The Beatles‘ 1968 track ‘Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da’ has been declared the most perfect pop song ever written by researchers at the Max Planck Institute in Germany.
I must confess I think Yellow by Coldplay is fantastic. Other songs by bands I generally don't like. Orange Crush REM. Crazy Little thing called Love Queen.
Not sure Orange Crush can be counted as perfect pop song. Far too edgy.
Only something off Automatic will count for REM in this category I think.
Probably Man on the Moon or Everybody hurts
Or Find the River or anything. If we are moving on to perfect albums, that and After the Gold Rush and Blood on the Tracks.
Find the River is beautiful. One of my favourites and, like Souvenir is on my Funeral playlist
Has anyone mentioned Just Can't get Enough. Depeche Mode? I'd retire on that. No more need to speak.
I love Rio by Duran Duran Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand
Mainly famous for the reference in
And your shoulders are frozen (cold as the night) Oh, but you're an explosion (you're dynamite) Your name isn't Rio, but I don't care for sand And lighting the fuse might result in a bang, b-b-bang-oh
I bet that you look good on the dance floor I don't know if you're looking for romance or I don't know what you're looking for I said, I bet that you look good on the dance floor Dancing to electro-pop like a robot from 1984 Well, from 1984
I must confess I think Yellow by Coldplay is fantastic. Other songs by bands I generally don't like. Orange Crush REM. Crazy Little thing called Love Queen.
Not sure Orange Crush can be counted as perfect pop song. Far too edgy.
Only something off Automatic will count for REM in this category I think.
Probably Man on the Moon or Everybody hurts
Or Find the River or anything. If we are moving on to perfect albums, that and After the Gold Rush and Blood on the Tracks.
If you get a chance BBC4 Sounds has desert island discs last week with Rick Rubins. He takes Neil Young's 'I believe in you' (Goldrush) with him and gets pretty emotional as he is doing so.
In a surprising foray in a deep-blue state, President Biden is campaigning for Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York to try to blunt the momentum of her Republican opponent, while Jill Biden is in Houston trying to shore up support in Democratic strongholds.
Crowd shouting lock her up about Nancy Pelosi at a Trump rally . The Maga Trump Cult are despicable hate filled scum.
I couldn’t stomach being in the same room as them .
Trouble is the Trumpites know you hate them, and they think you started all this, so there's yer civil war, right there
In a civil war of the young and fit against the old and obese, only one side will win.
The side carrying bigger guns.
There won't be a civil war because the army and security services are not deserting and joining 'the other side'. There could be civil unrest. If there is a right wing secessionist movement it would need significant parts of the army and airforce to come over to its side. I find that unlikely.
Total bollocks sorry, I hear this a lot what does the right to bear arms matter when the us military has all these toys.
Well the us military had all the best toys in vietnam whereas the vietnamese had what comes under the heading right to bear arms....the us lost
ditto afghanistan.
Which is even before the fact that in a civil war half the us military is likely to defect taking their toys with them
Vietcong were happy to live in tunnels on half a bowl of rice a week. MAGGOTS less so. Helicopter gunships when they go on a Walmart run, and BOOM.
The vietcong were already used to that style of living largely it is irrelevant.
Conventional armies pitted against conventional armies the best equipped have an advantage.
Conventional army against a guerilla force that blends into the population and has the clandestine support of many....they dont do so good
I just don't think MAGA phatbois are going to melt into the jungle quite like Charlie did. Cut off their social security, foreclose on their trucks and their houses, track their mobiles.
If there is an American Civil War, it would be close. Closer than the last one
And I significantly doubt the loyalty of the US Military to Woke Democrats
In the last Civil War, the losing side was emotionally crippled by knowing - deep down - that they were morally in the wrong. And their opponents felt the opposite
Not the case here
I honestly think an american civil war would lead to a british civil war along similar lines...woke leftists vs the white working class...
Hampstead would see off Hartlepool easy. Hobnail boots and vulgar chanting no match for the fortified crepe van.
The heath would be a great place for the deciding battle....gays and wokes vs armed thugs
Give it up mate, you're really not much cop at it. You stick out like a sore thumb.
