I've just realised that the way to liven up all this primogeniture nonsense is to take a leaf out of Stardust's book (and film...). The dying monarch sets all his or her children a dangerous quest to do. The first to complete the quest becomes the new monarch.
In this case, Charles would waste time telling off his servant about the sort of tie he has to wear on the quest; Anne would zoom off on the nearest horse. Andrew would be too busy shagging Bernard (*) Whilst Edward would forget about the quest and direct a reality TV show about it.
They probably don't have to go to the extent of the books, where all the male kids kill each other off...
My take away: if Trump doesn’t stand De Santis will walk the candidacy and likely win the presidency. Even if Trump does stand he has a good chance
He’s an outstanding candidate. I had no idea his resume is so impressive he was once known as “the resume” - lower middle class Catholic, then Harvard, Yale and a quasi Navy SEAL who went to Iraq. It’s absurd. Attractive wife is a breast cancer survivor
He’s also apparently incorruptible. Astonishing stat buried in the piece: his net worth was recently estimated at $319,000
If he runs he wins
If Trump does not run (and nor do any Trump children), then DeSantis will walk the Republican nomination, and probably the Presidency too.
But if Trump does run, does De Santis challenge him? Because that might be unforgiveable in the eyes of the MAGA faithful.
IF you like Trump AND have half a brain, then you're bound to love DeSantis.
RDS is smarter than DJT, certainly less self-destructive (in ways that caused 45 to snatch defeat from jaws of 2nd-term victory) and way savvier in how to harness the powers of executive office for his own political benefit. But he's just as nasty AND dangerous.
If Trump does run again, De Santis might not even run but endorse him in the hope of being Trump's VP nominee.
However he has to be re elected Florida governor first
My take away: if Trump doesn’t stand De Santis will walk the candidacy and likely win the presidency. Even if Trump does stand he has a good chance
He’s an outstanding candidate. I had no idea his resume is so impressive he was once known as “the resume” - lower middle class Catholic, then Harvard, Yale and a quasi Navy SEAL who went to Iraq. It’s absurd. Attractive wife is a breast cancer survivor
He’s also apparently incorruptible. Astonishing stat buried in the piece: his net worth was recently estimated at $319,000
If he runs he wins
If Kari Lake wins the governorship of Arizona in November (a VERY big if), then she would be a big threat to DeSantis. If she ran against him.
Its not that big an if. Last poll was 44 43
And Emerson, which is a very well rated pollster, had it at 46-46 with the same survey dates.
With that said, I would still make her the underdog, because Mark Kelly (a very moderate Democrat) is polling 7-8 points ahead of Masters.
Now, Masters is a dreadful candidate, and Lake an interesting one (quite mad, but interesting nonetheless), but I'd be surprised to see that much ticket-splitting. If Kelly wins by 7-8 points, then I'd expect Hobbs to beat out Lake by 2-4.
Emersons last effort had Kelly plus 2 of course. I think Masters may well take it looking at Republican turnout in the primaries, i definitely think Lake will win
Well, we don't really know what Democrat Primary enthusiasm is, because Kelly wasn't challenged and Hobbs was winning by 50 odd points. So I'm not sure comparing primary turnout tells you a lot.
My gut is that Kelly will manage to hold on to Arizona without too much trouble.
Time will tell, im not super confident, but ive just got a suspicion/gut feeling AZ and NV will be good for repubs this November Im not keyed in enough for $ risk though
My business is in AZ and I spend a lot of time there, so that may colour my judgement. But I think Kelly is a strong candidate (ex-astronaut, husband of Congresswoman shot doing her job, moderate and personable) in a State which is tending to move Blue over time. It's also - along with a lot of Western States - very pro-Choice, and Masters ran in the Republican Primary on a "life begins at conception" platform.
Put those two together, as well as an inexperienced and wooden candidate who is struggling to raise fund, and I think the 538 poll-of-polls is about right: Kelly has a comfortable lead.
(I would also note that Kelly is polling very close to 50% in the averages, and candidates tend to get or exceed their polls score, with undecideds making the difference. That means he's in a very strong position.)
Nevada, I'm in agreement with you. I think Laxalt is a strong candidate while Cortez Mastro is a relatively weak one. It's worth noting that she has only hit the 50% mark in one polls since the beginning of May. There's only one fly in the ointment for the Republicans, and it is (again) abortion. Nevada is even more pro-Choice than Arizona, and had a referendum confirming support for legal abortion that was won 2-1. Laxalt (like Masters) ran for the Republican nomination on a ban abortion platform. If the Democrats can make the Senate race about abortion, then they stand a chance.
Right now, I would make Kelly favourite in AZ, and Laxalt favorite in NV.
Tom Bevan @TomBevanRCP The bad news for John Fetterwoman: 68% of voters say their main concerns are the economy, inflation, and gas prices. Only 13% say abortion.
Tom Bevan @TomBevanRCP However, the good news for Fetterman is that 5% more voters trust him on economic issues than Oz.
The only change from Sunday is that the Moderates took 1 late seat, at the expense of the Social Democrats. Probably the overseas voters.
The Social Democrats would have won if it had not been for the new Islamic party taking 1.5% of the vote.
I would have thought most of that 1.5% were transfers from non-voters or non-citizens, so it probably hasn't changed the result.
Certainly not “non-citizens”! Only Swedish citizen are allowed to vote 😄
Since the last election, about 300k foreigners have acquired Swedish citizenship.
Aha! I see what you mean.
But what is your basis for saying that? I haven’t seen any Swedish commentators positing that.
I just think it's presumptuous to say that the Social Democrats would have won without the Islamic party. At least some of the Islamic party's voters would have stayed at home without that option to vote for.
Fuck it. I’m moving here. Seville feels like a city that recently won the lottery
My Seville and Churchill story, as both have cropped up
I heard this on the Food Prog on r4 20 years ago, the internet knows nothing about it. I may have recounted it here before but this time I will save the text to remind me not to post it again
So; the Sevilleans had always been suspicious of the motives of the English for wanting to buy the inedible fruit of the purely ornamental orange trees which decorate the city to make a fictitious breakfast jam. The most popular theory was that they used the fruit to make a secret weapon of war, dried oranges being incredibly inflammable.
In winter 1940-1 Churchill said he was buggered if he was fighting a war without proper marmalade and sent a destroyer to escort the orange ship from Seville to UK.
So the Sevillean know it alls said See? We were right all along.
Fuck it. I’m moving here. Seville feels like a city that recently won the lottery
I've been planning to go to Seville in January (because I don't like hot weather) since 2019 but wasn't able to do it in 2020 or 2021 for obvious reasons.
Re: poor world leaders, my guess is that in USA, the least affluent POTUS of 20th & 21st centuries would be Harry Truman.
Though it is possible that Donald Trump is actually the "winner". NOT counting "campaign expenditures" financed by his relentless fundraising, and pending an unsnarling of his actual fiscal status (subject of ongoing litigation - what a surpirse!)
Looking at the pictures of the queen lying in state. I've seen enough horror movies to know it is a huge mistake for all the guards to have their backs turned to the coffin.
Interesting. Bucks the trend of recent elections which has tended to see most countries swinging leftwards after Covid.
Sweden didn't lock down as much and has had a swing to the right?
Although I didn't really approve of their relaxed approach, I doubt if the result has much to do with Covid - wasn't much featured in the campaign, ASAIK.
Fuck it. I’m moving here. Seville feels like a city that recently won the lottery
Unlike the UK, Spain spent its EU funds on decent infrastructure.
Really not sure this is the EU’s doing. I travel a lot - obviously - and widely in the EU - and I’ve not come across a city that has improved so markedly in ten years (when I was last here)
Italy on my recent visit was sadly notable for its sense of stagnation if not decay
I could be wrong but this feels like a mix of luck - they already had the climate and architecture - and good local government. And that Revolution in Spanish cuisine which has clearly hit Andalucia
They’ve also really cleverly pedestrianised half the centre of the city and opened up new facades and hidden corners
No Truss bounce there, so far. Can she conjure one from an address at the funeral ?
I disagree. Tories trend up in all recent polls, some much more dramatically than this one, so a very clear Truss bounce.
Trend is not Lib Dem friend at the moment. Is this where HY right Truss shores up the blue wall and is making progress there already?
