Indeed. Strictly speaking, one is no longer supposed to change wall sockets and light fittings any more.
My colleagues are always impressed with my ability to DIY - it’s actually a very Western phenomenon, caused presumably by the relatively high cost of tradesmen. Kids don’t learn basic trade skills, when their parents will always get a man in to do simple jobs.
Not being able to change a fuse is common.
The problem with the lack of knowledge is people doing things like the one I saw the other day - a cap was charing his electric car. The cord was too short, so he'd used an extension cord out of his window. A multi-way cheapo domestic extension thing. Sitting in a wet flower bed, in the rain. While he pulled 13 amps through it....
Latest rumour among Tory MPs: poss @BorisJohnson reshuffle after local elections, to try to control the 're-set' narrative ahead of the Q Speech next week.
Will he move @RishiSunak as sacrificial lamb for the cost of living crisis?
Or will Sunak walk? Some MPs think he didn't want to rock the boat before May 5...
That is why I am proposing to start working on an ambitious recovery package for our Ukrainian friends.
This package should bring massive investment to meet the needs and the necessary reforms.
Even before the war, Ukraine would have needed a decade of work (minimum) to come near meeting the various criteria for membership.
Accelerating full membership might well not be a good idea. A candidate membership (as with other states, perviously) combined with extensive aid packages and reform would probably be in the long term interests of both the EU and Ukraine.
Otherwise the existing, pre war, Ukrainian issues would simply be ignored.
This is definitely the strangest cost of living crisis ever.
We have full employment in the UK
Houses are selling instantly for often much more than the asking price.
Pubs, restaurants, theatres etc are packed with people discretionary spending.
Holiday bookings are surging "Heathrow airport has recorded its highest passenger numbers since the start of the pandemic, but warned that “resources are stretched” as the travel industry struggles to handle resurgent demand for flying"
A very odd cost of living crisis.
As yes "full employment". Which as we all know is always statistical spin whichever government claims it rather than lived reality. We know hundreds of thousands of older people simply left employment during the pandemic and others cannot find work despite the vacancies at Manchester Airport and elsewhere.
As for people spending money, that happens at the depth of every recession. Underneath the "its busy" perception the hospitality industry is still struggling to recover from Covid. The closure of a chunk of outlets has helped, but companies like Pret are still reporting only 65% of pre-Covid trade.
You may not be struggling - and I'm not either. But we're the exception rather than the rule.
I never get why this is made personal, I was just stating facts.
In terms of full employment we do have it, if you want a job you can get one.
I left school in the early 80's when there was no work, the situation is radically different now.
Certainly true round here in the Midlands. Adverts all over the place almost pleading for staff. In various sectors.
I saw one last week outside a Hyundai main dealer: "Mechanics wanted. £1,000 sign on bonus plus £1,000 retention bonus".
That's insane when you consider what a relatively low skill job being a "mechanic" at a main stealer is. Most of the time it's standing round pretending to do oil and filter changes but not doing them. All body and paint will be subbed out and nobody with a Hyundai old enough to have a serious engine issue is taking it to the dealer.
It is very easy to underestimate the lack of mechanical or electrical inclination in most people.
Change a defective wall socket - you will be regarded as scary professional sparky by most people out there.
Indeed. Strictly speaking, one is no longer supposed to change wall sockets and light fittings any more.
My colleagues are always impressed with my ability to DIY - it’s actually a very Western phenomenon, caused presumably by the relatively high cost of tradesmen. Kids don’t learn basic trade skills, when their parents will always get a man in to do simple jobs.
Not being able to change a fuse is common.
The problem with the lack of knowledge is people doing things like the one I saw the other day - a cap was charing his electric car. The cord was too short, so he'd used an extension cord out of his window. A multi-way cheapo domestic extension thing. Sitting in a wet flower bed, in the rain. While he pulled 13 amps through it....
That's going to short to earth if it's going to do anything so not really dangerous (by my standards).
As far as the cost of living crisis, I believe it will overwhelm most governments as it is impossible for any government to mitigate the adverse effects other than on the margins
Good morning, Big_G. Fair or not, the message 'not us, gov' isn't going to wash from a party that's been in power for over a decade.
Its probably about as fair as blaming Brown for the 2008 crash, but will be done just the same.
Real wages will be below 2010 levels at the next election.
That says all you need to know about Tory economic ineptitude over the past 12 years.