However it has a liveliness and cheeky innocence which I kind of miss. Also he was very good looking. Ended up mad and sectioned, as I recall
Possibly the best gig I ever went to was Adam and the Ants, Durham University November 12 1980, about a fortnight before they became massive - but then they still had their hardcore punk following. These fans formed "anthills" - verticle mosh-pits that became wobbly towers of punks that then collapsed in chaos. Then they helped each other up and started building new ones.
Anchorage by Michelle Shocked. The bleakness of growing up.
Hey girl I think the last time I saw you Was on me and Leroy's wedding day. What was the name of that love song you played? I forgot how it goes, I don't recall how it goes.
Rainy Autumn Sunday Gastropub Classics is totally a genre, and should be an "album" available on iTunes
Poignant, wistful, sophisticated Pop Classics to go with your roast guinea fowl and polenta, and make you feel seriously sad but also pleased that you still have friends and can afford a nice lunch
Heath Mayo @HeathMayo If DeSantis were running in ‘24, he should’ve already responded to Trump. As badly as Trump needs to go, it won’t be DeSantis to do it. He has zero charisma & falls flat when the lights come on. Kari Lake is the only thing that can stop Trump in the party. Pick your poison, GOP.
I must confess I think Yellow by Coldplay is fantastic. Other songs by bands I generally don't like. Orange Crush REM. Crazy Little thing called Love Queen.
Not sure Orange Crush can be counted as perfect pop song. Far too edgy.
Anchorage by Michelle Shocked. The bleakness of growing up.
Hey girl I think the last time I saw you Was on me and Leroy's wedding day. What was the name of that love song you played? I forgot how it goes, I don't recall how it goes.
My God we were good. In our time. As a people. The West. The Anglosphere. I wonder if this will be seen as our greatest gift to the world: the "Music of the English Speaking People", from 1955-2005. It really is something
The Beatles‘ 1968 track ‘Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da’ has been declared the most perfect pop song ever written by researchers at the Max Planck Institute in Germany.
A few years ago there was a study looking for the World's best joke. The deemed winner was "I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my Grandpa. Not screaming in terror like his passengers." German voters commented that they didn't understand the joke.
If DeSantis (Florida's top Micheal McIntyre tribute act) primaries Trump and beats him to the nomination the Deplorables will be very butthurt and it could supress turnout.
I think DeSantis has to go for it because, if not now, then when? Four years is a lifetime in politics and Trump's VP will probably be the GOP candidate in 2028. Assuming they are still having elections by then which is by no means a sure thing.
Some observers disagree; they don’t think he has the bottle.
https://steveschmidt.substack.com/p/updated-the-little-eichmann? … DeSantis can’t beat Trump in a primary because he isn’t tough enough. He lacks the character for direct confrontation with the big boss. He is a schemer. He wants to inherit the throne, not fight the king for it. Relations between the true seat of MAGA power and DeSantis’ backwater duchy are poor. Making a move against Trump requires courage, and the one thing that Trump is completely right about is his assessments around his court’s cowardice. He looks at DeSantis, and sees a punk. He knows that the diminutive bully strikes down, not up. Trump knows he’s weak even if the national political press corps hasn’t figured it out yet….
Of course the Justice Department might also get a say in whether or not Trump can run.
That strikes me as a very politically slanted piece, written from the perspective of wanting to see a vicious right wing turf war. The more obvious thing for De Santis to do would be to shower Trump with praise but argue that it's time for a new face. Say 'Trump will be the first guest of honour at my White House, and I hope to benefit from his wise counsel' - Trump would find that almost impossible to combat.
The Beatles‘ 1968 track ‘Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da’ has been declared the most perfect pop song ever written by researchers at the Max Planck Institute in Germany.
A few years ago there was a study looking for the World's best joke. The deemed winner was "I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my Grandpa. Not screaming in terror like his passengers." German voters commented that they didn't understand the joke.
Google Germanwings Flight 9525 for a clue about their blind spot.