I predict the polling trend to continue to be bad news for Lib Dems over the coming month, and increasingly bad news too for Labour over this coming period, as it’s too early to expect Truss bounce to peak yet.
I agree with those saying the polls don’t tell a long term story right now - if Truss gets a bounce it’s ephemeral, based on change but not really knowing what you are getting. Going back to Brown, got a bounce but based on change, not really knowing what you are getting - it was the knowing what you got, producing his big slump - the real question is not will a new leader get a bounce, but will they have a slump Xx months down the line when everyone has better worked out what it is they are getting from new PM.
So let’s set a performance marker for the November December polling for where Tory % is clustering as well as Truss performance ratings for sign of a slump. That is clear distance from all the conference season vagaries too.
However, trend lines are important in polling if you are betting on future polls, and here I have something to add on Savanta Comres polling - they tend to over favour Labour in their polls, with low Green scores, a little out of sync with many other pollsters. A 42 from Savanta is actually a pretty average score for Labour, not a good one - how it should read across to other firms is a cluster of 38s and 39s for Labour, and small leads, so let’s see if that’s what we get.
Throughout conference season this will be a pain in the neck for Starmer, it won’t just be BJO constantly asking “only 5 ahead” “only 4 ahead” “only 2 ahead on both Opinium and you gov? - PLEASE EXPLAIN.”
I’m happy to explain, this period of smaller leads could well be ephemeral, let’s wait for November December polling for GE bets.
Good evening
There is a lot of sense in your comments and as far as I am concerned I expect Spring 2023 will be the better indicator as the new tax arrangements in April will come in, along with the triple lock pensions, and most city commentators expect Truss and Kwarteng measures just announced and to be announced in a week will see inflation drop by 5% or so, and of course the biggest question of all where will the war in Ukraine be, indeed even if it is still going on
To those quoting polls they are a snapshot of the day they were taken and while a trend may become evident, the best rule in politics is a week is along time and of course, events that we have no control over can even be imagined play a profound part in our politics
The death of the Queen and the war in Ukraine to name two
Fuck it. I’m moving here. Seville feels like a city that recently won the lottery
Unlike the UK, Spain spent its EU funds on decent infrastructure.
Seville did do very well out of the cash splurged on it in 1992. Nothing at all to do with the Andalusian mafia that ran the government at the time, of course.
But it is almost the perfect place. The Romans put Italica there. The Spanish empire depended on it.
If it weren't so damn hot for three months of the year, they'd take over the world.
Sweden will probably have a Moderate/Christian Democrat government with support from the Liberals and Sweden Democrats because the latter two don't agree with each other on a lot of policies.
Fuck it. I’m moving here. Seville feels like a city that recently won the lottery
Unlike the UK, Spain spent its EU funds on decent infrastructure.
Really not sure this is the EU’s doing. I travel a lot - obviously - and widely in the EU - and I’ve not come across a city that has improved so markedly in ten years (when I was last here)
Italy on my recent visit was sadly notable for its sense of stagnation if not decay
I could be wrong but this feels like a mix of luck - they already had the climate and architecture - and good local government. And that Revolution in Spanish cuisine which has clearly hit Andalucia
They’ve also really cleverly pedestrianised half the centre of the city and opened up new facades and hidden corners
I don’t credit the EU specifically, except to note the Spain has received massive funding from them and they’ve used the money very well.
Spain now looks and smells and tastes like a first-league European country as opposed to the sleepy, dusty and decrepit place of my youth.
It’s amazing what you can achieve with focus, ambition, and a decent chunk of pesos.
And, as you say, compare with Italy.
My grief is that the UK should be “more like Spain” in this regard.
That DCMS queuing Youtube movie has the most horrendous visual design complete with flashing light. queasymaking barber pole effect and a weird fade and rotate for the royal crown/cipher. You'd think they were trying to put folk off.
"The queue is currently approx 2.5 miles long". A nice mix of 2.5 for the metric martyrs and miles for the imperial pedants, but why the abbreviation "approx" rather than the whole word "about"? (The landmark and w3w change frequently.)
Now 2.9 miles.
Holy f*ck.
I'd probably wait a couple of hours to see Her Majesty. But 24 or 30 hours? I'm afraid that it is too much for me.
Just out of curiosity - as they are issuing numbered wristbands, is there any reason why there should be a queue at all?
Could be so they know when to cut it off, as per Scotland, so the news said. They have a flow rate and a number that that throws up and presumably give wristbands to that number. And then afterwards those with a wristband can head on to the Ministry of Sound for Happy Hour.
Don't understand that. You mean they will stop issuing wristbands towards the end, based on the length of the queue and how fast the queue is moving. If they just controlled admission on the basis of wristband number, they could just as well stop issuing numbers on a similar basis towards the end.
Better to tell 10,000 people they can't go in 2.5 miles away from the event rather than 10 yards...
I don't think you understand. But never mind.
If anyone else can see why it couldn't be done without a queue by just issuing numbers, I'd be interested to know. Think of it as issuing timed tickets, but without having to make an assumption about how fast people would go through - and using the magic of the Internet instead, by telling people online what number it had got to, and what range of numbers would be accepted in the next 10 minutes or whatever.
Physical queuing is probably the fairest way.
Bit tough on those physically frail. The late HMQ wouldn't have been able to queue like that.
Also if a person is a sufficiently passionate monarchist there ought to be a way for them to fast track to the front. I'm thinking casino, hyufd, people like this. Their need is greater and it should be accommodated if possible imho.
Astounding. If he won POTUS he would surely be the poorest president…. Ever? Maybe the poorest leader in the entire world
How refreshing. A 43 year old candidate with no money. Not another trillionaire 78 year old
Who was the poorest ever British PM? I bet even Major was worth more than £250k just by owning a property
Ramsay Macdonald, perhaps, at least in recent centuries.
Re Mr De Santis, I can't help thinking that a lot of voters might subscribe to the loser theorem - never vote for someone who is so obviously crap at the Great American Dream. Indeed, it is so odd that one almost wonders if there is more to the story than that, such as what assets he enjoys the use of, without owning them.
Wilson perhaps? Macdonald married a woman who if not possessed of boundless wealth wasn't short of a few bob. Wilson had basically his earnings.
Fuck it. I’m moving here. Seville feels like a city that recently won the lottery
I've been planning to go to Seville in January (because I don't like hot weather) since 2019 but wasn't able to do it in 2020 or 2021 for obvious reasons.
If you can delay until late February and orange blossom season, do.
That DCMS queuing Youtube movie has the most horrendous visual design complete with flashing light. queasymaking barber pole effect and a weird fade and rotate for the royal crown/cipher. You'd think they were trying to put folk off.
"The queue is currently approx 2.5 miles long". A nice mix of 2.5 for the metric martyrs and miles for the imperial pedants, but why the abbreviation "approx" rather than the whole word "about"? (The landmark and w3w change frequently.)
Now 2.9 miles.
Holy f*ck.
I'd probably wait a couple of hours to see Her Majesty. But 24 or 30 hours? I'm afraid that it is too much for me.
Just out of curiosity - as they are issuing numbered wristbands, is there any reason why there should be a queue at all?
Could be so they know when to cut it off, as per Scotland, so the news said. They have a flow rate and a number that that throws up and presumably give wristbands to that number. And then afterwards those with a wristband can head on to the Ministry of Sound for Happy Hour.
Don't understand that. You mean they will stop issuing wristbands towards the end, based on the length of the queue and how fast the queue is moving. If they just controlled admission on the basis of wristband number, they could just as well stop issuing numbers on a similar basis towards the end.
Better to tell 10,000 people they can't go in 2.5 miles away from the event rather than 10 yards...
I don't think you understand. But never mind.
If anyone else can see why it couldn't be done without a queue by just issuing numbers, I'd be interested to know. Think of it as issuing timed tickets, but without having to make an assumption about how fast people would go through - and using the magic of the Internet instead, by telling people online what number it had got to, and what range of numbers would be accepted in the next 10 minutes or whatever.
Physical queuing is probably the fairest way.
Bit tough on those physically frail. The late HMQ wouldn't have been able to queue like that.
Also if a person is a sufficiently passionate monarchist there ought to be a way for them to fast track to the front. I'm thinking casino, hyufd, people like this. Their need is greater and it should be accommodated if possible imho.
