Sunday evening in Tallinn. As expected by the Estonians, Putin is clearly trying to expand his war into a struggle on multiple fronts. However, this reflects increasing panic inside Russia. The Ukrainian armed forces have inflicted significant damage on the Russians, and the atrocities that have been unleashed by the Putinists reflect an army that is an increasingly degrading into an undisciplined rabble. Here in the Baltic the cut off of gas supplies to Latvia has been greeted with a shrug. Estonia and Lithuania have been able to take most of the strain, and there is no immediate threat to the Latvian economy. A clear lesson to Germany that any point of leverage or weakness will be exploited, no matter what. It is suggested here that the probable attack on Bulgaria could be matched with activity in Belarus that reduces the threat from Lukashenka.
It is certainly now critical that the Russian threats, and indeed actions, are dealt with on our terms and not on theirs. Where he intends to escalate, we should stay cool and where he shows weakness we should match the Russians in ruthlessly exploiting that weakness. A tourist visa ban, as proposed by Estonia, is only a part of the next package of sanctions. Despite the nonsense printed in the UK media this weekend, people should be in no doubt that the Russian economy is at a dead stop. The Ruble is rising *because there has been a total collapse of imports*. Another few weeks and the Russian transport infrastructure will start to break down.
So, although Putin now wants to watch the world burn, sensible discussions should be taking place within the NATO alliance and also with China. The Putin famine must now be addressed for the sake of the global South and to reduce the blackmail Russia is using in Africa. There should be a measured and proportionate response to the various Putinist provocations.
On the other hand the Russian Embassy in London, which has openly supported war crimes, should now face greater sanctions. Many in the Baltic are outraged that the Embassy twitter account has not been suspended and the press office expelled from London. Indeed given the depravity of the Russian dimplomatic commentary, why is there a Russian Ambassador still in London? The Russian Ambassador in Talllinn is summoned to the Foreign ministry so regularly that he must be getting dizzy. The Russian Ambassador in London should be dealt with similarly.
The only way to stop Putin is to defeat him. That may require a long hard slog, but there is no other way, there is no deal he will keep and no truce he will not break. We must be ready at all levels to stop this evil regime from unleashing a yet worse barbarity. The Estonians do not beleive that the victory will be easy, but they are determined to see this through. Let us hope that the rest of the NATO alliance is equally clear sighted. Putin is evil and evil must be defeated or we may have no future at all.
A tourist visa ban on Russians may have more effect in a Russian winter, but may have an adverse impact on Russian refugees. I suspect a lot of the brain drain, and even ukranian refugees have got out via Russia on tourist visas.
"Another few weeks and the Russian transport infrastructure will start to break down."
Interesting. Why?
1) After the Russians refused to return the 700 planes they leased, they have no access to real parts. They can bootleg some, but that is not going to last too long. Then planes get grounded or start falling out of the sky. 2) Rail wagons need bearings that the Russians can not make themselves. As these break, no replacements and wagons can not be used. 3) Car and truck production has basically stopped and no imports from anywhere (including China).
Thanks.
Can the RU not make bearings? Seems incredible. Not exactly rocket science is it?
I thought they just fished them out of the Bearing Strait.
Sunday evening in Tallinn. As expected by the Estonians, Putin is clearly trying to expand his war into a struggle on multiple fronts. However, this reflects increasing panic inside Russia. The Ukrainian armed forces have inflicted significant damage on the Russians, and the atrocities that have been unleashed by the Putinists reflect an army that is an increasingly degrading into an undisciplined rabble. Here in the Baltic the cut off of gas supplies to Latvia has been greeted with a shrug. Estonia and Lithuania have been able to take most of the strain, and there is no immediate threat to the Latvian economy. A clear lesson to Germany that any point of leverage or weakness will be exploited, no matter what. It is suggested here that the probable attack on Bulgaria could be matched with activity in Belarus that reduces the threat from Lukashenka.
It is certainly now critical that the Russian threats, and indeed actions, are dealt with on our terms and not on theirs. Where he intends to escalate, we should stay cool and where he shows weakness we should match the Russians in ruthlessly exploiting that weakness. A tourist visa ban, as proposed by Estonia, is only a part of the next package of sanctions. Despite the nonsense printed in the UK media this weekend, people should be in no doubt that the Russian economy is at a dead stop. The Ruble is rising *because there has been a total collapse of imports*. Another few weeks and the Russian transport infrastructure will start to break down.
So, although Putin now wants to watch the world burn, sensible discussions should be taking place within the NATO alliance and also with China. The Putin famine must now be addressed for the sake of the global South and to reduce the blackmail Russia is using in Africa. There should be a measured and proportionate response to the various Putinist provocations.
On the other hand the Russian Embassy in London, which has openly supported war crimes, should now face greater sanctions. Many in the Baltic are outraged that the Embassy twitter account has not been suspended and the press office expelled from London. Indeed given the depravity of the Russian dimplomatic commentary, why is there a Russian Ambassador still in London? The Russian Ambassador in Talllinn is summoned to the Foreign ministry so regularly that he must be getting dizzy. The Russian Ambassador in London should be dealt with similarly.
The only way to stop Putin is to defeat him. That may require a long hard slog, but there is no other way, there is no deal he will keep and no truce he will not break. We must be ready at all levels to stop this evil regime from unleashing a yet worse barbarity. The Estonians do not beleive that the victory will be easy, but they are determined to see this through. Let us hope that the rest of the NATO alliance is equally clear sighted. Putin is evil and evil must be defeated or we may have no future at all.
A tourist visa ban on Russians may have more effect in a Russian winter, but may have an adverse impact on Russian refugees. I suspect a lot of the brain drain, and even ukranian refugees have got out via Russia on tourist visas.
"Another few weeks and the Russian transport infrastructure will start to break down."
Interesting. Why?
1) After the Russians refused to return the 700 planes they leased, they have no access to real parts. They can bootleg some, but that is not going to last too long. Then planes get grounded or start falling out of the sky. 2) Rail wagons need bearings that the Russians can not make themselves. As these break, no replacements and wagons can not be used. 3) Car and truck production has basically stopped and no imports from anywhere (including China).
Thanks.
Can the RU not make bearings? Seems incredible. Not exactly rocket science is it?
I thought they just fished them out of the Bearing Strait.
Naughty Nadine, an actual UK cabinet minister, retweeting a mock-up image of Sunak dressed as Brutus stabbing Johnson in the Forum…
They’re a happy lot, these Tories
Let's have the picture then:
It's funny that people who would have zero trouble being disloyal, and have often been on record as being disloyal, claim to have a problem with the disloyalty of others.
Meanwhile. Vucic is addressing the Serbian people.
🇷🇸Serbian President Vučić:
"All I can say is that we will ask for peace and ask for peace, but I will tell you right away: there will be no surrender and Serbia will win. If they try to start persecuting Serbs, bullying Serbs, killing Serbs, Serbia will win!"
Another cry bully lunatic with a pretended persecution complex, great.
Pathetic isn't it. Let's abolish men and countries!
Abolishing countries would get my vote!
It's the ultimate 'progressive' aspiration. Keep working towards it, never get there, that's OK. The benefits accrue from the journey.
Adjusts horn rims.
The thing is, if you abolish countries, what replaces them? Limited experience suggests the answer not happy little self-governing communities but massive uncaring empires.