My God we were good. In our time. As a people. The West. The Anglosphere. I wonder if this will be seen as our greatest gift to the world: the "Music of the English Speaking People", from 1955-2005. It really is something
If we are going all 12 inch then New Order's Blue Monday is the stone cold belting classic of them all.
Ok im pitching for The New Seekers Never Ending Song Of Love for ultimate pop song
I prefer Seekers and 'The Carnival Is Over' (1965 ish). Not really keen on 1960s music but that is top level as is 'What becomes of the broken hearted' Jimmy Ruffin 1966 and 'Reflections' Supremes 1967 👍
My God we were good. In our time. As a people. The West. The Anglosphere. I wonder if this will be seen as our greatest gift to the world: the "Music of the English Speaking People", from 1955-2005. It really is something
Yes. Other than English itself which everyone wants to speak.
Anchorage by Michelle Shocked. The bleakness of growing up.
Hey girl I think the last time I saw you Was on me and Leroy's wedding day. What was the name of that love song you played? I forgot how it goes, I don't recall how it goes.
She was one of the early victims of cancel culture after being labelled homophobic.
If DeSantis (Florida's top Micheal McIntyre tribute act) primaries Trump and beats him to the nomination the Deplorables will be very butthurt and it could supress turnout.
I think DeSantis has to go for it because, if not now, then when? Four years is a lifetime in politics and Trump's VP will probably be the GOP candidate in 2028. Assuming they are still having elections by then which is by no means a sure thing.
Some observers disagree; they don’t think he has the bottle.
https://steveschmidt.substack.com/p/updated-the-little-eichmann? … DeSantis can’t beat Trump in a primary because he isn’t tough enough. He lacks the character for direct confrontation with the big boss. He is a schemer. He wants to inherit the throne, not fight the king for it. Relations between the true seat of MAGA power and DeSantis’ backwater duchy are poor. Making a move against Trump requires courage, and the one thing that Trump is completely right about is his assessments around his court’s cowardice. He looks at DeSantis, and sees a punk. He knows that the diminutive bully strikes down, not up. Trump knows he’s weak even if the national political press corps hasn’t figured it out yet….
Of course the Justice Department might also get a say in whether or not Trump can run.
That strikes me as a very politically slanted piece, written from the perspective of wanting to see a vicious right wing turf war. The more obvious thing for De Santis to do would be to shower Trump with praise but argue that it's time for a new face. Say 'Trump will be the first guest of honour at my White House, and I hope to benefit from his wise counsel' - Trump would find that almost impossible to combat.
And Trump will pick a fight and DeSantis will try to not respond, and he will be perceived as weak by Republicans that want a "fighter".
Ok im pitching for The New Seekers Never Ending Song Of Love for ultimate pop song
I prefer Seekers and 'The Carnival Is Over' (1965 ish). Not really keen on 1960s music but that is top level as is 'What becomes of the broken hearted' Jimmy Ruffin 1966 and 'Reflections' Supremes 1967 👍
The Air That I Breathe as a post coitus chill out is up there for perfection too
For what, cheesy rock ballads? The idea that Phil Collins can be held up as a more talented artist than modern bands like Kings of Leon or Arcade Fire just shows the age group of people posting. The music people think is greatest is disproportionately weighted towards the music you listened to from 10-25. It's like the best World Cup was the one that happened closest to when you were 10. People can't recognize their own bias.
If DeSantis (Florida's top Micheal McIntyre tribute act) primaries Trump and beats him to the nomination the Deplorables will be very butthurt and it could supress turnout.
I think DeSantis has to go for it because, if not now, then when? Four years is a lifetime in politics and Trump's VP will probably be the GOP candidate in 2028. Assuming they are still having elections by then which is by no means a sure thing.
Some observers disagree; they don’t think he has the bottle.
https://steveschmidt.substack.com/p/updated-the-little-eichmann? … DeSantis can’t beat Trump in a primary because he isn’t tough enough. He lacks the character for direct confrontation with the big boss. He is a schemer. He wants to inherit the throne, not fight the king for it. Relations between the true seat of MAGA power and DeSantis’ backwater duchy are poor. Making a move against Trump requires courage, and the one thing that Trump is completely right about is his assessments around his court’s cowardice. He looks at DeSantis, and sees a punk. He knows that the diminutive bully strikes down, not up. Trump knows he’s weak even if the national political press corps hasn’t figured it out yet….