I think if they can get registered as disabled (should be a doddle) there's a fast track
The really sad thing about the Queen’s death is the lack of global coverage of the absolute beating Ukraine 🇺🇦 are giving the Russians.
This is huge, it feels only Sir Laurence Olivier should commentate on it.
The other piece of news is that, apparently, the details of the energy bills help for businesses has not yet been worked out and it could be November before details are released. Which will be too late for many.
Not. Good. Enough.
Liz Truss, just not good enough.
Our office closedown starts next month.
@IshmaelZ do you still think I was wrong to post last week, Truss government are not yet ready to announce their plan to parliament? I posted correct, They were not ready last week, Arguably they didn’t share their plan last week. They just gave promises. Without the detail that turns promises into reality, without being able to cost it, publish cost with an exit plan, payment mechanisms, start finish dates, show risk management and due diligence etc, is it even a plan or just Johnsonian BS?
Number 10 doubles down on this lateness today with spin that the business element is from 1st October - kinda misleads businesses won’t get money in October 2022 just back dated to then. Did number ten say this October or just an October? Anyone like to respond with “but this Tory government and Treasury have only had just over a week to come up with a plan” 🤦♀️
Can't rememeber, it seems a lifetime ago. But for consumers, now the actual kWh cap is known, that's pretty much it, is it not? I agree it's pathetic to have no details for small biz. You would hope that the current pause on everything would give the govt time for some really constructive work.
They should cancel the conference. She is shit at that sort of thing anyway and it will wrong foot SKS, whereas contrariwise it will wrongfoot her if he does it first.
They should cancel the conferences not matter how good or bad Truss is
It is an affront to democracy for the present timetable with extended periods of when mps are not sitting and has to be changed
Sweden will probably have a Moderate/Christian Democrat government with support from the Liberals and Sweden Democrats because the latter two don't agree with each other on a lot of policies.
Looking at the pictures of the queen lying in state. I've seen enough horror movies to know it is a huge mistake for all the guards to have their backs turned to the coffin.
At the very least Geralt of Rivia should be nearby just in case.
The only change from Sunday is that the Moderates took 1 late seat, at the expense of the Social Democrats. Probably the overseas voters.
The Social Democrats would have won if it had not been for the new Islamic party taking 1.5% of the vote.
I would have thought most of that 1.5% were transfers from non-voters or non-citizens, so it probably hasn't changed the result.
Certainly not “non-citizens”! Only Swedish citizen are allowed to vote 😄
Since the last election, about 300k foreigners have acquired Swedish citizenship.
Aha! I see what you mean.
But what is your basis for saying that? I haven’t seen any Swedish commentators positing that.
I just think it's presumptuous to say that the Social Democrats would have won without the Islamic party. At least some of the Islamic party's voters would have stayed at home without that option to vote for.
Just repeating what experts have claimed. I assume they know the make up of the party’s vote better than you do.
Fuck it. I’m moving here. Seville feels like a city that recently won the lottery
I've been planning to go to Seville in January (because I don't like hot weather) since 2019 but wasn't able to do it in 2020 or 2021 for obvious reasons.
If you can delay until late February and orange blossom season, do.
Pure sex for the nostrils.
I went in October last year, it was pleasantly warm verging on the hot mid-afternoon, it has Italica and the best craft beer in Andalusia, but doesn't have the Moorish architecture of Cordoba or Granada (or even Malaga).
One of Mrs Stodge's work colleagues has joined The Queue and is still at Southwark Bridge.
I watched 5 seconds of the live stream of people filing past the coffin - enough, I thought. One of my colleagues has opted to pay her respects at Windsor.
Glancing at the procession of the coffin, one thing struck me - you had the Queen's children in the first row and presumably the grandchildren in the second row - William, Harry, Peter Philips but I didn't see Zara Tindall let alone the Queen's other grandchildren, Prince Edward's children. The Viscount Severn had attended the Platinum Jubilee gatherings I believe.
Perhaps they were in another line which I didn't see.
My take away: if Trump doesn’t stand De Santis will walk the candidacy and likely win the presidency. Even if Trump does stand he has a good chance
He’s an outstanding candidate. I had no idea his resume is so impressive he was once known as “the resume” - lower middle class Catholic, then Harvard, Yale and a quasi Navy SEAL who went to Iraq. It’s absurd. Attractive wife is a breast cancer survivor
He’s also apparently incorruptible. Astonishing stat buried in the piece: his net worth was recently estimated at $319,000
If he runs he wins
If Trump does not run (and nor do any Trump children), then DeSantis will walk the Republican nomination, and probably the Presidency too.
But if Trump does run, does De Santis challenge him? Because that might be unforgiveable in the eyes of the MAGA faithful.
IF you like Trump AND have half a brain, then you're bound to love DeSantis.
RDS is smarter than DJT, certainly less self-destructive (in ways that caused 45 to snatch defeat from jaws of 2nd-term victory) and way savvier in how to harness the powers of executive office for his own political benefit. But he's just as nasty AND dangerous.
If Trump does run again, De Santis might not even run but endorse him in the hope of being Trump's VP nominee.
However he has to be re elected Florida governor first
Ron DeSanters is also a fundraising champion, he has 123 million in his re-election fund which I understand is more than any Govender candied has ever resized, (apart from one billionaire who self funded) his democrat oponant has about 1 million (mostly because he spent all he resized to to win the democrat primary.
He cant role that in the a run for POTUS, but he can use it cleverly build his profile, and other useful stuff. and it does mean he has a big list of donors, all of which he can ask for more when/if he decides to run for POTUS
My take away: if Trump doesn’t stand De Santis will walk the candidacy and likely win the presidency. Even if Trump does stand he has a good chance
He’s an outstanding candidate. I had no idea his resume is so impressive he was once known as “the resume” - lower middle class Catholic, then Harvard, Yale and a quasi Navy SEAL who went to Iraq. It’s absurd. Attractive wife is a breast cancer survivor
He’s also apparently incorruptible. Astonishing stat buried in the piece: his net worth was recently estimated at $319,000
If he runs he wins
If Trump does not run (and nor do any Trump children), then DeSantis will walk the Republican nomination, and probably the Presidency too.
But if Trump does run, does De Santis challenge him? Because that might be unforgiveable in the eyes of the MAGA faithful.
IF you like Trump AND have half a brain, then you're bound to love DeSantis.
RDS is smarter than DJT, certainly less self-destructive (in ways that caused 45 to snatch defeat from jaws of 2nd-term victory) and way savvier in how to harness the powers of executive office for his own political benefit. But he's just as nasty AND dangerous.
If Trump does run again, De Santis might not even run but endorse him in the hope of being Trump's VP nominee.
However he has to be re elected Florida governor first
Ron DeSanters is also a fundraising champion, he has 123 million in his re-election fund which I understand is more than any Govender candied has ever resized, (apart from one billionaire who self funded) his democrat oponant has about 1 million (mostly because he spent all he resized to to win the democrat primary.
He cant role that in the a run for POTUS, but he can use it cleverly build his profile, and other useful stuff. and it does mean he has a big list of donors, all of which he can ask for more when/if he decides to run for POTUS
Not sure about details of Florida campaign laws, but in most states the way that candidates can transfer surplus funds from state campaigns to their federal campaigns, is by obtaining the consent of donors for the transfer.
Plus plethora of clever ways to use state campaign cash in federal races by semi-indirect means (for example "party building").
For a bit of fun I went on the YouGov approval ratings for public figures. HM Queen Elizabeth II is top though Volodymr Zelensky might threaten her position if he had the same recognition. Who have the lowest favourability ratings?
There's no point including someone with a 2% favourability rating if only 3% know who they are. So in short order it appears to be Putin, Xi, Rupert Murdoch, MBS, Matt Hancock and a little surprisingly Keith Vaz.
Fuck it. I’m moving here. Seville feels like a city that recently won the lottery
Unlike the UK, Spain spent its EU funds on decent infrastructure.
Really not sure this is the EU’s doing. I travel a lot - obviously - and widely in the EU - and I’ve not come across a city that has improved so markedly in ten years (when I was last here)
Italy on my recent visit was sadly notable for its sense of stagnation if not decay
I could be wrong but this feels like a mix of luck - they already had the climate and architecture - and good local government. And that Revolution in Spanish cuisine which has clearly hit Andalucia
They’ve also really cleverly pedestrianised half the centre of the city and opened up new facades and hidden corners
I don’t credit the EU specifically, except to note the Spain has received massive funding from them and they’ve used the money very well.