Possibly, but also the conditions the country found itself in in 2008 and then the pandemic.
We can't run the counterfactual to know if a Labour government would have down either better. I'd also be interested to know how other G7 countries compare on the same measure.
Includes new @LordAshcroft research: 39% of 2019 Tory voters said “I thought he was a rogue and a chancer but I voted for him anyway.” But now, among those who voted Tory for the first time, their view of the PM has “deteriorated sharply”.
Cue HY to insist that 39% of Tory voters are not Tory voters, are not wanted, and indeed never did vote Tory.
You have to remember the Tories won a landslide majority of 80 in 2019. Many Tory 2019 voters will therefore not have voted Tory before then or not voted Tory since 1987 when the Tories last won a landslide before then. They voted Tory for Boris to get Brexit done and to beat Corbyn. However both those aims have been achieved and many of them will go back to Labour now Corbyn has gone and Brexit been deliverered. Whatever the Tories do they were not natural Tories
So your'e saying you have no interest in their votes again and are happy with at best minority government or worst going back into opposition.
Proper political movements want to draw in as many voters as possible. Your puritanical approach is to drive them away.
No I am saying that in a democracy after 10 years of one party in power there is normally a change of government. Many voters who voted for Blair and Cameron, May and Boris are now often going back to Starmer Labour as are Labour voters who lent Boris their votes to get Brexit done.
They are not natural Tories however ie voters who supported the party even in opposition in the general elections it lost from 1997 to 2005. Those voters are still generally supporting the party and a few more pro Brexit ex Labour voters
I would also dispute the goal of political parties is merely to win elections. Power for its own sake is pointless.
At the end of the day most Labour members and Labour MPs want to shift the country in a more socialist or social democratic and socially liberal direction and most Conservative members and MPs want to shift the country in a more conservative direction. There is no point trying to appeal to voters who will never share those aims
This is definitely the strangest cost of living crisis ever.
We have full employment in the UK
Houses are selling instantly for often much more than the asking price.
Pubs, restaurants, theatres etc are packed with people discretionary spending.
Holiday bookings are surging "Heathrow airport has recorded its highest passenger numbers since the start of the pandemic, but warned that “resources are stretched” as the travel industry struggles to handle resurgent demand for flying"
A very odd cost of living crisis.
As yes "full employment". Which as we all know is always statistical spin whichever government claims it rather than lived reality. We know hundreds of thousands of older people simply left employment during the pandemic and others cannot find work despite the vacancies at Manchester Airport and elsewhere.
As for people spending money, that happens at the depth of every recession. Underneath the "its busy" perception the hospitality industry is still struggling to recover from Covid. The closure of a chunk of outlets has helped, but companies like Pret are still reporting only 65% of pre-Covid trade.
You may not be struggling - and I'm not either. But we're the exception rather than the rule.
I never get why this is made personal, I was just stating facts.
In terms of full employment we do have it, if you want a job you can get one.
I left school in the early 80's when there was no work, the situation is radically different now.
Certainly true round here in the Midlands. Adverts all over the place almost pleading for staff. In various sectors.
I saw one last week outside a Hyundai main dealer: "Mechanics wanted. £1,000 sign on bonus plus £1,000 retention bonus".
That's insane when you consider what a relatively low skill job being a "mechanic" at a main stealer is. Most of the time it's standing round pretending to do oil and filter changes but not doing them. All body and paint will be subbed out and nobody with a Hyundai old enough to have a serious engine issue is taking it to the dealer.
It is very easy to underestimate the lack of mechanical or electrical inclination in most people.
Change a defective wall socket - you will be regarded as scary professional sparky by most people out there.
Indeed. Strictly speaking, one is no longer supposed to change wall sockets and light fittings any more.
My colleagues are always impressed with my ability to DIY - it’s actually a very Western phenomenon, caused presumably by the relatively high cost of tradesmen. Kids don’t learn basic trade skills, when their parents will always get a man in to do simple jobs.
Not being able to change a fuse is common.
The problem with the lack of knowledge is people doing things like the one I saw the other day - a cap was charing his electric car. The cord was too short, so he'd used an extension cord out of his window. A multi-way cheapo domestic extension thing. Sitting in a wet flower bed, in the rain. While he pulled 13 amps through it....
That's going to short to earth if it's going to do anything so not really dangerous (by my standards).
Yeah - there'll be a fuse in the plug of the extension cord, a fuse in the plug of the charging cable, and a breaker/fuse in the consumer unit.