Of course the Justice Department might also get a say in whether or not Trump can run.
That strikes me as a very politically slanted piece, written from the perspective of wanting to see a vicious right wing turf war. The more obvious thing for De Santis to do would be to shower Trump with praise but argue that it's time for a new face. Say 'Trump will be the first guest of honour at my White House, and I hope to benefit from his wise counsel' - Trump would find that almost impossible to combat.
And Trump will pick a fight and DeSantis will try to not respond, and he will be perceived as weak by Republicans that want a "fighter".
You're right, and he's started calling him 'De Sanctimonious' (which is funny, does someone write these for him?) but if De Santis doesn't rise to it and shrugs and says 'that's our Donald', what can Trump actually do? He can ramp it up a notch but look like a c***. Trump's unerring genius is to bring people down to his level. If someone doesn't, he'll have issues.
If DeSantis (Florida's top Micheal McIntyre tribute act) primaries Trump and beats him to the nomination the Deplorables will be very butthurt and it could supress turnout.
I think DeSantis has to go for it because, if not now, then when? Four years is a lifetime in politics and Trump's VP will probably be the GOP candidate in 2028. Assuming they are still having elections by then which is by no means a sure thing.
Some observers disagree; they don’t think he has the bottle.
https://steveschmidt.substack.com/p/updated-the-little-eichmann? … DeSantis can’t beat Trump in a primary because he isn’t tough enough. He lacks the character for direct confrontation with the big boss. He is a schemer. He wants to inherit the throne, not fight the king for it. Relations between the true seat of MAGA power and DeSantis’ backwater duchy are poor. Making a move against Trump requires courage, and the one thing that Trump is completely right about is his assessments around his court’s cowardice. He looks at DeSantis, and sees a punk. He knows that the diminutive bully strikes down, not up. Trump knows he’s weak even if the national political press corps hasn’t figured it out yet….
Of course the Justice Department might also get a say in whether or not Trump can run.
That strikes me as a very politically slanted piece, written from the perspective of wanting to see a vicious right wing turf war. The more obvious thing for De Santis to do would be to shower Trump with praise but argue that it's time for a new face. Say 'Trump will be the first guest of honour at my White House, and I hope to benefit from his wise counsel' - Trump would find that almost impossible to combat.
And Trump will pick a fight and DeSantis will try to not respond, and he will be perceived as weak by Republicans that want a "fighter".
See my earlier link to the idea that only @Leon's very own Kari Lake can primary Trump.
I reckon he will know this and offer her veep role.
Re, civil war, in the majority of wars where regular soldiers are pitted against guerillas, the guerillas lose.
Guerilla warfare is what you do when you don't have sufficient resources to maintain conventional forces. Where guerillas do well is when they are working in conjunction with regular forces (eg Vietnam, the Peninsular War, the Eastern Front from 1942-44).
If, civil war broke out in the US, and the US army broke decisively for one side or another, that side would win
If Howe had defeated Washington's field army in 1776, and hooked up with Burgoyne at Saratoga, then the French/Spanish wouldn't have entered the war and it's possible the British could have won it.
Controlling Long Island, Rhode Island and the Hudson - together with the Royal Navy patrolling offshore - would have isolated the most rebellious New England colonies and even a strong militia in Connecticut and Massachusetts wouldn't have sustained the rebels. Howe could have launched a devastating march through there to retake Boston when he was ready, possibly combined with another thrust from Newport.
Once done, the middle colonies wouldn't have been able to put up much of a fight, and there were plenty of loyalists in the southern colonies who'd have overthrown the 'patriots' as soon as the bulk of their population had smelt the coffee.
So long as America kept getting more populous compared to the UK, and at long as its interests diverged, then it was always going to become independent. The only question was when.
Re, civil war, in the majority of wars where regular soldiers are pitted against guerillas, the guerillas lose.