Spain now looks and smells and tastes like a first-league European country as opposed to the sleepy, dusty and decrepit place of my youth.
It’s amazing what you can achieve with focus, ambition, and a decent chunk of pesos.
And, as you say, compare with Italy.
My grief is that the UK should be “more like Spain” in this regard.
A big difference was the Berlisconi decades of stagnation.
Fuck it. I’m moving here. Seville feels like a city that recently won the lottery
Unlike the UK, Spain spent its EU funds on decent infrastructure.
Really not sure this is the EU’s doing. I travel a lot - obviously - and widely in the EU - and I’ve not come across a city that has improved so markedly in ten years (when I was last here)
Italy on my recent visit was sadly notable for its sense of stagnation if not decay
I could be wrong but this feels like a mix of luck - they already had the climate and architecture - and good local government. And that Revolution in Spanish cuisine which has clearly hit Andalucia
They’ve also really cleverly pedestrianised half the centre of the city and opened up new facades and hidden corners
I don’t credit the EU specifically, except to note the Spain has received massive funding from them and they’ve used the money very well.
Spain now looks and smells and tastes like a first-league European country as opposed to the sleepy, dusty and decrepit place of my youth.
It’s amazing what you can achieve with focus, ambition, and a decent chunk of pesos.
And, as you say, compare with Italy.
My grief is that the UK should be “more like Spain” in this regard.
That could form the basis of a good campaign slogan:
"We spend £350m a week on countries like Spain. Let's spend it on the UK instead."
For a bit of fun I went on the YouGov approval ratings for public figures. HM Queen Elizabeth II is top though Volodymr Zelensky might threaten her position if he had the same recognition. Who are have the lowest favourability ratings?
There's no point including someone with a 2% favourability rating if only 3% know who they are. So in short order it appears to be Putin, Xi, Rupert Murdoch, MBS, Matt Hancock and a little surprisingly Keith Vaz.
My guide to popularity: 1. Be dead. 2. Have no responsibilities (in the UK). Accounting for these, the most popular person is I kid you not Alan Sugar. No wonder Trump won in the USA.
That DCMS queuing Youtube movie has the most horrendous visual design complete with flashing light. queasymaking barber pole effect and a weird fade and rotate for the royal crown/cipher. You'd think they were trying to put folk off.
"The queue is currently approx 2.5 miles long". A nice mix of 2.5 for the metric martyrs and miles for the imperial pedants, but why the abbreviation "approx" rather than the whole word "about"? (The landmark and w3w change frequently.)
Now 2.9 miles.
Holy f*ck.
I'd probably wait a couple of hours to see Her Majesty. But 24 or 30 hours? I'm afraid that it is too much for me.
Just out of curiosity - as they are issuing numbered wristbands, is there any reason why there should be a queue at all?
Could be so they know when to cut it off, as per Scotland, so the news said. They have a flow rate and a number that that throws up and presumably give wristbands to that number. And then afterwards those with a wristband can head on to the Ministry of Sound for Happy Hour.
Don't understand that. You mean they will stop issuing wristbands towards the end, based on the length of the queue and how fast the queue is moving. If they just controlled admission on the basis of wristband number, they could just as well stop issuing numbers on a similar basis towards the end.
Better to tell 10,000 people they can't go in 2.5 miles away from the event rather than 10 yards...
I don't think you understand. But never mind.
If anyone else can see why it couldn't be done without a queue by just issuing numbers, I'd be interested to know. Think of it as issuing timed tickets, but without having to make an assumption about how fast people would go through - and using the magic of the Internet instead, by telling people online what number it had got to, and what range of numbers would be accepted in the next 10 minutes or whatever.
Physical queuing is probably the fairest way.
Bit tough on those physically frail. The late HMQ wouldn't have been able to queue like that.
Also if a person is a sufficiently passionate monarchist there ought to be a way for them to fast track to the front. I'm thinking casino, hyufd, people like this. Their need is greater and it should be accommodated if possible imho.
If they have a coin or banknote on them they can always stare at the late monarch's image while sobbing or wailing in the queue.
Yes Spain has done marvellous things. They have improved their major cities immeasurably
Of course there are big problems. The overbuilt holiday towns with no buyers. The depopulating interior. Climate change is an existential threat
But right now for quality of life at a reasonable price I’d say Spain, in its best cities, has it licked. Britain should indeed look to Spain for inspiration
Yes, unless you have a majority of the country as part of something it cannot be called huge. Take that, every political march in human history.
No disrespect to those mourning, but a point for the media. While the queue is long it’s not a huge crowd of people. It’s important to keep things in perspective and appreciate this does not represent the whole country or even a majority.
That DCMS queuing Youtube movie has the most horrendous visual design complete with flashing light. queasymaking barber pole effect and a weird fade and rotate for the royal crown/cipher. You'd think they were trying to put folk off.
"The queue is currently approx 2.5 miles long". A nice mix of 2.5 for the metric martyrs and miles for the imperial pedants, but why the abbreviation "approx" rather than the whole word "about"? (The landmark and w3w change frequently.)
Now 2.9 miles.
Holy f*ck.
I'd probably wait a couple of hours to see Her Majesty. But 24 or 30 hours? I'm afraid that it is too much for me.
Just out of curiosity - as they are issuing numbered wristbands, is there any reason why there should be a queue at all?
Could be so they know when to cut it off, as per Scotland, so the news said. They have a flow rate and a number that that throws up and presumably give wristbands to that number. And then afterwards those with a wristband can head on to the Ministry of Sound for Happy Hour.
Don't understand that. You mean they will stop issuing wristbands towards the end, based on the length of the queue and how fast the queue is moving. If they just controlled admission on the basis of wristband number, they could just as well stop issuing numbers on a similar basis towards the end.
Better to tell 10,000 people they can't go in 2.5 miles away from the event rather than 10 yards...
I don't think you understand. But never mind.
If anyone else can see why it couldn't be done without a queue by just issuing numbers, I'd be interested to know. Think of it as issuing timed tickets, but without having to make an assumption about how fast people would go through - and using the magic of the Internet instead, by telling people online what number it had got to, and what range of numbers would be accepted in the next 10 minutes or whatever.
Physical queuing is probably the fairest way.
Bit tough on those physically frail. The late HMQ wouldn't have been able to queue like that.
Also if a person is a sufficiently passionate monarchist there ought to be a way for them to fast track to the front. I'm thinking casino, hyufd, people like this. Their need is greater and it should be accommodated if possible imho.
If they have a coin or banknote on them they can always stare at the late monarch's image while sobbing or wailing in the queue.
Yes Spain has done marvellous things. They have improved their major cities immeasurably
Of course there are big problems. The overbuilt holiday towns with no buyers. The depopulating interior. Climate change is an existential threat
But right now for quality of life at a reasonable price I’d say Spain, in its best cities, has it licked. Britain should indeed look to Spain for inspiration
And the food. JeeZ. And the gee and teez
They certainly have an appropriate understanding of the correct gin to tonic ratio.
Fuck it. I’m moving here. Seville feels like a city that recently won the lottery
Unlike the UK, Spain spent its EU funds on decent infrastructure.
Really not sure this is the EU’s doing. I travel a lot - obviously - and widely in the EU - and I’ve not come across a city that has improved so markedly in ten years (when I was last here)
Italy on my recent visit was sadly notable for its sense of stagnation if not decay
I could be wrong but this feels like a mix of luck - they already had the climate and architecture - and good local government. And that Revolution in Spanish cuisine which has clearly hit Andalucia
They’ve also really cleverly pedestrianised half the centre of the city and opened up new facades and hidden corners
I don’t credit the EU specifically, except to note the Spain has received massive funding from them and they’ve used the money very well.
Spain now looks and smells and tastes like a first-league European country as opposed to the sleepy, dusty and decrepit place of my youth.
It’s amazing what you can achieve with focus, ambition, and a decent chunk of pesos.
And, as you say, compare with Italy.
My grief is that the UK should be “more like Spain” in this regard.
That could form the basis of a good campaign slogan:
"We spend £350m a week on countries like Spain. Let's spend it on the UK instead."
The UK cut off its own funding stream and has not replaced the regional funds like for like.