So he won't set his car on fire.
EDIT: But someone without the knowledge not to do that... he'll be up for the challenge of doing something dangerous through ignorance.
This is definitely the strangest cost of living crisis ever.
We have full employment in the UK
Houses are selling instantly for often much more than the asking price.
Pubs, restaurants, theatres etc are packed with people discretionary spending.
Holiday bookings are surging "Heathrow airport has recorded its highest passenger numbers since the start of the pandemic, but warned that “resources are stretched” as the travel industry struggles to handle resurgent demand for flying"
A very odd cost of living crisis.
As yes "full employment". Which as we all know is always statistical spin whichever government claims it rather than lived reality. We know hundreds of thousands of older people simply left employment during the pandemic and others cannot find work despite the vacancies at Manchester Airport and elsewhere.
As for people spending money, that happens at the depth of every recession. Underneath the "its busy" perception the hospitality industry is still struggling to recover from Covid. The closure of a chunk of outlets has helped, but companies like Pret are still reporting only 65% of pre-Covid trade.
You may not be struggling - and I'm not either. But we're the exception rather than the rule.
I never get why this is made personal, I was just stating facts.
In terms of full employment we do have it, if you want a job you can get one.
I left school in the early 80's when there was no work, the situation is radically different now.
Certainly true round here in the Midlands. Adverts all over the place almost pleading for staff. In various sectors.
I saw one last week outside a Hyundai main dealer: "Mechanics wanted. £1,000 sign on bonus plus £1,000 retention bonus".
That's insane when you consider what a relatively low skill job being a "mechanic" at a main stealer is. Most of the time it's standing round pretending to do oil and filter changes but not doing them. All body and paint will be subbed out and nobody with a Hyundai old enough to have a serious engine issue is taking it to the dealer.
It is very easy to underestimate the lack of mechanical or electrical inclination in most people.
Change a defective wall socket - you will be regarded as scary professional sparky by most people out there.
Indeed. Strictly speaking, one is no longer supposed to change wall sockets and light fittings any more.
My colleagues are always impressed with my ability to DIY - it’s actually a very Western phenomenon, caused presumably by the relatively high cost of tradesmen. Kids don’t learn basic trade skills, when their parents will always get a man in to do simple jobs.
Not being able to change a fuse is common.
The problem with the lack of knowledge is people doing things like the one I saw the other day - a cap was charing his electric car. The cord was too short, so he'd used an extension cord out of his window. A multi-way cheapo domestic extension thing. Sitting in a wet flower bed, in the rain. While he pulled 13 amps through it....
Workmen out here barely know what a fuse is - it’s common to see extension leads in the field with no plug, and the tails (only two, naturally) forced into the socket, with then half a dozen power tools plugged into various extensions running off it. More than once I’ve bought a 13A plug and fitted it myself, before the idiot electrocuted himself!
Includes new @LordAshcroft research: 39% of 2019 Tory voters said “I thought he was a rogue and a chancer but I voted for him anyway.” But now, among those who voted Tory for the first time, their view of the PM has “deteriorated sharply”.
Cue HY to insist that 39% of Tory voters are not Tory voters, are not wanted, and indeed never did vote Tory.
You have to remember the Tories won a landslide majority of 80 in 2019. Many Tory 2019 voters will therefore not have voted Tory before then or not voted Tory since 1987 when the Tories last won a landslide before then. They voted Tory for Boris to get Brexit done and to beat Corbyn. However both those aims have been achieved and many of them will go back to Labour now Corbyn has gone and Brexit been deliverered. Whatever the Tories do they were not natural Tories
So your'e saying you have no interest in their votes again and are happy with at best minority government or worst going back into opposition.
Proper political movements want to draw in as many voters as possible. Your puritanical approach is to drive them away.
No I am saying that in a democracy after 10 years of one party in power there is normally a change of government. Many voters who voted for Blair and Cameron, May and Boris are now often going back to Starmer Labour as are Labour voters who lent Boris their votes to get Brexit done.
They are not natural Tories however ie voters who supported the party even in opposition in the general elections it lost from 1997 to 2005. Those voters are still generally supporting the party and a few more pro Brexit ex Labour voters
I would also dispute the goal of political parties is merely to win elections. Power for its own sake is pointless.