Guerilla warfare is what you do when you don't have sufficient resources to maintain conventional forces. Where guerillas do well is when they are working in conjunction with regular forces (eg Vietnam, the Peninsular War, the Eastern Front from 1942-44).
If, civil war broke out in the US, and the US army broke decisively for one side or another, that side would win
If Howe had defeated Washington's field army in 1776, and hooked up with Burgoyne at Saratoga, then the French/Spanish wouldn't have entered the war and it's possible the British could have won it.
Controlling Long Island, Rhode Island and the Hudson - together with the Royal Navy patrolling offshore - would have isolated the most rebellious New England colonies and even a strong militia in Connecticut and Massachusetts wouldn't have sustained the rebels. Howe could have launched a devastating march through there to retake Boston when he was ready, possibly combined with another thrust from Newport.
Once done, the middle colonies wouldn't have been able to put up much of a fight, and there were plenty of loyalists in the southern colonies who'd have overthrown the 'patriots' as soon as the bulk of their population had smelt the coffee.
So long as America kept getting more populous compared to the UK, and at long as its interests diverged, then it was always going to become independent. The only question was when.
We really ought to have supported the Confederacy in the American Civil War - United States stuck between British Canada on top and British-sponsored Confederacy below, would have made them a lot less troublesome to the world in the long term. Oh well, you live and learn.
For what, cheesy rock ballads? The idea that Phil Collins can be held up as a more talented artist than modern bands like Kings of Leon or Arcade Fire just shows the age group of people posting. The music people think is greatest is disproportionately weighted towards the music you listened to from 10-25. It's like the best World Cup was the one that happened closest to when you were 10. People can't recognize their own bias.
"modern bands like Kings of Leon or Arcade Fire."
Fcuk. Me.
These are indeed contemporary beat combos, m' lud.
For what, cheesy rock ballads? The idea that Phil Collins can be held up as a more talented artist than modern bands like Kings of Leon or Arcade Fire just shows the age group of people posting. The music people think is greatest is disproportionately weighted towards the music you listened to from 10-25. It's like the best World Cup was the one that happened closest to when you were 10. People can't recognize their own bias.
The challenge on the thread, if I can remember that long ago, was best sunday afternoon in the pub all time pop track, not "talented artist".
If DeSantis (Florida's top Micheal McIntyre tribute act) primaries Trump and beats him to the nomination the Deplorables will be very butthurt and it could supress turnout.
I think DeSantis has to go for it because, if not now, then when? Four years is a lifetime in politics and Trump's VP will probably be the GOP candidate in 2028. Assuming they are still having elections by then which is by no means a sure thing.
Some observers disagree; they don’t think he has the bottle.
https://steveschmidt.substack.com/p/updated-the-little-eichmann? … DeSantis can’t beat Trump in a primary because he isn’t tough enough. He lacks the character for direct confrontation with the big boss. He is a schemer. He wants to inherit the throne, not fight the king for it. Relations between the true seat of MAGA power and DeSantis’ backwater duchy are poor. Making a move against Trump requires courage, and the one thing that Trump is completely right about is his assessments around his court’s cowardice. He looks at DeSantis, and sees a punk. He knows that the diminutive bully strikes down, not up. Trump knows he’s weak even if the national political press corps hasn’t figured it out yet….
Of course the Justice Department might also get a say in whether or not Trump can run.
That strikes me as a very politically slanted piece, written from the perspective of wanting to see a vicious right wing turf war. The more obvious thing for De Santis to do would be to shower Trump with praise but argue that it's time for a new face. Say 'Trump will be the first guest of honour at my White House, and I hope to benefit from his wise counsel' - Trump would find that almost impossible to combat.
And Trump will pick a fight and DeSantis will try to not respond, and he will be perceived as weak by Republicans that want a "fighter".
You're right, and he's started calling him 'De Sanctimonious' (which is funny, does someone write these for him?) but if De Santis doesn't rise to it and shrugs and says 'that's our Donald', what can Trump actually do? He can ramp it up a notch but look like a c***. Trump's unerring genius is to bring people down to his level. If someone doesn't, he'll have issues.