Astounding. If he won POTUS he would surely be the poorest president…. Ever? Maybe the poorest leader in the entire world
How refreshing. A 43 year old candidate with no money. Not another trillionaire 78 year old
Who was the poorest ever British PM? I bet even Major was worth more than £250k just by owning a property
"It is anticipated that Ronald Dion DeSantis, an American politician and attorney who is now serving as the 46th governor of Florida and who has a Net Worth of $5 Million in 2022, will have that amount of wealth in 2022." https://thewhistlernews.com/ron-desantis-net-worth/
The only change from Sunday is that the Moderates took 1 late seat, at the expense of the Social Democrats. Probably the overseas voters.
The Social Democrats would have won if it had not been for the new Islamic party taking 1.5% of the vote.
I would have thought most of that 1.5% were transfers from non-voters or non-citizens, so it probably hasn't changed the result.
Certainly not “non-citizens”! Only Swedish citizen are allowed to vote 😄
Since the last election, about 300k foreigners have acquired Swedish citizenship.
Aha! I see what you mean.
But what is your basis for saying that? I haven’t seen any Swedish commentators positing that.
I just think it's presumptuous to say that the Social Democrats would have won without the Islamic party. At least some of the Islamic party's voters would have stayed at home without that option to vote for.
Just repeating what experts have claimed. I assume they know the make up of the party’s vote better than you do.
I don't think you need to be a Swedish John Curtice to work out that the Islamic party is more likely to win votes from new Swedes than old Swedes.
For a bit of fun I went on the YouGov approval ratings for public figures. HM Queen Elizabeth II is top though Volodymr Zelensky might threaten her position if he had the same recognition. Who have the lowest favourability ratings?
There's no point including someone with a 2% favourability rating if only 3% know who they are. So in short order it appears to be Putin, Xi, Rupert Murdoch, MBS, Matt Hancock and a little surprisingly Keith Vaz.
Fuck it. I’m moving here. Seville feels like a city that recently won the lottery
I've been planning to go to Seville in January (because I don't like hot weather) since 2019 but wasn't able to do it in 2020 or 2021 for obvious reasons.
If you can delay until late February and orange blossom season, do.
Pure sex for the nostrils.
I went in October last year, it was pleasantly warm verging on the hot mid-afternoon, it has Italica and the best craft beer in Andalusia, but doesn't have the Moorish architecture of Cordoba or Granada (or even Malaga).
Actually it does. People don’t realise Seville has a magnificent moorish alcazar complete with gardens. It’s not the Alhambra - what is - but it is less heavily restored and has far fewer tourists
And Seville has the cathedral and the archives and the unique vivacious vibe
Córdoba when I went a few years ago was a bit of a dump. Even the mezquita slightly disappoints because of that fucking church dumped in the middle of the serene colonnades
Astounding. If he won POTUS he would surely be the poorest president…. Ever? Maybe the poorest leader in the entire world
How refreshing. A 43 year old candidate with no money. Not another trillionaire 78 year old
Who was the poorest ever British PM? I bet even Major was worth more than £250k just by owning a property
"It is anticipated that Ronald Dion DeSantis, an American politician and attorney who is now serving as the 46th governor of Florida and who has a Net Worth of $5 Million in 2022, will have that amount of wealth in 2022." https://thewhistlernews.com/ron-desantis-net-worth/
Which is right?
Maybe neither - could be this one: "Ronald DeSantis has an Estimated Net Worth of $52 Million in 2022. DeSantis gets a fixed salary of $180,000 from the Florida State Treasury As Governor. Ron DeSantis bought his house for $8 Million and the current market value is $22 Million." https://haqexpress.com/ronald-desantis-net-worth/
The only problem with Spain at the moment is that it looks like the far-right Vox Party has a good chance of entering government after the next election, as the opinion polls stand.
For a bit of fun I went on the YouGov approval ratings for public figures. HM Queen Elizabeth II is top though Volodymr Zelensky might threaten her position if he had the same recognition. Who are have the lowest favourability ratings?
There's no point including someone with a 2% favourability rating if only 3% know who they are. So in short order it appears to be Putin, Xi, Rupert Murdoch, MBS, Matt Hancock and a little surprisingly Keith Vaz.
My guide to popularity: 1. Be dead. 2. Have no responsibilities (in the UK). Accounting for these, the most popular person is I kid you not Alan Sugar. No wonder Trump won in the USA.
I've missed a few people off there. Most importantly Prince Andrew. Also George Osborne, Michael Gove and Dianne Abbott.
For a bit of fun I went on the YouGov approval ratings for public figures. HM Queen Elizabeth II is top though Volodymr Zelensky might threaten her position if he had the same recognition. Who have the lowest favourability ratings?
There's no point including someone with a 2% favourability rating if only 3% know who they are. So in short order it appears to be Putin, Xi, Rupert Murdoch, MBS, Matt Hancock and a little surprisingly Keith Vaz.
That DCMS queuing Youtube movie has the most horrendous visual design complete with flashing light. queasymaking barber pole effect and a weird fade and rotate for the royal crown/cipher. You'd think they were trying to put folk off.
"The queue is currently approx 2.5 miles long". A nice mix of 2.5 for the metric martyrs and miles for the imperial pedants, but why the abbreviation "approx" rather than the whole word "about"? (The landmark and w3w change frequently.)
Now 2.9 miles.
Holy f*ck.
I'd probably wait a couple of hours to see Her Majesty. But 24 or 30 hours? I'm afraid that it is too much for me.
Just out of curiosity - as they are issuing numbered wristbands, is there any reason why there should be a queue at all?
Could be so they know when to cut it off, as per Scotland, so the news said. They have a flow rate and a number that that throws up and presumably give wristbands to that number. And then afterwards those with a wristband can head on to the Ministry of Sound for Happy Hour.
Don't understand that. You mean they will stop issuing wristbands towards the end, based on the length of the queue and how fast the queue is moving. If they just controlled admission on the basis of wristband number, they could just as well stop issuing numbers on a similar basis towards the end.
Better to tell 10,000 people they can't go in 2.5 miles away from the event rather than 10 yards...
I don't think you understand. But never mind.
If anyone else can see why it couldn't be done without a queue by just issuing numbers, I'd be interested to know. Think of it as issuing timed tickets, but without having to make an assumption about how fast people would go through - and using the magic of the Internet instead, by telling people online what number it had got to, and what range of numbers would be accepted in the next 10 minutes or whatever.
Physical queuing is probably the fairest way.
Bit tough on those physically frail. The late HMQ wouldn't have been able to queue like that.
Also if a person is a sufficiently passionate monarchist there ought to be a way for them to fast track to the front. I'm thinking casino, hyufd, people like this. Their need is greater and it should be accommodated if possible imho.
If they have a coin or banknote on them they can always stare at the late monarch's image while sobbing or wailing in the queue.
Both regimes run versions of the divine right of the dynastic ruler.
Would the Tories here be pro or anti the regime had they been born and raised in NK?(We don't have to ask the same question about Russia. Khrushchev knew the answer when he said if were a Brit he'd vote Tory.)
A bit surprised that outlets like the Guardian are still running acres of Royal coverage at the top of their front pages. Sure, the Telegraph and BBC you’d expect. But it’s not like there isn’t any actual news happening at the moment.
Liz Truss could scrap anti-obesity strategy in drive to cut red tape
Exclusive: Health officials ‘aghast’ as review launched of measures to deter people from eating junk food
Redwood: 'Look Liz, when I was talking about cutting fat, I didn't mean cut the anti-fat campaigns!'
This is where deregulation always hits the rocks.
There are three big stakeholder groups in modern capitalism: business owners, labour, and the consumer. Both main parties sometimes give the impression of ignoring the third group and obsessing about the other two. It’s a bit 19th century.
Most regulation is in place to protect the consumer. Sometimes this goes too far - the annoying data consent pop ups on the internet being one example - but most of the time it is pretty popular.
By and large a deregulated market means crapper food, dirtier air and water, less wildlife, more food poisoning, flakier infrastructure, riskier financial services, more risk of being taken for a ride by cowboys and more likelihood your personal data will be sold to the highest and most unscrupulous bidder.
At its best deregulation makes things cheaper. The best examples of that in the last couple of decades have been in telecoms and energy. But of course we are now seeing the flip side of deregulated energy markets.