At the end of the day most Labour members and Labour MPs want to shift the country in a more socialist or social democratic and socially liberal direction and most Conservative members and MPs want to shift the country in a more conservative direction. There is no point trying to appeal to voters who will never share those aims
They can’t enact their wishes if they don’t get elected though.
That’s what happened with the more fervent Corbyn fans - they didn’t want to moderate their message, even though only a small minority agreed with them. The result - opposition not government.
Elections are always won from the centre. See Blair and Cameron for example.
Includes new @LordAshcroft research: 39% of 2019 Tory voters said “I thought he was a rogue and a chancer but I voted for him anyway.” But now, among those who voted Tory for the first time, their view of the PM has “deteriorated sharply”.
Cue HY to insist that 39% of Tory voters are not Tory voters, are not wanted, and indeed never did vote Tory.
You have to remember the Tories won a landslide majority of 80 in 2019. Many Tory 2019 voters will therefore not have voted Tory before then or not voted Tory since 1987 when the Tories last won a landslide before then. They voted Tory for Boris to get Brexit done and to beat Corbyn. However both those aims have been achieved and many of them will go back to Labour now Corbyn has gone and Brexit been deliverered. Whatever the Tories do they were not natural Tories
So your'e saying you have no interest in their votes again and are happy with at best minority government or worst going back into opposition.
Proper political movements want to draw in as many voters as possible. Your puritanical approach is to drive them away.
No I am saying that in a democracy after 10 years of one party in power there is normally a change of government. Many voters who voted for Blair and Cameron, May and Boris are now often going back to Starmer Labour as are Labour voters who lent Boris their votes to get Brexit done.
They are not natural Tories however ie voters who supported the party even in opposition in the general elections it lost from 1997 to 2005. Those voters are still generally supporting the party and a few more pro Brexit ex Labour voters
I would also dispute the goal of political parties is merely to win elections. Power for its own sake is pointless.
At the end of the day most Labour members and Labour MPs want to shift the country in a more socialist or social democratic and socially liberal direction and most Conservative members and MPs want to shift the country in a more conservative direction. There is no point trying to appeal to voters who will never share those aims
They can’t enact their wishes if they don’t get elected though.
That’s what happened with the more fervent Corbyn fans - they didn’t want to moderate their message, even though only a small minority agreed with them. The result - opposition not government.
Elections are always won from the centre. See Blair and Cameron for example.
Yes you need the middle too but you also don't abandon your core values and supporters either, otherwise you end up like Nick Clegg.
Elections are often won from the centre but not always, see Attlee 1945 and 1950, Thatcher 1979, 1983 and 1987 and indeed arguably Boris 2019 or Wilson 1964, 1966, 1974
He says less than half of the 6K or so look usable.
That’s a good video, thanks for posting. It tends to back up the Ukranian figures, which is good, and it means that somewhere between a quarter and a third of the entire serviceable Russian tank fleet has been lost. They’ll need tanks elsewhere too, Russia is a big place, so we might be looking at close to half the Russian tanks gone already - meaning they have only two or three months left of attrition at the current rate.
Also interesting that the US figures for attrition of tanks in a land war, are almost exactly what’s been observed with Russian losses in Ukraine.
He says less than half of the 6K or so look usable.
That’s a good video, thanks for posting. It tends to back up the Ukranian figures, which is good, and it means that somewhere between a quarter and a third of the entire serviceable Russian tank fleet has been lost. They’ll need tanks elsewhere too, Russia is a big place, so we might be looking at close to half the Russian tanks gone already - meaning they have only two or three months left of attrition at the current rate.
Also interesting that the US figures for attrition of tanks in a land war, are almost exactly what’s been observed with Russian losses in Ukraine.
Historically, armoured battles tended to stop/pause when the *winning* side ran out of running tanks. This was seen from the very start in WWI.
The American numbers were based on this, I'm sure. The recent run of apparent near invulnerability* of American, British and Israeli tanks has been attributed to not fighting near peers.
Latest rumour among Tory MPs: poss @BorisJohnson reshuffle after local elections, to try to control the 're-set' narrative ahead of the Q Speech next week.
Will he move @RishiSunak as sacrificial lamb for the cost of living crisis?
Or will Sunak walk? Some MPs think he didn't want to rock the boat before May 5...
I have a hunch Sunak is on his way out. He's keeping a very low profile given the elections this week. He missed the last two PMQs. R4 wanted Boris this morning - they got useless Eustice instead. I'd have thought Sunak was an obvious choice to answer questions on the cost of living, but he seems reluctant to do so. Maybe he's had enough, or maybe he knows he's going to be moved. Or maybe they just think somebody so rich is not the right person to answer questions about hardship.