Trump will ramp it up a notch and he will look like a cunt and the Republican base will love him for it. Marco Rubio tried exactly what you described and failed miserably. Eventually when he was so far behind, he was advised to go down to Trump's level and that doesn't work either.
Re, civil war, in the majority of wars where regular soldiers are pitted against guerillas, the guerillas lose.
Guerilla warfare is what you do when you don't have sufficient resources to maintain conventional forces. Where guerillas do well is when they are working in conjunction with regular forces (eg Vietnam, the Peninsular War, the Eastern Front from 1942-44).
If, civil war broke out in the US, and the US army broke decisively for one side or another, that side would win
If Howe had defeated Washington's field army in 1776, and hooked up with Burgoyne at Saratoga, then the French/Spanish wouldn't have entered the war and it's possible the British could have won it.
Controlling Long Island, Rhode Island and the Hudson - together with the Royal Navy patrolling offshore - would have isolated the most rebellious New England colonies and even a strong militia in Connecticut and Massachusetts wouldn't have sustained the rebels. Howe could have launched a devastating march through there to retake Boston when he was ready, possibly combined with another thrust from Newport.
Once done, the middle colonies wouldn't have been able to put up much of a fight, and there were plenty of loyalists in the southern colonies who'd have overthrown the 'patriots' as soon as the bulk of their population had smelt the coffee.
So long as America kept getting more populous compared to the UK, and at long as its interests diverged, then it was always going to become independent. The only question was when.
More likely to have become independent in the style of Australia or Canada.
If DeSantis (Florida's top Micheal McIntyre tribute act) primaries Trump and beats him to the nomination the Deplorables will be very butthurt and it could supress turnout.
I think DeSantis has to go for it because, if not now, then when? Four years is a lifetime in politics and Trump's VP will probably be the GOP candidate in 2028. Assuming they are still having elections by then which is by no means a sure thing.
Some observers disagree; they don’t think he has the bottle.
https://steveschmidt.substack.com/p/updated-the-little-eichmann? … DeSantis can’t beat Trump in a primary because he isn’t tough enough. He lacks the character for direct confrontation with the big boss. He is a schemer. He wants to inherit the throne, not fight the king for it. Relations between the true seat of MAGA power and DeSantis’ backwater duchy are poor. Making a move against Trump requires courage, and the one thing that Trump is completely right about is his assessments around his court’s cowardice. He looks at DeSantis, and sees a punk. He knows that the diminutive bully strikes down, not up. Trump knows he’s weak even if the national political press corps hasn’t figured it out yet….
Of course the Justice Department might also get a say in whether or not Trump can run.
That strikes me as a very politically slanted piece, written from the perspective of wanting to see a vicious right wing turf war. The more obvious thing for De Santis to do would be to shower Trump with praise but argue that it's time for a new face. Say 'Trump will be the first guest of honour at my White House, and I hope to benefit from his wise counsel' - Trump would find that almost impossible to combat.
And Trump will pick a fight and DeSantis will try to not respond, and he will be perceived as weak by Republicans that want a "fighter".
You're right, and he's started calling him 'De Sanctimonious' (which is funny, does someone write these for him?) but if De Santis doesn't rise to it and shrugs and says 'that's our Donald', what can Trump actually do? He can ramp it up a notch but look like a c***. Trump's unerring genius is to bring people down to his level. If someone doesn't, he'll have issues.
Trump will ramp it up a notch and he will look like a cunt and the Republican base will love him for it. Marco Rubio tried exactly what you described and failed miserably. Eventually when he was so far behind, he was advised to go down to Trump's level and that doesn't work either.
Sometimes nothing is going to work. But the standard advice on wrestling with a pig definitely applies to Trump.
For what, cheesy rock ballads? The idea that Phil Collins can be held up as a more talented artist than modern bands like Kings of Leon or Arcade Fire just shows the age group of people posting. The music people think is greatest is disproportionately weighted towards the music you listened to from 10-25. It's like the best World Cup was the one that happened closest to when you were 10. People can't recognize their own bias.