A political party ignores consumers at its peril.
Nobody is going to suffer from lack of the Government telling them to eat less. It's a huge waste of money.
First of all it’s not even expensive. We’re talking rounding errors while this new government throws over 100bn at the energy sector. You know and I know that it’s just virtue signalling to the libertarian right who put her in position.
Secondly obesity costs us as a country vast amounts in healthcare spending and lost productivity. Nobody’s suggesting government healthy eating campaigns are a silver bullet but we need to start, as has already been commented on, fighting against the normalisation of obesity. It’s not normal, it’s a fatal preventable disease like lung cancer from smoking.
I'm sorry, but I can't really agree.
Such campaigns are just a sop to an advertising industry that frankly is big and ugly enough to survive on its own.
I don't believe that they encourage positive behaviour, and frankly I'm not sure that those mounting such campaigns even know what constitutes positive behaviour. The latest stats show afaicr that consumption of (for example) saturated fats is way down amongst the poor, but obesity and overall morbidity is up.
In the opinion that I share so frequently on PB, peoples' health will benefit not from the removal of food, but from that food containing more of the nutrition needed for optimal health. There is a lot that the Government can do in this regard, but none of it involves taking to the airwaves to tell people off for being fatties.
Yes, unless you have a majority of the country as part of something it cannot be called huge. Take that, every political march in human history.
No disrespect to those mourning, but a point for the media. While the queue is long it’s not a huge crowd of people. It’s important to keep things in perspective and appreciate this does not represent the whole country or even a majority.
The trouble is there is no great British city waiting to be opened up and pedestrianised and revealed in its spleandour like Seville
The Luftwaffe and the Marxist town planners destroyed most of our great cities and many of our small cities - london Glasgow and Edinburgh apart.
Newcastle is probably the only big UK city that has some truly magnificent surviving architecture and a noble setting and therefore hope. It appears Liverpool has recently destroyed itself if UNESCO are right
Why are we so shamefully bad at urbanisation? How come the Spanish can do it and we can’t?
Astounding. If he won POTUS he would surely be the poorest president…. Ever? Maybe the poorest leader in the entire world
How refreshing. A 43 year old candidate with no money. Not another trillionaire 78 year old
Who was the poorest ever British PM? I bet even Major was worth more than £250k just by owning a property
"It is anticipated that Ronald Dion DeSantis, an American politician and attorney who is now serving as the 46th governor of Florida and who has a Net Worth of $5 Million in 2022, will have that amount of wealth in 2022." https://thewhistlernews.com/ron-desantis-net-worth/
Which is right?
US politicians net worth are often described without property wealth as that is on their tax returns. So you can get politicians worth $15m being quoted as worth $500k as that is their non property (i.e. shares and cash) wealth.
Astounding. If he won POTUS he would surely be the poorest president…. Ever? Maybe the poorest leader in the entire world
How refreshing. A 43 year old candidate with no money. Not another trillionaire 78 year old
Who was the poorest ever British PM? I bet even Major was worth more than £250k just by owning a property
"It is anticipated that Ronald Dion DeSantis, an American politician and attorney who is now serving as the 46th governor of Florida and who has a Net Worth of $5 Million in 2022, will have that amount of wealth in 2022." https://thewhistlernews.com/ron-desantis-net-worth/
Which is right?
“ and attorney” I think the useless and corrupt attorney in the day shall come is a satirised version of crimes DeSantis actually done?
Yes, unless you have a majority of the country as part of something it cannot be called huge. Take that, every political march in human history.
No disrespect to those mourning, but a point for the media. While the queue is long it’s not a huge crowd of people. It’s important to keep things in perspective and appreciate this does not represent the whole country or even a majority.
The trouble is there is no great British city waiting to be opened up and pedestrianised and revealed in its spleandour like Seville
The Luftwaffe and the Marxist town planners destroyed most of our great cities and many of our small cities - london Glasgow and Edinburgh apart.
Newcastle is probably the only big UK city that has some truly magnificent surviving architecture and a noble setting and therefore hope. It appears Liverpool has recently destroyed itself if UNESCO are right
Why are we so shamefully bad at urbanisation? How come the Spanish can do it and we can’t?
This is an important question, actually.
The UK is not alone, the other English speaking countries are the same, actually.
I think it’s got something to do with the car and an unholy alliance between capitalists (build cheaply), conservatives (spend leastly), and progressives (be suspicious of heritage and beautiful things).
Yes, unless you have a majority of the country as part of something it cannot be called huge. Take that, every political march in human history.
No disrespect to those mourning, but a point for the media. While the queue is long it’s not a huge crowd of people. It’s important to keep things in perspective and appreciate this does not represent the whole country or even a majority.
The trouble is there is no great British city waiting to be opened up and pedestrianised and revealed in its spleandour like Seville
The Luftwaffe and the Marxist town planners destroyed most of our great cities and many of our small cities - london Glasgow and Edinburgh apart.
Newcastle is probably the only big UK city that has some truly magnificent surviving architecture and a noble setting and therefore hope. It appears Liverpool has recently destroyed itself if UNESCO are right
Why are we so shamefully bad at urbanisation? How come the Spanish can do it and we can’t?
Perhaps you should write a letter to his majesty the King. He is known for being interested in such matters.
That DCMS queuing Youtube movie has the most horrendous visual design complete with flashing light. queasymaking barber pole effect and a weird fade and rotate for the royal crown/cipher. You'd think they were trying to put folk off.
"The queue is currently approx 2.5 miles long". A nice mix of 2.5 for the metric martyrs and miles for the imperial pedants, but why the abbreviation "approx" rather than the whole word "about"? (The landmark and w3w change frequently.)
Now 2.9 miles.
Holy f*ck.
I'd probably wait a couple of hours to see Her Majesty. But 24 or 30 hours? I'm afraid that it is too much for me.
Just out of curiosity - as they are issuing numbered wristbands, is there any reason why there should be a queue at all?
Could be so they know when to cut it off, as per Scotland, so the news said. They have a flow rate and a number that that throws up and presumably give wristbands to that number. And then afterwards those with a wristband can head on to the Ministry of Sound for Happy Hour.
Don't understand that. You mean they will stop issuing wristbands towards the end, based on the length of the queue and how fast the queue is moving. If they just controlled admission on the basis of wristband number, they could just as well stop issuing numbers on a similar basis towards the end.
Better to tell 10,000 people they can't go in 2.5 miles away from the event rather than 10 yards...
I don't think you understand. But never mind.
If anyone else can see why it couldn't be done without a queue by just issuing numbers, I'd be interested to know. Think of it as issuing timed tickets, but without having to make an assumption about how fast people would go through - and using the magic of the Internet instead, by telling people online what number it had got to, and what range of numbers would be accepted in the next 10 minutes or whatever.
Physical queuing is probably the fairest way.
Bit tough on those physically frail. The late HMQ wouldn't have been able to queue like that.
Also if a person is a sufficiently passionate monarchist there ought to be a way for them to fast track to the front. I'm thinking casino, hyufd, people like this. Their need is greater and it should be accommodated if possible imho.
If they have a coin or banknote on them they can always stare at the late monarch's image while sobbing or wailing in the queue.
Yes, unless you have a majority of the country as part of something it cannot be called huge. Take that, every political march in human history.
No disrespect to those mourning, but a point for the media. While the queue is long it’s not a huge crowd of people. It’s important to keep things in perspective and appreciate this does not represent the whole country or even a majority.
This event is political. It's commemorating a dead head of state. It's not as if the emotionality of a moronic crowd is unknown in modern politics.
Such events are political in North Korea, and they're political here.
It's true that it's not representative, but political marches aren't representative either and they aren't supposed to be.
Gotta hope the stupidity reaches such an extreme level that it implodes. Either that, or Liz Truss was so right when she said the late monarch was one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known.
The only problem with Spain at the moment is that it looks like the far-right Vox Party has a good chance of entering government after the next election, as the opinion polls stand.
All that immigration, few bothering to learn the language, disrespecting their culture and act is if they own the streets. Brexit might slow it down though.
The trouble is there is no great British city waiting to be opened up and pedestrianised and revealed in its spleandour like Seville
The Luftwaffe and the Marxist town planners destroyed most of our great cities and many of our small cities - london Glasgow and Edinburgh apart.