Complaining or exclaiming about major impact of religion upon the United States is a fool's errand.
Seeing as how religion has ALWAYS been a major factor in American history and thus politics. As it used to be in Europe, including UK.
Big difference here was that, unlike you, we did NOT fight bloody wars - civil, uncivil, international - over religion. Conflict, yes. Riots, occasionally. But NOTHING like the English Civil War or Thirty Years War.
Interesting part of our religious heritage - indeed its hallmark - is our diversity of faiths and esp. creeds. Which soon led - as in UK - to opposition to an established church. Difference was that establishment was too weak to survive here for very long, just a few decades after independence in a few states. And was of course banned federally.
We still argue what "separation of church and state" means. But few Americans think it's a bad thing per se - even the nutters!
Maybe you should try it sometime?
I’m sorry @SeaShantyIrish2 but this is nonsense. America is intensely religious in a way that it’s entirely alien to UK/Oz/Canada, and also most Europeans
So you may de jure have separation of church and state but de facto you do not. The Civil War was infused with religious debate and that killed 750,000 Americans - including fully 20% of all Southern men of fighting age
Europeans USED to be intensely religious. Now you are intensely irreligious. Having totally lost your faith due to WAY too much wars of religion, auto de fes and "Gott Mit Uns"
Whereas Americans have NOT lost their faith, for the most part. And only a minority is theologically obsessed - just that it compares with about zilch in Europe PLUS the rest of the county have religious buttons that can definitely be pushed. For good (anti-Slavery), mixed (Prohibition) or ill (anti-Semitism).
I say Prohibition was mixed, because motivation (ending abuse of alcohol) was good but unexpected consequences (Al Capone) were bad. Same with "War on Drugs".
In a sense there is something admirable about America’s debate on abortion
It is akin to the slavery debate, in its power, yet much more nuanced (both sides have good arguments: they obviously did not on slavery). This is a profound and serious moral issue and Americans REALLY care. Perhaps they care too much, and they might end up shooting each other, but arguably that is better than the shrug of the cynical European
Tricky. I’m glad the UK is not embittered by this debate yet I am also glad a serious western society is exercised by it
The UK performed the same service for the rest of the EU when we had Brexit
It's interesting how most conservatives in the UK (and Europe) aren't particularly bothered about the abortion debate.
It is not very interesting imo. There are two related questions that might be interesting.
One in the United States is the extent to which abortion determines a person's vote, in the sense that they would vote for the other party on other issues. Will pro-choice Republicans now vote Democrat? Will pro-life Democrats who were previously voting Republican in order to restrict abortion, now vote Democrat?
And here, might abortion be a Brexit-type issue? One where most people are vaguely content with the status quo, and do not give it a moment's thought from one year to the next, but where that might change if ever they are forced to vote on it because some idiot prime minister calls a referendum in order to buy off a vocal minority on one side or the other.
Europe was an issue that tore the country's politics apart for generations, it wasn't just because a PM chose to call a referendum about it.
If you don't think that Europe was already a massive issue in this country pre-2016 (and had been since the 1980s if not earlier) then you weren't paying much attention.
I think you mean tore the Conservative party apart, no-one else gave a toss. It never topped that What are your most salient concerns poll.
Maybe. But all the component parts that got the Brexit vote did. With many people who then became Conservative voters, but who had been life-long Labour.
Interesting the way that Ukraine announces Russia's battle plans each morning. They probably have better information that some of the Russian commanders who don't have access to Twitter.
https://twitter.com/Hromadske/status/1521765321324912640 In eastern Ukraine, Russia intends to break through Ukrainian defenses near Izyum in Kharkiv Oblast to move to Kramatorsk (Donetsk Oblast) & Severodonetsk (Luhansk Oblast) to then try to encirlcle 🇺🇦 troops
22 battalion tactical groups (600-800 soldiers) are currently near Izyum..
Curious interview this evening - a lecturer doing research on political gambling approached me on the basis of several recommendations as an expert (er...thanks, I think). I'll suggest Mike ads the obvious next port of call, and Pip Moss. The interviewer's previous paper was on gambling in Papua New Guinea!