My vision is countries remain but become ever more entwined and integrated until all conflict between them - other than in sports - fades away. It's how those superintelligent and enlightened Cadbury's Smash aliens would arrange things. But as I say, not an actual feasible endstate, more a guiding spirit to embrace.
I’d quite like to live in Iain M Banks’ anarchist utopian Culture but we don’t have any benevolent super-intelligent artificial Minds to allocate resources for us. Still, Leon’s working on it I understand, so something to look forward to.
I won't hold my breath there then.
I'm floating into dreamland with this, I know, but it's good to do that sometimes.
In the meantime, let's just not go *too* silly and parochial or grandiose. Post Brexit I'd settle for that.
Sunday evening in Tallinn. As expected by the Estonians, Putin is clearly trying to expand his war into a struggle on multiple fronts. However, this reflects increasing panic inside Russia. The Ukrainian armed forces have inflicted significant damage on the Russians, and the atrocities that have been unleashed by the Putinists reflect an army that is an increasingly degrading into an undisciplined rabble. Here in the Baltic the cut off of gas supplies to Latvia has been greeted with a shrug. Estonia and Lithuania have been able to take most of the strain, and there is no immediate threat to the Latvian economy. A clear lesson to Germany that any point of leverage or weakness will be exploited, no matter what. It is suggested here that the probable attack on Bulgaria could be matched with activity in Belarus that reduces the threat from Lukashenka.
It is certainly now critical that the Russian threats, and indeed actions, are dealt with on our terms and not on theirs. Where he intends to escalate, we should stay cool and where he shows weakness we should match the Russians in ruthlessly exploiting that weakness. A tourist visa ban, as proposed by Estonia, is only a part of the next package of sanctions. Despite the nonsense printed in the UK media this weekend, people should be in no doubt that the Russian economy is at a dead stop. The Ruble is rising *because there has been a total collapse of imports*. Another few weeks and the Russian transport infrastructure will start to break down.
So, although Putin now wants to watch the world burn, sensible discussions should be taking place within the NATO alliance and also with China. The Putin famine must now be addressed for the sake of the global South and to reduce the blackmail Russia is using in Africa. There should be a measured and proportionate response to the various Putinist provocations.
On the other hand the Russian Embassy in London, which has openly supported war crimes, should now face greater sanctions. Many in the Baltic are outraged that the Embassy twitter account has not been suspended and the press office expelled from London. Indeed given the depravity of the Russian dimplomatic commentary, why is there a Russian Ambassador still in London? The Russian Ambassador in Talllinn is summoned to the Foreign ministry so regularly that he must be getting dizzy. The Russian Ambassador in London should be dealt with similarly.
The only way to stop Putin is to defeat him. That may require a long hard slog, but there is no other way, there is no deal he will keep and no truce he will not break. We must be ready at all levels to stop this evil regime from unleashing a yet worse barbarity. The Estonians do not beleive that the victory will be easy, but they are determined to see this through. Let us hope that the rest of the NATO alliance is equally clear sighted. Putin is evil and evil must be defeated or we may have no future at all.
A tourist visa ban on Russians may have more effect in a Russian winter, but may have an adverse impact on Russian refugees. I suspect a lot of the brain drain, and even ukranian refugees have got out via Russia on tourist visas.
"Another few weeks and the Russian transport infrastructure will start to break down."
Interesting. Why?
1) After the Russians refused to return the 700 planes they leased, they have no access to real parts. They can bootleg some, but that is not going to last too long. Then planes get grounded or start falling out of the sky. 2) Rail wagons need bearings that the Russians can not make themselves. As these break, no replacements and wagons can not be used. 3) Car and truck production has basically stopped and no imports from anywhere (including China).
Thanks.
Can the RU not make bearings? Seems incredible. Not exactly rocket science is it?
I thought they just fished them out of the Bearing Strait.
Those are an Ob-solete design.
Are Yeniseying that they are old fashioned?
That was a truly Volga pun.
The problem with Russian-made bearings is that there don't run true; they tend to Lena bit.
Meanwhile. Vucic is addressing the Serbian people.
🇷🇸Serbian President Vučić:
"All I can say is that we will ask for peace and ask for peace, but I will tell you right away: there will be no surrender and Serbia will win. If they try to start persecuting Serbs, bullying Serbs, killing Serbs, Serbia will win!"
Another cry bully lunatic with a pretended persecution complex, great.
Pathetic isn't it. Let's abolish men and countries!
Abolishing countries would get my vote!
It's the ultimate 'progressive' aspiration. Keep working towards it, never get there, that's OK. The benefits accrue from the journey.
Adjusts horn rims.
The thing is, if you abolish countries, what replaces them? Limited experience suggests the answer not happy little self-governing communities but massive uncaring empires.
My vision is countries remain but become ever more entwined and integrated until all conflict between them - other than in sports - fades away. It's how those superintelligent and enlightened Cadbury's Smash aliens would arrange things. But as I say, not an actual feasible endstate, more a guiding spirit to embrace.
I’d quite like to live in Iain M Banks’ anarchist utopian Culture but we don’t have any benevolent super-intelligent artificial Minds to allocate resources for us.
I prefer Neal Asher's similar Polity, because the setting seems to be a bit more self aware about the inherent sinisterness of such an arrangement.
Sunday evening in Tallinn. As expected by the Estonians, Putin is clearly trying to expand his war into a struggle on multiple fronts. However, this reflects increasing panic inside Russia. The Ukrainian armed forces have inflicted significant damage on the Russians, and the atrocities that have been unleashed by the Putinists reflect an army that is an increasingly degrading into an undisciplined rabble. Here in the Baltic the cut off of gas supplies to Latvia has been greeted with a shrug. Estonia and Lithuania have been able to take most of the strain, and there is no immediate threat to the Latvian economy. A clear lesson to Germany that any point of leverage or weakness will be exploited, no matter what. It is suggested here that the probable attack on Bulgaria could be matched with activity in Belarus that reduces the threat from Lukashenka.
It is certainly now critical that the Russian threats, and indeed actions, are dealt with on our terms and not on theirs. Where he intends to escalate, we should stay cool and where he shows weakness we should match the Russians in ruthlessly exploiting that weakness. A tourist visa ban, as proposed by Estonia, is only a part of the next package of sanctions. Despite the nonsense printed in the UK media this weekend, people should be in no doubt that the Russian economy is at a dead stop. The Ruble is rising *because there has been a total collapse of imports*. Another few weeks and the Russian transport infrastructure will start to break down.
So, although Putin now wants to watch the world burn, sensible discussions should be taking place within the NATO alliance and also with China. The Putin famine must now be addressed for the sake of the global South and to reduce the blackmail Russia is using in Africa. There should be a measured and proportionate response to the various Putinist provocations.
On the other hand the Russian Embassy in London, which has openly supported war crimes, should now face greater sanctions. Many in the Baltic are outraged that the Embassy twitter account has not been suspended and the press office expelled from London. Indeed given the depravity of the Russian dimplomatic commentary, why is there a Russian Ambassador still in London? The Russian Ambassador in Talllinn is summoned to the Foreign ministry so regularly that he must be getting dizzy. The Russian Ambassador in London should be dealt with similarly.