Newcastle is probably the only big UK city that has some truly magnificent surviving architecture and a noble setting and therefore hope. It appears Liverpool has recently destroyed itself if UNESCO are right
Why are we so shamefully bad at urbanisation? How come the Spanish can do it and we can’t?
This is an important question, actually.
The UK is not alone, the other English speaking countries are the same, actually.
I think it’s got something to do with the car and an unholy alliance between capitalists (build cheaply), conservatives (spend leastly), and progressives (be suspicious of heritage and beautiful things).
No matter how bad Uk town planning it - and Jesus it is evilly bad at times - it still doesn’t compare to what the car did to American towns from 1920 on
It is heartbreaking to see photos of all these thriving small towns and big US cities - all walkable and humane and civilised - utterly devastated by the automobile. A terrible wrong turn in human life
I am sure many of the ills of American society stem from this single disastrous mis step. By making everyone reliant on a car and by making everyone drive to go anywhere you atomise the individual. Creating anomie. You also make them fat by their not walking. Yes it is convenient but it creates horrific cityscapes and degrades the soul
Belatedly, we are all realising this. But Jesus it is going to take some fixing in some places
The trouble is there is no great British city waiting to be opened up and pedestrianised and revealed in its spleandour like Seville
The Luftwaffe and the Marxist town planners destroyed most of our great cities and many of our small cities - london Glasgow and Edinburgh apart.
Newcastle is probably the only big UK city that has some truly magnificent surviving architecture and a noble setting and therefore hope. It appears Liverpool has recently destroyed itself if UNESCO are right
Why are we so shamefully bad at urbanisation? How come the Spanish can do it and we can’t?
Yes, unless you have a majority of the country as part of something it cannot be called huge. Take that, every political march in human history.
No disrespect to those mourning, but a point for the media. While the queue is long it’s not a huge crowd of people. It’s important to keep things in perspective and appreciate this does not represent the whole country or even a majority.
The really sad thing about the Queen’s death is the lack of global coverage of the absolute beating Ukraine 🇺🇦 are giving the Russians.
This is huge, it feels only Sir Laurence Olivier should commentate on it.
The other piece of news is that, apparently, the details of the energy bills help for businesses has not yet been worked out and it could be November before details are released. Which will be too late for many.
Not. Good. Enough.
Liz Truss, just not good enough.
Our office closedown starts next month.
@IshmaelZ do you still think I was wrong to post last week, Truss government are not yet ready to announce their plan to parliament? I posted correct, They were not ready last week, Arguably they didn’t share their plan last week. They just gave promises. Without the detail that turns promises into reality, without being able to cost it, publish cost with an exit plan, payment mechanisms, start finish dates, show risk management and due diligence etc, is it even a plan or just Johnsonian BS?
Number 10 doubles down on this lateness today with spin that the business element is from 1st October - kinda misleads businesses won’t get money in October 2022 just back dated to then. Did number ten say this October or just an October? Anyone like to respond with “but this Tory government and Treasury have only had just over a week to come up with a plan” 🤦♀️
Can't rememeber, it seems a lifetime ago. But for consumers, now the actual kWh cap is known, that's pretty much it, is it not? I agree it's pathetic to have no details for small biz. You would hope that the current pause on everything would give the govt time for some really constructive work.
They should cancel the conference. She is shit at that sort of thing anyway and it will wrong foot SKS, whereas contrariwise it will wrongfoot her if he does it first.
They should cancel the conferences not matter how good or bad Truss is
It is an affront to democracy for the present timetable with extended periods of when mps are not sitting and has to be changed
Arn’t party conferences good for party democracy and what’s good for party democracy feeds in to helping UK democracy good n strong though?
Every delegate to the Tory conference can ask questions how Truss enormous borrow and spend plan is going to work in a debate on it, and have a vote on wether they like it or not. Otherwise we would be no different than the old politburo’ in Soviet Union wouldn’t we?
Russians claimed that they had destroyed a barge with Ukrainian troops that was supposed to land at #Zaporizhzhia NPP. It's funny, but in the video they published, isn't a barge, but a pillar of a bridge that Nazis tried to build in 1943 during the German occupation of #Ukraine https://twitter.com/InnaSovsun/status/1570083294506516481/video/1
Yes, unless you have a majority of the country as part of something it cannot be called huge. Take that, every political march in human history.
No disrespect to those mourning, but a point for the media. While the queue is long it’s not a huge crowd of people. It’s important to keep things in perspective and appreciate this does not represent the whole country or even a majority.
I've just realised that the way to liven up all this primogeniture nonsense is to take a leaf out of Stardust's book (and film...). The dying monarch sets all his or her children a dangerous quest to do. The first to complete the quest becomes the new monarch.
In this case, Charles would waste time telling off his servant about the sort of tie he has to wear on the quest; Anne would zoom off on the nearest horse. Andrew would be too busy shagging Bernard (*) Whilst Edward would forget about the quest and direct a reality TV show about it.
You know in a genuine quest, Anne wins it, every day and twice on Sunday's
Russians claimed that they had destroyed a barge with Ukrainian troops that was supposed to land at #Zaporizhzhia NPP. It's funny, but in the video they published, isn't a barge, but a pillar of a bridge that Nazis tried to build in 1943 during the German occupation of #Ukraine https://twitter.com/InnaSovsun/status/1570083294506516481/video/1
Russians claimed that they had destroyed a barge with Ukrainian troops that was supposed to land at #Zaporizhzhia NPP. It's funny, but in the video they published, isn't a barge, but a pillar of a bridge that Nazis tried to build in 1943 during the German occupation of #Ukraine https://twitter.com/InnaSovsun/status/1570083294506516481/video/1
Russians claimed that they had destroyed a barge with Ukrainian troops that was supposed to land at #Zaporizhzhia NPP. It's funny, but in the video they published, isn't a barge, but a pillar of a bridge that Nazis tried to build in 1943 during the German occupation of #Ukraine https://twitter.com/InnaSovsun/status/1570083294506516481/video/1
Comments
Further security stuff happened but I won't go into detail.
In this case, Charles would waste time telling off his servant about the sort of tie he has to wear on the quest;
Anne would zoom off on the nearest horse.
Andrew would be too busy shagging Bernard (*)
Whilst Edward would forget about the quest and direct a reality TV show about it.
They probably don't have to go to the extent of the books, where all the male kids kill each other off...
(*) You need to know the film.
Looks like a 176 to 173 win for the right-of-centre bloc overall.
https://resultat.val.se/val2022/prel/RD/rike
However he has to be re elected Florida governor first
Put those two together, as well as an inexperienced and wooden candidate who is struggling to raise fund, and I think the 538 poll-of-polls is about right: Kelly has a comfortable lead.
(I would also note that Kelly is polling very close to 50% in the averages, and candidates tend to get or exceed their polls score, with undecideds making the difference. That means he's in a very strong position.)
Nevada, I'm in agreement with you. I think Laxalt is a strong candidate while Cortez Mastro is a relatively weak one. It's worth noting that she has only hit the 50% mark in one polls since the beginning of May. There's only one fly in the ointment for the Republicans, and it is (again) abortion. Nevada is even more pro-Choice than Arizona, and had a referendum confirming support for legal abortion that was won 2-1. Laxalt (like Masters) ran for the Republican nomination on a ban abortion platform. If the Democrats can make the Senate race about abortion, then they stand a chance.
Right now, I would make Kelly favourite in AZ, and Laxalt favorite in NV.
But what is your basis for saying that? I haven’t seen any Swedish commentators positing that.
https://twitter.com/TomBevanRCP/status/1570067234357231619
https://twitter.com/TomBevanRCP/status/1570067772050219009
@TomBevanRCP
The bad news for John Fetterwoman: 68% of voters say their main concerns are the economy, inflation, and gas prices. Only 13% say abortion.
@TomBevanRCP
However, the good news for Fetterman is that 5% more voters trust him on economic issues than Oz.
I heard this on the Food Prog on r4 20 years ago, the internet knows nothing about it. I may have recounted it here before but this time I will save the text to remind me not to post it again
So; the Sevilleans had always been suspicious of the motives of the English for wanting to buy the inedible fruit of the purely ornamental orange trees which decorate the city to make a fictitious breakfast jam. The most popular theory was that they used the fruit to make a secret weapon of war, dried oranges being incredibly inflammable.