They need to speak to perhaps the foremost political gambler on PB (no offence all) who is @Andy_JS. His spreadsheet and the approach it informed to EURef was extraordinary and contributed to most people on here winning more money on political gambling than they had ever done previously and for some, winning the most money ever on gambling ever.
Hi, that's me! Anthony Pickles, a.pickles@uea.ac.uk Thanks for the tip about contacting @Andy_JS , I will do that now... That this community compares to Papua New Guinean gamblers is a great complement in my book! (You both seem to play around with how to understand the future head on).
Comments
Change a defective wall socket - you will be regarded as scary professional sparky by most people out there.
Ukranian figures are now more than 1,000 tanks destroyed, out of what they now say is a serviceable number of only 3,300.
We know there’s around 10k tanks in Russia, but the majority of them are in graveyards and not close to being able to be sent to battle.
https://www.minusrus.com/en <— Ukranian claims for Russian casualties.
He seemed to find rather a lot of hulks missing turrets, left out in the open. Scrap essentially.
I think he was saying that there were a few thousand that looked usable (from Google Maps images) our of the 6K or so tanks he found.
EDIT - found it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHhgVrKJJoA
He says less than half of the 6K or so look usable.
https://twitter.com/vonderleyen/status/1521745710068248577
We want Ukraine to win this war.
Yet so much has to be rebuilt.
That is why I am proposing to start working on an ambitious recovery package for our Ukrainian friends.
This package should bring massive investment to meet the needs and the necessary reforms.
My colleagues are always impressed with my ability to DIY - it’s actually a very Western phenomenon, caused presumably by the relatively high cost of tradesmen. Kids don’t learn basic trade skills, when their parents will always get a man in to do simple jobs.
They are not natural Tories however ie voters who supported the party even in opposition in the general elections it lost from 1997 to 2005. Those voters are still generally supporting the party and a few more pro Brexit ex Labour voters
The problem with the lack of knowledge is people doing things like the one I saw the other day - a cap was charing his electric car. The cord was too short, so he'd used an extension cord out of his window. A multi-way cheapo domestic extension thing. Sitting in a wet flower bed, in the rain. While he pulled 13 amps through it....
Will he move @RishiSunak as sacrificial lamb for the cost of living crisis?
Or will Sunak walk? Some MPs think he didn't want to rock the boat before May 5...
https://twitter.com/paulwaugh/status/1521778182910877696
Accelerating full membership might well not be a good idea. A candidate membership (as with other states, perviously) combined with extensive aid packages and reform would probably be in the long term interests of both the EU and Ukraine.
Otherwise the existing, pre war, Ukrainian issues would simply be ignored.
We can't run the counterfactual to know if a Labour government would have down either better. I'd also be interested to know how other G7 countries compare on the same measure.
At the end of the day most Labour members and Labour MPs want to shift the country in a more socialist or social democratic and socially liberal direction and most Conservative members and MPs want to shift the country in a more conservative direction. There is no point trying to appeal to voters who will never share those aims
So he won't set his car on fire.
EDIT: But someone without the knowledge not to do that... he'll be up for the challenge of doing something dangerous through ignorance.
That’s what happened with the more fervent Corbyn fans - they didn’t want to moderate their message, even though only a small minority agreed with them. The result - opposition not government.
Elections are always won from the centre. See Blair and Cameron for example.
Elections are often won from the centre but not always, see Attlee 1945 and 1950, Thatcher 1979, 1983 and 1987 and indeed arguably Boris 2019 or Wilson 1964, 1966, 1974
Also interesting that the US figures for attrition of tanks in a land war, are almost exactly what’s been observed with Russian losses in Ukraine.
Vesele
https://maps.app.goo.gl/HtceKCJHuSai4MZE9
The American numbers were based on this, I'm sure. The recent run of apparent near invulnerability* of American, British and Israeli tanks has been attributed to not fighting near peers.
*By historical standards.
Donaldson came last amongst viewers with the SDLP leader winning with 28% followed by Michelle O’ Neil on 23% . Donaldson on only 14%.
They probably have better information that some of the Russian commanders who don't have access to Twitter.
https://twitter.com/Hromadske/status/1521765321324912640
In eastern Ukraine, Russia intends to break through Ukrainian defenses near Izyum in Kharkiv Oblast to move to Kramatorsk (Donetsk Oblast) & Severodonetsk (Luhansk Oblast) to then try to encirlcle 🇺🇦 troops
22 battalion tactical groups (600-800 soldiers) are currently near Izyum..