The only way to stop Putin is to defeat him. That may require a long hard slog, but there is no other way, there is no deal he will keep and no truce he will not break. We must be ready at all levels to stop this evil regime from unleashing a yet worse barbarity. The Estonians do not beleive that the victory will be easy, but they are determined to see this through. Let us hope that the rest of the NATO alliance is equally clear sighted. Putin is evil and evil must be defeated or we may have no future at all.
A tourist visa ban on Russians may have more effect in a Russian winter, but may have an adverse impact on Russian refugees. I suspect a lot of the brain drain, and even ukranian refugees have got out via Russia on tourist visas.
"Another few weeks and the Russian transport infrastructure will start to break down."
Interesting. Why?
1) After the Russians refused to return the 700 planes they leased, they have no access to real parts. They can bootleg some, but that is not going to last too long. Then planes get grounded or start falling out of the sky. 2) Rail wagons need bearings that the Russians can not make themselves. As these break, no replacements and wagons can not be used. 3) Car and truck production has basically stopped and no imports from anywhere (including China).
Thanks.
Can the RU not make bearings? Seems incredible. Not exactly rocket science is it?
I thought they just fished them out of the Bearing Strait.
Sunday evening in Tallinn. As expected by the Estonians, Putin is clearly trying to expand his war into a struggle on multiple fronts. However, this reflects increasing panic inside Russia. The Ukrainian armed forces have inflicted significant damage on the Russians, and the atrocities that have been unleashed by the Putinists reflect an army that is an increasingly degrading into an undisciplined rabble. Here in the Baltic the cut off of gas supplies to Latvia has been greeted with a shrug. Estonia and Lithuania have been able to take most of the strain, and there is no immediate threat to the Latvian economy. A clear lesson to Germany that any point of leverage or weakness will be exploited, no matter what. It is suggested here that the probable attack on Bulgaria could be matched with activity in Belarus that reduces the threat from Lukashenka.
It is certainly now critical that the Russian threats, and indeed actions, are dealt with on our terms and not on theirs. Where he intends to escalate, we should stay cool and where he shows weakness we should match the Russians in ruthlessly exploiting that weakness. A tourist visa ban, as proposed by Estonia, is only a part of the next package of sanctions. Despite the nonsense printed in the UK media this weekend, people should be in no doubt that the Russian economy is at a dead stop. The Ruble is rising *because there has been a total collapse of imports*. Another few weeks and the Russian transport infrastructure will start to break down.
So, although Putin now wants to watch the world burn, sensible discussions should be taking place within the NATO alliance and also with China. The Putin famine must now be addressed for the sake of the global South and to reduce the blackmail Russia is using in Africa. There should be a measured and proportionate response to the various Putinist provocations.
On the other hand the Russian Embassy in London, which has openly supported war crimes, should now face greater sanctions. Many in the Baltic are outraged that the Embassy twitter account has not been suspended and the press office expelled from London. Indeed given the depravity of the Russian dimplomatic commentary, why is there a Russian Ambassador still in London? The Russian Ambassador in Talllinn is summoned to the Foreign ministry so regularly that he must be getting dizzy. The Russian Ambassador in London should be dealt with similarly.
The only way to stop Putin is to defeat him. That may require a long hard slog, but there is no other way, there is no deal he will keep and no truce he will not break. We must be ready at all levels to stop this evil regime from unleashing a yet worse barbarity. The Estonians do not beleive that the victory will be easy, but they are determined to see this through. Let us hope that the rest of the NATO alliance is equally clear sighted. Putin is evil and evil must be defeated or we may have no future at all.
A tourist visa ban on Russians may have more effect in a Russian winter, but may have an adverse impact on Russian refugees. I suspect a lot of the brain drain, and even ukranian refugees have got out via Russia on tourist visas.
"Another few weeks and the Russian transport infrastructure will start to break down."
Interesting. Why?
1) After the Russians refused to return the 700 planes they leased, they have no access to real parts. They can bootleg some, but that is not going to last too long. Then planes get grounded or start falling out of the sky. 2) Rail wagons need bearings that the Russians can not make themselves. As these break, no replacements and wagons can not be used. 3) Car and truck production has basically stopped and no imports from anywhere (including China).
Thanks.
Can the RU not make bearings? Seems incredible. Not exactly rocket science is it?
I thought they just fished them out of the Bearing Strait.
Sunday evening in Tallinn. As expected by the Estonians, Putin is clearly trying to expand his war into a struggle on multiple fronts. However, this reflects increasing panic inside Russia. The Ukrainian armed forces have inflicted significant damage on the Russians, and the atrocities that have been unleashed by the Putinists reflect an army that is an increasingly degrading into an undisciplined rabble. Here in the Baltic the cut off of gas supplies to Latvia has been greeted with a shrug. Estonia and Lithuania have been able to take most of the strain, and there is no immediate threat to the Latvian economy. A clear lesson to Germany that any point of leverage or weakness will be exploited, no matter what. It is suggested here that the probable attack on Bulgaria could be matched with activity in Belarus that reduces the threat from Lukashenka.
It is certainly now critical that the Russian threats, and indeed actions, are dealt with on our terms and not on theirs. Where he intends to escalate, we should stay cool and where he shows weakness we should match the Russians in ruthlessly exploiting that weakness. A tourist visa ban, as proposed by Estonia, is only a part of the next package of sanctions. Despite the nonsense printed in the UK media this weekend, people should be in no doubt that the Russian economy is at a dead stop. The Ruble is rising *because there has been a total collapse of imports*. Another few weeks and the Russian transport infrastructure will start to break down.
So, although Putin now wants to watch the world burn, sensible discussions should be taking place within the NATO alliance and also with China. The Putin famine must now be addressed for the sake of the global South and to reduce the blackmail Russia is using in Africa. There should be a measured and proportionate response to the various Putinist provocations.
On the other hand the Russian Embassy in London, which has openly supported war crimes, should now face greater sanctions. Many in the Baltic are outraged that the Embassy twitter account has not been suspended and the press office expelled from London. Indeed given the depravity of the Russian dimplomatic commentary, why is there a Russian Ambassador still in London? The Russian Ambassador in Talllinn is summoned to the Foreign ministry so regularly that he must be getting dizzy. The Russian Ambassador in London should be dealt with similarly.
The only way to stop Putin is to defeat him. That may require a long hard slog, but there is no other way, there is no deal he will keep and no truce he will not break. We must be ready at all levels to stop this evil regime from unleashing a yet worse barbarity. The Estonians do not beleive that the victory will be easy, but they are determined to see this through. Let us hope that the rest of the NATO alliance is equally clear sighted. Putin is evil and evil must be defeated or we may have no future at all.
A tourist visa ban on Russians may have more effect in a Russian winter, but may have an adverse impact on Russian refugees. I suspect a lot of the brain drain, and even ukranian refugees have got out via Russia on tourist visas.
"Another few weeks and the Russian transport infrastructure will start to break down."
Interesting. Why?
1) After the Russians refused to return the 700 planes they leased, they have no access to real parts. They can bootleg some, but that is not going to last too long. Then planes get grounded or start falling out of the sky. 2) Rail wagons need bearings that the Russians can not make themselves. As these break, no replacements and wagons can not be used. 3) Car and truck production has basically stopped and no imports from anywhere (including China).
Thanks.