By your reckoning, the Italians of La Maniera - Mannerism - could have sat back and chilled and smoked some weed and listened to Drill and said "relax, everyone, Bronzino is as good as Michelangelo, it's all great", and yet - that was not true. Italian art - for so long remarkably foremost in the world - went into swift decline. The art was literally inferior to what went before
That is now happening to us. Pop music produced by the west (essentially the UK and USA) is not what it was. I wish it was. But it ain't
Re, civil war, in the majority of wars where regular soldiers are pitted against guerillas, the guerillas lose.
Guerilla warfare is what you do when you don't have sufficient resources to maintain conventional forces. Where guerillas do well is when they are working in conjunction with regular forces (eg Vietnam, the Peninsular War, the Eastern Front from 1942-44).
If, civil war broke out in the US, and the US army broke decisively for one side or another, that side would win
If Howe had defeated Washington's field army in 1776, and hooked up with Burgoyne at Saratoga, then the French/Spanish wouldn't have entered the war and it's possible the British could have won it.
Controlling Long Island, Rhode Island and the Hudson - together with the Royal Navy patrolling offshore - would have isolated the most rebellious New England colonies and even a strong militia in Connecticut and Massachusetts wouldn't have sustained the rebels. Howe could have launched a devastating march through there to retake Boston when he was ready, possibly combined with another thrust from Newport.
Once done, the middle colonies wouldn't have been able to put up much of a fight, and there were plenty of loyalists in the southern colonies who'd have overthrown the 'patriots' as soon as the bulk of their population had smelt the coffee.
So long as America kept getting more populous compared to the UK, and at long as its interests diverged, then it was always going to become independent. The only question was when.
More likely to have become independent in the style of Australia or Canada.
Australia and Canada, though, were always much smaller than the UK.
Of course, in the event that the UK had won, then the Louisiana purchase would probably never have happened, so who knows how the future would have played out.
For what, cheesy rock ballads? The idea that Phil Collins can be held up as a more talented artist than modern bands like Kings of Leon or Arcade Fire just shows the age group of people posting. The music people think is greatest is disproportionately weighted towards the music you listened to from 10-25. It's like the best World Cup was the one that happened closest to when you were 10. People can't recognize their own bias.
"modern bands like Kings of Leon or Arcade Fire."
Fcuk. Me.
These are indeed contemporary beat combos, m' lud.
I have a Wolf Alice LP so I am down with the kids.
Gorgrous song, gorgeous singer. For bittersweet i rather like Up the Junction and Labelled with Love. In different ways just express the bleakness and shittiness of life.
He became drinker and she became mother, she knew that one day she'd be one or the other
True story: 15 years ago I was at the afterparty at Belladrum and talking to a bloke was playing a guitar and singing various standards and then said I'll do one of my own now. And did Up The Junction.
Pub quiz q: what do Up The Junction and Virginia Plain have in common?
There's a one-bedroom castle on the Belladrum estate you can rent. (The Festival was just being wrapped up when we went.)
I have huge affection for the place. The wife was going through hell trying to get Ralph Fiennes' Coriolanus financed. Every day at breakfast I would read her two chapters of a story I had written the day before. All cliff-hanger endings. Helped keep her sane.
Re, civil war, in the majority of wars where regular soldiers are pitted against guerillas, the guerillas lose.
Guerilla warfare is what you do when you don't have sufficient resources to maintain conventional forces. Where guerillas do well is when they are working in conjunction with regular forces (eg Vietnam, the Peninsular War, the Eastern Front from 1942-44).
If, civil war broke out in the US, and the US army broke decisively for one side or another, that side would win
If Howe had defeated Washington's field army in 1776, and hooked up with Burgoyne at Saratoga, then the French/Spanish wouldn't have entered the war and it's possible the British could have won it.
Controlling Long Island, Rhode Island and the Hudson - together with the Royal Navy patrolling offshore - would have isolated the most rebellious New England colonies and even a strong militia in Connecticut and Massachusetts wouldn't have sustained the rebels. Howe could have launched a devastating march through there to retake Boston when he was ready, possibly combined with another thrust from Newport.