In winter 1940-1 Churchill said he was buggered if he was fighting a war without proper marmalade and sent a destroyer to escort the orange ship from Seville to UK.
So the Sevillean know it alls said See? We were right all along.
Though it is possible that Donald Trump is actually the "winner". NOT counting "campaign expenditures" financed by his relentless fundraising, and pending an unsnarling of his actual fiscal status (subject of ongoing litigation - what a surpirse!)
Kristersson PM with SD confidence and supply
Italy on my recent visit was sadly notable for its sense of stagnation if not decay
I could be wrong but this feels like a mix of luck - they already had the climate and architecture - and good local government. And that Revolution in Spanish cuisine which has clearly hit Andalucia
They’ve also really cleverly pedestrianised half the centre of the city and opened up new facades and hidden corners
There was someone in a Hibs shirt behind me haha
There is a lot of sense in your comments and as far as I am concerned I expect Spring 2023 will be the better indicator as the new tax arrangements in April will come in, along with the triple lock pensions, and most city commentators expect Truss and Kwarteng measures just announced and to be announced in a week will see inflation drop by 5% or so, and of course the biggest question of all where will the war in Ukraine be, indeed even if it is still going on
To those quoting polls they are a snapshot of the day they were taken and while a trend may become evident, the best rule in politics is a week is along time and of course, events that we have no control over can even be imagined play a profound part in our politics
The death of the Queen and the war in Ukraine to name two
But it is almost the perfect place. The Romans put Italica there. The Spanish empire depended on it.
If it weren't so damn hot for three months of the year, they'd take over the world.
Spain now looks and smells and tastes like a first-league European country as opposed to the sleepy, dusty and decrepit place of my youth.
It’s amazing what you can achieve with focus, ambition, and a decent chunk of pesos.
And, as you say, compare with Italy.
My grief is that the UK should be “more like Spain” in this regard.
Pure sex for the nostrils.
It is an affront to democracy for the present timetable with extended periods of when mps are not sitting and has to be changed
That’s English understatement for you.
Edit: as prime minister, not as party leader
One of Mrs Stodge's work colleagues has joined The Queue and is still at Southwark Bridge.
I watched 5 seconds of the live stream of people filing past the coffin - enough, I thought. One of my colleagues has opted to pay her respects at Windsor.
Glancing at the procession of the coffin, one thing struck me - you had the Queen's children in the first row and presumably the grandchildren in the second row - William, Harry, Peter Philips but I didn't see Zara Tindall let alone the Queen's other grandchildren, Prince Edward's children. The Viscount Severn had attended the Platinum Jubilee gatherings I believe.
Perhaps they were in another line which I didn't see.
He cant role that in the a run for POTUS, but he can use it cleverly build his profile, and other useful stuff. and it does mean he has a big list of donors, all of which he can ask for more when/if he decides to run for POTUS
Plus plethora of clever ways to use state campaign cash in federal races by semi-indirect means (for example "party building").
There's no point including someone with a 2% favourability rating if only 3% know who they are. So in short order it appears to be Putin, Xi, Rupert Murdoch, MBS, Matt Hancock and a little surprisingly Keith Vaz.
https://yougov.co.uk/ratings/politics/popularity/public-figures/all
You've come a long way, baby!
"We spend £350m a week on countries like Spain. Let's spend it on the UK instead."
Yes Spain has done marvellous things. They have improved their major cities immeasurably
Of course there are big problems. The overbuilt holiday towns with no buyers. The depopulating interior. Climate change is an existential threat
But right now for quality of life at a reasonable price I’d say Spain, in its best cities, has it licked. Britain should indeed look to Spain for inspiration
And the food. JeeZ. And the gee and teez
No disrespect to those mourning, but a point for the media. While the queue is long it’s not a huge crowd of people. It’s important to keep things in perspective and appreciate this does not represent the whole country or even a majority.
https://twitter.com/RepublicStaff/status/1570085009083748352
https://twitter.com/lucian_kim/status/936527182331039744
The late Queen would have approved.
Another lie.
Looks obvious in hindsight but someone had to think of it.
https://thewhistlernews.com/ron-desantis-net-worth/
Which is right?
But I am surprised Dominic Cummings didn't make the cut.
Not only a loser, and a public leper, but less well-known than Keith Vaz? He'll never recover!
Edit - fucking autocorrect is more away with the fairies today than a DfE official.
And Seville has the cathedral and the archives and the unique vivacious vibe
Córdoba when I went a few years ago was a bit of a dump. Even the mezquita slightly disappoints because of that fucking church dumped in the middle of the serene colonnades
"Ronald DeSantis has an Estimated Net Worth of $52 Million in 2022. DeSantis gets a fixed salary of $180,000 from the Florida State Treasury As Governor. Ron DeSantis bought his house for $8 Million and the current market value is $22 Million."
https://haqexpress.com/ronald-desantis-net-worth/
Glad to see the general public also sense it, it’s not just me.
The North Korean regime can put on a much more spectacular funeral show than a certain island kingdom:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSLnuos5pkw
Both regimes run versions of the divine right of the dynastic ruler.
Would the Tories here be pro or anti the regime had they been born and raised in NK?(We don't have to ask the same question about Russia. Khrushchev knew the answer when he said if were a Brit he'd vote Tory.)
Such campaigns are just a sop to an advertising industry that frankly is big and ugly enough to survive on its own.
I don't believe that they encourage positive behaviour, and frankly I'm not sure that those mounting such campaigns even know what constitutes positive behaviour. The latest stats show afaicr that consumption of (for example) saturated fats is way down amongst the poor, but obesity and overall morbidity is up.
In the opinion that I share so frequently on PB, peoples' health will benefit not from the removal of food, but from that food containing more of the nutrition needed for optimal health. There is a lot that the Government can do in this regard, but none of it involves taking to the airwaves to tell people off for being fatties.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/3641659-why-buttigieg-is-sparking-2024-chatter/
I know I am one of a (smallish?) number of PBers who think it should be Buttigieg next time.
The Luftwaffe and the Marxist town planners destroyed most of our great cities and many of our small cities - london Glasgow and Edinburgh apart.
Newcastle is probably the only big UK city that has some truly magnificent surviving architecture and a noble setting and therefore hope. It appears Liverpool has recently destroyed itself if UNESCO are right
Why are we so shamefully bad at urbanisation? How come the Spanish can do it and we can’t?
Hahaha
Proper chuckle here in Seville
The UK is not alone, the other English speaking countries are the same, actually.
I think it’s got something to do with the car and an unholy alliance between capitalists (build cheaply), conservatives (spend leastly), and progressives (be suspicious of heritage and beautiful things).
Such events are political in North Korea, and they're political here.
It's true that it's not representative, but political marches aren't representative either and they aren't supposed to be.
Gotta hope the stupidity reaches such an extreme level that it implodes. Either that, or Liz Truss was so right when she said the late monarch was one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known.
No matter how bad Uk town planning it - and Jesus it is evilly bad at times - it still doesn’t compare to what the car did to American towns from 1920 on
It is heartbreaking to see photos of all these thriving small towns and big US cities - all walkable and humane and civilised - utterly devastated by the automobile. A terrible wrong turn in human life
I am sure many of the ills of American society stem from this single disastrous mis step. By making everyone reliant on a car and by making everyone drive to go anywhere you atomise the individual. Creating anomie. You also make them fat by their not walking. Yes it is convenient but it creates horrific cityscapes and degrades the soul
Belatedly, we are all realising this. But Jesus it is going to take some fixing in some places
Every delegate to the Tory conference can ask questions how Truss enormous borrow and spend plan is going to work in a debate on it, and have a vote on wether they like it or not. Otherwise we would be no different than the old politburo’ in Soviet Union wouldn’t we?
Lord knows how that came to pass.
But try to tweak
The way i speak?
You can shove that up your hairy arse.
Edinburgh and Bath are already premier division.
Liverpool, Glasgow, Bristol, Newcastle could all be made to “work” better with concerted effort.
Manchester is “so-so”, Birmingham distressingly bad, Southampton and Portsmouth are downright disasters.
I’m not familiar enough with Cardiff, Belfast, Sheffield, Leeds or Nottingham to offer an opinion.
We can’t compete with Seville or Venice.
But we can legitimately aspire to compete with Dutch, Scandinavian and German cities.