Can the RU not make bearings? Seems incredible. Not exactly rocket science is it?
I thought they just fished them out of the Bearing Strait.
Those are an Ob-solete design.
Are Yeniseying that they are old fashioned?
That was a truly Volga pun.
Yes, it does Bug me trying to come up with new ones.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
⚡️Ukraine destroys Russian echelon in Kherson Obast with HIMARS.
According to Odesa Oblast Administration, Ukraine hit a 40-car train transporting Russian troops, equipment, and ammunition from Crimea on July 31, killing around 80 Russian soldiers and injuring around 200.
Also reported that the "soldier" identified as the torturer and murderer of a Ukrainian prisoner has been "eliminated", doubt there will be too many tears for such a vile criminal.
Meanwhile. Vucic is addressing the Serbian people.
🇷🇸Serbian President Vučić:
"All I can say is that we will ask for peace and ask for peace, but I will tell you right away: there will be no surrender and Serbia will win. If they try to start persecuting Serbs, bullying Serbs, killing Serbs, Serbia will win!"
Another cry bully lunatic with a pretended persecution complex, great.
Pathetic isn't it. Let's abolish men and countries!
Abolishing countries would get my vote!
It's the ultimate 'progressive' aspiration. Keep working towards it, never get there, that's OK. The benefits accrue from the journey.
Adjusts horn rims.
The thing is, if you abolish countries, what replaces them? Limited experience suggests the answer not happy little self-governing communities but massive uncaring empires.
My vision is countries remain but become ever more entwined and integrated until all conflict between them - other than in sports - fades away. It's how those superintelligent and enlightened Cadbury's Smash aliens would arrange things. But as I say, not an actual feasible endstate, more a guiding spirit to embrace.
A sort of Star Trek vision. Uhuru came from the United States of Africa. Uhuru means freedom in Swahili.
Yes! The original Star Trek was a beacon of progressive values. Perhaps the later one too but I didn't watch that.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
Really nations should pile as much money into swimming as they can - with luck one or two people could net you masses of golds and really rocket you up the table.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
Really nations should pile as much money into swimming as they can - with luck one or two people could net you masses of golds and really rocket you up the table.
The max a track athlete can win seems to be four medals 100, 200, 100 relay and rarely long jump. Swimmers have sometimes reached seven, I think.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
The medley gets me. The ship is sinking fast. But the shore is only 800m away. Fortunately I've trained for this, so I'll be perfectly fine... Provided, of course, I remember to change strokes every 200 metres.
One thing to remember, is while this is great publicity for women's football, there is a strong history of women's football gaining much larger coverage around large tournaments and then this quickly dissipates over the next couple of years, and doesn't translate into actual regular attendances and viewership's increasing that much.
The prime examples of this were the two previous incarnations of the Woman's Major League Soccer in USA. After the huge success of the 1999 women's world cup - The final having a 90,000 attendance, they were quick to establish a pro women's league within months of the world cup. Wages went up to $200,000 a year for top players, a huge amount in 2000. However the post world cup excitement quickly did not last and it folded into bankruptcy after 3 years, the exact same thing happened to the second version around 2007.
The reason women have such tight wage caps linked to turnover now is to prevent these inevitable financial collapses happening again, it's great to see women's football increase but the turnover is still way way below that of the men's, some WSL match's still saw some matches falling to reach 1,000 in attendance for last season.
Those calling for much higher wages is such a strange thought to me, surely if you actually care about women's football becoming a more established sport, then surely you would prefer that money invested in grassroots football to help the game grow, not into a handful of top playing stars, which when this has happened before has lead to women's leagues actually folding and hurting the game.
Yes. I’m genuinely delighted that England have won. And against Germany. In extra time. At Wembley
Hahahahah
Nonetheless I stand by my previous observations that the skill level is seriously low compared to the mens game. Ponderous, clumsy, sometimes comically bad
Women’s football has a charm and grace of it’s own and should probably be seen as an entirely different sport, and it could do well. Can’t ever see it attracting anything like the enthusiasm of the men’s game, however. Not even close
To be fair, they won mate. More than can be said for the men.
Oh indeed. I’d kick out Southgate tomorrow and get that woman manager in. She’s a winner. He isn’t
9 times out of 10 a professional men's player would have f*cked up the finish for the first goal. Toone took it beautifully.
It's easier to lob the goalie when they're half a foot shorter.
Indeed, it was a nice chip, but also bad positioning from the German keeper, in no woman's land. Not close enough to cut the angles and far enough out of the goal to not have a good reaction time.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
Really nations should pile as much money into swimming as they can - with luck one or two people could net you masses of golds and really rocket you up the table.
The max a track athlete can win seems to be four medals 100, 200, 100 relay and rarely long jump. Swimmers have sometimes reached seven, I think.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
You don't think there are too many rules in those ball sports? Just have a single sport where you can do whatever you want with the ball.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
Really nations should pile as much money into swimming as they can - with luck one or two people could net you masses of golds and really rocket you up the table.
The max a track athlete can win seems to be four medals 100, 200, 100 relay and rarely long jump. Swimmers have sometimes reached seven, I think.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
The medley gets me. The ship is sinking fast. But the shore is only 800m away. Fortunately I've trained for this, so I'll be perfectly fine... Provided, of course, I remember to change strokes every 200 metres.
Still makes more sense than trying to run the 800m tbf.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
Yes but running has hurdles. There are no hurdle races in swimming. A pity since it would be quite a spectacle.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
Yes but running has hurdles. There are no hurdle races in swimming. A pity since it would be quite a spectacle.
Naughty Nadine, an actual UK cabinet minister, retweeting a mock-up image of Sunak dressed as Brutus stabbing Johnson in the Forum…
They’re a happy lot, these Tories
Let's have the picture then:
It's funny that people who would have zero trouble being disloyal, and have often been on record as being disloyal, claim to have a problem with the disloyalty of others.
Yes - witness the Centrist v Corbynite wars in Labour. Both fine about attacking a leader. Both livid about attacking a leader.
Lord Frost reveals that the EU offered a visa waiver system for culture workers such as musicians and actors but that would have meant UK ceding control of borders and not ending Free Movement
It wouldn’t have covered that many people and I doubt there would have been riots by Leave supporters if a few thousand people were allowed some visa waiver . It just shows the pathetic spiteful attitude of this loathsome government who have conducted a campaign of cultural vandalism since Brexit .
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
Yes but running has hurdles. There are no hurdle races in swimming. A pity since it would be quite a spectacle.
Swimming should just be binned completely. Its only an excuse for wanky Australia to get some pity medals for their flipper footed freaks. Replace it with multiple darts and snooker events. Snooker wearing racey knickers, snooker with a kettle in the D, darts with a really heavy duty fan blowing, a symmetric bars darts. Mixed martial darts. Fat bird snooker. Done.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
Yes but running has hurdles. There are no hurdle races in swimming. A pity since it would be quite a spectacle.
Wasn't that the final race in "We are the Champions"? Everybody in the pool!
Meanwhile. Vucic is addressing the Serbian people.
🇷🇸Serbian President Vučić:
"All I can say is that we will ask for peace and ask for peace, but I will tell you right away: there will be no surrender and Serbia will win. If they try to start persecuting Serbs, bullying Serbs, killing Serbs, Serbia will win!"