Once done, the middle colonies wouldn't have been able to put up much of a fight, and there were plenty of loyalists in the southern colonies who'd have overthrown the 'patriots' as soon as the bulk of their population had smelt the coffee.
So long as America kept getting more populous compared to the UK, and at long as its interests diverged, then it was always going to become independent. The only question was when.
More likely to have become independent in the style of Australia or Canada.
Australia and Canada, though, were always much smaller than the UK.
Of course, in the event that the UK had won, then the Louisiana purchase would probably never have happened, so who knows how the future would have played out.
Not as a purchase, but recall that Napoleon sold it to the USA in 1803, we were at war with Napoleon then (except for the brief peace of Amiens) and we were rather aggressive in taking French colonies.
Comments
I'm like a bird I'm gonna fly away...
And your shoulders are frozen (cold as the night)
Oh, but you're an explosion (you're dynamite)
Your name isn't Rio, but I don't care for sand
And lighting the fuse might result in a bang, b-b-bang-oh
I bet that you look good on the dance floor
I don't know if you're looking for romance or
I don't know what you're looking for
I said, I bet that you look good on the dance floor
Dancing to electro-pop like a robot from 1984
Well, from 1984
Tweeting, trolling
And now I'm all alone
In Brexit-Land my only home
An immensely good PB evening. Off to bed now in case it all kicks off, I am very mindful of the fate of my near namesake and stalker IshmaelZ.
In a surprising foray in a deep-blue state, President Biden is campaigning for Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York to try to blunt the momentum of her Republican opponent, while Jill Biden is in Houston trying to shore up support in Democratic strongholds.
NY Times live blog
The most remarkable energy on and off stage.
Hey girl I think the last time I saw you
Was on me and Leroy's wedding day.
What was the name of that love song you played?
I forgot how it goes, I don't recall how it goes.
Poignant, wistful, sophisticated Pop Classics to go with your roast guinea fowl and polenta, and make you feel seriously sad but also pleased that you still have friends and can afford a nice lunch
Heath Mayo
@HeathMayo
If DeSantis were running in ‘24, he should’ve already responded to Trump. As badly as Trump needs to go, it won’t be DeSantis to do it. He has zero charisma & falls flat when the lights come on. Kari Lake is the only thing that can stop Trump in the party. Pick your poison, GOP.
https://twitter.com/HeathMayo/status/1589390481024512001
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdH_xOIlbbk
My God we were good. In our time. As a people. The West. The Anglosphere. I wonder if this will be seen as our greatest gift to the world: the "Music of the English Speaking People", from 1955-2005. It really is something
A few years ago there was a study looking for the World's best joke. The deemed winner was "I want to die peacefully in my sleep like my Grandpa. Not screaming in terror like his passengers." German voters commented that they didn't understand the joke.
Runaway Train by Soul Asylum
At Seventeen by Janis Ian
Trump will face a 8 to a dozen primary candidates. He keeps no one out of the race.
https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/1589291571991744512
Even without that, surely not a brilliant joke?
But not, I submit, Sunday afternoon pop classic in the pub tune.
Nothing comes close.
This track from his Hello Waveforms album is absolutely amazing:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zqGhoV29mRw
And "Cheat ourselves at solitaire." Fucking unsurpassable.
I reckon he will know this and offer her veep role.
Still v annoyed that she isn't on the BF list.
Fcuk. Me.
These are indeed contemporary beat combos, m' lud.
That is now happening to us. Pop music produced by the west (essentially the UK and USA) is not what it was. I wish it was. But it ain't
Of course, in the event that the UK had won, then the Louisiana purchase would probably never have happened, so who knows how the future would have played out.
Oh I need a friend
To make me happy
Not so alone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1ZoHfJZACA
I have huge affection for the place. The wife was going through hell trying to get Ralph Fiennes' Coriolanus financed. Every day at breakfast I would read her two chapters of a story I had written the day before. All cliff-hanger endings. Helped keep her sane.
That story is now being developed as animation.
We'd probably have invaded it.