It is a real shame that Milosevic's government wasn't properly purged after he was ousted. Then this twat Vucic would be safe in prison where he belongs.
Yet, this Tpyxa account (no blue tick note) wrote this:
"TPYXA ⚡ Middle East @middleeasttime · 20m Close the border between Kosovo and Serbia
Kosovo army plans to attack northern Serbia at midnight"
How? Am I being stupid? Kosovo is to the south of Serbia
If you're a Serbian nationalist you would regard Kosovo as South Serbia, and so what we would simply call Serbia would then be called North Serbia.
Seems to be a pretty clear indication that they don't recognise Kosovan independence.
It's amazing how vulnerable countries are to be invaded by they smaller, poorer, less well equipped neighbors.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
Yes but running has hurdles. There are no hurdle races in swimming. A pity since it would be quite a spectacle.
Swimming should just be binned completely. Its only an excuse for wanky Australia to get some pity medals for their flipper footed freaks. Replace it with multiple darts and snooker events. Snooker wearing racey knickers, snooker with a kettle in the D, darts with a really heavy duty fan blowing, a symmetric bars darts. Mixed martial darts. Fat bird snooker. Done.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
Yes but running has hurdles. There are no hurdle races in swimming. A pity since it would be quite a spectacle.
Wasn't that the final race in "We are the Champions"? Everybody in the pool!
It was the special bonus event in the final. The swanny whistle would go in the middle of the spanner kids obstacle race and you had to get everyone on a pontoon in the pool. Classic kids tv. A couple of sporty kids and the rest were cack footed spanners
The women's football victory is a huge shot in the arm for women's football, and also for the oft-derided BBC. Yes, I know the BBC only got it because of the (relative) cost. But viewing figures for the final will be huge - much more so than if Sky or whoever had got the live coverage. And the value of that huge coverage to the game is significant. If my own female-dominated extended family is at all typical, it's inspired a great deal of excitement and interest (which may or may not be transitory - hopefully the latter).
It's great to have a national public service broadcaster for occasions like this, isn't it Nadine?
With all the talk about womens football, how great it is for women - and inspiring for girls - one angle I haven’t seen mentioned, but for me is quite important.
Class.
The gender debate is focussed very heavily on upper and middle class women. They are the main beneficiaries - and shout the loudest about equality initiatives and media representation etc. it can all get a bit tiring, watching professional women on high-five, or six figure salaries complain about the gender pay gap, female empowerment etc.
These lioness lasses are proper working class and have achieved greatness entirely off their own back. It’s awesome.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
That's not quite true: there is running, and running made sightly harder by the existence of occasional obstacles.
Lord Frost reveals that the EU offered a visa waiver system for culture workers such as musicians and actors but that would have meant UK ceding control of borders and not ending Free Movement
It wouldn’t have covered that many people and I doubt there would have been riots by Leave supporters if a few thousand people were allowed some visa waiver . It just shows the pathetic spiteful attitude of this loathsome government who have conducted a campaign of cultural vandalism since Brexit .
It is possible to disagree with something without projecting hateful motives onto the people with responsibility for negotiating it.
Meanwhile. Vucic is addressing the Serbian people.
🇷🇸Serbian President Vučić:
"All I can say is that we will ask for peace and ask for peace, but I will tell you right away: there will be no surrender and Serbia will win. If they try to start persecuting Serbs, bullying Serbs, killing Serbs, Serbia will win!"
It is a real shame that Milosevic's government wasn't properly purged after he was ousted. Then this twat Vucic would be safe in prison where he belongs.
Yet, this Tpyxa account (no blue tick note) wrote this:
"TPYXA ⚡ Middle East @middleeasttime · 20m Close the border between Kosovo and Serbia
Kosovo army plans to attack northern Serbia at midnight"
How? Am I being stupid? Kosovo is to the south of Serbia
If you're a Serbian nationalist you would regard Kosovo as South Serbia, and so what we would simply call Serbia would then be called North Serbia.
Seems to be a pretty clear indication that they don't recognise Kosovan independence.
And there, in a nutshell, is the problem with nationalism.
The women's football victory is a huge shot in the arm for women's football, and also for the oft-derided BBC. Yes, I know the BBC only got it because of the (relative) cost. But viewing figures for the final will be huge - much more so than if Sky or whoever had got the live coverage. And the value of that huge coverage to the game is significant. If my own female-dominated extended family is at all typical, it's been an inspiration.
It's great to have a national public service broadcaster for occasions like this, isn't it Nadine?
The women's football victory is a huge shot in the arm for women's football, and also for the oft-derided BBC. Yes, I know the BBC only got it because of the (relative) cost. But viewing figures for the final will be huge - much more so than if Sky or whoever had got the live coverage. And the value of that huge coverage to the game is significant. If my own female-dominated extended family is at all typical, it's been an inspiration.
It's great to have a national public service broadcaster for occasions like this, isn't it Nadine?
All the big shared events that help unite the nation have all come on the BBC . When the Tories destroy the BBC only then will people really appreciate what they’ve lost . Dorries is an odious vindictive pathetic excuse for a human being and will of course receive a promotion when Bozo Mark 2 takes over !
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
That's not quite true: there is running, and running made sightly harder by the existence of occasional obstacles.
Hurdles are like trotting racing. Basically. How fast can you run if an arbitrary restriction on how fast you can run is introduced? How about the Marathon with shoes tied together?
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
Yes but running has hurdles. There are no hurdle races in swimming. A pity since it would be quite a spectacle.
Swimming should just be binned completely. Its only an excuse for wanky Australia to get some pity medals for their flipper footed freaks. Replace it with multiple darts and snooker events. Snooker wearing racey knickers, snooker with a kettle in the D, darts with a really heavy duty fan blowing, a symmetric bars darts. Mixed martial darts. Fat bird snooker. Done.
That might tempt me back into training for a shot at late life Olympic glory. Like that clay pigeon shooter a few years ago. He had a name like - although it wasn't - Dave Braithwaite. Talk about your great names for a mature clay pigeon shooter.
Lord Frost reveals that the EU offered a visa waiver system for culture workers such as musicians and actors but that would have meant UK ceding control of borders and not ending Free Movement
It wouldn’t have covered that many people and I doubt there would have been riots by Leave supporters if a few thousand people were allowed some visa waiver . It just shows the pathetic spiteful attitude of this loathsome government who have conducted a campaign of cultural vandalism since Brexit .
It is possible to disagree with something without projecting hateful motives onto the people with responsibility for negotiating it.
No 10 have set out to destroy every cultural link with the EU . And I view that as hateful .
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
You don't think there are too many rules in those ball sports? Just have a single sport where you can do whatever you want with the ball.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
That's not quite true: there is running, and running made sightly harder by the existence of occasional obstacles.
Hurdles are like trotting racing. Basically. How fast can you run if an arbitrary restriction on how fast you can run is introduced? How about the Marathon with shoes tied together?
20km walk race but you're not allowed to mince along like John Inman. Proper mans walking. Rather than flagging for 'lifting', butch blokes flag them for looking too ridiculous
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
Yes but running has hurdles. There are no hurdle races in swimming. A pity since it would be quite a spectacle.
Wasn't that the final race in "We are the Champions"? Everybody in the pool!
I'm picturing a half man half dolphin affair that would really move the needle.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
Yes but running has hurdles. There are no hurdle races in swimming. A pity since it would be quite a spectacle.
Swimming should just be binned completely. Its only an excuse for wanky Australia to get some pity medals for their flipper footed freaks. Replace it with multiple darts and snooker events. Snooker wearing racey knickers, snooker with a kettle in the D, darts with a really heavy duty fan blowing, a symmetric bars darts. Mixed martial darts. Fat bird snooker. Done.
That might tempt me back into training for a shot at late life Olympic glory. Like that clay pigeon shooter a few years ago. He had a name like - although it wasn't - Dave Braithwaite. Talk about your great names for a mature clay pigeon shooter.
Lawn Bowls. You're never too old to shoot for Commonwealth gold.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
That's not quite true: there is running, and running made sightly harder by the existence of occasional obstacles.
There is walking, I suppose. Can't think of too many other methods of foot based self propulsion on a track mind, though ice and snow provide a variety of equipment, surfaces, courses and gradients on which self propulsion can take place.
Would love to see the 2000m bobsleigh track running event.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
Yes but running has hurdles. There are no hurdle races in swimming. A pity since it would be quite a spectacle.
Swimming should just be binned completely. Its only an excuse for wanky Australia to get some pity medals for their flipper footed freaks. Replace it with multiple darts and snooker events. Snooker wearing racey knickers, snooker with a kettle in the D, darts with a really heavy duty fan blowing, a symmetric bars darts. Mixed martial darts. Fat bird snooker. Done.
That might tempt me back into training for a shot at late life Olympic glory. Like that clay pigeon shooter a few years ago. He had a name like - although it wasn't - Dave Braithwaite. Talk about your great names for a mature clay pigeon shooter.
Im all in for greco-roman chess. Balls to the freestyle weirdos
The women's football victory is a huge shot in the arm for women's football, and also for the oft-derided BBC. Yes, I know the BBC only got it because of the (relative) cost. But viewing figures for the final will be huge - much more so than if Sky or whoever had got the live coverage. And the value of that huge coverage to the game is significant. If my own female-dominated extended family is at all typical, it's been an inspiration.
It's great to have a national public service broadcaster for occasions like this, isn't it Nadine?
The women's football victory is a huge shot in the arm for women's football, and also for the oft-derided BBC. Yes, I know the BBC only got it because of the (relative) cost. But viewing figures for the final will be huge - much more so than if Sky or whoever had got the live coverage. And the value of that huge coverage to the game is significant. If my own female-dominated extended family is at all typical, it's been an inspiration.
It's great to have a national public service broadcaster for occasions like this, isn't it Nadine?
All the big shared events that help unite the nation have all come on the BBC . When the Tories destroy the BBC only then will people really appreciate what they’ve lost . Dorries is an odious vindictive pathetic excuse for a human being and will of course receive a promotion when Bozo Mark 2 takes over !
It’s not the Tories destroying the bbc, it’s streaming. The bbc doesn’t help itself with its insistence on paying top wage for ‘talent’, rather than letting them go if they want and finding fresh ‘ talent’.
The women's football victory is a huge shot in the arm for women's football, and also for the oft-derided BBC. Yes, I know the BBC only got it because of the (relative) cost. But viewing figures for the final will be huge - much more so than if Sky or whoever had got the live coverage. And the value of that huge coverage to the game is significant. If my own female-dominated extended family is at all typical, it's been an inspiration.
It's great to have a national public service broadcaster for occasions like this, isn't it Nadine?
The women's football victory is a huge shot in the arm for women's football, and also for the oft-derided BBC. Yes, I know the BBC only got it because of the (relative) cost. But viewing figures for the final will be huge - much more so than if Sky or whoever had got the live coverage. And the value of that huge coverage to the game is significant. If my own female-dominated extended family is at all typical, it's been an inspiration.
It's great to have a national public service broadcaster for occasions like this, isn't it Nadine?
All the big shared events that help unite the nation have all come on the BBC . When the Tories destroy the BBC only then will people really appreciate what they’ve lost . Dorries is an odious vindictive pathetic excuse for a human being and will of course receive a promotion when Bozo Mark 2 takes over !
*Cough* ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5?
ITV do a perfectly good job of the rugby world cup.
The BBC coverage has been largely adequate. Obviously they couldn't help themselves in promoting it from the 'men have been keeping us down' narrative, and also had a brief foray into 'the team is too white', but this is the BBC and these things are baked in. But I see no reason it would have been any less good on ITV or any other terrestrial broadcaster.
On swimming, to me the fairest thing to do would be to create a decathlon or omnium style points competition for multiple event-distance combinations each of which give points to an overall competition. You could have it so one can enter their sole individual event+distance, plus the swimming version of the decathlon, so one can win two medals max.
Nadine's party spent the last decade selling off football pitches.
That's levelling down.
It’s infuriating. I had an insight into this psychology, recently.
I live in the same town as that poor kid, Arthur Labinjo-Hughes. I used to play football on the football-pitch-sized rectangle of grass right by his house, when I was a kid. By all reports, he used to play there too. His evil/naive father (delete as appropriate, personally I’m somewhat more sympathetic to him than the judge was) was a youth football coach. The kid was football mad.
Ex-council estate, in a fairly shit part of town. The population has aged over the years.
The local community fundraised (and with the support of the Tory council), planted a big circle of trees smack bang in the middle of the fucking football field.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
Yes but running has hurdles. There are no hurdle races in swimming. A pity since it would be quite a spectacle.
Swimming should just be binned completely. Its only an excuse for wanky Australia to get some pity medals for their flipper footed freaks. Replace it with multiple darts and snooker events. Snooker wearing racey knickers, snooker with a kettle in the D, darts with a really heavy duty fan blowing, a symmetric bars darts. Mixed martial darts. Fat bird snooker. Done.
That might tempt me back into training for a shot at late life Olympic glory. Like that clay pigeon shooter a few years ago. He had a name like - although it wasn't - Dave Braithwaite. Talk about your great names for a mature clay pigeon shooter.
Lawn Bowls. You're never too old to shoot for Commonwealth gold.
I'm pleased to see the crown green nonsense isn't at the games. 'Stick a hump in the green' 'why?' 'Cos we are northerners and flat greens are poncey and southern' 'solid. Fancy a walnut whippet?'
Anyone find the idea of Liz Truss telling a private university what to do, quite chilling?
I answered that last night, partly. If they are in receipt of any government funds, then government should have a say.
The Government should be able to tell a private university who to give interviews to?
I find it incredibly chilling.
Are they private? Or do they in fact recieve money from the state?
If we're in the position of the state telling private institutions what to do that seems not only fundamentally un-Conservative but also something undemocratic states do. Chilling.
With all the talk about womens football, how great it is for women - and inspiring for girls - one angle I haven’t seen mentioned, but for me is quite important.
Class.
The gender debate is focussed very heavily on upper and middle class women. They are the main beneficiaries - and shout the loudest about equality initiatives and media representation etc. it can all get a bit tiring, watching professional women on high-five, or six figure salaries complain about the gender pay gap, female empowerment etc.
These lioness lasses are proper working class and have achieved greatness entirely off their own back. It’s awesome.
The very best of British.
I was wondering abouty that. Is women's football any more or less working class/middle class than men's football? Inasmuch as you can guess from accent and/or birthplace, the answer is 'I can't tell'. Anyone have any insight?
My daughter plays football, and my limited observations are that it seems a more working class pastime than some of her other hobbies. But I don't know how representative this is.
Anyone find the idea of Liz Truss telling a private university what to do, quite chilling?
I answered that last night, partly. If they are in receipt of any government funds, then government should have a say.
The Government should be able to tell a private university who to give interviews to?
I find it incredibly chilling.
Are they private? Or do they in fact recieve money from the state?
If we're in the position of the state telling private institutions what to do that seems not only fundamentally un-Conservative but also something undemocratic states do. Chilling.
They are not private ffs, they recieve money from the state.
Anyone find the idea of Liz Truss telling a private university what to do, quite chilling?
Her policy is unworkable . How on earth are they going to interview all the candidates . With so many new policies being proposed how will Truss have time to finish developing her cure for cancer !
Anyone find the idea of Liz Truss telling a private university what to do, quite chilling?
I answered that last night, partly. If they are in receipt of any government funds, then government should have a say.
The Government should be able to tell a private university who to give interviews to?
I find it incredibly chilling.
Are they private? Or do they in fact recieve money from the state?
If we're in the position of the state telling private institutions what to do that seems not only fundamentally un-Conservative but also something undemocratic states do. Chilling.
They are not private ffs, they recieve money from the state.
Anyone find the idea of Liz Truss telling a private university what to do, quite chilling?
I answered that last night, partly. If they are in receipt of any government funds, then government should have a say.
The Government should be able to tell a private university who to give interviews to?
I find it incredibly chilling.
Are they private? Or do they in fact recieve money from the state?
If we're in the position of the state telling private institutions what to do that seems not only fundamentally un-Conservative but also something undemocratic states do. Chilling.
They are not private ffs, they recieve money from the state.
Anyone find the idea of Liz Truss telling a private university what to do, quite chilling?
I answered that last night, partly. If they are in receipt of any government funds, then government should have a say.
The Government should be able to tell a private university who to give interviews to?
I find it incredibly chilling.
Are they private? Or do they in fact recieve money from the state?
If we're in the position of the state telling private institutions what to do that seems not only fundamentally un-Conservative but also something undemocratic states do. Chilling.
They are not private ffs, they recieve money from the state.
They are private by any definition.
Do you understand how higher education is funded?
Yes - the govt hands out "loans" that will never be paid back, So, in effect, they are just printing money and trying to sell the debt to recoup costs. It is yet another financial crisis in the making.
Commonwealth Games is back on. While I'm in old fogey mode, there are far too many swimming events. Just swim as fast as you can. Butterfly, Breast Stroke and Backstroke: superfluous. Medleys of these: taking the piss. Mixed medley: just stop it now.
Just to reassure you I'm not totally negative about everything, perfectly happy to enjoy rugby sevens, netball or beach volleyball, which seem the other options right now.
Bang on. There are no running events for running in a different style. A to B, fast as you can. I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
Yes but running has hurdles. There are no hurdle races in swimming. A pity since it would be quite a spectacle.
Swimming should just be binned completely. Its only an excuse for wanky Australia to get some pity medals for their flipper footed freaks. Replace it with multiple darts and snooker events. Snooker wearing racey knickers, snooker with a kettle in the D, darts with a really heavy duty fan blowing, a symmetric bars darts. Mixed martial darts. Fat bird snooker. Done.
That might tempt me back into training for a shot at late life Olympic glory. Like that clay pigeon shooter a few years ago. He had a name like - although it wasn't - Dave Braithwaite. Talk about your great names for a mature clay pigeon shooter.
Lawn Bowls. You're never too old to shoot for Commonwealth gold.
I'm pleased to see the crown green nonsense isn't at the games. 'Stick a hump in the green' 'why?' 'Cos we are northerners and flat greens are poncey and southern' 'solid. Fancy a walnut whippet?'
Crown green is great. Particularly the ability to bowl the jack anywhere you want. Anarchic. Go corner to corner. Don't like how they lie? Smash the bastard end up. Much more skilful. It's 3D revolutionary punk bowls.
The women's football victory is a huge shot in the arm for women's football, and also for the oft-derided BBC. Yes, I know the BBC only got it because of the (relative) cost. But viewing figures for the final will be huge - much more so than if Sky or whoever had got the live coverage. And the value of that huge coverage to the game is significant. If my own female-dominated extended family is at all typical, it's been an inspiration.
It's great to have a national public service broadcaster for occasions like this, isn't it Nadine?
The women's football victory is a huge shot in the arm for women's football, and also for the oft-derided BBC. Yes, I know the BBC only got it because of the (relative) cost. But viewing figures for the final will be huge - much more so than if Sky or whoever had got the live coverage. And the value of that huge coverage to the game is significant. If my own female-dominated extended family is at all typical, it's been an inspiration.
It's great to have a national public service broadcaster for occasions like this, isn't it Nadine?
All the big shared events that help unite the nation have all come on the BBC . When the Tories destroy the BBC only then will people really appreciate what they’ve lost . Dorries is an odious vindictive pathetic excuse for a human being and will of course receive a promotion when Bozo Mark 2 takes over !
It’s not the Tories destroying the bbc, it’s streaming. The bbc doesn’t help itself with its insistence on paying top wage for ‘talent’, rather than letting them go if they want and finding fresh ‘ talent’.
That point is irrelevant . Dorries and the rest want rid of the BBC . I hope this becomes an election issue , no 10 have been attacking UK institutions and the BBC is yet another that they’re intent on destroying .
Anyone find the idea of Liz Truss telling a private university what to do, quite chilling?
I answered that last night, partly. If they are in receipt of any government funds, then government should have a say.
The Government should be able to tell a private university who to give interviews to?
I find it incredibly chilling.
Are they private? Or do they in fact recieve money from the state?
If we're in the position of the state telling private institutions what to do that seems not only fundamentally un-Conservative but also something undemocratic states do. Chilling.
They are not private ffs, they recieve money from the state.
They are private by any definition.
Do you understand how higher education is funded?
Yes - the govt hands out "loans" that will never be paid back, So, in effect, they are just printing money and trying to sell the debt to recoup costs. It is yet another financial crisis in the making.
Unis are in receipt of other money than just student loans.
Anyone find the idea of Liz Truss telling a private university what to do, quite chilling?
I answered that last night, partly. If they are in receipt of any government funds, then government should have a say.
The Government should be able to tell a private university who to give interviews to?
I find it incredibly chilling.
Are they private? Or do they in fact recieve money from the state?
If we're in the position of the state telling private institutions what to do that seems not only fundamentally un-Conservative but also something undemocratic states do. Chilling.
But almost all universities are not private institutions. Buckingham University, I think, can do what it likes. The others are answerable to those who fund them i.e. the state.
Anyone find the idea of Liz Truss telling a private university what to do, quite chilling?
I answered that last night, partly. If they are in receipt of any government funds, then government should have a say.
The Government should be able to tell a private university who to give interviews to?
I find it incredibly chilling.
Are they private? Or do they in fact recieve money from the state?
If we're in the position of the state telling private institutions what to do that seems not only fundamentally un-Conservative but also something undemocratic states do. Chilling.
They are not private ffs, they recieve money from the state.
They are private by any definition.
Do you understand how higher education is funded?
"Anyone find the idea of Liz Truss telling a private university what to do, quite chilling?"
Not really. But only in the sense that it is utter bollx she is throwing out in the middle of the campaign and has about as much chance of lasting as actual policy as next door's cat has of landing on Mars on a Elon Musk rocket.
Sunday evening in Tallinn. As expected by the Estonians, Putin is clearly trying to expand his war into a struggle on multiple fronts. However, this reflects increasing panic inside Russia. The Ukrainian armed forces have inflicted significant damage on the Russians, and the atrocities that have been unleashed by the Putinists reflect an army that is an increasingly degrading into an undisciplined rabble. Here in the Baltic the cut off of gas supplies to Latvia has been greeted with a shrug. Estonia and Lithuania have been able to take most of the strain, and there is no immediate threat to the Latvian economy. A clear lesson to Germany that any point of leverage or weakness will be exploited, no matter what. It is suggested here that the probable attack on Bulgaria could be matched with activity in Belarus that reduces the threat from Lukashenka.
It is certainly now critical that the Russian threats, and indeed actions, are dealt with on our terms and not on theirs. Where he intends to escalate, we should stay cool and where he shows weakness we should match the Russians in ruthlessly exploiting that weakness. A tourist visa ban, as proposed by Estonia, is only a part of the next package of sanctions. Despite the nonsense printed in the UK media this weekend, people should be in no doubt that the Russian economy is at a dead stop. The Ruble is rising *because there has been a total collapse of imports*. Another few weeks and the Russian transport infrastructure will start to break down.
So, although Putin now wants to watch the world burn, sensible discussions should be taking place within the NATO alliance and also with China. The Putin famine must now be addressed for the sake of the global South and to reduce the blackmail Russia is using in Africa. There should be a measured and proportionate response to the various Putinist provocations.
On the other hand the Russian Embassy in London, which has openly supported war crimes, should now face greater sanctions. Many in the Baltic are outraged that the Embassy twitter account has not been suspended and the press office expelled from London. Indeed given the depravity of the Russian dimplomatic commentary, why is there a Russian Ambassador still in London? The Russian Ambassador in Talllinn is summoned to the Foreign ministry so regularly that he must be getting dizzy. The Russian Ambassador in London should be dealt with similarly.
The only way to stop Putin is to defeat him. That may require a long hard slog, but there is no other way, there is no deal he will keep and no truce he will not break. We must be ready at all levels to stop this evil regime from unleashing a yet worse barbarity. The Estonians do not beleive that the victory will be easy, but they are determined to see this through. Let us hope that the rest of the NATO alliance is equally clear sighted. Putin is evil and evil must be defeated or we may have no future at all.
A tourist visa ban on Russians may have more effect in a Russian winter, but may have an adverse impact on Russian refugees. I suspect a lot of the brain drain, and even ukranian refugees have got out via Russia on tourist visas.
"Another few weeks and the Russian transport infrastructure will start to break down."
Interesting. Why?
1) After the Russians refused to return the 700 planes they leased, they have no access to real parts. They can bootleg some, but that is not going to last too long. Then planes get grounded or start falling out of the sky. 2) Rail wagons need bearings that the Russians can not make themselves. As these break, no replacements and wagons can not be used. 3) Car and truck production has basically stopped and no imports from anywhere (including China).
And Russia never really got with containerisation/palletisation for internal freight. Strange but true. Which puts event more loads on the transport system…
Comments
I'm floating into dreamland with this, I know, but it's good to do that sometimes.
In the meantime, let's just not go *too* silly and parochial or grandiose. Post Brexit I'd settle for that.
I’d also argue that there are too many distances, but I’m less bothered by that. However there is little difference in a 50m swimmer vs a 400m one, whereas there is a big difference between 100 m runners and middle distance and then again to long distance.
The ship is sinking fast. But the shore is only 800m away. Fortunately I've trained for this, so I'll be perfectly fine...
Provided, of course, I remember to change strokes every 200 metres.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_multiple_Olympic_medalists_at_a_single_Games
Replace it with multiple darts and snooker events. Snooker wearing racey knickers, snooker with a kettle in the D, darts with a really heavy duty fan blowing, a symmetric bars darts. Mixed martial darts. Fat bird snooker.
Done.
Everybody in the pool!
Classic kids tv. A couple of sporty kids and the rest were cack footed spanners
I'm afraid he's gone. But the parents won't let him go.
Understandably.
It's great to have a national public service broadcaster for occasions like this, isn't it Nadine?
With all the talk about womens football, how great it is for women - and inspiring for girls - one angle I haven’t seen mentioned, but for me is quite important.
Class.
The gender debate is focussed very heavily on upper and middle class women. They are the main beneficiaries - and shout the loudest about equality initiatives and media representation etc. it can all get a bit tiring, watching professional women on high-five, or six figure salaries complain about the gender pay gap, female empowerment etc.
These lioness lasses are proper working class and have achieved greatness entirely off their own back. It’s awesome.
The very best of British.
Are you listening @BartholomewRoberts?
🇷🇸Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić urgently arrived at the General Staff building
https://twitter.com/TpyxaNews/status/1553841167254667265
Basically. How fast can you run if an arbitrary restriction on how fast you can run is introduced?
How about the Marathon with shoes tied together?
That's levelling down.
You're never too old to shoot for Commonwealth gold.
Would love to see the 2000m bobsleigh track running event.
ITV do a perfectly good job of the rugby world cup.
The BBC coverage has been largely adequate. Obviously they couldn't help themselves in promoting it from the 'men have been keeping us down' narrative, and also had a brief foray into 'the team is too white', but this is the BBC and these things are baked in. But I see no reason it would have been any less good on ITV or any other terrestrial broadcaster.
Is Rishi okay?
What on Earth is going on.
However. It's no one's decision except me and my husband's. Whether he's dead or not?
That isn't psychologically healthy at all.
- Public say right to strike should be protected vs restricted by a margin of 39% to 26%
- Public prefer public ownership of utilities over privatisation by 46% to 16%
Labour is on the side of the public, shocking
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/764141.stm
I find it incredibly chilling.
I live in the same town as that poor kid, Arthur Labinjo-Hughes. I used to play football on the football-pitch-sized rectangle of grass right by his house, when I was a kid. By all reports, he used to play there too. His evil/naive father (delete as appropriate, personally I’m somewhat more sympathetic to him than the judge was) was a youth football coach. The kid was football mad.
Ex-council estate, in a fairly shit part of town. The population has aged over the years.
The local community fundraised (and with the support of the Tory council), planted a big circle of trees smack bang in the middle of the fucking football field.
“No ball games”
Fuckers.
My daughter plays football, and my limited observations are that it seems a more working class pastime than some of her other hobbies. But I don't know how representative this is.
It's 3D revolutionary punk bowls.
Buckingham University, I think, can do what it likes. The others are answerable to those who fund them i.e. the state.
Just as Channel 4.
Ideological nuttery, Channel 4 doesn't need privatising. Makes no sense for anyone sane.
Not really. But only in the sense that it is utter bollx she is throwing out in the middle of the campaign and has about as much chance of lasting as actual policy as next door's cat has of landing on Mars on a Elon Musk rocket.